If you've had a chance to take take a peek at our Core Values, toured our Offices or Warehouse, or seen any of our Videos, you already know Zappos is unlike any other company. We filmed this video to show to our New Hire groups when Tony, Fred and Alfred are out of the office. Although I wish it was used more, I'm happy to say that Alfred, Tony and Fred have yet to miss an opportunity to talk to a new hire class since the video was made more than 6 months ago!

This week the Customer Loyalty Team graduated the newest class into the call center from incubation. Right after the initial four week new hire training class, all new members to the customer loyalty team go through a three week incubation period. During this time, they go through more training on policies and procedures, and gain the necessary skills needed to give our customers the very best service possible.

This training period also gives new employees a chance to learn and be a part of the Zappos culture. Here are some of the newest graduates talking about what their experience has been like at Zappos since they started.

These three Zapponians are known for their Flow.

They want to break it off so we're gonna let it go.

It's true they love to wow in a major way.

That's why they keep the job that the work in the day.

Adrian M. - Funky Cold
Rian C. - Rhino
Graham K - G - Money

The Zappos Customer Loyalty Team works 24 hours a day/seven days a week, doing everything they can to take care of our customers. So when they get a chance to get out and have a good time, they sure know how to party, people! This week they had a happy hour to have some fun and recognize their co-workers for a job well done.

We all ate a lot, played games, like beer pong and pool, gave out awards to celebrate some of their accomplishments, and like all Zappos parties, had a few drinks.

The Zappos Customer Loyalty Team not only makes it part of their daily routine to wow customers, but they always go out of their way to help out fellow Zapponians. They set up a recognition program to thank those for being especially helpful in CLT. They call it the "Cultivator of Wow" award, or COW for short. Each team made a fun cow box to house all the nominations.

Zappos Customer Loyalty Team takes great pride in their commitment to proving the best customer service possible. One of the ways they do this is their continuous training of CLT employees. Team Kaizen's job is to help everyone in CLT with the training available to them. All this training allows team members the ability to gain further knowledge and growth potential within Zappos.

This week, Team Kaizen held a "Snack and Chat" to go over some of the new training programs available for the CLT members.

Team Kaizen, representing our fabulous Customer Loyalty department and fully inline with our mission of continuous improvement, decided we were getting a little rusty on our ninja thumb skills. So, at Krissi's suggestion, we decided to have a little Kaizen Thumb War! Needless to say, it was a vicious and bloody affair...okay, not really, but we sure got in each other's faces about it! Here is the breakdown:

Round 1 – Jasime vs. Krissi
*Jasmine moves on
Round 2- Jasmine vs. Ernie
*Ernie moves on
Round 3 – Ernie vs. Jenny
*Ernie moves on
Round 4 – Ernie vs. Holly
*Ernie moves on
Round 5 – Ernie vs. Martha
*Ernie moves on
Round 6 – Ernie vs. Will
Ernie moves on and WINS!

So, congratulations to Ernie L., the Kaizen Thumb War Champion! Disclaimer: If any of you know Ernie and have seen his hands, you will realize this was not a fair fight. Sore losers?? You bet!

At this point, Kaizen decided it would be good to further humiliate me by highlighting my gross inadequacy in the battle of the thumb, so I went on to battle Krissi...and was ignominiously defeated. As I lamented by awful skills, Rob Seifker, who couldn't help but hear our antics, strolled over and asked to have a go. In the spirit of “Will's utter humiliation”, I was chosen to battle Rob...and subsequently lost. Let's go ahead and wrap this up now, but I just want everyone to know that I will have my sweet thumb revenge!

Our most recent Customer Loyalty Team class graduated last month, and this week, they all got together for lunch to reminisce and talk about how their jobs are going. The best thing about these classes is that it's not just people from our call center taking them. People all through the company, no matter their position, go through the training. This give everyone a chance to meet people in different departments, and grow our team and family spirit.

Check out the class talking about how they enjoyed the training, and how it has affected their current job.

Once the New Hires Graduate from their one month CLT training course they go straight to incubation where they are watched closely and receive helpful feedback to take with them once they are released into the wild. And we know it's stressful being new to the CLT Floor, so they schedule fun Core Value arts and craft time to help relieve some of the tension.

This week our Customer Loyalty Team's graveyard shift celebrated its 5th anniversary. That's right, June 21, 2004 is the day Zappos started WOWing customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. One of the reasons Zappos moved to Las Vegas from the Bay Area five years ago, was for the 24 hour workforce and culture that is alive and well in this town. So, shortly after moving to Las Vegas the graveyard shift was started.

The amazing thing is that even though the graveyard shift only started with just a handful of people, five years later, we still have a couple of the original members here working on the shift.

So just remember, when you're curled up in bed at night - "You sleep, they Wow!" And if you ever find yourself up on the computer in the middle of the night, and what to find some shoes, clothes or a handbag, just go to Zappos.com. While you're having fun shopping, if you need help or even just want to say hi, give our graveyard team a call, because they would love to help you out. We're here 24 hours a day, online and in person.

Last Week our HR , Training and CLT departments hosted an Ice Cream Social to give our New Hires a chance to hang out with current Zappos.com Team members. The New Hire class received T-shirts which can be written on, which gave us the opportunity to say welcome to the team with Colored markers as well as conversation. The Ice Cream Social also allowed Current team members to eat all of the cookies and cream flavored ice cream in a matter of 10 minutes! Thank you to everyone who made this possible, we look forward to the next ice cream flavored event.

Todd's Blog, originally posted here:
http://www.sitelead.com/blog/zappos-live-chat/2009/06/01
I'll let him tell the story.

Zappos is known for service…and for letting their service agents “be themselves”. I put this to the test tonight and threw a curveball or two at the guy helping me in a Live Chat. I used the name “Timmy” as my alias and asked a totally random question about a random product. See actual chat log below. Zappos rocks! I could not even make this stuff up, I swear.
–
You are now chatting with Jonathan
Jonathan: Hello Timmy. How can I help you?
Timmy: do you know how wide the G-Shock Atomic Solar - AWG101 SKU #7403774 is?
Timmy: i mean, how big a wrist it would fit?
Timmy: Timmy has a big fat wrist
Timmy: Timmy need watch grande
Jonathan: I’ll see what I can find out for Timmy.
Timmy: awesome. and can we please continue to talk about Timmy in the 3rd person? Timmy likes to boost Timmy’s ego by talking about Timmy that way
Jonathan: Jonathan would be happy to neglect the use of pronouns for the duration of this conversation.
Timmy: Jonathan and Timmy shall get along just fine
Jonathan: Will Timmy be able to measure Timmy’s wrist?
Timmy: Timmy’s wrist is big, but not Biggie-Smalls big. Timmy doesn’t have the required measurement instruments.
Timmy: Timmy is 6′4″ 220lbs if that helps Jonathan
Jonathan: Luckily, that is roughly the size of Jonathan’s brother, so that does help.
Jonathan: Jonathan thinks that this watch will work out well for Timmy. The watch’s circumference is 9 inches, so it will probably fit around Timmy’s wrist.
Timmy: Ok cool
Timmy: Do your watches and stuff have free return shipping like your Zapatos?
Timmy: in case Timmy wants another one or something
Jonathan: And if it doesn’t work out, as long as the watch is in its original condition and in the original packaging, Timmy has 365 days to return Timmy’s order. We will even pay for the return shipping! As always, our shipping to Timmy will be free.
Timmy: Timmy thanks Jonathan for good help
Jonathan: Jonathan welcomes Timmy.
Jonathan: It’s Jonathan’s pleasure!
Jonathan: Can Jonathan do anything more for Timmy?
Timmy: no that is all timmy needs
Timmy: timmy happy
Jonathan: Good. Does Timmy have an account se up with Zappos yet?
Jonathan: Jonathan will upgrade Timmy’s account.
Timmy: yes timmy is repeat shopper
Timmy: but “Timmy” is my alter ego and not my actual name
Jonathan: Well, what is “Timmy’s” email address? I’ll hook you up.
Timmy: Timmy has placed orders using txxxxxx@gmail.com in the past
Jonathan: Alright TODD!
Jonathan: :)
Jonathan: I’m going to upgrade your account to VIP status! This will ensure that all future orders go out with 1-business day shipping free of charge!
Just place your future orders at http://vip.zappos.com.
Timmy: Timmy Likey!
Jonathan: Good. Good…
Jonathan: Let Jonathan know if there is anything else that Jonathan can do for Timmy.
Timmy: Ok, Timmy ok now. Timmy time to go shopping!
Jonathan: Have fun!

Our CLT Team North America (aka Team Canada and friends) decided to remind Zappos how proud they are to be serving our Canadian/US customers today.
At 12:30 on Tuesday, led by their fearless leader Derek C., the team departed for a parade around the office. Dressed as Canadian Mounties, and sporting some fresh captures, the group made their way through the 2280 building triumphantly. At each stop, the team proudly delivered a loud cadence to let everyone in the general vicinity know to pay attention!

Thanks for writing, Drew G.!

Several Outdoor Brands attended our Outdoor Expo at our offices in Henderson, NV yesterday to help educate our team members on new and upcoming styles. Expos such as these allow our Customer Loyalty representatives, as well as other employees to understand how the items we carry on the website are sized, manufactured and designed. Our Customer Loyalty team strives to pursue growth and learning, as well as stay on top of the coolest styles. Big Thanks to the Scheduling team for organizing the flow throughout the day, and allowing everyone in our awesome CLT department to attend!

The Zappos.com Customer Loyalty Team is always looking for ways to better serve the customers. One of the most important things they do, is to make sure they are always available to answer any customer questions, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In order to do this, they need the right amount of people here at all times. Last year, the CLT scheduling team came up with the "Pandy" award as a way to recognize all members of the CLT team who had perfect attendance.

Each month, the CLT members with perfect attendance receive the Pandy award, along with additional benefits, depending on how many consecutive months they have received it.

They started the Pandy award in January 2008, and there are 30 CLT representatives that have a current streak of perfect attendance for one year or longer. Their longest current streak is held by Jean D., who is currently at 28 months of perfect attendance (started even before the award existed).


Here are the CLT members with a current streak of one year or longer:
Jean D., Anna C., Crystal M., Elissa S., Elsie F., Laura R., Peri G., Quintaye P., Rebekah F., Sharon R., Stacy H., Tami L., Jennifer M., John D., Susan J., Candace S., Eleni D., Eric P., Grace H., Lacey J., Monfredo M., Thomas S., Irene V., Kathy H., Krystle G., Lauren A., Rosario S., David J., Joyce E., Mark G.

Congratulations to everyone on a job well done.