A case study was done on Southwest Airlines (SWA) and their Human Resources department. There was a team of 4 executives who interviewed 5 Southwest Airlines employees. They read about SWA’s exceptional customer service and employee loyalty and they did not believe. I too did not believe it either. I started to think about it and I do not think I have ever had a problem on an SWA flight. Unless I am flying international, Southwest is the only company I fly, and I always thought it was because of their low prices.
What I also came to realize was how important Human Resources can be for a company’s success. SWA invests in a 3-week training program that gives the employee everything they need to be an SWA team member. A 3-week training course is a huge investment. Another big thing they do is they only hire extroverts. They want people who are comfortable entertaining others and who get their energy from personal interactions.
Guest service is especially important for airlines. People do not look forward to going to the airport, so when an airline goes that extra mile to make sure their guests are comfortable it pays off because those guests will fly with them in the future.
I have worked in the service industry for the past 5 years and I know how important guest service is. Our training is about 8 hours and it is almost a complete waste of time. This recession has been very bad for the casino industry, and I believe it is time for my casino to invest in a guest service initiative. Guest retention has always been an invaluable tool for a casino’s success.
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