In the days when I was CEO at Southwest Airlines, just after airline deregulation, we prided ourselves in having frequent, convenient and low priced service between Dallas Love Field and: Houston Hobby, San Antonio, Austin Oklahoma City, Tulsa, New Orleans, and the list goes on.
As a result we created a new market of commuters, who wanted to be home each evening with their families. Our fares were so low, that they could afford to fly round trip in one day and it was less expensive than staying in a hotel overnight.
We had one very special passenger who commuted from Dallas to Houston five days a week. The 6:30am flight out of Dallas and back on the 4pm or 5pm flight. His first name was Gerry. I met him a couple of times and he called me on occasion for assistance. He received more attention from our employees than any passenger we had, including Herb Kelleher the Chairman or me.
That was over twenty five years ago. Recently a good friend, first name Tex, who has served our country for many years in government service was on a round the world cruise, speaking and Gerry was on the same cruise. Gerry is now retired and residing in Arizona. I got an email from Tex, saying they had met on the cruise, Southwest Airlines came up and Tex inquired if I remembered him. I didn’t have the name spelled correctly, but I remembered him and that the family was in the scrap metal business.
Now, we have established email contact and Gerry and I will try to get together sometime when I am speaking in Arizona. My memory is not that great, but I try to savor and remember those customers and moments that helped us be successful.
Do you remember your best customers? It is important that your associates and you know them and thank them. Loyal customers are hard to find…..don’t lose them.
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Howard Putnam is a leadership speaker and his programs cover successful strategies, innovation, change, developing people and ethics. He authored the book, “The Winds of Turbulence“. The National Speakers Association inducted Howard into the CPAE (Council of Peers Award of Excellence) Speakers Hall of Fame in 2005. He also is accredited as a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional).
This article was originally included in Howard Putnam’s Leadership eSeries. You can sign up to receive his weekly thoughts on leadership by going to: http://www.howardputnam.com/eseries.asp
