Should you pay employees to quit? That’s the provocative question from a new article that's rocketing around the Web about Zappos.com, the online shoe company with soaring sales.
Zappos is so serious about its commitment to amazing customers that it “bribes” new employees $1,000 to quit after a week, reports Harvard Business Review.
By offering them a leaving bonus plus their first week’s salary, Zappos weeds out reps and employees who aren’t committed to its fanatical belief in great service. Chances are, employees who refuse the $1,000 love Zappos.
The big idea: The online shoe company knows customers don’t engage with companies. They engage with people.
A fanatical belief in great service
It realizes customer service is even more important online than offline.
Here are some of the other things Zappos does differently:
- Puts its telephone number on every page of its Web site. The message: “We want to talk to you.”
- Rejects scripts. Unlike many other companies, Zappos’ reps don’t have scripts or time limits on their calls. These reps are given the power to do whatever it takes to make customers happy enough that they’ll buy again.
- Encourages employees to use social networking tools like Twitter, MySpace, etc.
- Offers free delivery both ways. Got something you didn’t like? No problem: Zappos picks up the tab on return shipping. That minimizes the risk of buying sight unseen from an online company.
You can read more at “Why Zappos Pays New Employees to Quit – And You Should Too.”
Posted by Julie Power, editor, Internet Marketing Report www.pbp.com/imr.asp and www.eIMR.blogspot.com
Recent Comments