IMD-6-0325 © 2010
Nie, Winter; Lennox, Beverley
In just ten years, the firm had grown to achieve more than $1 billion in gross sales. More recently, it had enlarged beyond selling shoes into other groups and clothing, for example housewares and kitchen items.
Zappos Keeping The Wow Post-Amazon Case Solution
The questions this case raises comprise: Would Zappos have the capacity to continue to preserve its unique culture that it was possessed by Amazon? And, given its aggressive growth objectives, was the WOW factor scalable? Learning objectives: Most firms claim they wish to provide outstanding customer service, but often it's only lip service. This case exemplifies how Zappos builds and excels at customer service. The business not only focuses on the customer experience at the front end, but also delivers its promise from the back end. Its business model changed from asset-light to fixed asset investment to deliver this WOW encounter. The organization that is whole breathes and lives WOW customer service, which comes from its unique corporate culture. The mix of corporate culture, customer service and supply chain make Zappos stand apart.
Subjects: Corporate culture; Customer service; Supply chain management
Settings: USA ; Internet retailer ; Revenues >$1 billion; Employees 1,500 to 2,000 ; 1999 – 2010
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