Zappos is an online retailer that primarily sells shoes, clothing, and accessories. While the quality of the goods they sell are comparable to other such retailers, what sets Zappos apart from its competitors is the level of customer service the company provides and the latitude it gives its associates to provide that service. Their culture drives all of this.
Zappos’ vision is to “deliver happiness to customers, employees, and vendors” and is specific to the customer service experience that is provided by Zappos associates. Specifically, Zappos’ mission is to “provide the best customer service possible. Deliver WOW through service.” What is WOW? Miriam-Webster defines WOW as “used to express strong feelings (such as pleasure or surprise), a striking success, and excite to enthusiastic admiration or approval. The companies’ values are 1) Deliver WOW Through Service, 2) Embrace and Drive Change, 3) Create Fun and a Little Weirdness, 4) Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded, 5) Pursue Growth and Learning, 6) Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communication, 7) Build Positive Team and Family Spirit, 8) Do More with Less, 9) Be Passionate and Determined, and 10) Be Humble.
Because Zappos’ values its strong culture, the company created Zappos University, to provide associates the opportunity to pursue growth and learning. The company offers ULearn classes (videos and webinars) that are available to all associates based on their interests. Associates can select courses that will help them grow in their current positions or positions for which they might be interested in the future.
Zappos also provides Shadow Sessions, which allows team members to shadow associates in specific disciplines to see if the work is something that would be of interest to them. Additionally, Zappos provides life coaching to help associates “uncover the path to the best version of themselves. At Zappos, there is a team of professionals to work with associates in reaching their goals, and ultimately, their ikigai – “the reason they get up in the morning.”
Not only does the company embrace learning for its associates, but Zappos Insights was created to help other companies improve their cultures. They offer a 3-Day Culture Camp that is designed to develop and improve employee engagement, increase productivity, promote brand loyalty, and enhance performance. Their curriculum includes defining values, committing to those values, and hiring for culture fit. It also provides new hire training, WOW customer service, and employee engagement.
Zappos has a unique culture that is working as it has been ranked as a top 100 employer for multiple years by both Fortune Magazine and CNN Money.
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