Southwest Airlines: Case Study

Company’s Strategy: Southwest’s strategy is to improve efficiency in its operations and pass cost saving to its customers by offering them low and competitive prices. Southwest Airlines is dedicated to providing the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company Spirit.

The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit.

What are the key success factors for Southwest airlines? What are the key things it does to keep its costs lower than competitors?

Southwest Airlines is globalizing their company in order to reach a bigger market, and become competition for other companies. Southwest Airlines has already conquered the domestic market beating American Airlines, United, and Delta according to Fortune. Access to a new market is what motivated Southwest to globalize, they are expanding to the south of North America, with their new assets found in their acquired airline AirTran Airways (LeBeau, 4) . Southwest Airlines has brought low rates and a great experience to the domestic market, which was warmly received, they now plan to dip into global market to bring better service to all.

The mission of Southwest Airlines is loyalty promise to the most amazing nature of Customer Service brought across with a feeling of warmth, friendliness, amazing surprising or single pride and Company Spirit. Their vision is to become the world 's most loved, most flown, and most money-making airline.

One reason for their success is because of the commitment of the mission statement that is that the company is dedicated to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendless, sense of individual pride and company spirit. Their low, discount air fares and bags fly, free the point to point services, and the strong fleet base which

Southwest Airlines has a friendly culture and a people oriented-leadership. The leader of Southwest treat employees as family member and friends. The whole company not just focus on the

The mission statement of the Southwest Airlines- The mission statement of the Southwest Airlines is, ‘Dedication in the maximum quality of the Customer Service which is delivered with wisdom of warmth, Company Spirit, friendliness, and individual pride’ (Southwest Airlines 2014).

Southwest Airlines has been in business for over 34 years. This airline strives on their customer service and the efficiency of their operations. They focus on the customer’s overall experience by making flights enjoyable. They achieve this by training their employees to understand the needs of the customer. The airline focuses on the customer enjoying their flight at an affordable price.

When on vacation, the first people you deal with are the airline companies, yes this is the dreaded trip to the airport. Way to often people have their happy vacations ruined by inconsistent and unreliable customer service, making them late for flights because of long lines, slow service, and unreliable technology that is difficult to use. However, Southwest airlines is one company that is standing out above all others. Known for their outstanding customer service and “Bags Fly Free” campaign, Southwest has held their ground against rising prices in airline travel and continued to expand its reaches while at the same time attracting many satisfied customers. Southwest Airlines was founded on June 18, 1971 by Rollen King and Herb Kellener. The very same year, Southwest began its flights servicing Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Southwest quickly climbed the ranks within airline the industry and became the fifth largest US air carrier by 1998, carrying an average of 50 million passengers a year across the United States. From then on, Southwest soared above the rest of the mid-range air carriers, and continues to do so to this day. Southwest quickly became known for its innovation when it comes to customer service and satisfaction, and it is still well known today for its simple and convenient customer service. Southwest has also been deeply involved when it comes to their social responsibilities, taking action to be ecofriendly whenever, and wherever possible. (Avstop)

Southwest Airlines roots can be traced back to Texas in the 1960’s where a company by the name of Air Southwest Co. was created to provide interstate flights in Texas to avoid federal aviation laws. This technique of trying to avoid federal regulation was challenged when 3 other major airlines filed a lawsuit against Air Southwest Co.; later the state of Texas upheld Air Southwest Co. right to fly within the state of Texas and the Supreme Court decided not to review the case. (Southwest Airlines, n.d.) This was a challenging start for Southwest as it was being targeted right off the bat by some of its competitors. The company name was changed in the early 1970’s to Southwest Airlines Co. and a headquarters was established in Dallas, TX.

This proposal addresses the needed steps to be taken in order for Southwest Airlines to see continued growth in the airline industry. Southwest Airlines has been able to remain one of the most profitable airlines in the industry for an extended period of time. Even with the hindrance of the 2001 terrorist attacks involving airplanes and the U.S recession of 2008, Southwest has continued to see strong revenue growth. Meanwhile, other companies were experiencing major losses and in some cases folding. Southwest Airlines has capitalized on the company’s strength of being the top low cost

"The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit." (The Mission of Southwest Airlines, 2011)

Southwest Airlines faced many barriers to entry from the fierce competition of other airlines in the industry. Though competition was fierce, Southwest Airlines managed to succeed by doing things differently. Their mission was to provide affordable air travel to those who would not normally fly. Contradictory to the rest of the airline industry, Southwest maintained a profit while keeping its fares low. Southwest was unique to the industry in two ways. They focused on the short haul traveler and used a point-to-point method of flight connections.

The SWA mission statement not only takes into consideration its consumers, it also enumerates the company’s commitment to their employees. The SWA mission statement for their employees enumerates and reinforces the belief that providing their employees with a stable work environment, equal opportunity for learning and personal growth, creativity and innovation will improve the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines, and consequently increasing customer satisfaction