CONCLUSION: ENDINGS, BEGINNINGS, AND YOU

In just a few pages, this exploration of Zappos will come to a close. While that appears to be an ending, it truly represents a new beginning on your journey to fire up a service movement in partnership with your staff and customers. Before we examine ways for you to personalize the application of the unconventional wisdom of Zappos in your setting, let’s first look at the opportunities and challenges Zappos itself faces into the foreseeable future.

In the span of a decade, Zappos leadership has taken a fledgling idea and parlayed it into a billion-dollar business known for service, culture, and delivering happiness. While this rapid success is noteworthy, in the overall context of business longevity, the company is relatively youthful. When I think about the accomplishments of Zappos, the words of Winston Churchill come to mind, as he suggested that failure is not fatal or success final. The leaders at Zappos have managed small failures well, but many questions remain on how well they will manage their runaway success.