--- title: Delightful customer service is all about the magic moments. description: My hat was sunk at the bottom of Splash Mountain. How did Disney's customer service handle the rest? image: https://blog.populusgroup.com/hubfs/Blog_Posts/bobbydisneymemories.png --- [![PopulusGroup_Plane_Logo_rgb-01](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PG%20Registered%20Logos/PopulusGroup_Plane_Logo_rgb-01.png?width=1966&height=1530&name=PopulusGroup_Plane_Logo_rgb-01.png "PopulusGroup_Plane_Logo_rgb-01")](https://www.populusgroup.com/en) - [Employers](https://www.populusgroup.com/en/workforce-solutions) - [Careers](https://www.populusgroup.com/en/job-seeker) - [Contractors](https://www.populusgroup.com/en/contractor-resources) - [Blog](https://blog.populusgroup.com) - [About](https://www.populusgroup.com/en/about) - [Impact](https://www.populusgroup.com/en/impact) - [Work With Us](https://www.populusgroup.com/en/contact) [The PG Blog](https://blog.populusgroup.com) Search Search this site on Google Search Google Subscribe ### Subscribe to Email Updates Select Category - [Industry (52)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/industry) - [Diversity (44)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/diversity) - [Climber Stories (31)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/climber-stories) - [Community (28)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/community) - [Foreign National Talent Management (26)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/foreign-national-talent-management) - [Compliance (25)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/compliance) - [Leadership (25)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/leadership) - [Staffing and Recruiting (24)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/staffing-and-recruiting) - [Contingent Workforce Trends (21)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/contingent-workforce-trends) - [Careers (16)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/careers) - [Military Veterans (15)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/military-veterans) - [Legislation (13)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/legislation) - [Independent Contractor Compliance (ICC) (12)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/independent-contractor-compliance-icc) - [Personal Development (12)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/personal-development) - [Professional Development (10)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/professional-development) - [Company Culture (9)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/company-culture) - [PG Celebrates (8)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/pg-celebrates) - [Managed Service Provider (MSP) (7)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/managed-service-provider-msp) - [Mental Health (5)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/mental-health) - [Pay It Forward (5)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/pay-it-forward) - [Payroll Services (5)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/payroll-services) - [Sustainability (3)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/sustainability) - [AI (2)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/ai) - [Contractor Experience (1)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/topic/contractor-experience) Select Author - [Populus Group (70)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/populus-group) - [Bobby Herrera (34)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/bobby-herrera) - [Whitney Barton (25)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/whitney-barton) - [Samantha Heilman (15)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/samantha-heilman) - [Brandon Wischmeyer (14)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/brandon-wischmeyer) - [Cynthia Waddell (10)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/cynthia-waddell) - [Ejay Oravecz (8)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/ejay-oravecz) - [Austin McCool (8)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/austin-mccool) - [Jen Pasquier (6)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/jen-pasquier) - [Jackie McCool (6)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/jackie-mccool) - [Brandon Byrd (5)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/brandon-byrd) - [Tom Mehl (5)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/tom-mehl) - [Briana Walker and Kristine Baker (4)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/briana-walker-and-kristine) - [Sebastian Puravet (4)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/sebastian-puravet) - [Jaylynn Hogeboom (3)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/jaylynn-hogeboom) - [Kathryn Crimmins (3)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/kathryn-crimmins) - [Danielle Hein (3)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/danielle-hein) - [Taniesha Thomas & Tiasha Holcomb (3)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/tanisha-thomas-tiasha-holcomb) - [Raul Ramos (3)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/raul-ramos) - [Donna Morris (3)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/donna-morris) - [DE&I Council (3)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/diversity-inclusion-council) - [Rosemarie Fontela (3)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/rosemarie-fontela) - [Brooke Stovall (2)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/brooke-stovall) - [Eric Schmitz (2)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/eric-schmitz) - [Jessica Bitell (2)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/jessica-bitell) - [Kyle Heilman (2)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/kyle-heilman) - [Mario L. 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[![Bobby Herrera](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hubfs/Bobby%20Headshot.png)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/bobby-herrera) - [![](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/322350/PG_blog_images/pgblog-icon-linkedin.jpg)](https://www.linkedin.com/pub/bobby-herrera/1/182/578) [by Bobby Herrera](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/bobby-herrera) “*My hat*!” You could barely hear my anxious shout over the laughing and screaming on Disneyland’s classic ride, Splash Mountain. On a drop, my son had accidentally knocked my hat clear off my head. ![bobbyhat.png](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Posts/bobbyhat.png?width=211&name=bobbyhat.png)Why was I so upset?  I mean it’s just a hat, right? But it wasn’t just a hat for me. It was an *artifact*. I find one to take home from every one of our family trips. Indiana Jones would have a field day in my house! This particular artifact was from our first trip to Disney, when my sons were three years and six months old and my daughter wasn’t yet born. We’d created some awesome memories and I was devastated to lose a symbol of that great trip. “*Dad, that’s your favorite hat!  Is it gone forever*?”  My son asked what I was silently dreading as I looked back to see no sign of my hat in the rushing water. What was I going to do?  ## **How do you solve a customer’s difficult problem?** This was a moment that could have gone a lot worse if not for the magic of Disney. Here’s how they turned my lost family memento into a legendary family story: ### **1 | Respond with empathy first** After we get off the ride, I found a cast member (what Disney calls their employees) and explained what happened.  She reassured me and my worried son that it happens all the time, and that when they do a routine drain of the water they should find it.    Sensing my obvious anxiety, she personally hustled me about a quarter mile across the park to report my missing hat to Lost and Found. ***What made this reaction so awesome?*** Disney reinforced the idea that every customer’s problem is valid, even if it’s just a lost hat. The cast member met my emotional needs first and then made it her personal mission to help me out. ### **2 | Provide honest and timely feedback** The cast members at Lost and Found told me they’d keep an eye out for my hat and let me know if anything turned up. I shouldn’t have been surprised that for every day of our three-day trip, Disney called to give me an update on the search. ***What made this reaction so awesome?*** Can you imagine calling someone every day just to deliver bad news? It can be hard to confront reality with your customer. But as Disney knew, I appreciated the transparency and consideration. While I was still bummed about my hat, I was able to enjoy the rest of my trip knowing they were taking care of it. ### **3 | Follow through on your promises** By the end of our trip they still hadn’t found my hat. *You know that one special thing you have that fits and feels just right?*  Every time I wore the hat I thought of our first trip and the countless pictures of me and the kids with my hat. Needless to say I was bummed. Fast forward a month. I came home to a large envelope on the kitchen island addressed to me from Disney.  I open it and yell out to my wife and kids, “*They sent me my hat!  They found my hat!” * Inside the package was my one and only hat, but it also came with a note from the cast member I met all those weeks ago. It was so simple: “Yay! We found your hat!” How cool is that?! ***What made this the most awesome reaction of all?*** The magic! As [Dennis Snow](http://lessonsfromthemouse.com/) wrote, **“Great service isn’t about grand acts. It’s about common courtesy, artfully delivered.”** Everything the cast members did for me was within the realm of common courtesy, but they did it with a delight and magic that was uniquely Disney. Best of all, the kept their promise. I was pumped!   ## **How will you delight your customers?** At Populus Group, [we practice empathetic customer service](http://www.populusgroup.com/about/who-doesnt-love-a-compliment) to help businesses, contractors, and kids find an opportunity to succeed. How will you approach your customer’s problems to [transform their problems into a delightful story](https://blog.populusgroup.com/does-your-companys-idea-of-customer-service-look-anything-like-this)? ![bobbydisneymemories.png](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Posts/bobbydisneymemories.png?width=519&name=bobbydisneymemories.png) I just gotta say – I was delighted to open that envelope and plop that smelly hat on my head (that had undoubtedly been at the bottom of Splash Mountain for several weeks).  It smelled like happiness to me.  All hail the underdog, *Bobby* ## Leave a comment [![Bobby Herrera](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hubfs/Bobby%20Headshot.png)](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/bobby-herrera) Written by [Bobby Herrera](https://blog.populusgroup.com/author/bobby-herrera) I believe everyone deserves an opportunity to succeed. I’m responsible for the overall direction of Populus Group. My job is simple; fiercely protect and enhance our company culture and make sure my team has everything they need to build trust with the great Climbers at PG and the customers that trust us to guide them. I’m grateful for the countless opportunities I've had to make mistakes and grow from them. I believe my responsibility is to pay that gift forward. Above all, Team One is my priority and my kids absolutely own me. I'm a proud Army Veteran, I love the mountains, and I’m blessed to live in Portland, OR. **Corporate Headquarters** Populus Group, Troy Headquarters 3001 West Big Beaver Road Suite 608 Troy, MI 48084 [248-712-7900](tel:248-712-7900) [opportunities@populusgroup.com](mailto:opportunities@populusgroup.com) **Employment Verification Requests\*** [248-928-0530](tel:248-928-0530) [voe@populusgroup.com](mailto:voe@populusgroup.com) [Employer Services](http://www.populusgroup.com/en/workforce-solutions)[Begin Your Job Search](http://www.populusgroup.com/en/job-seeker) ©2023 Populus Group [Privacy Policy](http://www.populusgroup.com/en/privacy-policy)[Terms & Conditions](http://www.populusgroup.com/en/terms-conditions)[Site Map](http://www.populusgroup.com/en/sitemap) [![](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hubfs/Images/blog/icon-social-fb%20png.png?h=28&la=en&w=28)](https://www.facebook.com/populusgroup) [![](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hubfs/Images/blog/icon-social-twitter%20png.png?h=28&la=en&w=28)](https://twitter.com/populusgroup) [![](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hubfs/Images/blog/icon-social-instagram%20png.png?h=28&la=en&w=28)](https://www.instagram.com/populusgroup/) [![](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hubfs/Images/blog/icon-social-li%20png.png?h=28&la=en&w=28)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/70117/) [![](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hubfs/Images/blog/icon-social-glassdoor%20png.png?h=28&la=en&w=28)](https://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Populus-Group-EI_IE259242.11,24.htm) [![](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hubfs/Images/blog/icon-social-youtube%20png.png?h=28&la=en&w=39)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-O9v1hz-Q4OW0Ze0b9O_sg) [![](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hubfs/Images/blog/icon-social-gplus%20png.png?h=28&la=en&w=28)](https://plus.google.com/u/0/102588349136181669410) ![](https://blog.populusgroup.com/hubfs/Images/blog/icon-top%20png.png?h=33&la=en&w=33)