Sabrina Yessayan's Profile

Interesting post! I’m curious as to why Build-A-Bear does not offer the option to customize bears online. I think the customization in stores is its competitive advantage, so it’s interesting that they do not offer the same online — especially since as you noted, ecommerce is growing. Perhaps this is a problem that is rooted in its distribution/fulfillment operations – or lack thereof. However, I wonder if they have thought about a more omnichannel approach and relying on their physical stores to fulfill online orders.

Great post! I enjoyed learning how Uber is leveraging other services like mapping technology and how it is overtaking companies in other businesses. It shows that Uber is maximizing its business strategy in an innovative manner. Also, I think it’s interesting that Uber employs a model of “mini-companies” in each city as this allows Uber to customize and fit the customer’s needs. I’m curious how Uber recruits for each GM and if it uses any standard training programs that ensure the high-quality reputation of Uber. As Uber continues to grow, it will be interesting to see how it retains its culture and current operating model.

Awesome! I especially love your second source 🙂 I had no idea about the A/B testing or using analytics to shift promotion focus. I can see how these support BuzzFeed’s business strategy of making content go viral. I think your point on allowing employees to be creative and not having a standard editorial meeting is important as BuzzFeed is known for being quirky, hilarious, and like your best friend wrote it – and I don’t know if this would be the case if BuzzFeed has a different, more stringent internal culture.

Great post! I always took for granted how instrumental the staff is with creating a high-quality restaurant experience – a key driver of Chipotle’s business strategy. I think your point on a zero franchise model is important as this helps standardize employee recruiting and training – and ensures standards are kept high. As you mention, Chipotle’s competitors are weaker in the restaurant experience area – perhaps this is because they cut corners with a franchise model. Also, I really enjoyed the video you posted – I had no idea that everything was so measured and the staff are trained to hold eye contact to gauge customer satisfaction. Although these actions are subtle, they support Chipotle’s business model of having a high-quality restaurant experience and encourages the employees to seek non-verbal feedback. As you mention in your last line, this post does not include the recent health scares from Chipotle. It will be interesting to see how this plays out since it seems to directly attack the tenets of its business strategy.