Macy’s CEO says he reads ‘every customer note’ he receives

If you’ve left feedback for Macy’s CEO, there’s a good chance he’s seen it.

CEO Tony Spring told analysts on Wednesday’s second-quarter earnings call that he listens to what customers say about his company.

“I read every customer note that I receive,” he said. “Listening to feedback is one of the most important ways we can improve and grow our business.”

Spring described a recent note from a customer who visited a Macy’s and wrote that it was a “pleasant surprise” to find a clean and organized store and friendly employees.

“The service has improved tremendously over what it was just a few years ago,” Spring said.

Macy’s is “reimagining” its stores and has overhauled about 125 locations. The changes include additional staffing, marketing, and improved store presentation.

Improving the shopping experience is one piece of the company’s comeback strategy. The plan also includes streamlining the product selection, attracting new brand partners, and maintaining a strong inventory heading into the fall despite tariff concerns.

Over the past few years, Macy’s has struggled with slow sales and store closures. However, the company continued to bet on itself and its retail chains, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Bluemercury. Each grew in the second quarter in terms of comparable sales, a figure that excludes recently closed or opened stores.

Spring isn’t the only CEO who says they take customer feedback to heart. Apple CEO Tim Cook told GQ in 2023 that he starts his day at 5 a.m. by reading emails and notes from customers. DoorDash’s Tony Xu said during his company’s August earnings call that he gets hundreds of emails a week about what the company can do to improve its services.

The feedback isn’t always positive.

“I get several hundred emails a week from all of our audiences, whether it’s consumers, Dashers, or merchants,” Xu said. “And I don’t know if they think that our improvements are very impressive.”

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