Vance Morris is the Founder of Deliver Service Now institute (DSNi), a Disney-style service and direct marketing firm helping businesses develop and implement customer-focused, sustainable growth strategies. With over 10 years of experience as an operations executive in Disney Resorts, Vance has successfully transitioned into consulting and coaching companies on delivering exceptional customer service. Notably, his newsletter, the Experience System Report, is renowned for its insightful articles on customer service and marketing. Vance’s unique approach, influenced by his Disney background and direct marketing expertise, makes him an authority on creating memorable customer experiences.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- [3:58] Vance Morris highlights how his Disney background impacted his perception of customer service
- [10:28] The concept of price elasticity and how exceptional experiences boost pricing power
- [14:40] How transforming commodity services into premium experiences elevates brands
- [19:23] The powerful impact of shifting from services to experiences on businesses
- [23:40] Strategies for differentiating businesses from commodity markets to avoid being “Walmarted”
- [27:28] The power of reciprocity in creating customer loyalty with a simple gift
In this episode…
Have you ever been impressed by a company’s ability to transform something ordinary into an unforgettable experience? Using the principles of an industry giant like Disney, you can transform even your most unexceptional service into one that changes the game. What if you could create an experience so irresistible that clients don’t just pay — they rave about it?
Vance Morris, an authority on customer experience, shares his journey from being a Disney employee to redefining the service industry with unforgettable experiences that command premium prices. Vance dissects the “progression of economic value,” illustrating how businesses trapped as commodities can ascend to experiences that defy comparison and competition. He articulates his proven methodologies for creating tellable and shareable moments, from carefully choreographed first impressions to the psychology of gift-giving. Using real-world business examples, Vance explains the transformative power of experience-based differentiation, as seen with success stories like American Girl.
In this episode of the Timeless Marketing Podcast, Brian Kurtz welcomes Vance Morris, Founder of Deliver Service Now institute, to talk about creating an unforgettable customer experience. Vance shares the real-world application of Disney’s magical strategies and demonstrates how subtle yet impactful changes in customer interactions can lead to increased sales and brand loyalty. He proves that any business, no matter how “common” it may seem, can sculpt an unreplicable experience that elevates it above the competition.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Brian Kurtz
- Brian Kurtz on LinkedIn
- Chris Mason on LinkedIn
- Vance Morris on Linkedin
- The XPerience System Report
- XPerience Service Systems
Quotable moments:
- If you can be Walmarted, you will be Walmarted. But once you get to the level of experience, you cannot be copied.”
- “Customer service is not just a function; it’s the heart of your marketing.”
- “Customer service as a marketing function is about creating moments that have your customers say, ‘Oh my god, you’ll never guess what happened when…'”
- “The best experience is one where you’re creating memories. No two people can have the same experience.”
- “Pricing is elastic; the better the experience, the more you can charge.”
Action Steps:
- Reframe your business from commodity to experience provider: Elevating your offering to an experience ensures differentiation in the marketplace and protects against price wars.
- Introduce a memorable entrance experience for clients: A strong first impression can set the tone for the entire customer interaction, leading to increased satisfaction and word-of-mouth referrals.
- Implement a small but meaningful gift strategy to invoke reciprocity: A thoughtful pre-service gift can leave a lasting positive impression and encourage clients to opt for higher-tier services or products.
- Design your customer journey to maximize engagement and memorability: By deliberately crafting each touchpoint, businesses can transform mundane interactions into standout stories that customers are eager to share.
- Focus on personalization and surprise in customer interactions: Surprising customers with personalized touches can create delight and build a strong emotional connection to your brand.
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is brought to you by Titans Xcelerator.
Titans Xcelerator is a private mentorship program for direct response marketers.
It is one of the most giving communities and serves as the de facto board of advisors and marketing insurance policy for over 250 of the best and brightest direct response marketers, copywriters, media buyers, marketing agencies, senior executives, anyone in direct response marketing, who is committed to growing and scaling their business.
And you don’t need to spend 10s of 1000s of dollars either.
Titans Xcelerator is 1/10 of the price of most groups of its kind.
And with a private membership, you’ll receive access to the full presentation from today’s episode, along with the Q&A and discussion that followed.
As an added bonus, you’ll receive access to a vault filled with many more private calls just like this one.
The bottom line: you don’t have to grow your business alone.
If you want to see how Titans Xcelerator can help you grow and scale your specific business, go to BrianKurtz.net/help
Episode Transcript
Intro 0:03
Welcome to the Timeless Marketing Podcast with Brian Kurtz, your connection to insights from some of the top direct response marketing minds on the planet.
Brian Kurtz 0:16
Hey, it’s Brian Kurtz here, host of the Timeless Marketing Podcast. Today’s episode is a clip from one of the two-hour calls inside Titans Xcelerator, my private mentorship program for direct response marketers. Before we get to that, I have one question for you. Do you have a marketing insurance policy? If you don’t, you need one. And that’s why I created Titans Xcelerator, which is one of the most giving communities and serves as the de facto board of advisors and marketing insurance policy for over 250 of the best and brightest direct response marketers, copywriters, media buyers, marketing agencies, senior executives, anyone in direct response marketing, who is committed to growing and scaling their business. The bottom line, you don’t have to grow your business alone. And you don’t need to spend 10s of 1000s of dollars either. Titans Xcelerator is 1/10 of the price of most groups of its kind. I know because I hosted a group that was over $20,000 a year. If you want to see how Titans Xcelerator can help you grow and scale your specific business, go to briankurtz.net/help. That’s B-R-I-A-N-K-U-R-T-Z [dot] net [slash] help. And with a private membership, you’ll receive access to the full presentation from today’s episode, along with the Q&A and discussion that followed. As an added bonus, you’ll receive access to a vault filled with many more private calls just like this one. Again, if you want to see if Titans Xcelerators are fit for you with no obligation. Go to Briankurtz.net/help. That’s B-R-I-A-N-K-U-R-T-Z [dot] net [slash] help. And feel free to email me directly. I respond to every email with questions about this episode or just to say hi at brian@briankurtz.net. Now, onto today’s episode. Okay, Vance, you’re on. I want to just introduce Vance. We became friends not that long ago, but it feels like I’ve known you forever. I guess that’s good news. Vance was a —
Vance Morris 2:43
Seven years.
Brian Kurtz 2:44
Yes, seven years. But you know, it feels like I’ve known you my whole career, because you think like, not just like I do, but you think like a multi-channel marketer. You always think about customer service as a marketing function. You think about experience in marketing better than anybody I know. And as I said, Vance is a graduate of the Dan Kennedy School, but he is his own guy. He was the Disney guy for a while. He got off of that, although he still uses Disney as a platform to sell his stuff. His newsletter is called The XPerience System Report. It’s a wonderful newsletter, always has really interesting articles. It tells you where, where you can find Vance at any one particular point in time. And he agreed to do a spotlight today on, you know what he’s about and what’s happening in his world. And I think it’ll be very illuminating for everybody on the call and everybody who listens to this. So, Vance, you’re on.
Vance Morris 3:54
Cool, can you see my screen?
Brian Kurtz 3:57
We can.