http://mixergy.com/customers-service-zappos/ Entrepreneurs you respect teach how they did it. Sat, 19 May 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 http://mixergy.com/customers-service-zappos/comment-page-1/#comment-20556 Is Generation Y Killing Business Etiquette? - Greenlights for Nonprofit Success Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:51:32 +0000 http://mixergy.com/?p=307#comment-20556 [...] etiquette guidelines, we could all borrow some tips from the former CEO of Zappos who, in this 2008 article, recommended shocking customers by going above and beyond expectations, surprising them (when [...] [...] etiquette guidelines, we could all borrow some tips from the former CEO of Zappos who, in this 2008 article, recommended shocking customers by going above and beyond expectations, surprising them (when [...]

]]> http://mixergy.com/customers-service-zappos/comment-page-1/#comment-16853 How To Sell Your Business For A Billion Dollars…It’s ALL Marketing! | Text n Save Sat, 26 Mar 2011 01:10:44 +0000 http://mixergy.com/?p=307#comment-16853 [...] I mean these guys are on a whole other level. If you want to see a live example of what I mean, listen to this interview with a mate of mine Andrew Warner who runs what I consider to be the best blog for entrepreneurs in [...] [...] I mean these guys are on a whole other level. If you want to see a live example of what I mean, listen to this interview with a mate of mine Andrew Warner who runs what I consider to be the best blog for entrepreneurs in [...]

]]> http://mixergy.com/customers-service-zappos/comment-page-1/#comment-12254 Sean Comeaux Sun, 09 May 2010 05:51:58 +0000 http://mixergy.com/?p=307#comment-12254 Alex, Thank you for this insightful interview, it was highly informative. As a serial entrepreneur myself, Tony Hsieh has long been one of my heroes. In fact, for my most recent endeavor, I was being interviewed for my local college’s 'Entrepreneurship program' whereby a group of our cities top Entrepreneurs will be walking us through the process of launching our business from start to finish in 16 weeks. All the while introducing us into their network of contacts and resources from legal to marketing so we can continue to be successful afterwords. In my initial interview for the program (since they were only picking 15 out of the almost 70 that applied) they asked me what my passion was for the product I was selling (I sell a niche category of high-end women’s apparel online). They kept searching for the reason I got into the product alone. I leveled with them that it was not at all the product but the process that I love. I was ELATED to hear Tony say the same thing, “I'm not a shoe person so for me it’s not about the shoes; it's more just about the people and the start up, y’know, environment and just, y’know, facing a different challenge every day and everything being really fast moving and y’know making decisions quickly and sometimes they’ll be the wrong decisions but then changing course if they are the wrong decision very quickly. So I think just all of that is just very exciting for me." While it could have been a little more eloquent, I knew exactly what he was saying. He's a serial entrepreneur who loves starting businesses and making them work. I am driven by that same force. Great interview, Mr. Hsieh is a brilliant person whom I aspire to be only half as successful as. Thank you again Alex. Alex, Thank you for this insightful interview, it was highly informative. As a serial entrepreneur myself, Tony Hsieh has long been one of my heroes. In fact, for my most recent endeavor, I was being interviewed for my local college’s 'Entrepreneurship program' whereby a group of our cities top Entrepreneurs will be walking us through the process of launching our business from start to finish in 16 weeks. All the while introducing us into their network of contacts and resources from legal to marketing so we can continue to be successful afterwords. In my initial interview for the program (since they were only picking 15 out of the almost 70 that applied) they asked me what my passion was for the product I was selling (I sell a niche category of high-end women’s apparel online). They kept searching for the reason I got into the product alone. I leveled with them that it was not at all the product but the process that I love. I was ELATED to hear Tony say the same thing, “I'm not a shoe person so for me it’s not about the shoes; it's more just about the people and the start up, y’know, environment and just, y’know, facing a different challenge every day and everything being really fast moving and y’know making decisions quickly and sometimes they’ll be the wrong decisions but then changing course if they are the wrong decision very quickly. So I think just all of that is just very exciting for me.” While it could have been a little more eloquent, I knew exactly what he was saying. He's a serial entrepreneur who loves starting businesses and making them work. I am driven by that same force. Great interview, Mr. Hsieh is a brilliant person whom I aspire to be only half as successful as. Thank you again Alex.

]]> http://mixergy.com/customers-service-zappos/comment-page-1/#comment-11468 Sean Comeaux Sat, 08 May 2010 22:51:58 +0000 http://mixergy.com/?p=307#comment-11468 Alex, Thank you for this insightful interview, it was highly informative. As a serial entrepreneur myself, Tony Hsieh has long been one of my heroes. In fact, for my most recent endeavor, I was being interviewed for my local college’s 'Entrepreneurship program' whereby a group of our cities top Entrepreneurs will be walking us through the process of launching our business from start to finish in 16 weeks. All the while introducing us into their network of contacts and resources from legal to marketing so we can continue to be successful afterwords. In my initial interview for the program (since they were only picking 15 out of the almost 70 that applied) they asked me what my passion was for the product I was selling (I sell a niche category of high-end women’s apparel online). They kept searching for the reason I got into the product alone. I leveled with them that it was not at all the product but the process that I love. I was ELATED to hear Tony say the same thing, “I'm not a shoe person so for me it’s not about the shoes; it's more just about the people and the start up, y’know, environment and just, y’know, facing a different challenge every day and everything being really fast moving and y’know making decisions quickly and sometimes they’ll be the wrong decisions but then changing course if they are the wrong decision very quickly. So I think just all of that is just very exciting for me." While it could have been a little more eloquent, I knew exactly what he was saying. He's a serial entrepreneur who loves starting businesses and making them work. I am driven by that same force. Great interview, Mr. Hsieh is a brilliant person whom I aspire to be only half as successful as. Thank you again Alex. Alex, Thank you for this insightful interview, it was highly informative. As a serial entrepreneur myself, Tony Hsieh has long been one of my heroes. In fact, for my most recent endeavor, I was being interviewed for my local college’s 'Entrepreneurship program' whereby a group of our cities top Entrepreneurs will be walking us through the process of launching our business from start to finish in 16 weeks. All the while introducing us into their network of contacts and resources from legal to marketing so we can continue to be successful afterwords. In my initial interview for the program (since they were only picking 15 out of the almost 70 that applied) they asked me what my passion was for the product I was selling (I sell a niche category of high-end women’s apparel online). They kept searching for the reason I got into the product alone. I leveled with them that it was not at all the product but the process that I love. I was ELATED to hear Tony say the same thing, “I'm not a shoe person so for me it’s not about the shoes; it's more just about the people and the start up, y’know, environment and just, y’know, facing a different challenge every day and everything being really fast moving and y’know making decisions quickly and sometimes they’ll be the wrong decisions but then changing course if they are the wrong decision very quickly. So I think just all of that is just very exciting for me.” While it could have been a little more eloquent, I knew exactly what he was saying. He's a serial entrepreneur who loves starting businesses and making them work. I am driven by that same force. Great interview, Mr. Hsieh is a brilliant person whom I aspire to be only half as successful as. Thank you again Alex.

]]> http://mixergy.com/customers-service-zappos/comment-page-1/#comment-6685 Building for the long term | Life Putting - Dan Putt Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:59:02 +0000 http://mixergy.com/?p=307#comment-6685 [...] Today I was listening to an interview (yes, another mixergy interview) with Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, someone I’ve come to really admire.  In the interview he tells the whole story about the founding of Zappos, how he first got involved as an investor and then later on as CEO, and how the company’s legendary culture evolved.  I realized in listening to Tony talk, the key to their success, one of the key factors in the evolution of their famed culture, was the ability to think and act in the long term.  I think this is one of those things that you always hear (just like following your passion) but very few people have the courage to actually do it.  It’s clear that Hsieh and his team have a long term vision for the company, and they’re willing to allow it to evolve.  The thing about having a long term perspective is you can absorb short term costs such as their legendary $2,000 offer to pay new hires to quit, or their 365 day return policy because over the course of 5 or 10 years those policies will pay off big.  In fact in the interview Hsieh even says he could instantly add to the bottom line by shutting down their 24/7 call center, and most likely it would have very little effect on sales over the course of 6-12 months.  But the worsened customer experience would eventually eat into their most valuable asset (perceived high quality of service), and start to hurt sales. [...] [...] Today I was listening to an interview (yes, another mixergy interview) with Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, someone I’ve come to really admire.  In the interview he tells the whole story about the founding of Zappos, how he first got involved as an investor and then later on as CEO, and how the company’s legendary culture evolved.  I realized in listening to Tony talk, the key to their success, one of the key factors in the evolution of their famed culture, was the ability to think and act in the long term.  I think this is one of those things that you always hear (just like following your passion) but very few people have the courage to actually do it.  It’s clear that Hsieh and his team have a long term vision for the company, and they’re willing to allow it to evolve.  The thing about having a long term perspective is you can absorb short term costs such as their legendary $2,000 offer to pay new hires to quit, or their 365 day return policy because over the course of 5 or 10 years those policies will pay off big.  In fact in the interview Hsieh even says he could instantly add to the bottom line by shutting down their 24/7 call center, and most likely it would have very little effect on sales over the course of 6-12 months.  But the worsened customer experience would eventually eat into their most valuable asset (perceived high quality of service), and start to hurt sales. [...]

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