Company:Headsets.com

From HandWiki
Headsets.com
Headsets.com Logo.png
Type of site
Headset Retailer
Available inEnglish
OwnerMike Faith
Websiteheadsets.com
Current statusActive

Headsets.com is a San Francisco based ecommerce business founded by Mike Faith in 1997.[1][2] The website specializes in wireless and corded office headsets, and has been listed among the Inc. 5000 since 2004.[3]

History

Headsets.com was founded by Mike Faith in 1997 after Faith had trouble shopping for headsets for the company he was with at the time.[4][5] By 2000, the company's revenue was at $3 million, which grew to $11 million in 2003, and $32 million in 2005.[6] During this time the company purchased the domain name Headsets.com and the phone number 1(800) HEADSETS.[6] Today Headsets.com generates over $30 million in sales annually with over 1,000,000 customers.[7][8]

Culture and daily operations

Headsets.com has a turnover rate of 15% in an industry where the average is over 50%.[2] Faith attributes this to incentives he implemented including a $1,500 annual training stipend, a one-month paid sabbatical after three years of service, and a free trip to Sydney—in which employees are sent to vacation to work with a voice coach.[2][7][8] Employees frequently visit other innovative online companies (such as Zappos, StubHub, and others), to inspire new ideas.[9]

The company's strategy uses customer service as their competitive advantage.[9] The company employs voice coaches and psychologist to train their call center representatives.[6][7][9] In 2006 Headsets.com won the Stevie Award for "Best Customer Service Team."[10] According to the company, Headsets.com representatives do not use scripts to encourage genuine conversations.[9][10]

The company was named among San Francisco Business Times' "100 Best Companies to Work for in the Bay Area".[10]

Marketing

Headsets.com has periodically earned media attention through marketing tactics and stunts.[7][11] In 2009, as a response to a new hands-free cell phone law in California, the company offered a headset giveaway for anyone who was ticketed under the new law.[12] Faith offered a free cellular headset to anyone who sent the company proof of their ticket.[12] That same year, the company offered free headsets for life to anyone who tattooed the company's name on their body.[7]

In 2012, Headsets.com won the right to legally change the last name of entrepreneur Jason Sadler to "Jason HeadsetsDotCom."[7] The investment generated $250,000 in new sales and over $6 million in media coverage.[13][14][15]

References

  1. ↑ Zimmerman, Eilene. "Real-Life Lessons in the Delicate Art of Setting Prices". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/21/business/smallbusiness/21sbiz.html. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Tharasook, Ingrid. "Headsets.com's recipe for happy customers". CNN Money. http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/16/smbusiness/nomumblers_update.fsb/. 
  3. ↑ "Company Profile: Headsets.com". Inc.. http://www.inc.com/profile/headsetscom. 
  4. ↑ "Mike Faith, Headsets.com". BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10323076. Retrieved 12 February 2013. 
  5. ↑ Campanelli, Melissa. Open an Online Business in 10 Days. Entrepreneur Magazine. https://books.google.com/books?id=ZKv43-YsSvQC&pg=PA257&lpg=PA257&dq=Mike+Faith+headsets.com&source=bl&ots=K00CW1XOe8&sig=L13XrxqAIDCwvr0H_94frh0MyBA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ayQYUeCyFIaz0QHJ94DoDg&ved=0CFkQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=Mike%20Faith%20headsets.com&f=false. Retrieved 12 February 2013. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Headsets.com: Online retailer calls up huge revenue growth". San Francisco Business Times. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2006/10/09/smallb1.html. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Kavilanz, Parija. "For $45,500, he's Jason HeadsetsDotCom". CNN Money. http://money.cnn.com/2012/12/13/smallbusiness/last-name-auction-headsetsdotcom/index.html. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Mike Faith - Headsets.com". The Business Makers. http://www.thebusinessmakers.com/episodes/small-business-network-show/2011-sbn/february-2011-sbn/sbn-pcmall-022/mike-faith.html. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Spragins, Ellyn. "No Mumblers!". Fortune. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2006/04/01/8373114/index.htm. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "How to get a Headsets.com Start on the Competition". Small Business News. http://thestevies.com/SmallBizNews/December2006fulltext.html#story_01. Retrieved 14 February 2013. 
  11. ↑ Demery, Paul. "How Headsets.com tunes into customers". Internet Retailer. http://www.internetretailer.com/2012/01/12/how-headsetscom-tunes-customers. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Wuorio, Jeff. "Ramp Up Marketing in a Downturn". Entrepreneur. http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/202256. 
  13. ↑ Note: according to a study by Universal Information Services
  14. ↑ Horgan, Richard (February 11, 2013). "Bay Area Firm Claims Last Laugh with Jason Headsets.com Gambit". Fishbowl LA. http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlla/jason-headsets-auction-cnnmoney-techcrunch-huffingtonpost_b81384. 
  15. ↑ "How a Guy's Last Name Generated $250,000 in Sales and $6,000,000 in Media Impressions for One Lucky San Francisco Company". The Sacramento Bee. http://www.sacbee.com/2013/02/11/5180898/how-a-guys-last-name-generated.html. [yes|permanent dead link|dead link}}]

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