Back in the ’90s, Jeff Bezos publicly stated that he hoped his employees didn’t wake up on the wrong side of the bed—for the greater good, or at least for their customers.
Today marks the anniversary of the former online bookstore going public in 1997 at its original IPO price $18 per share, almost immediately catapulting Bezos into millionaire status. Now Amazon stock at market close will cost $185.99 apiece, Bezos’ cost exceeds $200 billionand the company sells almost everything under the sun (including, but not limited to, books).
A quarter of a century ago, in 1999, when Bezos was CEO, he disclosed his nascent strategy for tough leadership with CNET’s Wendy Walsh. Two years after Amazon first went public, Bezos was already billionaire, sharing his insight into what has powered his thriving e-commerce business. Praising his employees for being the “hardest working, most talented, most passionate, most customer-focused” group of people, Bezos has really nailed the customer service part.
Going a step beyond guaranteed satisfaction, he seemed to suggest that if employees don’t wake up in terrible fear of disturbing their customer base, then they’re doing it wrong. “I asked everyone here to wake up terrified every morning, their sheets wet with sweat,” he said. The intended goal was not to keep Silicon Valley office workers dehydrated, but to ensure that no one rested on their laurels.
Of course, he implored employees to “be very specific about what they’re afraid of,” rather than apparently waking up with wet sheets to do so.
“They should not be afraid of our competitors; they should be afraid of our customers because these are the people we have relationships with,” Bezos said. “These are the people who send us money,” he added.
In the interview, Bezos noted that for Amazon.com the situation could always change at any moment. Recognizing that the company has not yet been around for long, it may “still lose all opportunity to contribute to history” if it does not “focus obsessively on the customer.”
Bezos’ obsession with his clients is not unlike an unrequited crush fueled by the knowledge that the other is trying to succeed or is being temperamental. “I believe our customers are loyal to us until someone else offers them a better service,” he said. Even current Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has spoken about Bezos’ demands for his employees.
“Watching Jeff, I’ve never seen anyone with higher standards,” Jassy said on Fortune World Economic Forum in Davos this year.
This respect for the client seems to come with a price, or at least some controversy. Some workers called out Bezos and Amazon over the harsh conditions. Since then, Bezos’ way of thinking has come under fire as his company and net worth have grown. IN 2015, The newspaper “New York Times released an explosive article about Amazon’s high standards, which sometimes included working past midnight, a stressful company culture, and simply a lack of work-life balance for the sake of a high salary and belief in the mission.
Years later, in 2023Three Amazon drivers have filed a class-action lawsuit against the company, alleging they were subjected to “inhumane conditions” and were unable to stop working to use the restroom. Warehouse problems continue, the U.S. Department of Labor said in a report. same year that OSHA found that workers were exposed to hazardous conditions.
“They’re more concerned about profits,” said Michael Verrastro, a former Amazon warehouse worker. The keeper regarding employee safety.
According to Bezos, they are worried about the client.
Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.