Word on the street is there is no stumping a Zappos Customer Service Representative. Rachael Ray decided to test that out. Rachael Ray is the infamous long-winded caller nobody likes to get. Watch how the Zappos Representative handles this “challenging” customer.
Would you have handled Rachael with such poise, openness and professionalism? If not, I need to work with you (and maybe your entire team) for some exciting customer service training. You can check out my customer service training solutions right here.
I had a ball at the Contact Center Expo where I presented “Inside the Zappos Contact Center” to a packed house. I met amazing professionals who are serious about delivering the very best customer experience in their organizations.
I crafted and presented my session with these goals: To inspire organizations to make customer service their number one priority (not just talk about it, but be about it) and to create the very best customer experience by positioning people, policies and processes to give customers the level of service they expect and deserve…and to even surpass customer expectations.
The best example of an outstanding customer experience that I’m aware of is Zappos. In my presentation, I took my audience inside the Zappos Contact Center to meet some of the amazing people behind the Zappos Customer Experience. We looked at the Zappos’ core values, fun culture, and the company’s commitment to WOWing customers at every touch point.
You can experience the Zappos presentation by taking a look at my slides from the event.
I’ve had numerous requests to post the videos from my “Inside the Zappos Contact Center” presentation at the Contact Center Expo. I’m happy to do that. Below are the videos I featured.
Holiday Helpers
This video shows the fierce commitment to giving customers the very best experience and the spirit of cooperation of employees that makes the amazing customer experience possible.
What WOW Means to Zappos Employees
I stressed to my audience that WOW couldn’t be just a buzz word or flavor of the month, it had to be a real and consistent commitment. This video shows what WOW means to Zappos employees.
Core Value of the Month Award
Zappos takes very good care of its employees. This award “ceremony” is the perfect example of that.
On Wednesday, March 23, 2011, I will be speaking at the Contact Center Expo in Nashville. I’m very excited about my presentation because I will be giving an in-depth profile of a company that I personally love; a company literally famous for customer service: Zappos. I have studied the Zappos service culture and contact center for more than two years and I’ve isolated the 5 keys that have made Zappos one of the most envied service companies in the world.
Key 1: Live and Deliver WOW
Key 2: Focus on the Customer Experience as the #1 Priority
Key 3: Make Emotional Connections with Customers
Key 4: Treat Employees Very Well
Key 5: Surprise and Delight
For the reference of my attendees and for sharing with my readers, I am posting the slides from my “Inside the Zappos Contact Center.” Learn. Enjoy. Share.
Zappos is about the very best customer service and that starts with hiring the very best people. Watch this interview as Zappos CEO, Tony Hsieh talks about the Zappos Customer Service Culture.
Last summer I ordered a pair of running shoes from Zappos.com. Shipping is always on the house at Zappos when you go with standard shipping. That’s a big WOW for me and it’s one of the reasons I frequently order shoes for me and my family from Zappos. A couple of hours after I ordered my running shoes, I got the following email:
Whoa, Nellie! Have We Got A Surprise For You!
Hello Myra!
Although you originally ordered Standard Shipping, we’re upgrading the shipping time frame for your order. It will ship out today, so you’ll get it even faster than we originally promised! It’s kind of like we waved our magic wand!
Please note that this is being done at no additional cost to you. It’s our way of saying thanks for being our customer.
We hope this has brightened your day a little! Thanks for shopping at Zappos.com!
With Love,
The Zappos Customer Loyalty Team
Whoa, Nellie! is right. That email made my day. And at 10:16am the next morning, I went for a run in my new running shoes.
Zappos is all about customer service. The company’s toll-free number is prominently displayed on every single web page. Live people answer their phones…24 hours a day. All products come with a 365-day return policy. (You read that right.) The company regularly invests in surprise and delight to keep customers like me smiling when we get such perks as overnight shipping for free.
Take a look at this video that I show in my customer service workshops. It’s a behind–the-scenes look at what WOW means to Zappos’ employees. After you watch the video, think about how you might put WOW into your organization.
