SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines

Introduction

Southwest Airlines is dedicated to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit. As stated from their web site. Southwest Airlines (South West Airlines) began June 18, 1971; South West Airlines first operated its first routes between Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. Rollin King and Herb Kelleher founded the company, there goal was to create an environment of care, commitment and unparallel service to customers and employees alike. At the end of 1971 South West Airlinesimmediately began to expand.

In 1972 all Houston service was transferred to Houston's Hobby Airport form Houston Intercontinental, this route made it more convenient for people to fly. During the first year of operation the customers were the Southwest's first priority. They also show a true commitment to their employees - By providing a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines.

Three Leadership Actions by Southwest

Due to South West Airlines culture and the nurturing of their CEO Herb Kelleher; South West Airlines management serves the company best using a participative leadership style. South West Airlines places great emphasis on productivity and customer service. To be successful they must have buy in of this concept by all employees.

Kelleher stated that Southwest's biggest competitive advantage is its culture, which positively affects customers and employees. Southwest airlines expects feedback from within its ranks, this concept eliminates the bureaucracy and paperwork normally coupled with large organizations. Kelleher states, "I don't think I'm the primary motivator. I give people license to be themselves and motivate others in that way." Southwest employees not only feel comfortable about talking to management about improvements, they're encouraged to. With the exception of Southwest, all major airlines today operate through hub-and-spoke networks. In such a network, passengers are flown from surrounding spoke cities to a central hub airport, where they transfer to the next leg of their flight. Travelers, of course, prefer point-to-point service, and Southwest is able to satisfy that need by primarily operating in short haul routes. The air travel industry is capital-, labor-, and technology-intensive. Airlines are subject to intense competition, which produces falling yields and razor-thin margins. To succeed, airlines must quickly employ any new process or procedure that can reduce costs; Southwest was able to succeed in this endeavor. n 1979, South West Airlines introduced self-ticketing machines; making it even faster and more convenient for people to fly.

Moreover, in 1988, South West Airlines becomes Sea World of Texas' official airline, later in the year South West Airlines again becomes the official airline of Sea World of California. This shows that management, through marketing, insures South West Airlines is tied in to all things good. Because of that kind of approach South West Airlines wins the first Triple Crown, a prize for airline companies that consist for Best On-Time Record, Best Baggage Handling, and Fewest Customer ...