20 Jan 2026
Businesses encouraged to follow the animation giant’s “four keys” of courtesy, efficiency, safety and show.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
Image: murdocksimages / Adobe Stock
Veterinary practices can improve their clients’ experience by learning lessons from Disney, VMX delegates were told.
Speaking in the session “Be our guest: The magic of great customer service”, Adam Christman, CVO of veterinary continuing education organisation dvm360, suggested Disney’s carefully curated theme park experiences can offer valuable insights.
He argued the company’s consistent direction, culture of mutual respect and trust, low staff turnover, “legendary” customer service, innovation and “outstanding” financial results represent a strong template to follow for vet practices.
In particular, Dr Christman said Disney’s quality standards, also known as its “four keys” of courtesy, efficiency, safety and show, can provide “the blueprints for veterinary culture”.
He urged clinics to see their patients and clients as “guests” and said: “For courtesy, we want to treat every guest as a VIP in our world… every guest feels seen, welcomed and respected.”
Dr Christman continued: “Acknowledge the emotion over the medicine. Speak with empathy, even when stressed. Courtesy isn’t being nice, it’s making people feel safe and [providing a] safe space to be seen.”
He said efficiency relates to “guest flow patterns”, workflows, and utilisation of team members, space and AI to ensure everything runs smoothly, adding: “Efficiency is how professionalism feels.”
Dr Christman stressed the importance of building trust so clients and patients feel physically and emotionally safe via “low stress, handling clear expectations, no surprises, giving them everything written whether recommendations or estimates”.
The vet also urged practices to consider every step of a client’s vet visit, starting with their phone call to the practice through to their departure, noting that “every interaction makes the client the hero or can make the hospital the villain”.
He noted the way Disney’s Magic Kingdom park builds anticipation for the iconic Cinderella Castle and recommended clinicians see their practice through the eyes of a client: “I open up your doors to your veterinary hospital – what do I smell? What do I see? How do I feel? Am I greeted? Those are things that are so, so crucial to show value to the office visit.”
Dr Christman spoke of the importance of ensuring all staff maintain a professional appearance and the ability to compartmentalise emotions, such as by transitioning from delivering end-of-life care to treating a new puppy.
He added: “Show is a big thing, because we want to make sure you look the part. You set the scene. Our ‘costumes’ look good.
“We have standard manuals and policies and procedures that we have to uphold, and we have to put on a performance because we’re on a show, we really are delivering the best performance of our lives.”
He concluded: “When all four of those [keys] show up together, clients don’t just comply, they believe. And guess what? That’s magic. It’s magic in a bottle.”
