Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

It’s Only Common Sense: Delivering “WOW” Service

One of my favorite companies on the planet is Zappos—yes, the shoe company headquartered in Las Vegas. No, I’m not really a shoe guy; in fact, I have never bought a pair of shoes or anything from Zappos, unless you count their books on customer service. Outstanding customer service is a trademark of Zappos; they’re all about it. So, even if I am not in the shoe business, I am most definitely in the outstanding customer service business—all of us should be.

I have read Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh’s first book at least three times, and have referred back to it countless times. So, when I saw the new book titled The Power of WOW: How to Electrify Your Work and Your Life by Putting Service First, written by members of the Zappos team, I had to buy it, read it, and glean as much from it as I possibly could. If you have not read it yet, I urge you to do so immediately. You might even do what I did and buy not only the hard copy, but also the e-book and Audible versions, and work with all three. I use the words “work with” because this is the textbook on delivering great customer service.

Amazon bought Zappos a few years ago, but their culture (not to mention their reputation) when it comes to customer service was so strong that the folks at Amazon wisely made the decision to leave the company alone. They let them keep doing what made them successful with no interference whatsoever from the Jeff Bezos gang. And thank goodness they did because Zappos has remained the same great company that everyone looks up to when it comes to delivering fantastic customer service.

Today, I want to share Zappos’ Oath of Employment with you. Had you ever heard of an “oath of employment?” Does your company have one? If not, don’t feel bad; I don’t know any other company that does. But Zappos has one, and I believe that it is worth sharing with as many people as possible. From The Power of WOW, here is Zappos’ Oath of Employment:

1.       Deliver “WOW” Through Service

Whatever it takes. Especially if it is “not your job” per se. The goal is to make the customer say, “WOW!” How often does that happen to you and your company?

2.       Embrace and Drive Change

Always challenge the status quo. In our business, we especially hate change; maybe that’s because so many of us are old!

3.       Create Fun and a Little Weirdness

Allow your people to feel comfortable to be themselves and serve their customers in unique and, yes, maybe fun ways.

4.       Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-minded

Create a culture filled with brave people who take risks. Empower people to deliver great customer service. This means even giving them a budget to use at their discretion to right a wrong and deliver “WOW” service. Allow your team to make decisions on their own.

5.       Pursue Growth and Learning

Stay curious, my friends. Make sure everyone wants to learn and is always finding the resources to deliver “WOW” customer service.

6.       Build Open and Honest Relationships and Communications

Talk to each other. Too many times, when we have a problem with someone, we will talk about it with everyone except the person with whom we have the problem. Learn to talk to each other and sort out differences rather than letting them simmer.

7.       Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit

Create meaningful relationships within the team. Create events to build team spirit. Create a culture where when someone wins, you all win. Remember, a great company is built by a great team.

8.       Do More With Less

Always be ready to figure it out, work with what you do have, and not focus on what you don’t have. Very simply put, find a way. Creative people always find a way to get it done.

9.       Be Passionate and Determined

Be ready to fight for what is right. True passion is based on a commitment to getting it done right and on time.

10.     Be Humble

Harry S. Truman once said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” A great company with a team that has no room for egomaniacs, nor people who want to grab all the credit, is much more beneficial for all. Share the failures as well as the wins. Together, a team of 10 people can accomplish so much more than 10 people working individually.

Conclusion

Okay, I know that most of us are selling electronics and not shoes, but that is irrelevant. Whether we are selling to individuals or companies, those companies have people, and business is always about people; we are always selling to people. It’s up to us no matter what our business is to find our own unique way to deliver “WOW” service to our customers.

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.