Interview with Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh
by Miki SaxonImage credit: Zappos.com
Don’t miss Robert Reiss’ interview with Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh.
Hsieh believes that Zappos incredible customer service is the number one driver for sales growth that skyrocketed from $1.6 million in 2000 to more than $1 billion in eight short years, while powering straight through the dot com bust.
Hsieh believes that to be successful you “need to be truly passionate about whatever you’re in the business of doing—it should not just be about making money.”
Zappos.com’s incredible customer service is embedded in its culture and Hsieh explains in depth that the culture is protected by a unique “two-step” hiring process that in its second-step concentrates on Zappos’ corporate culture and its core values. Hsieh says, “We make sure the people we hire have similar values. We won’t hire them if they are not a “culture-fit even if they are technically strong.”
The company focus is obvious—listening to its customers to hear their requests and understand their needs.
Hsieh’s says, “We place a lot of value on the interaction with customers. We want and take the time to talk to our customers.”
The man’s on to something. In an age when most customers are left with the feeling that the company is doing them a favor by taking their money for the product/service and their desire for decent (not even great) customer service is at best an annoyance listening to Hsieh is not only refreshing, but offers tangible proof that a focus on company culture and superb customer service pays.
You tell me—it great customer service common sense or rocket science?
January 30th, 2009 at 5:32 am
[…] dollar Zappos and as far from an imperial CEO as it’s possible to get. (I wrote about Zappos last spring with a link to an excellent […]