Bazaarvoice

I'd really like to post about Alex's birthday and Disney World but I also really want to include pictures. The camera is currently on the dresser about 3 or 4 feet away and well, I'm just too lazy to get out of my comfortable chair to get it and upload pictures. Instead I am going to enlighten you all to the company called Bazaarvoice that is now Mike's home away from home.

If you want all of the details on when it was founded, exactly what they do, all of that stuff, you can check out their website (www.bazaarvoice.com)

I think I mentioned that Mike's first week was a scavenger hunt of sorts, a great way for him to meet people and truly learn the ins and outs of the company. Bazaarvoice has a "Serenity" Room, pretty much what it sounds like, big comfortable massage chairs, dim lights, soft music, a way to get away and relax. No, apparently Mike has not been in there yet. They also have a game room with every imaginable game console currently on the market, enough guitars from guitar hero et al. for about 5 different bands. Nope, Mike hasn't been in there yet either.

Then there is the never ending Bazaarvoice buffet. The day I went up to see Mike's cube there was some function going on where they had ordered enough pizza to feed all 200+ employees lunch. I have never seen so many pizza boxes in my life - not even in a pizza restaurant. Crazy! The buffet is seemingly endless, dozens of bagels, Tiff's Treats (it's a local place that makes AWESOME cookies & brownies, an endless supply of catered lunches, and one day even an ice sculpture with a shot luge through it (yes they were offering employees vodka and tequila shots at 9 a.m. apparently). That doesn't even include the apparently very well and fully stocked kitchen. In short, Mike really never has to take food. I think now I know why they have the fitness reimbursement plan - they have to do something to encourage their employees to work off all the food!

Then there are the quarterly meetings. The last one was at the Alamo Drafthouse, complete with the Bazaarvoice Band - exactly what it sounds. Employees were allowed to order anything off the menu (alcohol included) all day long, all at the expense of BV. Apparently they have outgrown the Alamo though and will be moving the meeting to the Salt Lick, a barbecue place in Dripping Springs. They will be busing the employees down there and one of the requirements for finding a new space for the meeting was that alcohol had to be allowed.

BV also has a "bizaare team" whose entire job is to think of ways to make the work environment fun. For valentine's day everyone got a carnation and apparently there was a poetry contest. They brought in one of those money boxes for people that won awards at the last quarterly meeting - they got 30 seconds in the box to grab as much as possible. They bring in masseuses periodically for free massages, the list just goes on and on and on.

Mike also said that there is an ergonomics specialist that comes around and watches you work, then helps rearrange your cube to make it as comfortable as possible for you.

So, that's some of the "perks" of bazaarvoice. It's no wonder they were ranked as the number 1 place to work in Austin last year. Now it's time for me to go get my Kiddos, because I'm not sure what they are into.