Take a Lesson from Disney
If you visit any one of the Disney Corporation's facilities, you have experienced a phenomenon they call "Onstage and Backstage." It's quite a simple concept, and one that Disney has definitely perfected. The "Onstage" area refers to anywhere that guests may roam freely, while "Backstage" is where the cast members (employees) travel from one part of the park to another, take "Disney-free" breaks, and get into costume. For Disney, the separation between onstage and backstage is essential in maintaining the magical feel of their facilities.
Your company most likely has a similar onstage (customer area) and backstage (production area) structure. And while your employees may not use your "backstage" area to don their Mickey or Minnie Mouse costumes, there are things that go on behind the scenes that most of your customers are not privileged to see.
That is, of course, unless you offer to take your customers on a tour of your facility. At most Disney facilities, visitors can take a ride backstage to see some of the inner workings of the magical world. The same can be done at your business. Allowing your customers a peek at the inner workings of your company and introducing them to your staff will improve your relationship with them. And, showing them any impressive machinery or workflow systems you have in place will increase their confidence in the work you do for them.
Take a lesson from the Disney Corporation and see what kind of response you get from offering backstage tours of your company. You may be surprised to see how many people would be interested in getting to know your company better, and the effect their knowledge can have on furthering your relationship with them.
