| Importance of Culture and Leadership: Case Study: Southwest Airlines
Organizational Success in a Weak Industry |
|
Southwest Airlines is the owner of the fewest customer complaints of any major airlines for more than 18 years in a row and has been profitable for more than 31 consecutive years in comparison to other airlines that operate in the red zone year after year (D'Aurizio, 2008). Southwest Airlines is the model of excellence when evaluating an airline organization. The leadership from founder and former CEO Herb Kelleher implemented unbeatable organizational culture that placed Southwest airlines as the finest airline in the industry. Their niche is predicated on superior customer service and employee commitment to organizational success. How did they do it? Southwest focuses on nine loyalty lessons: 1. Hire attitude - train skill
Nine Strategies Explained Hire attitude-train skill: People cannot be trained to be nice - the organization needs to assess attitude first because skill can be taught and learned. Immerse everyone in the culture immediately: Southwest executes this concept by pairing new employees with mentors which transfers knowledge to first hand to new employees bringing them up to speed within the organization. Keep them learning: This involves implementing different information specific programs that support integrated learning about key concepts that improve overall performance. People give as good as they get: This concept is based on the law of reciprocity. Southwest airlines culture focused on improving the fun-loving spirit of the organization by incorporating all employees in team building activities that solidified a family mentality. Find the kid in everyone: This is identified as the most difficult concept to implement because it involves getting employees to not take themselves too seriously and business is serious so finding the thin line in between can be complicated. Do more with less: A concept that encourages employees to provide superior support and use resources appropriately which in return reduces organizational expenses. Love them in tough times: Is based on the premise that all employees receive organizational and personal support during all difficult times which quite possibly could be the most important loyalty lesson of all. Do what is right: Focuses on educating leaders to admit fault and adhere to feedback that holds them accountable which increase subordinate moral and creates a more unified workforce through trust. Nurture the corporate family: Encompasses all interactive participants with the organization and considers them as family. Organizational Outcome Southwest Airlines operates effectively in the employee engagement zone which positively effects customer satisfaction thus providing positive yearly revenue. This successful business model is the exact opposite of airline industry competition. Southwest values their employees first and is consistently rated as one of the best companies to work for by the highly acclaimed Forbes magazine. The approach to the aviation business taken by Southwest is appropriate for success in a service oriented sector. The message we acquire from the nine loyalty lessons of Southwest implemented by Herb Kelleher is - we need to treat our employees with ultimate respect, and in return, will treat our customers equally, which will create an organizational culture that will tip the balance in our organizations favor, and develop us as the front-runner among our industries' competition. D'Aurizio, P. (2008). Southwest airlines: lessons in loyalty. Nursing Economic$, 26, 389-392.
|
Friday, December 30, 2011
Importance of Culture and Leadership: Case Study: Southwest Airlines
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Getting a Great Seat on Southwest Airlines (Without Engaging In Fisticuffs With Other Passengers!)
So you want to fly for a dollar on Southwest, but you're tired of sitting in the middle seat, at the back of the plane, smelling the restroom sanitizer spray? Yes, THE SECRET isn't some law of attraction, it's getting a good seat on an "open-seating" flight. After flying on gazillions of Southwest planes, touring as a corporate comedienne, I've figured it out! Here are ways to raise the odds that you'll get a decent seat too.
IF THE PLANE ISN'T COMPLETELY FULL AND YOU'RE IN THE "A" OR "B" LINE. . . you of course want to get in a row where the middle seat stays empty!
Airlines
Sit in rows 5 through 8. According to my unscientific research of watching people-patterns (no lab rats involved), I've noticed a people-pattern. Passengers tend to fill up the front couple rows first, THEN, starting with about row 5, if they see a person sitting in that row they head to the back, searching for a better seat! I HYPOTHESIZE (like a scientist) that they can't see the back until about row 9, and then it's too late to do that salmon swimming upstream move, so they're stuck. Park it in rows 5-8, where one person is already sitting, and there's a really, really good chance that the middle seat will stay vacant. BONUS TIP. . .I've even noticed (ahem, studied) that people fill up the LEFT side (as you're walking down the aisle) first; so you should sit on the right side.
Sit in a row that already has one person in it. If you sit in an empty row, there's the chance that TWO people traveling together will sit next to you.
Sit in a row with one person in it. . .where the overhead bin is FULL. Most people have a carryon the size of Kansas, with all sorts of valuable toothpaste that they have to sit near. So if the bin is full, they'll keep going! You of course checked your luggage, so you're a free agent to sit underneath the bin-filled seats. If you have a carry-on, make sure you sit in a seat where your bag fills the bin up. This is a good time to have a bag the size of Kansas.
IF ALL THAT'S LEFT ARE CENTER SEATS BECAUSE YOU'RE A "C" PERSON. . . you still might avoid the "C is for Center seat" fate.
Look for people who match, with an empty middle seat in-between them. Twin Budweiser T-shirts or the same Harley tattoo means they're probably traveling together. Eureka! Start to sit in THAT middle seat, because, guess what? One of 'em will move over to be near their honey, and you'll get an aisle or window even though you're a "C" person. Brilliant!
Sit behind the exit row. If you've got a short (like 30 minute) flight to a hub city like Phoenix, and you're not changing planes, but rather going on to an even longer flight, sit in the row behind the exit row, even if it's the center seat. Chances are the exit row people will exit at the hub and you can move up. BONUS TIP. . . Don't wait for the flight attendant to let you move. Do it while everyone is getting off the plane (just make sure you're seated for their headcount!). And NEVER sit in the row in front of the exit row . . . those seats don't recline.
IF THE PLANE IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE FULL. . . you can still have a decent ride.
Hand pick your partner. You're gonna be stuck with potluck if you aren't proactive and make eye-contact with desirable people. Lure them in with a quick smile and show them that you've got a book, which is the universal travel sign for "I won't bother you with my chatter." Of course YOU define "desirable". . I'm tall, so I'm looking for small people who look like they bathed. BONUS TIP. . .As you're waiting in line, memorize the first person in the "C" line. When the "C" leader starts through, you'll know it's time to get serious with your "come hither" looks.
BONUS, BONUS TIPS. . .
A bag on the seat does not mean someone is sitting there. Ask, ask, ask because that person is being rude, rude, rude. They could be trying to hog a whole row by pretending the seats are full.
Bolt for the exit row. If you're one of the first people in the "A" line, check out the exit row immediately upon boarding. Many, many people only think to sit up front, and forget about the great leg-room in those seats. I've gotten the exit row being 20th or later in line!
Check in 24 hours in advance. Even if you're in a hotel and can't print the boarding pass, you can check in, and then print the actual pass at the airport. (FYI if you print your boarding pass on your printer, look at the number at the left hand bottom. That number is the number you checked in at - I'm #1 lots of times!)
Take the first flight out in the morning. Because the plane is there, it's not coming from somewhere else, so you have a better chance of an on-time flight. AND no one is sitting in the prime seats, like the exit row, from an earlier flight.
Of course a friend of mine who was split up from her son, got to switch seats by handing him a barf bag and telling him (loudly) to "use this when you get sick." The person next to him switched seats with her. Hey, use what you got! Here's to more comfortable travel. . .for a buck!
Getting a Great Seat on Southwest Airlines (Without Engaging In Fisticuffs With Other Passengers!)
Jan McInnis, The Work Lady, is a corporate comedian and comedy writer who has performed at hundreds of private events, flying Southwest A LOT. She was recently featured in the “Wall Street Journal” as one of the “popular convention comedians.” Jan also sells comedy material to radio & TV daily, and she can be reached at http://www.TheWorkLady.com