A coworker gave me a book on tape to listen to a few weeks ago. I had heard of the company, Zappos, but didn’t know much about them or their core values. This online retailer started very small and grew quickly beyond anyone’s expectations.
There were setbacks along the way, but they learned and are now a leading company in customer service.
What was their path to success?
They developed a set of Core Values, polling their employees to ask their opinions and from this exercise developed the following:
Deliver WOW through Service: Zappos is known for their service. They will go above and beyond to serve their customers. One of the things they do during the holiday season when their customer call center is extremely busy, is to have every employee from EVERY department help with phones for a few hours. Even CEO Tony Hsieh participates.
Embrace and Drive Change: So many of us fear change, but not at Zappos. They never want anyone who works for them to be content with the status quo. This is what keeps them ahead of their competition.
Create Fun and A Little Weirdness: They started an internal blog that highlights the fun and goofy things they do within each department. This adds humor to the work day which makes employees enjoy their work environment even more.
Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded: Do not be afraid to take risks and make mistakes; this is how their company learns and grows.
Pursue Growth and Learning: An office library has the top books that CEO Hsieh finds inspirational. This library is free to all employees and visitors.
Open and Honest Relationships with Communication: The company works hard to have strong relationships in all areas, both internal and external.
Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit: Employees that work here care for each other. Many interact outside of the office and this creates a desire to do the best they can at their jobs.
Do More with Less: There is always room for improvement and Zappos is always looking for ways to improve the efficiency of their operation.
Passionate and Determined: Zappos believes in what they do and they never take “no” or “that won’t work” for an answer.
Be Humble: Being respectful of everyone is a key value to the company.
Each employer should find its own values
I think that every company has their own set of core values. While these work for Zappos, they may not work for you or others. It’s important to evaluate your mission and your core values, write them down and implement them throughout your organization.
We strive to be a trusted adviser to our clients, provide solutions to problems, and service our clients with respect and excellence. What are your core values? Can we help you discover yours? Contact us today.
Wendy Allen, Marketing Manager