Celebrating Wear it Purple Day

We recently sat down with CX Superstar Zach Rennick, who last month co-hosted a live webinar alongside fellow CX agent Jas Noud as part of the ANZ team’s celebration of Wear it Purple Day, an annual LGBTIQA+ awareness day especially for young people, based in Australia.

During the session, Zach chatted with Theo Stack - a trans-man and scholar of Zip’s partner The Pinnacle Foundation - sharing their experiences and stories with the audience. In this article, Zach shares a little more about what Wear it Purple Day means to them, and how Zip’s inclusive culture is helping them thrive in their career, and better support our customers.

Tell us who you are, how long you’ve been a Zipster and what you do day-to-day in your role

I’m Zach, I identify as Non-Binary and use they/them pronouns. I have been with Zip since July 2022. I work as a Customer Experience Specialist in the CX department, while also working on the Engagement and Social teams within CX.

What does Wear it Purple Day mean to you?

In 2010, when the initiative was founded, I was in Year 7 attending Catholic High School. I wish that there was more awareness, and more presence back then. If I knew then what I know now, Wear It Purple Day would have had more of an impact. To me, Wear It Purple Day means to hold space for the LGBTQIA+ community. We have come so far as a collective, but there is still so much more to do.

Wear It Purple Day is an opportunity to demonstrate to the next generation that it does get better, and remind them that there are people out there who love and support them. Days like these, we can highlight what so many have achieved and how they have persevered.

Why is it important that our CX team is inclusive towards every customer that chooses to shop with Zip?

It is important for not only our CX Team, but Zip as a whole, to be inclusive towards every customer because lived experiences are not the same. We cannot “cut and copy” processes. Voices need to be heard, space needs to be held, and in some instances, new pathways need to be formed. We can all agree that people deserve to be included and accommodated for.

As a Zipster, how are you empowered to bring your true, authentic self to work?

Our leaders really make an effort to understand you as a person, inside and outside of work; they are interested in your hobbies and your family. My manager has always emphasized that health and family comes before everything else, and that gives me peace of mind. Our Zipsters have many diverse nationalities and come from different backgrounds and this leads to a culture where there is respect and tolerance for differences, such as communication styles. Diversity is reflected in the leadership team as well - we have several leaders who are inspiring role models. They are also generous with their time and actively mentor other junior leaders, which has helped in my professional growth.

Which positive customer outcome that you’ve managed has meant most to you in your time as a Zipster?

Once, I had a trans customer currently undergoing gender-affirming procedures, experiencing issues with their Zip Money account. Unfortunately, the relationship between the customer and the partnered merchant had broken down. The customer was in the process of having their orders refunded, and they were worried they would be stuck with the bill. As a team, we were able to successfully refund the orders and remove the exclusivity from the partnered merchant. Now they can continue transacting with new merchants, and enjoy their customer journey.

Our products and services can have a life-changing impact. I was able to assist this customer along their journey to being their authentic self. It had a profound impact on me as a Zipster.

What one thing that people outside of the organisation may not know about Zip makes you proud to work here?

I am always proud to tell others about Zip's commitment to delivering on our promise to promote diversity.

Since starting here, it has been clear that Zip's intentions are to create a safe and diverse working environment. Zipsters are immersed in a culture of evolving and learning from others' life experiences, which makes for a rich, vibrant workplace.

My earliest memory at Zip was setting up my pronouns on my Slack profile, and being approached by colleagues and management, wanting to confirm what those pronouns were. I had the realisation early, from people taking time out of their schedules to make sure they were being respectful, that I was working in a warm, welcoming environment.

Understandably, people can make mistakes, but everyone I have encountered has held themselves accountable. We are acknowledging, learning, and moving forward together.