The merger of big business retailer Amazon and independent Zappo’s .com was a shock to many people including the staff of Zappo’s.com. So in the midst of all this shock was can your business learn from this $487 million dollar merger?

1.     Discuss change and how it will affect your company openly with the people who will have to survive that change. Sometimes merger’s don’t allow full disclosure due to proprietary information, but if you can be transparent with your staff, then do so.

2.     Listen to the fears and staff attitudes about change. Refer to these issues when you develop your change strategy.

3.     Keep at least one area of the company familiar. Zappo’s.com has chosen to keep its key leadership and core values in place, and this decision has helped to ease the surprise of the transition.

4.     Meet with your staff and show them how the changes to the business will benefit the customers as well as the staff.

5.    Create change that will focus on your company’s core values and goals.

6.    Build on your company’s current success. Take the best parts of your business and use those strategies to navigate the changes your business will face.

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