Why Southwest Airlines Has an Online Forum
When you\u2019re booking your next flight and wondering about your in-terminal dining options or which seat will give you the best takeoff and landing views, check to see if you\u2019re preferred airline has a community that can help out with those questions.\xa0Southwest Airlines\xa0does, and it might be the only online community hosted by a major airline.\xa0
Airlines are always managing customer-facing and public relations issues so how exactly does one make the case for building a community? In this episode,\xa0Lindsey Duncan, who oversees the moderation and management of the\xa0Southwest Airlines Community, explains the unique relationships and conversations that it has fostered. The community thrives when it comes to topics that involve a unique point of view that can\u2019t always be provided by a Southwest staff member. For example, help traveling with children and getting tips as a first-time air traveler. These conversations also help Southwest Airlines create memorable brand moments and long-lasting customers.
Lindsay also shares:
- The ROI of a community-driven knowledge base
- Using community to connect customers and create memorable brand moments
- How two Southwest Community Champions connected and went on a trip to Disney together
On making the case for community:\xa0\u201cA customer is more inclined to believe information if it comes from another customer, or to take a recommendation that comes from another customer. \u2026 The idea [for the Southwest Airlines Community] was, we can get people more authentic information and learn more about our customers, and gain really great customer insight, and then also deflect some of the traffic from our customer service centers.\u201d \u2013@LDunkster
About Lindsey DuncanWhy community members return:\xa0\u201cThere\u2019s a sense of camaraderie that develops [between the Southwest Community Champions] because they help each other out. \u2026 I think anytime you can form a real connection with somebody and you\u2019ve got [a community] to nurture that and see it grow, as well as the fact that you are sharing in the activity of actually helping people out, they\u2019re going to keep coming back for more.\u201d \u2013@LDunkster
Lindsey Duncan\xa0is a social business senior specialist\xa0for\xa0Southwest Airlines, with a decade of experience in the airline and aviation industry.
She launched and oversees the daily moderation and management of the\xa0Southwest Airlines Community, including a blog and discussion forum where customers can share experiences and knowledge. In 2018, Southwest Airlines launched\xa0Community Champions, a super user program of nine members and counting.
Related Links- Lindsey Duncan\xa0on Twitter
- Southwest Airlines
- The Southwest Airlines Community
- Southwest Community Champions Program
- Digital strategist\xa0Jason Falls on Community Signal
- Flyer Talk
- A Southwest community member shares\xa0details on installing a CARES harness
- The\xa0careers section\xa0of the Southwest community
If you have any thoughts on this episode that you\u2019d like to share, please leave me a comment,\xa0send me an email\xa0or a\xa0tweet. If you enjoy the show, we would be so grateful if you spread the word and supported\xa0Community Signal on Patreon.