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Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

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Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#101

Post by digi59404 »

willio58 wrote: post #2

I've always heard mixed feelings about Tony. I wonder if there are any HNers who have a perspective they'd like to share.

Worked at Zappos for a couple years. Worked closely with the incoming CEO Kedar. I might even say, I had a small role in his early rise.

I don’t have a lot to share, and out of respect for folks privacy. I won’t share much. I will say this. Their customer service isn’t a lie and it’s good inside and out. But much of their culture is PR. Internally it’s far more toxic than you see on the exterior. It is cult like.

I think Kedar is a solid person, and while him and I have our differences. I think he’ll make a great CEO and has the qualities needed. While his approach may be different than Tony’s approach. I don’t think it will be lesser, if that makes sense.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#102

Post by zem »

nkohari wrote: post #99
tjr225 wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Don't talk to me like a robot. Just pretend you're messaging a co-worker in plain-friendly-English. And be genuinely interested in solving my issues knowing that you will have higher LTV in the long term if you invest the time and resources to make me happy now. This is an easy thing to say as a customer or a customer success oriented person. I am leaving a support role just now. I am actually taking a pay cut to d…

> even if our problems are harder and more stressful. I suspect that you're going to catch some grief for this statement. :)

as an engineer, i typically face complaints i have the power to fix. it would be a lot more stressful to spend all day fielding complaints i had no power to fix.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#103

Post by blnqr »

prawn wrote: post #85
blnqr wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's exactly right. The best bookstore in town shut down. The best coffee shop is still there, a wonderful place, but not much else, sadly. (Disclosure: I am a 24-year local in tech who really wanted it to work.)

Did he or others invest as much as was originally implied? I remember it being spoken of as a long-term project. If it was a little shipping container mall, that's a bit of a meagre attempt. You'd need to loss-lead dramatically to attract people across from The Strip to visit.

Great question, and you hit it squarely: Hsieh and company did not invest the $350 million (!) as originally announced https://www.technologyreview.com/2013/07/17/15645/zappos-ceo...

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#104

Post by jacquesm »

Dramatize wrote: post #97
betocmn wrote: post #44

I grew up in Brazil, where customer service was bad-to-terrible in 90% of the companies I had to deal with. When I moved to Australia, I thought it would be a lot better. It wasn't much different. When I joined a wine subscription startup in 2016 as the technical co-founder, I wasn't just building the recommendation engine. I was also helping to pack the boxes at the warehouse. We all got fascinated with Tony's book…

Also in Australia. That's exactly the same strategy I used growing the initial version of 99 Bikes ecommerce store. CDBaby was also a big influence.

That site looks great.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#105

Post by zelly »

marcinzm wrote: post #46
ryandrake wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's too bad, because I really wish Vegas could somehow magically turn into a tech jobs hub. It's got a lot going for it: No state income tax. Cheap housing. Minimal regulation. Cheap, relatively private LLCs. World class restaurants. World class entertainment/shows (even if touristy). Casinos, if you're into it. If NorCal is a heaven for people who like outdoor activities, then Vegas is the heaven for people who lik…

Nevada lacks the three laws/regulations which make California, imho, popular for entrepreneurs: * Limited non-competes * Limited IP assignment clauses * Limited anti-moonlighting clauses It's hard to start a business when your current employer can block you from doing so.

You forgot the state income tax.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#106

Post by [deleted] »

jerlam wrote: post #21

A few years back, I went to their office tour in Vegas, and I've read Hsieh's book, which doesn't cover much of the post-Amazon years. It seemed pretty clear to me that Zappos was in decline as an independent entity. Fulfillment was already gone. They were in the middle of removing their product photography team. A section of their office was being used as a community co-working space. There were fun quirky office ar…

[deleted]

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#107

Post by dboat »

meddlepal wrote: post #39

Worked with someone that had bought into the cult of Zappos as an HR/Head of People/Whatever the fuck you want to call it these days. They were gross. The happiness culture is toxic and if you don't buy into it and aren't projecting rays of sunshine 24/7 from all your orifices you're expected to just fuck off.

Your stance that they are overly intolerant would have more credibility if you had stated it more tastefully. As it is, you have lead me to believe your attitude was more likely the actual problem.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#108

Post by danielheath »

nkohari wrote: post #99
tjr225 wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Don't talk to me like a robot. Just pretend you're messaging a co-worker in plain-friendly-English. And be genuinely interested in solving my issues knowing that you will have higher LTV in the long term if you invest the time and resources to make me happy now. This is an easy thing to say as a customer or a customer success oriented person. I am leaving a support role just now. I am actually taking a pay cut to d…

> even if our problems are harder and more stressful. I suspect that you're going to catch some grief for this statement. :)

Not from anyone who has done both jobs, I suspect.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#109

Post by danielheath »

untog wrote: post #88
gowld wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Just pretend you're messaging a co-worker in plain-friendly-English. And be genuinely interested in solving my issues This is what caused service reps to waste everyone's time with elaborate fake displays of empathy and forced unwanted small talk. I'd prefer an efficient robot.

Everyone is different. What you’d prefer is not what others would prefer. Hopefully a customer service agent is going to be able to pick up on someone who dislikes small talk and just get the job done.

If I’m calling CS for a problem a robot could fix, engineering have really screwed up.

Re: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

#110

Post by prawn »

blnqr wrote: post #103
prawn wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did he or others invest as much as was originally implied? I remember it being spoken of as a long-term project. If it was a little shipping container mall, that's a bit of a meagre attempt. You'd need to loss-lead dramatically to attract people across from The Strip to visit.

Great question, and you hit it squarely: Hsieh and company did not invest the $350 million (!) as originally announced https://www.technologyreview.com/2013/07/17/15645/zappos-ceo...

For just part of $350m, you could comfortably bankroll 20 small businesses to effectively create the dynamic you wanted. Couple that with some drawcards to lure tourists across, free travel, etc. That would've worked.
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