Executive Summary
Southwest Airlines began operations in 1971, and has remained profitable after 44 years. The company has experienced challenges such as high fuel prices, a recession, and even the tragedy of 9/11. Their strategy is unique and one-of-a-kind. They have innovated the airline industry by keeping costs low while not sacrificing quality or punctuality.
Company Vision/Mission
"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)
Company Vision/Mission
The Company is committed to providing their employees with a stable work environment with equal growth opportunities. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. (The Mission of Southwest Airlines, 2011)
The Company culture places vital importance on community involvement, service, and caring to make those communities better places to live and work. (The Mission of Southwest Airlines, 2011)
Southwest Airlines practices environmental responsibility by reducing excess waste and invests in cost-saving, energy efficient equipment. By using cost-effective and environmentally beneficial operating procedures (including facilities and equipment), SWA reduces the amount of materials used, and when combined with their ability to reuse and recycle material, they help preserve the environment. (The Mission of
Southwest Airlines is based in Dallas and founded in 1971. They are known for their higher airfares and good customer services. (Elliot) The employees are known to be social with the travelers. They often times make changes and waive airline requirements. (Elliot) For example: “Robert Siegel and his wife scheduled a
People – One of the many things good about Southwest Airlines is that the kinds of people who are heroes of the organization are people who care and go out of their way to help the customers. They’re the ones who are celebrated and held up as shining examples. Additionally, high levels of satisfaction among employees can be attributed to Southwest employee policy. Happy employees can provide high quality service and bring more customers back. To reinforce the culture of hard work, high-energy, fun, local autonomy, and creativity, the company provided continuous education program to employees. If you can help someone out or brighten someone’s day, be it a co-worker or a passenger, you’re doing your job well.
Southwest Airlines' successful and profitable business model has been driven by several strategies: high aircraft utilization; standard fleet; charismatic leadership; low fare carrier; excellent customer service practice; attractive frequent flier program; innovative and creative marketing program; performance focused organizational culture; strategic human resources management and a lean operations.
We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all,
Southwest Airlines was started 45 years ago in 1967 by two entrepreneurs: Herb Keller and Rollin King who had the right vision and culture by which to become successful entrepreneurial leaders. This vision was achieved as Southwest Airlines became the greatest airline in the USA. As a young business in the airlines industry, Southwest Airlines in the initial years confronted very tough situations, and it was due proper planning and with the assistance of its employees that kept Southwest Airlines afloat from sinking. There were already pioneer big companies well established in the airlines industry when Southwest Airlines joined the industry. Some of these companies had a good share of
Southwest Airlines is dedicated to incorporating all servant leadership principles throughout their organization. Accordingly, their mission statement is clear and concise it evidently exemplifies all principles and acknowledges a servant-led organization. Their mission statement embraces their commitment to serve the highest quality of customer service through a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit (Southwest, 2014). Therefore, through Southwest’s’ mission statement it makes it explicitly apparent that they seek to listen and commit to the growth of their people. Southwest empathizes with their employees because they are dedicated to providing
As the low-cost leader, Southwest spends an inordinate amount of time focusing on its mission, vision, culture, and goals. This concentration allows Southwest to rank as one of the 100 Best Companies to work for in America. The employee’s attitudes and efforts lead to fewer customer complaints and more on-time arrivals and departures.
Southwest Airlines' strong organizational culture is reflected in its mission statement "dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit" (Southwest, 2012). Southwest serves not only as a prime example of a company that excels in customer service and profitability, but as one that has utilized employee development as a means to meet these ends. Southwest makes a strong commitment to foster ongoing relationships with human resources. They demand that their employees are responsible members, however
During the rapid globalization, being one of the topmost and sustainable airlines is not easy due to the highly competitive airlines industry. Southwest Airlines, founded by Rolling King, Herbert Kelleher, and Lamar Muse in 1967, is considered a very long history of success following its goal that emphasizes on customers’ satisfaction. The key of organizational success relies on human value of Southwest CEO, managers, and employees who try to help each other in order to reach the customers’ best service because these people are the major factors to justify their own images that represent their organization. Furthermore, Southwest has motivated its employees to be more creative and improvable by allowing suitable norms and
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.
Southwest Airlines has developed the ability to attract top talent while retaining those already working within their company. This human resource function is one that companies are striving to continuously improve. In which many companies try to duplicate Southwest’s approach, but are not as successful as the customer service oriented airlines themselves. 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. Fulfilling this mission statement begins within the recruiting and selection process. Finding the right people, with the right attitude, can be more challenging as one may think.
Southwest Airlines managers live the vision of the company by incorporating the vision into their everyday lives. Community, environment and caring are the
Southwest Airlines provides short haul, high frequency, point-to-point, low-fare services to and from 58 cities across the United States. The company is known for its low-cost fares and superior customer service in the airline industry. The company was started in 1971 with a motto still lived by today, "If you get your passengers to their destinations when they want to get there, on time, at the lowest possible fares, and make darn sure they have a good time doing it, people will fly your airline." This motto has been effective for the company because they recently reported their 58th straight quarterly profit.
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