Table of Contents
1. Facebook
2. REI
3. Tableau
4. Space Needle & the Chihuly Garden and Glass
5. Boeing
6. Amazon
7. Starbucks
2. REI
3. Tableau
4. Space Needle & the Chihuly Garden and Glass
5. Boeing
6. Amazon
7. Starbucks
Everybody was extremely tired in the drive to Seattle so we all slept in the car and it was amazing.
What I knew before:
Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected.
Facebook’s core values: be bold, focus on the impact, move fast, be open, and build social value. Everybody that works in Facebook has to go to bootcamp for a hack-a-thon. They are big on motivation so they have writable walls and posters all over the wall. Creating a space where people can collaborate and work together.
I visited Facebook in New York and they talked about Facebook’s core values encourage you to look at the big picture, be sure of yourself, and embrace risks. Their rites and rituals show that they care about you being passionate in your job rather than doing the bare minimum.
Visit summary
I am not going to lie. Although Facebook in NY was a lot smaller than the one in Seattle, they allowed us to walk around more places than the Portland one did. They were a lot more secretive in what they could tell us about the apps or the reasoning behind making Messenger a separate app on your phone (I’m still upset about it).
George Tyson made an emphasis on how you were constantly being evaluated based on your performance to be promoted so they encourage quick growth within the company. What he didn’t mention is that these performance evaluations work both ways. A lot of people get laid off from not meeting expectations, but he didn't want to discourage us. I think that shows that although there is a high level of collaboration there is also a lot of stress and pressure to strive among others.
The construction of the building was aimed at making it seem very opened and they had some inside green areas which shows their efforts of keeping their building green. Facebook is trying to make 50% of their energy clean and renewable and have made solar installations to reach their goals. Additionally, their employees use transportation provided to them in order to reduce the waste produced by commuting. Their architecture is also meant to encourage communication due to its openness, but not every office has the same culture.
Facebook employees have to change teams at least once every eighteen months in order to collaborate in other projects. This shows how much they appreciate diversity and different ideas in the workplace.
Key takeaways
George told us that one of people’s biggest mistakes when interviewing for Facebook is that when they get asked “Why Facebook?” they give very basic answers, so definitely being prepared and ready is a key takeaway!
Learning about firm’s core values was really interesting because of how different they can be. Some may focus more on working hard to meet deadlines, while some focus on making everybody comfortable at work. In the future when I apply to jobs I hope that it is much like Facebook because work does not have to be work if you love it and its practices. An important lesson that Facebook taught me is to look at the future and past too because in order to move forward you have to learn from your mistakes and the past has shaped you into who you are. I also thought a big time management lesson that they gave was you have goals and non-goals to know what to prioritize and what not. We have to do lists but we do not have not to do lists because we don’t really think that way, but it is great to write things not to do in order to avoid them all together.
Post visit actions/thoughts
The high churn over rate affects my decision to apply for a full time job, but not for an internship. One of the things that I am looking for in a job is stability. Although I do enjoy being challenged and given constant reinforcement, once I graduate I am looking for something more stable around the DMV area where the possibilities of getting fired or wanting to leave are lower. Getting constant reinforcement of what you’re doing is something that I do enjoy because it allows you to constantly receive feedback and become better.
The visit was very basic as to where we went and rushed. I wish we could have stayed a little longer and taken the side Instagram picture with less people or alone. I am a big fan of corporate responsibility and I wish he would have gone more in depth on what community service they do for the area. Additionally, I would have liked to know how they compete with Snapchat and their geotags or gone into why they added ads into the videos that you watch on Facebook because it is extremely annoying.
Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected.
Facebook’s core values: be bold, focus on the impact, move fast, be open, and build social value. Everybody that works in Facebook has to go to bootcamp for a hack-a-thon. They are big on motivation so they have writable walls and posters all over the wall. Creating a space where people can collaborate and work together.
I visited Facebook in New York and they talked about Facebook’s core values encourage you to look at the big picture, be sure of yourself, and embrace risks. Their rites and rituals show that they care about you being passionate in your job rather than doing the bare minimum.
Visit summary
I am not going to lie. Although Facebook in NY was a lot smaller than the one in Seattle, they allowed us to walk around more places than the Portland one did. They were a lot more secretive in what they could tell us about the apps or the reasoning behind making Messenger a separate app on your phone (I’m still upset about it).
George Tyson made an emphasis on how you were constantly being evaluated based on your performance to be promoted so they encourage quick growth within the company. What he didn’t mention is that these performance evaluations work both ways. A lot of people get laid off from not meeting expectations, but he didn't want to discourage us. I think that shows that although there is a high level of collaboration there is also a lot of stress and pressure to strive among others.
The construction of the building was aimed at making it seem very opened and they had some inside green areas which shows their efforts of keeping their building green. Facebook is trying to make 50% of their energy clean and renewable and have made solar installations to reach their goals. Additionally, their employees use transportation provided to them in order to reduce the waste produced by commuting. Their architecture is also meant to encourage communication due to its openness, but not every office has the same culture.
Facebook employees have to change teams at least once every eighteen months in order to collaborate in other projects. This shows how much they appreciate diversity and different ideas in the workplace.
Key takeaways
George told us that one of people’s biggest mistakes when interviewing for Facebook is that when they get asked “Why Facebook?” they give very basic answers, so definitely being prepared and ready is a key takeaway!
Learning about firm’s core values was really interesting because of how different they can be. Some may focus more on working hard to meet deadlines, while some focus on making everybody comfortable at work. In the future when I apply to jobs I hope that it is much like Facebook because work does not have to be work if you love it and its practices. An important lesson that Facebook taught me is to look at the future and past too because in order to move forward you have to learn from your mistakes and the past has shaped you into who you are. I also thought a big time management lesson that they gave was you have goals and non-goals to know what to prioritize and what not. We have to do lists but we do not have not to do lists because we don’t really think that way, but it is great to write things not to do in order to avoid them all together.
Post visit actions/thoughts
The high churn over rate affects my decision to apply for a full time job, but not for an internship. One of the things that I am looking for in a job is stability. Although I do enjoy being challenged and given constant reinforcement, once I graduate I am looking for something more stable around the DMV area where the possibilities of getting fired or wanting to leave are lower. Getting constant reinforcement of what you’re doing is something that I do enjoy because it allows you to constantly receive feedback and become better.
The visit was very basic as to where we went and rushed. I wish we could have stayed a little longer and taken the side Instagram picture with less people or alone. I am a big fan of corporate responsibility and I wish he would have gone more in depth on what community service they do for the area. Additionally, I would have liked to know how they compete with Snapchat and their geotags or gone into why they added ads into the videos that you watch on Facebook because it is extremely annoying.
REI
|
What I knew before
Arriving to REI was a bit of an adventure. We went to the actual store, but I learned a lot from just being there. In order to get to the store you had to walk through a trail which gave you the hiking outdoor experience. Inside, the store had a rustic feel with a lot of wood as its decorations. It also had projections on the floor which said “A woman’s place is in the wild” which shows how they make products targeting women and encouraging them to go outdoors! |
Visit summary
The host was Kate Compton and her position was Senior Project Manager in Supply Chain Strategy. I did not know that REI was a co-op before arriving before our visit or what a co-op was so it was a great learning experience.
She told us that members and nonmembers were allowed to shop in REI, but that members received a portion of their spending back after paying a fee of $20. The benefit of being a co-op is that they don’t have the pressure of shareholders to deliver short-term. Instead, they can focus on long term and providing benefits for their members.
REI is the largest consumer cooperative in the United States and it has been ranked in the top 100 places to work because of its work/life balance. They have special events such as ‘Yay Day’ and how they give everyone black Friday off.
REI is focused on giving back to the community and stewardship is part of value. Their goal is have minimal impact on earth. They encourage people to donate their gear and make responsible products as has made them the first and largest most sustainable distribution center,
They also have initiatives to make women more involved such as “Force of Nature” whose purpose is to close gear gaps because 63% of women said they couldn't think of an outdoor female role which is the case for myself.
Key takeaways
REI is very passionate about encouraging people to go outdoors and want to help you do it! They have also taken immense initiatives to protect the environment. At times when government’s support might be limited on the issue, it is big companies such as REI that provide the information and awareness that society needs. It also makes other companies that are competing against REI to follow its footsteps. Today’s society is very aware of the effect that they’re having on our planet, so companies that don’t make the same efforts as REI can’t reach all the customers whose values don’t align with them.
Post visit actions/thoughts
I do not think that REI sales are impacted in years of turmoil because going outside isn’t something that is very expensive, you just need the right gear for it. In other words, if the economy is on a decline people will look to do more recreational activities in outdoors places to provide stress relief in a non-expensive way. Most of the outdoor gear is very durable therefore for a member to invest in a product at REI would not be as affected in a slow economy compared to investing in a company’s stock or products that have to be replaced constantly or that don’t bring much leisure value. I think that them receiving more than they expect some years evens out them not getting a lot other years. Since they are receiving great quality products that they would have bought anyway I believe members will be disappointed but not be outraged about it since it is a one-time fee that had to be paid.
I think that giving discounts at the end of the fiscal year is part of planning and is a smart strategy in order to assure certain goals are being met before giving people a huge discount that could cause a loss.
The host was Kate Compton and her position was Senior Project Manager in Supply Chain Strategy. I did not know that REI was a co-op before arriving before our visit or what a co-op was so it was a great learning experience.
She told us that members and nonmembers were allowed to shop in REI, but that members received a portion of their spending back after paying a fee of $20. The benefit of being a co-op is that they don’t have the pressure of shareholders to deliver short-term. Instead, they can focus on long term and providing benefits for their members.
REI is the largest consumer cooperative in the United States and it has been ranked in the top 100 places to work because of its work/life balance. They have special events such as ‘Yay Day’ and how they give everyone black Friday off.
REI is focused on giving back to the community and stewardship is part of value. Their goal is have minimal impact on earth. They encourage people to donate their gear and make responsible products as has made them the first and largest most sustainable distribution center,
They also have initiatives to make women more involved such as “Force of Nature” whose purpose is to close gear gaps because 63% of women said they couldn't think of an outdoor female role which is the case for myself.
Key takeaways
REI is very passionate about encouraging people to go outdoors and want to help you do it! They have also taken immense initiatives to protect the environment. At times when government’s support might be limited on the issue, it is big companies such as REI that provide the information and awareness that society needs. It also makes other companies that are competing against REI to follow its footsteps. Today’s society is very aware of the effect that they’re having on our planet, so companies that don’t make the same efforts as REI can’t reach all the customers whose values don’t align with them.
Post visit actions/thoughts
I do not think that REI sales are impacted in years of turmoil because going outside isn’t something that is very expensive, you just need the right gear for it. In other words, if the economy is on a decline people will look to do more recreational activities in outdoors places to provide stress relief in a non-expensive way. Most of the outdoor gear is very durable therefore for a member to invest in a product at REI would not be as affected in a slow economy compared to investing in a company’s stock or products that have to be replaced constantly or that don’t bring much leisure value. I think that them receiving more than they expect some years evens out them not getting a lot other years. Since they are receiving great quality products that they would have bought anyway I believe members will be disappointed but not be outraged about it since it is a one-time fee that had to be paid.
I think that giving discounts at the end of the fiscal year is part of planning and is a smart strategy in order to assure certain goals are being met before giving people a huge discount that could cause a loss.
Tableau
What I knew before
I think this was by far the most underrated company that we went to. I know that a lot of people had no idea what Tableau is, but most companies that we visited actually use Tableau! I didn’t know a whole lot of Tableau, but I knew that they helped people and companies read data.
Visit summary
I’m not sure if people notices, but they had little statues of dogs in the reception area. It was very opened and had a little balcony area outside. The building had a little game room, but it wasn’t a google play room. It was also very closed and there was no one in there which shows how some employees are still a little worried about how it looks to play during work hours (they probably have data on how much workers play during work hours which is kind of cool).
They also had many kitchens with amazing food… that seems to be a trend in the companies that we visit.
Jenny Olson, the speaker, gave an overview on how to use the software. It was a little hard to follow, but I’m sure that with a couple of hours playing around with it would be really easy to use as they focus on making data accessible to anyone and everyone. She also went over who her clients were which turned out to be the companies that we were visiting! What I thought was impressive was that the government is one of their clients which shows that data isn’t just for companies but for anyone!
She also mentioned that Tableau uses Tableau to make their own data easier to read which is impressive how they use their own product.
Key takeaways
I knew that big data was important but seeing how the software worked and how much you could manipulate something so easy as Facebook posts was beautiful and inspiring. It is almost like stepping into the future. Companies have forever studied the psychology behind a consumer and why they do why they do. This is the next step. Analyzing what they do and making predictions and data-driven decisions based on trends and what they have observed over years.
We see at the University of Maryland that people talk about financial literacy and I think that using this software and knowing how to read data should become something as important as financial literacy. It was just so eye opening how they used the software on something such as Facebook and learning that posts spiked during the person’s birthday! Honestly such an amazing product that as students we get for free.
For someone that doesn’t know any coding and struggled when took computer programing it is very encouraging knowing that you don’t need that knowledge in order to get deeper into reports
Post visit actions/thoughts
We see it at the Smith School Data Analytics is becoming a big field and knowing how to read all the data that you receive is imperative. The best example that I could think of was the video of Walmart that I watched for BMGT110S. They receive and insane amount of data for every transaction and knowing how to organize it and read it is very important. What the data showed was what products were being sold more at a certain time or if they moved a product in the store if it changed whether or not it got sold, if they are sold out of something, what time are customers coming in, how many products are people buying on average, how much are they spending, and the list is endless.
If a company did not know how to organize their data, they will be lacking in important information that is needed for the company's success.
I saw very young people in tableau and I think that there is a variety of computer engineers and business students that could consult needed in the company. I think that out of all the companies that we visited this would be my favorite one to work for, or work for a company that uses Tableau and help them analyze their data because it just seemed a lot of fun and the trends that could come up with are endless. I think this is a perfect example where my minor in mathematics and major in business will complement one another.
In order to work in Tableau you need to love numbers and I think that describes me!
I think this was by far the most underrated company that we went to. I know that a lot of people had no idea what Tableau is, but most companies that we visited actually use Tableau! I didn’t know a whole lot of Tableau, but I knew that they helped people and companies read data.
Visit summary
I’m not sure if people notices, but they had little statues of dogs in the reception area. It was very opened and had a little balcony area outside. The building had a little game room, but it wasn’t a google play room. It was also very closed and there was no one in there which shows how some employees are still a little worried about how it looks to play during work hours (they probably have data on how much workers play during work hours which is kind of cool).
They also had many kitchens with amazing food… that seems to be a trend in the companies that we visit.
Jenny Olson, the speaker, gave an overview on how to use the software. It was a little hard to follow, but I’m sure that with a couple of hours playing around with it would be really easy to use as they focus on making data accessible to anyone and everyone. She also went over who her clients were which turned out to be the companies that we were visiting! What I thought was impressive was that the government is one of their clients which shows that data isn’t just for companies but for anyone!
She also mentioned that Tableau uses Tableau to make their own data easier to read which is impressive how they use their own product.
Key takeaways
I knew that big data was important but seeing how the software worked and how much you could manipulate something so easy as Facebook posts was beautiful and inspiring. It is almost like stepping into the future. Companies have forever studied the psychology behind a consumer and why they do why they do. This is the next step. Analyzing what they do and making predictions and data-driven decisions based on trends and what they have observed over years.
We see at the University of Maryland that people talk about financial literacy and I think that using this software and knowing how to read data should become something as important as financial literacy. It was just so eye opening how they used the software on something such as Facebook and learning that posts spiked during the person’s birthday! Honestly such an amazing product that as students we get for free.
For someone that doesn’t know any coding and struggled when took computer programing it is very encouraging knowing that you don’t need that knowledge in order to get deeper into reports
Post visit actions/thoughts
We see it at the Smith School Data Analytics is becoming a big field and knowing how to read all the data that you receive is imperative. The best example that I could think of was the video of Walmart that I watched for BMGT110S. They receive and insane amount of data for every transaction and knowing how to organize it and read it is very important. What the data showed was what products were being sold more at a certain time or if they moved a product in the store if it changed whether or not it got sold, if they are sold out of something, what time are customers coming in, how many products are people buying on average, how much are they spending, and the list is endless.
If a company did not know how to organize their data, they will be lacking in important information that is needed for the company's success.
I saw very young people in tableau and I think that there is a variety of computer engineers and business students that could consult needed in the company. I think that out of all the companies that we visited this would be my favorite one to work for, or work for a company that uses Tableau and help them analyze their data because it just seemed a lot of fun and the trends that could come up with are endless. I think this is a perfect example where my minor in mathematics and major in business will complement one another.
In order to work in Tableau you need to love numbers and I think that describes me!
Space Needle & the Chihuly Garden and Glass
What I knew before
I had no idea that there was a museum around the Space Needle. I thought that the Space Needle was going to be a lot taller so it was bit of disappointment. I wish that it would have been like the Washington Memorial where no buildings in the DC area are allowed to be taller than it. Going up the view was amazing, but there were buildings that were a lot taller where I kind of thought to myself, I wish I could go up that one.
Visit summary
I enjoyed walking around the Space Needle about ten times. It was hard taking pictures once the sun had gone down but nevertheless beautiful! They also have some history on the way to the elevator that keeps you entertained while you wait in line.
The Chihuly Glass Museum was absolutely breathtaking! It was created by Dale Chihuly and his mission is to teach children that art innovation have no boundaries or rules. My favorite exhibition was Mille Fiori which was inspired by Dale Chihuly’s mom’s garden and he didn’t use as many tools but used fire, gravity, and centrifugal force to create it.
Key takeaways
From my favorite exhibition I was able to see how physics and art create a beautiful synergetic product. It just made me reflect upon how my areas of study connect with one another and how I could possibly involve art in them or if they’re an art within themselves.
Post visit actions/thoughts
Going up the Space Needle the lady in the elevator made a lot of punny jokes which I deeply appreciated. It made me reflect on the customer service aspect of the space needle and how they are creating an experience.
Everyone was also really nice at greeting us to the Snape Needle and the Museum. My overall impression so far is that West Coast people are definitely very welcoming and nice!
I had no idea that there was a museum around the Space Needle. I thought that the Space Needle was going to be a lot taller so it was bit of disappointment. I wish that it would have been like the Washington Memorial where no buildings in the DC area are allowed to be taller than it. Going up the view was amazing, but there were buildings that were a lot taller where I kind of thought to myself, I wish I could go up that one.
Visit summary
I enjoyed walking around the Space Needle about ten times. It was hard taking pictures once the sun had gone down but nevertheless beautiful! They also have some history on the way to the elevator that keeps you entertained while you wait in line.
The Chihuly Glass Museum was absolutely breathtaking! It was created by Dale Chihuly and his mission is to teach children that art innovation have no boundaries or rules. My favorite exhibition was Mille Fiori which was inspired by Dale Chihuly’s mom’s garden and he didn’t use as many tools but used fire, gravity, and centrifugal force to create it.
Key takeaways
From my favorite exhibition I was able to see how physics and art create a beautiful synergetic product. It just made me reflect upon how my areas of study connect with one another and how I could possibly involve art in them or if they’re an art within themselves.
Post visit actions/thoughts
Going up the Space Needle the lady in the elevator made a lot of punny jokes which I deeply appreciated. It made me reflect on the customer service aspect of the space needle and how they are creating an experience.
Everyone was also really nice at greeting us to the Snape Needle and the Museum. My overall impression so far is that West Coast people are definitely very welcoming and nice!
Boeing
What I knew before
I knew that it was a company that made and sold airplanes, but I didn’t know how big in their industry they were and how I have probably almost always flown in one of their planes. They are so successful that they have the number one selling plane.
Visit summary
The Visit to Being was one of my favorite ones because it was the most interactive one. We were able to get on the mock up plans and shown how they present their products to their consumers. They put a lot of time and effort researching what could make the experience of flying better. Whenever someone thinks of flying they don’t get excited because I is such a painful process. No one things I’m literally in a metal tube floating/flying. They want people to experience that and to walk into the plane and be amazed.
The planes were high tech and his presentation was informative and extremely interesting. They allowed us to play with their screens and try out all the seats and check the distances between the seat in front of you and your legs.
Key takeaways
Recessions or economic turmoil don’t affect air traffic because people value experiences more than tangible things. In other words, people would rather spend their money vacationing than spending money on material things that they don’t necessarily need.
Boeing is taking efforts to speed up the process of producing airplanes and improving the production of planes.
Not only does Boeing try to produce economic airplanes, but they also come up with the most efficient routes. They are focused on providing the best experience to their customers, but also the people flying in their airplanes. They invest a lot of money in research and development in order to produce the most up to date products and reduce their high fixed costs.
Post visit actions/thoughts
Boeing stays ahead of Airbus because of their fast production. It is very interesting how they market their product and make the handles of overhead compartment, the shape of the windows , and others are all taken into account when trying to create this experience/halo effect.
Another reason why Boeing isn’t affected by a recession is because it is a worldwide used product, so if one country is in a recession people in other countries aren’t going through the same thing and will still want to travel.
I knew that it was a company that made and sold airplanes, but I didn’t know how big in their industry they were and how I have probably almost always flown in one of their planes. They are so successful that they have the number one selling plane.
Visit summary
The Visit to Being was one of my favorite ones because it was the most interactive one. We were able to get on the mock up plans and shown how they present their products to their consumers. They put a lot of time and effort researching what could make the experience of flying better. Whenever someone thinks of flying they don’t get excited because I is such a painful process. No one things I’m literally in a metal tube floating/flying. They want people to experience that and to walk into the plane and be amazed.
The planes were high tech and his presentation was informative and extremely interesting. They allowed us to play with their screens and try out all the seats and check the distances between the seat in front of you and your legs.
Key takeaways
Recessions or economic turmoil don’t affect air traffic because people value experiences more than tangible things. In other words, people would rather spend their money vacationing than spending money on material things that they don’t necessarily need.
Boeing is taking efforts to speed up the process of producing airplanes and improving the production of planes.
Not only does Boeing try to produce economic airplanes, but they also come up with the most efficient routes. They are focused on providing the best experience to their customers, but also the people flying in their airplanes. They invest a lot of money in research and development in order to produce the most up to date products and reduce their high fixed costs.
Post visit actions/thoughts
Boeing stays ahead of Airbus because of their fast production. It is very interesting how they market their product and make the handles of overhead compartment, the shape of the windows , and others are all taken into account when trying to create this experience/halo effect.
Another reason why Boeing isn’t affected by a recession is because it is a worldwide used product, so if one country is in a recession people in other countries aren’t going through the same thing and will still want to travel.
Amazon
What I knew before
In the class of How Do Innovators Think we applied the 3P framework to Amazon and the Blue Ocean Strategy.
For the Blue Ocean Strategy we learned that Amazon tried to raise free shipping and large inventory all at one place. They reduce the membership memory. They eliminate shipping cost per unit model and shopping brand specifically. They created Membership shipping 2-day delivery and same day delivery and membership access to multiple platforms such as music, prime, TV.
I knew that the CEO is Jeff Bezos and that his objective is to make sure Amazon is never disrupted by another company like he has such as Toys R Us and provide the best customer service. Their processes is observe, associate, experiment, and question. Jeff encourages people to constantly ask why. Their philosophy is that it is everyone’s job to innovate because disruptive innovation is part of their innovation portfolio.
I also learned that in meetings with Jeff there is an empty chair that symbolizes the place of the customer because they are very focused on satisfying their customers.
Visit summary
We talked to a UMD alumni panel, we visited Amazon Go although we weren't able to go in because it was for employees only, we visited the dog park which was cute (I’m sure they were annoyed at how many of us wanted to touch their dogs but we are college students and we are dog deprived), and we visited the biodomes. The biodomes were the most impressive part of the tour in my opinion because it brought a green feel to the campus and showed their efforts to be more sustainable.
The panel when asked about eBay they didn’t have much to say because they aren't driven by their competitors they are driven by customer obsession and innovation at all levels.
Key takeaways
The change in consumer preference where people are moving away from going to malls and moving towards shopping online is definitely something that put amazon in the radar. The fact that they can get the products to fast to their members and their innovative ideas puts them at a comparative advantage. The fast shipping is something that people appreciate the most so although they lose money in the shipping costs, it attracts so many people that it makes it worth it.
Amazon is so driven by customer service that their employees spend two days every two years working at a customer service desk. Additionally, they also have 14 leadership principles and are focused on being a pioneer.
Post visit actions/thoughts
I think that Amazon has to take over many industries in order to be a monopoly, but for that to happen so many businesses and big companies have to go out of business which won’t happen anytime soon or ever.
I think in order to fit into Amazon you have to be able to work under harsh deadlines and be very competitive among your peers. A lot of people don’t stay there very long because it is a hostile environment. It isn’t Facebook or Google they do not try to motivate you to try your best you either are your best or you're out. People joke around that Amazon should not try to give so much to their customers and try to give back to their employees.
I think that the fact that you are able to bring your dog to work is an attempt to convince people that their work place is fun, but I thought it showed that you constantly need some therapeutic dog love to deal with all the stress of work.
Amazon’s mindset of embracing failure and treating every day as one encourages me to apply that in my everyday life, not just in business. It is a great motto to live by specially in college because now is the time fail often and enjoy this learning experience as much as we can.
Amazon is trying to get into the pharmacy market with online prescriptions. They have already gone into media, entertainment logistics, retail, consumer technology, and others. I really wonder where they will go next. My guess would be go towards apparel because paying for expedited shipping is very expensive with stores so if they were to partner up or buy an apparel store that a lot of people use I think it would be a great success.
In the class of How Do Innovators Think we applied the 3P framework to Amazon and the Blue Ocean Strategy.
For the Blue Ocean Strategy we learned that Amazon tried to raise free shipping and large inventory all at one place. They reduce the membership memory. They eliminate shipping cost per unit model and shopping brand specifically. They created Membership shipping 2-day delivery and same day delivery and membership access to multiple platforms such as music, prime, TV.
I knew that the CEO is Jeff Bezos and that his objective is to make sure Amazon is never disrupted by another company like he has such as Toys R Us and provide the best customer service. Their processes is observe, associate, experiment, and question. Jeff encourages people to constantly ask why. Their philosophy is that it is everyone’s job to innovate because disruptive innovation is part of their innovation portfolio.
I also learned that in meetings with Jeff there is an empty chair that symbolizes the place of the customer because they are very focused on satisfying their customers.
Visit summary
We talked to a UMD alumni panel, we visited Amazon Go although we weren't able to go in because it was for employees only, we visited the dog park which was cute (I’m sure they were annoyed at how many of us wanted to touch their dogs but we are college students and we are dog deprived), and we visited the biodomes. The biodomes were the most impressive part of the tour in my opinion because it brought a green feel to the campus and showed their efforts to be more sustainable.
The panel when asked about eBay they didn’t have much to say because they aren't driven by their competitors they are driven by customer obsession and innovation at all levels.
Key takeaways
The change in consumer preference where people are moving away from going to malls and moving towards shopping online is definitely something that put amazon in the radar. The fact that they can get the products to fast to their members and their innovative ideas puts them at a comparative advantage. The fast shipping is something that people appreciate the most so although they lose money in the shipping costs, it attracts so many people that it makes it worth it.
Amazon is so driven by customer service that their employees spend two days every two years working at a customer service desk. Additionally, they also have 14 leadership principles and are focused on being a pioneer.
Post visit actions/thoughts
I think that Amazon has to take over many industries in order to be a monopoly, but for that to happen so many businesses and big companies have to go out of business which won’t happen anytime soon or ever.
I think in order to fit into Amazon you have to be able to work under harsh deadlines and be very competitive among your peers. A lot of people don’t stay there very long because it is a hostile environment. It isn’t Facebook or Google they do not try to motivate you to try your best you either are your best or you're out. People joke around that Amazon should not try to give so much to their customers and try to give back to their employees.
I think that the fact that you are able to bring your dog to work is an attempt to convince people that their work place is fun, but I thought it showed that you constantly need some therapeutic dog love to deal with all the stress of work.
Amazon’s mindset of embracing failure and treating every day as one encourages me to apply that in my everyday life, not just in business. It is a great motto to live by specially in college because now is the time fail often and enjoy this learning experience as much as we can.
Amazon is trying to get into the pharmacy market with online prescriptions. They have already gone into media, entertainment logistics, retail, consumer technology, and others. I really wonder where they will go next. My guess would be go towards apparel because paying for expedited shipping is very expensive with stores so if they were to partner up or buy an apparel store that a lot of people use I think it would be a great success.
Starbucks
What I knew beforeI knew more about its products and how much of a chain it is. I know that it is a lot more expensive than Dunkin Donuts and McDonald’s and since I’m not a coffee enthusiast and only drink I because of caffeine, I am not a fan of Starbucks. I did not know anything about the production. You can find so many Starbucks around the highway!
I know that them writing the name on your cup wrong is a way to get free marketing by people when they tell others or post it on social media.
After reading Leading the Starbucks Way by Joseph A. Michelli I realized how centered their strategy to be successful is around customer experience. Starbucks serves people who are passionate about Starbucks’ brand, so they want to find employees that are passionate about providing that brand. There is a human connection between customers and employees. If employees are engaged, they don’t have to be told what is right for their customers. They are delivering an experience with their employees and their store. They do this through baristas, design, sensory factors, and listening. They don’t just sell you tasty coffee, they sell you all the benefits that come from buying that coffee such as a comfortable place to enjoy coffee, nice music, watching baristas make your coffee and misspell it. Their brand isn’t just selling coffee, but also how they obtain it. They believe in striving to do the right thing in order to align expectations with actions. They value being human and responsible because it brings a brighter long term future.
Visit summary
The visit was a tour on the behind the scenes n how coffee is produced and managed. The store provided us with a story, sold coffee products, shop, cafe, had a cafe bar, and many other products. The machines were huge and I felt like Charlie in the Chocolate factory vibe. It showed the meticulous and caring process that Starbucks does in order to provide the best experience and coffee.
Key takeaways
Starbucks isn’t just focused on providing coffee but also providing an experience. In Our visit to Starbucks they sold us the way they production line of the coffee and how that is an experience of itself. In order to create an experience it isn’t just the way the store is set up or the infrastructure. It is also the people serving you the coffee that make drinking coffee as enjoyable as possible.
Post visit actions/thoughts
They have created a strong brand and culture around coffee because they produce their coffee sustainably and make sure no one is getting exploited along the way. Today’s society is focusing more on social issues and making sure their products aren’t made by exploited children farmers, or anyone.
I think that Starbucks has become too much of a chain to be able to capture the artisan market. Whenever I vacation with my parents and they want coffee they find a local place that mirrors the culture of the location that we are visiting. Starbucks has its own culture and even if they sell local coffee you still get the Starbucks experience not the local experience.
I think Starbucks could expand to a more Panera style setting where it us more than just a coffee shop.
I know that them writing the name on your cup wrong is a way to get free marketing by people when they tell others or post it on social media.
After reading Leading the Starbucks Way by Joseph A. Michelli I realized how centered their strategy to be successful is around customer experience. Starbucks serves people who are passionate about Starbucks’ brand, so they want to find employees that are passionate about providing that brand. There is a human connection between customers and employees. If employees are engaged, they don’t have to be told what is right for their customers. They are delivering an experience with their employees and their store. They do this through baristas, design, sensory factors, and listening. They don’t just sell you tasty coffee, they sell you all the benefits that come from buying that coffee such as a comfortable place to enjoy coffee, nice music, watching baristas make your coffee and misspell it. Their brand isn’t just selling coffee, but also how they obtain it. They believe in striving to do the right thing in order to align expectations with actions. They value being human and responsible because it brings a brighter long term future.
Visit summary
The visit was a tour on the behind the scenes n how coffee is produced and managed. The store provided us with a story, sold coffee products, shop, cafe, had a cafe bar, and many other products. The machines were huge and I felt like Charlie in the Chocolate factory vibe. It showed the meticulous and caring process that Starbucks does in order to provide the best experience and coffee.
Key takeaways
Starbucks isn’t just focused on providing coffee but also providing an experience. In Our visit to Starbucks they sold us the way they production line of the coffee and how that is an experience of itself. In order to create an experience it isn’t just the way the store is set up or the infrastructure. It is also the people serving you the coffee that make drinking coffee as enjoyable as possible.
Post visit actions/thoughts
They have created a strong brand and culture around coffee because they produce their coffee sustainably and make sure no one is getting exploited along the way. Today’s society is focusing more on social issues and making sure their products aren’t made by exploited children farmers, or anyone.
I think that Starbucks has become too much of a chain to be able to capture the artisan market. Whenever I vacation with my parents and they want coffee they find a local place that mirrors the culture of the location that we are visiting. Starbucks has its own culture and even if they sell local coffee you still get the Starbucks experience not the local experience.
I think Starbucks could expand to a more Panera style setting where it us more than just a coffee shop.