How Zappos Generates Crazy Word-of-Mouth By Focusing on Customer Service


In 1999 Zappos started their small online store, but today they have grown into a massive clothes and shoe retailer online. In 2009, they were acquired by Amazon for 928 million dollars. By 2014, their profit added up to $54.5 Million. They are doing amazing and they didn’t reach where they are now because of advertisements, but because of word of mouth. Their excellent customer service is what brought them to where they are now. They were able to make sure that they are pleasing their customers, thus the reason why most of their customers return. But how did they become the nice guy in the ecommerce world?

1. They always provide more than their 100% even if people didn’t expect them to 

They make sure that their service is always exceptional. They do their best to go to any lengths just to make sure their customers are happy and satisfied. This could be crucial in times today where customer services are filled with long holds before being able to be connected to the right staff.

There are many ways they went out of their way for their customers such as:

  • They sent lilies and roses, as well as upgraded their customer to VIP status as of hearing that their customer’s feet got damaged after going through harsh medical treatment.
  • When a customer wanted a pair of shoes but it was already out of stock one of their employees bought one from a physical store and delivered it in person to the customer without any extra charge.
  • There was a time when UPS almost left a best man without shoes because they messed up, good thing Zappos was able to ship another pair overnight so he could get his in time and they even refunded his money.

They treat their customers as human beings, and this is what makes their customer service great. They are aware and they make sure they make use of the difference of personal touch to make it’s reputation better.

2. They get upper management invested in providing services directly to the customers 

Their culture of customer service isn’t just restricted to call centers. Every new employee of Zappos spend their first 6 weeks in their call center. 4 weeks of those are spent in training and 2 weeks for answering calls. They do this to make sure that even if their white-collar management personal remain invested in the consumer centric core of Zappos, especially since they have a strong decision making power. It also stands as a clear message to call center agents that their jobs are very important to the company. They are the backbone of the company.

3.They make giving exceptional service a critical part of the company’s culture 

Zappos’ excellent customer service was never conceptualized as an addition to their main business of selling shoes. They just emphasized how much customer service forms the core of their business. Zappos also has a return policy which is a great example for their customer service core. They encourage customers to order multiple pairs of shoes and if there are some that they don’t like, they could return it. It is costly for some businesses since returning is free of charge, but Zappos is not your typical retailer. Because of their selling goal, this just makes perfect sense.

Conclusion

The word of mouth strategy of Zappos is not just an accident because of having friendly employees. They have studied and developed this to give an impression that this company is a friend, a friend that customers would return to again and again. If you want to cultivate a positive image, their strategy is worth studying.

5 Response to "How Zappos Generates Crazy Word-of-Mouth By Focusing on Customer Service"

  1. Comment From Kyla Cruz

    I always buy from Zappos and I agree that they always go out of their way to make use their customers happy. This is also one of the reasons why they would always be my go-to store.



  2. Comment From Jonathan Courtney

    All their strategy listed on here is something that seems simple but has a big effect on their customers. I would love to try their strategies when I get to grow my business.



  3. Comment From Anna Caitlyn

    They have built their business through trust and customer service, it’s definitely a good strategy and way to operate a business. Good read!



  4. Comment From James Carter

    Zappos is definitely worth looking up to because of its amazing way of operating a business. This is a good article to remind everyone that customers should be treated better.



  5. Comment From Jules Andrew

    This should stand as an eye opener to businesses because some startups don’t treat customers the way they should. I appreciate and read every article you post, keep it up!



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