Estimated Reading Time: 60 Seconds

60-Second Articles:

1. While Others Zig, Southwest Successfully Zags
2. Apply Southwest’s Focus to Your Business and See What Happens
3. Can You Answer These Probing Questions About Your Business?
4. The 60 Second Close: Where’s Your WOW?

We welcome your newsletter feedback.  Share your thoughts with us and offer further commentary on our blog (www.axia.net/blog/).

• It’s no secret that the airline industry is in turmoil, and they’re passing the pain to passengers by adding surcharges and extra fees. But is “nickel and diming” the right tactic for achieving long-term customer loyalty?
• Southwest Airlines is succeeding by simply doing what it does best -- providing a fun flying experience. And while the other airlines are tacking on extra fees for luggage, Southwest pokes fun at them- boasting that “your bags fly free.”
• Southwest President Colleen Barrett explains that the company's focus is "we are not an airline with great customer service. We are a great customer service organization that happens to be in the airline business."
• A great customer service organization, such as Southwest or Nordstrom, does not pass pain on to its customers.

2. Apply Southwest’s Focus to Your Business and See What Happens

• If you incorporated Southwest’s focus into your business culture, your company would go through a magical transformation from the top down.



• Your new focus would automatically create a better experience, more value for your customers and increased customer loyalty.

3. Can You Answer These Probing Questions About Your Business?

• What makes your company special? Or, on the other end of the spectrum, if you closed tomorrow, would your customers miss your product and service?
• Why are these questions so important? Because we live in an age of similarity where there are similar businesses in similar locations selling similar products at similar prices to similar people. A stroll through any of our city’s malls will prove this and our guess is that if any of them permanently closed, they would most likely be easily replaced.

• The problem with similarity is that it breeds mediocrity. There is no growth in mediocrity as there is little incentive for guest loyalty. Long-term growth successfully occurs when there’s a commitment to providing a remarkable product, a great value and a memorable service.

4. The 60 Second Close: Where’s Your WOW?

• Finding what makes your business remarkable can be a challenging task. But sometimes the answer can be right in front of you. Other times, finding what makes your business remarkable is something that has to be developed by re-defining your company’s culture.
• We are 4 months away from the holiday shopping season. Do you know where your WOW is? Call us. We can help you find it … faster than ever.

Best wishes, Jason Mudd, APR AXIA (866) 999-AXIA

P.S. We welcome your newsletter feedback.  Share your thoughts with us and offer further commentary on our blog at www.axia.net/blog/.