Reflection Post #3: Come Fly With Me

Have you ever planned a vacation where it felt like the day would never come? Then it arrives, and you learn that your flight is delayed, cancelled, or oversold? We all have stories to tell about the heartache and disappointment of traveling in today’s world. The airlines’ lack of compassion, flexibility, and accommodation has resonated with all of us at one point. We are dependent on them to get us to our far away destinations, so if things go wrong on their end, our feedback doesn’t seem to make a difference.

Over the decades, many U.S. airlines have merged together or were part of an acquisition. We don’t have as many choices as a consumer that we once had. Less options equals less competition. It isn’t right or fair, but frankly the airlines can treat us the way they want. There really isn’t anything we can do as paying customers to change the culture.

In Chapters 11 and 12 of the Groundswell we learn about how companies use social communities to engage with their customers and employees, learn from them, support them, and make positive changes based on their input. Their experiences provide valuable feedback and a sense of community and empowerment. So, why is the airline industry different? Sure, they comment on customer’s negative feedback by apologizing but what are they doing with this information? It certainly doesn’t seem like they are making changes that impact us in a positive way. Here is a comparison of a large global airline (American Airlines), to a smaller, primarily U.S.-based airline (Southwest Airlines) to see who is doing a better job listening to and transforming themselves based on the Groundswell. 

Marketing Approach
Southwest’s marketing is creative, approachable, and humble. They cater to recreational travelers. Their down-to-earth advertising campaigns promote less fees than the competition which appeals to families and less-frequent travelers. Southwest’s logo has a rounded, typeface with a primary-colored heart as their symbol which visually says "we care." 

American Airlines on the other hand, capitalizes on its miles program, an incentive-based marketing strategy. This approach caters to frequent-flyers who extensively travel as part of their livelihood and career. Miles' perks benefit the everyday, business traveler and their families vs. the once-or-twice-per year vacationer. American’s logo uses a sans serif typeface with a classic blue and red bird airplane wing as the graphic - which is visually clean and corporate. 

Engaging with the Groundswell
Southwest uses Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram as their social communities to connect with their customers. They encourage people to connect with them and callout the ways to do so on their homepage with a feature callout section. Based on the research, they respond to their customers' feedback. It may not always be what the flyer is looking to hear, but they try to make it right.

  

American Airlines hosts Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter icons in their website’s footer. They also have social communities, but they aren’t pushing them front and center as much as Southwest for customer feedback. The responses from American Airlines seem to be less sympathetic in nature (when they do respond) as they send a link which can be annoying... passing you along in the shuffle.

Weather and mechanical delays will always exist and appear without notice, however there may be some ways in which both airlines can listen better to their customers to minimize negative experiences in the future. From what we’ve learned throughout our readings in the Groundswell, listening seems to be the most important.