Southwest Airlines has used effective communication to grow from a small Texas intrastate airline, into the fourth largest airline in the United States (Kim). 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. Southwest is committed to providing its 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. Employees are provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer. This caring attitude that has been communicated to Southwest’s external customers has been one of the keys to its success.
Customers are the main focus at Southwest. Because of their importance, Southwest focuses on using effective communication with them. Southwest’s employees are expected to treat one another in a friendly and pleasant way and to openly share information, opinions, and feelings. This open communication translates into superior customer service. “Contrary to the common perception of many business people, loving the customer does not merely involve reading the latest marketing book and implementing some good ideas. The casually dressed employees of Southwest Airlines love their customers and would do anything for them” (Kim). Their success proves that despite the price of a product or service and a company's position in the market, people make a big difference. There are many different types of written communication such as, memos, letters, electronic mail, fax transmissions, and organizational periodicals. These are used because they are tangible and verifiable. Southwest goes out of their way to make sure employees have access to the information they need. They do this through the use of LUV Lines, which is Southwest's employee newsletter. Every issue of LUV Lines carries a segment called "Industry News" which keeps employees informed of what other carriers are doing. Every major event at the airline, whether it's opening a new location or acquiring another airline, is not announced without the employees hearing about it first. Southwest's results and performance measures are open to any employee. Southwest believes that when employees have immediate access to critical information, they can make the necessary adjustments to fix significant problems. This effective internal communication leads to more efficient employees, which enables them to communicate more effectively with its external publics.
Another PR tool used by Southwest Airlines is its website. The website explains its company mission and communicates to external publics such as vendors. Also, this website communicates effectively to external publics by providing financial performance. This website is available to all external publics to view financial results, company policies and mission statements, and future goals and programs.
Another tool used by Southwest is the use of public service announcements. On Thursday, April 11, 2002, the 32nd anniversary of the launch of the Apollo 13 mission to the moon, Capt. James A. Lovell, commander of the mission, was interviewed as part of the Flight Plan for America, a national public service campaign aimed at restoring public confidence in the country's air transportation system. This message was tied along with an announcement by Southwest’s CEO. In the satellite media tour, he affirmed new travel security. Out of all of the airlines, Southwest Airlines was the only airline to show positive financial results during the post 9/11 periods. Much of this success is due to the effective external communication used by Southwest’s CEO. During these tough economic times, Southwest was the only airline to grow revenue and customer counts.
Another PR tool used by Southwest Airlines to communicate to its external publics is its news releases. According to Seitel, the news release is the “granddaddy of all public relations writing vehicles. Southwest uses news releases to communicate to its external publics via the Internet, media, and mailings. The Internet has revolutionized news releases and news release writings. Before the Internet, companies would only issue news releases only when they has news worthy announcements to make. Southwest distributes news releases via the Internet for Southwest’s external publics. These news releases announce mergers, policy and rate changes. One example of a recent newsletter is as follows:
TULSA -- Williams Energy Partners L.P. (NYSE:WEG) has signed a letter of intent to provide jet fuel delivery services into Dallas Love Field for Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV).
Williams Energy Partners recently purchased a 6-mile pipeline that will enable connection of its existing Dallas area petroleum storage and distribution facility to Love Field. The connection to the partnership’s delivery network will make product available to Southwest by both pipeline and truck transportation. Williams Energy Partners also announced plans to build additional jet fuel storage at its distribution facility in Dallas to support delivery of jet fuel to the airport (Williams.com). This news release, among others, is an effective way to communicate to external publics such as competitors, and Wall Street.
In conclusion, external communication is essential to successful financial performance and longevity. This process enables companies to stay in touch with all external publics and creates a sense of loyalty between customer and company. Southwest’s success in communicating its message to all vendors, customers, and Wall Street has allowed continued success within both of Southwest’s internal and external publics.
References
Kim, E. (2002). Southwest Airlines: 25 Years of LUV. Retrieved on July 26, 2003 from the World Wide Web:
Seitel, Fraser. The Practice of Public Relations (Eighth edition). Pearson Publishing (2001). Southwest.com (July, 2003). Retrieved on July 26, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://Soutwest.com.
