Companies pay millions of dollars each year for market research. They do customer surveys to find out the likes and dislikes of the public, and they try to spot trends as well as figure out the next "in" product. I have a less expensive suggestion that is probably a lot more accurate and gives "real time" feedback across a broad section of the public: just ask our Flight Attendants what's hot and what's not.
Some of our Flight Attendants work 4-5 days per week flying up to 7 flights per day with as many as 137 Passengers on each flight for an exposure to nearly 4,800 very diverse people. Want to know the most read book? Ask a Flight Attendant; they could have told you how popular The Da Vinci Code was going to be. What is the hot puzzle? Flight Attendants knew it was Sudoku before the rest of us did. What about the latest fashion color or most popular magazine or laptop computer? I know some great people that can answer these questions.
I have spent many evenings having dinner with the Men and Women who are in charge of our cabin safety and service, listening to their thoughts about what they have noticed during their flights. My advice to marketing people and manufacturing gurus...forget the focus groups and instead focus on what our Flight Attendants are observing each and every day. I think you would be amazed at what they could tell you.
Comments
Actually Capt. if you are trying to find out what the prisoners, the foot soldiers, and the city workers are thinking you don't ask the guards, the lieutenants, and the assistant city managers. Try as they may, their responses will reflect their own self interests and not those of the populations you wish to know about. That is Market Research 101. Fly the plane and leave the market research to the professionals, please. Thank you.
Dave's observations are right on the money. I have been a flight attendant for SWA for 22 years. I read "The DaVince Code" before justr about everyone else, because I saw many copies on the airplane. I knew about Blue Tooth before most, and remember being shocked to see bell bottoms back in style. We definitely know what's hot and what's not!! These market research companies should be utilizing this "untapped resource". Especially all us "dinosaurs" who have been around forever!!
Cynthia (Advocate Mother)
I do not know if you are aware, but if your daughter has a peanut allergy, and you inform Southwest Airlines ahead of time, they will remove peanuts from the flight and instead serve pretzels. Southwest Airlines would never jeopardize the safety of their passengers or risk losing customers by ignoring their concerns.
Feel comfortable knowing that you can book a flight on Southwest Airlines at a great price, and your child will be out of harms way. Simply notify the reservations agent you speak to, or the Customer Service agent that assists you at the airport, and you will be taken care of.
Safe Travels
Brian,
Can you surgically remove these off-topic posts and transplant them to the right place, which seems to be part of the avalanche of emotions generated by Gary's original post? It would sure help us get back on track here with Cap'n Evans!
Thanks,
Kim
What was Cap'n David's original topic this time around! We are all over the place here! Peanut Allergies, Cattle Calls!
Everyone, Behave! And stay on topic!
As the mother of a 7-month-old baby (with her own Southwest Rapid Rewards number), I appreciate getting a little extra time to board early. I buy my daughter her own seat, and it takes a few minutes to secure her car seat. I'm also the mother pack mule, carrying my purse, a backpack and her travel diaper bag, all of which goes under the seat.
When I travel alone, I just print out my pass exactly 24 hours before the flight. And I was one of the geeks that would show up extra early to get the A pass. This is just the way it is when you fly on Southwest. But you always know that you will get a ticket at a
reasonable price and get to your destination on time. This is more than I can say with some of the legacy carriers that have assigned seating!!
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Hi folks,
If you wish to post a comment for or against assigned seating, please post under Gary Kelly's comments here. It makes it easier for us to combine and tally your sentiments. If we could, let's keep on topic with Daves's post. Thanks.
Brian
Robert: The fact that Southwest is consistently profitable and are the largest domestic carrier undermines your statement. The flying experience must be good for someone for so many people to patronize them.
Most of your comments probably come from people that love to fly your airline, so I thought it might be useful for for someone who does not like Southwest to comment. I fly Southwest as well as other airlines. My selection is usually based on price and flight convenience. Most flights in the US are quite bad regardless of airline: often late, overcrowded, and attendant service not what it used to be. So the difference really comes down to price. Southwest is often very competitive in short flights, but I have found transcontinental flights more expensive tha in other companies. But, fortunatelly, there is still some great service left in some airlines. Your funny, short and T-shirt clad attendants are less than professional, and non-seat assignment is very problematic for families, which either they have to come to the airport very early to get that "A" card, or face having to be separated in the plane.. No, Southwest may have been successful in making profit, but it is far for being a good, professional company providing a good flying experience.