Classic Airlines Benchmarking
Generic Benchmarking Worksheet
Task A: Problem/Opportunity Statement
Instructions for Task A: In the Response row, write out the problem/opportunity statements for the scenario for each of the team members.
Response to Task A:
Classic Airlines will become a profitable and successful organization by establishing better relationships with its internal and external customers.
Generic Benchmarking—The purpose of generic benchmarking is to identify potential solutions to the problem statements defined in Task A. You will do this by looking at how companies in other industries have dealt with similar issues.
Topic A: Brand Marketing
Instructions for Topic A: In the Response row, each team member must identify at least one company that has faced and addressed similar situations (successfully and unsuccessfully).
• In the Response row, identify whether the company has been successful or unsuccessful.
• In the Response row, summarize your key findings for the company as they relate to the scenario.
• In the Response row, identify at least one alternative solution for Classic Airlines from each company researched.
Response to Topic A:
Company: Southwest Airlines
Status: Successful
Summary:
In 1968, Rollin King and Herb Kelleher founded Southwest Airlines, a new commercial airline that focused simply on getting customers from one location to another on time and for the most economical fare available. After three years of planning, Southwest began its operations in 1971 with very minimal number of planes on its fleet, with only four aircrafts serving three cities, and a maximum revenue of $2 million per annum (Andrews, 2006). After 24 years since the company’s inception, Southwest Airlines’ annual revenue grew to an impressive $3 billion per annum. Today Southwest Airlines “flies more than 70 million passengers in a year to 60 great cities all across the country and that too 3,000 times in a day” (Andrews, 2006). Southwest prides itself to be the
Task A: Problem/Opportunity Statement
Instructions for Task A: In the Response row, write out the problem/opportunity statements for the scenario for each of the team members.
Response to Task A:
Classic Airlines will become a profitable and successful organization by establishing better relationships with its internal and external customers.
Generic Benchmarking—The purpose of generic benchmarking is to identify potential solutions to the problem statements defined in Task A. You will do this by looking at how companies in other industries have dealt with similar issues.
Topic A: Brand Marketing
Instructions for Topic A: In the Response row, each team member must identify at least one company that has faced and addressed similar situations (successfully and unsuccessfully).
• In the Response row, identify whether the company has been successful or unsuccessful.
• In the Response row, summarize your key findings for the company as they relate to the scenario.
• In the Response row, identify at least one alternative solution for Classic Airlines from each company researched.
Response to Topic A:
Company: Southwest Airlines
Status: Successful
Summary:
In 1968, Rollin King and Herb Kelleher founded Southwest Airlines, a new commercial airline that focused simply on getting customers from one location to another on time and for the most economical fare available. After three years of planning, Southwest began its operations in 1971 with very minimal number of planes on its fleet, with only four aircrafts serving three cities, and a maximum revenue of $2 million per annum (Andrews, 2006). After 24 years since the company’s inception, Southwest Airlines’ annual revenue grew to an impressive $3 billion per annum. Today Southwest Airlines “flies more than 70 million passengers in a year to 60 great cities all across the country and that too 3,000 times in a day” (Andrews, 2006). Southwest prides itself to be the
References: Andrews, O. (2006, July 19). History of Southwest Airlines. Retrieved November 25, 2007, from http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/7-19-2006-102822.asp. Batory, S. (2006). Branding. Bloomsburg University. Retrieved November 25, 2007, from http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/sbatory/Branding%2017NOV05%20n46%201. 49mb.ppt. Grimaldi, V. (2003, October 20). Ryanair show on emotion. Retrieved November 25, 2007, from http://www.brandchannel.com/brand_speak.asp?bs_id=72. iMedia Connection. (2002, August 19). Southwest Airlines’ Anne Murray. Retrieved November 25, 2007, from http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/1363.asp. Kerin, R.A., Hartley, S.W., Berkowitz, E.N., & Rudelius, W. (2006). Marketing (8th edition). New York: McGraw-Hill. McCasland, M. (2003, April 22). Something not-so-special in the air. Retrieved November 25, 2007, from http://www.marketingprofs.com/3/mccasland6.asp. M2 Presswire Coventry. (2006, September 14). Delta Airlines: hit the books and then the beach; students may earn up to 35,000 SkyMiles with Collegiate Funding Services private loans. Retrieved November 22, 2007, from ProQuest database. Raulf, I. (2005, April 15). Transportation (airlines). University of Iowa. Retrieved November 24, 2007, from http://www.biz.uiowa.edu/henry/2005%20Reports/ LUV_sp05.pdf. Southwest Airlines. (2006). Speeches and presentations from Southwest leaders. Retrieved November 25, 2007, from http://www.swamedia.com/swamedia/ speeches/060430_overheard.html. University of Texas at Austin. (2003, May 8). Southwest Airlines receives first Kotmetsky award for branding. Retrieved November 23, 2007, from http://www.utexas.edu/opa/news/03newsreleases/nr_200305/nr_kozmetsky030508.html.