Jet Blue Social Media Snapshot

JetBlue's social media efforts are led by Joseph Eng, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer.

According to JetBlue's web site Mr. Eng is "responsible for the airline’s information technology strategy and its vital role in enhancing the Customer experience."

Program Components

• Twitter - is used to instantly respond to customer complaints or questions, tweeting sales promotions, sharing videos and photo links. JetBlue has over 896,000 followers
• JetBlue Cheeps offers discounted flights on Mondays. Cheeps has over 10,000 followers
• Facebook - JetBlue has over 8,000 friends who have added photos. Other than that, this social media component is basically ignored by JetBlue. Their wall has no posts and no information
• YouTube - JetBlue has a YouTube page that features news events, interviews and entertainment/humor. JetBlue used YouTube to post an apology from then CEO David Neelemen due to Jet Blue stranding passengers on air planes during bad winter weather
• WelcomeBigWigs.com - JetBlue has created a website that pokes fun at CEOs who have lost their private jets due to the economic turmoil of 2009. It provides three lessons on how to navigate commercial travel

Program Goals

JetBlue didn't have enough direct contact with customers, especially after they let their customers down due to procedural failures that left customers stranded on planes for hours in 2007. JetBlue needed a way to communicate more directly with customers to counter the negative media coverage they were receiving.

Effectiveness

If number of followers means anything, then JetBlue's Twitter efforts have been successful. They are actually engaging in conversation with customers. They are offering travel tips and "crowdsourcing" ideas with Twitter. JetBlue is also selling open seats through JetBlue Cheeps.

Snapshot Caption:

The airline was forced to innovate operationally when they had a monumental crisis after stranding passengers on their planes during ice storms in 2007. The media coverage was very damaging, threatening the very viability of the brand. JetBlue turned to social media to begin communicate changes in procedures, apologize for bad customer experiences, and start real conversations with customers. The Chairman's blog and their Twitter and YouTube presence have been a very effective combination of social media approaches to put communicate JetBlue's focus on improved operations and wanting to be as engaged as possible with customers. Social media has clear helped JetBlue get their brand image back on the right flight path.