9 Ways to Drive Intent to Return

As a Disney Theme Park Operations Executive for over 30 years, I learned a great deal about the importance of “intent to return” and how devising tactics to drive repeat visitation is the backbone of a thriving and growing business model. If you can master this, and couple it with a strong and effective strategy to solicit new customers, you can generate exponentially more revenue.

Grasping the concept of intent to return is one thing, but actually delivering solid results is a whole other dynamic which requires a relentless focus on always creating the absolute best customer experience possible. That said, here are some of my high level thoughts on the topic:

The Customer Experience

Understand your customers and what they want from you. Do market research to really understand your guest demographics. Make them feel like cherished friends. Create an immersive and personalized experience for each and every person who visits your business. Make them feel special and always over-deliver on your promises. Simply put, turn transactions into interactions!

Streamline the Operation

Make the experience easy and hassle-free. Focus on eliminating lines, ensuring you have the right processes and technology in place, and empowering your employees to make real-time decisions that will improve the operation.

Employees

Train, prepare, and equip them well so they feel confident and comfortable representing you and your company. Treat them with respect. Solicit their feedback and act on it! Let them know they have a voice at the table. Make work fun for them. Remove any toxicity in the work environment. Doing so will create an atmosphere of trust, ownership and pride, and this will be reflected in the experiences your customers receive.

Leadership

Obviously, you need the right leaders in the right roles. Create well blended teams of highly effective leaders with varying strengths and experiences who will inspire and motivate your employees to go the extra mile.

Eliminate Silos

Break down departmental silos and operate as one team focused on delivering a single, integrated experience. If your business includes tenants, they are as much a part of your overarching experience as your internal divisions. Your guests do not care about your corporate politics, organizational structure, or competition. They want a cohesive and unified encounter that will be remembered for years to come.

Organizational Design

Build an operational platform and organizational structure designed to support and grow your business. Too many leaders and businesses fail because they don’t have the appropriate infrastructure or people in place.

Products and Services

Make them unique and showcase them in compelling and inviting ways. Differentiate yourself from the competition. Package and price your products and services in a way that promotes and encourages buying.

Audits

Always have ways to audit and evaluate every single component of your operation. This includes putting on a uniform and working alongside your staff to better understand what they deal with every day. It also includes going incognito as a customer so that you can experience the business as your clients do. Put another way, inspect what you expect!

Best in Class

Be the best at what you do. Lead the way. Make others envious of your success, and when your competitors take notice and up their game, stay ahead of them by upping yours!

How would you evaluate your operation or company in these areas? Do you have gaps or opportunities and need help? I have over 35 years of experience helping Disney and other hospitality-oriented companies take their businesses to all new heights. Visit my home page to learn more about the services I offer to get you to the next level. Feel free to reach out to me for a free phone consultation by clicking here.