Dealing with the Culture Details in the Delta Airlines Merger

The complexity of a merger

Have you been following the Delta Airlines merger? Merging two organizations is a complex process. And it’s the details that can bog you down. From the way you slice a lemon to the way you serve a drink, each practice must be evaluated. To clarify, your goal is to ensure that those with a Delta or a Northwest history will perform similarly. The details are significant because they are not only habit for the employee, but also practices that reflect the culture.

Delta Airlines merger–it’s the details that matter

Evaluating how employees do everything might be excruciating, but it might also be a valuable experience. It’s the details that communicate values and produce a consistent customer experience. Companies should take the time to consider how work is designed and the systems and processes for doing work. If these actions do not reflect and align with the principles and values of the organization’s core culture, then the customer experience might not convey the right message about the company.

So even if your company has not experienced a merger, stop and evaluate what you do in your work each day. Screen those actions against the values that are core to your organization. Make changes so that every action consistently produces an experience that supports what your company says is important.

It’s the little things that matter–yes, the details can make all the difference. Each Delta employee greeting, each pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight experience should consistently communicate a set of values that differentiate the company and express what’s important. Know the values of your culture and be sure all the little things you do at work reflect, reinforce and align with those prime principles. The Delta Airlines merger is an example of the details that matter.