Why You Don’t Want to Be Like Southwest Airlines

San Diego, Ca
10X Business Letter
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Dear Business Builder,

Recently I flew home from Las Vegas.

As usual I flew southwest airlines. I like them. They have a new fleet of jets and they have a youthful appeal to the way they do business.

But…

On my latest trip I was really surprised and disappointed.

They really let me down as a company.

Here’s what happened:

Right after they announced over the overhead PA that they would be taking drink
orders they guy next to me (a pastor) very nicely pointed out that because it was St. Patrick’s day that you could order the beverage of your choice for free!…

He pulled out the inflight beverage menu and showed me where he was getting his information from.

But it came with a warning: He said, “you have to ask for it, and I don’t think they want anybody to know about it.”

He went on to tell me how on his previous flight the flight attendant actually got frustrated with the customer for pointing it out and ‘hushed’ him.

I had to see for myself.

So when the flight attendant asked for my drink order, I politely asked, “Don’t we get a free beverage of our choice since it’s St. Patty’s day?…”

She almost cut me off with her, “Sshhh!…”

I’m thinking to myself, what is the deal here?

They created a promotion.

They marketed it.

They put it in their promotional material…

… but they don’t want to give it to anybody?!

C’mon Southwest, what’s your problem?

That is like Cheesecake Factory or Denny’s marketing that they offer a free meal on your birthday and then when you come in on your birthday — quietly asking your friends not to remind you that you are entitled to a free meal.

It’s a lack of integrity.

It’s taking advantage of the trust that we endow them with.

Trust is one of those things that takes awhile to earn but can be lost in a moment.

If you are going to create an offer stand behind it. Or don’t offer it at all.

We offer a 110% guarantee on our premier presentation program, “Influencing From the Front”. If a participant attends our event and doesn’t believe that it’s the best training of it’s kind, not only would we refund 100% of their purchase price — but we pay a 10% premium.

We created it.

We market it.

We put it in our promotional material…

… and we stand behind it!

Now, we’ve never had to refund anyone’s money because our program is the best of it’s kind, but if we had to — we would
honor it.

The moral of the story is always be your customer’s advocate.

Always have THEIR best interests in mind.

Do the right thing.

Loving Living Giving Large,

Jeff Paro
Editor
www.InfluenceOlogy.com