TONY HSIEH: The Culture that Fuels the Happiness Bus
CEO of Zappos. com Tony Hsieh was not at all shy about sharing the secret to the company’ s wild success: Excellent customer service. Scratch that. Accessible, responsive, positive, memorable customer service. At the heart of the Zappos business acumen is that customer service is not just a department in the company, it is the company. That principle, coupled with a well-defined set of core values intended to inspire passion and purpose are what drive the retail and their expanding business services division.
“ Commit to transparency.”
— Tony Hsieh
Through his book Delivering Happiness, Hsieh fused his own vast business experience( he sold LinkExchange to Microsoft in 1998 for $ 265 million) with the science of happiness, which eventually became a bus tour and is now what he and his team of“ ninjas” call a movement.
For Hsieh, it’ s not about the shoes. The Zappos business model is built on the three C’ s: Culture, Customer Service and Clothing. Their culture is based on creating an environment that inspires passion and purpose and is driven by their # 1 core value of delivering WOW through service— going above and beyond what is expected and delivering a customer experience that is excellent and memorable. At the heart of it is the customer’ s experience— from the online shopping experience, to receiving the order, to making returns. Clothing is the third and bottom tier of the pyramid.
Zappos is solely an online retail store yet takes a hightouch approach to the customer experience and builds a personal, emotional connection with their customers through
their call center. Each interaction with the person at the other end of the retail sale is an opportunity to build a relationship. Brand loyalty comes naturally. Just think about the exciting implications that has for the spa industry. Not only can your spa build a personal connection with each and every client that walks through your doors, but the healing power of touch is at the very forefront of what you do.
Finally, Hsieh rounded out his presentation by mentioning a fourth“ C” that the company is intent on adding to their business pyramid: Community. Through community support and instilling employees with sense of a stewardship of local businesses and outreach programs, Zappos is taking that inspiring passion and purpose one step further. Whether you run a boutique day spa or manage a resort property, this third C is imperative in developing that holistic connection with your clients. ■
Author of Complete Idiot’ s Guide to Girlfriend Getaways, LISA KASANICKY is also the creator of AZspagirls. com— a girlfriend-to-girlfriend guide that speaks to a new generation of spa and beauty enthusiasts. With a writing career that spans more than 20 years, Kasanicky also appears regularly on ABC’ s Sonoran Living in Metro Phoenix. She is also the co-founder of Summer Spaaah Series, events that tour spas across Arizona.
Want full access to Tony Hsieh’ s General Session PowerPoint presentation? Visit digital Pulse on experienceispa. com.
HSIEH’ S TOP READS:
Peak
BY CHIP CONLEY
Tribal Leadership
BY DAVE LOGAN, JOHN KING & HALEE FISCHER-WRIGHT
The 4-Hour Work Week
BY TIMOTHY FERRISS
The Happiness Hypothesis
BY JONATHAN HAIDT
36 PULSE ■ January / February 2012