Bruno Pierre Gebarski's List: Zappos Social Business Enterprising Example

• Zappos spends a tiny percentage of its budget on advertising -- around $18 million last year -- and instead relies on repeat sales for around 75% of it
• revenues
• free shipping both ways,
• 365-day return policy, staffing our call center 24/7
• surprise upgrades to overnight service
• The whole package is what builds our reputation and brand."
• Like any good nerd, Hsieh is quick to embrace new media. Last year, he started using Twitter, and he encourages his staff to do the same (more than 400 employees now Tweet regularly).
• or $39.95 a month, companies can absorb the Zappos Way through a series of video shorts. It may not be much of a threat to the McKinseys and Booz Allens of the world, but stranger things have happened. And who knows? If Zappos created a segment to help organizations find their humanity -- "Soul Search"? -- it might just have a shot.

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• When possible, I choose to buy my shoes and a few other items from Zappos. It’s not because I save a bundle – I don’t.  It’s not because there are no shoe stores in my neighborhood – there are plenty.  And, though Zappos’ selection is quite vast, I can find a great selection elsewhere – both online and in brick-and-mortar retailers. Rather, I choose Zappos because of the awesome customer experience.
• Our philosophy has been to take most of the money we would have spent on paid advertising and invest it into customer service and customer experience instead, letting our customers do the marketing for us through word of mouth.
• after my first Zappos purchase, I received a seemingly “secret” email telling me I was invited to an exclusive VIP club that gives me free second-day shipping privileges on all future purchases.
• Frida’s.
• Frida’s is owned by a sweet, gregarious fellow from Mexico, Ivan Marquez. The first time we ate there, Ivan and my son, Ian, completely hit it off. He brought Ian not one, but two desserts that night.  Now, whenever we go in, Ivan greets us like we’re family. He shakes my husband’s hand, gives me a big hug, and Ian is always the recipient of some super-cool surprise – a kiddie cocktail disguised as a frozen strawberry margarita, a new dessert the restaurant just put on the menu, a six-foot straw for his soda. It is awesome! Ivan provides excellent customer service, but, beyond that, he makes us feel special, like he’s missed us, like he is so glad we are there. We believe him, we feel loyal to him – and we refer lots of business to him!

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• “Zappos invests in the call center not as cost, but the opportunity to market. Their whole strategy is to create loyalty through ‘wow’ moments and emotional connections.”
• The Customer Loyalty Team member (as they’re called)
• “It’s more important that we make an emotional connection with the customer, rather than just quickly getting them off the phone,” says Derek Carder, customer loyalty operations manager for the Zappos.
• The agent is expected to spend at least 80 percent of their time in customer-facing interactions. It doesn’t matter if that’s one call, or 100. Reps who achieve this target get to spin “the wheel of happiness” to win gift cards and other rewards. Those who fall below the 80 percent line receive coaching.

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