Dave Ridley, who spent 27 years in a variety of executive positions with Southwest Airlines, shares what it means to deliver excellent service and how it all starts with the kind of people you hire.

1. LUV* Lessons:
Service Excellence from
the Inside out

2. “People need to be reminded more
than they need to be instructed.”
Dr. Samuel Johnson

3. 3
1971

4. Remember what it was like before Southwest Airlines?
VIDEO

5. 5
1988

6. Peanut snacks and peanut fares
VIDEO

7. 7
2001

9. A message from SWA Employees
VIDEO

10. 10
2009

11. We will miss you Bags!
VIDEO

12. 2016
• #1 Domestic Market Share (25%)
• 43 Consecutive Years of Profitability
• 0 Involuntary Furloughs or Layoffs

13. 13
2016 World’s Most Admired Companies
1 Apple
2 Google
3 Amazon.com
4 Berkshire Hathaway
5 Walt Disney
6 Starbucks
7 Southwest Airlines
8 FedEx
9 Nike
10 General Electric

14. “We are in the
Customer Service business.
We just happen to fly airplanes.”
Colleen Barrett
President Emeritus
Southwest Airlines

15. 15
“The business of business is People.”
Herb Kelleher
Founder and Chairman Emeritus
Southwest Airlines

16. 16
“Southwest is a Company of People,
not a Company of planes.”

17. 17
Without a heart it’s just a machine
VIDEO

18. 18
“People are it’s most powerful fuel.”

19. 19
“People are it’s most powerful fuel.”
PeopleMatter!

20. 20
“Culture eats strategy for lunch.”
Peter Drucker
Management Consultant
and Author

21. 21
Grenny’s Theorem:
“There is no strategy so brilliant that
people can’t figure out a way to screw
it up.”
Joseph Grenny
Author, Crucial Conversations

22. 22
Service Excellence?

23. 23
Service Excellence?
Start from the Inside Out!

24. PPL

25. 25
Grenny’s Theorem:
“There is no strategy so brilliant that people
can’t figure out a way to screw it up.”
Joseph Grenny
Author, Crucial Conversations
Ridley’s Corollary to Grenny’s Theorem:
“There are no people so brilliant that a leader
can’t figure out a way to screw them up.”

26. 26
“Without a heart,
it’s just a machine.”

27. Creating a Culture of Service Excellence
1. When speaking to a Customer, give them your undivided attention.
2. When you’re in a bad mood, make sure it doesn’t show at work.
3. Smile every time you interact with a Customer both in person and on
the phone.
4. Sincerely apologize when you’ve made a mistake.
5. Avoid technical jargon and use words familiar to the Customer.
6. Maintain eye contact and avoid doing things when talking with your
Customers.
7. If you can’t help a Customer, try to find someone who can.
8. Put myself in the Customer’s place and see things from their
perspective.
9. Work hard to exceed Customer expectations.
10.When it’s really busy and you’re feeling overwhelmed, tell yourself
that if it weren’t for the Customers, I wouldn’t have a job.

28. Creating a Culture of Service Excellence
1. When speaking to an Employee, give them your undivided attention.
2. When you’re in a bad mood, make sure it doesn’t show at work.
3. Smile every time you interact with an Employee both in person and
on the phone.
4. Sincerely apologize when you’ve made a mistake.
5. Avoid technical jargon and use words familiar to the Employee.
6. Maintain eye contact and avoid doing things when talking with your
Employees.
7. If you can’t help an Employee, try to find someone who can.
8. Put myself in the Employee’s place and see things from their
perspective.
9. Work hard to exceed Employee expectations.
10.When it’s really busy and you’re feeling overwhelmed, tell yourself
that if it weren’t for the Employees, I wouldn’t have a job.