When Walt Disney created the Disney empire in the 1950s, he forbid its star characters such as Mickey Mouse and Pluto to talk. Mr. Disney thought it would be too difficult to control the service encounters between customers and the Disney characters, and it would ruin the “magic” of Disney. Therefore, Disney characters were trained to gesture and use only their body language to interact and entertain guests.

Today, during a meeting of (fictional) senior “imagineering” managers, Mr. Luke Tomas, V. P. of Costume Design, said, “Mr. Walt Disney would not like Mickey Mouse talking if he were alive.” “But Luke, if Mickey speaks it gives us new ways to interact with our guests,” responded Cindy Bridgetown, V.P. of Imagineering, and Luke’s boss. “Cindy, we can’t control the conversation if Mickey talks to guests.

Kids and parents are going to get their feelings hurt one way or another. And it’s too demanding on our employees.”

Case Questions for Discussion:

1. Using the “What Do Operations Managers Do?”

box in the chapter, what key activities most directly relate to the case situation?

2. Provide one good and bad example of a “moment of truth” if Mickey Mouse talks to customers.

3. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of talking Disney characters from a service perspective?