Welcome to another episode of Service First, a Proclaim Podcast! Host Ben Wiggins chats with Jay Maxwell, CEO of The Arena Group, about the power of great service and hospitality.

Jay shares his journey from a college entrepreneur to a successful business leader, explaining what makes service truly stand out. He tells stories about a year-long credit card issue and a moving day experience that changed his perspective. His company believes, "Service is black and white, but hospitality is colored," and they always think about customers before they arrive.

This episode is full of useful tips on communication, business challenges, and creating great customer experiences. Whether you own a business, work in service, or just enjoy learning about people, you’ll get something valuable from this conversation.

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Host: Ben Wiggin

Guest: Jay Maxwell

Time Stamps:

(00:00 - 00:33) Introduction

(00:33 - 02:38) The Credit Card Cancellation Story: A Service Failure 

(02:38 - 05:31) The Power of Customer Communication 

(05:31 - 08:17) Journey from Corporate to Entrepreneurship 

(08:17 - 10:31) Early Business Ventures and Strategic Pivots 

(10:31 - 13:54) Entrepreneurial Challenges and Late Night Struggles 

(13:54 - 17:03) Celebrating Business Victories and Growth 

(17:03 - 19:10) Move-in Day Success Story: Service in Action 

(19:10 - 22:18) Service Industry Trends and Founder Mentality 

(22:18 - 24:31) Adding Color to Customer Service 

(24:31 - 27:52) Closing Discussion