Author's Note: Because so many swimming pool professionals throughout the industry read this blog and often come to us at River Pools with questions, I've decided to write an article directed to them, although the theme found herein can certainly be applied to future and current pool owners as well, considering the topic is quite relevant for all of us.
Trips to Disney are almost an annual ritual for my family. At this point, we can basically whiz through Magic Kingdom with our eyes closed. But I'll never forget my first "magical" visit with Mickey.
I was a new business owner who had just been "thrown to the wolves" and was readily finding out how hard it was to run even the most humble company. We arrived at the front gate and from my first interaction with a "cast member" I knew there was something special about the way Disney runs its operation. Every single Disney employee was nice, knowledgeable, and they genuinely cared! This blew my mind! Even the dude who emptied the garbage was a model employee.
I immediately knew I had a lot to learn from this place. From that time on, I tried to make each day at Disney as much business course as trip to the theme park. And the cool thing is that I'm more impressed with every visit!
Based on many brief interviews with Disney employees and my own research on the Disney Business Model, I have come up with 5 Keys to Success that the Pool Industry can learn from the Disney Organization.
1. Never give up
You've heard of "Steamboat Willie", right? It was Mickey's big debut and catapulted Disney to becoming a household name. Do you know when it was released? 1928, just one year before the stock market crash! In the pool industry, we can all relate to how Walt must have felt to see great success followed by an economic collapse. So what happened?
His leadership and dogged determination wouldn't entertain the possibility of failure. In fact, they worked their butts off through the period of the depression and when the market made a ‘come back', they were in a position to capitalize on the opportunity. And capitalize they did! The period from 1937-1941 is referred to as the "Golden age of Animation" with Disney at the forefront.
Here's a news flash: The same thing is going to happen to us!
This ‘refiner's fire' is tempering us. The market will return and when it does, it's Bubba Gump time baby!
Let's remember good ole' Walt and keep our heads up during the tough times. Spring always follows Winter.
2. Innovation
Walt Disney was the epitome of an innovator. He said:
"I can never stand still. I must explore and experiment. I am never satisfied with my work. I resent limitations."
"That's what I like about business, the certainty that there is always something bigger we could do...and the uncertainty of everything else!"
He referred to this paradigm as "the Dreamer," a perspective of unlimited possibilities. This outlook on life and business empowered him with the vision of the Disney experience we have all come to love. He took his efforts to the max of what the modern technology, management styles, and business paradigms had to offer and recognized their limitations. His innovations revolutionized all aspects of animation, theme parks, and the way the world looks at customer service.
How can we innovate in the pool industry? Not just in terms of products, but in terms of our vision, business models, management styles, customer service, field operations, etc.
I believe, like Walt, that "there is always something bigger we could do."
3. Embrace technology
Disney not only had to innovate to create the means to bring his vision to fruition, but he recognized the need to embrace all of the latest technology with open arms.
Why did he do this? Because he was driven to produce the best product possible.
Dang it, I hate to say this, but by and large we are slow to change in this industry! I'm guilty of it myself to a degree. We become comfortable with what we have and it's a little scary to sail into uncharted waters. I find that I need to constantly ask myself the following questions:
- What am I doing to stay abreast of the new products in the industry?
- How can technology improve my current marketing, communication, and logistics?
- Do I neglect to inquire into new stuff simply because I'm not familiar with it?
At River Pools, we have found that a willingness to break from familiar products and put information age technology to work for us has paid major dividends in terms of customer satisfaction and marketing success. Let's follow Disney's example and put the fear of the unfamiliar aside and let our passion to produce the best product possible dictate our actions.
4. Uncompromised Quality
Did you know that after months of work and tens of thousands spent on animation, Walt Disney scrapped Pinocchio because he wasn't satisfied with the look of Jiminy Cricket? From the beginning, he felt that it was good, but something was missing. Finally, one day over half way through the project he realized what it was. Jiminy wasn't personal enough, and he wanted to ensure that the character could connect with the viewer.
Could you imagine what his accountant said to him that day? But that was irrelevant to him. All he cared about was quality. Another example: During the final stages of construction at Disneyland, he had every single worker on the project ride every ride upon its completion. He wanted feedback from everyone; he wanted quality.
One particular construction worker, after riding Pirates of the Caribbean, felt that something was missing. Disney told him to ride it until he could put his finger on it. He rode all day, every day for a week...no joke! Turns out he was from the tropics and felt the ride needed fireflies to make it seem more like home. Needless to say, the ride has fireflies. That's doing what it takes to provide a quality product!
It's my testimony that if we are quality driven, to the point of losing big bucks if necessary, we will ultimately find success in our industry or any industry for that matter.
5. Have fun!
One of the keys to Disney's success was that he never lost focus of the fact that the products and services he offered brought happiness to his customers. He would do anything to ensure that "magic" happened around every corner. Sometimes I think we forget that pools are fun. Let's never lose sight of that! What would happen if a pool company's primary goal was to ensure that, from first contact to completion of the project, their customer had a "magical experience"?
- What would it take to pull that off?
- Do you think it's possible?
- Customers/Potential Customers: What would it take to give you that kind of experience?
Chime in, let's have some dialogue! If you're interested in becoming an independent authorized River Pools dealer, feel free to click the button below to get started.
At River Pools, we manufacture high-quality fiberglass pools for customers across North America. If you want to explore your fiberglass options, you can browse our catalog, visit our pool park in Virginia, try out our pool cost calculator, or download our free ebook below. Happy swimming!
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