The Buc-ee’s Paradox: How America’s Cult Convenience Store Earned an “F” While Everyone Still Loves It

April 06, 2026 | By: John DiJulius

When expansion moves faster than your service culture, the cracks always show up in the customer relationship — not the clean restrooms. A look at what Buc-ee’s BBB “F” rating really means, and the five steps every scaling brand must take before it’s too late. ▪ THE NEWS — MARCH 2026 The Better Business Bureau… Read Full Article

What Are the Top Service Trends CEOs Can’t Ignore?

March 30, 2026 | By: John DiJulius

Why the Companies Rushing to Replace People with AI Are Already Reversing Course The Research That Confirms What I’ve Been Saying for Years I’ll be honest — I wasn’t surprised when I read this. But I was glad the data finally caught up. According to new research from Gartner released in February 2026, half of… Read Full Article

How Do I Align Employee Personal Development with Company Goals?

March 20, 2026 | By: John DiJulius

The Answer Hiding Behind the “Quiet Cracking” Crisis What I’m Seeing in Organizations Right Now I’ve been working with organizations across the country for decades, and what I’m seeing right now is something I’ve never quite encountered at this scale. It’s called “quiet cracking,” and it may already be happening inside your organization — even… Read Full Article

What Target’s Brand Collapse Teaches Every CEO About Culture, Identity, and the Frontline

March 16, 2026 | By: John DiJulius

What the fall of one of America’s most beloved retail brands teaches every CEO about culture, identity, and the one thing no restructuring plan can fix. There used to be a joke that only insiders understood. Customers didn’t say they were going to “Target.” They said they were going to “Tarzhay” — the faux-French pronunciation… Read Full Article

Your Engagement Surveys Are Lying to You. Here’s What You Should Measure Instead.

March 10, 2026 | By: John DiJulius

Why 82% of Employees Feel Lonely at Work, Even When Engagement Scores Look Good. I’ve spent the last three decades working side by side with some of the world’s most admired organizations — Starbucks, The Ritz-Carlton, Chick-fil-A, KeyBank, Lexus — helping them build cultures where both employees and customers genuinely thrive. And in that time,… Read Full Article

Building True Customer Loyalty: The Power of Small Gestures

February 02, 2026 | By: John DiJulius

How world-class companies create lasting customer loyalty through intentional details, not expensive reward programs—featuring proven strategies from Ritz-Carlton, Starbucks, and hospitality leaders. Your competitor just launched a flashy new loyalty program. Points, tiers, exclusive perks. Your leadership team is nervous. Should you match it? Go bigger? Offer deeper discounts? Here’s what most leaders miss: The… Read Full Article

The Advantage No One Can Copy: Making Service Your Ultimate Differentiator

January 20, 2026 | By: John DiJulius

How to build a customer experience strategy that creates competitive advantage through systems competitors can’t duplicate—featuring proven frameworks from companies like Starbucks, KeyBank, and Domino’s. You’ve seen it happen. A competitor launches a new app feature on Monday. By Friday, three others have rolled out something similar. Someone drops their prices, and suddenly everyone’s in… Read Full Article

Why You Want to Train Your Employees to Surprise & Delight Your Customers

January 19, 2026 | By: John DiJulius

Opportunity to Differentiate According to a Gallup Survey, 49% of Americans say customer service has gotten worse in the last year. Only 6% say it has improved. *CSRevolution Podcast Episode 236: How Can I Make Customer Experience A True Competitive Advantage In 2026? This Week’s Customer Experience Microlearning Watch and share this amazing 1-minute service… Read Full Article

How to Make Your Customers Feel Like Your #1 Priority

January 12, 2026 | By: John DiJulius

An Above & Beyond Story that Literally Saved a Customer’s Life Check out this incredible story of a Florida chef searching for his loyal customer who hadn’t been in. *Related – 5 Customer Experience Strategies For 2026 This Week’s Customer Experience Microlearning Have your team answer these three questions to focus on building a consistent,… Read Full Article

5 Customer Experience Strategies for 2026

January 05, 2026 | By: John DiJulius

One constant I have heard repeatedly this past year is that customers’ expectations have never been higher. I totally disagree. I believe customers are less tolerant of poor service and are more willing to voice their frustration and switch brands faster than ever. Customers are tired of the customer service recession. They have had to… Read Full Article