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Hidden Brand Advocates
AS AN EMPLOYEE AT ONE OF DISNEY'S THEME PARKS, you cannot do any of the following while “on stage”: smoke, eat, drink, sit down, chew gum, sleep, fold your arms, or lean against a railing or wall. Seems a bit much, but it's not. Disney understands better than most that every employee is an extension of your brand.
Disney wants the experience their customers have to be one they will remember the rest of their lives. They know that nothing can kill the mood at the “Happiest Place on Earth” quicker than a bad experience with an employee.
Each and every employee on payroll represents your brand. As brand ambassadors, they are your soldiers on the ground. The interaction they have with customers greatly influences how people feel about your brand.
Just the other day I drove past a grocery store that had a big sign right outside the front door promoting healthy food choices. It would have been nice except that a mere five feet away was the store manager on his break, smoking. I'm not a smoker, and I certainly don't want to smell smoke right before I walk into a grocery store to select my healthy food choices. The manager was on his break, so it shouldn't count right? Wrong.
In terms of branding, it always counts.
Have you ever called a doctor's office to schedule an appointment and found a very rude secretary on the other end of the line? I know I sure have, and I'm guessing you have as well. It's doubtful that the doctor is even aware that the person on her ...
