Spirit Magazine - October 2013 - (Page 14)

I ask three things of the 46,000 Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways Employees every day: Work hard, have fun, and treat everyone with respect. We call this Living the Southwest Way, and it comprises three characteristics that we look for in job candidates and require of our Employees: a Warrior Spirit, a Servant’s Heart, and a FunLUVing Attitude. While it may sound simple (and it is), the impact can be profound. Our Culture has long been admired and has earned Southwest much recognition, including a yearly spot on Fortune’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list (we ranked seventh this year) and the distinction of being named one of the Best Places to Work in Glassdoor.com’s 2013 Employees’ Choice Awards. Our Culture is not a program or a campaign; it is the sum of the personalities and behaviors of our People who Live the Southwest Way every day. Customer Service in Action A Customer was traveling to Florida to spend a few final days with her father, who was suffering from pancreatic cancer. Due to a flight delay, she would miss her connection in Chicago and was distraught because she needed to be in Florida with her father the next day. Our Employee reaccommodated the Customer so that she could get there. But that’s not the end of the story. Our Employee took the time to look up the Customer’s address and sent a handwritten note, which the Customer received upon returning home after her father’s death. The Customer writes that this act of kindness and compassion during such a difficult time meant so much to her. It’s a wonderful example of a Servant’s Heart in action!  Our Warrior Spirit was born from years of legal battles just to get Southwest off the ground. That same Warrior Spirit lives on today as we continue to be successful in a brutally competitive industry. Last year, our Warriors rallied around an effort to convince the City of Houston to allow Southwest to build an international terminal at William P. Hobby Airport. Through a comprehensive grassroots campaign, our People prevailed, and we broke ground on the new terminal just last month. (Southwest plans to launch international flights in 2014.) Our Employees have always had a passion for serving others. Our Servant’s Hearts have earned Southwest many accolades throughout the years, and we’ve consistently received the lowest ratio of Customer complaints to the Department of Transportation since they began tracking customer satisfaction in 1987. But more importantly, you see that passion in the way our Employees deliver Customer Service at the airport and on your flight—and anytime you encounter one of their warm smiles. Last, but not least, we like to have a good time, and you see that expressed with our Employees’ FunLUVing Attitudes! Where else can you hear a Flight Attendant sing a song, have a chance to play gate games with our Customer Service Agents, or celebrate the holidays in such a fun way with our Employees? After all, we take our competition seriously, not ourselves. I invite you to join in the fun and to let us serve you with a smile. Thanks for coming along for the ride! Gary Kelly Chairman, President, and CEO Southwest Airlines 14 SPIRIT OCTOBER 2013 PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN SELLERS + Gary’s Greeting Living the Southwest Way

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - October 2013

Spirit Magazine - October 2013
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
The Numbers
Business
Be Here Now
Don’t Just Stand There
Your Adventure In San Jua
Promotional Series: Florida: Full of Surprises
Your Adventure In San Juan
Promotional Series: Focus on Women’s Health
Promotional Series: Focus on Franchises
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Products & Services
Flight Service
Terminal Maps
Information
Rapid Rewards and A+ Rewards Partners
Route Map
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - October 2013

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