ZAPPOS CULTURE
EXPLORING THE TREMENDOUS ZAPPOS CULTURE
BY : ERIKA MACLEOD
“ Here at Zappos , we ’ ve learned a few important things about running and growing a company . We ’ ve learned that company culture is what makes the difference between success and failure . We ’ ve learned that if you identify your company ’ s core values , hire by them , onboard team members by them , and truly live them , then you can get out of the way . Your team will do the best job for you and be able to provide story-worthy ( we call it WOW ) service and experiences to your customers .” - Zappos Insights
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This quarter , I ’ ve read three books on Zappos , an online shoe and clothing retailer based in Nevada . When Zappos made the move to Nevada from California in 2003 , 70 of its 90 employees moved to stay with the company because of the tremendous culture there .
Zappos was founded by Tony Hsieh , who was known for his unusual work policies . I was immediately fascinated by Zappos for its focus and unconventional take on team culture . Our team at Tulip Media Group is always looking for new ways to evolve our culture , and Zappos gave us some great new ideas that we wanted to share with all of our Client-Partners and beyond .
ZAPPONIANS AND ZAPPOS CULTURE
Zappos employees , also known as “ Zapponians ,” live by 10 core values : deliver WOW through service ; embrace and drive change ; create fun and a little weirdness ; be adventurous , creative , and open-minded ; pursue growth and learning ; build open and honest relationships with communication ; build a positive team and family spirit ; do more with less ; be passionate and determined ; and be humble . Those are some powerful core values . Not only that but they really send a message to employees that they are a part of something bigger .
# 1 - Deliver WOW through Service
To WOW , you must dare to be different , unconventional , and innovative . Zappos employees go above and beyond with every interaction , whether it be with customers , suppliers , the community , or each other . One way they do this is by sending handwritten notes to customers who have experienced any kind of challenge or delay in getting their order . The goal is to toss average out the window and make everyone they engage with say “ WOW .”
# 2 - Embrace and Drive Change
Tulip Media Group shares this core value with Zappos . Being in a growing company means change is constant and necessary for success . Both Zappos and Tulip are ever evolving , and we ’ ve learned to embrace and drive the change that comes with this . We do so by paying thoughtful attention to feedback and actively seeking new ideas and better ways to do things .
# 3 - Create Fun and a Little Weirdness
Zappos resists the corporate vibe by encouraging employees to be themselves . Zapponians look for fun and humor in their daily work . They celebrate diversity and embrace individuality . This encourages people to thiank outside the box and , at the end of the day , it ’ s what gives the company its memorable personality .
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