9. jul. 2025
In this episode of Served., Peter Baech talks with Tony Johnson, CCXP, former Chief Experience Officer (CXO) at Aramark and now CXO at 4xi Global Consulting. With more than 14 years in one of the world’s largest food service companies, Tony shares what he's learned about building a culture of service that actually works in contract catering.
From what great service really means to balancing tech and human touch, Tony makes one thing clear: if you want better customer experiences, you have to start with your people.
From a lost client to a lifelong CX mission
Tony’s journey started with a hard lesson. Early in his career, he lost a long-term account. The feedback was blunt: The service wasn't good enough.
“It stings. To lose a client because they say you weren’t delivering great service? That’s a kick in the teeth.” - Tony Johnson
That loss pushed Tony to dive into hospitality. He studied everyone from Ritz-Carlton to the Disney Institute. And over time, that obsession turned into a new path at Aramark, where he eventually led global customer experience across food and facilities.
Customer service, experience and hospitality are not the same
Tony breaks it down into three parts. Customer service is the functional delivery. Customer experience is the sum of everything. Hospitality is the emotional layer that makes it all memorable.
“Hospitality is where the emotional connection comes in. The empathy. The anticipatory service. That’s what starts to set folks apart.” - Tony Johnson
He believes operators overcomplicate it. Great service is about being polite, empathetic and easy to do business with. And above all, it should feel seamless.
How do you know if you’re getting it right?
Surveys, smiley-face buttons and digital dashboards have their place. But Tony is direct. If you want to know how good your service is, show up.
“Walk into a location. Talk to guests. Talk to the team. See what’s happening in real time.” - Tony Johnson
He also points to one overlooked source of insight: your own staff.
“They are right there at the moment of truth. They know what guests are saying. They hear it every day.” - Tony Johnson
Culture starts at the top
Tony is clear about who sets the tone for service. It’s leadership. Always.
He shares a story about getting chefs to wear safety gloves. When the executive chef finally put one on, everyone else followed.
“The megaphone of leadership is mostly driven through actions. It’s a show-me, don’t-tell-me.” - Tony Johnson
The same goes for hospitality. Managers need to model the behavior they expect. And then talk about it daily. Not just in reviews or posters on the wall, but in huddles, hallway conversations and celebrations of what good looks like.
Don’t rebuild the service playbook every time
Tony cautions against trying to reinvent your service strategy for every new setting.
“You probably don’t need a new program. Maybe 80 percent of it already works. You just need to tweak how it comes to life in different environments.” - Tony Johnson
His example from Disney hotels is spot on. The core training and service expectations are the same across their value, moderate and premium properties. The physical experience changes, not the tone of service.
Know your guests
Not every customer wants the same thing. Not every generation uses tech the same way. Some want speed. Others want to talk to a human. Your setup needs to reflect that.
“Make sure the technology is there when people want it, but the humans are there when people need it.” - Tony Johnson
Tony encourages operators to look at usage data, talk to guests and observe patterns. Then adapt.
AI, feedback and the real voice of the customer
Tony sees real promise in AI. Not just for automation but for unlocking patterns in feedback & customer experience data.
“The numbers tell me the what. The verbatims tell me the why. That’s the juicy stuff.” - Tony Johnson
He believes operators need to listen better. And act faster. Use AI to identify themes. Use short surveys to get more responses. And never underestimate the power of a cookie.
“Hand out a cookie for filling out the survey. It works. I swear.” - Tony Johnson
Train like it matters
Good training sticks when it’s daily, short and specific. Tony calls it the cumulative effect of five minutes a day.
He also stresses the quality of your trainers. Not just the material but the delivery. And don’t rely on just one method. Mix live coaching with LMS tools and real examples.
“Your training probably isn’t very good. Make it better. Break it into small pieces. Reinforce it every day.” - Tony Johnson
Select, don't just hire
Tony makes a clear distinction between hiring to fill a gap and selecting the right people to deliver a great experience. He references a quote from Disney Institute that stuck with him: hiring is about filling a spot on the schedule, while selecting is about finding the right person for the role.
“If you're hiring somebody and convincing them they should be nice to people, that's a real waste of energy.” - Tony Johnson
He urges operators to build teams with service-minded people from the start. Because inspiring someone to care about hospitality is much easier if they already have the heart for it. It’s about attitude and intent as much as skills.
A great guest experience is fueled by a great team experience. Leaders should create environments where people want to deliver great service - not because they have to, but because they’re proud to.
Final thoughts
Tony’s message is clear. Build the right culture, train your people well and use feedback as fuel. Don’t get caught up in trends or jargon. Focus on what matters. Know your guests. Show up as a leader. Reinforce the basics. And never stop listening.
Because in the end, good service isn’t a project. It’s a habit.
Quickfire:
First word that comes to mind when he hears “customer experience”? -> “CX.”
Kiosk or human cashier? -> “Human cashier.”
One piece of advice for operations managers? -> “Focus on people.”
And if you’re looking for a good summer read on service leadership, Tony recommends Lee Cockerell’s Creating Magic. Because great customer experience isn’t magic. It’s intentional.
