Over the summer, I saw the CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh, interview on The Colbert Report (http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/393612/august-01-2011/tony-hsieh).
He talked about Zappos’ core values, so I looked them up (http://about.zappos.com/our-unique-culture/zappos-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
- Be Humble
I have long been interested in Zappos (see CSR Newsletter: October 6, 2008, http://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/search/label/Zappos). Partly this is because my wife has told me about the firm’s phenomenal customer service, but also because Zappos offers its new employees $2,000 to leave the firm after they have finished their orientation training (http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/sep2008/sb20080916_288698.htm, previously, the figure was $1,000). The idea is that those who take the money are not that committed to the firm and would not make good colleagues, whereas those who stay are likely to be more committed.
The impression created is a very positive one (i.e., the values seem genuine). Zappos is a great place to buy from and appears to be a good place to work. Hopefully, they will continue to be successful.
Have a good weekend
David
Instructor Teaching Site: http://www.sagepub.com/strategiccsr/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: http://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/
