Tony Hsieh left us too soon... Too soon, mainly because his message still needs to resonate with more force in the business world and especially in the tourism industry. So, we take the time to reflect on how we can apply Zappos' values in Tourism and continue on what needs to be the way…

Tony left two legacies. On the one hand, in the book “Delivering Happiness” in which we can follow his path to Zappos' success and effectively understand how profits can come from a company working for its purpose. How true customer service is actually the foundation of success. And especially how employees will have to understand the true culture of the company in order to integrate into it. Tony paid employees $200,000 to leave because they didn't fit in and because he thought the cost of keeping them would be higher.

In a second legacy, we still have the company itself and its entire philosophy. This is where we have managed to establish a direct relationship between its values and the values that should also be sustained, especially at this stage when we have to flourish:

1. always transmit WOW

More than exceeding customers' expectations, there should be a genuine concern of companies with them. During all this time, have you been trying to find out how your customers feel? How were they dealing with this situation and how could they help them?

2. Embrace and drive change

There is no point in insisting on trying to control external factors that are totally out of our control. The only solution will be to analyze and adapt. Provoke the necessary changes to be able to deal with the situation. Have a flexible strategy, which maintains the essence of the company, but adjusts the tactical actions to the moment.

3. Create fun and a little weirdness

Differentiation. Each company is unique and should always follow its own path in a creative way. Companies are living organisms and must be managed as such. Nobody likes to be on the side of people who are not well regarded, do they?

4. Being bold, creative, and open-minded

Creativity is undoubtedly one of the differentiating factors, especially in the way Tourism manages to provide the experiences to its visitors and lead them to create memories. Don't just follow the market... create your own positioning.

5. Seek growth and learning

Take advantage of this moment that we are forced to slow down or even stop to increase your personal knowledge. Give your teams that opportunity too. The best investment we can make is in ourselves.

6. Build open and honest relationships with communication

Communicate, communicate,... But with a genuine, true and clear message. A message that is from inside the company to the outside. Not just pretty words conditioned by the market.

7. To build a positive team with a family spirit.

PEOPLE are the most important asset of a company. In reality, a company is PEOPLE and Tourism is mainly an industry of People for People. Sense of belonging and involvement. Take genuine care of your employees and your team.

8. Do more with less

In adverse times there are also opportunities at various levels, and one of them is that we can review processes, methodologies, partners, costs. Review ways of working with which fewer resources can be made available more efficiently. Digital is already a 100% part of your company.

9. Be passionate and determined

It is no use working in Tourism, no matter what company it is, but to do it with Passion. Companies have to work for their purpose, not for profit. Profit will come as a result. Tourism must focus on its authenticity, with resilience and determination, believing in the Future.

10. Being humble

We need to say it again... Businesses are living organisms and humility, as in people, should be a constant. Grow slowly, with sustainability. Build deep foundations in your teams. Have the humility to recognize mistakes and apologize. Be humble in all your decisions, but never stop following your path.

Tourism will return, but some paradigm shifts will have to accompany this change: regenerative tourism, leaders with purpose, humanized companies, ... And to act! In the words of Tony Hsieh: "Learn by doing. The theory is good, but nothing replaces the real experience".