When half a billion customers interact with your service each year, you gain rare insight into what truly drives—or destroys—customer loyalty. In this CX Pulse Check, Jeannie welcomes Marcus Story, Corporate Director of Customer Experience and Social Customer Care at Delaware North, for a candid conversation about the state of travel and hospitality during the busy summer season.
They take a hard look at American Airlines’ new customer experience advisory board—and the surprising lack of actual customers at the table. Marcus shares why involving real travelers is essential to driving meaningful change, especially as competitors like Delta and United prioritize more customer-focused strategies.
The discussion also explores the evolving role of AI in hospitality. While automation and personalization technologies open new doors, Marcus and Jeannie stress that technology should complement—not replace—genuine human connections. Through personal stories, they highlight how small, thoughtful gestures can leave a lasting impact.
Rounding out the episode, they examine United Airlines’ new airport arrival policy and what it reveals about communication gaps and the overall customer journey. Whether you work in CX or simply love to travel, you’ll walk away with fresh insights on balancing efficiency, innovation, and the timeless value of human touchpoints.
About Marcus Story:
Marcus brings nearly 20 years of experience managing and delivering exceptional customer and guest experiences across hospitality and service industries.
Marcus, who has been a Delaware North team member for 13 years, is the leader of the company’s global customer experience strategy and platform, called GuestPath®. Before Delaware North, Marcus honed his customer experience expertise at well-known organizations like Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and InterContinental Hotels Group.
Aside from his direct experience, Marcus has earned certifications as a Certified Customer Experience Professional (via the Customer Experience Professionals Association) and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. He attended California State University, Sacramento, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, and holds a Master of Science in Hospitality Management from California State University, Long Beach.
Follow Marcus on…
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marcusstory/
Articles Mentioned:
American Airlines names members of new Customer Experience Advisory Board (American Airlines Newsroom)
How AI-powered CX strategies can better meet guest expectations (Hotel Dive)
United Passengers Are Required to Check In Earlier Starting June 3 (Condé Nast Traveler)
Want to ask a question about this episode – or another CX issue? Leave Jeannie a voicemail at askjeannie.vip – and remember to follow her on LinkedIn!
Curious about how Jeannie Walters, CCXP, and the Experience Investigators team can help you Create Fewer Ruined Days for Your Customers™? Let’s talk!
Jeannie is an award-winning customer experience expert, international keynote speaker, and sought-after business coach who is trailblazing the movement from “Reactive Customer Service” to “Proactive Customer and Employee Experience.” More than 500,000 people have learned from her CX courses on LinkedIn Learning, and her insights have been featured in Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, The Wall Street Journal and NPR.
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