Why I Don't Like Southwest Airlines' "Culture"
December 11, 2006

Colleen Barrett, the president of Southwest Airlines, knows something important about rewarding employees: that it pays to pay attention to small accomplishments as well as big ones. That was something her mentor, Herb Kelleher, taught her.

But how she implements that good idea is downright silly.

According to an article that originally appeared in Babson Insight and was picked up by Leadership Strategies, Barrett encourages Southwest employees to do little extra customer-service things, and rewards them for it. But I don't really like her idea of what good customer service is. First, I hate the uniforms. Second, I can't stand the corny jokes, the singing, etc. And I find Southwest's waiting system humiliating.

Barrett set up a "culture committee" first thing after taking power. That reminds me of communism. Then she created a "heroes of the heart" program to recognize outstanding customer service efforts. Heroes of the heart? Who wants to win an award by that name? The whole organization smacks of too much soft brain tissue.

Read this post in Early To Rise

posted by M. Masterson @ 11:37 AM,

15 Comments:

At 2:24 PM, Blogger David said...

Which airline or airlines are you impressed with?

How did you reward and recognize your best employees back in the day?

Thanks, keep leading wisely!

 
At 3:34 AM, Anonymous Rasher said...

Michael, I can't follow from your points that Colleen's methods are "silly" or why you have such disdain for Southwest culture? The first 3 issues aren't related to the special accomplishments of customer service Colleen is known for rewarding.

To the 3 issues specifically - Ramp and customer contact people need to wear uniforms for branding, safety, and security considerations. What is it about them you find so distasteful?

It's too bad you don't enjoy an occasional joke or song. But those antics, while not uncommon, are not really frequent on flights. It sure is a refreshing change from the holier-than-thou attitude of some other airline employees.

Southwest's boarding procedure was designed to keep costs low in the 1970's when developing and operating a seat assignment system was costly and time consuming. It allowed Southwest to turn aircraft around in 10 minutes with few employees and make flying affordable to millions more people.

Today, the first come, first to board, open seating system has been embodied into their egalitarian culture. The process they use to board the aircraft is almost exactly like every other airline, they just board by letter groups instead of rows.

It's the customers who choose to queue so they can get the mythical perfect seat, rather than trusting they will find a satisfactory seat when they get on the aircraft. It's no different than queuing anywhere else. I don't see how any of it is humiliating.

The culture committee formed during a period of rapid expansion in the 1990's. The famed close knit culture of hard work and hard partying was under stress. The committee members were charged with reinvigorating and maintaining the esprit de corps (one of Herb's favorite concepts). There is nothing communistic about it.

Southwest's corporate symbol is a heart and the corporate theme is luv. Heros of the Heart commemorates non-customer facing employees who work hard behind the scenes to keep Southwest performing highly. It is a great honor in the company to win this award.

The organization may be too "soft brain" for you, but they are doing something right. To date it is the most financially successful airline in the world. According to Money Magazine, Southwest created the most shareholder wealth of any American publically traded company from 1972 through 2002.

 
At 8:11 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why I LIKE Southwest Airlines "Culture." I travel frequently for business & have traveled all the airlines at every price. Southwest has NEVER lost my luggage, provides affordable flights - even at the last minute & rarely cancels a flight and/or is late - and turns a profit. My airline of choice is Southwest for all the above reasons. When will the other airlines "get it?"

 
At 8:56 AM, Blogger Robertamarie Kiley said...

Ah, great way to garner responses to your posting! Good way to gather kudos for SW...

 
At 10:21 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Had to comment. I used to travel Southwest many years ago - but I also found the waiting system humiliating. I don't particularly want a "perfect" seat, but I would like a window seat close to the front. And to make sure I get that, I know I need to get into the mosh pit with everyone else. A few of those experiences turned me off to SW forever. Today, I gladly pay more to fly American. No jokes or funny antics, but at least I feel like I'm treated like a human being and not one cow in a herd of cattle.

That's not to say that SW is bad. I know some people love SW, because it fits their needs and the things that I'm unwilling to deal with on SW don't phase others. So I'm not saying SW is bad, I'm just saying they do turn a group of people off who aren't willing to deal with the way they run their company. And I'm sure the same is true of American and the other airlines.

 
At 11:31 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Southwest Airlines...
Flying Southwest depends on whether you want to ride in a limousine, a taxi, or take the subway; the choice is yours. No one requires you to fly Southwest, you have to choose them.
One never hears about Southwest losing money, laying off hundreds of workers, or being 'bought out'.
Southwest also sells 71% of their tickets 'on-line'. So if you keep finding yourself in Group C... it's not their fault.
If the President's methods of 'rewards' seem trite, I don't care. Maybe if United, Delta, and American executives would fly on Southwest, they could learn something. That 'something' they have forgotten which continually causes them problems in profits:
"Lack of customers"

 
At 12:13 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree wholeheartedly with Michael on this one, and I'm actually very glad to finally read something like this. Southwest's "acclaimed" culture is, in my opinion, completely unprofessional and a total joke.

Their waiting system is more than humiliating - it is stressful and a huge time-waster. My husband is a legendary road warrior (almost a professional traveler), and he refuses to fly Southwest unless it's an emergency. He finds the waiting system to be infuriating and a huge waste of his time (his nickname for them is the "cattle-call airline").

Who cares whether or not they lose money? What does that have to do with their culture? I think it's more about how they serve their customers, and if you travel frequently, I don't think there is another airline as frustrating as Southwest. I guess I can't totally knock them, though - they are truly the airline for the masses.

 
At 1:22 PM, Blogger Mike said...

This blog is written from a consumer's perspective. Is anyone really surprised that Michael doesn't like Southwest? Southwest is like a "flying bus". I somehow doubt that Michael takes a bus very often either.

If someone has the financial position to take a limousine instead of a bus, to eat at Ruth's Chris instead of McDonalds, to fly on a private jet instead of Southwest I would expect one to prefer the former.

Time is money. How much money depends on how valuable your time. Michael's time is worth a lot of money thus it is a waste of his money to have to wait in line for a good seat on an airplane. For others waiting may be worthwhile because of the money saved.

Now if Michael did a review of Southwest's profitability I would expect a different opinion.

 
At 1:57 PM, Anonymous vee said...

Bravo to Rasher for pointing out the beauty of Southwest compared to Michael's judmental elitist personal opinion. Flying is greatly enhanced by a corny joke and a song in todays government induced fear based environmentand and I will support any company who supports their employees.

 
At 3:20 PM, Blogger TELarsen said...

I too disagree with your assessment, Michael. For you maybe it is humiliating, htey are corny and you don't like the uniforms.

Look at the competition! I like flying Southwest, find the staff to be very, very friendly and talkative and they LOVE working there!

This company is always profitable and is the envy of the entire airline industry!

Maybe you miss the Elitist Club or Captains Club or whatever name the others give to their "private" lounges at airports. I'll stick with the "common" folks in the terminal!

 
At 3:24 PM, Anonymous DougMcQu said...

Michael, I avoid Wal-Mart for similar reasons. Despite good price and selection for value items, stock market accolades, largest company status, world class inventory tracking and distibution, etc., I can't stand fighting the crowds in the parking lot and isles. I can get in and out of Target in a fraction of the time and still have a smile on my face. The masters of the low price can't satisfy people who value their time and sanity! BTW, great blog.

 
At 9:03 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Michael,

By the sounds of things, seems you got smoked, and rightly so. I have not flown on Southwest. I have, however, flown Westjet,which is Canada's answer to Southwest.

Yes, there are corny jokes, no food and weird prizes, but no one has bent my arm to fly there.

When we look at how airlines are going to stay in business, and then make a profit, these above mentioned have a winning formula.

As for your airline; you have the means ,so buy your own jet. The price has come down substantially and who knows. You may even learn to fly the aircraft yourself, get to most destinations closer to where you really want to go and avoid ALL the line-ups. All for the price of one First Class Airline Ticket. What a concept.!!!

 
At 10:57 AM, Anonymous Tom Clarke said...

While the time is money is a great reason in theory to avoid the Southwest queing system, none of the other major airlines has the on time arrival record, the flight cancellation record, or the safety record of Southwest.

In addition, Southwest has never lost my luggage and unlike the other majors, they don't employ bitchy stewardesses (which apparently is an occupational requirement at the other majors, especially United). It's not (or at least shouldn't be) any big secret why all of the other airlines are in bankruptcy.

 
At 9:50 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You might want to practice what you preach. You have lost touch with your target audience on this one.

 
At 7:01 AM, Blogger Andy said...

I would like to correct a factually incorrect statement that Tom Clarke made, "It's not (or at least shouldn't be) any big secret why all of the other airlines are in bankruptcy."

American Airlines is the only legacy airline to have never declared bankruptcy and in fact just turned a profit in 2006 for the first time since 9/11. While I will admit that there are the occasional battle-axe flight attendants on AA, by and large the airline has turned itself around since those dark days after 9/11 and continues to get back on track.

Living here in the D/FW Metroplex, I have had a first hand view of the 2 airlines and I know that both have their pluses and minuses. I do however agree with MM's statement that Southwest's organization smacks of too much soft brain tissue. They are great if you're in a National Lampoon's Family Vacation mood and are feeling hokey, but when you're a business person trying to stay focused on balancing work and life, hokey doesn't help.

In addition, American has proved that Southwest's waiting system isn't the only method of turning a plane around fast. American has changed their airplane boarding model to help improve their profitability in the last couple of years and it is one of several factors that is helping significantly. All that and still allowing travellers to pick their own seats online on the day of booking, sometimes 10 months in advance. Southwest can't compare on that issue.

Finally, to address MM's concern about the "culture committee" smacking of communism, you're right. I lived for 6+ years in Mainland China and that's exactly how communism works, a top-down dictation of how you must think and act. No thanks, what if I want to have an original thought, idea or action plan? On the other hand, isn't it wonderful that we live in a country that allows the freedom of choice, so that MM and I can choose to avoid SW and others can choose to fly them. ;-)

In the spirit of full-disclosure, I currently am employed by AA in the AAdvantage department dealing with customer issues on a daily basis, so I see the positive and negative side of AA everyday, too.

 

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