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User satisfaction surveys are vital tools for gathering feedback. They help you understand how well your products or services meet customer needs. By employing effective survey techniques, like Likert scale and open-ended questions, you can capture both quantitative and qualitative data. This information is critical for making informed decisions. In the following sections, you’ll discover practical examples and best practices that can greatly improve your survey efforts and elevate overall satisfaction. Key Takeaways Use Likert scale questions to measure satisfaction levels on a range of experiences effectively. Incorporate open-ended questions to allow users to express their thoughts and needs freely. Include close-ended questions for quick quantitative analysis of customer loyalty and engagement. Segment feedback by adding demographic questions to tailor improvements to specific user groups. Implement skip logic to create a smoother survey experience and respect respondents’ time. Understanding User Satisfaction Surveys User satisfaction surveys are vital tools that help businesses understand customer experiences and identify areas for improvement. These structured questionnaires gather feedback on various interactions, aiming to measure overall satisfaction. You’ll often encounter user satisfaction survey examples that utilize key metrics like the Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) and the Net Promoter Score (NPS). The CSAT gauges how satisfied customers are, whereas the NPS assesses their likelihood of recommending your product or service. When crafting your surveys, consider incorporating a mix of quantitative and qualitative user experience survey questions. For instance, rating scales can provide measurable data, and open-ended questions can offer deeper insights. It’s important to keep your questions clear and straightforward to encourage higher response rates. Remember, timing matters; conducting surveys shortly after customer interactions yields the most relevant and actionable feedback, helping you improve the overall user experience effectively. Key Components of Effective Surveys When designing effective surveys, it’s crucial to incorporate clear and straightforward questions that align with your primary objectives. This guarantees you gather actionable feedback. A mix of formats—like multiple-choice, Likert scale, and open-ended questions—can improve engagement and provide a thorough comprehension of user sentiments. When crafting your UX research questions, aim for neutrality to avoid bias, guaranteeing that responses accurately reflect user experiences without leading them toward specific answers. Implementing skip logic likewise tailors the respondent experience, allowing participants to answer only relevant questions based on their previous responses, thereby improving completion rates. Moreover, analyzing results systematically helps identify trends in user feedback. This analysis can inform strategic improvements and elevate overall user satisfaction. Examples of User Satisfaction Survey Questions Crafting effective user satisfaction survey questions involves a thoughtful combination of question types to elicit valuable feedback. Start with Likert scale questions, such as, “How satisfied are you with our product on a scale of 1 to 5?” This allows you to gauge user experiences more accurately. Incorporate open-ended questions like, “What features would you like to see improved?” to gather qualitative insights, revealing specific user needs. Include close-ended questions, such as, “Would you recommend our service to a friend? Yes/No,” to facilitate quick quantitative analysis of customer loyalty. Don’t forget demographic questions, like, “What is your age group?” or “What is your profession?” as these help you segment feedback for targeted improvements. Finally, consider follow-up questions, such as, “Why did you rate us a 3 out of 5?” to encourage users to elaborate on their experiences, providing deeper insights into their satisfaction levels. Best Practices for Survey Design Effective survey design is essential for gathering meaningful feedback, as it directly influences the quality of the data collected. To guarantee your survey is effective, consider these best practices: Prioritize Clarity and Simplicity: Use straightforward language and avoid jargon. This helps respondents easily understand your questions, leading to more accurate feedback. Align with Specific Goals: Focus your questions on the objectives you want to achieve. This relevance improves the quality of the data you collect, making it more actionable. Incorporate Varied Question Formats: Use a mix of Likert scales and open-ended questions. This combination captures both quantitative and qualitative insights, providing a thorough view of user satisfaction. Before distributing your survey, test your questions for clarity to identify any potential confusion. Utilizing skip logic can likewise streamline the experience, respecting participants’ time and increasing completion rates. Analyzing Survey Results for Actionable Insights Analyzing survey results is crucial for turning raw data into actionable insights that can drive improvements in user satisfaction. Start by systematically reviewing quantitative data, like satisfaction scores, to identify trends and patterns that inform your strategic decisions. Utilize statistical tools to interpret response distributions, allowing you to pinpoint areas of strength and weakness in customer experiences. Don’t overlook qualitative feedback from open-ended responses; categorize and summarize it to uncover common themes and specific suggestions for improvement. Regularly compare survey results over time, tracking changes in customer sentiment and measuring the effectiveness of the improvements you’ve implemented. Finally, share your findings with relevant stakeholders to promote transparency. This collaboration encourages collective efforts to improve user satisfaction based on the actionable insights you’ve gathered. By focusing on both quantitative and qualitative data, you can make informed decisions that truly resonate with your users. Timing and Delivery of User Satisfaction Surveys Timing and delivery of user satisfaction surveys play an essential role in gathering meaningful feedback. When you send surveys immediately after customer interactions, you improve the relevance of the feedback you collect. Here are three key considerations to keep in mind: Specific Triggers: Utilize specific events, like post-purchase or after customer service interactions, to gather accurate insights on user experience. Frequency Matters: Be mindful of how often you send surveys; too many can lead to survey fatigue, whereas too few might skip vital feedback opportunities. Delivery Methods: Choose the right delivery method—whether via email, in-app prompts, or SMS—based on user preferences to maximize engagement. Additionally, A/B testing different delivery times and channels can help you identify the most effective combinations, ensuring you elicit valuable user feedback while respecting their time and preferences. Continuous Improvement Through Feedback Gathering feedback is crucial for businesses aiming to refine their offerings and improve customer experiences. Continuous improvement through feedback means regularly collecting customer insights to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in your products and services. By implementing feedback mechanisms, like user satisfaction surveys, you can capture real-time data on customer experiences, allowing for timely adjustments. When you actively respond to feedback, you promote a culture of continuous improvement, showing customers their opinions matter in decision-making. Data from these surveys can highlight specific areas needing improvement, enabling you to prioritize changes that greatly affect customer satisfaction and retention. Companies that effectively utilize feedback often increase customer loyalty, as about 70% of consumers are more likely to remain with a brand that actively seeks and acts on their input. Therefore, embracing feedback not only aligns your offerings with user needs but likewise strengthens your customer relationships. Frequently Asked Questions What Are Good Survey Questions for Feedback? Good survey questions for feedback should be clear and specific. You might ask respondents to rate their satisfaction on a scale from 1 to 10. It’s effective to include a mix of question types, like Likert scale questions for attitudes and open-ended questions for detailed insights. Focus on individual interactions, such as “How easy was it to navigate our website?” This approach helps guarantee you get relevant, actionable feedback from users. Can You Give an Example of Improving Customer Satisfaction? To improve customer satisfaction, you could implement a Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) survey immediately after service interactions. By analyzing feedback, you identify specific pain points and areas needing improvement. For instance, if customers express dissatisfaction with response times, you can streamline your processes. Furthermore, personalizing follow-up questions can increase engagement, providing deeper insights. Making changes based on this feedback can lead to noticeable increases in overall customer satisfaction and loyalty. What Are the 3 C’s of Customer Satisfaction? The three C’s of customer satisfaction are Consistency, Communication, and Care. Consistency means delivering reliable service and quality products every time, which builds trust. Communication involves listening to customer feedback and providing timely information about products or services, strengthening relationships. Care refers to genuinely addressing customers’ needs and concerns, which greatly boosts satisfaction. Together, these elements form a solid foundation for positive customer experiences, enhancing loyalty and encouraging repeat business. What Is the 5 Point Scale for Customer Satisfaction Survey? The 5-point scale for customer satisfaction surveys allows you to rate your experience from “Very Dissatisfied” to “Very Satisfied.” Each point corresponds to a numerical value, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest. This scale includes a neutral option, helping capture ambivalence. It’s user-friendly, which often increases response rates and completion. Conclusion In summary, effective user satisfaction surveys are essential for gathering valuable feedback. By combining various question types, such as Likert scale and open-ended questions, you can gain a thorough comprehension of user experiences. Implementing best practices in survey design and timing improves response rates and quality. Analyzing the results allows you to derive actionable insights that drive continuous improvement. In the end, leveraging this feedback can greatly improve customer satisfaction and strengthen your overall service or product offering. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Effective User Satisfaction Survey Examples to Enhance Feedback" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The US president has hemmed in hardliners and softened his rhetoric after the shooting of Alex PrettiView the full article

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Rates actually declined or remained flat over a two-year period in 15 states, including Florida, with natural disasters and tariffs affecting 2026's movements. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The first of a trio of Alice Feeney thrillers getting streaming series adaptations, His & Hers is a glossy, brisk and, perhaps most importantly, twisty Netflix mystery starring Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal. Thompson plays Annie Andrews, a has-been news reporter who decides to get back on the horse when she learns of a murder in her Georgia hometown. Bernthal is the local detective on the case and—surprise!—he's also her ex. His & Hers is a big hit for Netflix, and a particularly buzzy and bingable example of the form. If you're looking for more of the same after finishing the last episode, here are a dozen more shows filled with zigzagging plots, complicated families, and women who are much more than mere victims. The Åre Murders (2025) Scandinavian cop drama (or Nordic noir, if you prefer) is its own sub-genre, so ubiquitous that the Disney+ show Agatha All Along did an episode parodying the form. Certainly The Åre Murders makes the case that Swedes know from murder. Plain-spoken, troubled (as in: under suspension) detective Hanna Ahlander leaves Stockholm to spend some time unwinding at her sister's place in remote Åre. A case involving a missing girl finds her back on the job, and up against local police officer Daniel Lindskog, who she's reluctant to trust. The dynamic isn't entirely dissimilar to that of reporter Anna Andrews and her cop ex in His & Hers. Looking for a bleakly beautiful landscape and ambiguous morality? Åre might be the place for you. You can stream The Åre Murders on Netflix. The Åre Murders (2025) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Sharp Objects (2018) In this adaptation of the Gillian Flynn novel, Amy Adams stars as Camille Preaker, a troubled reporter with substance abuse issues who's only recently been released from a psychiatric hospital. I'm not sure what step of recovery involves returning to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri in order to investigate the murder of one girl and the apparently related disappearance of another—all under the watchful, critical eye of her socialite mother Adora (Patricia Clarkson). Like His & Hers, the plot turns a couple of gut-punch twists. Stream Sharp Objects on HBO Max. Sharp Objects (2018) at HBO Max Learn More Learn More at HBO Max Mare of Easttown (2021) Kate Winslet picked up an Emmy for her performance as thoroughly troubled Mare Sheehan, a local hero in her days as a high school basketball champ whose adult reputation is rapidly losing its luster. As a police detective, she's been unable to solve the case of a missing girl even as she's confronted with a recently murdered teenage mother—you probably won't be surprised to find that the cases are linked. Word on the street is that a second season might be in the works. Stream Mare of Easttown on HBO Max. Mare of Easttown (2021) at HBO Max Learn More Learn More at HBO Max The Beast in Me (2025) This twist-a-minute thriller stars Clare Danes as grieving mother and author Aggie Wiggs, who struggling with her next book, and decides to focus it on her neighbor, who was accused of murdering his first wife. What could go wrong? Matthew Rhys plays Nile Jarvis, the maybe-murderer neighbor, who gets caught up in the mix when Abbie's story becomes about way more than just one death. Stream The Beast in Me on Netflix. The Beast in Me (2025) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Apples Never Fall (2024) Liane Moriarty's novels have been adapted successfully in the past, from HBO's Big Little Lies to Hulu's Nine Perfect Strangers. Her work generally, and Apples Never Fall specifically, focuses more on mystery than thrills, but those twisty-turny plots are what we're here for. This miniseries follows the Delaney family, whose four siblings are forced to confront their dark family history following the disappearance of their mother Joy (Annette Benning)—a disappearance in which their father Stand (Sam Neill), is a person of interest. Stream Apples Never Fall on Peacock. Apples Never Fall (2024) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Down Cemetery Road (2025 – ) Though a bit more in the spy genre than His & Hers (it's from a series of novels by Slow Horses author Mick Herron), this one's still a compelling mystery with a couple of unlikely, mismatched partners at its center. Emma Thompson stars as hard-living, hard-drinking private investigator Zoë Boehm, hired by Ruth Wilson's Sarah Trafford, a married art restorer who nobody takes very seriously (including her husband), even after she becomes invested in the fate of a young girl whose family is killed in an allegedly accidental gas explosion down the street. The orphaned girl disappears into the system, and no one really seems to care until Sarah hires Zoë and her husband to look into it. Both women soon find they are in way over their heads, as the missing girl points to a much broader conspiracy. Stream Down Cemetery Road on Apple TV+. Down Cemetery Road at Apple TV+ Learn More Learn More at Apple TV+ The Crystal Cuckoo (2025) Clara Merlo (Catalina Sopelana) is a medical resident in a big city hospital. One shift, she collapses, waking weeks later to learn that he heart failed and she's received a transplant. Though donors are anonymous, she decides that she really needs to know about the person whose heart she's walking around with—which is where we enter into "What could possibly go wrong?" territory. She manages to trace the donation to a family in the small town of Yesques, where she learns that the father of of her donor went missing years ago, while brother Juan (Alfons Nieto) has joined the police force. Good thing, too: she'll need his help when she winds up involved in a mystery that goes back two decades. Stream The Crystal Cuckoo on Netflix. The Crystal Cuckoo (2025) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix The Last Thing He Told Me (2023 – ) The first season ranked as Apple's most watched limited series ever, so naturally we're getting a second, based on another bestseller by Laura Dave. Jennifer Garner stars as Hannah Hall, a successful woodturner (now there's a new one in crime thrillers) trying to forge a bond with her stepdaughter in order to help solve the mystery of her missing husband. Stream The Last Thing He Told Me on Apple TV+. The Last Thing He Told Me at Apple TV+ Learn More Learn More at Apple TV+ The Frog (2024) Following his wife's death, Yeong-ha (Kim Yoon-seok) just wants a quiet life in the secluded town where he lives—though he's not even all that enthusiastic about that. It's all going fine until a young woman shows up at the rental unit next door with her son, then abruptly vanishes, leaving behind blood stains and, even more disturbingly, the kid. This slow-burn, cinematic thriller has a storytelling structure that would be a spoiler to say too much about, but puzzing through it is definitely rewarding. Stream The Frog on Netflix. The Frog (2024) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix When No One Sees Us (2025 – ) A distinctive police thriller imported from Spain, When No One Sees Us stars Mariela Garriga (Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning) as a Cuban-American special agent of the U.S. Army, and Maribel Verdú (Pan’s Labyrinth) as a Spanish Civil Guard sergeant struggling with a complex home life. Both are investigating an apparent death by violent suicide on an air base during Holy Week. It's another complex mystery, but the performances and the emphasis on character over plot make it a standout. Stream When No One Sees Us on HBO Max. When No One Sees Us (2025 – ) at HBO Max Learn More Learn More at HBO Max Disclaimer (2024) Created, written, and directed by four-time Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón, Disclaimer has as impressive a pedigree as you could hope for on streaming TV. Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline (both, incidentally, Oscar winners) star alongside Sacha Baron Cohen and Leila George. Blanchett plays Catherine Ravenscroft, an award-winning journalist who receives a mysterious manuscript—a novel in which she, herself, appears to be the main character, and which reveals secrets of her past that she thought were long buried. Stream Disclaimer on Apple TV+. Disclaimer (2024) at Apple TV+ Learn More Learn More at Apple TV+ True Detective: Night Country (2024) There's something to be said for each of the True Detective's four seasons, but Night Country moves away from the the sweaty bro energy of earlier seasons for a much frostier mystery involving missing scientists at a research station near a tiny Alaskan town, where the dark and the cold are practically characters themselves. The resulting mystery ties together veteran Chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Trooper Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis), two women with complicated pasts and screwed-up present family lives. The resolution to the mind-bending mystery drew a lot of debate, but the performances and chilly sense of magical realist dread are top tier. Stream True Detective: Night Country on HBO Max. True Detective: Night Country at HBO Max Learn More Learn More at HBO Max View the full article

In the current digital era, managing your online reputation is essential for personal and professional success. By monitoring your digital presence, optimizing your profiles, engaging with your audience, addressing negative feedback, and maintaining consistent interaction, you can effectively shape how others perceive you. Each step plays a significant role in building a positive image and nurturing trust. Comprehending these elements can empower you to take control, but where do you start? Key Takeaways Regularly monitor your digital presence by searching your name and brand online for any public mentions or reviews. Optimize your online profiles with complete bios, high-quality visuals, and consistent branding across all platforms. Engage with your audience by responding swiftly to comments and messages, fostering trust and community. Address negative reviews promptly to demonstrate commitment to customer satisfaction and convert negative experiences into positive ones. Maintain consistent engagement through daily updates and diverse content formats, while monitoring feedback for timely responses. Monitor Your Digital Presence Regularly To effectively manage your online reputation, it’s vital to monitor your digital presence regularly. Start by searching your name and brand on Google to identify what’s publicly available. This lets you see both positive and negative mentions that could influence perception. Consider using tools like Google Alerts to get notifications whenever your name is mentioned online, enabling timely responses to feedback. Consistently monitor social media platforms and review sites to track customer comments and reviews. Addressing concerns swiftly can protect your reputation online and prevent issues from escalating. Analyzing search engine results helps you prioritize positive reviews and testimonials, overshadowing negative mentions. Furthermore, implementing social listening tools like Brandwatch can provide insights into brand conversations across various platforms. This approach is fundamental in online reputation management for individuals and can aid in cleaning up online reputation, making it easier to maintain a favorable digital footprint. Optimize Your Online Profiles Optimizing your online profiles is vital for building a strong digital reputation that reflects your personal or business identity. To effectively control your online reputation, consider the following: Confirm all profiles are complete with accurate bios, contact information, and website links to boost credibility. Use high-quality visuals and consistent branding across platforms to create a memorable impression. Regularly update your profiles with fresh content and achievements to showcase expertise. Implementing these strategies contributes to effective online reputation management and reputation protection. By optimizing your profile content with SEO techniques, you can improve search engine rankings, making it easier for users to find positive information about you. Moreover, it’s important to monitor your profiles and address negative feedback quickly, demonstrating your commitment to customer satisfaction. For a robust personal online reputation, consider enlisting reputation management services or consulting with an online reputation expert to help clean up your internet reputation. Engage With Your Audience Engaging with your audience is a vital component of effective online reputation management. When you respond swiftly to comments and messages, you showcase your commitment to customer satisfaction, building trust. Regularly posting high-quality, relevant content keeps your audience involved, as 99.9% of people rely on reviews before making decisions. To improve your brand’s credibility, create complete social media profiles with clear bios and contact details. Comprehending your audience’s needs allows you to produce targeted content, increasing engagement through formats like blog posts, videos, and infographics. Acknowledging feedback, including negative reviews, can transform potential conflicts into opportunities for relationship-building. This proactive approach not only improves your online reputation score but supports personal online reputation management. If you’re considering reputation repair services, keep in mind that working with reputation management consultants can help you effectively engage with your audience and fix online reputation challenges. Address Negative Reviews Promptly While negative reviews can be intimidating, addressing them quickly can greatly improve your online reputation. Responding to feedback demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction, and studies reveal that 70% of consumers are more likely to trust a business that actively engages with reviews. Here are three key reasons to prioritize prompt responses: A swift reply can prevent escalation, potentially saving up to 22% of potential customers. Personalized responses can transform a negative experience into a positive one, boosting your company reputation. Acknowledging issues can increase brand loyalty, with 30% of customers likely to return after a respectful response. Regularly monitoring and addressing negative feedback is essential in your online reputation management strategy. Maintain Consistent Engagement To effectively maintain your online reputation, it’s crucial to engage consistently with your audience across various platforms. Daily updates are fundamental to keep your followers informed and connected to your brand. Addressing comments and messages swiftly cultivates community, enhancing customer loyalty. Explore various content formats, such as online reputation management blogs, videos, and infographics, to cater to diverse audience preferences. Regularly monitoring feedback is essential; it helps you quickly address concerns, showcasing your commitment to customer satisfaction and improving your website reputation. A well-curated content strategy aligned with your audience’s interests can amplify positive sentiments and overshadow any negative mentions. If you’re looking for expert guidance, consider collaborating with an Reputation.com for effective online reputation management SEO. This approach can assist in your reputation careers and help you use tools like a reputation finder to clean up reputation issues as they arise. Consistent engagement is key to a solid online presence. Frequently Asked Questions How Do You Manage Your Online Reputation? To manage your online reputation, regularly monitor mentions of your brand across social media and review sites. Engage with customers by responding swiftly to their feedback, as most people rely on reviews for decisions. Optimize your online profiles using SEO techniques to boost positive content visibility. Create a content strategy that shares engaging material, and utilize automated tools to streamline monitoring, ensuring you can efficiently address public feedback and maintain a positive image. How Would You Defend Your Online Reputation? To defend your online reputation, start by monitoring your online presence regularly. Check search engine results and social media mentions to spot any negative feedback quickly. Develop a clear action plan for addressing criticism and maintain a positive image. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, as these greatly influence potential buyers. Use monitoring tools to track your brand mentions, ensuring timely responses to concerns as you maintain consistent messaging across all platforms. What Is the First Step in Managing Online Reputation? The first step in managing your online reputation is evaluating your current online presence. Start by searching for your name or brand to identify both positive and negative content. Document what you find across various platforms, and note any relevant reputation keywords. Analyzing mentions and sentiments about your brand helps you understand public perception. Categorize helpful and harmful content to establish a baseline, guiding your next steps in improving your reputation effectively. What Are the Six Pillars of Reputation? The six pillars of reputation are credibility, trustworthiness, expertise, visibility, engagement, and consistency. Credibility relies on transparency, whereas trustworthiness develops through consistently high-quality offerings. Expertise is showcased through thought leadership that highlights your knowledge. Visibility guarantees you can be easily found, often improved by effective SEO. Engagement involves actively interacting with your audience, and consistency guarantees your message and values remain steady over time, reinforcing your overall reputation. Conclusion By following these five steps, you can effectively control your online reputation. Regularly monitoring your digital presence keeps you informed of what others see. Optimizing your profiles guarantees accurate representation, during your engagement with your audience nurtures connection. Addressing negative reviews shows your dedication to improvement, and maintaining consistent engagement builds trust. Implementing these strategies will help you create a positive online image, allowing you to manage perceptions and improve your credibility in the digital environment. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "Control Your Online Reputation in 5 Easy Steps" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In the current digital era, managing your online reputation is essential for personal and professional success. By monitoring your digital presence, optimizing your profiles, engaging with your audience, addressing negative feedback, and maintaining consistent interaction, you can effectively shape how others perceive you. Each step plays a significant role in building a positive image and nurturing trust. Comprehending these elements can empower you to take control, but where do you start? Key Takeaways Regularly monitor your digital presence by searching your name and brand online for any public mentions or reviews. Optimize your online profiles with complete bios, high-quality visuals, and consistent branding across all platforms. Engage with your audience by responding swiftly to comments and messages, fostering trust and community. Address negative reviews promptly to demonstrate commitment to customer satisfaction and convert negative experiences into positive ones. Maintain consistent engagement through daily updates and diverse content formats, while monitoring feedback for timely responses. Monitor Your Digital Presence Regularly To effectively manage your online reputation, it’s vital to monitor your digital presence regularly. Start by searching your name and brand on Google to identify what’s publicly available. This lets you see both positive and negative mentions that could influence perception. Consider using tools like Google Alerts to get notifications whenever your name is mentioned online, enabling timely responses to feedback. Consistently monitor social media platforms and review sites to track customer comments and reviews. Addressing concerns swiftly can protect your reputation online and prevent issues from escalating. Analyzing search engine results helps you prioritize positive reviews and testimonials, overshadowing negative mentions. Furthermore, implementing social listening tools like Brandwatch can provide insights into brand conversations across various platforms. This approach is fundamental in online reputation management for individuals and can aid in cleaning up online reputation, making it easier to maintain a favorable digital footprint. Optimize Your Online Profiles Optimizing your online profiles is vital for building a strong digital reputation that reflects your personal or business identity. To effectively control your online reputation, consider the following: Confirm all profiles are complete with accurate bios, contact information, and website links to boost credibility. Use high-quality visuals and consistent branding across platforms to create a memorable impression. Regularly update your profiles with fresh content and achievements to showcase expertise. Implementing these strategies contributes to effective online reputation management and reputation protection. By optimizing your profile content with SEO techniques, you can improve search engine rankings, making it easier for users to find positive information about you. Moreover, it’s important to monitor your profiles and address negative feedback quickly, demonstrating your commitment to customer satisfaction. For a robust personal online reputation, consider enlisting reputation management services or consulting with an online reputation expert to help clean up your internet reputation. Engage With Your Audience Engaging with your audience is a vital component of effective online reputation management. When you respond swiftly to comments and messages, you showcase your commitment to customer satisfaction, building trust. Regularly posting high-quality, relevant content keeps your audience involved, as 99.9% of people rely on reviews before making decisions. To improve your brand’s credibility, create complete social media profiles with clear bios and contact details. Comprehending your audience’s needs allows you to produce targeted content, increasing engagement through formats like blog posts, videos, and infographics. Acknowledging feedback, including negative reviews, can transform potential conflicts into opportunities for relationship-building. This proactive approach not only improves your online reputation score but supports personal online reputation management. If you’re considering reputation repair services, keep in mind that working with reputation management consultants can help you effectively engage with your audience and fix online reputation challenges. Address Negative Reviews Promptly While negative reviews can be intimidating, addressing them quickly can greatly improve your online reputation. Responding to feedback demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction, and studies reveal that 70% of consumers are more likely to trust a business that actively engages with reviews. Here are three key reasons to prioritize prompt responses: A swift reply can prevent escalation, potentially saving up to 22% of potential customers. Personalized responses can transform a negative experience into a positive one, boosting your company reputation. Acknowledging issues can increase brand loyalty, with 30% of customers likely to return after a respectful response. Regularly monitoring and addressing negative feedback is essential in your online reputation management strategy. Maintain Consistent Engagement To effectively maintain your online reputation, it’s crucial to engage consistently with your audience across various platforms. Daily updates are fundamental to keep your followers informed and connected to your brand. Addressing comments and messages swiftly cultivates community, enhancing customer loyalty. Explore various content formats, such as online reputation management blogs, videos, and infographics, to cater to diverse audience preferences. Regularly monitoring feedback is essential; it helps you quickly address concerns, showcasing your commitment to customer satisfaction and improving your website reputation. A well-curated content strategy aligned with your audience’s interests can amplify positive sentiments and overshadow any negative mentions. If you’re looking for expert guidance, consider collaborating with an Reputation.com for effective online reputation management SEO. This approach can assist in your reputation careers and help you use tools like a reputation finder to clean up reputation issues as they arise. Consistent engagement is key to a solid online presence. Frequently Asked Questions How Do You Manage Your Online Reputation? To manage your online reputation, regularly monitor mentions of your brand across social media and review sites. Engage with customers by responding swiftly to their feedback, as most people rely on reviews for decisions. Optimize your online profiles using SEO techniques to boost positive content visibility. Create a content strategy that shares engaging material, and utilize automated tools to streamline monitoring, ensuring you can efficiently address public feedback and maintain a positive image. How Would You Defend Your Online Reputation? To defend your online reputation, start by monitoring your online presence regularly. Check search engine results and social media mentions to spot any negative feedback quickly. Develop a clear action plan for addressing criticism and maintain a positive image. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, as these greatly influence potential buyers. Use monitoring tools to track your brand mentions, ensuring timely responses to concerns as you maintain consistent messaging across all platforms. What Is the First Step in Managing Online Reputation? The first step in managing your online reputation is evaluating your current online presence. Start by searching for your name or brand to identify both positive and negative content. Document what you find across various platforms, and note any relevant reputation keywords. Analyzing mentions and sentiments about your brand helps you understand public perception. Categorize helpful and harmful content to establish a baseline, guiding your next steps in improving your reputation effectively. What Are the Six Pillars of Reputation? The six pillars of reputation are credibility, trustworthiness, expertise, visibility, engagement, and consistency. Credibility relies on transparency, whereas trustworthiness develops through consistently high-quality offerings. Expertise is showcased through thought leadership that highlights your knowledge. Visibility guarantees you can be easily found, often improved by effective SEO. Engagement involves actively interacting with your audience, and consistency guarantees your message and values remain steady over time, reinforcing your overall reputation. Conclusion By following these five steps, you can effectively control your online reputation. Regularly monitoring your digital presence keeps you informed of what others see. Optimizing your profiles guarantees accurate representation, during your engagement with your audience nurtures connection. Addressing negative reviews shows your dedication to improvement, and maintaining consistent engagement builds trust. Implementing these strategies will help you create a positive online image, allowing you to manage perceptions and improve your credibility in the digital environment. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "Control Your Online Reputation in 5 Easy Steps" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Everyone would love the idea of being “financially independent,” and the FIRE approach is a great option that makes that life accessible. Unfortunately, the prospect of sacrificing life’s comforts to achieve and live in Lean FIRE, or even FIRE, is too much for some to fathom. At the other end of the spectrum, the millions ... Read moreView the full article

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to set up an integration that syncs Freshservice service requests with Jira issues through an automated flow from Unito. Since Unito is a completely customizable platform with a no-code interface, you can set up this integration without any technical resources and minimal maintenance. No need to troubleshoot complex automations or rely on expensive consultants, either. Overview Tools: Freshservice and Jira Use cases: Ticket escalation, software development, project management, AI agent integration Great for: IT teams, software developers, product owners, project managers Unito’s integration for Freshservice and Jira allows users of any technical background, from product managers to software developers and support teams, to sync Freshservice service requests with Jira issues. This integration syncs updates from Freshservice to Jira, creates new issues, and can even automate repetitive actions. This in-depth guide shows you how that’s done. By the end of this guide, your Freshservice-Jira integration will: Create new Jira issues synced with Freshservice service requests. Update Jira fields in real-time based on updates you make in Freshservice. Here’s a video guide for a very similar integration. Before you start Setting up Jira If you’re connecting Jira to Unito via OAuth 2.0, follow the on-screen instructions when adding your account for the first time: If you’re not using OAuth 2.0 to connect your Jira Cloud workspace to Unito, you’ll need to do the following: Set your Jira contact email visibility to anyone in your Jira profile page. Set up an application link in Jira to sync your issues to NetSuite. If you’re connecting an on-premise Jira Server instance to Unito, you’ll need to follow this guide. You can also use ngrok to connect Jira Server to Unito. Step 1: Connect Freshservice and Jira to Unito Sign up for Unito. Click +Create Flow in the Unito app. Click Start Here to connect Freshservice and Jira. Click +Choose Account for each tool and complete the authorization process. Click Confirm. Connecting tools to Unito for the first time? Here’s an in-depth guide. Step 2: Choose flow direction for work items With flow direction, you decide where Unito automatically creates work items to match those you create manually. For most Unito integrations, you can choose between a two-way flow that creates work items in both tools or a one-way flow that only creates new items in one tool. With Unito’s Freshservice integration, you can only build one-way flows that sync data out of Freshservive and to other tools, so this step will be set up for you! Want to know more about flow direction? Check out this guide. Step 3: Build rules to sync specific work items Unito rules can do two things: Filter out work items you don’t want synced. For example, you could create a rule that only syncs Freshservice service requests created after a certain date. Automate certain actions. For example, you could create a rule that automatically assigns new Jira issues to a certain person on your team. To start building your rule, click Add new rule, then choose a trigger and action. Want to learn more about rules? Check out this guide. Step 4: Map fields between Freshservice and Jira When you map fields, you pair fields in Freshservice with fields in Jira so data goes exactly where it needs to. Unito can usually map most fields automatically, whether they’re exactly the same (Owner→Owner) or just compatible (URL→Text). You can also choose to map fields manually to fully customize your flow. Here’s what you’ll see when Unito maps your fields automatically. You can add a field mapping by clicking +Add mapping, then Select a field. When you choose the field you want to map in one tool, Unito will automatically recommend compatible fields in a dropdown under the other tool. Some fields have a cog icon, meaning you can customize them once they’re mapped. For example, a Status field can be customized so its options match those in another field. Step 5: Launch your Freshservice-Jira integration That’s it! You’re ready to launch your flow. Unito will automatically sync Freshservice data to Jira issues so software developers always know what’s going on when tickets are escalated to them. This will allow your teams to collaborate more effectively without copying and pasting data or constantly switching tools. Ready to optimize your workflow? Meet with our team to see what Unito can do for your workflows. Talk with sales FAQ: Freshservice-Jira integration Why should I integrate Freshservice with Jira? Syncing Freshservice service requests with Jira issues allows your teams to work more effectively without jumping back and forth between tools. This allows: Developers working on ticket escalations to have all the context they need as IT works with requesters. IT agents to send tickets to developers without any manual work or meetings. Team leads to get an overview on escalated tickets and context without leaving their tool of choice. How do I add a Freshservice service request to Jira? Freshservice offers a built-in integration with Jira that creates a link between service requests and Jira issues. This link can be enough to get a quick overview on service tickets on a case-by-case basis, but it’s not the best way to integrate these tools. Unito’s integration and similar platforms automatically create new Jira issues to match service requests in Freshservice, keeping fields in these issues up to date. That makes them the best way to collaborate seamlessly. Why should I use Unito’s Freshservice-Jira integration? Unito has some of the deepest integrations on the market and they only take minutes to set up. When you connect Freshservice service requests with Jira issues, any service requests you escalate automatically become Jira issues. That means you can get all the context you need in Jira without manually copying it over from Freshservice. You get the feeling of everyone working in a single tool without having to designate a middleman or force anyone to use multiple platforms. What’s next after integrating Freshservice with Jira? Need to integrate Jira with other tools in your stack? Check out our other guides: Integrating Jira and Wrike Syncing Jira and Salesforce Connecting Jira and GitHub Want to know more about Unito’s Freshservice integration? Check out this guide. View the full article

January isn't over yet, and Amazon's already set to pay more than $3 billion to U.S. customers across various settlements. If you've bought anything from Amazon recently, keep an eye out: Bezos' baby could owe you some money. How to get Amazon's returns settlementIf you've had difficulty returning an Amazon package recently, you could have a paycheck coming your way soon. As reported by Reuters, the company has agreed to a $309 million cash settlement (in addition to "other benefits") with affected customers, alongside more than $600 million in individual refunds. According to lawyers for the plaintiffs, the settlement as a whole provides more than $1 billion in relief. The lawsuit accused the e-commerce giant of causing "substantial unjustified monetary losses" with its return policies, which the plaintiffs say resulted in many customers returning items only to be charged for them anyway. Amazon denied any wrongdoing as part of the settlement, but did say it will spend more than $363 million improving its return and refund practices. The company claims that, after an internal review last year, it "identified a small subset of returns where we issued a refund without the payment completing, or where we could not verify that the correct item had been sent to us, so no refund had been issued." However, Amazon said it had taken steps to resolve the issue, as seen in the refunds on years-old returns the company started issuing last year. The settlement is still awaiting approval from U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead in Seattle, but as both parties support it, it'll likely come soon. The class would cover "U.S. purchasers of goods on Amazon from Sept 2017 who allegedly did not receive timely or correct refunds, or who were later charged despite returning items," writes Reuters. It's currently unclear how class members would file a claim, or how the $309 million cash settlement and $600 million individual refunds will be divvied up. However, the plaintiffs told the court that class members should expect to recover the full amount of lost funds, plus interest. Eligible class members are often contacted by email, so keep an eye out. In the meantime, you can also search for legal updates using the case name, "In re: Amazon Return Policy Litigation, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, No. 2:23-CV-1372-JNW." How to get Amazon's Prime settlementWhile Amazon's returns settlement is still in its early phases, it's not the biggest payout the company's had to make this year. Earlier this January, Amazon reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the FTC over accusations that it had essentially tricked people into either signing up for or staying subscribed to Prime. Claims are going out in two ways, one of which is automatic, and the other you have to sign up for. According to the settlement website, as well as the FTC, automatic payments should have gone out already, and applied to people who meet the following requirements: You are a U.S. consumer who signed up for Prime between June 23, 2019 and June 23, 2025, and You enrolled through a Challenged Enrollment Flow, and You used no more than three Prime benefits in a 12-month period from June 23, 2019 and June 23, 2025. If that doesn't sound like you, or you didn't receive a payment, you'll need to file a claim using the "File Claim" button on the settlement website. You're eligible to do this if you meet the follow requirements: You are a U.S. consumer who signed up for Prime, and You unintentionally enrolled in a Prime membership through a challenged enrollment method at issue in the FTC’s lawsuit from June 23, 2019 to June 23, 2025; or you tried to cancel your Prime membership through the online cancellation process from June 23, 2019 to June 23, 2025, but were unable to do so; and You used less than ten Prime benefits (e.g., delivery, shopping, streaming, reading, and other benefits provided to Prime members) during any 12-month period of enrollment in Prime, and You did not receive an automatic payment as part of this Settlement already. Neither website is entirely clear about what constitutes "challenged enrollment," aside from saying that Amazon enrolled customers in Prime without their knowledge or consent. Luckily, you probably won't need to do any legwork to see if you're eligible. According to the FTC, Amazon has begun sending claim notices by mail or email to eligible Prime customers who didn't already get an automatic refund. This will be your cue to sign up for your cut of the settlement, and in fact, you'll need the included Claim ID and PIN to do so. If you believe you're eligible for a share of the settlement but Amazon did not contact you, you can reach out to admin@SubscriptionMembershipSettlement.com for help. Once you file your claim, you can choose to be paid either through check, PayPal, or Venmo. Expected payments will differ from person to person, but will cap out at $51. And there's no need to rush. The deadline to file a claim is July 27, 2026, so you've got some time to ensure you get what you're owed. View the full article

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. As far as smart TVs go, the Roku interface is one of the easiest to use, and with a variety of different lines, it’s also easy to find one that fits your budget. The Plus Series is the brand’s first attempt at making its own television, and it’s a reliable mid-range smart TV that gives users a plug-and-play experience (no Roku stick or box required), solid picture quality, and fast streaming for the price. Right now, the 55″ 2025 Roku Smart TV Plus Series is 30% off at a record-low $348, down from $499.99. 55″ 2025 Roku Smart TV Plus Series $499.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $499.99 at Amazon This model is an upgrade over the Select Series and features a 4K QLED panel with a wide color gamut and a mini-LED backlight. It also supports HDR-10, including Dolby Vision. Colors are vibrant and detailed compared to similarly priced budget TVs, though according to this PCMag review, greens can occasionally look oversaturated. It reaches a peak brightness of approximately 412 nits. Like all Roku TVs, it has Roku OS built in, giving users access to a wide range of apps and services, and local dimming helps deepen blacks and improve contrast compared to lower-end Roku models. While it isn’t marketed as a gaming TV (it’s only 60Hz and also lacks VRR, which means no AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync), it still offers a low input lag of 3.1 milliseconds in Game Mode, making it responsive enough for everyday streaming and casual gaming. As one of Roku’s first in-house TVs, the 2025 Plus Series has strong value as a budget TV with a panel that’s brighter and delivers deeper blacks than many Amazon Fire TVs in the same price range. While it doesn’t have the faster refresh rate and more advanced features of the pricier Roku Pro Series or premium OLED TVs, it still delivers most of the core Roku TV experience and respectable visuals, making the 55″ 2025 Roku Smart TV Plus Series hit a sweet spot between budget TVs and more expensive models for those who don’t need cutting-edge gaming features. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) 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 — $399.00 (List Price $429.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — (List Price $24.99 With Code "FTV4K25") Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 64GB Wi-Fi 11" Tablet (Silver) — $159.99 (List Price $219.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

On Monday, I was introduced to "Clawdbot," the latest AI craze taking over tech social media channels. Clawdbot is designed to be an agentic personal assistant. In layman's terms, that means the bot can perform tasks on your behalf: You give it full access to your computer, and it can organize your inbox, code for you, or clear your calendar (allegedly, anyway). You can also talk to it from a chat app of your choice, like WhatsApp or iMessage, rather than it's own interface. Some people are even buying Mac minis exclusively to run Clawdbot from. If you're wondering where that name came from, it takes after another AI company's product. Creator Peter Steinberger says he was inspired by the monster that appears when users reload Claude Code—Claude being one of the big AI products in the space right now, developed by the company Anthropic. Steinberger decided to go the lobster route with his logo, and named his own lobster mascot "Clawd." From this, Clawdbot was born. The problem: Anthropic also calls Claude Code mascot "Clawd." Whoops. By Tuesday, Clawdbot was no more (in name, anyway). It turns out companies like Anthropic don't appreciate it when you start your own business and use the name of their mascot as your own—especially when you're working in the same ridiculously lucrative field. Maybe if Clawdbot had never taken off, Anthropic wouldn't have noticed, but the bot became an internet sensation, which no doubt landed it on Anthropic's radar. As such, Clawdbot has officially changed its name to "Moltbot," suggesting a lobster molting from its shell. Clawd is now affectionally known as "Molty." The company made the announcement on its official X page, noting that Anthropic had asked it to change the name over "trademark stuff." (Steinberger struck a different tone on his personal X account, however, writing: "I was forced to rename the account by Anthropic. Wasn't my decision.") Aside from the name change, the bot appears to be the same as it was on Monday. That is to say, it's still open source, still available to run locally on your own device, and still comes with the same inherent security risks I outlined yesterday. I still wouldn't recommend you install a program like Moltbot on your personal device, since, name change or not, you'd still be giving it incredible access to your hardware and its data with little knowledge of the safeguards in place to protect it. All it could take is one malicious prompt injection for Moltbot to molt your security. View the full article

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There's so much visual stuff you can customize in Android Auto. But Android Auto's capabilities go beyond aesthetics and the apps that pop up when you turn on the car. There's a hidden shortcut switch you can enable to run an action in the car that's programmed on your phone. No matter what car you're driving, if it has Android Auto, the shortcut is there. This is the Custom Assistant Shortcut, and it's been part of Android Auto since early 2021. The feature is worth revisiting now that Gemini is slowly rolling out to replace the legacy Google Assistant on Android Auto. Gemini's natural language processing enables it to handle more complex routines, so you're not just programming a rote command you could have otherwise said out loud. The Custom Assistant Shortcut is labeled a "secret" feature because it's camouflaged beneath a main text label in the Android Auto settings menu. I didn't even think to look for it until I stumbled across the trick on an Android blog, but once you find it, it only takes a minute to set up. Credit: Florence Ion/Lifehacker There are several ways to configure the Custom Assistant Shortcut. For example, if you rely on the latest episode of a podcast to carry you through the morning commute, you could set up a shortcut to play the most recent episode via an app that plays well with Gemini, like Spotify or YouTube Music. I prefer to use the Custom Assistant Shortcut for a simpler sequence of actions: finding the nearest branded gas station, no matter where I am in my journey. I programmed the shortcut with the command "Navigate to the nearest [branded gas station]." This begins driving directions to the fuel station I specified, where I can count on adequate lighting and decent bathrooms. It's easier than pawing through the Google Maps app on the Android Auto screen, then looking for the sub-menu option that shows fuel stops, and then sorting through every single option within five miles when you select it. This version of the shortcut is also super helpful on road trips, especially solo ones. Credit: Florence Ion/Lifehacker If you're into home automation, this shortcut gets even more powerful. You can program a Google Home Routine so that a phrase triggers a domino effect of actions. Imagine a routine that prepares for your arrival by opening the garage door, disarming the security system, and turning on the lights before you've ever pulled into the driveway. How to build the Custom Assistant shortcut in Android AutoYou don't need to be in your car to set up the Custom Assistant Action. On your phone, navigate to your Android Auto settings, then scroll down and tap on Customize launcher. Under the main heading, tap the smaller text that says Add a shortcut to the launcher. Select an Assistant action. Credit: Florence Ion/Lifehacker From here, the most robust option is to write out a specific command. Something like "Navigate Home," or "Play the latest episode of [podcast title] on [media player]." Credit: Florence Ion/Lifehacker Test out your Custom Assistant ShortcutYou can take the shortcut for a spin in your car before hitting the road. The ability to test the command will pop up when you connect your phone to the car. You'll see your new shortcut appear in the app drawer as a standard app icon. It will have a small Gemini asterisk in the corner to distinguish it from native apps (it may still show the legacy Assistant icon in your phone's settings). The "Test Command" button is on the same page where you set up the Custom Assistant Shortcut. Tap it, and you'll know your shortcut is working if the signature rainbow Gemini glow pulses at the bottom of the screen. If not, try adjusting the wording of your command and continue testing until it's a go. Things to note about Custom Assistant Shortcut in Android AutoThese actions are tied to your Google account on your phone, so if you hop into another car with Android Auto, the button will follow you to the display. Remember that Gemini requires a stable data connection to process those requests. If you're driving through a cellular "dead zone," the shortcut might hang, which is annoying while driving. If the shortcut is hard to find in the app drawer, remember you can return to the Customize Launcher menu in the phone's settings and reorder the shortcuts so they're at the top of the drawer. View the full article

In relation to enhancing your business strategy, utilizing customer feedback survey templates is vital. These templates, such as Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) and Net Promoter Score (NPS), provide valuable insights into customer experiences and preferences. By comprehending these metrics, you can identify areas for improvement and drive loyalty. Nevertheless, knowing which templates to use and how to customize them for your specific needs is fundamental. Let’s explore these templates further and see how they can transform your approach. Key Takeaways Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys measure overall satisfaction levels, providing crucial insights into customer experiences and service quality. Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys assess customer loyalty and likelihood to recommend, helping gauge brand advocacy. Help Desk Satisfaction surveys evaluate the quality of customer service interactions, identifying areas for improvement in support processes. Customer Effort Score (CES) surveys pinpoint pain points in customer engagement, enhancing service efficiency and satisfaction. Customer Churn surveys investigate reasons for customer departures, offering actionable insights to retain and improve client relationships. Understanding Customer Feedback Survey Templates Grasping customer feedback survey templates is crucial for businesses aiming to improve their service offerings and address customer needs effectively. These templates serve as fundamental tools designed to gather insights on customer satisfaction, experience, and loyalty. With over 634,000 templates utilized across various industries, their widespread adoption highlights their significance in enhancing customer experiences. Specific templates, like the Product Satisfaction Survey and Customer Onboarding Satisfaction Survey, focus on evaluating different aspects of customer interactions. You can additionally find surveys such as the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Effort Score (CES) embedded within these templates, measuring loyalty and the ease of interactions. The best part? Customizable templates allow you to adapt questions and formats to fit your unique needs, ensuring you collect effective feedback. This adaptability drives actionable insights, enabling your business to identify areas for improvement and encourage growth. Importance of Customer Satisfaction Measurement Measuring customer satisfaction is essential for businesses that want to understand their customers’ experiences and pinpoint areas needing improvement. By utilizing a customer feedback form, you can gather important insights that highlight where your service may fall short. Research shows that a mere 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25% to 95%. Additionally, 70% of customers who encounter poor service won’t return, making it vital to monitor satisfaction levels regularly. Customer satisfaction surveys like CSAT and NPS offer quantifiable metrics that allow you to track performance and benchmark against industry standards. When you actively seek and act on customer feedback, studies indicate you can achieve a 30% higher satisfaction rate. This commitment not only improves loyalty but also encourages repeat purchases and recommendations, ensuring your business thrives in a competitive market. Types of Customer Feedback Surveys In terms of gathering customer feedback, you’ll find various types of surveys, each serving a specific purpose. For instance, Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys gauge overall satisfaction, whereas Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys assess customer loyalty. Comprehending these different survey types and their benefits can help you choose the right templates for your feedback needs. Types of Survey Templates Comprehending the various types of customer feedback surveys is essential for businesses aiming to improve their products and services. A customer survey template can include several categories. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys assess overall satisfaction, whereas Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys gauge customer loyalty and their likelihood to recommend your brand. Help Desk Satisfaction surveys focus on the quality of customer service interactions, improving support offerings. Customer Churn surveys investigate the reasons behind customer departures, informing retention strategies. The Customer Effort Score (CES) survey evaluates how easy it’s for customers to engage with your company, identifying pain points. Finally, Product Feedback surveys gather user experiences to understand functionality and usability, highlighting areas for improvement. Purpose of Each Survey Comprehending the purpose of each type of customer feedback survey is fundamental for effectively gathering insights that can drive improvements in your business. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys help you assess overall satisfaction levels, providing direct insights into customer experiences. Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys measure customer loyalty by asking how likely customers are to recommend your business, categorizing them into promoters, passives, or detractors. Customer Effort Score (CES) surveys evaluate the ease of interactions, identifying pain points that can be streamlined. Customer Churn surveys investigate reasons behind customer departures, offering feedback to improve retention strategies. Finally, Help Desk Satisfaction surveys focus on the quality of support received, ensuring timely resolutions and aiding in service improvement, especially when using a customer service survey template. Benefits of Using Surveys Surveys offer numerous benefits that can greatly improve your business operations and customer relationships. By using customer feedback surveys, you can gauge customer satisfaction levels through metrics like the Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) score. Furthermore, Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys help you understand customer loyalty, revealing how likely customers are to recommend your brand. The Customer Effort Score (CES) highlights areas where customers struggle, enabling you to streamline their experience. Help Desk Satisfaction Surveys provide insights into service quality, allowing you to augment support offerings. Finally, Customer Churn Surveys uncover reasons behind customer departures, offering actionable insights to boost retention strategies. Implementing a feedback survey template can simplify this process, ensuring you gather valuable data efficiently. Crafting Effective Feedback Requests How can you guarantee your feedback requests resonate with customers? Start by using simple and clear language to improve comprehension and encourage participation. Clearly state the purpose of your event feedback survey template, so customers know what you aim to achieve. Providing multiple channels for feedback—like email, SMS, and online forms—caters to different preferences and maximizes response rates. Here’s a quick overview of effective practices: Practice Benefit Example Use clear language Improves comprehension “Please rate your experience” State purpose Sets expectations “We’d love your thoughts on our event!” Offer multiple channels Increases accessibility Online form, SMS link, email invite Keep it short Boosts completion rates 5-minute survey Show appreciation Cultivates goodwill “Thank you for your feedback!” Best Practices for Survey Design When designing effective customer feedback surveys, prioritizing clear and concise language is crucial, as it directly impacts response rates and participant comprehension. Start with a well-structured survey template word that combines quantitative questions, like multiple choice and rating scales, with qualitative open-ended questions for a thorough view of feedback. A visually appealing design improves user experience, making respondents more likely to engage with your survey. Incorporate skip logic and branching questions to tailor the survey experience, ensuring relevance and efficiency as well as keeping participants engaged. Regularly test and optimize your survey templates based on user feedback; this leads to continuous improvement in effectiveness. By making sure your questions are relevant and actionable, you’ll gather insights that can truly inform your business decisions. Following these best practices will help you create surveys that not just attract responses but also provide valuable information for your organization. Analyzing and Acting on Feedback Gathering customer feedback is only the first step; analyzing that feedback effectively is where the real value lies. Start by categorizing responses to identify common patterns and trends. This enables you to prioritize issues based on their frequency and impact. Utilizing data analytics tools can deepen your insights, allowing you to create actionable plans for improvement. You might consider using a questionnaire template in Excel to organize and analyze your data efficiently. Implementing changes based on this feedback can greatly boost customer satisfaction and loyalty, as it shows you value their opinions. Regular follow-ups with customers who provided feedback demonstrate your responsiveness and promote a culture of continuous improvement within your organization. Finally, closing the feedback loop by communicating updates on changes made reinforces trust and encourages ongoing engagement, making customers feel involved in your business’s evolution. Customizing Templates for Specific Needs Customizing customer feedback survey templates for specific industries can greatly improve the relevance of the insights you gather. By tailoring questions and formats to meet your unique needs, you can guarantee that the feedback addresses the particular experiences and expectations of your customers. This approach not merely improves response quality but further allows you to focus on key demographics, leading to more effective marketing and product strategies. Tailored Templates for Industries Personalized templates for various industries play a vital role in effectively capturing customer feedback, as they address the specific needs and challenges unique to each sector. For instance, restaurants rely on customized survey formats to gather insights about dining experiences, whereas hotels assess guest satisfaction through specialized templates. Advertising agencies can use these tools to measure client satisfaction, which is critical for maintaining strong relationships. B2B businesses benefit from adaptable templates focusing on project management and service delivery. Furthermore, real estate agents can utilize evaluation templates to obtain structured feedback on performance. Personalization for Unique Needs When you customize feedback surveys to meet specific needs, you improve their effectiveness and relevance. Customizable customer survey templates enable you to target different customer segments, like new, returning, or loyal customers, enhancing response rates. Industry-specific templates, particularly for OpenTable or hotels, capture unique experiences, leading to focused improvements in service. Platforms like SurveyMonkey and QuestionPro offer extensive libraries of templates that you can easily modify to fit your business goals. By incorporating specific question types, such as multiple-choice or open-ended questions, you gather thorough insights customized to your objectives. Analyzing feedback collected through these personalized templates allows you to address customer pain points directly, nurturing stronger relationships and enhancing overall satisfaction. Frequently Asked Questions How Often Should I Conduct Customer Feedback Surveys? You should conduct customer feedback surveys regularly to gather meaningful insights. Typically, quarterly surveys work well for most businesses, as they allow you to track changes over time. Nevertheless, if you’re launching a new product or service, consider more frequent surveys to capture immediate reactions. Always analyze results thoroughly and adjust your strategy accordingly. Keeping a consistent schedule helps guarantee you’re staying connected with your customers’ needs and expectations. What Tools Can I Use to Distribute Surveys? To distribute surveys effectively, you can use several tools. Online platforms like SurveyMonkey and Google Forms allow you to create and share surveys easily. Email marketing services such as Mailchimp enable you to send surveys to your customer lists. Social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter, provide another avenue for reaching your audience. Furthermore, consider using SMS survey tools for immediate feedback. Each tool has unique features that can improve your data collection efforts. How Can I Incentivize Customers to Respond? To incentivize customers to respond to surveys, consider offering rewards such as discounts, gift cards, or entry into a raffle. Make certain you communicate these incentives clearly in your survey invitation. You can additionally highlight the value of their feedback by explaining how it influences future products or services. Finally, guarantee the survey is easy to complete, as a simple process increases the likelihood of participation and improves the perceived value of the incentive. What Demographics Should I Target for Feedback? To effectively gather feedback, target demographics that align with your product or service. Focus on age, gender, income level, and geographic location. For instance, if you’re selling tech products, younger consumers might be more relevant. Consider furthermore targeting existing customers, as their insights can be particularly valuable. In addition, segmenting your audience can help you understand varied perspectives, ensuring you receive thorough feedback customized to your different customer groups. How Do I Ensure Survey Confidentiality for Respondents? To guarantee survey confidentiality for respondents, use anonymized data collection methods. Don’t ask for identifiable information except when necessary, and clearly communicate your privacy policy. Store data securely and limit access to authorized personnel only. You might additionally consider using third-party survey platforms that specialize in confidentiality. Finally, reassure participants that their responses are confidential, which can encourage honest feedback and improve the quality of the information you gather. Conclusion Incorporating customer feedback survey templates into your business strategy is crucial for comprehending client needs and enhancing overall satisfaction. By utilizing various survey types, such as CSAT and NPS, you can gather fundamental insights that inform your decisions. Crafting effective requests and designing user-friendly surveys will yield more accurate feedback. In the end, analyzing this data and customizing templates for specific industries will drive continuous improvement, ensuring your business remains responsive and competitive in today’s market. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Essential Customer Feedback Survey Templates for Business" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In relation to enhancing your business strategy, utilizing customer feedback survey templates is vital. These templates, such as Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) and Net Promoter Score (NPS), provide valuable insights into customer experiences and preferences. By comprehending these metrics, you can identify areas for improvement and drive loyalty. Nevertheless, knowing which templates to use and how to customize them for your specific needs is fundamental. Let’s explore these templates further and see how they can transform your approach. Key Takeaways Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys measure overall satisfaction levels, providing crucial insights into customer experiences and service quality. Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys assess customer loyalty and likelihood to recommend, helping gauge brand advocacy. Help Desk Satisfaction surveys evaluate the quality of customer service interactions, identifying areas for improvement in support processes. Customer Effort Score (CES) surveys pinpoint pain points in customer engagement, enhancing service efficiency and satisfaction. Customer Churn surveys investigate reasons for customer departures, offering actionable insights to retain and improve client relationships. Understanding Customer Feedback Survey Templates Grasping customer feedback survey templates is crucial for businesses aiming to improve their service offerings and address customer needs effectively. These templates serve as fundamental tools designed to gather insights on customer satisfaction, experience, and loyalty. With over 634,000 templates utilized across various industries, their widespread adoption highlights their significance in enhancing customer experiences. Specific templates, like the Product Satisfaction Survey and Customer Onboarding Satisfaction Survey, focus on evaluating different aspects of customer interactions. You can additionally find surveys such as the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Effort Score (CES) embedded within these templates, measuring loyalty and the ease of interactions. The best part? Customizable templates allow you to adapt questions and formats to fit your unique needs, ensuring you collect effective feedback. This adaptability drives actionable insights, enabling your business to identify areas for improvement and encourage growth. Importance of Customer Satisfaction Measurement Measuring customer satisfaction is essential for businesses that want to understand their customers’ experiences and pinpoint areas needing improvement. By utilizing a customer feedback form, you can gather important insights that highlight where your service may fall short. Research shows that a mere 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25% to 95%. Additionally, 70% of customers who encounter poor service won’t return, making it vital to monitor satisfaction levels regularly. Customer satisfaction surveys like CSAT and NPS offer quantifiable metrics that allow you to track performance and benchmark against industry standards. When you actively seek and act on customer feedback, studies indicate you can achieve a 30% higher satisfaction rate. This commitment not only improves loyalty but also encourages repeat purchases and recommendations, ensuring your business thrives in a competitive market. Types of Customer Feedback Surveys In terms of gathering customer feedback, you’ll find various types of surveys, each serving a specific purpose. For instance, Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys gauge overall satisfaction, whereas Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys assess customer loyalty. Comprehending these different survey types and their benefits can help you choose the right templates for your feedback needs. Types of Survey Templates Comprehending the various types of customer feedback surveys is essential for businesses aiming to improve their products and services. A customer survey template can include several categories. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys assess overall satisfaction, whereas Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys gauge customer loyalty and their likelihood to recommend your brand. Help Desk Satisfaction surveys focus on the quality of customer service interactions, improving support offerings. Customer Churn surveys investigate the reasons behind customer departures, informing retention strategies. The Customer Effort Score (CES) survey evaluates how easy it’s for customers to engage with your company, identifying pain points. Finally, Product Feedback surveys gather user experiences to understand functionality and usability, highlighting areas for improvement. Purpose of Each Survey Comprehending the purpose of each type of customer feedback survey is fundamental for effectively gathering insights that can drive improvements in your business. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys help you assess overall satisfaction levels, providing direct insights into customer experiences. Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys measure customer loyalty by asking how likely customers are to recommend your business, categorizing them into promoters, passives, or detractors. Customer Effort Score (CES) surveys evaluate the ease of interactions, identifying pain points that can be streamlined. Customer Churn surveys investigate reasons behind customer departures, offering feedback to improve retention strategies. Finally, Help Desk Satisfaction surveys focus on the quality of support received, ensuring timely resolutions and aiding in service improvement, especially when using a customer service survey template. Benefits of Using Surveys Surveys offer numerous benefits that can greatly improve your business operations and customer relationships. By using customer feedback surveys, you can gauge customer satisfaction levels through metrics like the Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) score. Furthermore, Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys help you understand customer loyalty, revealing how likely customers are to recommend your brand. The Customer Effort Score (CES) highlights areas where customers struggle, enabling you to streamline their experience. Help Desk Satisfaction Surveys provide insights into service quality, allowing you to augment support offerings. Finally, Customer Churn Surveys uncover reasons behind customer departures, offering actionable insights to boost retention strategies. Implementing a feedback survey template can simplify this process, ensuring you gather valuable data efficiently. Crafting Effective Feedback Requests How can you guarantee your feedback requests resonate with customers? Start by using simple and clear language to improve comprehension and encourage participation. Clearly state the purpose of your event feedback survey template, so customers know what you aim to achieve. Providing multiple channels for feedback—like email, SMS, and online forms—caters to different preferences and maximizes response rates. Here’s a quick overview of effective practices: Practice Benefit Example Use clear language Improves comprehension “Please rate your experience” State purpose Sets expectations “We’d love your thoughts on our event!” Offer multiple channels Increases accessibility Online form, SMS link, email invite Keep it short Boosts completion rates 5-minute survey Show appreciation Cultivates goodwill “Thank you for your feedback!” Best Practices for Survey Design When designing effective customer feedback surveys, prioritizing clear and concise language is crucial, as it directly impacts response rates and participant comprehension. Start with a well-structured survey template word that combines quantitative questions, like multiple choice and rating scales, with qualitative open-ended questions for a thorough view of feedback. A visually appealing design improves user experience, making respondents more likely to engage with your survey. Incorporate skip logic and branching questions to tailor the survey experience, ensuring relevance and efficiency as well as keeping participants engaged. Regularly test and optimize your survey templates based on user feedback; this leads to continuous improvement in effectiveness. By making sure your questions are relevant and actionable, you’ll gather insights that can truly inform your business decisions. Following these best practices will help you create surveys that not just attract responses but also provide valuable information for your organization. Analyzing and Acting on Feedback Gathering customer feedback is only the first step; analyzing that feedback effectively is where the real value lies. Start by categorizing responses to identify common patterns and trends. This enables you to prioritize issues based on their frequency and impact. Utilizing data analytics tools can deepen your insights, allowing you to create actionable plans for improvement. You might consider using a questionnaire template in Excel to organize and analyze your data efficiently. Implementing changes based on this feedback can greatly boost customer satisfaction and loyalty, as it shows you value their opinions. Regular follow-ups with customers who provided feedback demonstrate your responsiveness and promote a culture of continuous improvement within your organization. Finally, closing the feedback loop by communicating updates on changes made reinforces trust and encourages ongoing engagement, making customers feel involved in your business’s evolution. Customizing Templates for Specific Needs Customizing customer feedback survey templates for specific industries can greatly improve the relevance of the insights you gather. By tailoring questions and formats to meet your unique needs, you can guarantee that the feedback addresses the particular experiences and expectations of your customers. This approach not merely improves response quality but further allows you to focus on key demographics, leading to more effective marketing and product strategies. Tailored Templates for Industries Personalized templates for various industries play a vital role in effectively capturing customer feedback, as they address the specific needs and challenges unique to each sector. For instance, restaurants rely on customized survey formats to gather insights about dining experiences, whereas hotels assess guest satisfaction through specialized templates. Advertising agencies can use these tools to measure client satisfaction, which is critical for maintaining strong relationships. B2B businesses benefit from adaptable templates focusing on project management and service delivery. Furthermore, real estate agents can utilize evaluation templates to obtain structured feedback on performance. Personalization for Unique Needs When you customize feedback surveys to meet specific needs, you improve their effectiveness and relevance. Customizable customer survey templates enable you to target different customer segments, like new, returning, or loyal customers, enhancing response rates. Industry-specific templates, particularly for OpenTable or hotels, capture unique experiences, leading to focused improvements in service. Platforms like SurveyMonkey and QuestionPro offer extensive libraries of templates that you can easily modify to fit your business goals. By incorporating specific question types, such as multiple-choice or open-ended questions, you gather thorough insights customized to your objectives. Analyzing feedback collected through these personalized templates allows you to address customer pain points directly, nurturing stronger relationships and enhancing overall satisfaction. Frequently Asked Questions How Often Should I Conduct Customer Feedback Surveys? You should conduct customer feedback surveys regularly to gather meaningful insights. Typically, quarterly surveys work well for most businesses, as they allow you to track changes over time. Nevertheless, if you’re launching a new product or service, consider more frequent surveys to capture immediate reactions. Always analyze results thoroughly and adjust your strategy accordingly. Keeping a consistent schedule helps guarantee you’re staying connected with your customers’ needs and expectations. What Tools Can I Use to Distribute Surveys? To distribute surveys effectively, you can use several tools. Online platforms like SurveyMonkey and Google Forms allow you to create and share surveys easily. Email marketing services such as Mailchimp enable you to send surveys to your customer lists. Social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter, provide another avenue for reaching your audience. Furthermore, consider using SMS survey tools for immediate feedback. Each tool has unique features that can improve your data collection efforts. How Can I Incentivize Customers to Respond? To incentivize customers to respond to surveys, consider offering rewards such as discounts, gift cards, or entry into a raffle. Make certain you communicate these incentives clearly in your survey invitation. You can additionally highlight the value of their feedback by explaining how it influences future products or services. Finally, guarantee the survey is easy to complete, as a simple process increases the likelihood of participation and improves the perceived value of the incentive. What Demographics Should I Target for Feedback? To effectively gather feedback, target demographics that align with your product or service. Focus on age, gender, income level, and geographic location. For instance, if you’re selling tech products, younger consumers might be more relevant. Consider furthermore targeting existing customers, as their insights can be particularly valuable. In addition, segmenting your audience can help you understand varied perspectives, ensuring you receive thorough feedback customized to your different customer groups. How Do I Ensure Survey Confidentiality for Respondents? To guarantee survey confidentiality for respondents, use anonymized data collection methods. Don’t ask for identifiable information except when necessary, and clearly communicate your privacy policy. Store data securely and limit access to authorized personnel only. You might additionally consider using third-party survey platforms that specialize in confidentiality. Finally, reassure participants that their responses are confidential, which can encourage honest feedback and improve the quality of the information you gather. Conclusion Incorporating customer feedback survey templates into your business strategy is crucial for comprehending client needs and enhancing overall satisfaction. By utilizing various survey types, such as CSAT and NPS, you can gather fundamental insights that inform your decisions. Crafting effective requests and designing user-friendly surveys will yield more accurate feedback. In the end, analyzing this data and customizing templates for specific industries will drive continuous improvement, ensuring your business remains responsive and competitive in today’s market. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Essential Customer Feedback Survey Templates for Business" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based bank expects the pace of loan growth to quicken this year, driven in part by its nine-month-old warehouse lending business. View the full article

By default, your Mac doesn't allow you to control the volume levels of individual apps, something Windows has offered for years. If your alerts from messaging apps are too loud, you can either put the Mac in do-not-disturb mode to mute those alerts, or lower the system volume, but that's it. It's not ideal, since lowering system volume also impacts media volume, which can sometimes make it hard to listen to music or hear dialogue in TV shows or movies. If you could separately toggle volume levels per app, that would be ideal. Fortunately, some third-party apps allow you to do this, and this guide highlights the best of them. FineTune: A free Mac app for per-app sound control Credit: Pranay Parab A free app that lets you lower or mute alert tones while maintaining media volume, FineTune is good enough for most people. It's open-source, and has a few simple sliders that let you control each app's volume level. My previous pick for this job—BackgroundMusic—no longer works well, as it hasn't been updated in a while. FineTune's come in to fill that gap nicely, and it does what it says on the tin. Once you install the app, you can click its menu bar icon to finetune any individual app's volume. When an app starts playing audio on your Mac, it'll appear in FineTune's interface. And once you're done moving your sliders to change volume levels, you'll quickly discover a couple of other useful features, such as controlling the volume levels of each of your output device (speakers, headphones, etc.), and an equalizer for each app on your computer. You can also send audio from one app to a specific speaker or headphone. I've used these features to lower my AirPods' volume while keeping my Mac's speaker louder, and to set a bass-friendly EQ preset on those AirPods. You can play around with these tools to get the job done according to your needs, too. FineTune also has a convenient volume boost feature, which lets you increase the volume up to 400% on a per-app basis. This is good for files where the volume levels are almost inaudible, but I'd be choosy about how you use it. SoundSource: A paid app for advanced volume control Credit: Pranay Parab Most people will be happy with FineTune's feature set and lack of a price tag. However, if you need an app that can control AirPlay devices in your house, send audio to multiple devices at once, enable a per-app EQ with two dozen presets, set a preferred device order for audio output, and much more, then you should consider SoundSource 6 ($49). The app's been around for over a decade, and the newest version released towards the end of 2025. With SoundSource, the basic functionality lets you control the audio levels of each app, but it also has a few other neat touches. My favorite feature is the one that lets you mute all sound effects with just one click. I'm not sure about you, but alert sounds from messaging apps tend to make me a bit anxious. Some of my friends tend to send multiple short texts at once, too, which makes my Mac's speaker go off like a siren. I've tried putting my Mac on do-not-disturb mode, but that hides those alerts altogether, which isn't ideal either. Ever since I got SoundSource, I've just muted all sound effects. This lets me receive notifications without the annoying tones, and it allows me to watch movies sans interruptions from alert tones. You can also group multiple devices in SoundSource, and send audio to all of them at once, which is an easy way to create a multi-room audio setup. Of course, you can't have your audio 100% in sync, so don't get your hopes up about creating a surround sound system with five cheap Bluetooth speakers. However, it's good enough if you just want to have music playing in every room of your house while you cook, clean, or just move around. SoundSource's support for AirPlay devices means that you can send audio to your HomePod and other AirPlay devices like TVs or speakers, too. SoundSource also has granular controls for various features. As an example, you can set up a keyboard shortcut to increase or decrease your microphone's volume, or to mute the mic altogether. Another interesting feature lets you set up a mute timer, which sets the volume to zero for up to 2 minutes for specific apps or output devices. It's clear by now that SoundSource has lots of great features under the hood, which is amazing for power users, but probably overkill for anyone who just wants to set separate volume levels for a couple apps. The good news is that SoundSource offers a free trial that lets you use all of its features for up to 20 minutes at a time, so you can try it out to see if it's worth buying. View the full article

Many of us choose to upgrade our smartphones every two or three years, while others pick up the latest model every year. But just because it's the norm to swap out your smartphone on a regular basis, that doesn't mean all of us do. Smartphones can last a long time, especially if you maintain it with the occasional battery replacement. But no piece of technology lasts forever. Eventually, something gives out—even if it's just the company that makes it. Even Apple, which usually offers its iPhones a number of years of updates after their original release, drops support for new features after some time. That's why your iPhone XS can't run iOS 26: Apple drew the line here this year. But iPhones like the XS can still receive updates, even if they aren't the latest and greatest version of iOS. Instead, Apple tends to issue security and stability patches to older iPhones, to ensure the users who still rely on them can do so safely and securely. It might be in Apple's best financial interest to persuade you to buy a new iPhone, but not at the cost of putting a large number of users at risk of cyber attacks. Apple's latest update patches very old iPhonesApple dropped new updates for an assortment of devices on Monday. That includes its latest devices, of course, which can now install iOS 26.2.1. But a host of older devices also received new updates, some of which are particularly surprising, considering their age. Apple released iOS 18.7.4 for iPhones that either can't or won't update to iOS 26. In the former category, that basically includes the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. Then, there's iOS 16.7.13, for iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X, and iOS 15.8.6, for iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, and iPhone SE (first-gen). Those are some old iPhones, but that's not what caught my eye today. In a twist, Apple dropped an update for iPhones running iOS 12, including iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus. These iPhones can now run iOS 12.5.8. For reference, Apple released iOS 12 back in 2018, so it's pretty wild to see a new version in 2026. These iPhones are even older. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus dropped all the way back in 2014, while the iPhone 5S released the year before that. As such, Apple just sent an update to 12-year-old iPhone. If you're still rocking one of these devices, that new update must be quite the surprise. It's even more than the age of the devices itself: Apple considers all three of these iPhones "obsolete," as the company stopped selling them more than seven years ago. The company will not service the hardware for obsolete products, and largely omits them from future software releases. That's why this is so interesting. What's new in iOS 12.5.8iOS 12.5.8 is, of course, not a feature update, but it's also not a security update, either. Instead, Apple extended the certificate required for features like iMessage, FaceTime, and device activation to continue working after January of next year. These iPhones might not have seen a new feature in years, but they'll still be able to FaceTime in a year's time—and that's pretty great. It's not clear how many people are using these iPhones in 2026. But if you do, and it's working for you, Apple gave you one more reason to keep your phone for another year. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. On Monday, Apple released a new AirTag—but you wouldn't know that from looking at it. The new AirTag is visibly identical to the old one, despite dropping nearly five years later. But the point of this refresh wasn't to introduce a new design, or even a remarkably improved tracker. Instead, Apple added a couple subtle upgrades that benefit new buyers, without displacing existing AirTag users. There are two key improvements here: The first impacts Precision Finding, Apple's system to guide you to lost items. Your device uses its ultra wideband (UWB) chip to give you detailed directions to the location of your AirTag, including haptics, visual, and auditory cues. The second-gen AirTags have a newer UWB chip, which boosts Precision Finding by 50%. That means your new AirTag can be as much as 1.5 times farther away than your old AirTag while still showing up in Precision Finding. Those improvements carry over to the speaker, as well. The new AirTag's speaker is 50% louder than the original model, which could help you hear your missing tracker better, especially if it's buried somewhere like a couch cushion. The main thing that didn't change was the most important part: the price. One AirTag is still $29, while a four-pack is still $99. But before you go out an buy one (or four), you should know that your iPhone might not be able to take advantage of these new perks. If so, you'd be better off spending your money on the first-gen AirTag. What you need to take full advantage of the new AirTagAs noted by Techradar, the new AirTag actually requires iPhones and iPads to be running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 before they can connect. That immediately eliminates any iPhones and iPads that do not support these latest updates, of course (generally any iPhones older than the iPhone 11) but it also presents a challenge to anyone who has simply been holding off from installing iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. If you want to use these newest AirTags, you'll need to update. If you don't want to update, stick with the OG AirTags. Even if your iPhone is running iOS 26, it might not work with one of the new AirTag's big features. In order to take advantage of that 50% improved Precision Finding, you need an iPhone 15 or newer. That's because these iPhones also come with Apple's newest UWB chip, which is necessary for that upgraded location feature. (The iPhone 16e unfortunately does not have this new UWB chip.) If you have an iPhone 14 or older running iOS 26, you'll still be able to use Precision Finding with the new AirTag, but it'll be the standard Precision Finding experience you had with the original. (Apple Watches can also take advantage of this standard Precision Finding, so long as you have an Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, running watchOS 26.2.1.) Buy an older AirTag if you don't meet these specificationsApple doesn't sell the first-generation AirTag anymore, but that's not an issue. If you don't meet all of the specifications above, you should look into buying the older AirTags. That's not because the new AirTags won't work just as well; I only say this because you can save some serious money. Instead of dropping $99 on a four-pack of second-gen AirTags, you can currently spend $69.99 on a four-pack of first-gen AirTags. These trackers will work exactly the same, minus the louder speaker on the second-gen AirTags, all the while saving you $30. You can also save a bit off a single AirTag, as the first-gen AirTags are going for $25.99 on Amazon. If you'd rather future-proof your AirTags, you could spend full-price on the second-gens without worry. However, if you don't plan to upgrade your iPhone anytime soon, this is a pretty solid deal. View the full article

TikTok agreed to settle a landmark social media addiction lawsuit just before the trial kicked off, the plaintiff’s attorneys confirmed. The social video platform was one of three companies — along with Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube — facing claims that their platforms deliberately addict and harm children. A fourth company named in the lawsuit, Snapchat parent company Snap Inc., settled the case last week for an undisclosed sum. Details of the settlement with TikTok were not disclosed, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. At the core of the case is a 19-year-old identified only by the initials “KGM,” whose case could determine how thousands of other, similar lawsuits against social media companies will play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials — essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury and what damages, if any, may be awarded, said Clay Calvert, a nonresident senior fellow of technology policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. A lawyer for the plaintiff said in a statement Tuesday that TikTok remains a defendant in the other personal injury cases, and that the trial will proceed as scheduled against Meta and YouTube. Jury selection starts this week in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. It’s the first time the companies will argue their case before a jury, and the outcome could have profound effects on their businesses and how they will handle children using their platforms. The selection process is expected to take at least a few days, with 75 potential jurors questioned each day through at least Thursday. A fourth company named in the lawsuit, Snapchat parent company Snap Inc., settled the case last week for an undisclosed sum. KGM claims that her use of social media from an early age addicted her to the technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. Importantly, the lawsuit claims that this was done through deliberate design choices made by companies that sought to make their platforms more addictive to children to boost profits. This argument, if successful, could sidestep the companies’ First Amendment shield and Section 230, which protects tech companies from liability for material posted on their platforms. “Borrowing heavily from the behavioral and neurobiological techniques used by slot machines and exploited by the cigarette industry, Defendants deliberately embedded in their products an array of design features aimed at maximizing youth engagement to drive advertising revenue,” the lawsuit says. Executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to testify at the trial, which will last six to eight weeks. Experts have drawn similarities to the Big Tobacco trials that led to a 1998 settlement requiring cigarette companies to pay billions in health care costs and restrict marketing targeting minors. “Plaintiffs are not merely the collateral damage of Defendants’ products,” the lawsuit says. “They are the direct victims of the intentional product design choices made by each Defendant. They are the intended targets of the harmful features that pushed them into self-destructive feedback loops.” The tech companies dispute the claims that their products deliberately harm children, citing a bevy of safeguards they have added over the years and arguing that they are not liable for content posted on their sites by third parties. “Recently, a number of lawsuits have attempted to place the blame for teen mental health struggles squarely on social media companies,” Meta said in a recent blog post. “But this oversimplifies a serious issue. Clinicians and researchers find that mental health is a deeply complex and multifaceted issue, and trends regarding teens’ well-being aren’t clear-cut or universal. Narrowing the challenges faced by teens to a single factor ignores the scientific research and the many stressors impacting young people today, like academic pressure, school safety, socio-economic challenges and substance abuse.” A Meta spokesperson said in a statement Monday the company strongly disagrees with the allegations outlined in the lawsuit and that it’s “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” José Castañeda, a Google Spokesperson, said Monday that the allegations against YouTube are “simply not true.” In a statement, he said “Providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work.” TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. The case will be the first in a slew of cases beginning this year that seek to hold social media companies responsible for harming children’s mental well-being. A federal bellwether trial beginning in June in Oakland, California, will be the first to represent school districts that have sued social media platforms over harms to children. In addition, more than 40 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against Meta, claiming it is harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. The majority of cases filed their lawsuits in federal court, but some sued in their respective states. TikTok also faces similar lawsuits in more than a dozen states. —Kaitlyn Huamani and Barbara Ortutay, AP technology writers View the full article

US homeland security chief under fire after weekend killing of protester by agents in Minneapolis View the full article

The The President administration has not shied away from sharing AI-generated imagery online, embracing cartoonlike visuals and memes and promoting them on official White House channels. But an edited — and realistic — image of civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong in tears after being arrested is raising new alarms about how the administration is blurring the lines between what is real and what is fake. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s account posted the original image from Levy Armstrong’s arrest before the official White House account posted an altered image that showed her crying. The doctored picture is part of a deluge of AI-edited imagery that has been shared across the political spectrum since the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by U.S. Border Patrol officers in Minneapolis However, the White House’s use of artificial intelligence has troubled misinformation experts who fear the spreading of AI-generated or edited images erodes public perception of the truth and sows distrust. In response to criticism of the edited image of Levy Armstrong, White House officials doubled down on the post, with deputy communications director Kaelan Dorr writing on X that the “memes will continue.” White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson also shared a post mocking the criticism. David Rand, a professor of information science at Cornell University, says calling the altered image a meme “certainly seems like an attempt to cast it as a joke or humorous post, like their prior cartoons. This presumably aims to shield them from criticism for posting manipulated media.” He said the purpose of sharing the altered arrest image seems “much more ambiguous” than the cartoonish images the administration has shared in the past. Memes have always carried layered messages that are funny or informative to people who understand them, but indecipherable to outsiders. AI-enhanced or edited imagery is just the latest tool the White House uses to engage the segment of The President’s base that spends a lot of time online, said Zach Henry, a Republican communications consultant who founded Total Virality, an influencer marketing firm. “People who are terminally online will see it and instantly recognize it as a meme,” he said. “Your grandparents may see it and not understand the meme, but because it looks real, it leads them to ask their kids or grandkids about it.” All the better if it prompts a fierce reaction, which helps it go viral, said Henry, who generally praised the work of the White House’s social media team. The creation and dissemination of altered images, especially when they are shared by credible sources, “crystallizes an idea of what’s happening, instead of showing what is actually happening,” said Michael A. Spikes, a professor at Northwestern University and news media literacy researcher. “The government should be a place where you can trust the information, where you can say it’s accurate, because they have a responsibility to do so,” he said. “By sharing this kind of content, and creating this kind of content … it is eroding the trust — even though I’m always kind of skeptical of the term trust — but the trust we should have in our federal government to give us accurate, verified information. It’s a real loss, and it really worries me a lot.” Spikes said he already sees the “institutional crises” around distrust in news organizations and higher education, and feels this behavior from official channels inflames those issues. Ramesh Srinivasan, a professor at UCLA and the host of the Utopias podcast, said many people are now questioning where they can turn to for “trustable information.” “AI systems are only going to exacerbate, amplify and accelerate these problems of an absence of trust, an absence of even understanding what might be considered reality or truth or evidence,” he said. Srinivasan said he feels the White House and other officials sharing AI-generated content not only invites everyday people to continue to post similar content but also grants permission to others who are in positions of credibility and power, like policymakers, to share unlabeled synthetic content. He added that given that social media platforms tend to “algorithmically privilege” extreme and conspiratorial content — which AI generation tools can create with ease — “we’ve got a big, big set of challenges on our hands.” An influx of AI-generated videos related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement action, protests, and interactions with citizens has already been proliferating on social media. After Renee Good was shot by an ICE officer while she was in her car, several AI-generated videos began circulating of women driving away from ICE officers who told them to stop. There are also many fabricated videos circulating of immigration raids and of people confronting ICE officers, often yelling at them or throwing food in their faces. Jeremy Carrasco, a content creator who specializes in media literacy and debunking viral AI videos, said the bulk of these videos are likely coming from accounts that are “engagement farming,” or looking to capitalize on clicks by generating content with popular keywords and search terms like ICE. But he also said the videos are getting views from people who oppose ICE and DHS and could be watching them as “fan fiction,” or engaging in “wishful thinking,” hoping that they’re seeing real pushback against the organizations and their officers. Still, Carrasco also believes that most viewers can’t tell if what they’re watching is fake, and questions whether they would know “what’s real or not when it actually matters, like when the stakes are a lot higher.” Even when there are blatant signs of AI generation, like street signs with gibberish on them or other obvious errors, only in the “best-case scenario” would a viewer be savvy enough or be paying enough attention to register the use of AI. This issue is, of course, not limited to news surrounding immigration enforcement and protests. Fabricated and misrepresented images following the capture of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro exploded online earlier this month. Experts, including Carrasco, think the spread of AI-generated political content will only become more commonplace. Carrasco believes that the widespread implementation of a watermarking system that embeds information about the origin of a piece of media into its metadata layer could be a step toward a solution. The Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity has developed such a system, but Carrasco doesn’t think that will become extensively adopted for at least another year. “It’s going to be an issue forever now,” he said. I don’t think people understand how bad this is.” —Kaitlyn Huamani, AP technology writer Associated Press writers Jonathan J. Cooper and Barbara Ortutay contributed to this report. View the full article