Organizations serious about creating a customer focused culture have spent time studying Zappos. Zappos has developed an unusual approach to serving customers and building loyalty.
They have redefined empowerment. Team members have the ability to spend time on customer calls as they see best. Zappos measures total time spent on calls with the goal being 80% of time spent on customer facing interactions. This is much different from the usual measure of time per call with a focus on quantity.
Excellent insights on Zappos can be found in this Software Advice blog,
A Zappos Lesson in Customer Service Metrics. Look closely at the 4 factors
measured in the Happiness Experience Form. Ashley Furness outlines
the secrets to creating real relationships with an emotional connection.
Employees also called the customer loyalty team are empowered to connect
with the customer and then are rewarded when their scores are high on the
Happiness Experience Form. The reward is a spin on “the wheel of happiness” to
win gift cards and other items. Smart hiring, training and empowerment is a part
of the culture, so true customer connections can be made.
Does Zappos unusual approach work? Furness states that 70 to 75% of
purchases come from returning customers. Real empowerment of team
members does pay off on the bottom line growth and profitability.
Think about your own metrics and how well they support a customer focused
culture. After reading Furness’s blog, get moving on the lessons from Zappos to
build happier, loyal customers.
What do you think about Zappos’ approach? We’d love to hear your comments below.
Lisa Ford is a speaker with over 20 years of experience presenting to businesses, associations and government. She speaks throughout the United States and internationally on topics of customer service, leadership, team issues and change. Her recent book is Exceptional Customer Service – Exceed Customer Expectations to Build Loyalty and Boost Profits.
