Most leaders today don't need convincing about the power of artificial intelligence (AI). They can justify the investment—both...

Every year around this time, the industry starts coming up with ways to make this season “the most profitable time of year.”

In...

I think the reason I follow sports so closely is because I love the nostalgia that fandom is rooted in. Being a fan means...

Fair warning: This blog takes a bit of an existential turn. The POV? Today, I'm writing to you like I'm giving advice to one of...

In the dynamic world of business, customer service plays a vital role in building lasting relationships with customers.

One of...

In an era where “experiences” are everything, destination venues are under pressure to become the outing of choice.

Keeping...

Museums and galleries have a unique way of influencing the guest experience in that the engagement between the visitor and the...

What makes a visitor experience great?

If you polled your visitors and employees, their answers might include things like...

Recently, I attended the Smithsonian's National Conference on Cultural Property Protection.

The Smithsonian dedicates an...

Why organizations with well-defined missions achieve better results.

To connect with your customers, you need a mission and a...

A message for you and tips for writing a holiday party toast that’s as festive as the halls you’ve decked!

The Christmas season...

Your latest candidate signed your offer letter and agreed to a start date—congrats! Now what?

The period between accepting an...

We often talk about our front-line workers and C-suite leaders, but how are we protecting our middle managers?

We ask a lot of...

Post-covid customer service another casualty of the global pandemic.

ANNAPOLIS, MD. July 11, 2022 – Today the Donnelly Group...

Hyper-Personalized Learning Services are the Key to Inspired Customer Experiences: We’re Launching a YOU-Focused Subscription...

Almost every leader HATES doing annual reviews. There, I said it.

Way back when, companies built performance reviews...

It’s February 2022. Let’s start thinking about Christmas—seriously.

Many of us, the new year marks an opportunity for a fresh...

Do you hear it? The hum? The rumbling of an underground movement?

There is a swell underfoot. It’s a swell of eager employees...

Staffing shortage? Now’s the time to step up leaders.

There’s lots of retroactive recruiting going on these days. Many stores...

Have you heard? National Customer Service Week is October 4, 2021. Established in 1984, the week was a way to raise awareness...

When planning a new employee orientation, it’s easy to get lost in the logistics – the employee passwords, the departmental...

Seven repetitions. Our brains only need to hear something seven times to remember it long-term. 

So, when it comes to...

When leaders visualize their dream team, they envision an employee who takes control of their situation, a team that has pride...

Wishing you a joyful holiday season & a Happy New Year!

Establishing higher level engagement during new employee onboarding requires authentic connection. Here’s how to create it.

...

The 4 levels of engagement and how to recognize a highly engaged workforce

Engaged employees are the foundation of a high...

Our New Focus

Take a look inside our brand new re-imagined website that showcases how we help organizations conquer their most...

A COVID-19 Checklist ☑️

Consider these post COVID-19 return to work guidelines for employers to ensure your workspaces are safe...

Businesses can’t afford to push the pause button on critical workplace training. The future belongs to online learning....

There’s no denying it has been a heavy year. But times of high stress and emotion are not unique to 2020. In these instances,...

There’s a glimmer of light at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic tunnel and now is the time for smart leaders to craft their...

Just the word “CRISIS” spikes human emotion like few words in the English language. We know that when emotion is high, it...

I’ve got a bone to pick with the “certificate of achievement” -- you know, the fancy print-out paper personalized to...

It’s #NationalSaveASign Month!

One service-related concept we referenced a lot during my time as a leader at Walt Disney World...

When it comes to customer experience, complacency can be a silent killer. On the flip side, continuous improvement generates...

What if instead of saying, “what can THEY do for ME?” we asked ourselves, “what can I do for THEM?”

As leaders, it’s time to...

When it comes to who is serving them, your guests don’t know (and frankly, don’t care) whether that person is a contract...

Customer expectations are continuing to rise. When bombarded with countless businesses and brands all fighting for their...

Modern day point of sale (POS) transactions take too long. Long gone are the days where you can walk into a store, pay for a...

Donnelly Effect delivers actionable SPARKS to #WorkHappy, using HAPPINESS BY DESIGN to shape and reinforce a culture of service.

Donnelly Effect delivers actionable SPARKS to #WorkHappy, using HAPPINESS BY DESIGN to shape and reinforce a culture of service.

Donnelly Effect delivers actionable SPARKS to #WorkHappy, using HAPPINESS BY DESIGN to shape and reinforce a culture of service.

Donnelly Effect delivers actionable SPARKS to #WorkHappy, using HAPPINESS BY DESIGN to shape and reinforce a culture of service.

Donnelly Effect delivers actionable SPARKS to #WorkHappy, using HAPPINESS BY DESIGN to shape and reinforce a culture of service.

Donnelly Effect delivers actionable SPARKS to #WorkHappy, using HAPPINESS BY DESIGN to shape and reinforce a culture of service.

By the tail end of summer, most things start to creep back to normal. Kids return to school, summertime vacations are in the...

When a service misstep occurs, it’s easy to place blame on front-line employees. After all, they’re the ones with direct...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Remember that old adage “If you can’t do something right, don’t do it at all”? If your employees aren’t committed to providing...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee...

Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee expe...

While December is a time for reflection, January is a time for ACTION. Like many of you, I’m reflecting on the amazing people...

Have you ever been to the food court at the mall and noticed how long some of the lines are at the restaurant windows? How do...

How Much Do You REALLY Care for Your Business?

As leaders, we spend so much time focusing on how to improve our bottom line...

We’ve all seen those storefront signs urging us to “Come back soon” or “See you again”. But what does it take for a customer...

Looking back, growing up professionally at the Walt Disney Company was more of a privilege than I ever realized. Until very...

As a leader, the new year is the perfect time to amp up your customer experience expectations. 

This is the 3rd in a series of 4 blog posts about how Disney leaders go from good to great.

Last week we discussed the power...

This is the 2nd in a series of 4 blog posts about how Disney leaders go from good to great.

Our last blog post The Disney...

This is the 1st in a series of 4 blog posts about how Disney leaders go from good to great.

I’m often asked about the Disney...

Training and devlopment of your people is vitally important to your organization's success.  

Your people are your greatest...

Closing gracefully helps improve customer loyalty

What is a ROLE 360?  

ROLE 360 is a best practice during the new employee onboarding process where new employees are introduced...

NEW HIRE ORIENTATION TOOLKIT

Having designed new employee onboarding and new hire orientation programs for clients across the...

The U.S. Constitution is a timeless culture-shaping guiding light for our nation. Do you have a similar guiding light...

Kermit the Frog hanging out in his theater-what message does this backstage area send?

“Our people are our most valuable...

It is impossible to create a thriving service culture unless the people within the culture are genuinely and authentically...

"How can I create a culture of service in my organization?"

When working with clients intent on improving customer loyalty,...

"Customer service" is the ultimate buzzword. 

It conjures up various meanings in the minds of consumers, employees, board...

You see the value and benefit of world-class new employee orientation and onboarding for your organization. You know the...

The greatest leaders in the world- religious, corporate, political, familial, educational, etc. capture the hearts and minds...

Does your organization know the secrets to executing an effective employee onboarding program?

Whether you are creating a new...

Walt Disney- perhaps the greatest storyteller of all time- has entertained millions of people of all ages throughout the...

The goal of a new employee orientation program is to welcome your new-hires in a manner that makes them not only convinced...

Have you considered how implementing a more effective New Employee Orientation program could improve your bottom line?

...

What is New Employee Orientation? 

5,148,000 people were hired across the US in December 2014. What’s more important is that...

ENERGIZE YOUR SERVICE CULTURE

Delivering world-class customer experiences is a direct result of reinforcing a strong culture of...

In a previous post, Who is Facilitating Your New Employee Orientation, and Why?, we explored the importance of choosing the...

During my time as an employment interviewer at Walt Disney World I conducted thousands of interviews, or as Disney calls it,...

Fast Company recently published an article from former Disney Executive Lee Cockerell, Former Executive Shares The Secrets To...

At Disney it's “Have a magical day!”

At Chick-Fil-A it’s, “My pleasure!”

If it's done well, scripting your employees can be a...

At bedtime not long ago my 11- year-old was telling me he was a little nervous about going to his first day at a new school. I...

Seating arrangements matter- at social events, staff meetings and yes, new employee orientation.

The next time you are dining...

“What can we do to strengthen our service culture?”

This is a question we're often asked by leaders who are striving to sustain...

Executing a strong communication strategy is essential for successful change management.

An effective communication strategy...

“Just-in-time” is great for product inventory efficiency- it is NOT great for effective employee selection

Finding and hiring...

Several members of our team just returned from their annual pilgrimage to the National Storytelling Festival in beautiful and...

Yes, please shoot the messenger...or, just replace him with someone better qualified!

Who have you chosen to welcome new hires

Could customer experience actually be considered a profit center?

Often we hear from senior leaders sharing their directives,...

 What’s Your Perspective?

Poor customer service is often rooted in the way a message is delivered to customers. I am an...

"Do this, don't do that can't you read the sign?"

In providing superior customer experiences, it is imperative to understand...

Learning How to Win Control and Lose Concern

As a follow up to a recent post (Tomorrow is Begging You to Do Something Today)...

What Are Your Customer Experience Fails?

Going to the grocery store- it can be an unbelievably pleasant experience, or one...

EFFECTIVE NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION

To make candles, hot wax is poured into molds and left to dry and set into desired shapes....

Turning Aspiration into Action: Almost every leadership meeting and casual conversation around the water cooler includes...

If customer experience is not part of your strategy, what are you waiting for?

We’ve all been to the doctor’s office or...

I often hear in my consulting and facilitation sessions that leaders are having difficulty keeping their customer service...

Non-traditional service roles: security, housekeeping, custodial and groundskeeping have more customer exposure than you think!

Leaders often end up in their leader or manager roles by default.

Let’s face it-how many organizations are working ahead

Many times you may find yourself feeling like everything has turned upside down in your world-just when you thought you