JetBlue Case Study

name

Due:

PUR 6610 – Case 4: JetBlue (pgs. 105-110)

From what I had understood from reading the case study, there was not much communication between JetBlue and their internal stakeholders throughout this crisis. I get this impression because throughout the case study it does not state how they communicated with one another during this crisis, just amongst “JetBlue officials”. Therefore, I believe that JetBlue should have taken time to personally contact each internal stakeholder (or even send them an email describing the current crisis and their plans to try and fix it) so that it wouldn’t be such a shock to them, which ultimately led many of the shareholders to sell their stock. I also think that JetBlue should not have waited for so long with their passengers on the plane to decide what they were going to do (about getting the passengers off, re-receival of their baggage, etc.), as well as waiting so long to contact “officials” and stakeholders, letting them know what was occurring and finding out what the next best steps could be. I think if they had communicated properly and within a timely manner, JetBlue would have been able to uphold, and maybe even enhance, their image with customers.

1. How could JetBlue have better communicated with its internal stakeholders across the country on Valentine’s Day and during the days that followed to enhance its image with customers?

In my opinion, I do believe that the corporate communications team at JetBlue should have arranged for the CEO to appear on national television news and talk show circuit following the crisis, but I do not think that they should schedule both appearances for the same time. I say this because I believe that it would have been a very good idea and a very good PR move for the CEO to go on national television news and explain the crisis, apologize to their customers for the inconveniences, and explain how JetBlue is trying to fix the issue. I think if the CEO had done this, it would give the public and JetBlue customers a chance to understand the crisis and see JetBlue in a more positive light. However, I also think that if the corporate communications team were to put the CEO on the talk show circuit, they should wait until the crisis had already passed and been solved, as it could have been seen as a way for JetBlue to “cover their tracks”, which may result in the public viewing JetBlue negatively.

1. Should the corporate communications team at JetBlue have arranged for CEO David Neeleman to appear on national television news and talk show circuit following the crisis? What might be the potential benefits and risks to the company’s reputation?

I would absolutely recommend a corporate advertising program for JetBlue. I say this because throughout the crisis and because of how they handled it, their reputation went downhill rapidly, meaning they would benefit greatly from corporate advertising, rather than advertising a specific product or service. Similar to how Sea World is currently using corporate advertising to enhance their reputation (after it was released that they use unethical practices and habitats for their animals), JetBlue could adapt a similar strategy in order to gain back the trust and support of the public.

1. Would you recommend a corporate advertising program for JetBlue?

I would take advantage of the negative situation JetBlue was previously in, and highlight how unappealing, unnerving and just down-right annoying it is to not know what is going on when something like this occurs, resulting in the customers feeling like they have wasted both their time, and money. I would market this Bill of Rights as a way of keeping all customers and stakeholders “in the know” of what will happen, and what they are entitled to, in the case of another crisis – ultimately (hopefully) resulting in the customers and stakeholders gaining more trust within JetBlue again. I believe that this would have a positive effect on JetBlue’s reputation – as they would be fixing the previous crisis and instilling trust in the customers and stakeholders by seeming transparent.

1. If implemented, how would you market the JetBlue Airway Customer Bill of Rights to external and internal stakeholders? How would this affect JetBlue’s reputation?