ABSTRACT
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is well known as a paragon of in-flight service. Ultimately, SIA’s success is attributed to a customer-oriented culture, its recognition of the importance of its customers. The values of cost-effective service excellence are enshrined in a unique, selfreinforcing activity system that makes the values real for all employees. This chapter discusses five pillars of the selfreinforcing activity system: rigorous service design and development; total innovation profit and cost consciousness ingrained in all employees; holistic staff development; reaping of strategic synergies through related diversification; and world-class infrastructure. The cultural values of cost-effective service excellence are ingrained into the minds of both employees and organisational processes. Though SIA is focused on the customer and providing continually improving service, managers and staff are well aware of the need for profit and cost-effectiveness. SIA expects that any innovation is likely to have a short shelf life.
