Indeed, it does have strong corporate values.

In a recent class based on people culture and teams, we discussed about Zappos, a online retail shoe company. The class certainly gave me insight on how a company’s culture could create success and excellent customer relationships.

Zappos not only labels itself as a company, but also a mission. The CEO, Tony Hsieh, has created a happiness culture for his employees and emphasized that it’s not about more than money – it’s about providing employees encouragement and empowerment to be themselves. With core values such as “Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit” and “Be Passionate and Determined”, Zappos goes through an admirable hiring process to determine that employees are motivated by the right factors. Their employees emulate these positive core values into the workplace and their everyday lives.

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Their committed customer service is one to take note of. Customers are aware of their user-friendly, optimistic online shopping experience and it translates into the success of the company. As the company culture is its #1 priority, Zappos is definitely making “customers happier, employees happier, and ultimately, investors happier” (Hsieh).

The company genuinely cares for happiness, their hiring process and customer interaction. Perhaps if companies start accompanying some of Zappos’ culture, positive outcomes could appear.

Who wouldn’t work in a place like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJy1slz4evk&feature=player_embedded

In the article “Taking a break from digital overload“, Leah Eichler discusses how our generation is too engaged into the digital world and that many advantages can actually come from taking a break from all the technology. Who isn’t a victim of digital addiction? I’m constantly addicted and attached to my Blackberry day and night, and without it – I feel like a part of me is missing.

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Although having an online connection is becoming or already is a crucial tool in the business world, Eichler talks about finding a balance. As the electronic devices we hold in our hands are sometimes a necessity for communication and organization, the engagement may be becoming too much.  The article says that technology can heighten our productivity, but can definitely make us unproductive as well. Adrienne Graham, CEO of a business strategy consulting firm, allowed herself and her employees to take time off work and leave their tech-filled lives. The result after break? A boost in creativity and motivation to start work without “the usual stalling and dreading”.

I think receiving a “digital detox” and disconnecting from devices can help businesses and regular individuals uncover how they can become efficient and discover what they are able to do without technology. A more productive team can always lead to careful analysis of company performance, which can result in many benefits for a company.

Ready? Set. Go!

“Bring it on, Apple.” – Samsung
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With the craze of Apple’s new iPhone 5 being the centre of attention lately, Samsung has created a comical commercial to downplay the features the new iPhone 5 possesses in comparison to the Galaxy S3. In response to Ben Lawson’s blog post, I agree that this new ad did make me laugh and switch my product preference from Apple to Samsung.

Nonetheless, for Samsung to use this advertising tactic to attract (or convert) new customers, they are recognizing the hazard of Apple’s dominance in the market. With Porter’s 5 Forces, a new concept we learned in class, the threat of Apple (a substitute to Samsung) has concluded for Samsung to believe there is a high rivalry between the two. They’re trying to shift the buyer preferences to their product. The new innovation and advancements placed in these two products leaves Samsung to address this specific issue: how are we going to increase our sales performance?

The answer? Mocking about the lack of transformation in the iPhone 5. I’m not too sure if teasing Apple customers will generate more consumers, but maybe unexpected sales numbers will help indicate they should steer clear from the insults for a while.

Resources:

http://www.christianpost.com/news/galaxy-s3-vs-iphone-5-samsung-throws-jabs-in-new-commercial-81936/

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/19/3358132/samsung-mock-iphone-5-commercial

Over the past few years, social media has been a large role in the business world. This method of digital marketing provides a revolutionary outlet for companies to communicate with customers.

Simply Zesty ©.

Simply Zesty is an agency that develops social media campaigns for the world’s largest brands such as Volkswagen, and Universal Music Group. While providing  special platforms for many companies, they also spend time on an award-winning blog that enlightens readers on latest media trends and marketing tactics.

The blog is extremely useful in informing businesses AND the public about the dos and don’ts on the web. Connected to established companies, they are the first to see what succeeds/fails in social media marketing and they don’t refrain from letting their readers know. Their posts unfold examples of how companies are using online marketing efficiently, reveal the top 10 weekly advertising videos that go viral and recommend the “25 Unmissable Social Media Articles” every weekend.

Some companies may not be able to afford assistance from Simply Zesty, but by reading this blog they can enhance their online marketing and social media tools to a greater level. Even as a typical reader, this blog is beneficial for my personal social media experience.