Gap Questions: What Time is the 3:00pm Parade?

What gap questions exist in your business or organization?

If you were working as a Disney cast member, how would you answer one of the most popular questions guests ask: “What time is the 3:00pm parade?”

This particular question, together with “Where is the nearest restroom?,” is a frequent question guests repeatedly pose to Disney cast members.

So, how would you respond?

At first blush, you might be tempted to say, “3:00pm, of course!” or something similar. And you would be correct — but only half-correct — and more on that in a moment. (By the way, you receive extra “customer service” points if you didn’t add “Duh!” at the end of your answer!)

See, Disney recognizes that there is often a gap between a guest’s question and what the guest actually intends to ask. This gap may arise from the guest’s assumptions, cultural background, or lack of knowledge. Regardless of the reason giving rise to the gap, the gap is a reality that Disney — and every other business or organization, including yours — experiences each day, whether it’s realized or not.

Disney, recognizing this particular gap, determined that when a guest asks “What time is the 3:00pm parade?” he or she actually intends to ask “What time will the 3:00pm arrive at my location?”

Aha! And that makes sense, doesn’t it? Although some guests accurately ask “What time will the 3:00pm parade be here?” many guests inartfully articulate the question as “What time is the 3:00pm parade?” This is why Disney specifically trains its staff to interpret the question as “What time will the 3:00pm parade be here?”

But Disney doesn’t stop there. After informing the guest what time the 3:00pm parade will arrive at his or her specific location, Disney cast members are also trained to actually show the guest the “best spot” to view the 3:00pm parade. In other words, Disney cast members are trained not only to answer the guest’s intended question, but also to “go the extra mile” to show the guest the best location to view the 3:00pm parade.

This week, consider these three things:

• First, what customer service “gaps” exist in your business or organization? Specifically, commit a few moments to identifying your “What time is the 3:00pm parade?” questions.

• Second, how should your business or organization address your customer service “gaps”? In most cases, additional training, both “onboard” and “ongoing,” is required to ensure that each staff member provides customers with accurate information, regardless of how inartfully customers might pose questions.

• Third, how can your business or organization “go the extra mile” when responding to customer questions? Not only will customers appreciate your accurate and timely response, but they will also welcome, and often share on social media, the “extra steps” your business or organization took in responding to their questions.

Remember that each question posed by a customer to your business or organization presents at least two opportunities: first, an opportunity to provide timely and accurate information, and, second, an opportunity to impress the customer by “going above and beyond.”

Have a “customerific” week!

Mark