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The mortgage broker trade group put out a white paper calling for lowering transaction costs, increasing housing supply and reducing regulatory barriers. View the full article

AI-powered browser extensions continue to be a popular vector for threat actors looking to harvest user information. Researchers at security firm LayerX have analyzed multiple campaigns in recent months involving malicious browser extensions, including the widespread GhostPoster scheme targeting Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. In the latest one—dubbed AiFrame—threat actors have pushed approximately 30 Chrome add-ons that impersonate well-known AI assistants, including Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, and "AI Gmail." Collectively, these fakes have more than 300,000 installs. Fake Chrome extensions look like popular AI assistantsThe Chrome extensions identified as part of AiFrame look like legitimate AI tools commonly used for summarizing, chat, writing, and Gmail assistance. But once installed, they grant attackers wide-ranging remote access to the user's browser. Some of the capabilities observed include voice recognition, pixel tracking, and email content readability. Researchers note that extensions are broadly capable of harvesting data and monitoring user behavior. Though the extensions analyzed by LayerX used a variety of names and branding, all 30 were found to have the same internal structure, logic, permissions, and backend infrastructure. Instead of implementing functionality locally on the user's device, they render a full-screen iframe that loads remote content as the extension's interface. This allows attackers to push changes silently at any time without a requiring Chrome Web Store update. LayerX has a complete list of the names and extension IDs to refer to. Because threat actors use familiar and/or generic branding, such as "Gemini AI Sidebar" and "ChatGPT Translate," you may not be able to identify fakes at first glance. If you have an AI assistant installed in Chrome, go to chrome://extensions, toggle on Developer mode in the top-right corner, and search for the ID below the extension name. Remove any malicious add-ons and reset passwords. As BleepingComputer reports, some of the malicious extensions have already been removed from the Chrome Web Store, but others remain. Several have received the "Featured" badge, adding to their legitimacy. Threat actors have also been able to quickly republish add-ons under new names using the existing infrastructure, so this campaign and others like it may persist. Always vet extensions carefully—don't just rely on a familiar name like ChatGPT—and note that even AI-powered add-ons from trusted sources can be highly invasive. View the full article

Project plans rarely hold true once the execution phase starts. Requirements evolve, stakeholders change their minds, risks turn into issues and teams learn as they go. That’s where iterative project management earns its place. Instead of betting everything on a single pass, it encourages progress, feedback and adjustment of dynamic, evolving plans. Understanding how it works helps you build resilient projects. However, before defining what iterative project management is, one must first define two closely related ideas: iteration and iterative process. They’re often used interchangeably in conversation, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing and clarifying that distinction is important for truly understanding iterative project management and being able to apply it in day-to-day project work. What Is an Iteration In Project Management? In practical terms, an iteration is a short, focused work cycle where a team plans, executes and reviews a specific portion of project work. It produces tangible deliverables, tests assumptions and exposes project planning gaps early. Rather than working towards a single final project delivery, teams use iterations to learn, adjust scope and refine priorities. ProjectManager is an award-winning project portfolio management software that offers advanced planning, scheduling and tracking tools for software development and IT teams, allowing them to manage agile iterative workflows, allocate resources and track progress, costs and timelines in real time. Additionally, ProjectManager integrates with Jira, Azure Devops and features an open API that facilitates integration with other software development tools. Get started for free today. /wp-content/uploads/2024/03/operations-implementation-kanban-150-cta-1600x787.jpgLearn more What Is an Iterative Process In Project Management? When those short cycles known as iterations in project management are intentionally repeated with built-in review and adjustment, they form an iterative process. In an iterative process work moves forward in increments, feedback reshapes upcoming tasks and lessons from one cycle directly influence the next. Over time, this structured repetition reduces risk, improves alignment and steadily strengthens overall project outcomes, which are built on constant feedback from project team members and external stakeholders. What Is Iterative Project Management? Iterative project management is an approach where project work is planned and delivered in repeated iteration cycles rather than a single linear sequence. Each iterative process produces usable output, incorporates feedback and reshapes upcoming tasks. Instead of locking everything upfront, teams intentionally adjust scope, priorities and solutions as real-world information emerges during execution. Benefits of Iterative Project Management We’ve already hinted at some advantages, but now it’s worth slowing down and looking at the most practical benefits teams experience when they implement iterative project management instead of committing to a traditional project plan. Increased customer satisfaction: Regular demonstrations and incremental deliveries allow customers and stakeholders to provide feedback early, which leads to outcomes that better match their evolving expectations. Earlier risk identification: Short work cycles expose technical, resource and requirement risks sooner, giving teams time to correct course before problems scale. Reduced rework: Because assumptions are tested frequently, misunderstandings are corrected in smaller increments rather than discovered at final delivery. Greater scope control: Teams can refine priorities between iterations, preventing uncontrolled scope growth and keeping focus on the highest-value work. Improved stakeholder alignment: Frequent check-ins keep stakeholders like sponsors, clients and team members aligned on progress, constraints and next steps. Better cost visibility: Incremental progress makes it easier to evaluate spending against delivered value instead of waiting for end-of-project financial reviews. Higher team accountability: Defined iteration goals create short-term commitments, encouraging ownership and measurable performance within each cycle. Faster delivery of usable features: Rather than waiting months for a complete solution, stakeholders begin receiving functional components earlier in the project lifecycle. Stronger adaptability to change: When priorities shift, adjustments can be made in upcoming iterations without destabilizing the entire project plan. Continuous process improvement: Retrospectives and reviews built into each cycle allow teams to refine workflows, communication and estimation accuracy over time. Examples of Iterative Projects Iterative processes aren’t limited to one industry. Iterative project management is used across industries that naturally benefit from structured, feedback-driven cycles. Software Development Inside software development teams, requirements shift, edge cases appear and technical constraints surface only after code is written and tested. Iterative project management allows developers to build in increments, validate functionality quickly and refactor before complexity compounds. Instead of attempting one massive release, teams stabilize architecture, improve performance and reduce defects through repeated, controlled engineering cycles. Related: 18 Free Software Development Templates for Excel, Word & More Here are some examples of iterative projects in software development. Developing a customer relationship management (CRM) system through sprint-based feature releases Building a mobile banking app with incremental security and usability enhancements Modernizing a legacy enterprise system through phased refactoring cycles Creating an e-commerce platform with staged checkout and payment integrations Implementing API integrations across multiple third-party systems Digital Product Development At the product level, uncertainty doesn’t just come from code—it comes from the market. Teams must validate assumptions about users, pricing and positioning while software is being built. Iterative project management supports MVP releases, structured user feedback and roadmap adjustments. Instead of locking strategy upfront, product teams refine value propositions and feature priorities based on real customer behavior. Here are some examples of iterative projects in digital product development. Launching a subscription-based fitness app starting with a focused MVP Developing a fintech product with phased feature rollouts based on user adoption Creating a marketplace platform and refining pricing through A/B testing Building a learning management system while iterating on UX design from user feedback Introducing a new SaaS analytics product with staged onboarding improvements Marketing Campaign performance rarely matches marketing projections on the first attempt. Audience behavior, platform algorithms and competitive responses shift constantly. Iterative project management allows marketing teams to test messaging, adjust targeting and refine creative assets based on measurable data. Instead of committing the full budget upfront, teams optimize conversion rates, engagement and return on investment through structured experimentation cycles. Related: 20 Marketing Templates for Planning, Strategy & More Here are some examples of iterative projects in digital product development. Running a paid social media campaign with weekly creative testing and audience refinements Launching an email marketing funnel and optimizing subject lines through A/B testing Rolling out a content marketing strategy and adjusting topics based on engagement metrics Executing a product launch campaign with phased messaging adjustments Testing landing page variations to improve conversion performance Research & Development (R&D) Innovation rarely follows a straight line from concept to finished solution. Unknown variables, technical feasibility and performance constraints only become clear through testing. Iterative project management supports structured experimentation, prototype validation and controlled refinement. Rather than committing full resources upfront, R&D teams reduce uncertainty by building, testing and improving solutions in progressive development cycles. Here are some examples of iterative projects in R&D. Designing a new medical device through successive prototype testing phases Developing a renewable energy technology with iterative laboratory trials Creating an automotive component and refining it through performance testing cycles Formulating a new pharmaceutical compound through staged clinical validation Building hardware prototypes for consumer electronics with incremental feature refinement Iterative Project Management Methodologies While iterative processes are dynamic and beneficial for organizations, they can become chaotic without a structured framework. Over time, several iterative project management methodologies have emerged to bring consistency and discipline to repeated cycles of planning, execution and review. Below is a practical overview of the most widely used approaches. Agile Project Management More than a structured project management methodology, agile project management is an iterative project management philosophy grounded in the Agile Manifesto, which emphasizes individuals and interactions, working solutions, customer collaboration and responsiveness to change. Rather than prescribing a strict framework, agile provides guiding principles for adaptive delivery, allowing teams to organize iterative work in ways that best fit their context. Because agile is principle-driven rather than structurally rigid, iterations are implemented through frameworks such as scrum or flow-based systems like kanban. Teams collaborate closely with stakeholders, maintain prioritized backlogs and review progress frequently. Planning, feedback and adjustment happen continuously, but the specific ceremonies, roles and tracking tools depend on the chosen agile variation. Scrum Scrum is a structured agile framework that organizes work into fixed-length iterations called sprints, usually lasting two to four weeks. It defines specific roles, events and artifacts to guide iterative delivery. Scrum emphasizes transparency, inspection and adaptation, ensuring that progress and priorities are reviewed frequently and adjusted as needed. In Scrum, constant team meetings called ceremonies are important for planning how work will be executed. Iterations are managed through sprint planning sessions where the product owner prioritizes backlog items and the team commits to deliverables. Daily stand-up meetings track short-term progress, while sprint reviews gather stakeholder feedback on completed work. Retrospectives evaluate team performance. Tools such as product backlogs, sprint backlogs and burndown charts help maintain visibility and accountability. Kanban Kanban is an iterative project management methodology focused on visualizing workflow and limiting work in progress to improve delivery efficiency. Unlike time-boxed approaches, it operates through continuous flow. Work items move across defined stages, allowing teams to identify bottlenecks and optimize throughput without fixed sprint cycles. Iterations in kanban emerge through workflow management rather than scheduled sprints. Teams visualize tasks on kanban boards, typically divided into columns such as to do, in progress and done. Work-in-progress limits prevent overload, while regular review meetings assess cycle time and throughput. Continuous monitoring ensures adjustments happen naturally as work progresses. Extreme Programming Extreme programming (xp) is an agile, iterative project management methodology that emphasizes technical excellence, rapid feedback and continuous improvement. It focuses heavily on disciplined engineering practices such as pair programming, test-driven development and continuous integration. The goal is to improve software quality while remaining highly responsive to changing requirements. Iterations in extreme programming are short and highly structured, often one to two weeks long. Developers work in pairs, write automated tests before coding and integrate changes frequently to avoid large-scale defects. Continuous customer involvement ensures requirements stay aligned with business needs. Tools typically include version control systems, automated testing frameworks and continuous integration servers. Lean Development Lean development is an iterative project management approach rooted in lean manufacturing principles, focused on maximizing value while minimizing waste. It encourages delivering small increments of work, validating assumptions quickly and eliminating activities that do not contribute directly to customer outcomes or measurable progress. Iterations in lean development are driven by value delivery and flow efficiency rather than strict time boxes. Cross-functional teams prioritize high-impact tasks, limit work in progress and measure cycle time to identify bottlenecks. Feedback from users and stakeholders informs continuous adjustments. Visual boards, value stream mapping and flow metrics support ongoing optimization of the process. Iterative Project Management Tools Now that we have a better understanding of what iterative project management is and the different methodologies that teams use to coordinate their efforts, let’s take a closer look at the tools that help them manage iterative projects. Kanban Board A kanban board is a visual workflow management tool that displays work items as cards moving across columns representing stages of progress, such as to do, in progress and done. Each card typically includes a task description, owner, priority and status. Work-in-progress limits are often set per column to control capacity and maintain flow. /wp-content/uploads/2023/03/kanban-board-excel-template-600x202.jpgFree kanban board template for Excel Using a kanban board, teams manage iterative work by continuously pulling tasks through the workflow rather than waiting for fixed cycles. As cards move across stages, bottlenecks become visible and adjustments happen in real time. Regular reviews of flow metrics such as cycle time help teams refine processes and improve delivery predictability. Sprint Backlog A sprint backlog is a prioritized list of tasks selected from the product backlog for completion during a specific sprint. It usually appears as a structured list or board containing user stories, task breakdowns, estimates and assigned team members. The sprint backlog defines the committed scope for that iteration. Within an iterative process, the sprint backlog acts as the execution plan for a single time-boxed cycle. During sprint planning, the team selects and refines backlog items, then tracks progress daily. As work is completed, tasks move to done, and unfinished items are reassessed at the sprint review before the next iteration begins. Product Backlog A product backlog is a continuously evolving, prioritized list of features, enhancements, fixes and technical improvements required for a product. Items are typically written as user stories and include descriptions, acceptance criteria and estimated effort. It serves as the central repository of all potential work aligned with product goals. /wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Product-backlog-template-new-600x166.pngFree product backlog template for Excel In iterative project management, the product backlog feeds upcoming iterations by ranking work according to value and urgency. Before each cycle begins, high-priority items are refined and selected for execution. Ongoing stakeholder feedback reshapes backlog priorities, ensuring future iterations focus on delivering the most meaningful improvements. Burndown Chart A burndown chart is a simple line graph that tracks remaining work against time within a sprint or iteration. The horizontal axis represents days in the cycle, while the vertical axis shows total work, often measured in story points or hours. An ideal trend line indicates planned progress, while the actual line shows real performance. During an iteration, teams review the burndown chart daily to see whether work is progressing as expected. If the actual line flattens or rises, it signals delays, scope changes or estimation gaps. This visibility allows teams to adjust workload, remove blockers or recalibrate expectations before the iteration ends. Retrospective Framework A retrospective framework is a structured meeting format used at the end of an iteration to evaluate how the team worked. It typically includes prompts such as what went well, what did not and what should change. Notes are captured visibly, often on boards or shared documents, to organize insights and action items. At the close of each iteration, the retrospective framework helps teams convert experience into improvement. Participants openly discuss collaboration, tools and obstacles, then agree on specific adjustments for the next cycle. Those action items feed directly into upcoming iterations, reinforcing continuous learning and strengthening the overall iterative process. ProjectManager Can Help with IT & Software Development Projects ProjectManager is an award-winning project portfolio management software equipped with powerful features for IT and software development teams, such as Gantt chart roadmaps to manage delivery plans and project portfolios, dashboards for monitoring resource utilization, project costs and progress in real time and kanban boards for agile sprints and iterative planning. ProjectManager also offers robust resource management features such as workload charts to balance teams’ workloads and timesheets for detailed time tracking. On top of that, ProjectManager integrates with Jira and Azure DevOps and has an open API so that organizations can integrate its powerful project portfolio management features with their favorite tools. Watch the video below to learn more. The post Iterative Project Management: Methods and Tools appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

On episode 341 of PPC Live The Podcast, I speak to Andrea Cruz, Head of B2B at Tinuiti, to unpack a mistake many senior marketers quietly struggle with: freezing when clients demand answers you don’t immediately have. The conversation explored how communication missteps can escalate client tension — and how the right mindset, preparation, and culture can turn those moments into career-defining growth. From hands-on marketer to team leader As Cruz advanced in her career, she shifted from managing campaigns directly to leading teams running large, complex accounts. That transition introduced a new challenge: representing work she didn’t personally execute day to day. When clients pushed back — questioning performance or expectations — Cruz sometimes froze. Saying “I don’t know” or delaying a response could quickly erode trust and escalate frustration. Her key realization: senior leaders are expected to provide perspective in the moment. Even without every detail, they must guide the conversation confidently. How to buy time without losing trust Through mentorship and experience, Cruz developed a practical technique: asking clarifying questions to gain thinking time while deepening understanding. Examples include: Asking clients to clarify expectations or timelines Requesting additional context around their concerns Confirming what the client already knows about the situation These questions serve two purposes: they slow down emotionally charged moments and ensure responses address the real issue, not just the surface complaint. For Cruz, this approach was especially important as a non-native English speaker, giving her space to process complex conversations and respond clearly. A solutions-first culture beats blame Cruz emphasized that mistakes are inevitable — but how teams respond defines long-term success. At Tinuiti, the focus is not on assigning blame but on answering two questions: Where are we now? How do we get to where we want to be? This solutions-oriented mindset creates psychological safety. Teams can openly acknowledge errors, run post-mortems, and identify patterns without fear. Cruz argues that leaders must model this behavior by sharing their own mistakes, not just scrutinizing others’. That transparency builds trust internally and with clients. Proactive communication builds stronger client relationship Rather than waiting for clients to surface problems, Cruz encourages teams to raise issues first. Acknowledging underperformance — even when clients haven’t noticed — demonstrates accountability and strengthens partnerships. She also recommends tailoring communication styles to each client. Some prefer concise updates; others want detailed explanations. Documenting these preferences helps teams deliver information in ways that resonate. Regular check-ins about business roadblocks — not just campaign metrics — position agencies as strategic partners, not just media operators. Common agency mistakes in B2B advertising Cruz didn’t hold back on recurring issues she sees in audits: Budgets spread too thin: Running too many channels with insufficient spend leads to meaningless data and weak performance. Underfunded campaigns: B2B CPCs are inherently high. Campaigns generating only a few clicks per day rarely produce actionable results. Her advice is blunt: if the budget can’t support a channel properly, it’s better not to run it. AI is more than a summarization tool On AI, Cruz cautioned against shallow usage. Treating AI as a simple spreadsheet summarizer misses its broader potential. Her team is experimenting with advanced applications — automated audits, workflow integrations, and operational efficiencies. She compares AI’s role to medical diagnostics: a powerful assistant that augments expert judgment, not a replacement for it. For marketers, that means staying curious and continuously exploring new use cases. The takeaway: preparation and passion drive resilience Cruz’s central message is simple: mistakes will happen. What matters is preparation, adaptability, and maintaining a solutions-first mindset. By anticipating client needs, personalizing communication, and embracing experimentation, marketers can transform stressful moments into opportunities to build credibility. View the full article

Personalized service refers to tailoring interactions and experiences to meet individual customer preferences and behaviors. It’s crucial in today’s business environment, as customers increasingly expect businesses to comprehend their unique needs. By utilizing customer data, companies can improve satisfaction and loyalty, leading to significant profitability gains. Comprehending how to implement personalized service effectively can transform your business approach. What specific strategies can you adopt to nurture these valuable customer connections? Key Takeaways Personalized service tailors customer experiences based on individual preferences, enhancing engagement and satisfaction. It fosters emotional connections, making customers feel valued and understood, increasing loyalty. Companies prioritizing personalized service can see up to a 60% increase in profitability. Customers are willing to pay up to 20% more for personalized products and services. Successful examples of personalization include Amazon, Netflix, and Starbucks, leading to higher retention and spending. Understanding Personalized Service Grasping personalized service is essential in today’s competitive marketplace, especially since customers increasingly expect customized interactions. Personalized services tailor customer experiences based on individual preferences and behaviors, making each interaction relevant and meaningful. Personalization statistics reveal that 71% of customers anticipate such experiences, highlighting the necessity for businesses to adapt. Moreover, over 50% of customers feel frustrated when they’ve to repeatedly explain issues to support agents, emphasizing the importance of personalized support that remembers past interactions. When businesses prioritize personalized service, they cultivate stronger emotional connections with their customers. Research shows that 90% of customers appreciate immediate responses, ideally within 10 minutes. By embracing these practices, companies can see a 60% increase in profitability, indicating a direct correlation between effective personalized service and business success. Comprehending this concept can help you navigate and improve your customer interactions effectively. The Importance of Personalization in Business Personalization in business is essential for enhancing customer engagement, as customized experiences make consumers feel valued and understood. When you focus on individual needs, you not just build brand loyalty but likewise improve overall business outcomes, leading to increased profitability. Enhancing Customer Engagement In today’s competitive market, businesses that prioritize enhancing customer engagement through customized experiences can considerably boost their success. Personalization companies understand that effective personalized service is essential for meeting customer expectations. Here are four key benefits of personalized customer care: 71% of customers seek personalized experiences, making them feel valued. Implementing personalized interactions can lead to a 60% increase in profitability. 93% of customers are likely to return to businesses offering superior service. Customers may pay up to 20% more for personalized products and services. Building Brand Loyalty As customers increasingly expect personalized experiences that meet their individual needs, businesses must recognize the crucial role personalization plays in nurturing brand loyalty. When you provide customized services, you’re not just meeting expectations; you’re cultivating emotional connections that drive repeat business. Studies show that 93% of customers are more likely to return to a company that consistently personalizes its service. In addition, focusing on customer-centric strategies can lead to a 60% increase in profitability. If your personalization efforts fall short, you risk frustrating 76% of customers who’ve unmet expectations. Improving Business Outcomes With consumers increasingly demanding customized experiences, businesses can’t overlook the importance of personalization in driving improved outcomes. By focusing on personalized services, you can achieve considerable benefits, including: Improved customer satisfaction, as 71% expect personalized experiences. Increased profitability, with customer-centric companies seeing up to a 60% boost. Better customer loyalty, as 93% are likely to return for ideal service. Higher revenue through customized promotions, leveraging customer data effectively. Implementing these strategies not only helps retain customers but also encourages positive word-of-mouth advertising. By truly comprehending your customers’ needs, you can greatly improve your brand’s reputation and market presence. In the end, prioritizing personalization is a key driver for stronger business outcomes. Customer Expectations for Personalized Experiences Customized experiences have become a vital expectation among consumers, as 71% of customers now seek personalized interactions that align with their individual preferences. When businesses fail to meet these personalization expectations, 76% of customers report feeling frustrated, which can harm customer satisfaction. You should be aware that consumers are increasingly open to sharing personal data, with 22% willing to do so for improved personalization. This willingness reflects a strong desire for bespoke experiences that resonate with their needs. Moreover, businesses that prioritize personalized interactions can see a significant increase in profitability, with estimates suggesting a 60% boost for customer-centric operations. Meeting these expectations not only improves satisfaction but also cultivates loyalty; 93% of customers are more likely to return to businesses that provide superior service. Grasping these expectations is imperative for creating effective personalized strategies that resonate with your target audience. Benefits of Personalized Service When you prioritize personalized service, you improve loyalty and trust among your customers. This approach not only increases engagement but likewise boosts retention rates, making customers more likely to return. Enhanced Loyalty and Trust Trust is a cornerstone of customer relationships, and personalized service plays a crucial role in building it. When you receive customized service, you’re more likely to feel valued and connected to the brand. Here are some key benefits of personalized service in nurturing loyalty and trust: Higher Return Rates: 93% of customers are likely to return when they experience ideal, customized service. Emotional Connection: Personalized interactions create a deeper emotional bond, increasing brand trust and advocacy. Satisfaction Expectations: 71% of customers expect personalized experiences, greatly boosting satisfaction and loyalty when met. Quick Resolutions: 90% of customers appreciate immediate responses, leading to quicker problem-solving and overall satisfaction. Improved Engagement and Retention In today’s competitive market, engaging customers effectively is essential for retaining them over the long term. Customized service greatly boosts customer engagement, with 71% of customers expecting personalized experiences. This expectation leads to deeper emotional connections, making them 93% more likely to return to your business. Adopting a customer-centric personalized approach can as well improve your profitability by 60%, clearly illustrating the financial advantages of effective engagement strategies. In addition, enhanced personalization during interactions can reduce churn rates, as 76% of customers feel frustrated when their personalization needs aren’t met. Enhancing Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Personalized service plays a vital role in improving customer satisfaction and loyalty, as it allows businesses to tailor their interactions to individual preferences. With 71% of customers expecting personalized experiences, meeting these expectations is imperative. When you feel valued, your loyalty increases; in fact, 93% of customers are likely to return to a business that offers ideal service. Here are key benefits of personalized service: It nurtures deeper emotional connections, driving repeat purchases. It improves customer satisfaction, reducing frustration—76% of customers feel let down when personalization is lacking. It encourages referrals, as satisfied customers share their experiences. Companies focusing on personalization can see a 60% rise in profitability. Building Meaningful Customer Relationships Building meaningful customer relationships hinges on trust and emotional connections. When you personalize your interactions, like addressing customers by name and tailoring communications to their preferences, you cultivate a sense of familiarity that improves loyalty. Trust Through Personalization Trust is essential in any customer relationship, especially regarding personalized service. When you receive customized interactions, you’re more likely to feel valued and understood. This improves your satisfaction and builds trust. Here are some key benefits of personalized service: Recognition of Needs: It acknowledges your individual preferences, making you feel special. Increased Loyalty: You’re 93% more likely to return to a business that understands you. Reduced Frustration: Avoiding the need to re-explain issues helps maintain trust. Proactive Communication: Quick, personalized responses (within 10 minutes) encourage positive experiences. Incorporating these elements can greatly boost trust and deepen your relationship with businesses, eventually leading to greater satisfaction and loyalty. Emotional Connections Matter Although many factors contribute to successful customer relationships, emotional connections play a vital role in nurturing loyalty and satisfaction. When you feel understood and valued, your likelihood of returning to a brand increases remarkably. In fact, 93% of customers are likely to revisit businesses that prioritize meaningful interactions. If companies customize their communication to your preferences, they can turn routine exchanges into engaging dialogues, which not only improves your experience but also cultivates trust. With 71% of customers expecting personalized service, meeting these expectations is fundamental. By leveraging customer data, businesses can craft customized responses, building rapport and eventually boosting overall satisfaction and retention rates. Emotional connections matter as they create lasting relationships that benefit both you and the brand. The Role of Customer Data in Personalization Customer data plays a vital role in personalization, as it allows businesses to create detailed profiles that reflect individual preferences and behaviors. With 71% of customers expecting personalized interactions, companies must leverage this data effectively. Here’s how customer data improves personalization: Understanding Unique Needs: By analyzing interaction histories, businesses can identify specific customer needs and preferences. Effective Communication: Customized messages lead to better engagement and customer satisfaction. Targeted Marketing: Segmentation of data enables companies to develop strategies that resonate with distinct customer groups, increasing engagement rates. Boosting Loyalty: Personalization drives customer loyalty; 93% of customers are more likely to return if they receive ideal service. When companies prioritize customer data for personalization, they can see significant benefits, including a potential 60% increase in profitability. Therefore, utilizing customer data is vital for any business aiming to improve its service and build lasting relationships. Techniques for Delivering Personalized Service To effectively deliver customized service, businesses must employ various techniques that cater to individual customer needs. First, collecting and analyzing customer data allows you to create in-depth profiles, helping you offer tailored solutions that align with preferences. Furthermore, training your agents on personalization techniques equips them with the skills needed to understand customer experiences, leading to more meaningful interactions. Implementing automation for simple requests can likewise improve response times, ensuring immediate, personalized support that meets customer expectations. In addition, providing omnichannel support guarantees consistent customized experiences across preferred communication channels, enhancing overall satisfaction. By leveraging AI and automation, you can enable scalable interactions while allowing human agents to focus on complex customer needs, improving efficiency. These techniques work together to nurture a more personalized service environment, ultimately benefiting both your business and your customers. Leveraging Technology for Personalization To effectively leverage technology for personalization, you can utilize AI-powered insights and data-driven decision-making. By analyzing customer data, businesses can create customized experiences that align with individual preferences, enhancing engagement at every interaction. Implementing these technologies not just streamlines communication but additionally supports proactive service, in the end boosting customer loyalty and satisfaction. AI-Powered Insights As businesses increasingly recognize the significance of personalization, AI-powered insights have emerged as a transformative tool that improves how they connect with consumers. By utilizing AI, you can benefit in several ways: Analyze vast amounts of customer data to tailor interactions based on preferences. Leverage machine learning algorithms to predict needs and provide personalized recommendations, boosting conversions by up to 30%. Automate feedback collection and analysis for real-time adjustments to your strategies, enhancing customer satisfaction. Achieve a seamless omnichannel experience, ensuring consistent personalization across platforms, which encourages engagement and loyalty. Implementing AI-driven personalization can lead to significant profitability increases, making it crucial for businesses to prioritize customer-centric approaches. Data-Driven Decision Making Even though many businesses understand the significance of personalized customer interactions, effectively leveraging data-driven decision making can improve these efforts to new heights. This approach utilizes thorough customer data to create individualized experiences, enhancing satisfaction greatly. By using technology like IBM Watson and CRM systems, you can analyze customer preferences and behaviors, enabling real-time personalization that meets specific needs. Organizations that adopt these strategies report a 60% increase in profitability compared to those that don’t prioritize customer-centric methods. Real-time tools provide a 360-degree view of customer interactions, informing marketing strategies and boosting engagement. Furthermore, analyzing customer data helps identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities, driving further revenue growth. Embracing data-driven decision making is crucial for achieving personalized service success. Creating an Omnichannel Customer Experience Creating an effective omnichannel customer experience requires companies to integrate multiple communication channels, guaranteeing that customers can shift effortlessly between them during receiving personalized service. With 75% of consumers expecting consistency across all channels, it’s vital to meet their expectations. Here’s how to improve your omnichannel approach: Integrate Channels: Combine email, social media, and phone support to provide a unified experience. Personalized Communication: Address customers by name and reference their previous interactions to improve satisfaction. Consistent Messaging: Confirm that all channels deliver the same message, so customers feel valued and informed. Track Engagement: Monitor customer interactions across channels to identify areas for improvement. Implementing an omnichannel strategy can lead to retaining 89% of customers, boosting loyalty, and increasing revenue by 10%. Developing Effective Customer Journey Maps Comprehending your customers’ paths is vital for enhancing their overall experience with your brand. Developing effective customer experience maps involves identifying key touchpoints and interactions that shape these paths. By segmenting experiences based on demographics and behavior, you can tailor your strategies to address specific needs, which can greatly boost customer satisfaction and loyalty. Effective mapping not only reveals pain points but also highlights opportunities for improvement. This allows you to proactively address customer concerns, enhancing service delivery. Utilizing customer feedback and data analytics in your mapping efforts can lead to more personalized interactions, nurturing deeper emotional connections and increasing customer lifetime value. Moreover, consistently updating and refining your customer experience maps guarantees that your business stays aligned with evolving customer expectations, which is key for maintaining a competitive edge in the market. Training Staff for Personalized Interactions Training staff for personalized interactions is pivotal in ensuring that the insights gained from customer experience mapping are effectively implemented. To achieve this, you should focus on several key areas: Understanding the Customer Experience Path: Equip agents with knowledge about customer experiences to tailor interactions. Clear Communication: Train staff to use conversational language, avoiding jargon, as 76% of customers feel frustrated when personalization expectations aren’t met. Role-Playing Scenarios: Incorporate practice sessions where agents use customers’ names and preferred pronouns, improving connection and satisfaction. Continuous Training and Feedback: Regularly update staff on personalization techniques and provide feedback on their interactions, as 93% of customers are likely to return to businesses that excel in service. Measuring the Impact of Personalized Service Measuring the impact of customized service is crucial for comprehending its effectiveness in enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. When businesses adapt their services to individual customer needs, they can experience up to a 60% increase in profitability compared to those that don’t prioritize personalization. Studies reveal that 71% of customers expect personalized experiences, and a significant 76% express frustration when those expectations aren’t met. Implementing personalized strategies increases the likelihood of customer retention to an impressive 93%. Furthermore, companies excelling in personalization see a notable boost in loyalty, as 90% of customers appreciate immediate responses to their inquiries. Customized interactions not only improve satisfaction but also encourage positive word-of-mouth advertising, which further raises overall satisfaction scores. Real-Life Examples of Successful Personalization As businesses seek to improve customer experiences, many have turned to successful personalization strategies that demonstrate tangible benefits. Here are some real-life examples: Amazon utilizes personalized recommendations based on your past purchases and browsing behavior, contributing to 35% of its revenue. Netflix analyzes your viewing habits with advanced algorithms, resulting in a 75% customer retention rate as you find content that interests you. Starbucks leverages its loyalty program to send personalized offers through its app, leading to a 20% increase in spending among loyalty members. Spotify creates playlists like “Discover Weekly,” customized to your listening patterns, engaging over 40 million users weekly and enhancing retention. These examples highlight how effective personalization can lead to increased sales and customer satisfaction, proving its value in today’s competitive market. Frequently Asked Questions What Is a Personalized Service? Customized service involves adjusting interactions based on your unique preferences and behaviors. This approach uses data to create customized experiences, ensuring you feel valued and understood. With over 71% of customers expecting such service, businesses that adopt personalization often see higher satisfaction rates. By leveraging insights about you, companies can improve relationships, drive repeat business, and achieve better profitability, making customized service crucial in today’s competitive market. How Can Personalisation Benefit Individuals? Personalization benefits you by enhancing your overall experience with a brand. When business.com tailor their services to meet your needs, you feel valued and understood, which can increase your loyalty. Personalized interactions likewise reduce frustration, as you won’t need to repeat your issues multiple times. Furthermore, companies that anticipate your preferences often respond faster, nurturing trust. Many consumers are even willing to pay more for customized experiences, reflecting the value of personalization in today’s market. What Are Examples of Personalized Service? Examples of personalized service include addressing you by name during interactions, using your purchase history to suggest relevant products, and following up after your purchases to guarantee satisfaction. AI-driven chatbots can provide customized responses to your inquiries instantly, enhancing your experience. Moreover, loyalty programs that offer rewards based on your preferences create a sense of recognition, encouraging you to return. These practices cultivate deeper connections and improve overall customer satisfaction. How Does Providing Personalized Service Benefit Your Property? Providing personalized service considerably benefits your property by enhancing tenant satisfaction and loyalty. When you anticipate individual needs and preferences, you create a welcoming environment that encourages tenants to stay longer. Customized communication and quick response times improve overall experiences, increasing retention rates. As a result, properties that embrace these strategies often see higher profitability and value, with data showing a substantial increase in tenant satisfaction and willingness to return to these properties. Conclusion In summary, personalized service is crucial for meeting modern customer expectations and enhancing business success. By tailoring experiences to individual preferences, you can greatly improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. Implementing effective strategies, such as travel mapping and staff training, allows for meaningful interactions that resonate with clients. In the end, measuring the impact of these personalized efforts can lead to increased profitability and a stronger connection to your brand. Embracing personalization is not just beneficial; it’s becoming a necessity in today’s market. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Is Personalised Service and How Can It Benefit You?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In terms of boosting customer retention, selecting the right loyalty program provider is essential. Open Loyalty offers a flexible solution with an API-first approach, whereas Smile.io provides quick setup customized for e-commerce. Cheetah Digital stands out with its all-encompassing engagement tools, and Talon.One shines in advanced promotion management. Antavo rounds out the list with its focus on omnichannel experiences. Grasping these options can greatly impact your business strategy and customer relationships. What’s the best fit for your needs? Key Takeaways Open Loyalty offers a customizable API-first solution with gamification elements for enhancing customer engagement and retention. Smile.io provides a quick setup for e-commerce businesses, enabling rapid launch of loyalty programs with user-friendly management tools. Cheetah Digital features comprehensive engagement tools, including robust analytics for real-time tracking and personalized marketing strategies to boost retention. Talon.One utilizes a rules-based promotion engine, allowing for complex and customizable loyalty programs that enhance customer engagement across various markets. Antavo delivers omnichannel loyalty experiences with a no-code editor, supporting multiple reward types to cater to diverse customer preferences and improve retention. Open Loyalty: A Flexible and Customizable Solution Open Loyalty stands out as a flexible and customizable solution for businesses aiming to improve customer loyalty through personalized programs. As a leading b2b loyalty platform, it offers an API-first approach, boasting over 250 API endpoints that facilitate seamless integration with your existing systems. This b2b loyalty software is designed for quick implementation and scalability, ensuring you can improve customer engagement across web, mobile, and in-store channels efficiently. Additionally, Open Loyalty incorporates built-in gamification elements, such as achievements and leaderboards, which actively engage customers and boost retention through dynamic loyalty programs. With real-time processing capabilities, you can effortlessly track key metrics like retention and redemption rates, allowing for data-driven decisions that optimize your loyalty initiatives. As one of the top loyalty program providers, Open Loyalty empowers businesses to create customized experiences that resonate with their customers, ultimately driving loyalty and long-term success. Smile.io: Quick Setup for E-Commerce Businesses When you’re looking for a straightforward way to implement a loyalty program for your e-commerce business, Smile.io offers a plug-and-play solution that caters particularly to small and medium-sized enterprises. This platform integrates seamlessly with popular e-commerce systems like Shopify and Wix, allowing you to add loyalty features such as points, referrals, and VIP tiers without needing technical expertise. One of the standout benefits of Smile.io is its quick setup process, which enables you to launch loyalty programs swiftly. Users appreciate its user-friendly interface, which simplifies managing customer engagement and converting one-time shoppers into repeat customers. As Smile.io provides a free plan that’s ideal for SMBs, keep in mind that customization options are limited on this plan. This makes it perfect for businesses focusing on simplicity and rapid implementation, eventually enhancing customer retention through rewarding various actions. Cheetah Digital: Comprehensive Engagement Tools Cheetah Digital provides an extensive marketing platform that includes robust loyalty program features, allowing brands to improve customer engagement through personalized marketing strategies. The platform’s thorough reporting and analytics tools enable you to track customer engagement and program effectiveness in real-time, ensuring you make informed decisions. Cheetah Digital’s loyalty solutions integrate seamlessly with your existing systems, creating a unified approach to customer interactions across multiple channels. This integration emphasizes improving customer experience by facilitating targeted promotions and personalized rewards based on customer data and behavior. Although Cheetah Digital stands out in engagement tools, some users have noted that its loyalty features may lack depth compared to dedicated loyalty platforms. This suggests that finding a balance between marketing and loyalty functionalities is crucial for maximizing the platform’s potential. Talon.One: Advanced Promotion Management Talon.One provides a robust rules-based promotion and loyalty engine that enables businesses to craft highly customizable loyalty programs designed to their specific customer behaviors and business objectives. The platform supports complex promotion logic, allowing you to implement various reward structures, such as points, discounts, and tiered rewards, all within a single framework. This flexibility guarantees you can tailor your loyalty initiatives to meet diverse marketing strategies. Moreover, Talon.One‘s flexible API facilitates seamless integration with your existing e-commerce and CRM systems, enhancing customer experience and maintaining data consistency. It’s likewise designed to scale, making it suitable for enterprises aiming to expand their loyalty efforts across multiple markets and regions. Although users report a steep learning curve because of the advanced functionalities, effectively utilizing Talon.One’s capabilities can greatly boost customer engagement and retention. Leveraging this platform can uplift your loyalty programs to new heights. Antavo: Omnichannel Loyalty Experiences Antavo stands out in the loyalty program environment by offering omnichannel experiences that enable customers to engage with rewards seamlessly across various platforms, both online and in-store. Their no-code loyalty editor allows businesses to create and customize loyalty programs without needing extensive technical skills, making it accessible for many. Antavo supports multiple reward types, including points, discounts, and exclusive experiences, which cater to diverse customer preferences and improve engagement. User feedback highlights Antavo’s strength in delivering personalized interactions, which greatly boosts brand loyalty through customized rewards. Additionally, the platform is recognized for its robust customer support and partnership approach, ensuring that businesses receive the necessary guidance to implement effective loyalty strategies. With these features, Antavo equips businesses to cultivate stronger connections with their customers, eventually driving retention and satisfaction across all channels. Frequently Asked Questions How Do Loyalty Programs Affect Overall Business Revenue? Loyalty programs can greatly boost your business revenue by encouraging repeat purchases. When customers feel valued through rewards, they’re likely to return more often and spend more per visit. Furthermore, these programs can improve customer engagement and brand loyalty, which leads to increased lifetime value. By collecting data on purchasing habits, you can tailor marketing strategies effectively. In the end, a well-structured loyalty program can create a competitive edge, driving sustained revenue growth. What Industries Benefit Most From Loyalty Programs? Industries that benefit most from loyalty programs include retail, hospitality, and travel. In retail, programs encourage repeat purchases by offering discounts or points. The hospitality sector uses them to improve customer experiences and drive bookings through personalized offers. In travel, airlines and hotels reward frequent customers with upgrades and exclusive deals, cultivating brand loyalty. How Can Small Businesses Implement Loyalty Programs Effectively? To implement loyalty programs effectively, start by defining your goals and identifying your target audience. Choose a program structure that fits your business, whether it’s points-based or tiered rewards. Promote the program through multiple channels, like social media and email. Regularly assess the program’s performance using customer feedback and sales data. Finally, guarantee employees are trained to engage customers, enhancing their experience and encouraging participation in the loyalty program. What Are Common Challenges in Running a Loyalty Program? Running a loyalty program presents common challenges, including defining clear goals, grasping customer preferences, and managing costs effectively. You may struggle with tracking engagement and measuring success, as accurate data is vital for adjustments. Furthermore, maintaining customer interest over time can be difficult, especially if rewards aren’t compelling. Finally, integrating the program with existing systems and ensuring staff training can complicate implementation, making it necessary to plan thoroughly before launching your initiative. How Do Loyalty Programs Measure Customer Engagement? Loyalty programs measure customer engagement through various metrics. You’ll often see tracking of purchase frequency, average transaction value, and redemption rates. Furthermore, surveys and feedback forms help gauge customer satisfaction and preferences. Analyzing social media interactions can provide insights into how engaged customers feel with your brand. Conclusion In conclusion, choosing the right loyalty program provider is essential for enhancing customer retention. Open Loyalty offers flexibility with its API-first design, whereas Smile.io guarantees a quick setup for e-commerce. Cheetah Digital provides robust engagement tools, and Talon.One thrives in managing promotions. Finally, Antavo delivers a seamless omnichannel experience. By leveraging these unique strengths, businesses can develop effective loyalty programs that cultivate stronger customer connections and drive long-term success. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Top 5 Loyalty Program Providers Boosting Customer Retention" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Augmented reality smart glasses blend digital content directly with the physical world, enabling hands-free device use, but a persistent pain point remains: Low brightness can make them unusable in certain settings. Many models max out at 400 to 600 nits, but a rare few exceed that, making them more practical in different conditions—like the Viture Luma Pro AR glasses, which can hit 1,000 nits of brightness. Right now, the Viture Luma Pro AR glasses are over $200 off during Amazon's early President’s Day sale, bringing them to an an all-time low of $424 (originally $629). Viture Luma Pro AR Glasses $423.99 at Amazon $629.00 Save $205.01 Get Deal Get Deal $423.99 at Amazon $629.00 Save $205.01 The Viture Luma Pro glasses earned high marks from PCMag, which labeled them the “brightest smart glasses [we've] ever seen.” This higher peak brightness makes the glasses more functional in well-lit settings. They boast a 52-degree field of view (which translates to a 152-inch virtual screen) and have a 1200p (1920×1200 per eye) resolution with up to a 120Hz refresh rate. Along with a bright picture, they have dimmable lenses and focus adjustment dials for nearsighted users. In real-life testing at max resolution, some blurry edges can occur, these specs deliver deliver a bright, crisp, and sizable digital picture overall. On the audio side, the built-in Harman-tuned speakers perform well but may struggle in a very noisy environment. The glasses don’t have integrated head-tracking features, but you can enable 3DOF with the brand’s free SpaceWalker software available for desktop and mobile and compatible with iOS, Android, Windows, and MacOS. For those seeking a visually impressive monitor or virtual workstation that they can wear on their face (and reliance on software for motion-tracking isn’t a dealbreaker), the Viture Luma Pro AR glasses excel in most areas. Our Best Editor-Vetted Presidents' Day Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $139.99 (List Price $179.00) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones — $229.00 (List Price $349.00) Dell 16 DC16255 (AMD Ryzen 7 250, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, 2K Display) — $649.99 (List Price $869.99) HP Omen 35L (Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 5080, 2TB SSD, 64GB RAM) — (List Price $3,099.99 With Code "PRESDAYPC100") HP OmniBook X Flip Ngai 16-Inch (AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, Radeon 860M, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, 2K Display) — (List Price $649.99 With Code "PRESDAYPC50") Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

USS Gerald R Ford will join 10 ships in the region as White House also holds negotiations with senior Iranian officialsView the full article

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently celebrated a remarkable achievement with its Working Capital Pilot (WCP) Program, reaching over $150 million in lending since its inception. This milestone is significant, especially as the vast majority of recipients are small manufacturers, a sector that constitutes 98% of all U.S. manufacturers and is currently experiencing a revitalization under the current economic policies. SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler emphasized the importance of the WCP for small businesses in the manufacturing sector. “Manufacturing is a growing but capital-intensive industry,” Loeffler stated. “The WCP is playing a key role in empowering small firms to reshore their supply chains, hire American workers, and begin growing again after decades of bad trade deals that shipped U.S. jobs and industry overseas.” This program not only provides essential funding but also addresses a pressing need for American manufacturers to regain a competitive edge in both domestic and international markets. With more than 25% of the lending portfolio benefiting small manufacturers, it’s clear that the WCP has become a vital source of financial support aimed at fostering growth and innovation within the sector. The WCP serves as a complementary resource to the SBA’s established 7(a) and 504 loan programs, offering flexible options that cater specifically to the unique needs of small businesses. Two primary financing options are available under the WCP: asset-based loans and transaction-based financing. Asset-based loans allow small businesses to harness the value of their assets for working capital. This type of funding is instrumental for businesses looking to procure inventory, manage day-to-day expenses, or offer competitive sales terms. On the other hand, transaction-based financing enables firms to fund specific projects or orders, giving them access to necessary capital earlier in the sales cycle. This flexibility is particularly beneficial in helping businesses finance 100% of direct costs for their operations, a critical factor in managing cash flow effectively. Additionally, the WCP provides opportunities for small manufacturers to tap into both domestic and international markets under a single facility. This capability allows small businesses to diversify their client base, expand their operations, and truly compete on a global scale. While the benefits are clear, small business owners should also consider potential challenges when exploring the WCP. The varying costs associated with loan fees and the criteria for eligibility may raise hurdles for some. As the program evolves, businesses may need to navigate changes in federal regulations, which could impact their access to financing. Furthermore, while the program supports growth and job creation, small business owners should be diligent about their financial management and the structure of their loans. Understanding market conditions and having solid business plans will be critical in leveraging the funds effectively for expansion. For those interested in seeking support through the WCP, the SBA has made accessing information straightforward. Complete program details, including updates to the FY26 Program Guide and a list of delegated lenders, are available on the SBA’s website. Additionally, lenders interested in providing WCP loans can take advantage of one-on-one counseling from SBA finance managers. The SBA’s commitment to empowering small businesses aligns with its broader mission of promoting entrepreneurship in America. Programs like the WCP are essential tools that not only offer financial support but also foster an environment conducive to innovation and growth for small manufacturers across the country. For more information on how the WCP can facilitate growth for your small business, visit the original announcement on the SBA’s website. Image via Google Gemini This article, "SBA’s Working Capital Pilot Surpasses $150 Million in Loans for Manufacturers" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Wendy’s is moving ahead with its plans to close hundreds of restaurants, amounting to between 5 and 6% of its total stores in the U.S., according to its fourth quarter earnings report. The report, published on February 13, showed that Wendy’s business in the U.S. is currently lagging behind its international efforts. Total same-store sales fell 10.1% over the quarter, driven by performance in the U.S., where same-stores sales were down 11.3% compared to 2% at international locations. Overall, global systemwide sales were $3.4 billion, a decrease of 8.3% from the previous quarter. According to Wendy’s interim CEO Ken Cook, one way the company is addressing this trend is through ongoing “system optimization,” which includes the closure of “consistently underperforming restaurants” to allow franchisee partners to focus on more profitable locations. Shares in Wendy’s Co. (Nasdaq: WEN) jumped about 5% in early Friday trading, but the company’s stock prices overall are nearing lows that haven’t been seen since 2013. Wendy’s closure updates Wendy’s first announced plans to shutter several hundred U.S. stores in November 2025. At the time, Cook told investors that some current restaurants “do not elevate the brand” and are “a drag from a franchisee financial performance perspective.” Based on today’s update, some of those closures have already taken place: Cook shared that 28 restaurants closed during the fourth quarter of 2025. In total, he added, the company expects to close 5% to 6% of its total U.S. restaurants, with all remaining closures slated for the first half of 2026. Given that Wendy’s operated about 6,000 U.S. before any of the closures, that means that it plans to shutter between 300 and 360 locations. Cook said that the closures were decided in partnership with franchisees, who were allowed to flag the restaurants they were interested in to the company. “We established a disciplined process with our franchisees to approach this restaurant-by-restaurant, working with them to make the best decisions that strengthen the system in the long term,” Cook said, adding, “Obviously, it takes time to work with landlords and achieve what will be a win-win for both the franchisees and the Wendy’s company for those sites that we’re in, so that’ll take a little bit longer to see the rental income impact versus the closures.” Wendy’s did not immediately respond to Fast Company’s request for more information on the specific numbers and locations of the closures. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Presidents' Day sales are around the corner, and the deals are coming in early; right now, Amazon has the latest Kindle Paperwhite from 2024 in "Like-New" conditions for $114.99 (originally $143.99). This Paperwhite in new condition would cost you $159.99, making the refurbished version a much cheaper choice to get while it lasts (discounted Kindle Paperwhites usually sell out quickly). Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16GB 7" eReader (Like-New, Black) $114.99 at Amazon $143.99 Save $29.00 Get Deal Get Deal $114.99 at Amazon $143.99 Save $29.00 The Kindle Paperwhite is the most popular reading tablet from Amazon, and it's the best for most people, according to PCMag's "outstanding" review. It offers many improvements over the 11th-generation version from 2021—mainly a larger seven-inch display and a much faster boost in performance. It still retains all of the great attributes that made the previous version great, like a fully waterproof design with an IPX8 rating, enough storage to hold more than 10,000 books, and unlimited cloud storage. If you want an ad-free experience with some better features, get the Signature Edition. If you're not sure if this is the right Kindle for you, check out the Colorsoft version—it offers color, so it can make reading manga or comics more lively. We also have a breakdown of every kind of Kindle to help you decide. If you already own the 11th generation, there might not be enough here to warrant an upgrade, unless you just want the latest Amazon has to offer. However, any devices older than that may be worth an upgrade for features like Bluetooth compatibility, which is great for audiobooks. The screen features a 300 ppi (pixels per inch) display with 16 levels of background lighting, and optional warm lighting as well. I use this feature to read before bed and not strain my eyes. I also love the absurdly long battery life. This one is estimated at up to 12 weeks on a single charge, depending on your use and brightness settings. Our Best Editor-Vetted Presidents' Day Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $139.99 (List Price $179.00) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones — $229.00 (List Price $349.00) Dell 16 DC16255 (AMD Ryzen 7 250, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, 2K Display) — $649.99 (List Price $869.99) HP Omen 35L (Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 5080, 2TB SSD, 64GB RAM) — (List Price $3,099.99 With Code "PRESDAYPC100") HP OmniBook X Flip Ngai 16-Inch (AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, Radeon 860M, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, 2K Display) — (List Price $649.99 With Code "PRESDAYPC50") Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

A quarter of those under 30 say they’ve used AI for companionship, according to Associated Press-NORC polling. The one thing missing? Somewhere to take your AI Valentine on a date. Ahead of Valentine’s Day, EVA AI decided to solve that problem. The app—where users can text or, more recently, video chat with AI dates—organized a pop-up social experiment at Same Same Wine Bar in Manhattan this week. Over February 11 and 12, the dimly lit space was filled with patrons seated at tables for one, their AI companions propped up on phone stands. Attendees could bring their own existing AI partners or speed date from a selection of 100 characters. “This is another step in the company’s long-term strategy to push the boundaries of interaction with AI and make AI relationships a new normal,” EVA AI said in a press invite to the event, Wired reports. The platform connects users with a virtual partner “who listens, supports all your desires and is always in touch with you,” its website reads. It promises that you can “build relationships and intimacy privately on your terms.” While this may sound like the future the sci-fi movie Her was warning about back in 2013, organizers say the goal is not to replace human relationships. Instead, they aim to normalize AI companionship for those already interested in it, or curious about trying it. Surveys suggest younger adults are increasingly open to the idea. A nationally representative survey of 1,060 teens ages 13 to 17 found that 72% have used AI companions at least once, and more than half qualify as regular users in 2025. Of those surveyed, 13% say they use them daily. More broadly, people are turning to AI platforms for romantic connection. Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute, a leading sex research center, found that 16 percent of participants were using AI as a romantic partner in its Singles in America survey published last year. That shift comes as singles grow increasingly disillusioned with dating other humans. Amid an era of “swipe fatigue” and “dating app burnout,” AI is playing a growing role in people’s dating lives. Just over a quarter of singles already use AI wingmen to enhance their dating prospects—up 333% from 2024, according to a recent study. Not everyone would feel comfortable sitting across from an AI companion in a crowded bar, surrounded by human couples. But the experiment underscores how quickly AI is seeping into everyday life. If you’re single this Valentine’s Day, there’s always Chad the AI chatbot waiting for the chance to sweep you off your feet. View the full article

Team bonding activities play an essential role in improving workplace collaboration and communication. Engaging in various activities, from trust-building exercises to creative brainstorming sessions, helps nurture stronger relationships among team members. Each type of activity serves a unique purpose, addressing different aspects of teamwork and productivity. Comprehending which activities best suit your team can lead to improved performance and morale. Let’s explore ten engaging options that can make a significant impact on your team’s dynamics. Key Takeaways Communication Activities: Engage in icebreakers like “Two Truths and a Lie” to enhance dialogue and foster interaction among team members. Problem-Solving Challenges: Participate in a “Virtual Escape Room” to improve critical thinking and boost team morale through collaborative achievements. Trust-Building Exercises: Incorporate activities like trust falls to promote vulnerability and strengthen relationships, enhancing overall communication and productivity. Creative Collaboration Sessions: Organize brainstorming sessions or innovation tournaments to nurture innovative thinking and competitive collaboration among team members. Outdoor Team Activities: Engage in obstacle courses or nature-based experiences to improve physical fitness while fostering strong team relationships and reducing stress. The Importance of Team Bonding Activities Team bonding activities are essential for nurturing a cohesive work environment, especially since they greatly improve communication among team members. Engaging in team bonding activities for sports, like team building games for volleyball, can greatly improve collaboration. Research shows that successful teams communicate face-to-face or via video 12 times more often than their less successful counterparts, highlighting the importance of direct interaction. In addition, companies that invest in team bonding see a 21% increase in profitability, demonstrating the financial advantages of strong team dynamics. Activities that promote trust and collaboration not only encourage a positive workplace culture but also improve employee retention, as individuals feel more connected to their peers. By participating in sports team building activities, team members can identify their strengths and weaknesses, leading to more effective skill utilization and a 12.5% boost in productivity. Different Types of Team Bonding Activities In relation to team bonding activities, comprehending the different types can greatly improve your team’s dynamics. Communication activities, like “Two Truths and a Lie,” promote dialogue and personal connections, whereas problem-solving activities, such as the “Virtual Escape Room Challenge,” sharpen critical thinking and collaboration skills. Each type serves a unique purpose, contributing to stronger teamwork and improved relationships. Communication Activities Overview Effective communication activities play a crucial role in enhancing interpersonal skills and nurturing strong connections among team members, ultimately leading to improved collaboration and comprehension. These activities can take various forms, including icebreakers, which serve as light-hearted engagement tools to introduce new employees and promote interaction. Trust-building activities require team members to depend on one another to complete tasks, greatly enhancing trust within the group. Furthermore, collaborative challenges encourage creativity and innovative thinking, allowing teams to tackle problems together as they cultivate a culture of support. Problem-Solving Activities Benefits Problem-solving activities serve as a potent tool for nurturing collaboration and innovation within teams. These activities improve critical thinking skills by challenging you to collaborate and devise creative solutions in a supportive environment. Engaging in structured tasks promotes effective communication as team members negotiate ideas to achieve common goals. Research indicates that teams participating in problem-solving activities experience a 21% increase in performance, leveraging individual strengths for success. These activities additionally promote a sense of achievement, boosting morale and workplace satisfaction. Activity Type Benefits Examples Team Bonding Activities for Sports Improve teamwork Relay races, obstacle courses Sports Team Building Exercises Enhance communication Strategy games, problem-solving challenges Team Bonding Games for Sports Encourage creativity and resilience Team scavenger hunts, trivia games Communication-Focused Activities To strengthen team dynamics, consider incorporating communication-focused activities like open dialogue sessions and interactive games. These exercises not merely improve verbal and non-verbal skills but additionally promote trust and comprehension among team members. Open Dialogue Sessions Open dialogue sessions serve as a vital tool for enhancing communication within teams, as they provide a structured platform where members can freely express their thoughts and ideas. These sessions promote active listening and comprehension, allowing team members to clarify their perspectives, which is fundamental for effective collaboration. Regularly engaging in open dialogue sessions can considerably boost employee engagement, making team members feel valued in their contributions. This dynamic is particularly beneficial for sports teams, as team bonding activities for sports teams that include these sessions help build trust and rapport. To maximize effectiveness, guarantee a safe and inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing insights without fear of judgment, finally leading to improved performance and resilience. Interactive Games Experience Interactive games experience, especially those focused on communication, can significantly improve team dynamics by cultivating both verbal and non-verbal skills. Engaging in training games for adults, like “Two Truths and a Lie” or “Back-to-Back Drawing,” helps break the ice and encourages rapport among team members. These activities promote open dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, enhancing overall communication patterns. When you participate in structured communication-focused games, you’re likely to notice higher morale and engagement within your team. For instance, team bonding activities for volleyball can integrate these games to promote teamwork. Exploring team bonding ideas for sports can lead to substantial improvements in productivity, with studies showing a potential 21% increase in profitability from highly engaged teams. Trust-Building Discussions Building on the importance of interactive games in enhancing team dynamics, trust-building discussions play a pivotal role in cultivating effective communication among team members. These discussions create a safe environment where everyone can share ideas openly and honestly. Just like sports team bonding activities in high school, engaging in trust-building exercises can lead to a significant increase in team performance, sometimes by up to 50%. Active listening and vulnerability are key components of these discussions, nurturing deeper interpersonal relationships. Teams that prioritize trust-building are five times more likely to achieve high performance, as trust reduces conflicts and encourages collaboration. Incorporating trust-building exercises into regular meetings can markedly improve overall morale and engagement, contributing to a more positive workplace culture. Problem-Solving Challenges When teams engage in problem-solving challenges, they not just improve their critical thinking skills but in addition promote collaborative decision-making, which is essential for a strong team dynamic. Structured activities like virtual escape rooms or innovation tournaments require team members to think creatively and work under pressure. This environment encourages communication patterns that are directly relevant to work projects, enhancing overall collaboration. Research indicates that teams participating in these challenges show higher engagement levels and improved performance. Furthermore, these challenges create a low-stakes setting where experimentation is encouraged, allowing you and your colleagues to learn from both successes and failures. As a result, problem-solving challenges not only refine individual skills but likewise solidify team cohesion, making it easier to tackle future projects together. Trust-Building Exercises Trust-building exercises are crucial for enhancing team reliability and nurturing a collaborative environment. Activities like partner trust falls or blindfolded obstacle courses require you to communicate effectively and depend on one another, which strengthens your team’s interpersonal relationships. Building Trust Through Activities Effective team dynamics hinge on the ability to nurture trust among members, and engaging in trust-building exercises is a proven way to achieve this. Such activities improve team cohesion by requiring you to rely on your colleagues to complete tasks, promoting a sense of safety and support. As you participate in these exercises, you’ll likely notice improved communication; team members feel more comfortable expressing thoughts and feelings in a safe environment. Studies indicate that teams involved in trust-building activities experience a 25% increase in productivity because of reduced conflict and improved collaboration. Exercises like trust falls encourage vulnerability, strengthening interpersonal relationships. Regularly incorporating these activities can maintain high morale, leading to a 21% increase in employee engagement, according to Gallup. Enhancing Team Reliability Building on the foundation of trust established through previous activities, improving team reliability involves creating an environment where members can depend on each other for support and collaboration. Trust-building exercises encourage open communication, prompting you to rely on teammates, which can lead to improved performance. Engaging in activities that require vulnerability, like sharing personal experiences or tackling group challenges, strengthens interpersonal relationships and promotes a safe space for risk-taking. Studies show that teams with high trust levels achieve their objectives and maintain higher morale. Incorporating these exercises into regular routines can improve communication patterns, identify individual strengths, and ultimately optimize team dynamics and productivity, leading to a potential 25% increase in overall team performance. Fun Icebreaker Games How can fun icebreaker games improve team dynamics? These activities create an inviting atmosphere where team members can share personal stories, nurturing connections. Games like “Two Truths and a Lie” and “Would You Rather?” are perfect for small to large groups, lasting around 5-15 minutes. “M&M Personality” uses color-coded candies to express traits, whereas “Human Bingo” encourages mingling among larger teams, improving cohesion through shared experiences. Here’s a quick overview of some engaging icebreaker games: Game Duration Two Truths and a Lie 5-10 min M&M Personality 10-15 min Human Bingo 15-20 min Emoji Check-In 3-5 min These games help build rapport and comprehension, making team members feel more comfortable collaborating. By incorporating fun icebreakers, you can greatly improve your team’s overall dynamics. Creative Collaboration Sessions Creative collaboration sessions serve as a potent tool for nurturing innovative thinking among team members, especially when they come together to brainstorm solutions. These sessions encourage you to explore diverse perspectives, which can lead to improved problem-solving capabilities and augmented team synergy. Activities like virtual art galleries and design thinking workshops create an environment where creativity flourishes, allowing you to tackle real challenges collaboratively. Engaging in collaborative storytelling can deepen your listening and idea-building skills, as everyone contributes to a shared narrative, encouraging cohesion. Furthermore, implementing structured challenges, such as the Innovation Tournament, promotes a competitive yet collaborative atmosphere where you can present and vote on innovative solutions. Outdoor Team Bonding Experiences Outdoor team bonding experiences not just improve physical fitness but furthermore promote strong relationships among team members through shared challenges. Activities like obstacle courses, hiking, and team sports improve communication and collaboration, as you’ll need to rely on each other to succeed. Engaging in nature-based activities likewise cultivates a positive atmosphere, leading to improved mental health and reduced stress. Here’s how outdoor experiences can impact your team: Benefit Description Physical Fitness Encourages active lifestyles and well-being. Improved Communication Builds trust and reliance among team members. Confidence Building Stepping outside comfort zones nurtures growth. Inclusivity Customizable activities cater to all skill levels. Morale Boost Creates a positive and enjoyable team environment. Volunteering as a Team Engaging in team bonding activities can take many forms, and one impactful option is volunteering together. When you and your team participate in community service projects, you create shared experiences that nurture real intra-team relationships. This not just improves collaboration but also minimizes conflicts, as everyone works toward a common noble purpose. Volunteering deepens bonds, leading to improved trust and communication among team members. Teams that engage in volunteering report higher morale and job satisfaction, which contributes to a positive workplace culture and better employee retention. By aligning volunteer activities with the unique talents of the team, you can maximize impact and reinforce a sense of purpose within the group. Studies indicate that volunteering together improves team performance by encouraging collaboration, empathy, and a collective sense of achievement. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Team Bonding Activities How can you determine if your team’s bonding activities are truly effective? Start by gathering employee feedback to understand their perceptions and experiences. This insight is vital for continuous improvement and adaptability in your approach. Regularly assess which activities yield the best results in collaboration, communication, and morale. Tracking specific metrics like productivity, communication improvements, and overall employee satisfaction can help measure success. Here’s a simple table to help you evaluate: Activity Type Success Metrics Feedback Insights Outdoor Challenges Increased teamwork Enjoyable, engaging Workshops Improved skills Valuable, insightful Social Events Enhanced morale Fun, promotes relationships Volunteer Projects Community impact Rewarding, meaningful Team Retreats Boosted communication rejuvenating, productive Frequently Asked Questions What Are Some Fun Team Bonding Activities? Some fun team bonding activities include virtual escape rooms, where you solve puzzles together, enhancing problem-solving skills. Outdoor scavenger hunts encourage effective communication as you strategize to complete tasks. Culinary challenges allow you to collaborate in cooking competitions, nurturing creativity. Personality assessments, like Myers-Briggs, help you understand individual strengths, improving interactions. Finally, volunteering on team projects builds camaraderie through shared goals, reinforcing team spirit and enhancing overall collaboration. What Are the 5 C’s of Collaboration? The 5 C’s of collaboration are Communication, Coordination, Cooperation, Commitment, and Conflict Resolution. You need effective Communication to nurture clear dialogue among team members, enhancing comprehension. Coordination guarantees everyone’s tasks align and resources are used efficiently. Cooperation involves working together in the direction of shared goals with mutual respect. Commitment highlights the dedication of team members to their roles, whereas Conflict Resolution helps address disagreements constructively, maintaining harmony and focus within the team. How to Enhance Collaboration in a Team? To improve collaboration in your team, focus on clear communication and establish shared goals. Regularly engage in problem-solving activities that encourage critical thinking and teamwork. Incorporate trust-building exercises to improve interpersonal skills and cultivate open dialogue. Tailor activities to diverse team dynamics and individual strengths, ensuring everyone feels valued. Continuously assess the effectiveness of these activities through feedback, adapting your approach to create a supportive environment that promotes collaboration and boosts performance. What Are Some Games That Encourage Teamwork? To encourage teamwork, consider games like board game gatherings, which promote strategic thinking and reduce conflicts among small teams. Virtual escape rooms challenge your group to solve puzzles collaboratively under time constraints, enhancing critical thinking. Trust-building activities, such as the Human Knot, cultivate reliance on teammates. Furthermore, creative challenges like the Grab Bag of Creativity encourage innovative brainstorming, whereas competitive events like mini hackathons boost motivation by addressing real company problems together. Conclusion In summary, team bonding activities are vital for improving collaboration, communication, and overall team effectiveness. By participating in various activities—ranging from problem-solving challenges to creative sessions—teams can strengthen their relationships and boost productivity. Evaluating the effectiveness of these activities guarantees they meet the team’s needs and promotes continued growth. By incorporating a mix of trust-building, creative collaboration, and outdoor experiences, you can create a more cohesive and engaged workplace, finally benefiting everyone involved. Image via Google Gemini This article, "10 Engaging Team Bonding Activities to Boost Collaboration" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Team bonding activities play an essential role in improving workplace collaboration and communication. Engaging in various activities, from trust-building exercises to creative brainstorming sessions, helps nurture stronger relationships among team members. Each type of activity serves a unique purpose, addressing different aspects of teamwork and productivity. Comprehending which activities best suit your team can lead to improved performance and morale. Let’s explore ten engaging options that can make a significant impact on your team’s dynamics. Key Takeaways Communication Activities: Engage in icebreakers like “Two Truths and a Lie” to enhance dialogue and foster interaction among team members. Problem-Solving Challenges: Participate in a “Virtual Escape Room” to improve critical thinking and boost team morale through collaborative achievements. Trust-Building Exercises: Incorporate activities like trust falls to promote vulnerability and strengthen relationships, enhancing overall communication and productivity. Creative Collaboration Sessions: Organize brainstorming sessions or innovation tournaments to nurture innovative thinking and competitive collaboration among team members. Outdoor Team Activities: Engage in obstacle courses or nature-based experiences to improve physical fitness while fostering strong team relationships and reducing stress. The Importance of Team Bonding Activities Team bonding activities are essential for nurturing a cohesive work environment, especially since they greatly improve communication among team members. Engaging in team bonding activities for sports, like team building games for volleyball, can greatly improve collaboration. Research shows that successful teams communicate face-to-face or via video 12 times more often than their less successful counterparts, highlighting the importance of direct interaction. In addition, companies that invest in team bonding see a 21% increase in profitability, demonstrating the financial advantages of strong team dynamics. Activities that promote trust and collaboration not only encourage a positive workplace culture but also improve employee retention, as individuals feel more connected to their peers. By participating in sports team building activities, team members can identify their strengths and weaknesses, leading to more effective skill utilization and a 12.5% boost in productivity. Different Types of Team Bonding Activities In relation to team bonding activities, comprehending the different types can greatly improve your team’s dynamics. Communication activities, like “Two Truths and a Lie,” promote dialogue and personal connections, whereas problem-solving activities, such as the “Virtual Escape Room Challenge,” sharpen critical thinking and collaboration skills. Each type serves a unique purpose, contributing to stronger teamwork and improved relationships. Communication Activities Overview Effective communication activities play a crucial role in enhancing interpersonal skills and nurturing strong connections among team members, ultimately leading to improved collaboration and comprehension. These activities can take various forms, including icebreakers, which serve as light-hearted engagement tools to introduce new employees and promote interaction. Trust-building activities require team members to depend on one another to complete tasks, greatly enhancing trust within the group. Furthermore, collaborative challenges encourage creativity and innovative thinking, allowing teams to tackle problems together as they cultivate a culture of support. Problem-Solving Activities Benefits Problem-solving activities serve as a potent tool for nurturing collaboration and innovation within teams. These activities improve critical thinking skills by challenging you to collaborate and devise creative solutions in a supportive environment. Engaging in structured tasks promotes effective communication as team members negotiate ideas to achieve common goals. Research indicates that teams participating in problem-solving activities experience a 21% increase in performance, leveraging individual strengths for success. These activities additionally promote a sense of achievement, boosting morale and workplace satisfaction. Activity Type Benefits Examples Team Bonding Activities for Sports Improve teamwork Relay races, obstacle courses Sports Team Building Exercises Enhance communication Strategy games, problem-solving challenges Team Bonding Games for Sports Encourage creativity and resilience Team scavenger hunts, trivia games Communication-Focused Activities To strengthen team dynamics, consider incorporating communication-focused activities like open dialogue sessions and interactive games. These exercises not merely improve verbal and non-verbal skills but additionally promote trust and comprehension among team members. Open Dialogue Sessions Open dialogue sessions serve as a vital tool for enhancing communication within teams, as they provide a structured platform where members can freely express their thoughts and ideas. These sessions promote active listening and comprehension, allowing team members to clarify their perspectives, which is fundamental for effective collaboration. Regularly engaging in open dialogue sessions can considerably boost employee engagement, making team members feel valued in their contributions. This dynamic is particularly beneficial for sports teams, as team bonding activities for sports teams that include these sessions help build trust and rapport. To maximize effectiveness, guarantee a safe and inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing insights without fear of judgment, finally leading to improved performance and resilience. Interactive Games Experience Interactive games experience, especially those focused on communication, can significantly improve team dynamics by cultivating both verbal and non-verbal skills. Engaging in training games for adults, like “Two Truths and a Lie” or “Back-to-Back Drawing,” helps break the ice and encourages rapport among team members. These activities promote open dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, enhancing overall communication patterns. When you participate in structured communication-focused games, you’re likely to notice higher morale and engagement within your team. For instance, team bonding activities for volleyball can integrate these games to promote teamwork. Exploring team bonding ideas for sports can lead to substantial improvements in productivity, with studies showing a potential 21% increase in profitability from highly engaged teams. Trust-Building Discussions Building on the importance of interactive games in enhancing team dynamics, trust-building discussions play a pivotal role in cultivating effective communication among team members. These discussions create a safe environment where everyone can share ideas openly and honestly. Just like sports team bonding activities in high school, engaging in trust-building exercises can lead to a significant increase in team performance, sometimes by up to 50%. Active listening and vulnerability are key components of these discussions, nurturing deeper interpersonal relationships. Teams that prioritize trust-building are five times more likely to achieve high performance, as trust reduces conflicts and encourages collaboration. Incorporating trust-building exercises into regular meetings can markedly improve overall morale and engagement, contributing to a more positive workplace culture. Problem-Solving Challenges When teams engage in problem-solving challenges, they not just improve their critical thinking skills but in addition promote collaborative decision-making, which is essential for a strong team dynamic. Structured activities like virtual escape rooms or innovation tournaments require team members to think creatively and work under pressure. This environment encourages communication patterns that are directly relevant to work projects, enhancing overall collaboration. Research indicates that teams participating in these challenges show higher engagement levels and improved performance. Furthermore, these challenges create a low-stakes setting where experimentation is encouraged, allowing you and your colleagues to learn from both successes and failures. As a result, problem-solving challenges not only refine individual skills but likewise solidify team cohesion, making it easier to tackle future projects together. Trust-Building Exercises Trust-building exercises are crucial for enhancing team reliability and nurturing a collaborative environment. Activities like partner trust falls or blindfolded obstacle courses require you to communicate effectively and depend on one another, which strengthens your team’s interpersonal relationships. Building Trust Through Activities Effective team dynamics hinge on the ability to nurture trust among members, and engaging in trust-building exercises is a proven way to achieve this. Such activities improve team cohesion by requiring you to rely on your colleagues to complete tasks, promoting a sense of safety and support. As you participate in these exercises, you’ll likely notice improved communication; team members feel more comfortable expressing thoughts and feelings in a safe environment. Studies indicate that teams involved in trust-building activities experience a 25% increase in productivity because of reduced conflict and improved collaboration. Exercises like trust falls encourage vulnerability, strengthening interpersonal relationships. Regularly incorporating these activities can maintain high morale, leading to a 21% increase in employee engagement, according to Gallup. Enhancing Team Reliability Building on the foundation of trust established through previous activities, improving team reliability involves creating an environment where members can depend on each other for support and collaboration. Trust-building exercises encourage open communication, prompting you to rely on teammates, which can lead to improved performance. Engaging in activities that require vulnerability, like sharing personal experiences or tackling group challenges, strengthens interpersonal relationships and promotes a safe space for risk-taking. Studies show that teams with high trust levels achieve their objectives and maintain higher morale. Incorporating these exercises into regular routines can improve communication patterns, identify individual strengths, and ultimately optimize team dynamics and productivity, leading to a potential 25% increase in overall team performance. Fun Icebreaker Games How can fun icebreaker games improve team dynamics? These activities create an inviting atmosphere where team members can share personal stories, nurturing connections. Games like “Two Truths and a Lie” and “Would You Rather?” are perfect for small to large groups, lasting around 5-15 minutes. “M&M Personality” uses color-coded candies to express traits, whereas “Human Bingo” encourages mingling among larger teams, improving cohesion through shared experiences. Here’s a quick overview of some engaging icebreaker games: Game Duration Two Truths and a Lie 5-10 min M&M Personality 10-15 min Human Bingo 15-20 min Emoji Check-In 3-5 min These games help build rapport and comprehension, making team members feel more comfortable collaborating. By incorporating fun icebreakers, you can greatly improve your team’s overall dynamics. Creative Collaboration Sessions Creative collaboration sessions serve as a potent tool for nurturing innovative thinking among team members, especially when they come together to brainstorm solutions. These sessions encourage you to explore diverse perspectives, which can lead to improved problem-solving capabilities and augmented team synergy. Activities like virtual art galleries and design thinking workshops create an environment where creativity flourishes, allowing you to tackle real challenges collaboratively. Engaging in collaborative storytelling can deepen your listening and idea-building skills, as everyone contributes to a shared narrative, encouraging cohesion. Furthermore, implementing structured challenges, such as the Innovation Tournament, promotes a competitive yet collaborative atmosphere where you can present and vote on innovative solutions. Outdoor Team Bonding Experiences Outdoor team bonding experiences not just improve physical fitness but furthermore promote strong relationships among team members through shared challenges. Activities like obstacle courses, hiking, and team sports improve communication and collaboration, as you’ll need to rely on each other to succeed. Engaging in nature-based activities likewise cultivates a positive atmosphere, leading to improved mental health and reduced stress. Here’s how outdoor experiences can impact your team: Benefit Description Physical Fitness Encourages active lifestyles and well-being. Improved Communication Builds trust and reliance among team members. Confidence Building Stepping outside comfort zones nurtures growth. Inclusivity Customizable activities cater to all skill levels. Morale Boost Creates a positive and enjoyable team environment. Volunteering as a Team Engaging in team bonding activities can take many forms, and one impactful option is volunteering together. When you and your team participate in community service projects, you create shared experiences that nurture real intra-team relationships. This not just improves collaboration but also minimizes conflicts, as everyone works toward a common noble purpose. Volunteering deepens bonds, leading to improved trust and communication among team members. Teams that engage in volunteering report higher morale and job satisfaction, which contributes to a positive workplace culture and better employee retention. By aligning volunteer activities with the unique talents of the team, you can maximize impact and reinforce a sense of purpose within the group. Studies indicate that volunteering together improves team performance by encouraging collaboration, empathy, and a collective sense of achievement. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Team Bonding Activities How can you determine if your team’s bonding activities are truly effective? Start by gathering employee feedback to understand their perceptions and experiences. This insight is vital for continuous improvement and adaptability in your approach. Regularly assess which activities yield the best results in collaboration, communication, and morale. Tracking specific metrics like productivity, communication improvements, and overall employee satisfaction can help measure success. Here’s a simple table to help you evaluate: Activity Type Success Metrics Feedback Insights Outdoor Challenges Increased teamwork Enjoyable, engaging Workshops Improved skills Valuable, insightful Social Events Enhanced morale Fun, promotes relationships Volunteer Projects Community impact Rewarding, meaningful Team Retreats Boosted communication rejuvenating, productive Frequently Asked Questions What Are Some Fun Team Bonding Activities? Some fun team bonding activities include virtual escape rooms, where you solve puzzles together, enhancing problem-solving skills. Outdoor scavenger hunts encourage effective communication as you strategize to complete tasks. Culinary challenges allow you to collaborate in cooking competitions, nurturing creativity. Personality assessments, like Myers-Briggs, help you understand individual strengths, improving interactions. Finally, volunteering on team projects builds camaraderie through shared goals, reinforcing team spirit and enhancing overall collaboration. What Are the 5 C’s of Collaboration? The 5 C’s of collaboration are Communication, Coordination, Cooperation, Commitment, and Conflict Resolution. You need effective Communication to nurture clear dialogue among team members, enhancing comprehension. Coordination guarantees everyone’s tasks align and resources are used efficiently. Cooperation involves working together in the direction of shared goals with mutual respect. Commitment highlights the dedication of team members to their roles, whereas Conflict Resolution helps address disagreements constructively, maintaining harmony and focus within the team. How to Enhance Collaboration in a Team? To improve collaboration in your team, focus on clear communication and establish shared goals. Regularly engage in problem-solving activities that encourage critical thinking and teamwork. Incorporate trust-building exercises to improve interpersonal skills and cultivate open dialogue. Tailor activities to diverse team dynamics and individual strengths, ensuring everyone feels valued. Continuously assess the effectiveness of these activities through feedback, adapting your approach to create a supportive environment that promotes collaboration and boosts performance. What Are Some Games That Encourage Teamwork? To encourage teamwork, consider games like board game gatherings, which promote strategic thinking and reduce conflicts among small teams. Virtual escape rooms challenge your group to solve puzzles collaboratively under time constraints, enhancing critical thinking. Trust-building activities, such as the Human Knot, cultivate reliance on teammates. Furthermore, creative challenges like the Grab Bag of Creativity encourage innovative brainstorming, whereas competitive events like mini hackathons boost motivation by addressing real company problems together. Conclusion In summary, team bonding activities are vital for improving collaboration, communication, and overall team effectiveness. By participating in various activities—ranging from problem-solving challenges to creative sessions—teams can strengthen their relationships and boost productivity. Evaluating the effectiveness of these activities guarantees they meet the team’s needs and promotes continued growth. By incorporating a mix of trust-building, creative collaboration, and outdoor experiences, you can create a more cohesive and engaged workplace, finally benefiting everyone involved. Image via Google Gemini This article, "10 Engaging Team Bonding Activities to Boost Collaboration" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you own a home with an unfinished attic, you’ve probably thought about all that precious space and how you might make it more useful. Your attic already serves an important purpose in temperature and moisture regulation in the house, of course, but that doesn’t mean it can’t do more. If you’ve got the budget, you can transform an attic into a bedroom or office space, or a crisp, well-lit storage option. If you don’t have the budget to really build out your attic, though, you can still make it into a more useful space, even if it’s small or slightly scary. With just a few modest purchases (and possibly some sweat equity), you can make your attic an ideal storage space. Install easy, modular flooring on the attic's floorYour first step towards making your attic useful is to make it safe to walk around. Even if your attic is shallow and standing up straight is impossible, having a stable surface will reduce your chances of falling through the ceiling. Putting down plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) is a cheap and relatively easy option, but it’s also labor-intensive and pretty permanent. If you want a faster solution, floor panels like these from Attic Dek are sized to fit most standard joist spacings and are designed to just snap together, allowing you to quickly drop a floor into place without needing to cut them. They come with screws, and it’s a good idea to secure them in place, but if you just need a temporary floor that can bear weight (up to 250 pounds) you can just click them into place and bolt them down later. Add no-wiring lights to the attic's ceilingIf your attic isn’t wired up or lacks light fixtures, you don’t need to hire an electrician and spend a mountain of cash. Just pick up one or two of these rechargeable ceiling lights and stick them to the ceiling or overhead joist (literally—you place a magnetic sticker on the ceiling and that holds the light in place—no screws required). It’s motion-activated, so every time you haul yourself up into the attic, the light will come on and save you from stumbling about in the dark. Install adjustable storage that fits the spaceOnce you have a sturdy, safe floor in your attic, you can start installing storage options. You could, of course, just pile up some boxes or bins and call it a day, but you can do a lot better than that without breaking the bank: Installing some hanging rods designed for slanted surfaces (like an attic ceiling or rafters) will give you the option of hanging clothing or storage bags without cluttering up the floor. A few cheap, adjustable shelving units like this one can add all the shelf space you need to keep bins of stuff organized and off the floor, making it easy to store or retrieve items. If your attic is tight and trusses make it difficult to store anything, you can install some truss-friendly shelving. This can be a relatively easy DIY job involving screwing some support brackets into the trusses (as seen here). If you don’t have a floor in your attic, you have to avoid placing heavy storage boxes or bins directly on insulation—compressed insulation isn’t very effective. You can purchase some truss brackets that support plastic bins or other storage boxes off the floor. Install a way to transport your stuff into the atticOnce you’ve got storage, you need a way to get stuff up into the attic, which can be more challenging than you expect. Carrying awkward, heavy boxes up flimsy, pull-down attic stairs is a recipe for accidents, so consider rigging up some mechanical assistance. You can spend a fair amount of money on a fancy lift system that will make bringing stuff up to your attic pretty easy, but if that’s too rich for your blood, you could opt for a simpler winch system that will allow you to haul up to 440lbs of stuff up there at a time. If that’s still a little too much, you could also opt for a classic pulley system, using good old-fashioned mechanical advantage to get your stuff up into the attic. View the full article

Could a film industry entirely crafted from AI ever exist? Social media is abuzz with movie scenes made with Seedance 2.0, the latest tech in AI video generation, including everything from a fight scene between Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise to an alternate ending for The Lord of the Rings. The tech’s proponents predict AI is the future of movies—but an actual brain behind Hollywood hits, Ben Affleck, is trending for his counterargument: AI may be a powerful tool, but it’s nothing without human creativity. Affleck recently shared his take on AI-generated writing in an appearance on a podcast. As an Oscar-winning screenwriter himself for Good Will Hunting (not to mention an acclaimed actor, director, and producer), Affleck knows a thing or two about the movie business, and he summed up AI-generated creative writing in one word: “shitty.” “By its nature, it goes to the mean, to the average,” he said on a January episode of The Joe Rogan Experience. “And it’s not reliable. I mean, I can’t even stand to see what it writes.” “I actually don’t think it’s very likely that it’s going to be able to write anything meaningful or, and in particular, that it’s going to be making movies from whole cloth,” Affleck said. He predicted instead that for filmmaking, AI is “gonna be a tool, just like visual effects.” As a guy who works in tech, is building with AI, and writes a weekly newsletter on the topic, I can't explain as well as Ben Affleck. How is that possible? pic.twitter.com/Gj6dNwaDgj — Katyayani Shukla (@aibytekat) February 12, 2026 But if Affleck is right, then why are artists of all kinds being fed the narrative that AI will be stealing their jobs? Fearmongering from the AI industry is to blame, he claims. “There’s a lot more fear, because we have this sense, this existential dread: ‘It’s gonna wipe everything out!’ Affleck explained on the podcast. “But that actually runs counter, in my view, to what history seems to show, which is, A, adoption is slow. It’s incremental.” “I think a lot of that rhetoric comes from people who are trying to justify valuations around companies, where they go, ‘We’re gonna change everything! In two years, there’s gonna be no more work!’” he continued. “Well, the reason they’re saying that is because they need to ascribe a valuation for investment that can warrant the cap expend they’re gonna make on these data centers.” (Affleck’s comments come as Big Tech spending on AI data centers has swelled in the last year.) Affleck’s take went viral again this week, thanks to a post on X, from a self-described “guy who works in tech” who is “building with AI and writes a weekly newsletter on the topic”—which joked that Affleck could explain AI’s applications better than industry experts. Affleck concluded that in filmmaking, LLMs will likely “be good at filling in all the places that are expensive and burdensome,” but that “it’s always gonna rely fundamentally on the human artistic aspects of it.” Now, some on social media are pointing out that in a sense, Affleck’s point proves itself: The human touch of a creative writer led to clear, digestible communication. Funny how that works. View the full article

Cloudflare yesterday announced its new Markdown for Agents feature, which serves machine-friendly versions of web content alongside traditional human-facing pages. Cloudflare described the update as a response to the rise of AI crawlers and agentic browsing. When a client requests text/markdown, Cloudflare fetches the HTML from the origin server, converts it at the edge, and returns a Markdown version. The response also includes a token estimate header intended to help developers manage context windows. Early reactions focused on the efficiency gains, as well as the broader implications of serving alternate representations of web content. What’s happening. Cloudflare, which powers roughly 20% of the web, said Markdown for Agents uses standard HTTP content negotiation. If a client sends an Accept: text/markdown header, Cloudflare converts the HTML response on the fly and returns Markdown. The response includes Vary: accept, so caches store separate variants. Cloudflare positioned the opt-in feature as part of a shift in how content is discovered and consumed, with AI crawlers and agents benefiting from structured, lower-overhead text. Markdown can cut token usage by up to 80% compared to HTML, Cloudflare said. Security concern. SEO consultant David McSweeney said Cloudflare’s Markdown for Agents feature could make AI cloaking trivial because the Accept: text/markdown header is forwarded to origin servers, effectively signaling that the request is from an AI agent. A standard request returns normal content, while a Markdown request can trigger a different HTML response that Cloudflare then converts and delivers to the AI, McSweeney showed on LinkedIn. The concern: sites could inject hidden instructions, altered product data, or other machine-only content, creating a “shadow web” for bots unless the header is stripped before reaching the origin. Google and Bing’s markdown smackdown. Recent comments from Google and Microsoft representatives discourage publishers from creating separate markdown pages for large language models. Google’s John Mueller said: “In my POV, LLMs have trained on – read & parsed – normal web pages since the beginning, it seems a given that they have no problems dealing with HTML. Why would they want to see a page that no user sees? And, if they check for equivalence, why not use HTML?” And Microsoft’s Fabrice Canel said: “Really want to double crawl load? We’ll crawl anyway to check similarity. Non-user versions (crawlable AJAX and like) are often neglected, broken. Humans eyes help fixing people and bot-viewed content. We like Schema in pages. AI makes us great at understanding web pages. Less is more in SEO !” Cloudflare’s feature doesn’t create a second URL. However, it generates different representations based on request headers. The case against markdown. Technical SEO consultant Jono Alderson said that once a machine-specific representation exists, platforms must decide whether to trust it, verify it against the human-facing version, or ignore it: “When you flatten a page into markdown, you don’t just remove clutter. You remove judgment, and you remove context.” “The moment you publish a machine-only representation of a page, you’ve created a second candidate version of reality. It doesn’t matter if you promise it’s generated from the same source or swear that it’s ‘the same content’. From the outside, a system now sees two representations and has to decide which one actually reflects the page.” Dig deeper. Why LLM-only pages aren’t the answer to AI search Why we care. Cloudflare’s move could make AI ingestion cheaper and cleaner. But could it be considered cloaking if you’re serving different content to humans and crawlers? To be continued… View the full article

Starbucks competitor Dutch Bros saw its stock price rise in premarket trading on Friday after the coffee chain posted double-digit revenue growth in its most recent quarter. However, shares were flat as of late morning, with the stock (NYSE: BROS) hovering at just over $50 a share. Perhaps even more important for the stock—and for those investors who are long on it—is the coffee chain’s announcement that it is on track to nearly double its store footprint by 2029. Here’s what you need to know. Dutch Bros has a record Q4 2025 Dutch Bros was founded in 1992, but it’s only in recent years that the coffee chain started to become a household name, thanks to its ever-expanding footprint. And while the chain isn’t yet as well known as Starbucks, the company is increasingly looking like a significant threat to the Seattle coffee giant. Yesterday, Dutch Bros reported its fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 results, showing impressive gains in nearly every key metric, including: Total revenue: $443.6 million (up 29.4% year over year) Net income: $29.2 million (versus $6.4 million in the same quarter a year earlier) Systemwide same shop sales: up 7.7% Adjusted EBITDA: $72.6 million (up 48.8%) The company also issued strong guidance in many metrics for its current fiscal year 2026, including projected total revenue of between approximately $2 billion and $2.03 billion, and same shop saels growth of 3% to 5%. But besides its financial numbers, Dutch Bros also revealed something else: that its aggressive store expansion plans are on track for 2029, and if it achieves the goals, the company’s footprint could nearly double in the next three years. Dutch Bros plots new store opening for 2026 and beyond While same-store sales are increasing for Dutch Bros, one of the fastest ways for any chain to boost overall sales is to open more locations. And that is exactly what Dutch Bros has been doing. In its full-year fiscal 2025, which just ended, Dutch Bros said it opened 154 new stores across 22 states. That put its total number of locations at 1,136 stores in 25 states, as of December 31. And its aggressive rollout is continuing in 2026. In a supplemental earnings slide deck the company released, it revealed that it expects “at least” 181 new Dutch Bros stores to open in 2026. Those new openings are in service of the company’s lofty 2029 goals. By that year, the company says it aims to have 2,029 stores across the United States. BROS stock rises today, but is still red for the year After announcing its record-breaking fiscal 2025 results, Dutch Bros stock jumped by nearly 4% in early-morning trading. However, as of the time of this writing, much of those gains have been given back. The early-morning stock price gain was no doubt welcome to investors. However, the company, which began trading on the New York Stock Exchange half a decade ago, still has a ways to go if it wants to regain its all-time highs. Since 2026 began, BROS stock has now declined by nearly 13%. Over the past year, BROS is down more than 36%. During those same periods, the NYSE Composite Index is up about 5.8% year to date, and over 15% over the past twelve months, according to Yahoo Finance data. Dutch Bros stock hit an all-time high of above $79 a year ago this month. View the full article

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will add loan-level buydown data to MBS this spring, giving investors clearer insight into prepayment risk tied to temporary rate incentives. View the full article

Google Ads is rolling out a feature that lets advertisers calculate conversion value for new customers based on a target return on ad spend (ROAS), automatically generating a suggested value instead of relying on manual estimates. The update is designed for campaigns using new customer acquisition goals, where advertisers want to bid more aggressively to attract first-time buyers. How it works. Advertisers enter their desired ROAS target for new customers, and Google Ads proposes a conversion value aligned with that goal. The system removes some of the guesswork involved in estimating how much a new customer should be worth in bidding models. The feature doesn’t yet adjust dynamically at the auction, campaign, or product level. Advertisers still apply the value at a broader setting rather than letting the system vary bids based on context. Why we care. Assigning the right value to a new customer is a weak spot in performance bidding. Many advertisers manually set a flat value that doesn’t always reflect profitability or long-term goals. By tying suggested conversion values to a target ROAS, advertisers can now optimise towards a more strategy-driven bidding, potentially improving how acquisition campaigns balance growth and efficiency. What advertisers are saying. Early reactions suggest the feature is a meaningful improvement over static manual inputs. Founder of Savvy Revenue, Andrew Lolk argues the next step would be auction-level intelligence that adjusts values depending on campaign or product performance. What to watch. If Google expands the feature to support more granular adjustments, it could further reshape how advertisers structure acquisition strategies and value lifetime customer growth. For now, the tool offers a more structured way to calculate new customer value. First seen. This update was first spotted by Founder and Digital Marketer Andrew Lolk who showed the new setting on LinkedIn. View the full article

A key measure of inflation fell to nearly a five-year low last month as apartment rental price growth slowed and gas prices fell, offering some relief to Americans grappling with the sharp cost increases of the past five years. Inflation dropped to 2.4% in January compared with a year earlier, down from 2.7% in December and not too far from the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Core prices, which exclude the volatile food and energy categories, rose just 2.5% in January from a year ago, down from 2.6% the previous month and the smallest increase since March 2021. Friday’s report suggests inflation is cooling, but the cost of food, gas, and apartment rents have soared after the pandemic, with consumer prices still about 25% higher than they were five years ago. The increase in such a broad range of costs has kept “affordability,” a topic that helped shape the most recent U.S. presidential election, front and center as a dominant political issue. And on a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.2% in January from December, while core prices rose 0.3%. Core inflation was held down by a sharp drop in the price of used cars, which fell 1.8% just in January from December. “Inflation continues to decelerate and is not threatening to move back up, and that will enable more rate cuts by the Fed,” said Luke Tilley, chief economist at Wilmington Trust. There were signs in the report that retailers are passing on more of the costs of President Donald The President’s tariffs to consumers for goods such as furniture, appliances, and clothes. But those increases were offset by falling prices elsewhere. In other areas, The President has delayed, scrapped, or provided exemptions to his duties. Furniture prices jumped 0.7% in January from the previous month and are up 4% from a year ago. Appliances rose 1.3% in January though are only slightly more expensive than a year earlier. Clothing price rose 0.3% in January from December and have increased 1.7% in the past year. Some services prices also rose: Airline fares soared 6.5% just in January, after a 3.8% jump in November, though they rose only 2.2% from a year earlier. Music streaming subscriptions increased 4.5% in January and are 7.8% higher than a year ago. Yet those increases were largely offset by price declines, or much slower price growth, in other areas, including many that make up a greater share of Americans’ spending. The cost of used cars, for example, plunged 1.8% in January, the biggest decline in two years. Gas prices fell 3.2% last month, the third drop in the past four months, and are down 7.5% from a year earlier. Grocery prices rose just 0.2% in January, after a big 0.6% rise in December, and are up 2.1% from a year ago. Hotel prices ticked down 0.1% in January and have fallen 2% from last year. Rental prices and the cost of owning a home, which make up a third of the inflation index, both rose just 0.2% in December, while rents increased only 2.8% from a year earlier. That is much lower than during the pandemic: Rents rose by more than 8% in 2022. The tariffs have increased some costs and many economists forecast companies will pass through more of those increases to consumers in the coming months. A study released Thursday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that U.S. companies and consumers are paying nearly 90% of the tariffs’ costs, echoing similar findings in studies by Harvard and other economists. Yet the increases haven’t been as broad-based as many economists feared. Tilley said that the higher tariffs have pulled some consumer spending away from other services, which has forced companies to keep those prices a bit lower as a result. “We don’t think consumers are in a place to take on price increases across the board, so you’re not seeing those price increses,” he said. Hiring was particularly weak last year, slowing wage growth, and many Americans remain gloomy about the economy. Some economists note that the rental figures were distorted by October’s six-week government shutdown, which interrupted the Labor Department’s gathering of the data. The government plugged in estimated figures for October which economists say have artificially lowered some of the housing costs. Companies are still grappling with the higher costs from The President’s duties, though some have benefited from tariffs being delayed or scrapped. Arin Schultz, chief growth officer at Naturepedic, which makes organic mattresses in Cleveland, breathed a sigh of relief when The President postponed import duties on upholstered furniture until 2027. They would have substantially pushed up the cost of the headboards the company imports. Schultz welcomed the decision to lower tariffs on imports from India to 18%, from 50%. Naturepedic sources a lot of the cotton fabrics and bedding that it sells from India. When that reduction kicks in, he said, the company could even cut some prices. Still, Naturepedic’s costs jumped because of duties on imports from Vietnam and Malaysia, where it sources its organic latex, which can’t be grown in the United States. Naturepedic makes its mattresses in the United States at a factory in Cleveland and employs about 200 workers. “We’re paying more now for that,” he said, and the company raised its prices about 7% last year as a result. “Tariffs are awful. We are less profitable now as a company because of tariffs.” If inflation gets closer to the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%, it could allow the central bank to cut its key short-term interest rate further this year, as The President has repeatedly demanded. High borrowing costs for things like mortgages and auto loans have also contributed to a perception that many big-ticket items remain out of reach for many Americans. Inflation surged to 9.1% in 2022 as consumer spending soared as supply chains snarled after the pandemic. It began to fall in 2023 but leveled off around 3% in mid-2024 and remained elevated last year. At the same time, measures of wage growth have declined as hiring has cratered. With companies reluctant to add jobs, workers don’t have as much leverage to demand raises. —Christopher Rugaber, AP economics writer View the full article

When most founders begin their journey, they focus on a good product and the right market. But what happens when your customers don’t yet know they have a problem? What happens when there’s no market, even when you know you have a solution people need? It’s rare to find success stories of simultaneous company and market building because it’s not a challenge that every organization faces. But if you’re innovating within your industry, it’s a problem you should expect and prepare for because it means having to operate in two realities—the internal reality where you know the challenges in your industry and how you’re going to solve them, and the external reality where nobody else has recognized the problem that needs to be solved. In a highly regulated industry like healthcare, safety, and stability create an inertia that often works against innovation. Many products fail simply because they lack market demand and infrastructure. To succeed, you should look beyond the solution and craft a compelling narrative that tells the entire story of your product and why it’s needed. As a founder of Paragonix, I navigated these two worlds firsthand during the development of our organ preservation technology. For decades, people transported fragile human organs on ice in coolers you can find in a hardware store. No one was really asking “Is there a better way to do this?” until we did. Here are five things I learned about bridging the gap between internal conviction and market skepticism: 1. Name the market When you’re defining a market that doesn’t exist yet, one of the most overlooked steps is giving it a name. A name gives stakeholders a tangible anchor and helps sell the version of reality where the market is already real. Then the focus shifts to creating shared belief, and that only happens by getting out there and talking to people. It’s a lot like painting a landscape. Your company may ultimately be just a small piece of the background, but the more detail you give your audience, the more they’ll come to understand the whole picture and how you fit into it. Ironically, you may start to see competitors using the language you’ve created, but that’s still a win. After all, if someone else uses the market terminology I created, it’s a huge validation of the landscape I painted. 2. Compile ample data Particularly in the healthcare industry, compelling data about your product is the proof of concept that unlocks belief. You need strong basic science or engineering validation to demonstrate how your product works, which helps your future customers realize that something they’re doing isn’t working. Then, you need clinical science showing that your product is not only effective but safe and superior to the existing standard of care. In my experience, that massive data collection effort is what ultimately convinces the market that they need your product. Before we created the Paragonix SherpaPak Cardiac Transport System, our first portable donor organ preservation system, close to 100% of donor hearts arrived at their destination without any temperature control, monitoring, or reporting, potentially impacting patient outcomes by injuring donor hearts. From the data we collected, we knew there was a dire need for a solution and that our technology could provide the answer. 3. Amplify early adopters Healthcare is an industry where adoption risk is high, and validation relies heavily on peer trust, making it vital that you amplify success cases from early adopters. These initial risk-takers are more than customers; they are essential co-creators of the new market category and can help you actively cultivate conviction within the industry. Whether you choose to create a structured advisory council or not, check in often and give them ample opportunity to provide feedback. Doing so doesn’t just secure their commitment to sharing positive outcomes with the public; it helps you transform implementation hurdles into strategic operations. 4. Consider the entire ecosystem As your market scales, it’s important to study the entire product journey and its surrounding ecosystem. You need to know the adjacent problems, complementary products, and be able to spot future technological needs that sit on the border of your current solution. This is the part that keeps you innovating in a smart, seamless direction, putting you one step ahead of the competition. As a founder, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of talking to not just stakeholders but also end-users—the clinicians, administrators, buyers, and even patients who aren’t decision-makers but can amplify your product and market vision. They can offer feedback on workflow integration, usability, and pain points that ensure you’re delivering solutions people both love and leverage. 5. Listen to negative feedback When you’re in the early stages of company development, a positive outlook is almost a requirement for overcoming the fear, anxiety, and worry that can threaten to hold you back. That’s one reason that it can be hard to accept feedback from people who don’t like your product, don’t grasp your vision, or who actively avoid collaborating with you. But as a company leader, you need to listen to what detractors say. When they’re right about something, it can be a tough pill to swallow, but acting can protect the health of your company as it grows. If they’re wrong, it’s still important to listen. Developing thick skin is a skill that no one can take away from you and will be useful throughout the entire journey. FINAL THOUGHTS Building a company is hard, but building an industry is harder. Markets don’t emerge on their own, but leaders who are willing to question long-standing assumptions and replace them with evidence and structure can build them. When you succeed, the impact extends far beyond your organization because you did more than win the market; you raised the standard for an entire industry. Lisa Anderson is the president and cofounder of Paragonix Technologies, a Getinge company. View the full article

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Software work rarely falls apart because of bad ideas; it unravels when timelines slip, dependencies clash and expectations drift. That’s where delivery planning becomes critical. Instead of reacting to chaos, teams shape a clear delivery plan that aligns scope, sequencing and capacity before code hits production. What Is Delivery Planning? Delivery planning is the structured process of organizing how software work moves from approved requirements to production release. It brings together product managers, delivery managers, developers, QA engineers and sometimes DevOps to decide what will be delivered, in what order and within what time frame. The process typically starts with prioritizing backlog items, reviewing technical dependencies and assessing team capacity. From there, the group maps work into iterations or release increments, stress-tests assumptions and adjusts for risks. Trade-offs are discussed openly, especially when scope, time and resources compete. The central output of this effort is a delivery plan, a practical roadmap that outlines milestones, release targets and the sequence of work needed to ship reliably. ProjectManager is an award-winning project portfolio management software that offers advanced planning, scheduling and tracking tools for software development and IT teams, allowing them to create visual roadmaps for their delivery plans, allocate resources, track costs and manage waterfall and agile workflows. Additionally, ProjectManager integrates with Jira, Azure Devops and features an open API that facilitates integration with other software development tools. Get started for free today. /wp-content/uploads/2024/02/light-mode-CTA-1600x918.jpgLearn more What Is a Delivery Plan? A delivery plan is a structured schedule that outlines how approved work will be executed and released within a defined timeframe. It specifies deliverables, sequencing, milestones, dependencies and target release dates. In IT, software and product development environments, a delivery plan translates strategic objectives and prioritized scope into a coordinated project timeline that guides teams from build through testing and deployment. When to Make a Delivery Plan In IT and product environments, a delivery plan is created once the project scope has been approved and the team is preparing to commit to release dates. It is typically used before major releases, large initiatives or cross-team programs where coordination, sequencing and realistic timelines must be agreed upon before execution begins. Here are the most common scenarios in which a delivery plan helps organizations plan and schedule work. Enterprise IT & Digital Transformation Projects Coordinating multi-system upgrades that require strict sequencing and integration testing. Planning phased ERP, CRM or infrastructure modernization initiatives across departments. Aligning cybersecurity improvements with regulatory deadlines and audit requirements. Managing cloud migration programs involving internal teams and external vendors. Structuring data center consolidation projects with clearly defined transition milestones. Software Development Organizing major application releases that bundle multiple new features together. Planning incremental feature rollouts across several sprint cycles. Coordinating backend, frontend and DevOps deployment activities for production releases. Preparing performance optimization initiatives with staged testing checkpoints. Managing refactoring efforts while maintaining ongoing feature development commitments. Product Management Translating roadmap priorities into quarterly or release-based execution plans. Structuring beta launches before full public product availability. Coordinating go-to-market readiness alongside engineering release timelines. Managing feature bundles tied to contractual or enterprise customer commitments. Planning market expansion releases that introduce region-specific capabilities. What Should Be Included In a Delivery Plan? A delivery plan should clearly outline what will be delivered, in what order, by whom and by when, so execution decisions are anchored in visible, agreed-upon commitments. Objectives and Work Scope Clear objectives keep the team focused on outcomes instead of just activity. Defining the work scope prevents uncontrolled expansion once development begins. When both are written into the delivery plan, everyone understands what problem is being solved and what is intentionally excluded, reducing confusion, rework and misaligned expectations. Project Deliverables and Features In IT and software environments, project deliverables are the concrete outputs that must be completed and released. These can include functional features, APIs, integrations, infrastructure updates, configuration changes or performance improvements. Each deliverable represents something testable and releasable, not just a task or internal activity. /wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Project-deliverables-template-600x296.pngFree project deliverables template for Excel Listing deliverables clearly shapes the delivery plan because timelines are built around them. Sequencing decisions, resource allocation and release groupings all depend on what must be shipped. When deliverables are well defined, teams can estimate effort accurately, identify dependencies early and avoid vague commitments that lead to missed deadlines. Delivery Plan Timeline A delivery plan timeline is built from scheduled deliverables, key milestones, dependency links and target release dates. It shows when major features are expected to be completed, when reviews occur and when releases go live. Milestones mark decision points or readiness checks, while dependencies clarify what must finish before the next activity begins. /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Gantt-chart-template-for-Excel-600x264.pngFree Gantt chart template for Excel Teams usually represent a delivery plan timeline using Gantt charts, roadmap views or structured release calendars. Gantt charts are common because they visualize sequencing and dependencies clearly. Product roadmaps are often used for higher-level communication. In some environments, shared planning boards or portfolio tools provide timeline views aligned with sprint cycles and release windows. Release Structure A release structure defines how completed deliverables are organized and deployed to users. It determines the pattern the team follows, including how functionality is grouped and how frequently releases occur. Within delivery planning, the release structure clarifies whether work is shipped continuously, in fixed cycles or bundled into coordinated releases aligned with business priorities. Common release structures include continuous delivery, where updates are deployed frequently, and time-based models such as monthly or quarterly releases. Some teams use phased rollouts to reduce exposure, while others package features into major version launches. Enterprise programs may synchronize releases across multiple systems and teams. The chosen release structure shapes sequencing decisions, testing intensity and stakeholder expectations. When the structure is unclear, confusion builds around what ships and when. Clear release logic keeps the delivery plan realistic and aligned with deployment capabilities. Resource Plan A resource plan within a delivery plan defines who will perform the work, what skills are required and how availability aligns with the delivery timeline. It maps people, roles and supporting assets to specific deliverables. In IT and software development, this ensures commitments are grounded in real capacity rather than assumed bandwidth. /wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Resource-Plan-Screenshot-600x213.jpgFree resource plan template for Excel Some of the most important roles to include in a resource plan within a delivery plan for software development or IT projects are: Frontend developers assigned to user interface feature development. Backend engineers responsible for APIs and database logic. QA analysts allocated for manual and automated testing cycles. DevOps engineers supporting CI/CD pipelines and deployments. UX designers contributing wireframes and usability validation. Cloud infrastructure environments required for staging and production. External vendors providing integrations or specialized technical services. Risk Register & Risk Mitigation Plan A risk register in a delivery plan is a structured list of identified threats that could impact timelines, scope or quality. It documents each risk, its likelihood, potential impact and assigned owner. In IT and software projects, this often includes technical uncertainty, integration challenges, resource gaps or external dependencies. /wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Risk-assessment-template-screenshot-600x212.pngFree risk assessment template for Excel A risk mitigation plan outlines the specific actions the team will take to reduce the probability or impact of identified risks. It may include contingency timelines, fallback technical approaches, additional testing cycles or escalation protocols. Within delivery planning, mitigation planning prevents reactive decision-making when issues arise during execution. Governance Roles Governance within a delivery plan defines how decisions are made, who approves scope changes and how performance is monitored. In IT and software projects, governance ensures delivery stays aligned with business priorities, budget constraints and risk tolerance while maintaining clear accountability for outcomes. Executive Sponsor: Provides strategic direction and approves major scope, budget or timeline changes. Steering Committee: Reviews progress, resolves escalated issues and validates continued business alignment. Product Owner: Approves backlog priorities and confirms feature-level acceptance decisions. Delivery Manager: Monitors execution performance and enforces agreed planning controls. Technical Authority: Validates architectural decisions and ensures compliance with technical standards. Communication Plan A communication plan within a delivery plan defines how progress, risks and changes are shared with stakeholders. It outlines what information is communicated, how often updates occur and through which channels. In IT and software environments, clear communication prevents misaligned expectations between engineering teams, product leadership and business sponsors. Defined reporting cadence such as weekly delivery status updates. Stakeholder audience list with communication responsibilities assigned. Standard status report format including milestones and risks. Escalation channels for urgent blockers or critical issues. Release announcement templates for internal and external audiences. Integration of dashboard metrics from project management tools. Meeting structure for sprint reviews and release readiness checkpoints. Who Participates in the Delivery Planning Process Although many voices contribute, accountability typically sits with the delivery manager or project manager overseeing execution. That person facilitates planning sessions, aligns scope with capacity and ensures commitments are realistic. In product-led environments, a product manager may co-lead, but ownership of the delivery planning process remains clearly defined. Here’s a quick overview of the key roles and responsibilities in the delivery planning process. Product Manager: Defines priorities, clarifies business outcomes and confirms what must be delivered in each release. Protects value, challenges unnecessary scope and ensures planning decisions align with customer and stakeholder expectations. Delivery Manager: Coordinates planning cadence, manages timelines and tracks dependencies across teams. Translates strategic goals into executable increments and holds the group accountable for realistic commitments and achievable release targets. Engineering Lead: Evaluates technical complexity, identifies architectural constraints and flags sequencing risks. Shapes effort estimates and determines whether proposed timelines are feasible given existing systems and technical debt. Developers: Contribute effort estimates, surface hidden dependencies and explain implementation constraints. Provide practical insight that grounds planning discussions in reality, preventing overly optimistic schedules disconnected from actual build effort. QA Lead: Defines testing scope, automation coverage and release readiness criteria. Ensures sufficient time is allocated for validation so quality is not sacrificed under deadline pressure. DevOps Engineer: Reviews deployment pipelines, infrastructure readiness and environment constraints. Ensures releases can be deployed smoothly without last-minute operational bottlenecks. Business Sponsor: Validates timelines against external commitments. Confirms that release targets support market, regulatory or contractual obligations while understanding the trade-offs required to meet those dates. Main Steps in the Delivery Planning Process Delivery planning is not a a mere documentation exercise. It is a series of working sessions where product, engineering and delivery leaders make real commitments, challenge assumptions and decide what can realistically ship. The steps below reflect the conversations and decisions that turn ambition into an executable delivery plan. 1. Clarify Overall Project Objectives & Success Criteria The process usually begins with the product manager explaining the business outcome the initiative must achieve. The executive sponsor confirms why it matters now. The delivery manager pushes for clarity: what problem are we solving, and what result proves success? Engineering leaders question feasibility early, while the group agrees on measurable targets that will later determine whether the release actually delivered value. 2. Define the Work Scope and Identify Deliverables After alignment on outcomes, the team breaks the idea into concrete work. Product walks through prioritized features. Engineering challenges assumptions and flags hidden complexity. QA raises questions about testability. The delivery manager keeps the discussion focused on what will be included and what will not. Together, they separate essential functionality from optional enhancements before effort discussions begin. 3. Identify Task Dependencies and Constraints Before anyone talks dates, the engineering lead maps technical sequencing realities. Backend may need to finish before frontend begins. DevOps confirms environment readiness. If vendors or external systems are involved, timelines are validated directly with them. Compliance or security representatives call out mandatory checkpoints. The delivery manager documents these constraints so the plan reflects real-world blockers, not assumptions. 4. Sequence Work With constraints visible, the group debates order. Product argues for early delivery of high-impact features. Engineering weighs complexity and risk. The delivery manager tests whether value-driven sequencing conflicts with technical flow. The team decides whether to release incrementally or bundle functionality into phases. By the end of this step, the order of execution reflects deliberate trade-offs, not optimism. 5. Estimate Required Effort and Validate Capacity Developers provide effort estimates based on experience, not pressure. The engineering lead reviews whether specialists are overallocated and balances workload. The delivery manager compares proposed work against actual team availability, including vacations and parallel initiatives. If the math does not work, scope or sequencing is adjusted. No timeline is accepted until capacity and workload are visibly aligned. 6. Build and Review the Delivery Timeline Once estimates are accepted, the delivery manager maps work against proposed release windows. Milestones are proposed and challenged. QA confirms testing windows are realistic. DevOps validates deployment timing. Integration points across teams are reviewed out loud. The draft timeline is pressure-tested in the room before being shared more broadly to stakeholders. 7. Agree on Risk Responses and Escalation Paths Before closing the session, the team openly discusses what could derail the plan. Engineering highlights technical uncertainty. Product identifies market timing risks. The delivery manager asks what happens if assumptions fail. Mitigation actions are assigned, buffers are added where justified and clear escalation paths are confirmed so issues can move quickly if they surface. ProjectManager Can Help with IT & Software Development Projects ProjectManager is an award-winning project portfolio management software equipped with powerful features for IT and software development teams, such as Gantt chart roadmaps that can be used to manage individual delivery plans and complete project portfolios, dashboards for monitoring resource utilization, project costs and progress in real time and kanban boards that are ideal for agile sprints and iterative planning. ProjectManager also has robust resource management features such as workload charts to balance teams’ workloads and timesheets for detailed time tracking. On top of that, ProjectManager integrates with Jira and Azure DevOps and has an open API so that organizations can integrate its powerful project portfolio management functionality with their favorite tools. Watch the video below to learn more! The post Delivery Planning In IT & Software Development: Making a Delivery Plan appeared first on ProjectManager. 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