Quality is a philosophical category that expresses a set of essential features, characteristics and features that distinguish one object or phenomenon from others and give it a certainty. The quality of an object, as a rule, is not reducible to its individual properties. It is connected with the subject as a whole, covering it completely, and inseparable from it. The desire to stimulate the production of goods that are competitive in world markets, initiated the establishment of a new enterprise-wide method of continuous quality improvement of all organizational processes, production and service. This method is called – total quality management. Total Quality Management (TQM) is managerial philosophy that was successfully launched many years ago in Japan and the U.S., companies who have attained the highest quality products are awarded by the sign of TQM. The main idea of TQM is that the company should work not only on product quality, but also on the quality of the organization of work in the company, including the work of the staff.
Every company accepts Total Quality Management as a management system that is based on the production of quality in terms of customer products and services. TQM is defined as focused on quality, customer-focused, evidence-based, and managed by a batch process. TQM aims systematic strategic objective through continuous improvement of the organization of work. TQM principles are also well known as “general improvement of the quality,” “world class quality”, “continuous quality improvement”, “total quality service” and “total quality management”. Southwest Airlines Company is the one that became the best airline company throughout the world with the help of TQM system development. Continuous quality improvement is an integral part of effective management of the Southwest Airlines. To implement the responsibility for quality at all levels of the organization has evaluated the contribution of every employee in the process of quality improvement as part of a periodic review of their work.
Southwest Airlines is an American low-cost airline company that was founded in 1971. Southwest Airlines is the largest and the most successful airline in the United States and throughout the world by number of passengers transferring (1 place in the U.S. and in the world). The company is based in Dallas and operates only Boeing 737s. Its fleet consists of 547 Boeing 737s of various modifications, which make more than 3,100 flights a day. Southwest Airlines is well known for its total quality improvement system usage. It is also famous for its unique Corporate Culture and Communication and employees satisfaction. Southwest is working on the system of four facets of quality improvement that was developed by Deming. This concept is based on the improvement of product and service, processes improvements (that produce and deliver products/services), innovation of products and services and process innovating.
Southwest Airlines performance is based on the idea that if the company takes care about its employees, than the employees take care about the company. This is core concept of the company’s success. All the four facets of quality company maintains through the employees motivation, encouragement and love. This is done, because company’s main product is the service that it brings its clients during the flight and employees of the company create this product and give it to the customer directly. Therefore, the improvement of the employees’ performance and their encouragement influence the quality and innovation of Southwest Airlines product — flight services. Now it is clear to understand, why the company considers its staff core measure of wealth, opportunity and success. The customer service and steady earnings growth has direct correlations, so in order to provide customers high-quality services is a top priority of the Southwest Airlines and this company argue that it has two categories of clients: internal (employees) and external (clients of the flight services).
Service-profit chain is a striking phenomenon, emphasizing the importance of people, both employees and customers, demonstrates that the link between them can increase rates of corporation. Service-profit chain is the strong correlation joined on one side of which are: corporate policies, creation of the value, employee satisfaction, clients’ loyalty and on the other – profit. People are the key to success of Southwest and this company clearly understands the motives of people and use the most powerful tool people encouragement in order to achieve the highest results. “If the company meets its staff, the latest in the long run it, take a more serious commitment to the customers’ needs”. Initiative and encouraged employees have lots of proposals to improve the products and services that give Southwest Airlines company the ability to use fully their potential in the interests of the enterprise.
Customer satisfaction is a critical element of sustainable earnings growth. Therefore, customer service has become an important part of Southwest Airlines corporate culture and promoted the formation of the authorized and motivated employees, aimed at high standards of customer service, and company continually demonstrates that its top priority is customer service. You should establish a system to collect feedback from buyers and the transfer of this information to those responsible for the creation of value, to create a system to encourage employees for building and maintaining relationships with customers. At the heart of the real value of the company is the loyalty to customers. Customer loyalty is making a major contribution to sustainable earnings growth – “to win customer loyalty, the company satisfies their wants and needs systematically”.
Southwest Airlines company has developed a strong organisational culture and control that is based on the personnel encouragement and motivation. This approach has strongly influenced company’s performance, making it more effective and customers oriented. This company has built effective and efficient quality system that is working through the corporate culture and employees motivations and participation. Therefore, Southwest Airlines is successful and effective company that became the world leading one through the Deming quality improvement system usage.