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Southwest Airlines Community

A Southwest Airlines Number to be Proud Of

tlaraba
Explorer A

The airline industry is full of “numbers” and so many of them are important to our bottomline.  Well, here’s a number of which I am very proud—it’s the External Commendations to Complaints (Rudeness) Ratio, and it is outstanding!  For the first quarter of 2010, we received 9.82 commendations for every ONE complaint.  I can’t think of a better indicator that our Employees are continuing to display the traits that have secured our place as a leader in Customer Service.   “Friendly… caring…helpful…genuinely concerned”—these are all terms that we hear and see in the letters, phone calls, and e-mails from our Customers.  What that means is thatoSouthwest Airlines Employees are one of the reasons that our Customers remain loyal to Southwest and why they reward us with their return business.

Although a good part of the communication we receive about our Employees includes numerous cases of “above-and-beyond” acts of kindness, there are plenty of thanks that are shared for the simplest thoughtful gestures.  Recent examples include an e-mail commendation of a Ramp Agent who set up a Customer’s stroller, complete with car seat and locked brake; kudos for a Customer Service Agent who (unbeknownst to the Passenger) removed her baggage strap and secured it in the bag’s zipper pocket; and a great social media “blog shout-out” to our Proactive Customer Service group for proactively contacting a Customer who’d experienced a flight diversion.

No, we aren't perfect, but our Employees are working very hard so that you can count on us to deliver friendly, affordable, and safe travel.

6 Comments
Drew_Hawkins
Explorer C
This doesn't surprise me at all. Anytime I have had to do anything with the customer service department of Southwest they've been great! I actually had to re-arrange a rewards flight to a different airport for a different day and the person over the phone did a great job helping me out and made it a completely painless process. I never dread having to ask for help!
Arkelanor
Explorer C
Congratulations on your stats. That is to prove that customers (and coworkers!) not only complain... they compliment too!
Madeleine_McGra
Explorer C
Excellence sounds like a really big idea, but your examples here show that it is made up of many simple little things. But at the heart of excellence is people who care, and who work for a company that cares. Fabulous job, guys.
2oceans1
Explorer C
SouthWest is just the most awesome airline around. Flying has become such an ordeal its a pleasure to step onto SouthWest " Iron" and feel the hassles slip away, This company is 1 in a million.
patrice
Explorer C
Now looking to SW to get flights to Daytona Beach.  As it stands if SW doesn't fly there, I don't go.  But I'd sure like to fly to Daytona...however, will wait till it happens.  Love those decorated planes.
jbrandon
Explorer C
A great way to raise your numbers would be to increase the unaccompanied minor fee. Wait...you just did!!! Great job guys!!! $50 each way?! Seriously?! I'm going back to driving. Just when I thought Southwest was above the rest....