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September 22, 2006
Southwest: When the going gets tough, the tough get funny
What's an employee to do when it's 7:30 p.m. on a Friday night, and a packed gate of business people and families are tired and cranky because the air conditioning has conked out in the terminal at the end of a hot day in Baltimore?
A Southwest Airlines gate agent last week had the right idea: strap on a kooky alien balloon hat and put on a show. He was, if anything, welcome levity.
With the customer experience in danger of quickly becoming miserable for everyone, Mathew grabbed the microphone at the door of the gate and turned on the charm with goofy jokes and an infectious spirit. Before long, he had most everyone laughing and clapping. He welcomed every person in the boarding line by name. After I took his picture, he insisted we take one together. Wearing the alien balloon hat, of course.
It was still hot as hell at the gate, but most folks made their way onto the plane with a smile on their face, as I did.
The freedom to be fun. Yet another reason why Southwest has such strong word of mouth versus its competitors.
[Source for chart: "The One Number You Need to Grow," Harvard Business Review.]
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One company that I often mention in The Engaging Brand podcast is Southwest Airlines. They are a great example of how an employer and customer brand can link to drive growth. Read this excellent post on the Church of the [Read More]
Herb Kelleher, the founder of Southwest Airlines says: “We have a ‘strategic’ plan. It’s called doing things.”
So it's not about buzzwords, it's about doing things right. And I mean everybody in the business including the gate agent.
Fantastic post!
Just referred you guys on mine - not that I can promise a lot of promotion from my blog :)
For another great story demonstrating SW's ability to create buzz, check out my blog post from yesterday: http://www.allbusiness.com/sales/customer-service/10783-1.html?postId=007188
It goes back to SW's early days.
Love your blog.
Regards,
Glenn
Jackie - any idea where JetBlue would fit on that chart? I always hear amazing things about Jet Blue. Is that just because I'm in the Northeast US?
(PS - I thought TWA went out of business years ago!)
All I see is that America West is the pimento to Delta's olive.
;-)
That's funny -- I see that olive every time, too!
Clearly this approach is better than what any of the other airlines might consider (or do), but I have to say in this particular circumstance, I'd prefer to have a bit of peace and quiet - not some half-funny Southwest employee going on.
Yes, they encourage the fun but most importantly, Southwest *discourages* jargon-jabber. In an age of everyone reading off of corporate scripts, it's a tremendous relief to hear someone just talking--not to mention someone empowered to go off the script!
I remember years ago when I called into Southwest phone system and they said something like this for their on-hold music/announcement:
"Press 1 if you're in a hurry. It won't do anything, but it may make you feel better."
They had me at that point on.
- John
My husband and I travel for our business all of the time. We do not have the option of flying SW, but how I wish we could! As you said, "the freedom to be fun." What an amazingly easy tool that is so uncommon. How refreshing.
Nobody thinks their jokey schtick wears pretty thin?
Wacky alien balloon hat = hey customer, forget about the fact that flying is such a miserable experience and marginal misery increases our bottom line!
No, not so much? I know that fact isn't specific to Southwest, but there's only so much amateur hour comedy I can take from them.
