 |  | | Dynamic work style | | | | Dear Subscriber, | | | No man or woman is an island. Neither, today, is the desktop or laptop tying all of us to multiple applications and communications.
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This issue of Momentum looks at saving time and money with Microsoft Dynamics applications, as well as ways to leverage Microsoft Office for data mining and report generation. Plus, with Windows XP approaching the end of its life, we take a look at how one company is leveraging Windows Vista to do business in a new way, and we examine the downgrade option that provides access to Windows XP with new purchases.
Best Regards,
Christoph Wilfert
General Manager, US Midmarket Business
Microsoft
| | | | Technology at work |  | | | | | |  | | Data mining for the masses | | A set of free add-ins for the 2007 Microsoft Office system puts the power of data mining in the hands of any information worker. |
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| | | |  | | Shrink Busters: How IT is helping retailers fight theft | | Losses from shrink (lost, stolen, or damaged merchandise) and transaction fraud continue to haunt U.S. retailers dealing with sluggish sales. Can new tools and real-time business intelligence help IT help an industry in trouble? |
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| | Spotlight | | | If the shoe fits...
By Roseann McGrath Brooks
Check out the executive bios at Zappos.com, an online-only retailer of shoes and other fashion items, and you may be surprised by the job title of one of the top managers. Actually, he has no title.
"What makes us unique is our culture," says Fred Mossler, the untitled executive. "My lack of title is a reflection of the emphasis of our company culture on a sense of personal power rather than the power of position."
Mossler joined Zappos upon its inception in 1999 to provide his retail experience as a regional buyer. Since then, he has worn lots of hats. His last title at Zappos was senior vice present of merchandising, but after a promotion this year, he and the Zappos leadership believed that "no title" better reflected how Mossler sees his multiple responsibilities.
This company culture of calling and empowerment has helped Zappos grow from a few startup employees to 1,600. Originally, the Web site was designed simply to offer the best selection in brands, styles, colors, sizes, and widths of shoes. In addition to expanding beyond shoes, the company has expanded its goal of service. By warehousing everything it sells, it strives to deliver shoes and other products to customers as quickly as possible.
Currently, Mossler oversees merchandising, marketing, creative services, product presentations, help-desk operations, outlet operations, and Zappos University, the company's development program for employees. He also helps ensure that service continues to be a driving force.
"No matter what position an employee has, he or she starts out spending four weeks in a call center learning about customer loyalty and then one week in our warehouse," explains Mossler. "Each employee learns what it means to deliver the very best customer experience."
All business software users at Zappos work on Microsoft Office products. In addition, the CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh, sold a company he founded, LinkExchange, to Microsoft in 1998, and used the proceeds to fund the start of Zappos, which, Mossler affirms, "should see US$1 billion in gross merchandise sales this year."
Roseann McGrath Brooks is a frequent contributor to Momentum, the midsize business center newsletter. |
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