We are all obsessed with AI - and rightfully so. It feels like if you don't lean into it, it will run you over. Customers expect organizations to use every arrow in their quiver to create meaningful, frictionless, timely experiences. But that cuts both ways. Imagine a guest checks into a hotel after a long travel day. The app checked them in automatically, the room was ready early because AI predicted their arrival window, and their preferred floor was pre-selected based on past stays. It allowed them to use a digital key to check in, and they walked past the front desk right to their room. As they neared their room, they received a welcome text message from the front desk. Pretty impressive stuff so far. But when they arrived in their room, they found it wasn't cleaned properly, there was only decaf coffee, and the TV remote batteries were dead. They replied to the welcome text message to complain and were connected to a bot. The bot apologized. Offered points. Closed the ticket. The guest left a two-star review. Because what they needed in that moment wasn't a points top off. They needed a human being to look them in the eye (or at least sound like one on the phone) and say, "I'm so sorry. Let's fix this." I have lived this in my many travels. And for me, the failure was two-fold. The great technology is a huge help when I arrive late and can head right to my room - but so often I find that there are issues with the room itself, which is a completely human error. Most often, it really is a remote control that doesn't work, or there is no regular coffee for the in-room machine. That's the paradox we're living in right now. AI is doing incredible things for hospitality, food and beverage, travel, and every service-driven business you can name. But the brands that consistently win are the ones who are melding technology and human connection - more like a cyborg than a robot. Robocop rather than Terminator, if you are a nerd like me. Ready to up your hospitality or leadership game with our engaging, interactive sessions ? Schedule your training session, workshop, or on-site assessment today. Too many organizations are approaching AI as a technology play or cost-savings exercise, when it is clearly an experiential strategy. This is not a shiny object that can be layered onto broken customer journeys or under-trained teams and magically create customer loyalty. That said, AI does have the potential to become a powerful tool to drive scale, understanding, and ease within the customer experience. Where AI Is Winning There is no doubt that AI belongs in your business - the operational gains are real and potentially very significant. AI-powered chat handling reservation questions and resetting passwords at 2 a.m. are the obvious tactical wins. Overall accuracy improves, response times drop, and these daily items don't inconvenience your customers. But the deeper win is personalization at scale. Think about what the best server or front desk agent does naturally - they remember the returning guest's name, their dietary restrictions, and small details or preferences from their last visit. AI can now surface that information for every team member, every shift, every moment. This is the opposite of replacing the human touch, it gives your team the tools to deliver it more consistently. And on the operational side, predictive staffing, inventory forecasting, and proactive service recovery alerts are changing how smart operators run their businesses. If your systems can flag a guest who had a delay, a complaint, or a subpar experience before they reach the checkout desk, you have a shot at turning that around. Like with any new technology - from computers to self-checkout - it is an opportunity not to eliminate staff, but rather to repurpose to higher-value, higher-touch tasks that inspire customer loyalty. Now those are powerful potential differentiators. Where AI Falls Flat Here's the truth nobody in the tech space wants to say: AI cannot feel, and it does not care. It can simulate empathy and be trained to say the right words, but when a guest is upset, anxious, overwhelmed, or just having a really bad day, they are craving a real, human connection that AI cannot replace. Loyalty is like trust, hard to cultivate and easy to lose. AI can accelerate both of those paths depending on the circumstances. For all the progress and advances AI is bringing, there are still clear areas where it has opportunities for improvement. The issue is often not the technology itself, but how it is being applied within organizations. When AI is layered on top of poor design, unintentional strategies, or lack of operational execution, it tends to amplify the problem instead of solving it. One common failure is over-automation. Organizations become so focused on efficiency and cost savings that they remove the ability for customers or guests to reach a person when it matters. Guests get stuck in chatbot loops, phone trees, or app self-service and can't figure out how to bust out of The Matrix to find a human being. AI may be great at gathering feedback and even surfacing issues where service recovery is needed, but it can come up short when it comes to resolving the issue. Systems designed to get customers to a person when needed will have the most success here, as often it takes a person-to-person connection for service recovery to be successful. There is also a gap between insights and actions - as AI surfaces patterns and trends, organizations must translate that learning into behaviors and tactics to improve the experience. When leaders invest in advanced analytics but don't convert that to training or operational improvement, the overall experience will not improve. Another potential issue is the complexity that AI can add to frontline teams. In theory, AI should simplify the work, but in practice, this often leaves employees navigating new systems without training, balancing multiple systems during the transition, and all the anxiety that change brings all on its own. It's crucial that implementation of these tools are as intentional as the actions they should be driving. The takeaway is that AI struggles when it replaces human connection, adds complexity, or doesn't fuel executional adaptations or change. How to Implement AI in Your Business (While Keeping a Human in the Loop) This is where it gets practical, because the "how" is where most businesses get stuck. Start with friction and remove it deliberately Before you invest in any system, take a hard look at where your experience is breaking down or where there is a need to focus. Where are customers waiting, repeating themselves, or following up unnecessarily? Where are employees spending time on tasks that do not add value to the guest? Automate confirmations, reminders, and follow-ups so customers are never left guessing Use voice and chat AI to handle routine questions and basic support Streamline booking, waitlists, and reservation changes Identify and fix common friction points before they become complaints Build real customer understanding and personalization at scale Hospitality has always been about knowing your guests, but most organizations are still relying on information that is guesswork, scattered, or inconsistent. AI gives you the ability to change that, but only if you treat it as a strategic priority. This is where AI becomes a true differentiator. Create 360° guest profiles that combine POS data, reservations, feedback, and digital behavior into one usable view AI-driven segmentation that identifies VIPs, frequent guests, high-value customers, and at-risk segments automatically Real-time visibility into preferences, order history, spend patterns, and visit frequency Triggers that prompt personalized actions before, during, and after the visit When this is done right, personalization stops being a marketing tactic and becomes an operational capability. Your team walks into every interaction with context, which allows them to recognize, anticipate, and respond in a way that feels intentional instead of generic. 73% of customers expect better personalization as technology improves - Salesforce Use AI to prepare and empower the frontline AI should enable and empower your team, not replace them. This is where many organizations miss - they invest in systems but do not translate that into something usable for the team delivering the experience. Provide pre-shift insights that highlight key guests, special occasions, preferences, and potential service risks Surface guest profiles in real time so employees do not have to ask repetitive questions Offer guidance such as next-best actions that support decision-making without scripting behavior Train teams on how to use insights naturally in conversation When employees are informed and confident, they can focus on connection instead of information gathering. Keep a human in the loop, while automating routine processes Not every part of the journey needs to be automated, and leaders need to be clear about where the line is. AI should handle predictable, repeatable tasks, while people should own the moments that require empathy, judgment, and presence. Automate routine inquiries, transactions, and basic service interactions Use AI to flag frequent, recurring issues, trends, and opportunities Ensure people step in for service recovery, complaints, celebrations, and high-value interactions - and ensure those triggers work every time Empower employees to make decisions in those moments without unnecessary escalation If you automate everything, you lose what makes hospitality work. Improve the employee experience along the way AI is not just a customer experience tool. It is an employee experience tool, and if you ignore that, you will limit its impact. When your team feels comfortable with new technology and innovations, they will both use and embrace them in their daily work. When employees have better tools, better information, and less noise, they deliver better service. Reduced administrative workload and eliminate duplicate systems AI for forecasting and staffing so teams are not stretched thin Prioritized insights so teams know what actually matters during a shift AI becomes a support tool that helps employees succeed, not something that monitors them Let's finish by talking about the elephant in the room - your team is watching what you do with AI very carefully and some of them are very concerned. Anxiety in the face of such fast-moving change is understandable and this creates an opportunity for great leadership. Teams need to see AI as their new coworker and embrace the scale and pace that it brings to improving the guest experience. Be transparent about what AI will and won't replace in your business. Communicate early and often - and celebrate where the irreplaceable human connection lives and how it will be better enabled through this new tools. In a world full of automated touchpoints, the team member who turns an angry guest into a raving fan deserves to be recognized. The housekeeper who noticed a guest left their medication behind and got it back to them. The server who remembered a family was celebrating an anniversary and brought out a dessert without being asked. The team member who notices a guest looks lost or confused and offers assistance. Those moments matter more now, not less. I asked AI "How do you think you can best support hospitality and customer experience professionals to take better care of their guests?" To which it responded: "My role in hospitality is not to replace the human connection that defines great service, but to help teams show up better prepared for every guest interaction. I can bring together guest history, preferences, allergies, spending patterns, and past experiences instantly so employees begin the conversation informed instead of scrambling for information. What I cannot do is feel empathy or read the emotional tone of a moment, and that is exactly why hospitality professionals remain at the center of the experience." Customer Experience and hospitality are constantly evolving - and will continue to evolve. Organizations that find ways to embrace innovation and technology such as AI will find themselves positioned not only to provide better customer experiences, but to compete in the marketplace. The reality is that not only will customers expect these enhancements to service, but also the efficiencies in time and price that they will bring. When you align CX strategy and frontline hospitality in this way, the results are clear. Customers experience less friction and more relevance because the system understands them. Employees feel more prepared and confident because they don't have to start from zero in every interaction. This also allows leaders to better gather and implement customer feedback + insights to continue to drive ongoing improvements. But most importantly, this technology can drive personalization at scale and keep people squarely at the center of everything you do. Tony (Crafted by a human, not AI.) Meet Tony Johnson Tony is the Co-Managing Partner, Co-Owner, and Chief Experience Officer (CXO) for 4xi Global Consulting. He is an internationally recognized thought leader and influencer in Customer and Employee Experience. Tony hosts the wildly successful Customer Service Academy podcast and is the author of two books on leadership and CX. Tony has worked with some of the top organizations across the globe, including Delta, 3M, Baylor Scott and White Health, University of Virginia, Siemens, SHRM, and more. Tony is available to help your organization with: Employee training and development Executive and leadership coaching CX and EX strategy creation Inspirational keynote talks Fractional Chief Experience Officer Evolving Experiences , a 4xi brand, focuses on Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX) as growth engines. By creating fierce loyalty with both employees and customers, organizations can differentiate themselves in an ever-changing and competitive marketplace. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking (C) 2026. May not be used to train A.I.

The Essence of Hospitality: Creating Meaningful Connections Hospitality is about feeling that connection – that sense of being welcomed, respected, and comfortable in a space. It is created by people, for people, through empathy, intention, and kindness. Hospitality is that coffee shop that remembers your order. It is the hotel that welcomes you by name and quickly checks you in because you look exhausted. The smile and welcome at the theme park as you walk up to your favorite attraction and they mirror your excitement. This concept is part of a larger framework known as Customer Experience (CX), which encompasses the entire customer journey with a business or brand. Hospitality is a foundational element of this framework, alongside Safety, Quality, Simplicity, and Connectivity. While CX maps the entire journey, hospitality is what brings it to life. You can curate an exceptional experience on paper, but if people don’t deliver at the moment of truth, then it all falls apart. That is why hospitality matters now more than ever. Learning from Hospitality-Rich Organizations Regardless of industry, there is so much that can be learned from hospitality-rich organizations. Applying the best practices of the best hotels, restaurants, and theme parks can help any organization create deeper customer loyalty. People are the focus of hospitality , and it begins with the team experience. Guests will feel it when teams are well engaged, empowered, and enabled. Technology will hyper-accelerate personalization and customer understanding - but there always needs to be a human in the loop to protect experience and privacy. Companies with engaged employees see 23% higher profitability - Gallup As we close the book on 2025, hospitality must be at the top of your list if you want to set yourself apart in this crowded market. I spent nearly two decades leading hospitality and serving guests. For the last seven years, I have worked with leading organizations and local businesses to deliver world-class hospitality around the globe. I'm also blessed to live in Central Florida, the hospitality capital of the world, in the middle of a living laboratory for customer service. Emerging Trends in Hospitality for 2026 These are the emerging trends I am seeing and predictions for what will be foundational to hospitality success in 2026. Team Experience Equals Guest Experience Teams will transfer the care they receive (or don’t) to their guests. When teams feel supported, empowered, and respected, they show up with confidence and warmth that guests feel immediately. Clearly define hospitality expectations and reinforce them through regular coaching conversations so people know what “great” actually looks like. Invest in frontline leadership development so managers know how to coach behaviors, not just manage schedules and tasks. Recognize and reward hospitality moments , not just performance metrics or tenure, so the right behaviors get repeated. Remove silly policies and processes that prevent employees from doing the right thing for guests. Hospitality as a Revenue Strategy Hospitality is not separate from business results. It directly influences guest loyalty, spending, and long-term brand preference. Identify specific hospitality behaviors that influence revenue, such as greeting quality, pacing, personalization, and recovery - and ensure your team understands "why" they matter. Align hospitality metrics with financial outcomes so leaders can clearly see the connection between service and results. Coach teams to recognize emotional cues that signal opportunity or concern so they can respond appropriately in the moment. This kind of emotional intelligence in hospitality is ideal for issue resolution and service recovery. Premiumization: The New Differentiator Guests want moments that feel special and worth sharing, even in midscale environments. Premium is no longer about price; it is about exclusivity, meaning, and emotional lift – and the social media post. Depending on where you fit in the market (value, everyday, elevated, premium, or luxury), this comes to life differently but should always be crafted as a way to stand apart. Design one or two intentional premium moments that are easy to execute and repeat consistently across teams and locations. Train teams to create small, meaningful surprises rather than just expensive upgrades because thoughtfulness often outperforms cost. Guests remember how something made them feel, not what it cost you. Offer optional enhancements that guests can choose without pressure so premium feels like a benefit, not a sales tactic. When it feels like you have their best interests top of mind, it builds trust. Offer the full premiumization approach when appropriate to create the feeling of luxury, scarcity, and exclusivity. AI-Enabled Hospitality: Personalization at Scale Technology will increasingly support hospitality by removing friction and driving insights. People are ultimately responsible for empathy, judgment, and connection. Use AI tools to identify guest preferences , patterns, and alerts in real-time so teams can act proactively. There are great software solutions for this available. Automate low-value administrative work that pulls attention away from guests so teams can focus on human connections. Provide prompts and guidance rather than rigid scripts so interactions stay personal and situational. Hospitality should sound like a person, not a robot. The Rise of Immersive Hospitality Training Hospitality training must prepare people for real moments, not ideal scenarios. Learning needs to feel emotional, situational, and relevant to daily work so that it is retained and put into action. Combine virtual/digital, in-person, and leader-led micro-training to ensure scale and engagement. Combine lecture-based training and scenario-driven practice + role plays that mirror real guest interactions so teams can build confidence. Train emotional intelligence and recovery skills alongside technical execution because how teams respond under pressure defines the experience. Reinforce learning through short, frequent touchpoints rather than one-time events so behaviors stick - this is often in the form of leader-led micro-training. Implement social learning so that participants learn from each other, engage in meaningful discussion, and even gameplay to reinforce key topics. Ready to up your hospitality or leadership game with our engaging, interactive sessions ? Schedule your training session, workshop, or on-site assessment today. The Guest Journey: Breaking the Fourth Wall Hospitality begins before a guest arrives and continues after they leave. Every interaction shapes how welcomed and valued someone feels. Map the full guest journey , including digital, physical, and human touchpoints, to uncover blind spots. Most friction lives between handoffs. Personalize communication before arrival and after departure to extend the feeling of care beyond the visit itself. Ensure digital tools support human connection rather than replacing it so technology enhances warmth instead of creating barriers or distance. Consistency: The Brand Promise Guests expect the same level of hospitality regardless of location, time, or team member. Consistency builds trust and loyalty over time, but it requires discipline to deliver. Define non-negotiable hospitality standards that apply everywhere so guests and employees know what is expected. Observe experiences regularly across shifts and locations to identify gaps before guests do. This type of leadership engagement and coaching drives continuous improvement. Coach the team in the moment to ensure service moments hit the mark. Guests give loyalty to experiences that are consistently "very good," but not to those that are "world class" one day and "average" the next. One in three customers will walk away from a brand they love after just one bad experience. - PwC Creating Belonging: A Core Hospitality Skill Hospitality is not just about service. It is about helping people feel welcomed and that they belong. Guests want to see themselves in their experience and feel comfortable in the environment created. Train teams to acknowledge every guest quickly with warmth and respect so no one feels invisible. Design spaces that feel comfortable , intuitive, and welcoming, because the physical environment influences the perception of safety. Don't just be compliant; ensure that everyone can use spaces in ways that fit their needs. Build awareness and language into training and leadership coaching so belonging feels intentional, not like an afterthought. The environment itself must promote hospitality through ambiance, music, lighting, scent, seating, wayfinding + signage, and amenities. They should thoughtfully deliver ease and comfort for guests as they have defined it through your customer listening efforts. Hospitality Strengthened by Community and Connection In 2026, hospitality will continue to extend into the community. The strongest brands will act as connectors, creating value not just for guests but for local people, partners, and places. Build authentic connections to the local community through sourcing, storytelling, and partnerships. Guests increasingly value places that feel authentic rather than generic, particularly younger Millennials and Gen Z. Treat sustainability as stewardship rather than a marketing claim. Reducing waste, supporting local suppliers, and respecting resources shows care and connection. Create experiences that reflect the culture and character of the surrounding area. Hospitality feels more meaningful when it is an extension of where it lives. Empower teams to act as ambassadors for the community. Bonus Tip: Tailoring Hospitality by Generation Hospitality is not one-size-fits-all anymore. Guests arrive with different expectations, communication styles, and definitions of value shaped by their generation. These are guidelines to help with understanding, not stereotypes. Baby Boomers and Traditionalists value warmth, respect, deference, and personal attention. They appreciate being acknowledged, helped proactively, and spoken to clearly without feeling rushed. Gen X values efficiency, competence, consistency, and low friction. They want things to work, problems solved quickly, and interactions that respect their time. Millennials value personalization, authenticity, and experiences that feel "just for me." They respond well to flexibility, transparency, and moments that feel worth sharing. Gen Z values inclusivity, simplicity through technology + self-service, and emotional safety. They notice authenticity, environment, and whether a space feels welcoming and calm. Generation Alpha values safety, ease, and intuitive design, often shaped by experiences alongside parents or caregivers. They respond to environments that feel calm, engaging, and thoughtfully designed, where technology works seamlessly. Questions Hospitality Leaders Should Be Asking: Where are we creating friction for guests or employees, and how do we fix it? Are our teams trained, equipped, and empowered to take care of guests and solve problems? What moments truly define our brand experience, and which ones are just habits we have never challenged? How are we listening to guests to understand what they value and where improvements might be needed? Are we designing hospitality around people and what they really want? Hospitality has always been about people and connection - and guests, more than ever, want to feel welcomed by their brands. They are looking for connection and kindness while receiving a consistently great product or service. Hospitality matters because it builds trust in a noisy world and reminds us to treat every "customer" like a "guest." A New Year, A New Opportunity for Improvement As we enter the new year, it is always a great time to step back, assess, and plot a course of improvement. Hospitality is not just a "soft" skill; it is a true growth strategy that creates competitive advantages for organizations that embrace it. The brands that win this year (and beyond) will be the ones who put people at the center of everything they do - and understand that creates amazing possibilities. Tony (Crafted by a human, not AI.) Meet Tony Johnson Tony is the Co-Managing Partner, Co-Owner, and Chief Experience Officer (CXO) for 4xi Global Consulting. He is an internationally recognized thought leader and influencer in Customer and Employee Experience. Tony hosts the wildly successful Customer Service Academy podcast and is the author of two books on leadership and CX. Tony has worked with some of the top organizations across the globe, including Delta, 3M, Baylor Scott and White Health, University of Virginia, Siemens, SHRM, and more. Tony is available to help your organization with: Employee training and development Executive and leadership coaching CX and EX strategy creation Inspirational keynote talks Fractional Chief Experience Officer Evolving Experiences , a 4xi brand, focuses on Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX) as growth engines. By creating fierce loyalty with both employees and customers, organizations can differentiate themselves in an ever-changing and competitive marketplace. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking (C) 2026. May not be used to train A.I.

In my previous posts, I introduced the Workplace Experience System and explored how environment and work design shape the way work gets done. The next element is leadership, and it is often the most influential, and the least explicitly addressed. Organizations invest in workplace design, technology, and new ways of working. But the day-to-day experience of work is ultimately shaped by the behaviors and expectations leaders create. At its core, leadership defines how work actually happens. It shows up in: Clarity of direction and priorities Trust and empowerment of employees Decision-making practices Communication and transparency Recognition and feedback Modeling healthy and effective work behaviors Reinforcing collaboration, accountability, and performance When leadership is clear and consistent, teams understand what matters, how decisions are made, and what is expected of them. Work moves more smoothly, collaboration is more focused, and people can spend more time on meaningful work. When it is not, friction builds quickly. Priorities shift without clarity. Decisions slow down or get revisited. Employees spend time interpreting expectations rather than executing against them. One of the most common challenges is the gap between stated intent and observed behavior. Organizations may define new workplace strategies, flexible work approaches, or collaboration models, but leaders continue to operate in ways that don’t fully support them. For example, an organization may promote flexible work, but leaders default to in-person meetings for most decisions. Or teams may be encouraged to reduce meeting load, but leaders continue to rely on meetings as the primary way to manage work. In both cases, employees take their cues from what leaders do, not what is communicated. Leadership also plays a central role in shaping the employee experience. It influences whether people feel trusted, whether their time is respected, and whether they have the clarity needed to do their work effectively. That experience doesn’t stop with employees. It extends to how teams serve customers, collaborate across functions, and deliver outcomes. When leadership creates clarity and alignment, it enables better execution. When it doesn’t, the effects are felt across the organization. This is where leadership connects directly to the broader system. It reinforces how work is designed, influences how the environment is used, and shapes how effectively enablement systems support the work. When leadership is aligned with the rest of the system, the workplace becomes more coherent and easier to navigate. When it is not, even strong investments in space and technology may not deliver their intended impact. In the next post, I’ll focus on enablement systems: the tools, technology, and operational structures that support how work gets done.    Nathan Bricklin Senior Consultant, Global Workplace Experience Helping enterprise leaders close the gap between executive intent and lived employee experience at scale. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

In my previous posts, I introduced the Workplace Experience System and explored environment as the physical foundation of workplace experience. The next element is work design, and in many ways, it’s where workplace experience is either strengthened or undermined. Organizations often invest heavily in physical space and technology. But if the way work is structured doesn’t align with those investments, the experience can still feel fragmented. At its core, work design is how work is structured, coordinated, and carried out across teams. It determines how people collaborate, how decisions are made, and how work flows through the organization. That includes: Role clarity and responsibilities Team structures and cross-functional collaboration Workflows and handoffs between teams Project and task management practices Meeting structures and communication rhythms The balance between collaboration time and focused work Where, when work happens, including in-person, hybrid, and asynchronous work When work design is effective, people know what they are responsible for, how to work with others, and how to move work forward. Time is used more intentionally, collaboration is more focused, and there is less need to work around unclear processes or expectations. When it is not, friction shows up quickly. Meetings become a substitute for clarity. Work slows down as it moves between teams. Employees spend time navigating ambiguity rather than making progress. One of the most common challenges is that work design is often left implicit. Teams develop their own ways of working over time, which can lead to inconsistency across the organization. What works well for one team may create confusion or delays for another. Another is the disconnect between work design and the rest of the workplace. Organizations may introduce flexible work policies or redesign office space without clearly defining how work should actually be done. The result is misalignment between where work happens, how people collaborate, and what is expected of them. Work design also plays a direct role in how employees experience the workplace day-to-day. When expectations are clear and work flows effectively, employees can focus on meaningful work. When they are not, even well-designed environments and strong technology cannot compensate. This is where the broader system becomes important. Work design needs to align with environment, leadership, and enablement systems. It should reflect how space is intended to be used, how leaders expect teams to operate, and how technology supports collaboration and execution. When that alignment exists, work becomes more predictable, more efficient, and easier to navigate. When it doesn’t, friction builds across the system. In the next post, I’ll focus on leadership - the behaviors and expectations that ultimately shape how work design comes to life across the organization.   Nathan Bricklin Senior Consultant, Global Workplace Experience Helping enterprise leaders close the gap between executive intent and lived employee experience at scale. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

In my previous post, I introduced the Workplace Experience System — a framework built around four organizational levers: environment, work design, leadership, and enablement systems. Each plays a role in shaping how work actually happens. This post starts with environment, because it is often the most visible, and the most misunderstood. When organizations think about improving the workplace, environment is usually where they start. Offices are redesigned, new spaces are introduced, and amenities are added to create a better experience. But environment is not just about how a workplace looks. It’s about whether the physical space actually supports how work gets done. At its core, environment is the physical and spatial context in which work takes place. It shapes how people focus, collaborate, learn, and connect throughout the day. That includes: Workplace design and layout A range of work settings, from focus spaces to collaboration areas Comfort, lighting, acoustics, and ergonomics Access to amenities and services Technology integrated into the physical space The overall atmosphere that supports productivity, well-being, and connection When the environment is designed well, it reduces friction. People can move through their day without having to think about where to sit, how to take a call, or where to meet. The space supports the work. In many ways, this is where workplace and hospitality come together. In hospitality, environments are intentionally designed to support how guests move, interact, and experience a space. The same thinking applies to the workplace. Employees are not just occupying space; they are moving through it throughout the day. When environment is designed with that in mind, it feels intuitive and supportive. When it isn’t, friction shows up quickly. When environment is not designed well, even well-intentioned investments can create challenges. Employees spend time searching for space, adapting to environments that don’t fit the task, or working around limitations in the physical setting. One of the most common issues is designing space based on assumptions rather than actual work patterns. A workplace may look modern and well-designed but still fail to support how teams collaborate or how individuals need to focus. Another is treating environment as a standalone initiative. Physical space is updated, but work practices, technology, and leadership expectations remain unchanged. The result is a disconnect between the space and how it is actually used. Environment works best when it is aligned with the other elements of the Workplace Experience System. Space should reflect how work is structured, support the tools employees use, and reinforce the behaviors leaders expect. When that alignment exists, the workplace becomes easier to use and more effective. When it doesn’t, even significant investments in space may not deliver the intended impact. In the next post, I’ll focus on work design — how work is structured and how that shapes the way people use the workplace. Nathan Bricklin Senior Consultant, Global Workplace Experience Helping enterprise leaders close the gap between executive intent and lived employee experience at scale. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

Student-Centric helps schools and districts foodservice performance and outcomes Walk into almost any K–12 school cafe today and you’ll see a familiar scene: dedicated teams working hard, students moving quickly through lines, and meals being served at scale. On the surface, it works. But beneath that surface lies one of the most pressurized, complex, and under-optimized operating environments in hospitality today. K–12 foodservice operates at the intersection of: Public policy Nutrition science Labor economics Supply chain volatility And rising customer experience expectations The result? A system expected to deliver more value, more quality, and more impact, often with fewer resources. The Reality: A System Under Measurable Strain Across the United States, school nutrition programs are facing not just anecdotal challenges but quantified, systemic pressure: Financial Instability is Widespread: 98% of school nutrition directors cite rising food costs as a major concern 92% are concerned about long-term financial sustainability Reimbursement rates often fail to keep pace with real operating costs Most programs are structurally underfunded, expected to deliver more with less. Labor Shortages are Disrupting Operations 57% of districts report staffing shortages 90% of program leaders are concerned about labor availability This translates directly into: Reduced menu complexity Less scratch cooking Increased reliance on pre-prepared items Labor is no longer just an HR issue; it’s a quality and experience issue. Supply Chain Disruption Remains Persistent 95% of districts have experienced supply chain challenges Operators continue to face: Product substitutions Limited availability of compliant items Inconsistent deliveries Menus are often dictated by what’s available, not what’s optimal. Regulatory Complexity is Increasing School meal programs must comply with strict and evolving USDA standards, including: Sodium reduction targets Whole grain requirements Sugar limitations The challenge is balancing nutrition compliance + cost control + student acceptance Participation is Under Pressure Following the expiration of pandemic-era universal free meals: Many districts are seeing declines in participation Students increasingly expect: Choice Quality Speed Experience Compounding factors include: Short lunch periods (often 20–30 minutes) Competition from off-campus food options Participation is the single biggest lever in financial and operational success, and it’s at risk. Food Waste and Menu Misalignment are Significant 83% of districts report food waste as a major issue Drivers include: Low student acceptance of compliant meals Limited ability to iterate menus quickly Operational constraints The result is a costly cycle: Low appeal → Low participation → High waste → Financial pressure The Insight: A System, Not a Set of Problems What makes K–12 foodservice uniquely complex is that these challenges are deeply interconnected: Labor shortages reduce food quality Lower quality reduces participation Lower participation weakens financial performance Financial pressure limits reinvestment This is not a set of isolated issues, it’s a self-reinforcing system. And solving it requires more than incremental change. It requires clarity, data, and a fundamentally different approach. The 4xi Approach: Turning Insight into Action At 4xi Global Consulting, we focus on identifying root causes and unlocking performance through a combination of data, operational insight, and experience design. Our K–12 solutions are built specifically to address the challenges outlined above: 1. Fresh Eyes Audit See what others miss. An immersive, on-site diagnostic that evaluates: Student flow and congestion Service speed and friction points Food quality and presentation Hospitality behaviors Overall student experience This directly addresses participation, waste, and experience gaps by revealing what’s really happening on the ground. 2. Financial Performance Audit Understand where the money is made or lost. A structured analysis of: Food and labor cost ratios Revenue streams and reimbursement alignment Site-level profitability Benchmark comparisons Designed to respond to the 92% of districts concerned about financial sustainability. 3. Participation Benchmarking Measure what matters most. We analyze: Historical participation trends School-by-school performance variation Peer benchmarks Meal penetration rates Identifies where participation is underperforming, and why, unlocking the most powerful lever in K–12 foodservice. 4. Free School Meals Optimization Maximize access. Maximize funding. With evolving policy landscapes, many districts are under-optimized. We support: CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) strategy Eligibility thresholds and enrollment Funding maximization Alignment with participation goals Particularly critical in a post-universal free school meal environment where participation has declined. 5. Self-Op Support via 4xi360 Empower internal teams to perform at scale. Through 4xi360 Resource Center , districts gain access to: Proven playbooks Tools and templates Benchmarking insights Best practices Helping self-operated programs overcome labor, capability, and resource constraints without significant cost increases. 6. RFP Process Management Drive better outcomes through smarter procurement. We support you with: End-to-end RFP design Scope development aligned to district goals Vendor evaluation and scoring Contract negotiation Ensures districts select partners capable of addressing today’s complex operating environment, not yesterday’s model. From Compliance to Experience The future of K–12 foodservice will not be defined by compliance alone. It will be defined by experience, participation, and performance . Students today compare their school meals not to other districts, but to: Fast casual dining Retail food experiences Digital-first convenience The districts that succeed will: Think like operators Act like brands Deliver like hospitality leaders A Moment of Opportunity K–12 foodservice is at a critical inflection point. The data is clear. The challenges are real. But so is the opportunity. With the right approach, districts can: Reverse participation declines Improve financial performance Reduce waste Elevate the student experience Because at its best, K–12 foodservice is not just about feeding students. It’s about fueling performance, enabling equity, and creating daily moments that matter. Ready to Spring Forward? If your district is preparing for the next semester or school year, now is the ideal time to step back and assess your current position. We invite you to: 👉 Visit our Student-Centric website: https://www.4xiconsulting.com/k12 👉 Take the Partnership360 HealthCheck: https://www.4xiconsulting.com/k12 The Partnership360 HealthCheck  is a practical diagnostic tool designed to give you immediate insight into the strength of your operational partnerships and performance alignment. The next term will bring new demands. With the right strategy and support, it can also bring meaningful progress. Let’s build it together! Contact one of our team members to discuss how we can support your district in navigating challenges, mitigating risk, and unlocking new opportunities for growth and impact. Tony Benedia Senior Consultant, Strategy and Operations Tony has had an illustrious career in contract foodservices with a deep specialism in the K-12 market. Tony can be contacted at tonybenedia@4xiconsulting.com. John Kandemir Chief Marketing Officer in Residence John has decades of experience in the world of managed services including in the K-12 sector. Contact John at johnkandemir@4xiconsulting.com . 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation

The Essence of Customer Experience In customer experience and hospitality, it’s tempting to think it all comes down to moments of magic—those unforgettable “wow” experiences that guests cherish. But in reality, sustained excellence doesn’t happen by accident. Too often, leaders drift aimlessly in their businesses, moving through locations without a clear plan or process. This lack of direction can lead to inconsistent service and products, ultimately affecting the overall experience. Most of my time in operations was spent in restaurants and retail. These are two areas where leadership presence can define whether customer experiences are amazing or lackluster. The power of leadership attention and coaching is palpable in every business. There is simply no substitute for being in the mix with your team, leading in the moment. As hospitality and experience continue to evolve, the impact of technology will be profound. Whether it’s AI or systems that allow for customer personalization and understanding, these tools will drive success within the service space. Hotels are leveraging systems that log guest preferences to enhance personalization. Employee-facing apps help team members locate items in stores for customers, ensuring they understand how to use them and what complementary items may be needed. Chatbots initiate conversations with airline passengers, assisting them in booking or changing flights during service disruptions. However, none of this works without a human in the loop—someone to apply the technology and ensure it is leveraged for maximum impact. They are also there just in case the technology doesn’t deliver in the moment. So, it comes down to how leaders lead and their patterns of management: consistent, intentional behaviors that shape culture, drive standards, and keep guest satisfaction front and center every day. Defining Patterns of Management A pattern of management isn’t a one-time initiative or an annual campaign. It’s the rhythm, the repeatable actions, and the leadership habits that managers bring to the table daily. It’s how leaders: Communicate priorities with clarity. Provide coaching and recognition in real time. Align standards across touchpoints. Handle problems quickly and consistently when they arise. Model the standards and behaviors they expect. Observe the guest and team experience with fresh eyes daily. Think of it as the invisible framework that holds together the guest experience. When managers establish a steady, reliable pattern, teams know what matters, and guests feel it. They experience the consistent service and attention to detail that this kind of commitment brings. This is why some hotels never have dead batteries in their TV remotes, while others do. It’s why some stores seem well-stocked, and others have empty shelves. It’s also why you can feel the difference between a quick-service eatery and a great table-service restaurant. Why It Works Guests notice great experiences. If they consistently feel welcomed, valued, and taken care of, loyalty grows. Conversely, if they encounter inconsistent service—great one day, poor the next—they may choose other options. Never forget that customers give their loyalty to brands that solve problems, deliver quality, and make their lives easier. Add a splash of consistent execution and value, and you’re well on your way to reducing customer churn. 3% of consumers say the experience a company provides is a key factor in their purchasing decisions, behind only price and product quality. -PwC Equally important: teams thrive on predictability. When employees know their leaders are present, engaged, and supportive in consistent ways, engagement rises. As Gallup has long shown, engaged employees create engaged customers. They also note that the best teams thrive when they understand what is expected of them at work—a statistic that has been on the decline in recent years. Building Strong Patterns of Management 1. Set the Stage Daily With Pre-Service Huddles Begin every shift with clarity: what success looks like, today’s focus, and how the team will deliver. A quick, focused huddle sets the tone and energy with minimal time investment. Leaders who communicate intentionally prevent confusion and give employees a sense of purpose. 2. Be Visible and Present Don’t lead from behind a desk. Walk the floor, engage with guests, and support the team in real time. Visibility builds trust because it shows the team that you are connected and invested in creating great experiences. 3. Move With Purpose Create a path that works for you and allows you to see operations at the right time. Know when to jump in and help and when to step back—employees will appreciate the assistance, and it’s always useful to experience frontline roles firsthand. Intentional touring, delivered with energy and clarity, ensures consistent quality and delivers what matters most to guests and the team. 4. Empower Your Team Equip frontline staff with both the authority and confidence to solve guest problems in the moment. When employees don’t have to “check with a manager,” the service feels seamless to the guest and confidence-building to the employee. 5. Coach and Recognize in the Moment Being in the thick of service allows you to spend time with your team as shifts unfold. Reinforce great behaviors instantly and coach constructively when course corrections are needed. Real-time coaching ensures learning sticks, and recognition acts as rocket fuel for morale and execution. Ready to up your hospitality or leadership game? Schedule your training session, workshop, or on-site assessment today. Making the Most of Your Flight Path It’s one thing to take a tour for a day or a week, but making it a daily commitment drives lasting results and continuous improvement. Here are some ways you can best leverage your time in your business. 1. Build Systems, Not Just Habits Use checklists, daily huddles, and feedback loops to make consistency non-negotiable. Systems provide a safety net so that excellence doesn’t depend on one person remembering; it becomes part of the operation. Remember, though, a checklist never served a guest or cleaned a counter, so it is only as good as your dedication to not pencil-whipping the form. 2. Develop Future Leaders Teach your team leaders the same patterns so the culture doesn’t crumble when a manager changes. Start with your entry-level supervisors, as they are the backbone of operational fundamentals. Creating leadership bench strength ensures continuity, especially in industries with high turnover. This is why getting everyone involved in quality matters. If you embrace a digital solution for validation, you can engage everyone by having them self-audit their spaces or cross-audit throughout the operation. More eyes lead to better results. 3. Measure What Matters Track guest satisfaction, employee engagement, and operational metrics to keep your finger on the pulse. What gets measured gets managed, and visible metrics give teams a clear scoreboard of progress. Use these insights as you tour your locations to focus on where attention is most needed based on feedback. 4. Celebrate Wins Recognize teams for maintaining consistency and exceeding expectations. Culture grows when people see their efforts appreciated, and celebrations remind everyone that hospitality is a source of pride. Plus, as you recognize it, you let your team know what matters and create a bit of healthy competition for excellence. Just remember, don’t celebrate only the big things. Many small, daily, important items are worth calling out. 5. Stay Adaptive Sustaining doesn’t mean being rigid. Guest expectations change, technology evolves, and competition grows. Strong leaders keep their patterns consistent while still adjusting to new realities, blending steadiness with flexibility. Leverage every tool in your box to create great customer experiences, including AI and other innovations as they arise. Great guest experiences aren’t built randomly—they are built on repeatable, intentional leadership patterns that guide every touchpoint. When leaders commit to clear communication, consistent presence, and authentic empowerment, they create an environment where excellence becomes the norm. But that only happens with a commitment to do it consistently—not just when it’s convenient, but every shift, every service period, every day. Take a hard look at your current leadership rhythms. Are you consistent, clear, and visible? Or do your patterns leave too much to chance? Guests will always tell you if you’re right through loyalty, feedback, and repeat business. Establish your pattern and keep your team and your customers top of mind and center stage daily. This will create a brand that customers love and keep them coming back again and again. Until next time, keep your team and your customers top of mind and center stage. Tony (Crafted by a human, not AI.) Meet Tony Johnson Tony is the Co-Managing Partner, Co-Owner, and Chief Experience Officer (CXO) for 4xi Global Consulting. He is an internationally recognized thought leader and influencer in Customer and Employee Experience. Tony hosts the wildly successful Customer Service Academy podcast and is the author of two books on leadership and CX. Tony has worked with some of the top organizations across the globe, including Delta, 3M, Baylor Scott and White Health, University of Virginia, Siemens, SHRM, and more. Tony is available to help your organization with: Employee training and development Executive and leadership coaching CX and EX strategy creation Inspirational keynote talks Fractional Chief Experience Officer Evolving Experiences , a 4xi brand, focuses on Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX) as growth engines. By creating fierce loyalty with both employees and customers, organizations can differentiate themselves in an ever-changing and competitive marketplace. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest—their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking May not be used to train A.I.

This time of year makes us all a little more mindful of gratitude. It becomes a time for reflection and intentionality about the last year and is a great time to pause and take a beat. As A.I. continues to create tremendous opportunities for acceleration, growth, and efficiency, it has further eroded the personal touch. Reading about Chat-GPT-created Christmas messages and automating New Year’s outreach feels both efficient and soulless. As a hospitality guy, I thrive on people. I understand that not everyone is wired that way. What energizes me about a big room full of people might make some feel anxious or frustrated. It’s always been that way, and everyone is different in that regard. But we must take a moment to consider that gratitude, connection, and people matter. A Year of Change and Adventure For me, it has been a whirlwind year of change and adventure. I was on the road for 22 weeks, traveled to 11 states, and worked with financial service organizations, universities, city governments, chambers of commerce, restaurants, airlines, banks, and manufacturing to improve customer and employee experiences. And I’m grateful to them all. This year, I joined forces with a dear friend, Simon Elliot, to bring 4xi Global Consulting and Ignite Your Service Training & Consulting together. This partnership marks the beginning of an exciting journey into the future, one that fills me with immense gratitude. It was also a year of bittersweet moments. My dear Customer Service Dog, Charlie, left us for the rainbow road, and Dobbie, our sweet little rescue puppy, joined our family to keep TJ company. I couldn't feel luckier. TJ Dobby Charlie So What? The Importance of Connection So why share any of this? Because gratitude and connection matter. As we move through the holidays into the new year, they will continue to matter even more. In a world where AI is finding its place and leaders are pushing to stay ahead of the transformation, the best way to thrive is to keep personal connections top of mind. This seems like the perfect time to think about how we can all bring a bit more connection, gratitude, and intentional communication into the world. People will follow those who make them feel seen and valued. Connection is a loyalty engine. Teams engage at a higher level when they feel appreciated. AI and human connection are a competitive advantage. Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. - Helen Keller What You Should Do Right Now? Building New Habits Now is the time to act. This means building new habits and reinforcing key behaviors in your team. You can integrate intentional gratitude into your daily leadership with both your team and your customers. This means every day, every shift. It’s not something you can just do when you have time or when you’re "feeling it." It must be part of your leadership lexicon. When you find ways to catch your team getting it right and train and inspire other leaders to do the same, it can quickly catch fire within your organization. No matter how large or small your business, there is always room for more connection and recognition. The Power of Empathy and Connection This is also the time to double down on connection and empathy. There is a shortfall of relationship building in the world right now. This gap is often dampened by technology, eroding communication skills, or those who connect to sell rather than to build relationships. Teams respect leaders who know them beyond daily work. This is a core competency of the most successful leaders I work with. They take the time to know their teams as more than just “Bob from accounting.” They know he is an avid fisherman with two kids who enjoy going to Kings Island, for example. Also, Bob hates to be called Robert. Thanks to the pandemic and the rise of digital communication, personal connections have become a struggle for many. A key impact has been the erosion of listening, communication, and in-person relationship-building skills. According to a Harris Poll, 65% of Gen Z said they had to "relearn social skills" after pandemic restrictions were lifted. Anecdotally, as I work with employers, the ability for team members to collaborate and work together with strong communication is seen as a weakness in many employees in our current workforce. Younger Millennials and Gen Z often feel under-prepared to network, speak confidently, or resolve conflict. Building Relationships Over Time The thing about communication, relationship building, and recognition is that everyone looks for the big moment rather than appreciating the small, daily, boring stuff. You don’t build relationships or friendships from a single moment. You may feel that spark of something to build on as you discover a new colleague or potential friend, but the real work starts after that. You must put in the effort to fan the spark and get to know people over time. Relationships are funny things. They are never 50/50. They also never quite balance the same as time goes on. I have friends I’ve had for over a decade. Depending on what’s happening in our lives, one carries more of the load at different times. Sometimes I’m the one calling or texting to keep the connection going, and other times I’m the one who slacks a bit, and the other person takes the mantle of keeping us in touch. Most long-lasting relationships share this dynamic. Gratitude is the same way. So often, leaders look for that big moment to celebrate a team member, customer, or client that they miss the opportunity to thank them for the small things that really matter. The things that, over time, define excellence or partnership. The things that drive long-term success. Ready to up your hospitality or leadership game? Schedule your training session, workshop, or on-site assessment today. So that really is the message. Don't wait. Don't make it overly complicated. Don't pull back from communication. Embrace it now and start moving forward on this before the new year. That way, it's not a resolution; it's a real commitment. When you take the time to lean into gratitude and connection, amazing things happen: Increased customer loyalty and reduced churn Stronger word of mouth and reputation Improved employee engagement and retention Teams feel more connected, fueling them to innovate and solve problems Higher customer lifetime value Consider how you will lead into the future. Think about how you will use your personal style to build connections with your team. These skills will set you apart in a world that is rapidly changing due to AI and technology. The good news is that transformation is nothing new. It is a constant that leaders have dealt with since there were teams to lead. Through it all, those who could adapt, communicate, build relationships, solve problems, and embrace innovations found themselves at the center of exciting developments. Until next time, keep your team and your customers top of mind and center stage. Tony (Crafted by a human, not AI.) Meet Tony Johnson Tony is the Co-Managing Partner, Co-Owner, and Chief Experience Officer (CXO) for 4xi Global Consulting. He is an internationally recognized thought leader and influencer in Customer and Employee Experience. Tony hosts the wildly successful Customer Service Academy podcast and is the author of two books on leadership and CX. Tony has worked with some of the top organizations across the globe, including Delta, 3M, Baylor Scott and White Health, University of Virginia, Siemens, SHRM, and more. Tony is available to help your organization with: Employee training and development Executive and leadership coaching CX and EX strategy creation Inspirational keynote talks Fractional Chief Experience Officer Evolving Experiences , a 4xi brand, focuses on Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX) as growth engines. By creating fierce loyalty with both employees and customers, organizations can differentiate themselves in an ever-changing and competitive marketplace. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking May not be used to train A.I.

Organizations are investing heavily in improving the workplace. Offices are redesigned, new digital tools are introduced, and employee programs are launched to support how people work. Yet for many employees, the workday still feels fragmented. The issue is rarely a lack of effort or investment. More often, workplace improvements are introduced as individual initiatives rather than parts of a larger system. Over the course of my career leading global workplace programs, I’ve seen organizations invest across the physical workplace, technology, and employee services, all with good intentions. But when these efforts are developed independently, the overall experience of work can still feel disconnected. That observation led me to develop a framework I call the Workplace Experience System. The Workplace Experience System: a framework for aligning environment, work design, leadership, and enablement systems. The model focuses on four organizational levers that shape how work actually happens: Environment : the physical and spatial context in which work takes place Work Design : how work is structured and how teams collaborate Leadership : the behaviors and expectations that shape how work gets done Enablement Systems : tools, technology, operational systems that support work Organizations often focus on one or two of these areas at a time. But employees experience them all together, every day. When these elements are aligned, the workplace becomes easier to navigate. Teams collaborate more effectively, employees spend less time working around friction, and organizations are better able to translate strategy into execution. When they are disconnected, even well-intentioned initiatives can create complexity. A well-designed environment may not support how teams actually work. Technology may not align with leadership expectations. Processes and systems may not reflect how work flows across the organization. The result is a workplace that feels more complicated than it needs to be. For leaders, the challenge is rarely deciding which individual improvement to make. The bigger opportunity is ensuring that environment, work design, leadership, and enablement systems are working together as a cohesive system. When they are, the workplace becomes a platform that supports both employee effectiveness and business performance. I’ve seen this play out firsthand. Most recently, I served as Executive Director of Global Workplace Experience at Wells Fargo, supporting more than 140,000 employees globally. At that scale, the gaps between disconnected systems become very clear. I’m excited to bring that perspective to 4xi Global Consulting, helping leadership teams build workplaces that work as systems, not a collection of disconnected initiatives. Nathan Bricklin Senior Consultant, Global Workplace Experience Helping enterprise leaders close the gap between executive intent and lived employee experience at scale. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

Nathan Bricklin joins 4xi as Senior Consultant, Global Workplace Experience At 4xi Global Consulting, we believe that the future of work is defined by organizations that successfully align strategy, workplace experience, and human performance. To support this mission, we are pleased to welcome Nathan Bricklin  as Senior Consultant, Global Workplace Experience. Nathan brings deep expertise in enterprise workplace transformation, helping organizations translate high-level strategy into operational reality. His work focuses on aligning leadership, workplace systems, digital platforms, and employee voice to create environments where people can perform at their best. Prior to joining 4xi, Nathan served as Executive Director of Global Workplace Experience at Wells Fargo, where he led workplace and employee-facing digital transformation initiatives across an organization of more than 150,000 employees in hundreds of global locations. In this role, he worked at the intersection of HR, technology, real estate, and corporate functions, guiding enterprise leaders through complex change while ensuring workplace strategies were clearly understood and effectively adopted. WPx: The Workplace Experience System Nathan’s approach centers on closing the gap between strategic intent and the day-to-day employee experience. He believes that transformation succeeds when organizations design not only for operational efficiency, but also for clarity, consistency, and credibility in how work is communicated and experienced across the enterprise. At 4xi, Nathan will work with clients to design scalable, human-centered workplace experiences that reduce friction, improve employee effectiveness, and strengthen alignment across leadership teams. His work spans workplace strategy, internal communications, digital platforms, engagement programs, and change management, helping organizations navigate transformation while maintaining strong employee connection and engagement. Nathan is known for his ability to turn complexity into clear direction, helping organizations design workplace systems and experiences that scale globally without losing their human dimension. In addition to his consulting work, Nathan holds an MBA from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and a BS in Finance and Investments from Babson College. He has served as an adjunct instructor at NYU’s School of Professional Studies, where he has shared insights on workplace strategy and transformation. Nathan’s expertise further strengthens 4xi’s ability to support organizations navigating the evolving future of work - helping leaders design workplaces that are intentional, effective, and built for the modern employee experience. Welcome to the team, Nathan. To learn more about how Nathan and how 4xi can support your transformative journey, visit our website www.4xiconsulting.com or reach out to Nathan directly at nathan@4xiconsulting.com Let’s start building the future together. 4xi Global  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

The Definition of Hospitality (and Why It’s Harder Than You Think) Ask a room full of hospitality professionals a simple question, “What’s the definition of hospitality?” and you might expect a confident, unified answer. Instead, you might get blank looks…followed by a dozen or more different responses. Recently, I experienced exactly this during a workshop where we were exploring the meaning of hospitality. As the conversation went around the room, it struck me that everyone had a slightly different interpretation. Some talked about service. Others about food, amenities, design, or atmosphere. All valid. But none quite captured the whole picture. Around the same time, I came across a short post on Instagram that stuck with me: Good salespeople sell features. Great salespeople sell benefits. Super salespeople sell feelings. That simple idea suddenly reframed the conversation for me. Because perhaps the true definition of hospitality isn’t about what we provide, it’s about how people feel as a result. Looking Beyond Hotels and Restaurants During the workshop, we were asked another question: “Which organizations deliver the best hospitality experiences?” Naturally, my mind first went to some of my favorite hotels and restaurants. But then I found myself thinking about companies outside what is traditionally termed as hospitality. Take Apple as an example: Walking into an Apple Store is rarely stressful. The products are intuitive, the environment is calm, and if something goes wrong you can walk up to the Genius Bar and speak with someone who helps get your digital life back on track. The experience is easy to use, easy to consume, and reassuring. But more importantly, it’s about how being an Apple customer makes you feel: confident, supported, and in control. Then I thought about Mini: Few car brands celebrate personalization quite like Mini. With countless configuration options, owners can design something that feels uniquely theirs. The result isn’t just a vehicle; it’s pride of ownership. You don’t just drive a Mini. You feel something about it. And that feeling is the essence of hospitality. I thought about my air travel experiences: As a longtime customer of American Airlines . How I feel safe, comfortable, I can rely upon them to traverse my experience from A to B. I think about the ease of my travel experience, how they treat me as a frequent flyer. I think about the oasis the AA lounges provide me. You don’t just fly with your favorite airline; you build trust and loyalty as a repeat customer. Hospitality in the Workplace The workshop itself was focused on employee experience design for a prominent financial services firm. As we talked, something interesting happened. The conversation gradually moved away from food, amenities, and perks and toward something much more meaningful: human touchpoints. Where and what are the moments where we can positively influence how people feel during their workday? Consider the diversity of needs across a workplace: A call center operator  managing high-pressure conversations and short breaks. An executive  looking for space to think, reflect, and catch up. A team leader  focused on connecting and energizing their team. Each person arrives at work with very different needs. Each one is seeking an experience that supports their wellbeing, performance, and their emotional state. And hospitality, in this context, is about recognizing those differences can positively impact the human experience. One Size Fits Most…or One Size Fits No One? I also reflected on my own needs at work. While I genuinely appreciate great food, I’ve realized that when I’m busy, simplicity works best for me. A cheese sandwich, a juice, and a coffee in a quiet corner while catching up on emails is often perfect. Others might prefer something entirely different. For some people, lunch is an elaborate culinary experience and a social moment with colleagues. For others, the best break might be a bike ride or run, a quick solo workout in the gym, or a quiet space to decompress. And for others still, the highlight might be a group activity: a spinning class, a yoga session, or a collaborative team lunch. The point is simple: hospitality is deeply personal. Learning from Apple, Mini and American Airlines Thinking back to Apple, Mini, and AA: these companies have mastered something that hospitality often struggles with: Personalization at scale: Apple makes complex technology feel effortless for millions of people. Mini allows customers to express individuality through design and customization. American Airlines builds in reasons to be loyal beyond collecting airmiles. So, the question becomes: How can we apply this thinking to our own context of hospitality? How do we move beyond a “one size fits most” approach and instead create environments that allow individuals to shape experiences around their own needs? The Future of Hospitality Perhaps the real opportunity lies in shifting our perspective. Instead of asking: “What should we provide?” We might ask instead: “What moments exist where we can positively influence how someone feels?” Hospitality isn’t limited to hotels or restaurants. It exists in workplaces, schools and colleges, retail stores, transportation, healthcare settings, and even on digital platforms. Anywhere humans interact with environments, services, or each other, hospitality has the potential to elevate the experience. So, What Is Hospitality? After all the discussion, I’ve come to a simple conclusion: Hospitality isn’t about food, amenities, or design. It ’s about facilitating experiences that positively influence how people feel. Sometimes that’s a beautifully crafted meal. Sometimes it’s a helpful conversation. And sometimes it’s simply a quiet corner with a sandwich, a juice, and a coffee. What do you think? How would you define hospitality? And which organizations, inside or outside the hospitality industry, do you think deliver the best hospitality experiences? Please add your thoughts and leave a comment below. The Periodic Table of HX Design In today’s interconnected world, global organizations face a common challenge: ensuring consistency in human experience across their diverse portfolios. Whether its employees navigating their workplaces, customers interacting with services, or partners aligning on shared goals, a cohesive experience fosters engagement, efficiency, and business success. At the heart of this transformation is a structured methodology that enables organizations to create a unified, yet adaptable, human experience framework. Rooted in The Periodic Table of Human Experience , this approach leverages a systematic process to design, implement, and sustain high-impact experiences. Here’s how organizations can apply this methodology to drive alignment, engagement, and long-term success across their global footprint. The Path to Long-Term, Sustainable Human Experience Success Organizations that follow this methodology unlock the power of human experience as a competitive advantage . By establishing a clear vision, aligning with business objectives, and implementing structured design and governance, companies can create a consistent, engaging, and value-driven experience  across their global portfolios. This is not just about standardization - it’s about creating places where people choose to be, where employees thrive, customers engage, and partnerships flourish. The road to human experience excellence is paved with intention, data-driven insights, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Are you ready to take the next step? 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

Adam Bown joins 4xi as CSO in Residence At 4xi Global Consulting, our strength lies in the power of our collective: bringing together experienced leaders who help organizations navigate complexity, unlock growth, and elevate the human experience across work, education, and leisure. We are delighted to welcome Adam Bowen  as Chief Strategy Officer in Residence , further strengthening 4xi’s capabilities in strategy, data-driven growth, and transformation. Adam brings more than two decades of leadership experience helping global consumer and corporate brands accelerate growth through advanced analytics, customer intelligence, and strategic transformation. His expertise spans go-to-market strategy, marketing mix modeling, RevOps, customer segmentation, and experience optimization, enabling organizations to turn complex data into clear, actionable strategies. Throughout his career, Adam has worked across a wide range of sectors including hospitality and foodservice, payments, consumer packaged goods, industrial manufacturing, and renewable energy helping organizations align leadership, operations, and analytics to drive measurable performance improvement. At 4xi, Adam will collaborate closely with clients to address strategic challenges and identify opportunities for growth. His work focuses on helping organizations unlock value from their data, streamline decision-making, and create scalable strategies that deliver long-term impact. "We're delighted to welcome Adam to the team, and the opportunity to support clients not just with business winning strategies, but importantly, strategy realization - turning the theory into reality." - Simon Elliot, Managing Partner, 4xi Global Adam is particularly passionate about the intersection of data, technology, and strategy, helping businesses harness emerging capabilities such as artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and new search paradigms including Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). In addition to his consulting work, Adam shares his expertise as an instructor at Clemson University’s College of Business, where he teaches and mentors the next generation of business leaders. He is also an active thought leader on topics including AI adoption, digital transformation, and the future of customer intelligence. "Adam’s appointment reflects 4xi’s continued commitment to bringing together world-class expertise to support clients navigating a rapidly evolving marketplace." - Tony Johnson, Managing Partner & CXO, 4xi Global With Adam’s strategic insight and deep analytical expertise, 4xi clients will benefit from enhanced capabilities in growth strategy, data-driven decision-making, and digital transformation - helping organizations move from insight to action and from strategy to measurable results. Welcome to team 4xi, Adam. To learn more about how Adam and 4xi can support your transformative journey, visit our website www.4xiconsulting.com or reach out to Adam directly at adam@4xiconsulting.com Let’s start building the future together. 4xi Global  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo