Our Values Are Our Heart
What makes a company what it is?
There’s a lot of layers to that answer.
Partly, it’s the products or services it provides. A lot is the customers and clients it serves. Even more, it’s the employees and the way in which they run day to day operations. Partly, it’s the upper management, the owners, or the shareholders who share (or argue) a vision for the future.
But it’s still more than that.
It’s the company’s heart. It’s values. The way it views the world and its place in it.
Now, let’s not get all woo-woo. We’re not trying to anthropomorphize a company.
Yeah, It’s All About Us
But we are saying that every company is steered by the people who are part of it. Their backgrounds, their strengths and weaknesses, their outlooks and attitudes all become a part of the company’s heart. And its values are formed from the values of those who nurture or neglect it.
It can’t be any other way.
So we choose carefully and wisely. Our values, and by extension, the values of JZ Vacation Rentals are the most important thing we offer the world. We have to get it right.
And yeah, we have some of the same values as every other company out there. Honesty. Integrity. Transparency. Customer-Focus. Blah, blah, blah.
But it’s still more than that. So much more than that.
Partnerships
First, it’s partnerships. We’re not slaves to our owners or masters to our guests. Or vice versa. We’re partners. We work together to achieve a common goal, whether that’s a profitable property or a great vacation. Why? Because we don’t know everything. We improve through collaboration and open lines of communication. And also because we don’t need to be right. We need to be better, always better than we were yesterday.
Empowerment
Second, we have a saying at JZ Vacation Rentals. “If you hang around Alex long enough, he’ll brainwash you into believing in yourself.” That’s because Alex’s unbridled enthusiasm and passion for life and business is infectious. And so is his unrelenting belief that everyone has greatness within them. All we need is to be empowered to let it shine. That’s what we do at JZ Vacation Rentals. We encourage and empower everyone we meet to be the best and highest version of themselves.
Alignment
Because we’re empowered, we’re also in perfect alignment. You will get the same version of us whether you speak to us on the phone or run into us at the grocery store. We don’t have a “game face” and we don’t have “game”, either. It’s important to us that we’re always genuine, and always real with our guests, owners, vendors, and each other. Anything less is a breach of trust.
Active Listening
Fourth, we practice active listening. We listen to hear, not to respond. It’s the only way to keep improving. The Dalai Lama said it best, “When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.”
Always Learning
Fifth, we’re always learning. Our industry evolves constantly, and the technology to help us run it most effectively evolves on nearly a daily basis. Now, we’re not glued to our Feedly feeds, but we do take dedicated time every week to search out what’s new, what’s developing, and what’s emerging. All to continue to best serve the interests of our clients, and guests.
Looking to the Future
Sixth, we’re always looking to the future. How can we do it better? What’s our next innovation? Are we still growing dynamically? We have big plans for the future. We will serve so many more people, we will be a positive influence in the communities that have welcomed us. And yes, we will continue to grow our profits, so that we can do the thing that is so dear to all of our hearts.
Giving Back
And that is…last, (and most important), we give back to our communities. We are grateful for the opportunities we’ve been given and we show that appreciation by sharing what we can to make others’ lives better. This looks a little different to each of us. One of us may volunteer our time with struggling small businesses. Another of us may volunteer at an animal shelter. Maybe others offer free coaching to children, bring meals to the elderly, or teach English to ESL students. It looks a little different to each of us, but the gratitude is all the same.
This is who we are, and by extension, this is who JZ Vacation Rentals is, too. We are proud and grateful to be a part of this dynamic organization and we can’t wait to see where the future brings us.
