Customer Relations Management Update

[lrodk]

There's a mention of Disney's new approach toward customer loyalty in Forbes today. We've discussed it here before under the monicker "Disney's Customer Relations Management". If you remember, Disney announced this new innitiative at it's recent shareholder's meeting, but offered very little in the way of specifics. I've copied and pasted some of the examples that Disney cited in a recent interview.

Digital cameras disguised as lampposts will be scattered throughout the park. Click on a handheld remote control, and the lampposts will snap your picture as you wander around, then deliver the photos over the Internet to your computer, where you can order coffee mugs, T shirts or whatever emblazoned with your own mug.

As your kid approaches a costumed Disney character, she squeals in delight (or runs the other way) as the character greets her by name. The person inside the costume was tipped off to your family's identity by chips embedded in your souvenir autograph book. Then, as the kid passes attractions and other sights, the Mickey Mouse wristband you bought for her squeaks out various fun facts, enabling her to lead her family around like a tour guide. Just when you think you're safe at home, the wristband springs to life again when it receives infrared prompts from Disney TV programs.

Below is a link to the entire article. I'd love to hear what you guys/gals think about this?

http://biz.yahoo.com/fo/020524/better_mousetrap_2.html

 

[Another Voice]

Funny, I thought everyone was pretty much over the “internet-connected refrigerator that automatically orders milk, robot lawn mower, turn on your coffee maker from your cell phone” phase of Internet hype and reality was settling back into the business world.

I guess someone out there is still buying all that vaporware.

From the article – “"It potentially gets us into a razor-blade kind of model, where the family can get the benefit of the experience in the parks, but then it becomes like a renewable source of media," says Eric Haseltine, who heads technology research for Disney's Imagineering unit.”

Thank you Mr. Haseltine. But I prefer my family not be viewed as a renewable source of revenue for your organization to strip mine.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by Another Voice
Funny, I thought everyone was pretty much over the “internet-connected refrigerator that automatically orders milk, robot lawn mower, turn on your coffee maker from your cell phone” phase of Internet hype and reality was settling back into the business world.

I guess someone out there is still buying all that vaporware.

The knowledge and software can easily make it happen, the problem is/was the hardware and willingness of companies to invest the time and money to grow this part of the industry. So companies tried the easy way out with dotcom nobody wanted to miss out on another Microsoft so they threw money at a lot of crap but wanted and expected an immediate return.

Those ideas listed are still out there and will be in homes in the future…how far in the future is the question..

 

[Janet2k]

lrodk, thank you for posting this information. I will read the article. It sounds intriguing.

 

[Janet2k]

Okay, I just read the article. One part that I thought was especially funny was the part about the costumed characters greeting your child by name: “The person inside the costume was tipped off to your family's identity by chips embedded in your souvenir autograph book.” That will never happen. Cast Members inside character costumes are not allowed to speak, only the “face” characters are. Unless, of course, the “costumed” character will have an electronic voice box installed somewhere in the “head” of the costume. And that electronic voice box has a database of every name under the moon already pre-programmed into it so that Minnie can say to my lovely daughter, “Hello, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious; have a Disney Day!” in a realistic manner. Oh, yeah, I’ll believe that when a Pig(let) flies.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by Janet2k
Okay, I just read the article. One part that I thought was especially funny was the part about the costumed characters greeting your child by name: “The person inside the costume was tipped off to your family's identity by chips embedded in your souvenir autograph book.” That will never happen. Cast Members inside character costumes are not allowed to speak, only the “face” characters are. Unless, of course, the “costumed” character will have an electronic voice box installed somewhere in the “head” of the costume. And that electronic voice box has a database of every name under the moon already pre-programmed into it so that Minnie can say to my lovely daughter, “Hello, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious; have a Disney Day!” in a realistic manner. Oh, yeah, I’ll believe that when a Pig(let) flies.

Ahh..you must be in managment somewhere...limited vision. Just kidding.

Why would this technology be limited to Character meetings. This could be usefull all over the "world" Yes as we now know it only face Characters talk..but change does happen. You know at one time lots of people thought the idea of humans flying in the air was downright crazy.