Topic > Southwest Airline: Success with Customer Service

They are known for exceptional customer service, as stated in their mission statement, yet in 2014 a headline read: "After decades of prompt departures and arrivals, its on-time performance is been terrible since August” (Southwest Airlines). This unfortunate and unexpected turn occurred when Southwest attempted to change the time allotted for airport turnarounds they got a little too greedy with everything that was good for them Their plan was to reduce time and make money by having more flights in less time. Unfortunately, their plan didn't work exactly as they hoped; a delay caused a domino effect and less than 60% of the flights arrived or departed on time (Southwest Airlines). This is a challenge that Southwest still has to overcome today. They are allowing more time for turnarounds, but in the meantime they will lose money. This is a sacrifice they have to make to regain customer satisfaction. One reporter noted: “The poor operational performance is a shocking turn for the Dallas-based airline that typically ranks high in customer satisfaction rankings, with consumer-friendly policies like free checked bags and no change fees flight” (Southwest Airlines). Southwest Airlines' reputation for fantastic customer service has been prevalent for decades. This error in a