Inside Jeremy Hyde’s CX Playbook: Cutting Through Chaos and a Donkey to Remember

CX Spotlight is a series where we speak to customer experience leaders from across industries who are rethinking support, building customer-first cultures, and finding clarity in the messiness of real-life CX.

Every edition is a quick, candid conversation. No fluff. No jargon. Just real-world insights from people who’ve been there and done that.

Table of Contents

• In Conversation With Jeremy Hyde
  • 1. What would your support alter ego be called—and what would their superpower be?
  • 2. How did you find your way into customer experience? Was it intentional or accidental?
  • 3. What’s the most unexpected support interaction you’ve had?
  • 4. What’s one practical change you’ve implemented to make your team more customer-centric?
  • 5. One tool or app you can’t live without at work?
  • 6. One piece of advice for someone just starting in customer support?
  • 7. Where has AI actually made support better?
  • 8. A book, podcast, or show you’d recommend?
  • 9. If you weren’t in CX, what would you be doing?

In Conversation With Jeremy Hyde

Jeremy Hyde has built his career on one belief: clarity changes everything. With nearly two decades in customer service, he has guided teams through operational disruptions, rapid growth, and new product launches. He focuses on building simple, reliable processes that keep everyone communicating and moving in the same direction. 

As Sr. Director of Customer Service at Sun Country Airlines, he brings years of experience in hands-on leadership across call centers in healthcare, retail, logistics, and travel. He has led high-volume phone operations and support teams that move quickly. That background shows in the way his groups stay steady and effective under pressure.

In this edition of CX Spotlight, Jeremy shares his most memorable support request, his take on inefficiency in customer service, and why he believes clarity is the foundation of great leadership.

1. What would your support alter ego be called—and what would their superpower be?

Captain Clarity. My clarity force field cuts through chaos and helps people line up on the same page. I like taking messy customer issues or team situations and giving them structure.

2. How did you find your way into customer experience? Was it intentional or accidental?

Definitely accidental. I graduated during a tough job market, and a friend referred me to a call center role. What started as a job quickly became something I enjoyed and realized I was good at. A few years in, I knew I wanted to make a career out of it.

3. What’s the most unexpected support interaction you’ve had?

Working in health insurance came with plenty of surprises. One customer needed transportation for an emotional-support donkey. Others tried to get things like new carpet or even a hot tub covered for allergies or back pain. You really do see it all.

4. What’s one practical change you’ve implemented to make your team more customer-centric?

Sometimes the systems and rules we create actually slow customers down. We started reviewing those processes regularly, asking “why” and validating assumptions. One small change to our quality expectations reduced friction and cut average handle time by more than 30 seconds.

5. One tool or app you can’t live without at work?

For focus, it’s my Google Nest to play music. For work, it’s our knowledge base. It’s the backbone that keeps everything running.

6. One piece of advice for someone just starting in customer support?

Whether you’re here for a year or a lifetime, make the most of it. Support work teaches you how to think critically, listen effectively, and lead others. If you’re open to it, your career can take you down unexpected but wonderful paths. I’ve lost count of how many people told me to leave this field early on. They were all wrong.

7. Where has AI actually made support better?

I use ChatGPT almost daily. It helps me write and think more clearly. For the team, AI role-play tools have been great for training. Voice transcription, auto summaries, and agent assist are newer for us, but they’re already proving really useful.

8. A book, podcast, or show you’d recommend?

I’d say networking associations instead. Find a local or virtual community where you can connect with peers. WFH Alliance and MWCCA are two that I really value. They bring smart people together and spark great conversations.

9. If you weren’t in CX, what would you be doing?

Honestly, I’m not sure. I’ve been in this space so long that it’s hard to imagine doing anything else.

Enjoyed Jeremy’s take on customer experience? Connect with him on LinkedIn or check out more stories in the CX Spotlight series.

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