Source: zappos.com
Nearly all retailers have updated their websites to detail how COVID-19 has disrupted business as usual, but few have gone as far as Zappos in assuring customers it is prepared to meet their needs in the uncertain days ahead.
Among the updates:
- Zappos & COVID-19: A Shipping And Customer Service Update For You: In line with the colloquial tone often used by the retailer in consumer communications, Zappos writes that its staff are “working parents, community members, and people just trying to navigate a new normal.” Orders are climbing "dramatically" and deliveries may take “longer than you normally expect," the notice says. With service teams working from home, callers “may hear our children in the background. Possibly our pets too. Please be patient with us as we adapt to this new normal."
- We're In This Together: The focal point of the home page details how Zappos is giving back during the crisis and the ways customers may help. Customers are encouraged to vote for a “hero”, one of whom will receive a $250 Zappos gift card each day. Other initiatives include Zappos’ partnership to provide Crocs footwear to healthcare professionals. Its campus bistro has been providing ready-to-eat meals to the elderly and vulnerable near its Las Vegas headquarters, and its Soles4Souls partnership provides new and lightly used shoes and clothing to those affected by the coronavirus fallout.
- Home at Home: Comfort Essentials: The pay displays offerings of slippers, athleisure, leggings “and other essentials you need to stay comfy and cozy until things calm down." A number of "casual yet polished" looks are also available to handle video conference calls for those working from home.
- Customer Service for Anything: Launched in April, Zappos’ customer service team now offers to help customers with “anything” including what local restaurants offer delivery, what’s in stock at the local grocer and what apps can help with social isolation. Customers can also call "if you just want someone to talk to, a kind voice, about anything — the weather, the latest Netflix show, your dream vacation plans for when this is over — anything. We’d love to connect with you.”