It's Still CX To Me: 10 Tips From Billy Joel Songs
- Tony Johnson
- 3 hours ago
- 7 min read
This past week, Billy Joel announced he was canceling all of his remaining tour dates.
I watched the news in disbelief as my favorite performer called it a career due to health concerns, and we wish him the best as he takes on this battle with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.
It was particularly sad as I've seen Billy Joel over 20 times in concert and had tickets for his upcoming November show in Hollywood, Florida. It was the best Christmas gift I've ever received and the concert was actually rescheduled from January.
Thinking back on his career and catalogue of amazing hits, it got me thinking about Customer Experience (CX). I watched his 100th concert at Madison Square Garden last year where he sold out the venue every time for every show - and even had a new song to debut in his final engagements, "Turn the Lights Back On." This was the first time in decades he was able to say he had something new to share with the crowd.
And they went wild.
That kind of loyalty and enthusiasm is what every brand seeks to create with their customers - loyalty, advocacy, and excitement.
So I thought it might be fun to look back through is catalogue - which I've owned on vinyl, cassette, CD, and digital audio. I've purchased, downloaded, ripped, traded, and even recorded his music from the radio (any other 80s kids remember doing that?).
Quick Notes:
Billy Joel's timeless music offers valuable lessons for businesses looking to improve customer experience and build lasting relationships.
Each of Joel's hits provides insights into empathy, adaptability, and the importance of personal connections in the customer journey.
By applying these lessons, businesses can create memorable, emotionally resonant experiences that foster loyalty and trust - which will grow sales.
Book Tony Johnson today to speak at your next meeting, consult on your customer experiences, or lead a training event in you business. Set up a call to discuss your personalized event.
Let's explore 10 of Billy Joel's greatest hits and how their themes connect back to Customer Experience (CX) and hospitality.
"You May Be Right"
"You May Be Right" is an energetic, fast-paced song about embracing life's unpredictability and taking bold risks with an open mind. Similarly, in customer experience, businesses often need to take risks or try new strategies to stand out in fresh ways. This song reminds us that sometimes bold steps are necessary for growth and evolution.
How to Apply in Your Business:
Embrace innovations to differentiate your brand (but test them well).
Stay open minded to new approaches and technologies.
Adapt to changing customer needs and preferences with a flexible mindset.
"We Didn’t Start the Fire"
"We Didn’t Start the Fire" reflects on the ongoing, uncontrollable changes throughout history. Just as history keeps moving forward, customer expectations are constantly evolving, and businesses must remain vigilant to stay relevant. The song's message is clear: change is inevitable, and businesses must adapt to thrive.
How to Apply in Your Business:
Continuously monitor and adapt to customer expectations and trends.
Stay informed and agile in a constantly changing market.
Understand that customer needs evolve over time - anticipate changes and be ready to pivot as trends change.
"Turn the Lights Back On"
"Turn the Lights Back On" is a song about bringing clarity and hope into a dark situation - it also asks the question "did I wait to long to act?" In customer service, businesses must shine a light on challenges and provide clear solutions quickly. This song emphasizes the importance of illuminating the path for customers, especially when they face problems or need assistance.
How to Apply in Your Business:
Address customer issues with transparency and clarity - and do so quickly.
Provide helpful solutions and alternatives to guide customers through challenges.
Ensure that customers feel heard and understood - and follow up to be sure you solved their problems.
"The Longest Time"
"The Longest Time" celebrates connection, nostalgia, and long-lasting relationships - and the pain when relationships end. In customer experience, it’s essential to build strong, enduring relationships with customers. When businesses create these lasting bonds, customers become loyal advocates, returning time after time and recommending the brand to others.
How to Apply in Your Business:
Foster long-term relationships with customers by providing consistent, dependable, and high-quality service.
Focus on customer retention - it costs 5x more to attract a new customer than to keep the ones you have.
Nurture loyalty through listening and acting on feedback.
"Just the Way You Are"
"Just the Way You Are" is about acceptance someone for who they truly are. In customer experience, this song reminds us of the importance of treating customers as individuals and not forcing them to conform to a one-size-fits-all solution. Personalizing experiences and understanding customers' unique needs fosters loyalty and connection.
How to Apply in Your Business:
Personalize your service to meet the unique needs of each customer - leverage technology and AI to help you.
Understand your customers and build experiences and products that solve problems for them.
Build strong emotional connections by valuing each customer and guest as an individual.
"Piano Man"
"Piano Man" is perhaps one of Billy Joel’s most iconic songs, and it tells the story of different individuals at a bar, each with their own distinct story. The song reflects empathy and understanding of people’s lives, reminding us that every customer has their own unique journey. In customer service, this means truly listening to customers’ needs and offering solutions that resonate with them personally.
How to Apply in Your Business:
Listen actively to customers and understand their specific needs.
Offer personalized solutions that speak to each customer's unique experience.
Demonstrate empathy by acknowledging customers’ emotions and challenges.
"The River of Dreams"
"The River of Dreams" is an introspective song about a journey of discovery. In customer experience, businesses are also on a journey, continually trying to fulfill customer's desires and provide value. This song is a reminder that leaders need to stay on the cutting edge and make time to dream and innovate each day.
How to Apply in Your Business:
Continuously improve your offerings to meet customers' evolving needs.
Encourage your team to dream each day and share their ideas for improving the customer experience.
Invest in personalizing the customer journey to deliver frictionless experiences that build loyalty.
"You’re Only Human (Second Wind)"
"You’re Only Human (Second Wind)" encourages resilience and bouncing back after setbacks. In the customer experience realm, things don't always go perfectly, but it's how businesses (and people) handle those setbacks that matter most. When problems arise, businesses should focus on offering solutions, maintaining empathy, and ensuring that customers feel supported.
How to Apply in Your Business:
Maintain empathy and patience when customer service challenges arise.
Offer clear solutions that help customers recover from negative experiences.
Train and empower your team to ensure that they can solve problems on the spot for your guests.
"Pressure"
"Pressure" is a song that captures the feeling of external pressure and the stress that comes with it. In the world of customer service, businesses face similar pressure to meet high expectations and deliver exceptional service. The song's intensity mirrors the urgency and responsibility of providing great customer experiences, especially in high-stakes environments.
How to Apply in Your Business:
Perform under pressure by maintaining high standards of service during challenging times.
Focus on resilience and adaptability when dealing with customer expectations.
Train your team to handle high-pressure situations with tested processes so they know exactly what to do - even during peak or high pressure moments.
"A Matter of Trust"
"A Matter of Trust" is about the importance of trust in relationships. In customer experience, trust is the foundation of any lasting relationship. When businesses demonstrate transparency, consistency, and reliability, they build trust with customers, which leads to loyalty and sales growth.
How to Apply in Your Business:
Build trust by consistently delivering on your promises and exceeding customer expectations.
Focus on clear, open communication to ensure customers always know what is going on.
Focus on Quality Assurance (QA) efforts to measure service and product quality to ensure consistency.
So, What Can We Learn From All This?
Empathy and Personalization: Many of his songs deal with human emotion, connection, and understanding, which are essential foundations for crafting remarkable customer experiences.
Adaptability: Just as his music is loved across the generations, businesses must remain agile in responding to changing customer needs and market conditions.
Building Lasting Relationships: Joel’s songs like "The Longest Time" and "Just the Way You Are" highlight the importance of nurturing long-term, trusting relationships.
Richard E. Aaron/Redferns
Guests want to feel valued as people, not transactions.
Billy Joel's music provides more than just catchy piano riffs, it offers deep insights into human connection, resilience, and emotional understanding. His songs not only capture the essence of the Human Experiene (HX) but also provide powerful lessons that businesses can use to enhance their customer experience.
These songs have been a big part of my life and played many times over the years at parties or when I just needed a lift.
I wish him the best with his health battles and will continuing enjoying (and learning) from his amazing catalogue of songs. Because they remind me every time I listen to keep people at center of everything I do.
Tony Johnson
* Written by a real human, not A.I.
Tony is an award winning speaker and author on the topics of sales growth, customer experience, and leadership. Tony speaks to thousands annually and has been featured on ABC News and Fox News. He is available for business planning, motivational keynotes, leadership workshops, and employee service skills training.
Tony is the founder of Ignite Your Service and the Chief Experience Officer for 4xi Global Consulting.
Tony is available to help with your Customer Experience and Employee Engagement Strategies, inspirational keynote talks, team training and development, and executive leadership coaching.