A lot of companies, even small ones, have employees. People show up to work every day, get their jobs done, go home, collect a paycheck at the end of the week and dread Mondays. Sure, the staff is there and the day to day activities are being carried out. But, with just a quick glance at your social media feed, you can see the attitude surrounding such a workplace. Negativity, complaints, stress, discouragement, feeling ‘stuck’… general lack of morale and enthusiasm.
Sure, a company can run like that, even successfully – for the upper management. However, the turnaround is usually pretty high. The expense of continuously going through the hiring process and training new employees can be frustrating for everyone. Even long-term employees who have stable employment suffer the consequences of working for a company that does not foster a work culture focused on creating a team.
So many great opportunities are missed by organizations that focus on hiring employees versus seeking out great team members. Having a great team can make a huge impact on a business. The overall profitability and performance of an organization that values team building often surpasses those of competing companies who do not. This is just one of the reasons JVZoo stands out so prevalently in the digital marketing world.
There Is No ‘I’ In ‘Team’
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of interacting with one of our JVZoo team members, you’ll know that they take great pride in their jobs. As a whole, they work closely together, collaborating often on ideas, implementations, and joint goals for the company and our users. They focus on the betterment of everyone’s experience with JVZoo, whether it be the Customer’s, Seller’s, Affiliate’s, Management’s, or their own teammates’. When emergencies arise, as they do in every business, our team members pull together to find and provide solutions quickly and efficiently. These are the makings of a great team.
Employees, on the other hand, often consider their own benefit before partaking in any activity they deem above their station. How will the outcome affect them? Is it ‘worth’ putting in extra effort? Will they be recognized? Can’t someone else do it?
Growth or Stagnation
Another difference between a team member and an employee is that one of them loves growth while the other is happy to remain confined to their designated role. Team players enjoy learning new strategies, honing their skills and developing new abilities. The internet marketing industry is one that is constantly evolving. The way that JVZoo provides services to Sellers and Affiliates is continually adapting to meet those evolutions. There are always new challenges to overcome and JVZoo team members rise to the occasion time and again.
At times JVZoo team members must train for and work within departments other than those they are accustomed. This calls for the ability to adapt to changing and challenging assignments while continuing to meet productivity expectations. Because of the team mentality of our staff, this doesn’t pose a problem. Each opportunity to learn with and from other areas within the organization is met with positivity and excitement. And so, personal and professional growth occur regularly.
Should someone with an employee mentality be required to adjust regularly to new situations, it is possible that they’d become flustered. That frustration would then be made evident by low productivity and an inability to perform at peak capacity. These types of people prefer to work in the same fashion and in the same circumstances. There isn’t much room for them to exercise their own creativity. Instead of looking forward to a new challenge, change is met with fear and trepidation.
Cogs And Linchpins
In Seth Godin’s book, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable, he demonstrates the difference between employees and team members with a great analogy using cogs and linchpins. Employees are likened to cogs, which are dispensable and easily replaced. They perform mundane tasks dependably and repeatedly without much opposition. They like to work down a list, knowing at all times what is expected of them. They very rarely use their own innovation and ingenuity to work through a problem or come up with new solutions. Cogs enjoy work that allows them to avoid being responsible for anything important.
Valuable team members who are vital to a company’s success and deemed indispensable are compared to linchpins. They hold valuable and unique positions within their company, making it much harder to find anyone to fill their shoes. When on vacation or taking a sick day, a Linchpin’s absence is felt. JVZoo is thrilled to have a team consisting of just these types of people.
Culture In The Workplace
It is important to understand the correlation between a company’s culture and the way it affects you as a client or customer. The culture of a company determines how its staff members are treated, how it serves its clients and customers, and even the way partnerships are created. It is reflected in the quality of service you receive, the standard of products and services, and even in the support provided once a transaction is made. Every organization has a culture, whether it has been purposely cultivated or not.
Consider the scenarios below:
After three months of restless sleep, waking up sore, and struggling to focus at work you decide that it is time to buy a new mattress. You remember seeing a sale flyer for a local retailer and stop there on your way home. This company is known to have a ‘Help Wanted’ sign in its window at all times and in fact, you don’t even know who owns the place. Nobody greets you when you walk in and the salesperson is busy playing games on their phone as you look around. After browsing through the available inventory and trying out a few mattresses, you narrow your options down to three different brands. Needing some questions answered before you make a final decision you search for the salesperson, but they are outside smoking. Instead of coming in immediately to assist you with your choice, they hold up a finger to indicate that they will be in when they’re done. Once inside, the salesperson has very little knowledge of the products and suggests you come back another time when the owner is available. So, you leave without a solution to your problem.
The next day you research online and find a company with excellent reviews that mention sales associates by name. When you arrive, you see a wall lined with Employee of the Month photos and awards for industry excellence. You are greeted immediately as you enter by a smiling sales associate offering help and inquiring of your needs. They are knowledgeable about the products sold and are able to offer suggestions based on your preferences. Because of the excellent service you receive during your visit, you are able to choose a mattress that day and schedule it for delivery during a time you are available to receive it. The delivery people were on time, friendly, and had your new bed set up quickly. Before leaving, they thanked you again for shopping with their company and wished you a great night’s sleep.
Why A Team-Focused Work Culture Matters
Your experience with both mattress stores gave you an experience in their company’s culture. In the first example, you found an employee that did not care about the company’s reputation, their own performance, or your needs. They were there to put in their hours and collect a paycheck. In contrast, the second store put your needs first and was happy to spend time learning how to serve you in the best way possible. Your patronage was appreciated and you were made to feel valuable and important. Together, the store’s team members made your visit and purchase as pleasant as they could.
Two stores offering the same product, but with very different company cultures that were demonstrated by their staff. In the first scenario, the owner of the store had no incentives for their employees, did not provide adequate training, and was unavailable much of the time. Turnover was high, indicated by the ever-present Help Wanted sign. The staff felt underappreciated and insignificant, therefore, they saw no need to do more than was absolutely necessary.
In the second scenario, the owner and upper management went to great lengths to hire people they felt fit their company’s culture. They provided in-depth initial training and offered advancement opportunities. Great work was rewarded with recognition and positive reinforcement. Staff meetings were held monthly and everyone was kept informed of the company’s current and long-term goals. Because of the efforts of the owner and upper management, their staff felt valued and that was reflected in their performance.
The JVZoo Difference
Because we have focused on building a team who has a passion for what we do, JVZoo is better able to serve our Sellers and Affiliates. At every level, we strive to provide an online experience for everyone involved that exceeds expectations. It is this culture, this aspiration for excellence, that is felt not only by our team members but also our Users.
The unwavering support of our CEO and the pride she takes in the accomplishments and dedication of the JVZoo team contributes greatly to the culture of JVZoo. Like all great leaders, Laura leads by example. She has been a powerful influence in making ours one of positivity, creativity, and innovation. It is an environment that encourages contribution and the sharing of ideas. This type of cultural atmosphere is where extraordinary teams are built in.
JVZoo team members have also had their hard work and dedication recognized at a national level. On June 11th, our Compliance Manager, Richard Waterbury and our CEO, Laura Casselman were in New York to accept not one, not two, but THREE awards for their outstanding contributions and accomplishments.
First, our Compliance manager – Richard Waterbury has been acknowledged for his dedication to JVZoo’s Users. As most Users know, Richard provides exemplary customer support time and time again. Our whole team is dedicated to answering any questions you have via our helpdesk & our dedicated Facebook group, however, you’ll most often see Richard answering your requests. He goes out of his way to assist our Users promptly and get their questions answered thoroughly.
As a JVZoo team member, Rich doesn’t limit his service to assisting our Users with their product launches and meeting compliance. He is also a respected and much-loved colleague who jumps at the chance to help the team in whatever way is needed.
We’re so grateful to have him on the team and congratulate him on being awarded:
Support Staffer of the Year 2018
We’re also proud to announce our CEO, Laura Casselman is being recognized twice for her work and achievements. With her commitment and dedication to driving the company forward while ensuring integrity and ethics are always at the forefront of every decision at JVZoo, we’re honored to have Laura recognized for:
Executive of the Year 2018 – Computer Software
Woman of the Year 2018 – Business Services
We’re grateful to the American Business Awards for honoring us and to our users who continue to give us the opportunity to make an impact in their lives and to provide them with the best possible platform to run their businesses.
JVZoo is dedicated to continuing our representation of the affiliate marketing industry in an ethical and revolutionary way. Our commitment to our members is demonstrated in everything we do. Each team member is dedicated to helping you achieve success and know without a doubt that our own success is dependant upon the accomplishments of our Users. Thank you for being a part of our journey and allowing us to serve you.
