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Customer Service Academy

Customer Service Academy

Tony Johnson 100 Episodes Sep 30, 2026

Customer Service Academy Radio features customer experience expert Tony Johnson, who shares strategies for delivering excellent customer service to grow a business. The show includes interviews with leaders from best-in-class organizations and offers practical, real-world tactics for service teams. Johnson draws on decades of experience in restaurant, retail, and corporate settings to provide actionable advice. The podcast aims to ignite experiences that drive business results.

Episodes

198: Your Front Line Is Your Bottom Line With Robert Reitknecht
198: Your Front Line Is Your Bottom Line With Robert Reitknecht Sep 30, 2026 25:20 Saying "Great Work" Isn't Recognition What separates a truly memorable experience from one that simply checks the boxes? According to Robert Reitknecht, it has nothing to do with thread count, amenities, or the finishes on the wall — it has everything to do with how you make a guest feel in the moments that matter most. In this episode of Customer Service Academy, Tony Johnson sits down with Robe
197: Halftime Is Over: Finish 2026 Strong
197: Halftime Is Over: Finish 2026 Strong Aug 21, 2026 26:53 Half Time Is Over: Finish 2026 Strong Time is ticking away on 2026 and it might feel like you have just over 4 months left in the year, you really only have 3. The whistle blew on June 30th, and now is the time to take action if you want to impact what remains of 2026. Most leaders spend August telling themselves there's plenty of time, but November and December already belong to holidays, budget
196: Saying "Great Work" Isn't Recognition With Alex Grande
196: Saying "Great Work" Isn't Recognition With Alex Grande Jul 31, 2026 26:42 Saying "Great Work" Isn't Recognition "Great work." Two words, zero impact. Your team can tell the difference between recognition and reflex, and so can your turnover numbers. In this episode I sit down with Alex Grande, founder of Recognize, to talk about what actually moves the needle on employee experience. Alex brings a rare combination to this conversation - he's an entrepreneur building HR
195: 250 Years of American Hospitality
195: 250 Years of American Hospitality Jul 2, 2026 29:26 Titans of Hospitality: What 250 Years of American Service Can Teach Us About What's Next America is about to turn 250, and the story of who we are as a country cannot be told without the story of how we serve. From the frontier to the drive through to the Apple Store, hospitality is one of the most American art forms we have. It is also one of the most misunderstood. On this Independence Day, le
194: The Value Paradox: Lessons in High-Stakes Hospitality
194: The Value Paradox: Lessons in High-Stakes Hospitality Jun 11, 2026 29:53 The Value Paradox: Why Guests Are Spending More and Forgiving Less Consumer sentiment is at an all-time low, yet people are still spending. The World Cup just kicked off on American soil. And right here in Polk County, Florida, a landmark healthcare partnership just opened its doors with a vision that every hospitality leader should study. In this episode, I unpacks the paradox reshaping restau
193: The Superpower of Bringing People Together With Amy Wiggins, Lakeland Chamber of Commerce
193: The Superpower of Bringing People Together With Amy Wiggins, Lakeland Chamber of Commerce May 17, 2026 43:40 The Superpower of Bringing People Together With Amy Wiggins | Lakeland Chamber of Commerce As the President + CEO of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, Amy is dedicated to creating a climate where business can prosper. She and her team do this by advocating for pro-business policies and initiatives, connecting businesses to resources, and strengthening relationships. A native of Plant City, Amy gra
192: People Squared - Leading in an AI World With Nikki Barua
192: People Squared - Leading in an AI World With Nikki Barua Mar 10, 2026 27:35 People Squared - Leading in an AI World With Nikki Barua For more than 25 years, Nikki Barua has helped global brands reinvent their culture, capabilities, and competitive edge.  In this episode, Nikki introduces the idea of "People Squared." Let AI do what machines do best, while humans double down on connection, empathy, and judgment. When leaders combine both, teams become exponentially more ca
191: Why Experience Matters as Much (Or More) Than Product With Dan Thumberg, Swan Brewing
191: Why Experience Matters as Much (Or More) Than Product With Dan Thumberg, Swan Brewing Feb 15, 2026 35:06 Why Experience Matters as Much (Or More) Than Product With Dan Thumberg, Swan Brewing Tony interviews Dan Thumberg, founder of Swan Brewing in Lakeland, Florida. Dan's background spans the carnival and amusement park industry, beer distribution, and leadership roles at American Express and Apple. He now combines enterprise-level service systems with small-business hospitality to build community-c
190: The Year of Experiential Hospitality
190: The Year of Experiential Hospitality Jan 24, 2026 27:44 In this episode, I introduce 2026: The Year of Experiential Hospitality and why it's time to stop treating customer experience and hospitality as separate conversations. Customer experience is the strategy. Hospitality is how that strategy shows up in real moments, on the front line, every day. Experiential hospitality is about intentionally creating moments where people feel welcomed and understo
189: Leading Customer Experience, Employee Engagement, and Hospitality in 2026
189: Leading Customer Experience, Employee Engagement, and Hospitality in 2026 Dec 31, 2025 33:49 As we head into 2026, leaders are facing a familiar challenge in a new form. Expectations are higher. Attention spans are shorter. Technology is accelerating. And yet, the differentiator hasn't changed. In this episode I talk about what is needed to drive employee experience, customer experience, and hospitality to drive business results. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why leadership, hospitalit
188: Customers Want to Buy, Not Be Sold with Geoffrey Reid
188: Customers Want to Buy, Not Be Sold with Geoffrey Reid Dec 14, 2025 28:50 Host: Tony JohnsonGuest: Geoffrey Reid Author: The Revenue Catalyst: Mastering the Art of Sales In this episode, I sit down with Geoffrey Reid, a globally recognized sales leader with a rare blend of academic depth and real-world execution. Geoffrey's journey from public policy and mediation to sales leadership gives him a unique lens on how selling really works and why so many organizations strug
187: The Thanksgiving Check-In: Winning the Last Mile of 2025
187: The Thanksgiving Check-In: Winning the Last Mile of 2025 Nov 23, 2025 26:31 As the year winds down and the holiday rush kicks into high gear, leaders face a critical question: Are you coasting… or closing? In this Thanksgiving-themed leadership check-in, I break down how to keep your team sharp, energized, and aligned during the toughest stretch of the year while positioning your organization to win in 2026. Whether you lead a frontline team, a regional operation, or an e

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