AADOM DISTINCTIONcast: Disney’s Service Recovery – The Art of De-escalation Techniques for the OM and Team
This DISTINCTIONcast dives into the secrets behind Disney’s renowned customer service, specifically focusing on “Service Recovery.” As a graduate of the Disney Institute, Kristi Abrahamsen, DAADOM, will share valuable tips on how Disney cast members are trained to handle complaints effectively, ensuring a positive outcome for all parties involved.
Discover how Disney’s approach to Service Recovery goes beyond merely resolving issues—it aims to reconcile and salvage guest relationships. You will learn practical techniques to humanize complaints, acknowledge customer emotions, and use Disney’s simple HEARD (Hear, Empathize, Apologize, Resolve, Diagnose) acronym to navigate through the recovery process successfully.
Whether you’ve dealt with service failures in your dental practice or any other customer-facing role, this webinar will equip you with the skills to manage upset patients effectively. Learn how to create a safe environment, take detailed notes, empathize sincerely, offer achievable and appropriate resolutions, and diagnose the root cause of service failures to prevent future occurrences.
Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your customer service skills and ensure your practice can handle challenges confidently and gracefully, just like Disney!
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Read the Transcript Now!
Savanah: Hi everyone! Welcome to DistinctionCast, where AADOM showcases the best and brightest minds in the dental industry from within our Dental Management Association.
My name is Savanah Carlson, Director of Member Services at AADOM. And thank you for joining us today.
AADOM DistinctionCast is more than just insights into dental management. It’s a dynamic platform designed to amplify the voices of AADOM’s Distinction holders, providing them with the opportunity to educate and inspire their peers. By tapping into their expertise—AADOM Distinction holders—they’re in the trenches of everyday management.
So we aim to empower and support leaders as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of running successful dental practices.
I’m excited to introduce today’s AADOM DistinctionCast educator, Kristi Abrahamsen.
Kristi Abrahamsen is the Administrative Clinical Supervisor at the UCSF School of Dentistry, overseeing the largest clinic in the UCSF Dental Center. She leads the dental team supporting 268 dental student providers and is involved in key committees including Epic Wisdom Implementation.
Kristi developed a practice management course for the 2026 DDS curriculum and frequently lectures on various topics. She’s a recipient of two UCFF SPOT awards and she is a proud AADOM Lifetime member who holds a FAADOM, MAADOM, and DAADOM.
She’s also nominated for AADOM’s Practice Manager of the Year in 2020 and 2023.
Welcome, Kristi!
Kristi: Oh, thank you! I’m so excited to be here, Savanah. Thank you for having me. I cannot wait.
Savanah: Oh, yeah, absolutely!
The one question I like to ask all of our DistinctionCast educators is: How has holding an AADOM distinction benefited your career or empowered you in life? I would just love to know that.
The Power of Holding an AADOM Distinction
Kristi: Well, I can tell you this—I wouldn’t be sitting in this chair today as the Administrative Clinical Supervisor if it wasn’t through AADOM. And you’re probably thinking like how did that relate?
This actual journey to be here in this very blessed position was actually through my AADOM connection through Fred Joyal, as you know, who’s been a longtime supporter of AADOM. He actually was the one who reached out to me saying that UCFF was looking for a new supervisor to help run their pre-doctoral clinic, which are the student clinic as they’re learning to become dentists.
And I was very fortunate that he actually—his words were, quote, “This position will require someone with a MAADOM or higher in order to fill this position.”
And that was actually the 1st year that DAADOM had become a new distinction and I was a part of that graduating class. So, I was lucky enough to be coordinated through AADOM. So, everything I do is related to AADOM and I couldn’t love this group anymore.
Savanah: I got the goosebumps, Kristi.
Kristi: I know. It’s pretty cool. I remember actually being at conference last year when I got the call saying that they wanted to interview me. So, it was at and through AADOM. I mean, everything is AADOM. So, I’m very lucky.
Savanah: Oh, that’s lovely. Oh, everyone listening and watching, go for your distinctions. Start at the FAADOM and keep on going. You don’t know where your life is going to take you.
With that, I’m just going to let you hop on into your presentation. I can’t wait to see and learn more about the Disney Service Event.
How Disney Delivers Exceptional Service
Kristi: Absolutely. Thank you so much, Savanah.
So, we can all probably agree that Disney is the master of the ultimate customer service experience. And although it may be really hard to believe, even the Magic Kingdom on occasion still receives complaints.
As a graduate of the Disney Institute, I thought I would share some tips on how Disney cast members are trained to manage those complaints, or as Disney calls it—service recovery.
Disney prides itself on consistently delivering exceptional service. But what are the components you need in order for you to deliver and exceed those expectations?
People alone do not drive customer service. People are one of three variables that must intersect to give practices the ability to deliver exceptional care.
How to Deliver Exceptional Care
First, we all know you need to hire great people. So, look for those great personalities to add to your team, because as most of you all know, skills can be taught.
I have found some of my best employees were previous restaurant servers due to their attention to detail, cleanliness habits, and a very positive attitude.
I personally always carry my business card with me so that when I’m out, I never know who I’ll run into or cross paths with a customer service superstar.
The second is process. It’s important to establish solid standard works or standard operating procedures for all areas of your practice. And it’s important that your team follows and supports that common purpose.
One team, one message, and one vision.
The third is place. That is the physical structure where you take care of your patients, and that plays a critical role in how they perceive you and your quality of care your doctor provides.
Although often underestimated, your overall cleanliness, up-to-date office designs and equipment, and even the latest issues of magazines are all significant contributors to the overall customer experience and how they feel about you.
So, you’ve built your customer service foundation, designed the best possible service protocols, deliver exceptional service, and yet, still something happens that left your patient feeling less satisfied.
So now what?
How You Handle Unsatisfied Patients Will Set Your Practice Apart
It will happen, we’re humans. You will make a mistake. Your employees will make a mistake. And what may seem like an insignificant thing can feel monumental to the patient.
How you’ve set up yourself to handle it can and will set you apart.
Service recovery is about what you are going to do to salvage a potentially damaging relationship, and how an organization responds when things are going wrong. It may not be your fault, but the fact that you’re in a situation with a dissatisfied patient makes it your problem.
Patients are more frustrated by the inability to fix a problem, then they are by the problem itself. And they’re also more likely to care as much, if not more, about how they are treated after a service failure than they do the outcome itself.
So, first, it’s important to recognize the drive behind service recovery. Disney holds to the belief that it is to pursue the reconciliation of the relationship, not just the resolution of the issue.
In other words, sincerely do what is necessary to salvage a potentially damaging guest relationship. All employees of the practice, including yourself, must believe that the person is more important than the issue itself.
It is important that we also acknowledge the complaint and view it from a humanizing standpoint and to acknowledge the emotions the customer is feeling.
Understanding Service Failures
So, let’s understand service failures.
We too have been in situations where we have experienced service failures that have occurred. Maybe you were served the wrong order at a restaurant, or you were overcharged at a department store, or maybe you’ve waited a long time to be seen at your own doctor’s office.
These failures can have emotional impact and trigger responses where patients feel frustrated or aggravated, and emotions will be heightened. So, the more quickly and effectively you respond to and address the issue, the better the result will be for all parties involved.
Being on the receiving end of an upset patient can be extremely daunting for office managers, yet we’re the ones that they call when they’re in need of assistance for an upset patient.
So, if possible and safe, bring the patient to a more private area in your practice. You want to remove the audience. Often upset patients are looking for other people to agree with their concerns.
Comfort: Offer them a seat. Studies have shown that the physical action of sitting down sends a message of safety and security to the brain.
When I’m asked to address a patient complaint, I always arrive with a pen and paper. I explain to the patient that I want to take notes, so I don’t forget anything they want to say.
I want to convey to the patient that they are important enough for me to write it down. But it also allows me the ability to break eye contact in a courteous way. It can be extremely difficult and uncomfortable to try and look someone in the eye when they’re yelling at you. And by writing things down, it provides an opportunity to look away, even for brief moments.
How Disney Succeeds in Service Recovery
Disney has developed a simple acronym that cast members use to successfully proceed through the service recovery process: HEARD.
H is for Hear. Often, just listen. This one step alone can resolve a bad situation. Give the customer the freedom to share their full, uninterrupted story. Most people just want to be heard, understood, and have someone care about their experience.
Allow your patient the opportunity to tell you their concerns. Use the pen and paper to take notes of the details in case you need specific information later. Be sure to write down any word for word quotes that you can use to help you in that process.
E is for Empathize. This creates an emotional connection and trust and shows the intrinsic willingness to offer support.
Patients want to feel understood, so use phrases like, “I understand how you feel” or “I wish you did not have that experience” or “I can see how upset you are,” and try to relate to them that you deeply understand.
A is for Apology. This can be more important than the solution itself. It is the extension of empathy and apologizing means that you care and you’re assuming ownership of the problem at hand and delivery of that apology needs to be sincere.
Saying you’re sorry does not mean you’re admitting wrongdoing.
You can say, “I’m really sorry for the misunderstanding and I’m sorry you feel we didn’t meet your expectations.”
R is for Result. How can you make it better for your patient and how quickly can you achieve that resolution? It is okay to ask, “What can I do to make this right?”
But it’s important to keep three things in mind when offering an acceptable resolution.
- They need to be achievable, where the resolution must be realistic and a promise you can fulfill. Don’t offer anything you can’t deliver on as it will only further damage your relationship. It also needs to be accessible.
- The resolution must be readily obtainable. So, for example, if it’s determined that a professional courtesy is appropriate, make sure that all team members have the ability to do an account adjustment, not just the manager. Or if the patient is complaining about a missed appointment fee, empower your scheduling coordinator to reverse it as a one-time courtesy.
- Appropriate. The resolution must be suitable or fitting. Giving a crown or a filling away for free devalues not only your practice, but your doctor’s worth. You don’t have to go overboard to make someone happy. Many patients will already feel better knowing that you actually want to help them. So listen closely and focus on a solution that is tailored to each situation. And don’t give them something so much more than the value they felt was lost.
D is for Diagnose. Prevention beats the cure, which is why the last step is to analyze what led to that service failure. Change your systems and processes if needed or warranted. Focus your effort on fixing the process and without placing blame on anyone.
Empower Your Team
So, invest in your training your team to follow these simple HEARD techniques for service recovery.
Disney advocates speed in resolving the issue and backs this up by thoroughly training and empowering their employees. Front end Disney personnel almost never have to ask their boss to solve an issue, making the process much more efficient.
Train them to know what they can do to resolve an issue. You will also see a growth in your patient relationships with your practice and foster a more trusting patient connection and therefore potentially a larger referral base.
Continue to practice role playing challenging scenarios with your team at your team meetings so everyone is prepared to manage them.
Be Sure to Check-in with Yourself
We are the leaders of our practice and often the shield and the sword for our teams. But it’s important to check in with yourself.
There are some people who will just want to argue. If you feel that you’re getting drawn into the situation and you notice yourself getting upset, have a backup support or plan to excuse yourself, maybe by saying, “I’m sorry, I’m expected in a meeting. Would you mind if I step away for a moment to let them know I’m assisting you?”
So, let’s take a minute to reflect. We’ve all had experienced a time with a difficult patient. And had you applied these techniques, would the outcome have been different?
Would both parties have felt a mutual resolution, or maybe they may still be dismissed, or maybe they may still be one of your highest referring patients.
So take some self care after an event as well. Maybe take a walk, have a debrief with a colleague, grab a cup of coffee—whatever it takes to maintain your professionalism for yourself, your doctor and your team.
Ready to see the full version of this DISTINCTIONcast and elevate your skills?
Join AADOM now to access the full video and a world of resources. Your next big step is just a click away!
Learn About the Presenter:
Kristi Abrahamsen, RDA, DAADOM
Kristi Abrahamsen, RDA, DAADOM, is the Administrative Clinical Supervisor for the Predoctoral Clinics at the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry.
Kristi currently leads a 10-team member Administrative Team supporting 268 dental student providers and five faculty Group Practice Leaders. The UCSF Predoctoral Clinic is the largest clinic in the UCSF Dental Center with 104 dental chairs resulting with over 300 patient appointments per day. She is proud that her clinic cares for the most underserved population with over 35,000 appointments per year and is the largest Denti-Cal (government assisted) provider in her home state of California.
In addition to her daily responsibilities, Kristi has been tapped to sit on multiple UCSF Committees, including the Quality Assurance Committee/ Risk Management, Clinical Affairs Workgroup, Operational Strength Committee, and the Epic Wisdom Implementation Committee, making UCSF the first academic health system in the West to merge medical and oral health records into a single electronic health record known as EPIC.
Kristi worked directly with our EPIC team to implement improvements to the EHR; and as a result, she is responsible for most of the features that have been customized for the Dental Center, which has streamlined check-in, scheduling, and treatment planning for all providers.
But Kristi is most proud of her work with the UCSF Clinic Curriculum Workgroup which will bring a comprehensive Practice Management course to the 2026 DDS Curriculum Program, a first for any dental school in the country. Her efforts will impact the future leaders in dentistry for many years to come.
Kristi is the recipient of two UCSF Spot awards recognizing her efforts not only for the Epic Wisdom Implementation, but her professional management of a crisis incident protecting the students and faculty she adores working with. Kristi frequently lectures to students and residents on topics such as “Hiring and Onboarding Associates”, “Customer Service Excellence”, “Clinic Essentials”, “KPIs of Dentistry” and “Finance Essentials” as part of Student Orientation into the School of Dentistry program.
She is a continued supporter of other AADOM members, including Joanne Miles, MAADOM, who was invited as a featured speaker for the UCSF Dental Students.
Kristi was recently chosen to represent the School of Dentistry for the UCSF Leadership Institute Program, a nine-month initiative to further develop leadership skills necessary to navigate the administration of academic health centers, including financial management, change management and product management. Kristi was hand-selected for this incredible opportunity by Eunice Stephens, Associate Dean of Administration and Finance, and Dean Michael Reddy’s Chief of Staff.
She was the previous AADOM’s Bay Area Chapter President and was nominated as AADOM’s Practice Manager of the Year Award for both 2020 and 2023. She is a proud AADOM Lifetime member and an active member with the Triangle Dental Connection.
Kristi is an advocate for continued professional growth and received her FAADOM, MAADOM and DAADOM being the very first DAADOM graduate to cross the stage in 2021.
She is excited to share her de-escalation tips with you that she has learned as an alumnus of the Disney Institute and her real life-experiences in private practice and academic institution settings.
