How many CEOs do you know that would even consider doing something similar? I'm going with very, very few. The vast are too calculating. ("What if someone takes a picture of me doing this? How will it affect how other people see me? Am I showing this person that they are more important than I am?")
I suspect that Branson does so well because he has a tremendously healthy ego. (Remember the final shot in MTV's Cribs with Branson?)
It's the most powerful statement all down his corporate line about how the boss-man really wants customers pleased. And the grins are a pretty good demonstration of how to measure the outcomes.
It's one thing for the CEO to tell it. It's transcendent to show it.
Richard Branson's success is largely built on sheer bravado.
One of my favorite videos: Branson dousing Stephen Colbert with a glass of water on live TV.
http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/66562/detail/
I've had pretty good experiences with Virgin America. They don't really do anything wrong. The only thing is that there isn't much included, because it's cheap...if you want food it's going to be something like an $8 cheese plate (that should be $2), and there are only a few free movies which are all crap. The one time I flew Jet Blue from SFO->JFK, there was a Virgin America flight leaving from the adjacent gate, also to JFK, and they announced over the loudspeaker that they were testing in-flight Wifi that flight. I was kicking myself...of course, next time I made that trip it was on VA and they weren't testing the Wifi.
I'm not sure whether that foot massage thing works out quite as well before you're a billionaire of world fame - but I think I'll give it a shot in my next investor meeting regardless.
I suspect that Branson does so well because he has a tremendously healthy ego. (Remember the final shot in MTV's Cribs with Branson?)