Research Project on Southwest Airlines Customer Satisfaction

This report presents a research project examining customer satisfaction with Southwest Airlines. The project investigates the factors influencing customer satisfaction in the low-cost airline industry, focusing on UK operations. It outlines the research methodology, including the formulation of research specifications, data collection through questionnaires administered to UKCBC students, and data analysis. The report explores the objectives of identifying key factors contributing to customer satisfaction, pinpointing issues faced by customers, and assessing overall satisfaction levels. It reviews relevant literature, including the Kano model and expectancy disconfirmation theory, to understand customer expectations and experiences. The report also includes an implementation plan, resource identification, and an evaluation of the research outcomes, presenting findings and recommendations for Southwest Airlines to improve customer satisfaction. The research utilizes both primary and secondary data sources to provide a comprehensive analysis of the airline's performance and customer perceptions.

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................3
LO 1: Understanding the methods of formulating research specification.......................................3
1.1 Formulating and recording the expected outcome of the research project 260.........................3
1.2 Identifying the factors contributing to the selection of the process of research conduction.....4
1.3 Undertaking a critical review of the references helping to understand the customer
satisfaction and the factors affecting the same................................................................................5
1.4 Producing research project specifications.................................................................................5
1.5 Producing an appropriate procedure and plan to conduct the research specification................7
LO 2: Be able to implement the research project to the specifications and within the agreed
procedures........................................................................................................................................9
2.1 Identification of the resources required to carry out the research and explaining the
relationship between research resources and research hypothesis...................................................9
2.2 Undertaking the research through producing the questionnaires..............................................9
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................14
LO 3: Be able to evaluate the outcomes of the research................................................................14
3.1 Mentioning the appropriate technique for research evaluation stating the reason(s)..............14
3.2 Analysing and interpreting the results of the original research...............................................15
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................16
LO 4: Be able to present the research outcome.............................................................................16
4.1 Presenting outcomes of the research the audience of Southwest Airlines...............................17
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................18
References......................................................................................................................................19
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Introduction
As a result, there has been a blooming market of the low cost airlines and this very reason
created the crowded stature within this industry (Wong et al. 2013). However, the situation has
been taken into account in this research project where the researcher has included a number of
studies both the primary and the secondary form of information. The research has considered
Southwest Airlines as their key organization making their functioning an example within this
industry. The satisfaction of the customers has been studied and the results showed that the
satisfaction level ranges from low to medium.
Task 1: Collection of organisational data and derived learning
LO 1: Understanding the methods of formulating research specification
1.1 Formulating and recording the expected outcome of the research project
260
Aims of the research are to study the effects of performance of Southwest Airlines within the
airlines industry of United Kingdom. The main objective of the research is to finding the
satisfaction level of the customers by the performance of the Southwest Airlines which is a low
cost airline in the United Kingdom. The students of UKCBC have been considered as the
audience in order to conduct the interview to understand and analyse the customer satisfaction.
Objectives of the research
 To identify the main factors contributing in building up customer satisfaction in an
industry
 To identify the issues among the customers of the Southwest Airlines and relating it to
functioning of other low cost companies in UK
 To identify the level of satisfaction among the customers of Southwest Airlines
The conditions of the functioning of the airlines in UK have made it effective for the lower
budget flyers to travel to the foreign countries. However, the detailed study of the UK airlines
industry has produced the evidence of such functioning that does not satisfy the customers in this
sector. It has been made clear by the researchers that a cent percent customer satisfaction is not
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possible to be acquired by any industry (Agnihotriet al. 2016). However, provision ofsatisfactory
results to the customers should be achieved by an industry through integrated provision of
services by different companies. However, it has also been consideredthat different sectors of
customers should be assisted by companies functioning in differential targetmarket selection.
Therefore, absence of such functioning within the industry has induced the likelihood of
conduction of one such research project. The Kano model provides an account of the level of
satisfaction among the customers in an industry defining the factors that might be attributed to
the same. This model has been integrated in the research to identify the loopholes in the
functioning of Southwest Airlines (Alvesson and Sköldberg, 2017).
The resources that have been considered appropriate for carrying out the research project are the
views and the reviews of the UKCBC students regarding the satisfaction level of usage of
services of Southwest Airlines. Besides, several books and journals have been included in the
study in order to gain knowledge about differentpostulations of theories of customer satisfaction.
The research has implied on the matter of concern faced by the low cost airlines in UK (Bansalet
al. 2015). The dissatisfaction of the employees in the low cost company like Southwest Airlines
has been found to be the main reason affecting the customer satisfaction level.
1.2 Identifying the factors contributing to the selection of the process of
research conduction
Selection of a research topic is a process that is required to be considered with proper
understanding in order to have a proper outcome that is desiredat the beginning of the project.
Therefore, the factors that have been considered to identifythe right research topic is stated and
discussed in this report (Blut iet al. 2015).
Firstly the situation of dissatisfaction of the customers from the services provided by the
organizations in the airlines industry is taken as an important issue. Therefore, the mindset of the
researcher has been considered to resolve the matter of insufficient roles of low cost companies
like Southwest Airlines in the UK airline industry (Brinkmann, 2014).
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1.3 Undertaking a critical review of the references helping to understand the
customer satisfaction and the factors affecting the same
The customer satisfaction is the one of essential criteria that a business must strive to fulfil.
Having a set of highly satisfied customers would in turn develop the loyalty among the same and
thus, ensures long run relationship with its customers. Customer satisfaction therefore, brings
long run sustainability where the company is also liable to meet changing preferences and
demand of the customers. Therefore, there are a number of researches on the factors that are
responsible for enhancement of customer satisfaction as a result of service providence by an
organization within a specific industry. Several studies have protrude a number of factors that
can be stated as implacable on the experience of the customers as an effect of the functioning of
Southwest Airlines in the airlines industry of United Kingdom. However, budget airline is also a
factor developing a number of satisfied customers through limiting the cost to be carried out. A
large number of theories have been forwarded in this stature, all of which can be divided into
three major groups. These are attribution, equity and disconfirmation which can be considered to
be viable within the stature of functioning in low cost service suppliers like Southwest Airlines.
According to the expectancy Disconfirmation theory the judgements of the customers are mainly
based on the evaluation of the actual product an industry or a company sells (Kim et al. 2013).
Therefore, the imagery of the brand that is producing a particular service or a product should be
considered by the organization to be provided with favourable quality. On the other hand, the
physiological theories that were identified by Anderson has been used to explain the impact of
the expectancy of the customers as well as their satisfaction has been considered to be important
to be understood to continue their services effectively in the market. However, the extent of
satisfaction and expectancy has also been described with further examples such as contrast,
assimilation, generalised negativity and assimilation-contrast. These theories have been
considered the key to measure the satisfaction levels among customers.
1.4 Producing research project specifications
Research on customer satisfaction of Southwest Airlines
Introduction
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Southwest Airlines is a major organization under US airline. It has been established as an
important organization providing low cost services to the passengers who belong to the low
income groups in the society. The organization was founded in the years of 1967 and has began
is operations in the year 1971. Southwest Airlines employees more than 55000 members within
itand have been rated among the top service flyers in UK. The organization has largely
maintained its focus on provision of convenient services to the customers belonging to the low
income groups of the society (Lakatos, 2014). The frequent flyer services have been availed by
this company that has enabled the travelling of certain groups in foreign. New services have been
enabled in the organization to provide efficient services within the low cost services.
The customer satisfaction has been deemed to be the most important criteria to be fulfilled.
Therefore, the authority has considered following of certain strategies underpinned under certain
theories. The expectancy theory and psychological theory of customer satisfaction is followed in
the organization. The low cost services provided by Southwest Airlines have seen high demand
in the recent years. However, this has shown emergence of issues in order to meet the demands
of the customers. Therefore, resolving of such issues has been aimed to be discussed in the
research project.
Research questions
1. What are the main factors contributing in building up of customer satisfaction within an
industrial stature?
2. What are the issuesthe customers faceon account of the services produced by Southwest
Airlines?
3. What is the level of satisfaction among the customers of Southwest Airlines?
Aims &Objectives
The research project has aimed to learn the implications of the customer satisfaction among the
customers of a low cost airline Southwest Airlines. The methods that are used in the organization
have also been aimed to be discovered.
Literature review
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An organization should provide services to the target customers in order to make the services
satisfactory to the customers. However, evidences have been gathered in the market stature from
the reviews of the customers of the Southwest Airlines that there is existence of dissatisfaction of
the customers.
It has been assessed in the organizational review by the respondents of the interview conducted
as well as the reviews published in various journals that Southwest Airlines is decreasing on their
quality of services due to increased demand of their services. This has resulted in apparent
increases in the production of the organizationhowever; a gradual degradation of the service
quality has been noticed in the past years (Senguptaet al. 2015). Poor maintenance of the aircraft
has been reported by most of the experiencedpassengers.The high demand of their services has
been attributed to their limitedresources to conduct the business. Therefore, effective methods of
customer satisfaction can be suggested from the learning in the research.
Research methodology
The research has chosen to conduct a primary data collectionmethods and the acquired data has
been considered to be analysed throughqualitative methods (Smith, 2015). The research sample
has been selected through random sampling from among the UKCBC students. The research
sample strength is 25. Questionnaire has been employed as a tool to conduct the interview. All
the ethical considerations have been considered during conduction of the research.
1.5 Producing an appropriate procedure and plan to conduct the research
specification
The table represents all the stages of research conduction with the extent of each stage.
Activities
required for the
research project
1st Week 2nd Week 3rd
Week
4th
Week
5th
Week
6th
Week
7th
Week
Selection of
appropriate
research topic
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Literature review
Methodology
required in the
research project
Collection of
data in primary
as well as
secondary
sources
Data analysis
and
interpretation
Findings
Conclusion and
Recommendation
for the research
study
Final submission
of the research
report
Task 2
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LO 2: Be able to implementthe research project to the specifications and
within the agreed procedures
2.1 Identification of the resources required to carry out the research and
explaining the relationship between research resources and research
hypothesis
The researches on the customer satisfaction of Southwest Airlines are required to be established
with help of certain tools like questionnaires and research questions. The research has been
initiated through the understanding of the issues within the industry. Thereafter, it has been
aimed that the functioning of the organization is analysed through usage of qualitative research
analysis methods. Besides, the research project has also been established in the stature of
understanding the level of dissatisfaction among the passengers. Therefore, the primary research
has been completed through the same (Smith, 2013). In order to conduct the secondary research,
the research project has considered the study of the external materials such as journals and
books. The secondary research has also been based on the collection of information from the
feedback portions of the website of Southwest Airlines.
The research question or the research hypothesis is often confused with the research resources
whereas there are certain differences between them. The research resources are those that has
been utilized in the research project to conduct the findings on the topic that has been considered
within the research. However, the research question can be identified as a tool that has been
employed in the conduction of the research to find out the level of customer satisfaction among
the service users of Southwest Airlines. This tool is employed in the research project and has
been considered to be an important part of the functioning.
2.2 Undertaking the research through producing the questionnaires
Question 1: Do you agree with the fact that customer satisfaction is a matter of concern in
Southwest Airlines?
Strongly
agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
Total
25
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Question 2: Do you agree that services of Southwest Airlines provide customer satisfaction?
Strongly
agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
Total
25
Question 3: Do you agree that Southwest Airlines provide tourism facilities to the
customers?
Strongly
agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
Total
25
Question 4: Do you think that the low cost airlines likeSouthwest Airlines provide
satisfactory services?
Strongly
agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
Total
25
2.3 Recording and collecting the data showing the responses and critically analysing them
Question 1: Do you agree with the fact that customer satisfaction is a matter of concern in
Southwest Airlines?
Strongly
agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
Total
11 06 04 00 04 25
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0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Series2
Table 1
(Source: Self-developed)
Most of the interviewees in the college that the UKCBC has shown their reliance on the fact that
the airlines in the UK industry are serious about the provision of satisfactory services to the
passengers that have been acquiring constant receiver of the services. The graph above shows
that not a single respondent has disagreed to the fact that the airlines are committed to provide
satisfaction besides provision of services to the passengers.
Question 2: Do you agree that services of Southwest Airlines provide customer satisfaction?
Strongly
agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
Total
12 05 03 02 03 25
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0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Series2
Table 2
(Source: Self-developed)
About 12 respondentsstrongly agreed to the fact that the Southwest Airlines is destined to
provide services that are functional in the sector of airlines industry. However, about 02
respondents have strongly disagreed to the fact. This describes that Southwest Airlines is not
providing satisfactory services to the customers.
Question 3: Do you agree that Southwest Airlines provide tourism facilities to the
customers?
Strongly
agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
Total
11 02 04 03 05 25
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