IKEA's vision is 'To create a better everyday life for the many.' How do you plan to adopt this vision as your own as an IKEA coworker?
This question will help your interviewer assess your familiarity with their company, culture, values, and their company vision. IKEA states that its vision "goes beyond home furnishing. We want to have a positive impact on the world - from the communities where we source our raw materials to the way our products help our customers live a more sustainable life at home. By sharing what we do, and speaking up for what we believe in, we can be part of positive change in society." By taking this approach, they hope "to create a better everyday life for the many people." And, as Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA's Founder once said, "IKEA is not the work of one person alone. It is the result of many minds and many souls working together through many years of joy and hard work. While our vision tells us why we exist, our business idea tells us what we want to achieve."
"By leading by example and working together. When your customers see you working hard on their behalf, that goes a long way in earning their trust and loyalty. I think I can contribute to creating a better everyday life for my customers by treating every individual with respect, kindness, and courtesy. These are foundational values that I try to incorporate into every interaction I have in my life, whether I'm at work or not. By treating every person as more than just a customer but as a unique individual and carefully listening to their needs and questions, I hope to bring the IKEA vision to life."
"The thing I value most as a consumer and customer is honesty -- I don't like to feel 'sold to.' I know that a lot of IKEA shoppers have already decided what they're looking for before they come into the store because they have access to the amazing IKEA catalogue. I would adopt the IKEA vision by being warm, friendly, and hospitable to a customer, and then giving them my honest advice and product knowledge if they have questions about a specific item."
Talk to the interviewer about your vision for customer service and how you would adopt and take ownership of the IKEA vision "To create a better everyday life for the many people" through all your customer interactions. Ingvar Kamprad elaborates on this with, "If you've ever visited IKEA, you'll have probably worked out what our business idea is, to offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them." This philosophy of meeting the needs of their customers across socio-economic status and boundaries is the core of the message of their vision. So try to communicate how your approach caters to all your customers in this way.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I think I would adopt the IKEA vision by having empathy for each and every customer I deal with. To do my best to listen to their needs and provide them with the best possible solution.
Rachelle's Feedback
It's great that you kept a focus on the customer. You could get into further specifics by diving into the IKEA Democratic Design concept again, which is where the 'to create a better everyday life for the many' stems from.
"On the IKEA website, you mention that you deliver a better everyday life to your shoppers by providing well-designed home furnishing solutions focused on sustainability and affordability. Should I be a successful candidate, I would adopt this specific vision, and that of Democratic Design. Every customer deserves the right to a better everyday life!"