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The Proof is In The Pudding: The Customer-Centric Recipes of Zappos

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Customers buy less in an economic recession, but they still buy—customers are just choosy about where they spend their money. With 75% percent of business coming from repeat customers, online shoe retailer Zappos has certainly cracked the customer loyalty nut.

Zappos made headlines with a customer named Zaz Lamarr. Zaz wanted to return a pair of shoes however she was busy dealing with the death of her mother. She didn't have time to send the shoes back and phoned the call center to notify them of the delay. Zappos arranged for UPS to come retrieve the shoes and send them back to Zappos headquarters. Zappos also sent her flowers. Here is what Zaz wrote:

When I came home this last time, I had an email from Zappos asking about the shoes, since they hadn’t received them. I was just back and not ready to deal with that, so I replied that my mom had died but that I’d send the shoes as soon as I could. They emailed back that they had arranged with UPS to pick up the shoes, so I wouldn’t have to take the time to do it myself. I was so touched. That’s going against corporate policy. Yesterday, when I came home from town, a florist delivery man was just leaving. It was a beautiful arrangement in a basket with white lilies and roses and carnations. Big and lush and fragrant. I opened the card, and it was from Zappos. I burst into tears. I’m a sucker for kindness, and if that isn’t one of the nicest things I’ve ever had happen to me, I don’t know what is. So...if you buy shoes from Zappos you get shoes from Zappos. With hearts like theirs, you know they're good to do business with."

Want more on Zappos and Customer Loyalty? Check out:

Zany Zappos Customer Service: It's Not Just About the Shoes!
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Winning Customers Through Effective Call Center Management at Zappos
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Winning True Customer Loyalty and Trust in a Recession: A Conversation with Expert Shaun Smith
Customer experience expert Shaun Smith explains how companies can improve customer loyalty during the current economic crisis.
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Soothing the Savaged Consumer Soul: Top 10 Customer Management Tips for Companies and Customers
In this economic crisis, when our nerves are raw and we are stretched like a rubberband ready to snap—we all need a kinder hand, a kinder voice…just plain more kindness in our lives. Nearly every interaction tests us now. Opening the cell phone bill and gasping…
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The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence
In this virtual case study presentation, Spector discusses Nordstrom tools and methodologies to achieving customer service excellence.
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Nurturing An Emotional Bond With Your Customers: A New Age in Customer Loyalty
In today's uncertain business climate, it is more important than ever to secure the Loyalty of your customers. Loyalty is the trust, the understanding and the emotional bond you have with your customers, and they with you. Nurturing this emotional bond is the heart of…
http://www.customermanagementiq.com/podcenter.cfm?externalID=101

The ARF on Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty: An Interview with CRO Joel Rubinson
In this podcast, Joel Rubinson, Chief Research Officer of the Advertising Research Foundation, speaks about how the economic crisis has affected the marketing and advertising world, and what will currently determine a brand's sustainability...
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