Dowagiac Officials Learn ‘Disney Way’

Article published in the South Bend Tribune, Mar 6, 2011
Dowagiac officials learn 'Disney Way'
Hospital, government officials seek to improve customer service.
By TOM MOOR Tribune Staff Writer
DOWAGIAC -- It's apparent community leaders in the Dowagiac area are impressed with the way Walt Disney Corp. relates to its customers.

So much so, in fact, a consultant from "The Disney Way Fieldbook" was in town last week to teach Dowagiac city leaders, Dowagiac Union School officials and staff at Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital about how Disney operates as a corporation. The goal, according to city manager Kevin Anderson, is to improve customer service in the Dowagiac area. "It's a way for us to better effectively respond to various constituents," Anderson said.

 

Bill Capodagli, co-author of "The Disney Way" and "Innovate the Pixar Way," was in Dowagiac Monday through Thursday holding seminars about how and why Disney Corp. has been so successful and how others, like those in Dowagiac, can achieve that success. Capodagli describes Disney as the "best customer-centric company on the planet.""We're trying to look at ways they can be more successful as an organization," he said.

The overall goal of the training was to teach the three entities about what customer service truly means.  "It's all about how we can better service our customers," said Mark Daniels, superintendent of Dowagiac Union Schools. "How do we improve?"  For Daniels, the school district's customers would be the students and parents. The city government, meanwhile, would consist of better serving city residents, while the hospital would focus on its patients and community. 

 

Daniels said what is unique about the training last week was it was attended by all three entities, instead of just one. Southwestern Michigan College also had had a hand in the events as a host and helper, Daniels said."People are catching the spirit of this," Daniels said. "People that aren't even part of the training. That's the beauty of having the city and hospital come together with the education system, bouncing things off of each other."

Daniels said the district is looking down its entire line of employees, from custodians to administrators, to try to improve overall service: "Coming together and agreeing regarding the way you see the delivery of services and your outcomes," he said.
Daniels said the next step is to go from the story-building stage to the story board and putting the plan in place. "We're very excited to be able to work with other people in the community and pick each other's brains," Anderson said.

 

Capodagli said he was impressed with the leaders in Dowagiac.
"I'm impressed with their enthusiasm and energy and commitment," he said. "There's a lot of hard work that has to be done developing a customer-centric culture. For any organization, it's hard work. Anyone from the board room to the storage room needs to embrace the message and that commitment."

Staff writer Tom Moor:
tmoor@sbtinfo.com
574-235-6234