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Macy’s CEO Tony Spring Says He Reads ‘Every Customer Note’

Sarah Johnson

If you’ve ever sent feedback to Macy’s, chances are CEO Tony Spring has read it.

On the company’s second-quarter earnings call, Spring emphasized that customer feedback plays a central role in Macy’s turnaround strategy.

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

Listening to Customers at Scale

Spring shared an example of a recent letter from a shopper who praised a Macy’s store for being clean, organized, and staffed with friendly employees.

“The service has improved tremendously over what it was just a few years ago,” the customer wrote, according to Spring.

This feedback reflects the retailer’s ongoing efforts to “reimagine” stores. Macy’s has revamped about 125 locations with:

  • Additional staffing to improve service

  • Better marketing and presentation to create a welcoming experience

  • Streamlined product assortments to reduce clutter

Part of a Larger Comeback Strategy

Macy’s has faced years of slow sales and store closures, but its leadership continues to bet on the strength of its three brands — Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Bluemercury.

All three reported comparable sales growth in Q2, a key measure that excludes recently opened or closed stores. The company is also:

CEOs Paying Attention to Feedback

Spring isn’t alone in treating customer notes as a priority. Other top executives make it part of their daily routine:

  • Apple’s Tim Cook told GQ in 2023 that he starts his day at 5 a.m. by reading customer emails.

  • DoorDash CEO Tony Xu said he gets hundreds of weekly messages from consumers, delivery workers, and merchants. While not all feedback is glowing, he insists it drives constant improvement.

For Spring, the takeaway is clear: customer voices can shape the future of Macy’s as it works to reinvent itself in a challenging retail landscape.

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