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I just returned from the Los Angeles area to satisfy the mandatory family vacation to Disneyland. Mandatory you ask? Yes, mandatory. Not only has my wife been politely suggesting we go, but now my 6- and 7-year-old are of age to consistently, and constantly, ask me “Dad, when are you going to take us back to Disney?”

While many of you may have fond memories of your experiences in Disney or perhaps have forgotten the absolute herculean lift that must be undertaken to survive Disney…know that going into this endeavor, I was not very happy. I do not like crowds, amusement park food or waiting in line for anything. Couple that with the cost, two kids that can rarely get along (or go to bed), and attempting to stay happily married – and this “vacation” can quickly become daunting.

A little background on Disney and the Gonzalez family. This was our third trip to one of their parks. We took our boys to Disneyland for the first time when they were 2 and 3 and Disneyworld the year after that. One of my strongest memories about Disneyland, if not life, occurred on our first trip four years ago. Having just entered the park, on our first day, my oldest son Cruz had an accident right on Main Street USA. He could not make the bathroom and created a little puddle right in the same place where people were taking family photos – I’m sure – for their Christmas card.

Before my wife and I could react, a Disney cast member saw our distress, approached us and asked if they could be of assistance. After hearing our story, they immediately got on their radio and sprang into action. In less than a minute, a team of four people were around us. First, they set up little mini-road cones around our little puddle, so no one would trip over it. Second, they produced a towel for us to wrap around our son. Third, a manager asked my wife what size pants my son wore. Fourth, the puddle was swiftly mopped up and disinfected, cones picked up, and Main Street returned back to normal. Last, a pair of brand-new Mickey sweat pants appeared, for free, and we were escorted to the closest bathroom to put on our new britches.

My son did not even have time to start to cry. In total, four employees solved what could have been a major heartbreak and they solved it without creating a scene or making us feel uncomfortable or ashamed. All told, we were back in business in less than five minutes. I looked at my wife and said “Disney, here you know that you are in the presence of greatness.” There was nothing that was left to be desired. Everything is organized at Disney. The park is spotless. Cast members are trained to be problem solvers – not employees. The entire experience is a process that has worked for decades.

For the entire time that I was in Disney recently, I could not stop thinking about the fact that I had zero complaints. Don’t get me wrong, at around $1000 per day for a family of four, the experience is one of the more expensive out there, but it really is worth the money. The professional atmosphere, the attention to details, and the zero-mistake culture makes you feel the exact way they want you to feel – The Most Magical Place on Earth.

So, what is the point of writing an article about Disneyland in a powersports magazine? If you take anything away from reading this it should be that each and every one of you possess the ability to make the experience, within your span of control, one that is special and beyond what a customer expects. At the end of the day, making people feel special should be your polar north, not selling motorcycles. Spending time with a customer and talking about anything but selling a motorcycle will create a customer for life. Reinforcing and truly caring about someone’s (your customers') passion makes your dealership more attractive than the rest. It is not about the best price, it is about the best experience.

When is the last time that you really watched what is going on in between your four walls? Is your dealership offering more than a place to exchange money for a motorcycle? Have you built a culture of ‘yes’ or are your people adept at saying ‘no’ to too many questions? Culture is what wins in today’s retail environment. Before you spend all that money on marketing, SEO/SEM or events, ask yourself – Are we worth the spend to pull people in here? Are we providing a Disney experience or are we simply selling motorcycles?

I am relatively certain that your dealership does not possess many, if any, units that cannot be found at another dealership. Customers have many choices when it comes to shopping. Your only real competitive advantage is the culture that you create within your dealership and your community. This season create a team that is customer-centric. Train your staff to be of service to your customers. Make the experience in your dealership unlike any other they have experienced before and watch the loyalty of your customers begin to pay off immediately!

Tony Gonzalez is the CEO of Garage Composites. He is passionate about being a dealer’s advocate and firmly believes that Garage Composites’ members are his family, not his clients. Reach him at Tony@garagecomposites.com.