Southwest Airlines is admired around the world for its commitment to brand and culture as well as the customer service approach that has set the company apart from other airlines. In this episode of Brands That Travel, we will be interviewing Teresa Laraba, Senior Vice President Customer Service, to learn more about the strategy behind Southwest's success and how customer service is evolving in the travel marketplace. Ms. Laraba oversees the airline's customer support and services, customer relations, customer service agents and central baggage services, and with over 20 years of industry experience, she knows that the best advice for colleagues is to "slow down and listen - the person in front of you deserves your time".

Teresa Laraba, Senior Vice President of Customer Services

In this episode, Ms. Laraba shares:  

  • How the Southwest corporate culture has changed over time (2:27)
  • The unique way Southwest manages its culture across 68 locations (6:40)
  • The reality series "Airline," and the outcome of Southwest's participation (11:01)
  • Her opinion on the new DOT 3-hour tarmac regulation (12:39)
  • The role social media and real-time communication plays in customer service (14:10)
  • Her experiment with assigned seating and the customer reaction (18:17)
  • The Traveling Five (20:30)

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How important will social channels become as a part of travel suppliers' customer service organizations?

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