David Searns | Co-CEO
Can a parking lot help you sell staffing services? Okay, that’s a weird question…and I’m sure you already guessed that the answer is “yes,” but what can you really learn from a five-level, concrete parking ramp?
A lot!
The backstory… This week, our marketing and sales teams are getting together for a week of planning and training.
As a 100% remote company, we don’t have a central office, so we chose a destination that’s fun and easy for everyone to reach…Orlando.
This past Monday was arrival day for our marketing team, and to kick things off, we all met at Disney Springs for dinner.
And that’s where the marketing lessons started.
A parking lot with an amazing UX!
One of the things I have always loved about Disney is their attention to detail.
Not too long ago, I had an opportunity to have dinner with a Disney Imagineer (which may be the world’s greatest job title…and job), and he explained that there is a story behind everything Disney does.
After dinner, he escorted our group on a “history tour” of the Disney Springs area. He explained, in great detail, how a young couple first moved into Disney Springs in the 1800s, how their family grew and developed the area into a thriving city, and how Disney Springs ultimately hosted the 1950s World’s Fair.
Of course, none of this was true. In reality, Disney Springs was built about 10 years ago as a replacement for Pleasure Island, and it opened in 2015.
So why did the Imagineers craft such a detailed backstory?
It was to provide a central theme for the architects, designers, and engineers building this area of the park. The storyline was woven into every building, sidewalk, lagoon, and just about everything you could imagine.
And as you walk around the shops and restaurants, there are hundreds (more likely thousands) of tiny details related to the Disney Springs founding story.
What Disney understands is that storytelling is essential to creating a great customer experience.
But, what about the garage? The garage itself is nothing special. It’s a 5-story building with about 600 spaces per level. And there are actually three of these giant garages awaiting visitors to the Disney Springs area. Take your pick of Orange, Lime, or Grapefruit.
What makes the garage special is not the story, but the attention to customer experience.
Before you enter any garage, you will see a brightly lit sign showing the number of open spaces on each level of the garage.
As you drive in, you will see an entry sign at each floor showing the current number of spaces on that level.
Pick a level, drive in, and you’ll see a smaller sign at the end of every row with – you guessed it – a sign showing the number of spaces in that aisle.
And if that wasn’t enough, as you drive down the aisle, you will see a tiny light over every space – red if the space is occupied and green if it is vacant.
Disney created a fully automated system to painlessly guide every visitor to an open space. Compare that with finding a parking space at the airport!
What does all this have to do with selling or marketing staffing services?
Consider what it’s like to be a client or candidate of your staffing agency. What’s the experience like?
Do you make it easy to “find the right space” (do business with your firm)?
Do you use automation to guide people to the destination they seek?
Do you consider your company’s backstory in the way you interact with clients and candidates?
In an industry as competitive as staffing, it is incredibly hard to stand out. It’s hard to differentiate your services. It’s hard to get the attention and interest of staffing buyers…or top talent.
And in this economy, if you want to sell more, one secret of success is to differentiate your service experience. Make it easier, faster, and more fun to do business with your company.
You don’t need to be an imagineer to create a compelling story.
But having a great story can make your company stand out, inspire your team, and attract clients and candidates.
You don’t need to be an imagineer to craft an engaging user experience.
But having a user experience that makes it easier and more enjoyable to do business with your company will help you attract and retain both clients and candidates.
Take a lesson from that parking lot.
Where’s your green light to direct employers and job seekers to the space they are trying to find?
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