Southwest Airlines is one of the leading airlines that has remained steadfast in meeting all the needs of customers as they arise. The key application of lean philosophy at the company is achieved through the Six Sigma approach. Niehues et al. (2013) agree that the company depends on this to maximize customer satisfaction and attain their loyalty as they continue consuming its products. In tandem with applying the lean philosophy production system, Southern Airlines focuses on quality function deployment while restricting layoffs to retain competitive employees that are capable of boosting customer satisfaction. Quality Function Deployment has been instrumental in assisting the company in understanding the needs of its customers in terms of the quality of service required within the business environment. Southwest Airlines continues to retain a competitive staff that is able to listen to customers and address all their needs in the most professional way.
The lean philosophy is a contemporary approach that many companies use to minimize their costs while increasing their revenues. The essay highlights the view that lean philosophy is aimed at reducing the wastage of valuable resources such as time and space within companies. Some of the key findings include the view that the lean philosophy will always have lesser inventory balances compared to the traditional philosophy. Again, costs in the lean philosophy are minimal compared to the traditional approach that involves more costs incurred in mass production. Another vital finding is that Southwest Airlines is applying the lean philosophy using the Six Sigma approach hence attracting and retaining different customers. The paper recommends that companies should prioritize the use of lean philosophy in their entire operations.
The lean production philosophy entails the reduction of the quantity of resources utilized in the delivery of goods and services to consumers. Charron, Harrington, Voehl and Wiggin (2014) affirm that the lean philosophy is always focused on achieving efficiency within the company and ensuring that it uses less labor, space, materials, and time. This leads to the reduction of production costs and the promotion of profitability within the company. However, it should be noted that lean production is focused on not only the reduction of costs but also the assurance of value for money on the customer’s part. The lean production philosophy considers the interests of customers and aims at satisfying them in their course of consumption.
The company chosen for this assignment is Southwest Airlines. It is a major U.S. airline company and is the largest low-cost carrier around the whole world. Southwest Airlines is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It is crucial to understand that the company was founded in 1967 and started growing from the early stages until it acquired its current name in 1971. The company has witnessed massive expansion over the years, and it had an estimated 44,831 employees in December 2013. The high level of activity in the Southwest Airlines is also highlighted by the number of flights it has in any given day. For instance, it has an estimated number of 3,400 flights per day mostly concentrating on domestic passengers.
One company that has held the number one spot among its competitors is Southwest Airlines. Using Lean Six Sigma and some of the concepts of Six Sigma has made them very successful in an otherwise failing industry. First of all, Southwest Airlines focuses on Voice of the Customer (VOC); they make it their priority to give ...
Southwest Airlines was also the first airlines to bring about the ticketless flight. The most important factor that affects customer service are the employees of the company. Southwest Airlines has always made it about their employees; they know that company loyalty is very important, so they have a no-layoff policy.
Their current flights have free wi-fi, Beats audio, free eBooks and video on demand. Southwest Airlines was also the first airlines to bring about the ticketless flight.
the Right Thing. It’s not just a slogan at Southwest Airlines; it is our way of life. We practice this concept in a million different ways, every day. Southwest is privileged to serve millions of Customers annually who have chosen to patronize us with their hard-earned money. Southwest honors our Customers’ patronage by doing the right thing for them—providing Safe, comfortable, and reliable air transportation. Our Mission Statement puts it this way: “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.” The 35,000+ Employees of Southwest Airlines are the heart and soul of our Company. Doing the right thing for these Employees includes providing them with a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer. Our planet sustains us, and, if treated right, it will provide us with stability. To recognize the importanceof our home, one only needs to look at the 2 exhilarating photo of Earth that was photographed by the Astronauts of Apollo 8. In this one picture, it is possible to contrast the lushness of our planet with the stark bareness of the moon. Earth appears as a welcoming lifeboat in the void of space. Doing the right thing for our planet is not just “good business,” it is necessary for our survival.
Southwest’s vision for a sustainable future is one where there will be a balance in our business model between Employees and Community, the Environment, and our Financial Viability. In order to protect our world for future generations, while meeting our commitments to our Customers, Employees, and Stakeholders, we will strive to lead our industry in innovative efficiency that conserves natural resources, maintains a creative and innovative workforce, and gives back to the communities in which we live and work.
LUV Reports are a way that Employees can recognize each other for Living the Southwest Way–serving Customers and each other with
The Winning Spirit Award is given to Employees who go above and beyond to help a Customer or Fellow Employee. Nominations are made by Coworkers, and the Winning Spirit Committee meets to select the recipients.
Every year, Employees in each department of our Company nominate Coworkers for the President’s Award, one of our Company’s highest honors. This honor recognizes Employees who consistently go above and beyond as part of their daily routine, and the recipients are honored at the annual Awards Banquet in June.
The Diversity Council was created as a proactive group to mentor the Company’s decisions and efforts around recruitment, human resources policies, and supplier diversity. The Diversity Council members are volunteers who decided to step forward to deliver the best of diversity Leadership and embrace the Spirit of Inclusion in all departments. The Diversity Council’s purpose is to meet monthly and support the Company’s efforts to:
Southwest Airlines’ number one priority is to ensure the personal Safety of each Southwest Customer and Employee. Beyond this, we follow “The Golden Rule,” which means we treat each other the way we want to be treated, which is why doing the right thing by our Employees and Customers is so inherent to who we are. We believe in Living the Southwest Way, which is to have a Warrior Spirit, a Servant’s Heart, and a Fun-LUVing Attitude. Within each of these categories are specific behaviors to help us be a Safe, profitable, and Fun place to work.