Week 1 EOC: Great Customer Service

Outside of music, sound, or anything about audio, I wouldn't pick any other topic to speak about other than customer service. This topic is slightly easy for me since I work for the company that sets the bar for the art of customer service.

I graduated from New Hire Training at Zappos on November of 2011. I started my Zappos employment as part of the CLT (Customer Loyalty Team) department. After graduating training and being sucked into the Zappos culture, I started to interact one on one with our customers as a phone customer service representative. What we do at Zappos is pretty amazing. After all, our first core value is to "Deliver WOW through service", and that is exactly what we are trained to do.

"To make sure Zappos’ customer obsession permeates the entire organization, each new hire—everyone from the CEO and chief financial officer to the children’s footwear buyer—is required to go through four weeks of customer-loyalty training. In fact, in an effort to weed out the halfhearted, Zappos actually bribes people to quit. During the four weeks of customer-service training, it offers employees $2,000 cash, plus payment for the time worked, if they leave the company. The theory goes that those willing to take the money and run aren’t right for Zappos’ culture anyway." (Armstrong & Kotler (2001) Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. pg. 4).

One of the most memorable calls I remember was with a customer who goes by the name of Roger. Roger called because he was looking for a pair of sneakers for his wife. He stated that his wife suffers from a foot ailment called plantar fasciatis. Plantar fasciatis is a foot condition that creates pain around the arch area of the feet; and often, in other parts of the body. He said that he had a very tedious day shopping around his city looking for an athletic shoe that would accommodate to his wife's  foot pain and lower back ache. As a Zappos employee, I knew that this was the perfect scenario to help a customer in need. Not only that, but live up to our first core value.


This call stands out to me because even though Roger explained the tough day he had experienced, his attitude was nothing but courteous and friendly. I felt his kindness through the phone. Another great thing about this call was that it was really easy for me to advise him on a shoe that we both agreed would work for his wife. Not only was he very clear and patient by explaining what he was looking for, but we made a connection that revolved around a conversation that started with the weather, his wife's needs for the shoe, sports, and previous experiences we have had. Before we both realized, the call had gone for over thirty minutes.

 I knew this was one of the best calls I've had as a CLT rep, but what Roger didn't know is that after placing the order, I had upgraded his order to ship in one business day for free; in this situation, he would get his package the very next day, and I also upgraded his account to access the Zappos VIP program. This ensures that one business shipping is free for each other he pleases to place with Zappos for as long as he is a customer.


After I shared this information with him, he was extremely appreciative and I was able to show off the specialty of the company. To us employees, Zappos is a customer service company that happens to sell lots of different merchandise. There is a reason why Zappos is such a successful company, and that is because it extensively specializes in customer service.

Week 1 EOC: My VOICE

My name is Andres. Just about everyone I know calls me Dre. My stage name  is BIGBOIDRE, and I am an Audio Producer. I am the creator of BIGBOIDREProductions. I specialize in editing, mixing and the mastering of sound. I also have skills in video editing and video recording. My softwares of preference are ProTools and AVID. I am an audio fanatic. Sound in general fascinates me. I am also starting to fall in love with the art of video editing. It is a perfect match that goes together with my passion for audio. I take myself as my worst critic, which means that perfection is the one and only goal for all, and every single one of my projects. I plan on running my own recording studio in the near future, mastering audio in the fields of video and music. I am a dreamer and an innovator. My dedication will allow me to gain knowledge on the never-ending world of sound.

To be successful in the audio industry, it is not only necessary to be passionate about your projects, but having love for the process. Not only taking pride in your craft, but constantly attempting to make the final mix even better. Not only being innovative, but also respecting the fundamentals. Not only mastering the post-production aspect, but planning carefully during the pre-production process. To be successful in the audio industry, you not only have to be confident, but you have to be patient. Not only aggressive, but also humble. Not only a leader, but also a follower. Not only interested about sound, but mesmerized by sound. But, most importantly, to be successful in the audio industry, one has to know that success is not an option, It is the only option.