Segmentation and Target Market for Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines is based in Dallas and founded in 1971. They are known for their higher airfares and good customer services. (Elliot) The employees are known to be social with the travelers. They often times make changes and waive airline requirements. (Elliot) For example: “Robert Siegel and his wife scheduled a

Southwest Airlines Co., established in 1971 by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher, began its operations with only three Boeing 737 aircrafts. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas(Hawkins, Misra, & Tang, 2012). Southwest is well known as one of the largest low-cost carriers. With this strategy, the company has dramatically grown up and deeply rooted in the US airline industry. Now, Southwest Airlines Co. operates 633 aircrafts to 93 domestic cities and the highest number of passengers used Southwest Airlines to fly around U.S in Jan 2014 (Hawkins, Misra, & Tang, 2012). To accomplish more than 40th consecutive years of both profitability and competitiveness, Southwest Airlines Company is constantly trying to find the routes to differentiate itself from other domestic carriers (Hawkins, Misra, & Tang, 2012).

Southwest Airlines is a major US airline established in 1967 that services a multitude of cities in all 50 states and beyond. The company is known for its outstanding quality in providing services and it 's cost effective ticket prices to its many passengers throughout the nation. This airline is based in the southwestern United States, in the city of Dallas Texas, and due to the tremendous number of airplanes that it has and the timely service that it provides to its passengers, this airline services more US passengers than any other airline. This airline also has the largest fleet of planes of any economical or low-cost airline service in the world and employees more than 45,000.

The five universal competitive plans include overall low-cost provider strategy, broad differentiation strategy, focused low-cost strategy, focused differentiation strategy and best cost provider strategy (Bethel, 2017). Southwest Airlines popular competitive strategy is keeping customers happy by being low cost, employee driven, future-minded, and differentiated. The overall low-cost provider strategy that is being used at Southwest is a low-cost airline that focuses on no-frills service (Investopedia, 2015). Southwest Airlines diligently follows the strategy of a differentiated low-cost carrier. [They do this by providing the lowest possible fare in the industry, and do so by focusing on consistent service, reliable operations,

Southwest Airlines original name was Air Southwest in 1967 in Dallas, Texas, before the change of the name to Southwest Airlines in 1971. They were faced with battles due to legal issues with Dallas and Love field, because of the Wright Amendment, but the come to an agreement to allow 4 states to connect to Texas. Southwest bought 129 new planes, because of the expansion of the company growth, which currently have 141 planes that enhance the growth of the company because of shorter flights (Gimbel, 2005). Southwest was started in 1971, by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher, which released it first flight from Dallas Love Field that is located in Houston and San Antonio Texas. The passengers look for an airline services that can get them to their destination at a cheap price. Majority of the passenger are looking for an airline service that will eliminate layovers and multiple stops as possible.

The economy class is targeted at the leisure travel segment and the low cost business travel segment.

At Southwest Airlines, the company’s business strategy has a positive effect on the training they provide to their employees. Southwest Airlines is a Texas based airline that started up in 1971 (Corporate Fact Sheet). Over the years the airline has been recognized for its outstanding customer service and its low airfare fees. Due to their excellent customer service, the company has been ranked number one in customer satisfaction in 2013 by the U.S Department of Transportation. In. 2015, Southwest airlines was recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in the Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award. The reason that Southwest airlines is recognized for all these great things is because they obtain a good organizational control over the airline.

Southwest Airlines is a passenger airline company that arranges and provides scheduled flights for passenger and transportation freight services. The company mainly provides, low-fare, point-to-point services all over the US and near-international markets. The headquarters is located in Dallas, Texas and as of December 2014, the company employed over 46,278 people. The company was founded by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher in 1971. Southwest was the first airline to introduce the frequent mile program. This took place in the mid 1980’s. This type of program allowed passengers to add up traveled miles to use later as credit on a future airline ticket. The traveled miles would add up and would also reduce the price of a ticket. Southwest created the idea of senior discount, fun fares and the fun packs. These were perks that attracted people from different age groups. When Southwest originally was incorporated, the idea was to operate in three cities in Texas, but after taking over Morris Air and TranStar in 1987, this gave them a cutting advantage in the airline industry.

Southwest Airlines Co. began its operations in 1971 and has been serving the industry for the past 43 years now (Southwest Airlines, n.d.). It is the major domestic airline, and ranked number one in 2014 by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (United States Department of Transportation, 2014). Back in 1971 the airline began its services in Texas in the cities of Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. The company has been ranked as the nation's largest low cost carrier (Mergent, 2012). It offers the lowest fares, and has the lowest cost structure in the industry.

Technology is growing rapidly since the early 90’s and a lot has changed in the marketing sector on how businesses operate. The internet has made it possible for businesses to market their products and services through digital channels. According to Smallwood, (2016). “The way people connect, communicate, and share information online has evolved in ways unimaginable just a generation ago, yet from a marketer 's perspective the biggest change may be in the amount of information suddenly available.” Through digital media consumers are able to associate themselves with the products and services that are rendered. The three organizations I have seen advertised; that have specifically focused on digital media to market its products and or services are, Southwest Airline, John Foy & Associates, and the Coca-Cola Company.

Building the Brand: Southwest Airlines is well known as a Texas-based company that has a human side and a “down-home” attitude. Because of its large size, Southwest Airlines uses a variety of larger promotional methods, such as national advertisements and strong public relations to promote an image of a fun-LUVing brand. But, flight crews are the closest interactions that a customer has with the product, budget flights, which are a simple, undistinguished product. The quirky commercials and cheap flights appeal to a target market that is budget-conscious but still enjoys the fun side of life. The flight crews bridge the gap between the fun, unique commercials and the actual flight experience. By interacting with customers and joking around with passengers, they are able to grow customer allegiance in this market by acting in the same way that the brand has tried to portray itself.

Rollin King and Herb Kelleher originally incorporated southwest Airlines to serve three cities in Texas as Air Southwest on March 15, 1967. According to frequently cited legend, King described the concept to Kelleher over dinner by drawing on a paper napkin a triangle symbolizing the routes. (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio)

Southwest Airlines was originally named Air Southwest. It was started on March 15, 1967, by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher. Southwest Airlines is an American low fare airline based in Dallas, Texas. It is also the largest airline in the United States by number of passengers carried domestically in a year and the third largest airline in the world by number of passengers carried. Southwest is also one the most profitable airlines in the world posting a profit for 34 consecutive years.

This proposal addresses the needed steps to be taken in order for Southwest Airlines to see continued growth in the airline industry. Southwest Airlines has been able to remain one of the most profitable airlines in the industry for an extended period of time. Even with the hindrance of the 2001 terrorist attacks involving airplanes and the U.S recession of 2008, Southwest has continued to see strong revenue growth. Meanwhile, other companies were experiencing major losses and in some cases folding. Southwest Airlines has capitalized on the company’s strength of being the top low cost

Southwest Airlines has developed the ability to attract top talent while retaining those already working within their company. This human resource function is one that companies are striving to continuously improve. In which many companies try to duplicate Southwest’s approach, but are not as successful as the customer service oriented airlines themselves. The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit. Fulfilling this mission statement begins within the recruiting and selection process. Finding the right people, with the right attitude, can be more challenging as one may think.