Westjet: Building a High-Engagement Culture

Canadian based airline may find it hard to find strong support from US and International customers

This report was made up for the purposes for pursuing our client and make him understand why he should invest in our company. This report will contain a swat analysis, strengths and weakness, vision statement, mission statement. These are going to a sure that we has a company aren’t only advertising our strengths but we will also show our weakness and things that need to be improved. The history of WestJet and the current points will also be shown, from when WestJet was founded and too, what’s WestJet’s main focus now will be shown in this analysis for our client. Another thing west jet wants to represent is all of the financial resources and the finical information for our client and of course a company overview will be provided has well.

WestJet commitment is to make planet Earth a better place to live is part of their responsible growth.

Air Canada has been in the business of air transport for an extended period of time. Due to the experience and the exposure of the carrier in the field, it has made a commendable progress through many strategies as well as customer proximity. One of the approaches taken by the airline involves the identification as well as an implementation of cost reduction initiatives in a bid to increase revenue from its operations (Air Canada, 2016). It is also attempting to connect with the existing carriers across the world to connect the current customers to the international world. This approach has been adopted to increase its competitive advantage over other existing airlines.

• WestJet views its employees as its most valuable asset. Therefore, it aims to ensure that employees’ work experience is fun, challenging and rewarding. Encourages employees to interact positively with customers to try to earn repeat customers.

In addition, the Board of WestJet resolved to move from per meeting fee structure to a retainer- only structure, aligning with the ongoing responsibilities of a Director. Attendance at meetings is an important component of the role of a Director; however, WestJet’s Board provides continual oversight to the company and a retainer structure better compensates for this responsibility. This is a good application of CCGG Principle Two – Reflect Expertise and Time Commitment.

Establishing an effective corporate culture for the new conglomerate is essential to Bombardier Transportation’s success. Pierre

As a company, WestJet does not show a lot of weaknesses. However,the lack of international and Trans-Continental flights in the world of rapidly rising economies, international business and marketscould be count as a weakness. Customers may not be provided with the international destination they are looking for and could be turned to competing airlines. When higher-class travellers are looking to fly with some added comfort and special service, WestJet does not provide any sort of first class seating which can be a factor of lost business. However, December 2012 WestJet launched“premium economy” class flights program, which is designed to satisfy particular customer’s demands with extra legroom and services. Travelers have also dissatisfied with the fact of lack ofseats for larger passengers, becauseWestJet airplane’s seats aren’t big enough. Moreover, some passengers do not agree with the complimentary snacks only being served on flights two or more hours in length. In addition, Due to small crafts WestJet may become a victim of stereotype of low-cost, low-fare, and short-haul scheduled air carrier only.

WestJet develop their IT operation early and force them get the lead in the aviation businesses. However, as the global economic and the change of people’s demand, the strategic plan of WestJet need to be change to follow the change of the world. Compare with other aviation business, the IT structure of WestJet is small and keeps running on their pervious operation before Smith join into the organization. There are some risks coming out if WestJet continue these IT operations.

For instance, Canada's federal government has delegated the responsibility for airports to local authorities. As a result, many Canadian airports have transformed into brighter, cleaner, and more modern facilities that have become more expensive to operate 3. Canada’s airports have spent more than $9.5 billion on improvements since 19922. According to the CEO of Transat A.T. Inc, “it costs three times as much for an airline to land in Pearson Airport in Toronto as at Charles-de-Gaulle in Paris” 2. Such high landing fees have made Pearson and other major Canadian airports less desirable landing destinations; increasing costs for airlines, and as a result, often increasing prices for consumers. Pearson Airport is West Jet’s “second-largest hub and main connection point in Eastern Canada” and almost half of its destinations are to Canadian airports2, Such high costs of landing in major Canadian cities require that WestJet finds more ways to cut costs and remain the cost leader in its industry.

WestJet is also facing a strategic problem, the longer term impact that growth is having on WestJet’s culture. WestJet’s success and competitive advantage have been a direct result

using their own core competencies to turn the airline around. By applying their own strategies,

Air Canada’s early strategy was to grow the business, with minimal concern about their staff members and customers. Without any benefits or rewards their staff felt underappreciated. Their customers felt as though their feedback wasn’t being heard but in the eyes of Air Canada as long as their business was expanding, they were satisfied.

➢ Unique Corporate Culture: The main competitive advantage that WestJet had was their unique culture. Even the executives and pilots help the customer whenever necessary; encourage employees to share suggestions for improvement. They maintained the policy of Care for People.

The major strength of this assessment is that Cheryl was able to identify the issues that are key for WestJet to maximize and align IT with the business strategy as well as to add value to the company. Furthermore, Cheryl has started to act and take wise decisions without letting herself to feel overwhelm by the situation or by other person’s decision so she can have a clear picture of the business as well as the impact of its actions. A clear example of this situation was her decision to stop the PMO recommended by IBM. Also, she has focus on managing and improving current IT processes performances, adding tangible value to the organization Additionally, the actions proposed by Cheryl have the goal to update and upgrade IT according to the challenges of the industry in order to take WestJet into a higher level, moving people out of their comfort zone so they can increase their contribution to the company’s strategy. Besides, she found out that the IT group has excellent technical