Wow! It’s not very often I’m speechless, but after visiting the amazing business that is Zappos, I was lost for words… for a few minutes anyway! I’ve read about them, I’ve blogged about them, and I’ve spoken about them at conferences and seminars, but to ‘experience’ them was unforgettable! We visited their Las Vegas HQ on Friday and were completely blown away by their approach to doing business, and it’s all about (surprise, surprise!)….. Culture!
Zappos culture is holding the door open for someone, helping out on the phones during the holidays, 1500 employees embracing the downtown move, wearing a costume on a Wednesday for the hell of it, wrapping an entire team’s desks in plastic wrap, having a meeting in a bedazzled spaceship, calling your coworkers family, taking a Science of Happiness class and then walking over to listen to Sir Ken Robinson speak. The list goes on and on b/c this company is always changing; however, the culture stays tried-and-true.
Co-workers can bonus colleagues $50 through the reward and recognition programme (Zappos Value: ‘Build a positive team and family spirit’)
They recognise those who ‘commit’ to the business. You are ‘formally’ presented with your blue ‘Name Plate’ once you are a ‘full time employee (it looks like a registration plate) and other ‘presentations’ come on different anniversaries.
Zollars is the internal Zappos currency that can be spent on all sorts of things that can used to ‘wow’ colleagues who’ve done something special. (Zappos Value: ‘Embrace and drive change’)
There are lots of ways of rewarding and recognising people who ‘contribute’ to the culture. For example, from promoting people who work in the canteen into the core business (if that’s what they want to do of course!) to giving a young member of the team, Miguel Hernandez, who is an artist a chance to decorate parts of Zappos HQ and ‘pushing him’ into other businesses including Disney to fulfill his dream and become a ‘professional artist’! (Zappos Value: ‘Pursue growth and learning’)
Zappos culture is contagious. It’s something that you feel the second you walk through the door and sticks with you long after you leave. You’d really have to try to not be in a good mood at work, and that’s what makes it such a fun place to work. The culture at Zappos just comes naturally. I love being able to work in an environment where you don’t have to try to make relationships, they just happen.
People are scored on ‘making friends outside their department’ (Zappos Value: ‘Build a positive team and family spirit’)
Staff are rewarded for exceptional customer service, especially when great feedback has come from customers
It also goes beyond the workplace – Ryo was once approached ‘Downtown’ by a stranger asking for directions and he helped him by going above and beyond. It turned out that the guy was a friend of Tony Hsieh and he told him what a great job Ryo had done. A couple of days later, a ‘formal’ meeting that Ryo was in was rudely interrupted by a troupe singing and dancing and presented him with Beyonce tickets (his absolute favourite!!!) (Zappos Value: ‘Be passionate and determined’)
It Works!
Living these values clearly ‘drives’ performance in the areas that are ‘traditionally’ counted. Last year’s reported revenues were in excess of $3 billion and 80% of customers come back for more!
Finally, thanks so much to Ryo and the Zappos team – You being ‘Passionate and Determined’ meant we were ‘Completely ‘WOW’ed’! You certainly ‘Created some fun and a little weirdness’, and you definitely ‘Built an open and honest relationships with communication’, by being ‘humble’ with it. Finally, thanks for being so ‘Adventurous, creative and open – minded’ in your approach, and ‘Building an honest relationship with communication’.That will allow us to ‘Pursue growth and learning’ for both us and our clients, which hopefully means we’ll be able to ‘Do more with less’! and finally, we now definitely feel part of a ‘Positive team and part of your family spirit’!
