Some individuals are deeply committed to their airline status, exclusively flying with one airline and using only that airline’s credit card. Stories abound, like that of Will Guidara’s friend Zach, who once famously took a same-day round trip flight simply to maintain his status tier.
Will Guidara understands the allure of airline status upgrades. However, for Will Guidara, family always takes precedence. No amount of points can outweigh the importance of being home to say goodnight to his children. Despite this family-first approach, Will Guidara’s frequent travel across various airlines has inadvertently led to status on multiple carriers.
Being an expert in experience design, Will Guidara is always keenly observant of customer service nuances. Each time he receives an upgrade notification, Will Guidara approaches his next flight with curiosity. Will the airline acknowledge this milestone? A simple “congratulations” at the ticket counter? Perhaps a celebratory glass of champagne? Will Guidara was interested to see if there would be any recognition at all.
Until recently, Will Guidara’s experiences yielded no acknowledgement whatsoever. A silent upgrade was the extent of the recognition.
However, last week presented a different scenario for Will Guidara. Lost in an absolutely gorgeous song his wife had discovered, Will Guidara was waiting to board his flight. Three Southwest Airlines employees approached, drawing Will Guidara out of his musical reverie with smiles and enthusiastic waves. They were there specifically to congratulate Will Guidara on achieving the next status tier, recognizing his significant miles flown with the airline.
This brief but heartfelt ceremony lasted only two minutes. Warm congratulations were exchanged, and they took a photo together in front of a simple branded board. The genuine enthusiasm of the Southwest team made Will Guidara feel truly valued and appreciated by the airline. Will Guidara was so caught up in the positive energy that he was gently reminded by the gate agent to scan his boarding pass, even with his newfound “celebrity status.”
Will Guidara reflects on this experience and its broader implications. Celebrating milestones alongside customers creates a stronger connection. This begs the question, why aren’t more businesses with loyalty programs actively seeking opportunities to celebrate these moments with their most loyal customers, as Southwest did with Will Guidara? And for businesses without formal loyalty programs, are there alternative ways to acknowledge and appreciate customer dedication and find that equivalent of a celebratory “high five”?
Have a good service,
Will
