Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/62199
LUV, Colleen Southwest Airlines' Colleen Barrett says the organization operates on a principle that isn't stressed much in b-school: genuine TLC for employees and customers. Colleen Barrett typifies the spirit of Southwest Airlines, the 32- year-old carrier based in Dallas, Texas. She's friendly, funny, and far from buttoned-down; she goes out of her way to make others feel welcome and comfortable. Then again, that's how Barrett, president and chief operating officer of the airline, would expect everyone at Southwest to treat any guest who came through the doors. "We tell job applicants we're in the customer service busi- ness. We just happen to provide airline transportation," she says. Southwest's commitment to passengers and customers is so strong and so emotional that the company trades under the symbol LUV on the New York Stock Exchange. "And we often use LUV when we sign correspondence to each other and to the outside world," Barrett says. Barrett herself is a key reason that customer service is such a by Sharon Shinn byword at Southwest. She started with the airline in 1978, although she already had ties with founder and former CEO Herb Kelleher from working as his executive assistant at his law firm. Her career path at the airlines has been stellar, as she has moved from corporate secretary to vice president of adminis- tration to executive vice president of customers. In these roles, she has been largely responsible for the customer service values that have driven the airline, and she has made sure her attitudes permeate the whole workforce. In 2001 she received her cur- rent titles—and last year she was named one of seven "Women to Watch" by Fortune magazine. In 2002, she also received the Kupfer Distinguished Executive Award. Titles are meaningless without corporate success, but Southwest—and Barrett—both have the numbers to back them up. The fourth-largest airline carrier in the U.S. with revenues of $5.5 billion, Southwest continued to operate profitably even after September 11, 2001. What's the airline's secret? If you ask Barrett, she'll probably tell you that it all begins with LUV. 18 BizEd MARCH/APRIL 2003 You're widely credited with developing the corporate culture at Southwest Airlines. Can you define that cul- ture in a few words? It's fun, spirited, zesty, hard-working, and filled with love. Love is a word that isn't used too often in corporate America, but we've used it at Southwest from the beginning. For one thing, we were serving Love Field. For another, we had very little money in pocket; we had to get most of our media cov- erage by way of newspaper stories instead of by advertising. When we started out in the early '70s, the word had a sexier connotation to it, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing at the time. But over time, because we're so into teamwork, the word has become more wholesome and family-oriented. You've said that you tend to "hire for attitude and train for skills." If I'm a business student and I'm read-