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Handmade punch cards are currently trending on TikTok as a cute, visual way to track 2026 goals. Modeled after the punch cards that will secure you a free coffee or sandwich after showing loyalty to one cafe or another, users instead punch, stamp or check off a square every time they make progress on their goals, whether that’s staying consistent at the gym, completing a no-spend weekend or paying down debt. “Today’s New Year’s Eve, and I made these little punchcards this morning of goals I have for myself starting this new year,” TikTok user @camiunderthesea said in a video showing off her deck of cards. “The first one is to read five books. I’ve been trying to get into reading more, and I just can’t do it, so hopefully this will motivate me. She continued: “The way it works, if I read a book, I punch it out. When I have all five, I get a treat.” Another TikTok user, @aleegatorrr, set herself the goals of going on 12 hikes this year, a date night once a month, and baking eight new recipes. This isn’t a new trend, first surfacing in early 2025. But it has once again been embraced this year as a way to visually track goals and turn vague resolutions like “go to the gym” or “stop doomscrolling” into measurable habits. One week into 2026, and there are over 200 videos under the hashtag #2026punchcards. There are a few tutorials online, but the process is simple enough—all it takes is a few index or blank business cards, markers, and a hole punch. Simply make a list of some obtainable goals for the year. With a marker, title each card with a goal and draw as many punch spots as you hope to achieve. Add rewards across the bottom and jazz the cards up with borders and/or illustrations. Punch a small hole in the top left corner and tie them all together with a ribbon to keep them close at hand as you successfully check off your goals throughout the year. You may not get a free cappuccino. But you might actually make it to the gym three times a week. View the full article

The President's proposed $200B MBS purchase briefly tightened mortgage spreads, but analysts question the long-term impact on mortgage rates and GSE balance sheets. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. AI is still the big thing in the tech world, but it's no longer the big new thing. It's been around long enough that simply integrating it into your product isn't enough to make it stand out anymore, especially at the biggest tech show in the world. While I attended this year's CES, the trend I noticed over and over again on the show floor was that AI is getting weird now. From personal hologram sidekicks to a gaming monitor that basically cheats for you, here are the five weirdest AI inventions I saw at CES 2026. Razer is giving you your own personal anime girl Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt At last year's CES, gaming lifestyle company Razer introduced Project AVA, an AI esports coach concept that was just a disembodied voice that lives in your laptop. Yawn. This year, the company's expanding on that by bringing AVA into the real world. In Razer's suite this year, I held a conversation with "Kira," an anime girl "hologram" that lives in a little USB tube you can plug into your laptop. She noticed my orange sweater thanks to a camera installed in the tube, before asking me about the show and prompting me to start up a round of Battlefield 6, where she gave me some generic loadout advice. I spoke with her using microphones also built into her tube, and she responded using her own speaker rather than the laptop's. Razer said this demo was more directed, hence why she brought up gaming right away, but that the end goal is to let the new AVA work as a convincing all-purpose AI companion, so you don't have to use it for only play. To that end, the company says it's "AI agnostic," so you can plug your own model into it. The demo I ran through was clearly using Grok, and generally felt a lot like talking to the AI companions built into that app, right down to the cringeworthy jokes. But Razer said you could theoretically use ChatGPT or Gemini instead. While we were chatting, Kira played animations courtesy of Animation Inc., which powers similar but more app-driven AI companions. In other words, the chatbot and the animations aren't really new here, so what you'd be buying would be the USB tube and the characters. Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt Kira isn't your only option for an AI companion here—she's a typical anime gamer girl, but I also got to briefly look at Zane, a tattooed muscle man in the deepest V-neck I've ever seen. You can kind of see the target audience for both of these characters right away, but if you want something more tame, you can also have your tube display Razer's logo surrounded by an audio waveform, which simply goes by AVA (even though the project as a whole is still called AVA). And the company's also working on celebrity likenesses, with esports star Faker and influencer Sao having already given their approval. Razer said it's still working on figuring out how it'll distribute these characters, and I was told you'd get a bundle of them with your purchase, but would probably be able to buy more down the line. As for pricing and availability, no word on that. This is technically still a concept, so it might go back to the drawing board again. But Razer's website does say it's hoping for a release in the second half of 2026, and that you can put $20 down now to reserve your unit. In short, if you strip away the functionality that's already baked into apps you can download now, the new Project Ava is basically a talking hologram toy for your desk. That's still not a bad pitch, but unfortunately, I'm not sure if hologram is the right word for this. Kira looked pretty flat to me, less like that one Princess Leia projection and more like she was displaying on a normal transparent screen that just happened to be stuck inside of a cylinder. I don't think the novelty quite matches the pitch yet. The gaming headset that uses AI to read your mind Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt Whenever I play a competitive game, instead of hopping right into a match, I instead load up into a few practice sessions to warm up. It's helpful, but time consuming. The new Neurable x HyperX concept headset is hoping to change that by helping you lock in within just a few minutes. Essentially, it looks like a normal gaming headset, but built into the earcups are various sensors that can supposedly read your focus levels. These are similar to the brain-computer interfaces you might have seen in sci-fi shows, the ones with a bunch of wires and discs attached to them, but shrunken down for the consumer market, with no creepy wires in sight. That's where the AI comes in. Shrinking down the sensors so much does mean this headset gets fewer readings than the bigger ones in labs, but Neurable claims its models are still able to pick up on trends in those readings and translate them into useful data, while also throwing out junk data. For gamers, that means it can run you through a quick focus exercise called "Prime," where you concentrate while noticing a cloud of dots shrink into a solid orb. Once this is done, which took about 90 seconds for me, you're supposedly focused up and ready to play. Unfortunately, I actually did worse in a practice shooting game after focusing than beforehand, but that doesn't mean the data was useless. I ran through the exercise with a colleague whose score improved by maybe about a third after focusing, and with such a small sample size, there could be any number of reasons I choked after focusing up. The company said that it could even be helpful to practice choking in this way. Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt And at any rate, numbers are fun. That's why I'm most excited about the headset's plug-in for streamers, which allows them to show their focus levels on screen for their chat to see. I could easily imagine a community looking at that data and teasing their favorite streamer to try to distract them. That said, it'll be a while until you can actually buy this. It's still a concept for now, with no pricing or promise of release. However, Neurable does already have a similar, non-gaming headset made with Master & Dynamic that will be shipping out soon, just without this software. For more, read my full article here. Lenovo's laptop can nod when you ask it a question Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt This one is more of a hardware innovation, but it's a clever touch. This CES, Lenovo introduced a laptop with a motorized hinge that can automatically close, open, and even rotate from side-to-side. It'll be coming out later this summer, but while the company was demonstrating the unit to me, it also showed off a prototype chatbot app it's making for it. This uses ChatGPT for now, and is still just a concept and will not ship with the laptop. But it was cute. Essentially, while I talked with the app, the laptop displayed a big pair of animated eyes on screen, and used its hinge to nod or shake its head no when I asked it questions. It also displayed small animations in response to certain questions, like showing an umbrella when I asked about the rainy weather. It's still very early days, but I was impressed that the hardware was able to recognize what an affirmative answer was and trigger the laptop to respond accordingly. A lot of AI feels pretty disconnected from the real world, so anything that can give it a physical presence is probably a good idea if you want people to take it seriously. The Lenovo AI gaming monitor that's basically cheating Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt Also shown off at CES this year, Lenovo's AI Frame gaming monitor is probably the most practically useful item on this list, almost to the point where it feels like cheating. Essentially, this fills up most of the 21:9 screen with a regular 16:9 view of whatever's on your computer, and uses AI to show a zoomed-in look at critical game information on the rest. For instance, in a demo showing a MOBA game (think League of Legends), the monitor zoomed in on the map. In a demo showing Counter-Strike 2, it zoomed in on the reticle. Personally, I didn't think getting a blown-up look at the map was all that helpful, but being able to constantly see what was essentially a sniper scope around my reticle was a game changer, since it worked with any gun and made targets much easier to see. I could see Counter-Strike 2 developer Valve go as far as banning this if it ever makes its way to market, since it's taken similar actions before. But this is still just an idea for now. Still, it shows that companies are starting to figure out concrete ways AI can help you in your games, beyond just feeding you advice you probably already know. XREAL's new AR glasses can automatically convert any 2D content into 3D Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt Finally, probably my favorite AI invention at CES this year was XREAL's new REAL 3D technology. Built into its newest AR glasses and already added to an existing pair via a firmware update, this uses AI to automatically find depth in any 2D video source and convert it into 3D. And trying it out for myself, it practically looked official. When I used it to play Mario Kart World, I would have believed you if you told me Nintendo had added this mode itself. It also worked great with James Cameron's Avatar, and there was no loading time to set it up or turn it off. There also wasn't any fuzziness, like there might be with glasses-free 3D screens like the 3DS. It's a great option for people who like watching 3D games and movies, but might have trouble finding them now that 3D TVs and the Nintendo 3DS are mostly in the past. Now, you can just watch your existing 2D library, but in 3D. The only issue you might come across is in content that doesn't have depth. For instance, XREAL's Ralph Jodice told me the software didn't quite know what to do when he tried playing the original 8-bit Super Mario Bros. with it, and would randomly emphasize only certain game assets without any rhyme or reason. An illusion of depth does seem to work, though. Super Mario Bros. is entirely flat, but when I tried watching the pen-and-paper animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with this technology, it correctly separated characters in the foreground from scenery in the background, even though everything on screen was entirely hand-drawn. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I just got back from CES 2026, and you can see my real-time reports on some of the best and weirdest things I saw in our CES 2026 live blog. I tried on six(!) different exoskeletons, perked up my ears whenever I heard about a new smart strap, and looked in vain for new models of familiar fitness tech like watches. Here are the biggest trends I noticed and some notes on what was conspicuously missing. I've included prices where possible; anything without a price is likely too far from market to have one yet. The number of non-Whoop smart bands just doubled Luna band (underside) Credit: Beth Skwarecki This is a continuation of a trend that really got going in 2025. Whoop is no longer the only player in the screenless fitness strap space. Last year we saw straps from Amazfit ($99) and Polar ($199), plus a sleep band from Garmin ($169). At CES I learned about two more. The Luna Band is likely to be the next one to market—the company’s reps said to expect it to ship sometime in the next month or two. (I plan to review it once units are available.) It will be $149, won't require a subscription, and it will use the same app as the Luna Ring, which I’m currently reviewing. Its maker, Noise, is new to the U.S. wearables market but is one of the leading smartwatch makers in India. Besides the new hardware, Noise also announced that the Luna app will soon have a system to take voice notes to give context to your health data. (This is coming to the app in the next few weeks.) For example, if you tell the app that you had a few glasses of wine, it will remember this when it sees your poor sleep the next morning, and it will adjust its recommendations accordingly—say, reminding you to hydrate, rather than telling you to take a nap. Speediance Strap prototypes Credit: Beth Skwarecki Speediance also announced the Speediance Strap, although it doesn’t seem to be as close to market. No price has been announced, and the units at the show were clearly prototypes. The Strap will collect sleep and recovery data, without requiring a subscription to view it, although some more advanced metrics will require a premium subscription. Rings are everywhere RingConn gen 3 Credit: Beth Skwarecki Oura has had competitors for years (and has taken up suing them to stop sales), but it seems like the number of smart rings out there is just exploding—though not all of them are fitness or health oriented. Besides Pebble’s Index 01 ($75), which is charmingly simple, there are plenty of rings that pack in more functions—NFC payments, AI voice processing, haptic alerts, and more. There are so many I can’t give a full list, but to name a few: there’s the Muse Ring One ($323), the Dreame Ring, and the Vocci AI ring. RingConn announced its third-generation ring, with blood pressure insights (I’m skeptical) and haptic alerts, including the ability to buzz for a smart alarm (I’m intrigued). This one isn’t on the market yet, and a rep at the booth asked me what price I thought it should go for. In the meantime, RingConn gave me a gen 2 ring to compare to Oura and others—watch for my review soon. Watches (mostly) aren’t exciting anymore Credit: Beth Skwarecki The companies that make smartwatches and fitness watches tend to be on their own release cycles, not necessarily tied to CES. Apple certainly wasn’t going to announce a new Apple Watch; Google and Fitbit didn’t show up, either. Amazfit had a new watch, the Active Max ($169) in its lineup, but it was more of a refinement to the product line than a new exciting announcement. The only real exception I can think of is Pebble, but you’ve heard from me already on why it bucks the trend. I got to go hands-on with the Time 2 (announced last year) and the Round 2 (announced last week), which was so thin and sleek it made the Coros on my wrist feel like a big ol’ hunk of plastic. As a reminder, the Round 2 doesn’t have a heart rate monitor and Pebble is trying not to be a fitness watch brand. (I’m still looking forward to reviewing its watches anyway.) Pebble Time 2 Credit: Beth Skwarecki I think the main reason for the stagnation here is that watches already have everything they need to have for fitness and health tracking. There's not a lot of room left to innovate; either you give a device slightly better battery life (nice, but yawn) or you stick something else into it just to say you did—like a flashlight or a microphone. That's nothing against flashlights or microphones, which are both great in context, but we're hardly in game-changing territory anymore. Companies like Oura and Whoop are pivoting to services like blood tests that take the focus off their hardware. My colleague Stephen Johnson said it best: tech launches don't feel magical anymore, partly because we don't have many problems left that consumer tech can easily solve, and partly because every new advice adds a hassle to your life. And so Garmin’s main announcement this weekend was a nutrition tracking feature in its Connect+ subscription. I thought at least there was a good chance of a new watch from Garmin—nope. Garmin announced the Instinct 3 at last year’s CES, but no new hardware this year besides a camera system for truckers (I’m happy for them). A few other companies used the buzz around CES to announce non-hardware developments as well: Oura is finally shipping the charging case it promised last fall, and Ultrahuman announced a limited-time free tier of its blood testing service with 20+ markers. Its other tiers give you 50+ markers for $99, or a 100+ marker test followed by a 60+ marker follow-up test for $365. (Ultrahuman told me that the exact blood tests it's able to offer vary slightly by state, hence the vague numbers.) AI was present, but not center stage A prototype of Amazfit's V1TAL camera, which analyzes the food on your plate Credit: Beth Skwarecki There were, of course, plenty of mentions that “AI” is baked into this or that fitness app. But the companies mostly seemed to understand that while AI might help to create features their users want, users don’t buy devices for the AI. (See also: Dell executives commenting that its customers don’t seem to want AI, and that it has adjusted the marketing for its computers to de-emphasize it.) I heard at CES that apps are using AI to identify foods from photos (Garmin and Amazfit) or that AI is helping to find patterns in data (basically everybody). Merach did say it would let me try an AI-powered treadmill, but a rep apologetically told me the device wasn’t available in time to ship the prototype to CES. They’re trying to make exoskeletons happen The Sumbu hip-based exoskeleton Credit: Beth Skwarecki Exoskeletons were the biggest new-to-me trend at CES. These are devices that you strap on to your body, and their motors give an added boost to what your muscles are doing. Several of the companies described them as being like an e-bike for walking. I gave myself a side quest of trying every exoskeleton that was available to demo. That ended up being a total of six: four that assisted you at the hip, one at the knee, and one at the ankle. One device made by Ascentiz ($1,299-$1,848) can be configured with combined hip and knee action, but the knee module wasn’t available for me to test. All six devices really did give me a boost while walking (or climbing stairs—several of the companies wisely included a mini staircase in their booths to try out). But I have to wonder who the exoskeletons are really for. If you’re not a serious hiker, an exoskeleton might help you hike up a mountain and keep up with your friends. But I’d think that only a serious hiker would have $1,000+ to spend on hiking gear like an exoskeleton—and that they would probably prefer to train harder and spend the money on something else. If I had to predict where this tech is going, I think the rental market makes the most sense. Imagine if you could borrow the Ascentiz for a scenic hike on vacation without having to train for months ahead of time, or strap on Dephy’s “powered footwear” ($4,500) to get you through a day at Disneyworld. View the full article

The beginning of a new year ushers in an ominous day in the NFL: Black Monday, the day when coaches are (typically) most at risk of losing their jobs. Black Monday happens the day after the regular season ends, a time when an especially harsh backward review is cast over the wins, losses, and total misses. The casualty list includes Raheem Morris, who lost his job with the Atlanta Falcons on January 4; Kevin Stefanski, Pete Carroll, and Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals), who were each fired on Black Friday by the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, and Arizona Cardinals, respectively; John Harbaugh, who was fired by the Baltimore Ravens on January 6; and Mike McDaniel, whose dismissal from the Miami Dolphins was announced January 9. In the NFL and other sports leagues, performance metrics could not be more clear cut and public. So if coaches aren’t wracking up enough Ws, isn’t it just radical accountability to let those who aren’t performing go? And could the business world learn anything from this? ‘High-visibility performance management’ That kind of slice ‘em and dice ‘em mentality doesn’t offer a model of accountability to the traditional work environment outside the sports world, Mario Avila, Assistant Professor of the Practice of Management at Vanderbilt University, tells Fast Company.But it does offer a “model of high-visibility performance management” that may well serve the upper echelons of corporate America. Conceptualizing performance in the NFL in this way is possible because all eyes are on the field as the game unfolds. And “while these KPIs are powerful, and having clear performance indicators are powerful and important, the difference between the NFL and a traditional business is in the corporate sector,” Avila also said, where accountability functions differently. A football coach has to consider injuries, rosters, and the patience of owners—factors that don’t cross the mind of a CEO. Therefore, Avila added, “accountability is very different.” But that doesn’t mean corporate leaders can’t take from the NFL and Black Monday. The top of the list includes clarity and feedback loops, he explains. “There’s a significant amount of clarity of what the KPIs are” in a game, and they provide “instant feedback loops: are you winning or losing? Are you hitting the right numbers or are the expectations being met? It’s highly visible, you’re in front of millions of viewers, on display every weekend.” A manager at a desk job may not be conducting on-field warfare against 53 opponents, but those same loops persist; after all, most work is about hitting goals and, ultimately, winning. More teamwork lessons than accountability ones Football also offers a lot of lessons about leadership and teamwork, something that’s baked into the backbone of the sport, Stephen Master, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business tells Fast Company. Sports are “about teamwork: it’s about everyone contributing what they can, and it’s about culture.” Just like in a traditional office environment, “if there’s someone who is giving off a negative vibe and is a cancer in the locker room, and they’re just not a good teammate … that’s the same thing you can risk in corporate America, where someone is really only interested in their own achievements and their own personal growth goals.” If leadership has incentivized the work experience—football players get trophies, corporate workers get bonuses, perhaps—those incentives should “be also tied to company performance or division performance, and that’s the same thing in any sport, but especially in football,” he added. As Master put it, a quarterback on any given team can be the best in the world, but if his offensive line isn’t doing their job, the team isn’t going to win. The real takeaway If there is one thing corporate leaders should avoid emulating, it’s the NFL’s culture of disposable leadership, which is “detrimental to the long-term success of a business,” Avila says. Bringing people into an environment where easy firings and mass layoffs run rampant—where a bad start can cost you your job after barely two seasons on the field—isn’t something businesses should mimic if there are concerns about company morale. Conversations that intersect the NFL and corporate America also raise questions of long-term results vs. short-term gains, Dae Hee Kwak, Graduate Program Director and Associate of Sport Management at the University of Michigan explains to Fast Company. The NFL is “built for a 17-week sprint, while a healthy business is built for a 50-year marathon. If you apply NFL logic to a marathon, you’ll never have enough runners left to finish the race.” An environment steeped in fear will do little to encourage those marathon runners—or, perhaps, football coaches—to approach their jobs fearlessly, Avila agrees. “Incentives about winning now reduce long-term capability building,” he said. “But when we look at some of our organizations across the country that are the most successful … short-term incentives and winning now [mentalities] really distort the behavior.” “Fear crowds out learning,” he continued. “Because people are going to start to protect themselves instead of experimenting.” Success is built on risk, and “you want your people in business to take risk. If you make the environment safe, people will take more risks. If they fear that they’re going to get fired, they will be less willing to take risks, which leads to a decrease in innovation, and a decrease in growth.” As endless newspaper and website pages are filled with stories of mass layoffs, perhaps one of the more salient lessons from the NFL is exactly Avila’s point: to succeed, workers—all workers—need to be encouraged to try something new, and maybe even fail, before they can rise. Radical accountability might be a mainstay in the NFL, but that doesn’t mean it truly can be applied to other work environments—or that it should even be considered. If long-term success is the objective, it likely behooves corporate leaders to let the football coaches do their thing…while they do their own. View the full article

Days after hitting the market, the new pill version of Novo Nordisk’s wildly popular weight-loss drug will be available through Amazon’s online pharmacy. Amazon joins telehealth providers, discount prescription stalwart GoodRx, and even Novo Nordisk itself in providing the novel weight-management drug for consumers who want to pay out of pocket. With the introduction of the oral version of Wegovy, the weight-loss drugs that have taken the world by storm will become even more accessible—and more readily available for anyone who can pay out of pocket. The oral version of Wegovy will start at $149 a month out of pocket through Amazon Pharmacy, and will cost $25 a month with eligible insurance coverage. The 1.5-milligram and 4-milligram “starter” doses of Wegovy are priced at $149 per month, with the higher doses that many people move up to priced around $299. “We know there are people who are interested in addressing their weight but have been waiting on the sidelines for a medicine that was right for them,” Novo Nordisk marketing and patient solutions SVP Ed Cinca said in a press release. “For many of them, that wait is over.” Rivals race to market with a weight-loss pill The two companies that introduced the world to the GLP-1 diabetes and weight-loss drugs semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) in injectionable form have been racing to market with a pill version of their hit drugs. Late last month, Novo Nordisk secured Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval first, beating its rival drugmaker Eli Lilly, which expects its own drug to get the green light in March. The Danish drugmaker was also first to market with the injectable version of its weight-loss drug Wegovy, but it struggled on the production side when a massive wave of demand outstripped supply. That dynamic allowed Eli Lilly to gain ground with its own weight-management drug, Zepbound, and pushed the American drugmaker’s stock to new heights. In November, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly announced a deal with the The President administration to make their upcoming weight-loss pills available for $149 out of pocket. Under the terms of the deal, part of the White House’s wider negotiation on drug prices, both companies will be exempt from tariffs on pharmaceutical products for three years. Beyond Amazon Pharmacy, Novo’s weight-loss pill will also be coming to The PresidentRx, the The President administration’s upcoming portal that will connect consumers with drugmakers to lower prices. “For many years, Americans have paid the highest prices anywhere in the world for prescription drugs—much more than other countries for the exact same product,” The President said in a quote featured on the The PresidentRx placeholder site. “That ends today.” The PresidentRx is expected to launch in early 2026. Dr. Amazon will see you now If you’re confused that Amazon is suddenly a healthcare provider, you’re probably not alone. The company best known for its sprawling online storefront and ubiquitous delivery trucks jumped into the prescription drug business in 2020 when it launched its own online pharmacy, which grew out of a previous acquisition of a company called PillPack. In 2022, Amazon expanded its health ambitions by buying subscription-based primary care and telehealth provider One Medical for $3.9 billion. Last month, the tech giant launched a network of drug-vending kiosks, bringing its signature robotic touch to the pharmacy. The drug vending machines, located in some One Medical offices, are a no-footprint answer to major store closures from longtime drugstore companies like Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS. With widespread patient-initiated telehealth and cheaper weight-loss drugs popping out of vending machines, the future of medicine is, for better or worse, looking a lot more like the future in 2026. View the full article

Home prices are now something Americans can wager on. Polymarket partnered with Parcl to offer prediction markets tied to housing price indices. View the full article

Billionaire’s xAI start-up lacks adequate safeguards, say experts, but many AI models are trained on troubling materialView the full article

Financial clarity is one of the hardest things to achieve when managing a project. Before schedules are finalized or budgets are approved, leaders need to understand how costs, pricing and sales interact. Break even analysis provides that perspective by showing when a project stops consuming value and starts sustaining itself. What Is a Break Even Analysis? A break even analysis is a financial technique used to identify the breakeven point at which total revenue equals total costs. It compares fixed costs and variable costs against sales, price per unit and cost per unit to determine the number of units sold required to avoid a profit loss. By using contribution margin, unit contribution margin and contribution margin ratio, the analysis shows how each sale contributes toward covering costs. Break even analysis is a flexible financial tool that applies far beyond a single use case. Organizations use it across products, services, projects and strategic initiatives to test assumptions, compare options and manage risk. From early planning to ongoing review, it adapts to different industries, cost structures and sales models without losing relevance or clarity for leaders and teams alike. Within project management, break even analysis plays a strategic role in evaluating feasibility and financial risk. It helps project managers assess whether expected sales volume can realistically cover fixed and variable costs, validate pricing assumptions and understand how changes in total revenue affect outcomes. This insight supports better planning, clearer stakeholder discussions and more informed go or no-go decisions. ProjectManager has built-in tools to make a break even analysis simple and stress-free. Our integration with Acumatica provides a two-way connection between project and ERP systems to sync operational and financial data. Our Gantt chart also provides a live look into resource costs, making it easy to see how schedule changes impact your cost projections. Get started with a free 30-day trial. /wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Assign-people-resource-allocation-CTA.pngLearn more Break Even Analysis Formula The break even analysis formula translates cost and pricing data into a clear financial threshold. It shows how many units must be sold for total revenue to fully cover total costs, helping managers understand the relationship between fixed costs, variable costs, sales volume and financial viability before profits appear. Fixed costs: Expenses that remain constant regardless of units sold. Variable costs: Costs that change directly with production or sales volume. Price per unit: The amount charged for each unit sold. Cost per unit: The variable cost associated with producing one unit. Unit contribution margin: Revenue per unit minus variable cost per unit. Break Even Point (Units) = Fixed Costs ÷ (Price per Unit − Cost per Unit) /wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Break-even-analysis-template-featured-image.jpg Get your free Break Even Analysis Template Use this free Break Even Analysis Template to manage your projects better. Get the Template Who Is Responsible for Break Even Analysis? Break even analysis is a shared responsibility that sits between business leadership and project execution. Strategic teams focus on pricing, sales and financial targets, while project management translates those assumptions into cost structures, schedules and delivery constraints. Only by combining both perspectives can organizations produce realistic, decision-ready break even insights. Executive leadership: Sets profitability expectations, approves pricing strategy and uses break even results to decide whether a project aligns with broader business objectives and acceptable financial risk. Finance managers: Calculate fixed costs, variable costs and contribution margin figures, ensuring assumptions are accurate and consistent with accounting standards and historical financial performance. Strategic planning teams: Analyze sales volume scenarios, total revenue targets and margin ratio impacts to assess long-term viability and competitive positioning. Sales leadership: Provides realistic units sold forecasts, validates price per unit assumptions and confirms whether projected sales targets are achievable in current market conditions. Project managers: Translate financial assumptions into project budgets, timelines and resource plans, ensuring delivery constraints align with the breakeven point expectations. Cost estimators: Define cost per unit and variable cost drivers, refining estimates as scope, materials or labor assumptions change during planning. Program or portfolio managers: Compare break even outcomes across multiple projects to prioritize investments and balance financial exposure at an organizational level. Operations managers: Assess whether operational capacity, staffing and processes can support the required sales volume without inflating total costs beyond break even thresholds. When to Conduct a Break Even Analysis Timing matters just as much as accuracy when applying break even analysis. Organizations rely on it at moments where financial commitments increase and uncertainty narrows available options. Whether shaping strategy or refining execution, this analysis helps leaders understand how costs, pricing and sales expectations interact before decisions become difficult or expensive to reverse. Launching a new product or service Evaluating the financial viability of a new project Setting or adjusting pricing strategies Comparing alternative project delivery approaches Assessing the impact of increased fixed costs Analyzing changes in variable costs or cost per unit Planning sales volume targets and revenue goals Deciding whether to scale operations or production Reviewing project performance after scope or cost changes Supporting go/no-go investment decisions Related: 12 Free Business Planning Templates for Excel & Word Why Is a Break Even Analysis Important? Key Benefits Understanding where financial balance is achieved gives organizations a powerful decision-making advantage. Break even analysis helps businesses of all sizes evaluate risk, clarify financial expectations and avoid committing resources blindly. By revealing how costs, pricing and sales interact, it supports smarter planning, more confident investment decisions and stronger alignment between strategy and execution across projects, products and operations. Clarifies financial viability: Shows whether projected sales can realistically cover total costs before profits are expected. Supports informed decision-making: Provides concrete data for go/no-go, pricing and investment choices. Improves cost awareness: Highlights the impact of fixed and variable costs on overall performance. Reduces financial risk: Identifies break points early, helping organizations avoid unprofitable commitments. Aligns strategy and execution: Connects business goals with project-level cost and delivery planning. Enhances forecasting accuracy: Strengthens revenue and sales volume projections with realistic assumptions. How to Do a Break Even Analysis Executing a break even analysis requires more than plugging numbers into a formula. The process combines financial inputs, realistic assumptions and project context to reveal when costs are recovered and decisions shift from risk containment toward sustainable performance over time. 1. Define the Project Scope Start by defining the product or project scope clearly. Identify what is being sold, over what period and under which assumptions, ensuring the analysis reflects a realistic launch, delivery model and operational boundaries rather than abstract financial averages alone, theoretical. 2. Identify Fixed Costs List all fixed costs associated with the project. Include expenses that remain unchanged regardless of sales volume, such as development, salaries, marketing commitments or infrastructure, to establish the baseline financial threshold that must be recovered before any profit can exist. 3. Determine Variable Costs per Unit Determine variable costs on a per-unit basis. Focus on expenses that increase with each unit sold, such as materials, support or transaction fees, so cost per unit accurately reflects the true marginal cost of delivery for each additional sale made. 4. Set the Price per Unit Set a realistic price per unit based on market conditions. Pricing should align with customer expectations, competitive positioning and value perception, as even small price changes can significantly shift contribution margin and the breakeven point across projected sales volumes. 5. Calculate the Unit Contribution Margin Calculate the unit contribution margin using price and variable cost data. This figure shows how much each unit sold contributes toward covering fixed costs and is the foundation for determining the break even point within the defined project financial structure. 6. Calculate the Break Even Point Apply the break even formula to calculate the required sales volume. Dividing fixed costs by the unit contribution margin reveals how many units must be sold before total revenue equals total costs under current assumptions, pricing, costs and demand conditions modeled. 7. Analyze Results and Scenarios Review results and test alternative scenarios. Adjust pricing, costs or sales assumptions to understand sensitivity, identify risk and support informed decisions before committing resources or finalizing the project business case and aligning expectations across stakeholders, strategy, execution timelines and funding. Related: 20 Best Resource Management Software of 2026 (Free & Paid) Break Even Analysis Template Conducting a break even analysis for a business idea or a project can be overwhelming, especially for beginners, which is why we’ve created a free break even analysis template for Excel, which automates the calculations required to implement the break even analysis formula. Simply enter the variables and the Excel formulas will help you calculate the profitability of your initiative. /wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Break-even-analysis-template.png Break Even Analysis Example Company XYZ plans to launch a new subscription-based software feature and must evaluate its financial feasibility before moving forward. To do this, the organization conducts a break even analysis to understand how pricing, costs and sales volume interact. Fixed project costs include development, marketing and onboarding efforts, while variable costs are tied to customer support and platform usage. By calculating the unit contribution margin and identifying the breakeven point, management can estimate how many subscriptions must be sold to cover total costs. This analysis helps decision-makers assess risk, validate assumptions and determine whether demand justifies proceeding with the product launch. Item Description Sample Data Project name New SaaS Feature Launch TaskFlow Pro Price per unit Selling price per subscription 40 Variable cost per unit Support, hosting and payment fees 15 Unit contribution margin Price per unit minus variable cost 25 Fixed project costs Development, marketing, onboarding 50,000 Break even point (units) Units required to cover fixed costs 2,000 Expected units sold Forecasted subscriptions in year one 2,400 Total revenue Price per unit × units sold 96,000 Total variable costs Variable cost × units sold 36,000 Total costs Fixed costs + variable costs 86,000 Profit/loss Total revenue − total costs 10,000 Free Related Business and Project Management Templates We’ve created over 100 free business and project management templates for Excel, Word and Google Sheets. Here are some that can help when conducting a break even analysis. Cost-Benefit Analysis Template This template helps organizations compare expected benefits against associated costs, making it easier to evaluate value, prioritize initiatives and support objective decision-making before committing resources to a project. Feasibility Study Template Use this template to assess technical, financial and operational feasibility, ensuring proposed projects are realistic, aligned with strategic goals and capable of delivering expected outcomes within defined constraints. Cost Breakdown Template This template organizes project costs into clear categories, improving visibility into spending drivers, supporting accurate estimates and helping teams monitor cost performance throughout the project lifecycle. How ProjectManager Helps Deliver Profitable Projects Utilize a combination of ProjectManager’s built-in resource management features to gather data and construct an accurate break even model. Enter your planned expenses and update them with actuals to see how close you are to your expected breakeven point. Integrate with Acumatica to Sync Financial Data ProjectManager’s Acumatica integration is another key way to deliver profitable projects. As the primary use for Acumatica is for finance and accounting teams, executives, department leaders and subcontractors, it’s the ideal platform to oversee customizable budget reports. Use the integration to manage finances, oversee projects with complex schedules, understand resource allocations and more. Watch the video below to learn more. Custom Resource-Driven Reports Stakeholders want to be kept in the loop of how projects are playing out, and custom reports are a great way to do so. In a few clicks, you can produce reports that combine costs, resource usage and cash flow data. To take reporting to the next level, use AI Project Insights to analyze and contextualize your project data. /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/project-status-report-screenshot-2024.png Related Content Project Cost Estimation: How to Estimate Project Cost Cost-Benefit Analysis: A Quick Guide with Examples What Is a Cost Baseline in Project Management? What Is a Feasibility Study? How to Conduct One Feasibility Report in Project Management ProjectManager is award-winning software that helps you plan, manage and track resources in real time. We empower teams on a collaborative platform with task and resource management features to keep everyone working together more productively. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Break Even Analysis in Business & Project Management appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Most people haven't actively managed a firewall in at least a decade, assuming they ever have. But keeping track of which applications are using the internet—and how much data they're using—is still useful at times, as is blocking apps from accessing the net entirely. While you're traveling, for example, internet access might be limited, so it's a good idea to cut off applications that constantly churn through data. But even while at home, it's a good security practice to review which applications are connecting to the internet. And while macOS comes with a firewall, it's not really a useful tool for that. Which is why I like FireWally. This totally free application, offered by the Ukraine-based indie Mac developers Nektony, isn't a tool for power users—it's streamlined and user friendly. Click the menu bar icon and you'll see a list of applications using the internet. You can see a summary of all traffic today, in the past hour, or monitor incoming traffic in real time. Beside every application is its data usage. You can see a breakdown of inbound and outbound traffic for any application by hovering the mouse over it. You can block any application from accessing the internet by toggling the switch. Credit: Justin Pot What if you don't recognize an application? I, traditionally, ended up copying the name of the application and pasting it into a search engine. FireWally tries to save you some time by providing AI-generated summaries of each application using Apple Intelligence (assuming your Mac supports that feature). It's a useful way to quickly remind yourself what a particular application is, or to identify one you don't recognize. It's a very streamlined application, but perfect for anyone hoping to understand a bit more about how much data their various Mac applications are using. Give it a spin if you're looking for a simple firewall application. View the full article

As President The President takes even more steps to pull back on climate action, Bill Gates is emphasizing how governmental policies are crucial to addressing climate change. In his annual year-ahead letter, the billionaire Microsoft cofounder and philanthropist warns that the market alone is not enough to change our climate reality. “Without a large global carbon tax (which is, unfortunately, politically unachievable), market forces do not properly incentivize the creation of technologies to reduce climate-related emissions,” Gates writes. To stop global temperatures from increasing, we need to replace all emissions-emitting activities with affordable alternatives, Gates says. He particularly calls out industrial emissions and aviation as areas that need innovation. And government policies—“in rich countries,” he notes—are crucial to bringing about that innovation “because unless innovations reach scale, the costs won’t come down and we won’t achieve the impact we need.” Climate change is linked to poverty and health Gates’s annual letter comes just a few months after he wrote a blog arguing that the world is too focused on cutting short-term emissions, and that focusing on climate change risks getting in the way of addressing global poverty. That post sparked some backlash from environmental activists and experts who noted that climate and development goals are interconnected. “If you look around the world right now, climate change is directly undermining human development goals, poverty eradication, and health goals,” Rachel Cleetus, senior policy director for the climate and energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told Fast Company back in October. In his annual letter, Gates said: “If we don’t limit climate change, it will join poverty and infectious disease in causing enormous suffering, especially for the world’s poorest people.” Climate change will also worsen both those hardships: Experts have long said that climate change exacerbates disease outbreaks and pandemics, and that it is expected to push up to 132 million people into extreme poverty by 2030. “Investing more than ever to climate work” In his October post, Gates said that “although climate change will hurt poor people more than anyone else,” the biggest problems to poor people are poverty and disease. “Understanding this,” he wrote, “will let us focus our limited resources on interventions that will have the greatest impact for the most vulnerable people. In his year-ahead letter, though, Gates emphasized climate change as a critical area for the world to focus on. He added that he will be “investing and giving more than ever to climate work in the years ahead while also continuing to give more to children’s health.” Some of his investments around climate change will use artificial intelligence. His foundation has committed $1.4 billion to helping farmers adapt to climate extremes, and in his annual letter he says that with AI, “we will soon be able to provide poor farmers with better advice about weather, prices, crop diseases, and soil than even the richest farmers get today.” How The President has devastated climate action The The President administration has taken multiple steps to inhibit America’s climate progress. Most recently, The President pulled the country out of a landmark climate treaty, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The President has also canceled billions in green energy projects, rolled back Biden-era government incentives for clean technologies, and cut hundreds of millions of dollars from climate and renewable energy research. At the same time, The President has rapidly increased the government’s support of greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels, opening new mining leases, loosening coal plant emissions standards, and forcing coal plants that were going to close to keep operating. The President’s actions have devastated multiple climate companies. Even Gates’s own climate actions faced a challenging 2025: In March, Breakthrough Energy, a climate group Gates started 10 years ago, laid off dozens in its U.S. and Europe policy teams. But Gates will continue to “put billions” into climate innovation, he writes—while also focusing on health and education. And all three of those areas, he notes, “can improve rapidly with the right government focus.” View the full article

General Motors will be hit with charges of about $6 billion as sales of electric vehicles sputter after the U.S. cut tax incentives to buy them and also eased auto emissions standards. Shares slid almost 3% Friday. The charges that will be recorded in the fourth quarter follow an announcement in October that the Detroit automaker would take a $1.6 billion charge for the same reason in the previous quarter, with automakers forced to reconsider ambitious plans to convert their fleets to electric power. The EV tax credit ended in September. The clean vehicle tax credit was worth $7,500 for new EVs and up to $4,000 for used ones. GM, which had been the most ambitious among all U.S. automakers with plans to replace internal combustion engines, said in its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission late Thursday that the $6 billion in charges includes non-cash impairments and other non-cash charges of about $1.8 billion as well as supplier commercial settlements, contract cancellation fees, and other charges of approximately $4.2 billion. EVs have been considered to be the future of the US automotive industry. GM announced in 2020 that it was going to invest $27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles over the next five years, a 35% increase over plans made before the pandemic. GM expected more than half of its factories in North America and China would be capable of making electric vehicles by 2030. It also pledged at the time to increase its investment in EV charging networks by nearly $750 million through 2025. Its goal was to make the vast majority of the vehicles electric by 2035, and the entire company carbon neutral five years after that. Those plans have been shaken due to the drastic differences in economic and environmental policies between the Biden and The President administrations. China has become a global leader in electric vehicle technology in recent years, with factories there churning out millions of cars and laying the groundwork for a massive charging network for vehicles. Earlier this month, Tesla was dethroned as the world’s largest EV automaker, replaced by China’s BYD, which produced 2.26 million electric vehicles last year. —Michelle Chapman, AP business writer View the full article

On episode 336 of PPC Live The Podcast, I speak to Anthony Higman, CEO of AdSquire. Anthony’s career journey is a full-circle story: from starting in a law firm mailroom to running his own company with views over Philadelphia. His experiences demonstrate how hard work, learning from mistakes, and perseverance can shape a successful career. Learning from Client Missteps Anthony shares one of his first “F-ups” with clients who forwarded him countless emails promising quick wins. While some were scams, others were legitimate opportunities misaligned with the client’s strategy. At one point, Anthony let a client pursue an SEO agency despite knowing they were unlikely to deliver results. This decision backfired: the client’s results suffered, and they eventually cycled through multiple agencies. The key takeaway: establishing trust with clients is crucial, but it’s equally important to guide them strategically, balancing education with autonomy. A Career Lesson from “Cowboy Moves” Anthony recounts another F-up from earlier in his career when he worked at a large advertising agency handling car dealership accounts. Discovering widespread mismanagement, he independently fixed accounts, dramatically improving results. However, his initiative conflicted with the company’s expectations, and he was let go. This experience reinforced two lessons: first, know your values and work where they align with the organization. Second, balancing client success with company expectations is vital. His approach at AdSquire now ensures consistent account management and clear communication across the team. Managing Client Expectations in a Complex Industry Anthony emphasizes the difficulty of managing clients in competitive sectors like legal marketing. Clients often want SEO, social media, and other services beyond PPC. While diversification can be tempting for agencies, focusing on your core expertise ensures better results and avoids dilution of effort. Balancing client needs and strategic guidance is key to long-term success. The Role of Mistakes in Growth Anthony believes mistakes are essential for growth. At AdSquire, he encourages team members to learn from errors without fear of job loss, provided honesty and alignment are maintained. This philosophy fosters learning, accountability, and innovation within the team. Common Mistakes in Modern Paid Search With the rise of AI in Google Ads, Anthony observes recurring errors, such as misconfigured search partner and location settings, automated assets, and auto-apply recommendations. While AI can streamline campaigns, improper use can undermine performance. He stresses that strategic oversight remains critical despite automation. Key Takeaways from Anthony’s Stories Two main lessons emerge from Anthony’s experiences: Protect clients strategically. Guide them away from scams and poor decisions while providing growth opportunities. Understand your own values and work where your skills and ethics align. Don’t settle for roles or environments that compromise your principles. Anthony’s philosophy demonstrates that mistakes do not define failure—they can lead to redemption, innovation, and long-term success. Looking Ahead: AI and the Future of Google Ads Anthony predicts that AI integration in Google Ads will continue expanding in 2026. While some tools may be inefficient or misaligned, he believes strategic oversight and a human touch remain essential. Misuse of AI, such as automated video inventory generation, can produce mixed results and requires careful monitoring. Conclusion: F-Ups Lead to Redemption Reflecting on his career, Anthony likens his journey to The Shawshank Redemption. Every F-up contributed to the next opportunity, eventually allowing him to build AdSquire and become a top PPC influencer. The overarching lesson: embrace mistakes, learn from them, and use them as stepping stones toward success. View the full article

Advertisers can now compare two sets of assets while keeping “common assets” consistent across both versions. Tests can be set up from the Experiments page under the Assets sub-menu, allowing marketers to see which creative combinations perform best. Google previously launched a similar experiment type for retail campaigns last year, and this expands the capability to all Performance Max campaigns. Why we care. Performance Max campaigns rely heavily on automation, which has historically made testing specific creative assets tricky. This new feature gives advertisers more control over asset-level performance insights without disrupting the overall campaign. The big picture. Tests will likely need to run at least four weeks to account for P-Max’s learning phase and ad delivery stabilization, meaning results won’t be instantaneous. But once complete, advertisers could make more informed decisions about which images, headlines, and videos drive results. Between the lines. Asset-level A/B testing could become a key lever for improving Performance Max ROI, especially for advertisers managing multiple creatives and asset formats. First seen. This update was first spotted by web marketer Dario Zannoni which he shared on LinkedIn. The bottom line. While still in Beta, this experiment type promises a new level of transparency and control over automated campaigns — and could change how marketers approach asset strategy in Performance Max. Dig deeper. About Performance Max optimization experiments: A/B testing assets (Beta) View the full article

When crafting vital client feedback survey questions, it’s important to focus on key metrics like Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), and Customer Effort Score (CES). These metrics help you gauge overall satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. Furthermore, open-ended questions can provide deeper insights. Tailoring your questions to different client segments guarantees relevance. Comprehending the best practices for formulating these questions can improve your feedback process considerably. What strategies can you implement to maximize client responses? Key Takeaways Ask about overall satisfaction using a CSAT question, rating from 1 to 5, to gauge customer experiences effectively. Include an NPS question to measure the likelihood of clients recommending your services or products to others. Use a CES question to assess how easy it was for clients to resolve issues or complete tasks on a scale from 1 to 10. Incorporate open-ended questions to gather detailed feedback on specific experiences, suggestions for improvement, and any pain points faced. Tailor questions based on client segments, ensuring relevance and clarity for different demographics and purchase behaviors. Understanding Client Feedback Surveys Grasping client feedback surveys is vital for any business looking to improve its offerings and customer relationships. These structured tools gather insights about customer experiences, allowing you to comprehend satisfaction levels effectively. Client feedback survey questions typically include both quantitative and qualitative elements, such as rating scales and open-ended responses. This combination helps capture thorough feedback. Key metrics like Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), and Customer Effort Score (CES) are assessed to gauge overall satisfaction and loyalty. By focusing on specific touchpoints in the customer experience, you can identify strengths and areas needing improvement. Furthermore, tailoring product feedback questions to your industry boosts the relevance of responses, ensuring the feedback collected is actionable for strategic decision-making. Recognizing these elements will empower you to create effective surveys that drive improvement in your business offerings. Importance of Client Feedback Comprehending the importance of client feedback is vital for any business that wants to thrive in today’s competitive environment. Client feedback helps you understand customer needs, reveal pain points, and identify areas for improvement in your products and services. By regularly collecting feedback, you cultivate loyalty and trust, as clients appreciate that their opinions matter in your business decisions. Implementing changes based on client feedback can improve customer satisfaction and retention, contributing to long-term success. Furthermore, feedback surveys can uncover blind spots in your service delivery that may not be immediately visible, guiding necessary strategic adjustments. Utilizing client feedback promotes a culture of continuous improvement, which is fundamental for remaining competitive. Key Metrics in Client Feedback Gathering client feedback isn’t just about hearing what your customers have to say; it’s likewise about measuring how well your business meets their expectations. Key metrics help you quantify this feedback. The Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) gauges satisfaction with specific interactions, typically rated on a scale from 1 to 5. The Net Promoter Score® (NPS) assesses clients’ likelihood to recommend your service or product, using a 1 to 10 scale that distinguishes promoters from detractors. The Customer Effort Score (CES) measures how easy it was for clients to resolve issues or complete tasks, often rated on a 1 to 10 scale, highlighting potential friction points. Moreover, demographic questions allow you to segment feedback by age, location, and company size, enabling customized strategies. Quantitative feedback questions, such as rating scales and multiple-choice formats, facilitate statistical analysis of sentiments and reveal trends over time, providing valuable insights for improvement. General Client Feedback Questions How well do you truly understand your clients’ experiences? General client feedback questions are crucial for measuring overall satisfaction and gathering insights about specific interactions with your products or services. You might consider inquiries about the ease of use, quality of service, and the likelihood of clients recommending your company to others. Effective feedback can be gathered by asking respondents to rate their satisfaction on a scale, such as 1 to 10 or a Likert scale. Moreover, open-ended questions are valuable, enabling clients to express detailed opinions and suggestions for improvement. This feedback can lead to actionable insights that help refine your offerings. By regularly incorporating general client feedback questions into your surveys, you promote a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring your business aligns closely with customer needs. This approach not only improves service quality but also bolsters client relationships in the long run. Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) Questions When you’re measuring customer satisfaction, the Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) is a key metric that helps you understand how well you’re meeting client expectations. Effective question formats can guide you in gathering useful feedback, whereas analyzing response trends over time reveals valuable insights into customer sentiment. Key Metrics for Measurement Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) questions serve as a crucial tool for businesses aiming to assess customer contentment with specific interactions. Typically, these questions use a rating scale from 1 to 5, allowing you to quantify satisfaction levels effectively. You calculate CSAT by dividing the number of positive responses (ratings of 4 and 5) by the total number of responses and expressing it as a percentage. Rating Scale Meaning Example Question 1 Very Dissatisfied How satisfied were you with our service? 3 Neutral Would you recommend us to others? 5 Very Satisfied How likely are you to use us again? Tracking CSAT over time helps you identify trends and improvements in customer experience. Effective Question Formats What makes an effective Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) question? A well-structured CSAT question asks respondents to rate their satisfaction with a specific interaction or service experience, typically using a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very dissatisfied” and 5 indicates “very satisfied.” For instance, a common CSAT question is, “How satisfied were you with the support received?” This format allows businesses to quantify customer sentiment, making it easier to identify areas for improvement. To calculate CSAT scores, divide the number of positive responses (ratings of 4 and 5) by the total number of responses, resulting in a percentage. Regular measurement of CSAT helps track customer satisfaction changes and assess service quality impacts over time. Analyzing Response Trends Analyzing trends in Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) responses reveals crucial information about how customers perceive your services over time. CSAT questions typically ask respondents to rate their satisfaction on a scale from 1 to 5. Tracking these scores can highlight areas for improvement or decline in service quality. Here’s a sample table to illustrate how you might track CSAT responses over time: Month CSAT Score (%) January 85 February 80 March 90 April 75 May 88 Net Promoter Score (NPS) Questions How can a simple question reveal your customers’ loyalty? The Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures this loyalty by asking, “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our company/product/service to a friend or colleague?” This question categorizes respondents into three groups: Promoters (9-10): Loyal customers who are likely to recommend you. Passives (7-8): Satisfied but unenthusiastic customers. Detractors (0-6): Unhappy customers who may harm your brand. To calculate your NPS, subtract the percentage of Detractors from Promoters, yielding a score from -100 to +100. A high NPS often links to better customer retention, engagement, and revenue growth. Regularly tracking your NPS helps identify trends over time and measure the impact of changes in customer experience or product offerings, making it a crucial tool for evaluating customer sentiment effectively. Customer Effort Score (CES) Questions When businesses aim to improve customer experience, comprehending the Customer Effort Score (CES) becomes essential. This metric measures how easy it’s for you to complete tasks or resolve issues with a company, typically using a scale from 1 to 10. A higher CES indicates that you’ve faced less effort, which often correlates with increased satisfaction and loyalty. Effective CES questions might include, “How easy was it to resolve your issue today?” or “How simple was the process of finding information?” By focusing on these questions, businesses can pinpoint friction points in the customer experience, allowing them to make targeted improvements. Tracking CES over time helps organizations monitor the impact of changes aimed at reducing customer effort and enhancing service efficiency. In doing so, they can guarantee a smoother experience for you and other customers, ultimately leading to better retention and higher satisfaction rates. Open-Ended Questions for Detailed Insights During comprehension of metrics like the Customer Effort Score (CES) provides valuable insights into the ease of customer interactions. Open-ended questions offer a different dimension of feedback that can greatly enrich the data collected. These questions allow you to capture detailed insights into customer experiences and sentiments, revealing information that closed questions may overlook. Consider using open-ended questions such as: What do you like most about our product? What challenges have you faced during using our service? How can we improve your experience with us? What features would you like to see in the future? Can you describe a memorable interaction you’ve had with our team? Analyzing the responses can uncover specific pain points and suggestions for improvement, enabling you to address customer concerns more effectively. Even though they require more effort from respondents, these questions greatly improve the richness of the feedback collected, leading to more actionable insights. Tailoring Questions for Different Client Segments When you’re tailoring survey questions for different client segments, it’s essential to take into account their specific needs and preferences. For instance, B2B clients may value performance metrics like service quality and professionalism, whereas B2C clients might focus on communication preferences and overall customer satisfaction. Segment-Specific Needs Tailoring survey questions for different client segments is crucial, as it guarantees that the feedback you gather isn’t just relevant but likewise actionable. By addressing specific needs and expectations, you can better understand your clients’ perspectives. Consider the following approaches: For B2B clients, focus on service quality, professionalism, and timeliness. For B2C surveys, emphasize product usability, service responsiveness, and overall satisfaction. Segment questions by demographics, such as age or purchase behavior. Use skip logic to direct clients to relevant questions based on their segment. Keep your language clear and straightforward to guarantee all clients can easily understand and respond. Communication Preferences Comprehending client communication preferences can greatly increase engagement and improve feedback response rates. By segmenting clients based on demographics, industry, and past interactions, you can tailor your approach and achieve a 15% boost in satisfaction scores. Utilizing various communication channels—such as email, phone, and social media—ensures that 70% of clients receive information in their preferred format. Moreover, asking specific questions about preferred contact times and frequency helps you establish a rhythm that aligns with client expectations, reducing perceived communication overload by 25%. Regularly updating and reassessing these preferences keeps you aligned with client needs, nurturing sustained loyalty and retention over time. Tailoring your communication strategy is crucial for effective engagement and improving relationship building. Performance Metrics Comprehending how to effectively measure performance metrics is essential for gathering insightful feedback from different client segments. Tailoring your questions guarantees that the feedback is relevant and actionable. Here are key considerations: Focus on timeliness of service delivery for B2B clients. Prioritize overall customer experience for B2C clients. Use specific rating scales (e.g., 1 to 5 or 1 to 10) for clear comparisons. Address segment-specific concerns, like budget constraints for small businesses. Implement skip logic in surveys to improve response rates. Best Practices for Crafting Client Feedback Questions How can you guarantee that your client feedback survey yields the most useful insights? Start by clearly defining the survey’s objective. This guarantees that all questions align with your goals and provide actionable insights for improvement. Use neutral language to avoid bias; for instance, ask, “How satisfied are you with our service?” instead of leading questions. Focus on simplicity and clarity in your question design to prevent confusion, which helps keep respondents engaged. Incorporate a mix of question types, such as rating scales and open-ended questions, to gather both quantitative and qualitative data that reveals deeper insights into client experiences. Finally, avoid unnecessary or off-topic questions to maintain a concise and relevant survey. Doing so will help you achieve higher completion rates and obtain valuable feedback that truly reflects your clients’ opinions and experiences. Frequently Asked Questions What Questions Should I Ask in a Feedback Survey? When designing a feedback survey, ask questions that gauge customer satisfaction, such as “How satisfied are you with our product?” Include Likert scale questions like “On a scale of 1 to 5, how likely are you to recommend us?” to measure loyalty. Open-ended questions, such as “What challenges did you face?” can reveal specific issues. Furthermore, inquire about your customer service responsiveness to assess support effectiveness and include demographic questions for better audience segmentation. What Are 5 Good Survey Questions? To create an effective survey, consider these five questions: First, ask, “How satisfied are you with our service on a scale of 1 to 5?” This quantifies satisfaction. Second, include an open-ended question like, “What improvements would improve your experience?” Third, use multiple-choice options such as, “Which features do you use most?” Fourth, ask for a Net Promoter Score by saying, “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us?” Finally, inquire about specific needs. What Questions Should I Ask in a Customer Satisfaction Survey? When crafting a customer satisfaction survey, consider asking about overall experience, such as “How would you rate your overall experience with our product or service?” It’s beneficial to inquire about specific interactions, like “How responsive were our customer service representatives?” To assess loyalty, ask, “How likely are you to recommend us?” Include open-ended questions for qualitative feedback, and utilize rating scales for metrics, ensuring thorough insights into customer sentiments and areas for improvement. What Is a 1 to 10 Survey Question Example? A 1 to 10 survey question example could be, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with our service?” This question allows you to gauge customer satisfaction more precisely. By using this scale, you encourage respondents to express varying levels of satisfaction rather than just a simple yes or no. Analyzing these responses helps identify trends and areas for improvement, ultimately improving the overall customer experience. Conclusion In summary, effective client feedback surveys are essential for grasping customer experiences and driving improvement. By focusing on key metrics like CSAT, NPS, and CES, you can gather valuable insights. Incorporating general, specific, and open-ended questions allows for an all-encompassing view of client satisfaction. Tailoring your questions to different segments guarantees relevance and clarity. Following best practices in crafting these questions will help you obtain honest feedback, eventually enhancing your services and nurturing stronger client relationships. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Essential Client Feedback Survey Questions to Ask" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When crafting vital client feedback survey questions, it’s important to focus on key metrics like Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), and Customer Effort Score (CES). These metrics help you gauge overall satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. Furthermore, open-ended questions can provide deeper insights. Tailoring your questions to different client segments guarantees relevance. Comprehending the best practices for formulating these questions can improve your feedback process considerably. What strategies can you implement to maximize client responses? Key Takeaways Ask about overall satisfaction using a CSAT question, rating from 1 to 5, to gauge customer experiences effectively. Include an NPS question to measure the likelihood of clients recommending your services or products to others. Use a CES question to assess how easy it was for clients to resolve issues or complete tasks on a scale from 1 to 10. Incorporate open-ended questions to gather detailed feedback on specific experiences, suggestions for improvement, and any pain points faced. Tailor questions based on client segments, ensuring relevance and clarity for different demographics and purchase behaviors. Understanding Client Feedback Surveys Grasping client feedback surveys is vital for any business looking to improve its offerings and customer relationships. These structured tools gather insights about customer experiences, allowing you to comprehend satisfaction levels effectively. Client feedback survey questions typically include both quantitative and qualitative elements, such as rating scales and open-ended responses. This combination helps capture thorough feedback. Key metrics like Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), and Customer Effort Score (CES) are assessed to gauge overall satisfaction and loyalty. By focusing on specific touchpoints in the customer experience, you can identify strengths and areas needing improvement. Furthermore, tailoring product feedback questions to your industry boosts the relevance of responses, ensuring the feedback collected is actionable for strategic decision-making. Recognizing these elements will empower you to create effective surveys that drive improvement in your business offerings. Importance of Client Feedback Comprehending the importance of client feedback is vital for any business that wants to thrive in today’s competitive environment. Client feedback helps you understand customer needs, reveal pain points, and identify areas for improvement in your products and services. By regularly collecting feedback, you cultivate loyalty and trust, as clients appreciate that their opinions matter in your business decisions. Implementing changes based on client feedback can improve customer satisfaction and retention, contributing to long-term success. Furthermore, feedback surveys can uncover blind spots in your service delivery that may not be immediately visible, guiding necessary strategic adjustments. Utilizing client feedback promotes a culture of continuous improvement, which is fundamental for remaining competitive. Key Metrics in Client Feedback Gathering client feedback isn’t just about hearing what your customers have to say; it’s likewise about measuring how well your business meets their expectations. Key metrics help you quantify this feedback. The Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) gauges satisfaction with specific interactions, typically rated on a scale from 1 to 5. The Net Promoter Score® (NPS) assesses clients’ likelihood to recommend your service or product, using a 1 to 10 scale that distinguishes promoters from detractors. The Customer Effort Score (CES) measures how easy it was for clients to resolve issues or complete tasks, often rated on a 1 to 10 scale, highlighting potential friction points. Moreover, demographic questions allow you to segment feedback by age, location, and company size, enabling customized strategies. Quantitative feedback questions, such as rating scales and multiple-choice formats, facilitate statistical analysis of sentiments and reveal trends over time, providing valuable insights for improvement. General Client Feedback Questions How well do you truly understand your clients’ experiences? General client feedback questions are crucial for measuring overall satisfaction and gathering insights about specific interactions with your products or services. You might consider inquiries about the ease of use, quality of service, and the likelihood of clients recommending your company to others. Effective feedback can be gathered by asking respondents to rate their satisfaction on a scale, such as 1 to 10 or a Likert scale. Moreover, open-ended questions are valuable, enabling clients to express detailed opinions and suggestions for improvement. This feedback can lead to actionable insights that help refine your offerings. By regularly incorporating general client feedback questions into your surveys, you promote a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring your business aligns closely with customer needs. This approach not only improves service quality but also bolsters client relationships in the long run. Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) Questions When you’re measuring customer satisfaction, the Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) is a key metric that helps you understand how well you’re meeting client expectations. Effective question formats can guide you in gathering useful feedback, whereas analyzing response trends over time reveals valuable insights into customer sentiment. Key Metrics for Measurement Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) questions serve as a crucial tool for businesses aiming to assess customer contentment with specific interactions. Typically, these questions use a rating scale from 1 to 5, allowing you to quantify satisfaction levels effectively. You calculate CSAT by dividing the number of positive responses (ratings of 4 and 5) by the total number of responses and expressing it as a percentage. Rating Scale Meaning Example Question 1 Very Dissatisfied How satisfied were you with our service? 3 Neutral Would you recommend us to others? 5 Very Satisfied How likely are you to use us again? Tracking CSAT over time helps you identify trends and improvements in customer experience. Effective Question Formats What makes an effective Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) question? A well-structured CSAT question asks respondents to rate their satisfaction with a specific interaction or service experience, typically using a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 means “very dissatisfied” and 5 indicates “very satisfied.” For instance, a common CSAT question is, “How satisfied were you with the support received?” This format allows businesses to quantify customer sentiment, making it easier to identify areas for improvement. To calculate CSAT scores, divide the number of positive responses (ratings of 4 and 5) by the total number of responses, resulting in a percentage. Regular measurement of CSAT helps track customer satisfaction changes and assess service quality impacts over time. Analyzing Response Trends Analyzing trends in Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) responses reveals crucial information about how customers perceive your services over time. CSAT questions typically ask respondents to rate their satisfaction on a scale from 1 to 5. Tracking these scores can highlight areas for improvement or decline in service quality. Here’s a sample table to illustrate how you might track CSAT responses over time: Month CSAT Score (%) January 85 February 80 March 90 April 75 May 88 Net Promoter Score (NPS) Questions How can a simple question reveal your customers’ loyalty? The Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures this loyalty by asking, “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our company/product/service to a friend or colleague?” This question categorizes respondents into three groups: Promoters (9-10): Loyal customers who are likely to recommend you. Passives (7-8): Satisfied but unenthusiastic customers. Detractors (0-6): Unhappy customers who may harm your brand. To calculate your NPS, subtract the percentage of Detractors from Promoters, yielding a score from -100 to +100. A high NPS often links to better customer retention, engagement, and revenue growth. Regularly tracking your NPS helps identify trends over time and measure the impact of changes in customer experience or product offerings, making it a crucial tool for evaluating customer sentiment effectively. Customer Effort Score (CES) Questions When businesses aim to improve customer experience, comprehending the Customer Effort Score (CES) becomes essential. This metric measures how easy it’s for you to complete tasks or resolve issues with a company, typically using a scale from 1 to 10. A higher CES indicates that you’ve faced less effort, which often correlates with increased satisfaction and loyalty. Effective CES questions might include, “How easy was it to resolve your issue today?” or “How simple was the process of finding information?” By focusing on these questions, businesses can pinpoint friction points in the customer experience, allowing them to make targeted improvements. Tracking CES over time helps organizations monitor the impact of changes aimed at reducing customer effort and enhancing service efficiency. In doing so, they can guarantee a smoother experience for you and other customers, ultimately leading to better retention and higher satisfaction rates. Open-Ended Questions for Detailed Insights During comprehension of metrics like the Customer Effort Score (CES) provides valuable insights into the ease of customer interactions. Open-ended questions offer a different dimension of feedback that can greatly enrich the data collected. These questions allow you to capture detailed insights into customer experiences and sentiments, revealing information that closed questions may overlook. Consider using open-ended questions such as: What do you like most about our product? What challenges have you faced during using our service? How can we improve your experience with us? What features would you like to see in the future? Can you describe a memorable interaction you’ve had with our team? Analyzing the responses can uncover specific pain points and suggestions for improvement, enabling you to address customer concerns more effectively. Even though they require more effort from respondents, these questions greatly improve the richness of the feedback collected, leading to more actionable insights. Tailoring Questions for Different Client Segments When you’re tailoring survey questions for different client segments, it’s essential to take into account their specific needs and preferences. For instance, B2B clients may value performance metrics like service quality and professionalism, whereas B2C clients might focus on communication preferences and overall customer satisfaction. Segment-Specific Needs Tailoring survey questions for different client segments is crucial, as it guarantees that the feedback you gather isn’t just relevant but likewise actionable. By addressing specific needs and expectations, you can better understand your clients’ perspectives. Consider the following approaches: For B2B clients, focus on service quality, professionalism, and timeliness. For B2C surveys, emphasize product usability, service responsiveness, and overall satisfaction. Segment questions by demographics, such as age or purchase behavior. Use skip logic to direct clients to relevant questions based on their segment. Keep your language clear and straightforward to guarantee all clients can easily understand and respond. Communication Preferences Comprehending client communication preferences can greatly increase engagement and improve feedback response rates. By segmenting clients based on demographics, industry, and past interactions, you can tailor your approach and achieve a 15% boost in satisfaction scores. Utilizing various communication channels—such as email, phone, and social media—ensures that 70% of clients receive information in their preferred format. Moreover, asking specific questions about preferred contact times and frequency helps you establish a rhythm that aligns with client expectations, reducing perceived communication overload by 25%. Regularly updating and reassessing these preferences keeps you aligned with client needs, nurturing sustained loyalty and retention over time. Tailoring your communication strategy is crucial for effective engagement and improving relationship building. Performance Metrics Comprehending how to effectively measure performance metrics is essential for gathering insightful feedback from different client segments. Tailoring your questions guarantees that the feedback is relevant and actionable. Here are key considerations: Focus on timeliness of service delivery for B2B clients. Prioritize overall customer experience for B2C clients. Use specific rating scales (e.g., 1 to 5 or 1 to 10) for clear comparisons. Address segment-specific concerns, like budget constraints for small businesses. Implement skip logic in surveys to improve response rates. Best Practices for Crafting Client Feedback Questions How can you guarantee that your client feedback survey yields the most useful insights? Start by clearly defining the survey’s objective. This guarantees that all questions align with your goals and provide actionable insights for improvement. Use neutral language to avoid bias; for instance, ask, “How satisfied are you with our service?” instead of leading questions. Focus on simplicity and clarity in your question design to prevent confusion, which helps keep respondents engaged. Incorporate a mix of question types, such as rating scales and open-ended questions, to gather both quantitative and qualitative data that reveals deeper insights into client experiences. Finally, avoid unnecessary or off-topic questions to maintain a concise and relevant survey. Doing so will help you achieve higher completion rates and obtain valuable feedback that truly reflects your clients’ opinions and experiences. Frequently Asked Questions What Questions Should I Ask in a Feedback Survey? When designing a feedback survey, ask questions that gauge customer satisfaction, such as “How satisfied are you with our product?” Include Likert scale questions like “On a scale of 1 to 5, how likely are you to recommend us?” to measure loyalty. Open-ended questions, such as “What challenges did you face?” can reveal specific issues. Furthermore, inquire about your customer service responsiveness to assess support effectiveness and include demographic questions for better audience segmentation. What Are 5 Good Survey Questions? To create an effective survey, consider these five questions: First, ask, “How satisfied are you with our service on a scale of 1 to 5?” This quantifies satisfaction. Second, include an open-ended question like, “What improvements would improve your experience?” Third, use multiple-choice options such as, “Which features do you use most?” Fourth, ask for a Net Promoter Score by saying, “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us?” Finally, inquire about specific needs. What Questions Should I Ask in a Customer Satisfaction Survey? When crafting a customer satisfaction survey, consider asking about overall experience, such as “How would you rate your overall experience with our product or service?” It’s beneficial to inquire about specific interactions, like “How responsive were our customer service representatives?” To assess loyalty, ask, “How likely are you to recommend us?” Include open-ended questions for qualitative feedback, and utilize rating scales for metrics, ensuring thorough insights into customer sentiments and areas for improvement. What Is a 1 to 10 Survey Question Example? A 1 to 10 survey question example could be, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with our service?” This question allows you to gauge customer satisfaction more precisely. By using this scale, you encourage respondents to express varying levels of satisfaction rather than just a simple yes or no. Analyzing these responses helps identify trends and areas for improvement, ultimately improving the overall customer experience. Conclusion In summary, effective client feedback surveys are essential for grasping customer experiences and driving improvement. By focusing on key metrics like CSAT, NPS, and CES, you can gather valuable insights. Incorporating general, specific, and open-ended questions allows for an all-encompassing view of client satisfaction. Tailoring your questions to different segments guarantees relevance and clarity. Following best practices in crafting these questions will help you obtain honest feedback, eventually enhancing your services and nurturing stronger client relationships. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Essential Client Feedback Survey Questions to Ask" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Any new phone almost certainly comes with a handful of preinstalled apps you'll never use, regardless of which manufacturer you buy from or which operating system you're on. Some devices are more bloated than others: Google Pixels have a relatively "clean" build compared to Samsung phones, for example, and don't typically come with third-party apps and games. But you may still want to eliminate apps and features that clutter your home screen, take up valuable space, and create a drag on performance, especially if you have alternatives you like more. On Android, that likely means uninstalling what you easily can and disabling everything else. What you can (and can't) uninstall on AndroidUnfortunately, many preinstalled first-party apps can't be easily removed. This varies by manufacturer and device—for example, Pixel users can uninstall Google Play Games and Books but are stuck with Chrome, Drive, Maps, and Calculator. As HowToGeek points out, you can delete other pre-selected Google apps added during initial setup, such as the Pixel Watch app and NotebookLM. On Samsung Galaxy phones, again, some preinstalled bloatware is locked in, but ZDNET calls out five native apps that most users should delete right away: Global Goals, Samsung Free, Samsung TV Plus, Samsung Shop, and Samsung Kids. To uninstall an app on your Pixel, go to the Google Play Store and tap the Profile icon. Tap Manage apps & devices > Manage, select the app you want to remove, and tap Uninstall. On Samsung, go to Settings > Apps, tap the app name, and tap Uninstall > OK. You can also touch and hold the app icon on your home screen and tap or drag to uninstall. If you're absolutely set on removing preinstalled apps that can't be deleted using the above steps, you can use the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), but these methods are more advanced. How to disable preinstalled appsBuilt-in apps that aren't in use can be disabled, which hides the icon from your app drawer. They'll still take up space, but at least they'll be out of sight. Most preinstalled apps can be disabled if you don't need them, with the exception of critical system apps. On your Pixel, go to Settings > Apps > See all apps to select individual apps, and tap Disable at the top of the screen. You can hide preinstalled Samsung apps from your home screen settings: tap Hide apps and tap the icon of the apps you want to disable, the press Done. View the full article

Sluggish December hiring concluded a year of weak employment gains that have frustrated job seekers even though layoffs and unemployment remained low. Employers added just 50,000 jobs last month, nearly unchanged from a downwardly revised figure of 56,000 in November, the Labor Department said Friday. The unemployment rate slipped to 4.4%, its first decline since June, from 4.5% in November, a figure also revised lower. The data suggests a reluctance by businesses to add workers even as economic growth has picked up. Many companies hired aggressively after the pandemic and no longer need to fill more jobs. Others have held back due to widespread uncertainty caused by President Donald The President’s shifting tariff policies, elevated inflation, and the spread of artificial intelligence, which could alter or even replace some jobs. Still, economists were encouraged by the lower unemployment rate, which had risen in the previous four straight reports. Weakening employment raised alarms at the Federal Reserve, which cut its key interest rate three times last year. “The labor market looks to have stabilized, but at a slower pace of employment growth,” Blerina Uruci, chief economist at T. Rowe Price, said. “There is no urgency for the Fed to cut rates further, for now.” Some Federal Reserve officials are concerned that inflation hasn’t improved since 2024 and remains above their target of 2% annual growth. They support keeping rates where they are to combat inflation. Others, however, have grown worried that hiring has nearly ground to a halt and have supported lowering borrowing costs to spur spending and growth. November’s job gain was revised slightly lower, from 64,000 to 56,000, while October’s now shows a much steeper drop, with a loss of 173,000 positions, down from previous estimates of a 105,000 decline. The government revises the jobs figures as it receives more survey responses from businesses. Nearly all the jobs added in December were in the health care and restaurant and hotel industries. Health care added 38,500 jobs, while restaurants and hotels gained 47,000. Governments — mostly at the state and local level — added 13,000. Manufacturing, construction and retail companies all shed jobs. Retailers cut 25,000 positions, a sign that holiday hiring has been weaker than previous years. Manufacturers have shed jobs every month since April, when The President announced sweeping tariffs intended to boost manufacturing. Wall Street and Washington are looking closely at Friday’s report as it’s the first clean reading on the labor market in three months. The government didn’t issue a report in October because of the six-week government shutdown, and November’s data was distorted by the closure, which lasted until Nov. 12. Job gains have been subdued all year, particularly after April’s “liberation day” tariff announcement by The President. The economy gained just 584,000 jobs in 2025, sharply lower than that more than 2 million added in 2024. It’s the smallest annual gain since the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the job market in 2020. Outside of recessions, it’s the smallest annual increase since 2003. Still, The President boasted on social media late Thursday that since January, all the new jobs have been in the private sector, while government jobs have declined. Yet his figures included December’s jobs numbers as well as revisions to previous months, which the White House receives Thursday afternoon, before the figures are publicly released. The President’s post on Truth Social said that 654,000 jobs were added by businesses since January, while government jobs declined 181,000, so it wouldn’t have been immediately clear that the post had new information from December. But new jobs data are generally closely guarded since they can move financial markets. The hiring slowdown reflects more than just a reluctance by companies to add jobs. With an aging population and a sharp drop in immigration, the economy doesn’t need to create as many jobs as it has in the past to keep the unemployment rate steady. As a result, a gain of 50,000 jobs is not as clear a sign of weakness as it would have been in previous years. And layoffs are still low, a sign firms aren’t rapidly cutting jobs, as typically happens in a recession. The “low-hire, low-fire” job market does mean workers have some job security, though it’s become harder to find new work. Ernesto Castro, 44, has applied for hundreds of jobs since leaving his last in May. Yet the Los Angeles resident has had just three initial interviews, and only one follow-up, after which he heard nothing. With nearly a decade of experience providing customer support for software companies, Castro expected to find a new job pretty quickly as in the past. “It’s been awful,” he said. He worries that more companies are turning to artificial intelligence to help clients learn to use new software. He hears ads from tech companies that urge companies to slash workers like him in favor of AI. His contacts in the industry say that employees are increasingly reluctant to switch jobs amid all the uncertainty, which means fewer open jobs for others. He is now looking into starting his own software company, and is also exploring project management roles. Subdued hiring underscores a key conundrum surrounding the economy as it enters 2026: Growth has picked up to healthy levels, yet hiring has weakened noticeably. Most economists expect hiring will accelerate this year amid solid growth, and The President’s tax cut legislation is expected to produce large tax refunds this spring. Yet economists acknowledge there are other possibilities: Weak job gains could drag down future growth. Or the economy could keep expanding at a healthy clip, while automation and the spread of artificial intelligence reduces the need for more jobs. Productivity, or output per hour worked, a measure of worker efficiency, has improved in the past three years and jumped nearly 5% in the July-September quarter. That means companies can produce more without adding jobs. Over time, it should also boost worker pay. Even with such sluggish job gains, the economy has continued to expand, with growth reaching a 4.3% annual rate in last year’s July-September quarter, the best in two years. Strong consumer spending helped drive the gain. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta forecasts that growth could slow to a still-solid 2.7% in the final three months of last year. —Christopher Rugaber, AP economics writer View the full article

Google shows AI Overviews in Search largely based on whether users engage with them — and removes them when they don’t. That’s according to Robby Stein, Google’s VP of product for Search. In a CNN interview, Stein explained how Google tunes AI-driven results as it expands ads, personalization, and visual search across its experiences. Engagement drives AI Overviews. Google tests AI Overviews on specific query types and keeps them only if users find them useful. If users don’t click, interact, or show value, the overview disappears. The system then applies that learning to similar queries, Stein said: “The system will learn — so it’ll try it — and then see if people engage with it for certain kinds of questions… “What happens is the system will learn that if it tried to do an AI Overview, no one really clicked on it or engaged with it or valued it. We have lots of metrics. We look at that. And then it won’t show up. And then the system kind of generalizes that over time. And what you see at Google is a reflection of our best understanding of what’s most helpful for a user for a given question.” Why we care. Much of the SEO conversation focuses on appearing in AI Overviews. Google is making it clear that those placements depend on user engagement. If searchers don’t interact with AI Overviews for certain query types, Google may stop showing them altogether. That could reduce AI visibility for brands and publishers. AI and personalization. Google personalizes some aspects of AI search, but Stein described it as a “smaller adjustment” rather than a major reshaping of results: “So if you’re the kind of person that would always click a video, you might see video results higher. “But right now that’s … a smaller adjustment … to the experience because we want to keep it as consistent as possible overall. But I think over time our goal is to create something that’s great for you.” Ads and monetization in AI search. Google is actively testing ads inside AI-powered search experiences, including AI Overviews and AI Mode. Google is actively experimenting with ads inside AI-powered search experiences — including AI Overviews and AI Mode. Ads will appear “when helpful,” Stein said, following Google’s long-standing Search ad philosophy. He added that “the vast majority of Google searches do not have ads.” AI-driven shopping, comparisons, and product research are key use cases. “Transparency and clarity that this is a sponsored item is really an important principle,” Stein said. Visual search growth. Visual search is one of Google’s fastest-growing behaviors, according to Stein. Usage is up 70% year over year. About 1 billion users use visual search tools like Google Lens. Circle to Search on Android is being used product discovery, outfit matching, and real-world queries. The CNN interview. The best way to search for info online in the AI era | Terms of Service View the full article

Ahead of a slate of announcements coming next week, Microsoft Advertising says advertisers can now add up to 50 search themes to Performance Max campaigns — a significant increase from previous limits. Why we care. Search themes act as strategic signals that guide Performance Max toward the queries and intent patterns advertisers care most about. Increasing the cap gives marketers far more room to shape how automation interprets demand, especially for complex or multi-category businesses. Advertisers will also no longer have to collapse intent into a handful of themes or spin up multiple campaigns just to reflect different product lines or use cases. The big picture. Microsoft is leaning into signal-based control rather than rigid keyword targeting. Advertisers can pair search themes with LinkedIn profile targeting and other audience signals, including impression-based remarketing, to help Performance Max focus on high-value customers instead of broad, generic demand. What to watch. Microsoft says additional updates are coming in its Advertising blog next week, suggesting this expansion is part of a broader push to make Performance Max more flexible — and more advertiser-guided — without walking back automation. First seen. Microsoft Product Liaison Navah Hopkins shared this news on LinkedIn as well as teasing some updates coming next week Wednesday (Jan 14th). The bottom line. By allowing up to 50 search themes, Microsoft is giving advertisers a stronger steering wheel for Performance Max, not by adding complexity, but by expanding the signals that matter most. View the full article

The proposed levy on people worth 10 figures and above has rattled Silicon Valley and split Democratic leadersView the full article

Advertisers are spotting signs that Google is increasing the number of video assets allowed per Asset Group in Performance Max campaigns — from 5 videos to as many as 15. Why we care. Video is increasingly central to Performance Max performance, but the current five-video cap forces trade-offs. Advertisers often have to choose between formats or ratios, limiting coverage across YouTube, Discover and other placements. What’s changing. With up to 15 videos per Asset Group, advertisers would be able to include multiple creatives while still covering all three major video ratios. That means less need to fragment campaigns or duplicate Asset Groups just to accommodate different video formats. Between the lines. This change would make consolidation easier for brands running multiple video variations, improving creative testing without sacrificing reach or structural simplicity. What to watch. Google hasn’t formally announced the update, suggesting it’s either in testing or rolling out gradually. First seen. This update was spotted by Growth Marketing Manager Molly Pritchard showing the new option on LinkedIn. The bottom line. A higher video cap may sound minor, but for Performance Max advertisers, it could unlock better creative coverage with fewer compromises. View the full article

Salesforce recently unveiled its innovative Agentforce Sales app during Dreamforce, aimed at transforming the user experience for small businesses relying on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools. This new feature integrates the capabilities of ChatGPT, allowing sales teams to navigate the complexities of customer relationships with enhanced efficiency and intelligence. Imagine a sales environment where your CRM is no longer just a database, but a dynamic conversational partner. The Agentforce Sales app leverages the powerful AI capabilities of ChatGPT to streamline tasks and improve productivity, especially for small business owners who often juggle multiple roles. “With the Agentforce Sales app in ChatGPT, our reps can prioritize deals, plan accounts, and update Salesforce directly from the conversation. It will change how our sales team works and boost productivity,” stated Brandon Metcalf, CEO and Founder of Asymbl. One of the most significant challenges small businesses face is the “Toggle Tax”: the friction caused by constantly switching between various platforms for research, updates, and communications. The Agentforce Sales app operates within ChatGPT, allowing users to access and utilize Salesforce data in a seamless manner. Instead of copying and pasting information to feed into AI tools, users can directly interact with their Salesforce data. For example, if a sales representative asks for new uncontacted leads, the app instantly pulls a live, interactive list from Salesforce, eliminating the cumbersome manual work typically involved. Small business owners can also benefit from superhuman prioritization. The app doesn’t only evaluate leads based on internal metrics but uses external market insights to surface the most critical leads at any moment. This combination of cross-data analysis allows for more informed decision-making than traditional systems alone could provide. In practical terms, the app enhances the sales workflow significantly. Users can delegate tasks by simply instructing ChatGPT to assign leads to particular agents, update records in a single command, or even generate strategic plans for accounts. For instance, after a successful meeting, a user can promptly update the opportunity status to “Closed Won” with just a few keystrokes. This efficiency can lead to faster closing times and, ultimately, increased sales. However, adopting technology always comes with challenges. Small business owners should consider the potential learning curve associated with utilizing advanced AI features. While the integration is designed to simplify processes, it may initially require time and training to maximize its benefits. Additionally, ensuring data security remains a priority; Salesforce’s Agentforce Trust Layer reportedly safeguards business data, adhering to strict security measures and respecting existing permissions. “Now conversations with the Agentforce Sales app in ChatGPT understand your customers, move deals forward, and get real sales work done,” said Kris Billmaier, GM and EVP of Agentforce Sales at Salesforce. This statement underscores the app’s potential not only to facilitate conversations but also to drive real outcomes in sales processes. For small business owners seeking to improve their sales operations, integrating tools like the Agentforce Sales app offers a way to work smarter, not harder. With its ability to pull data directly from Salesforce, and its potential to enhance strategic planning, this new solution aims to reduce busywork and allow teams to focus on closing deals. The Open Beta for the Agentforce Sales app is now available, providing an opportunity for eligible customers to explore its capabilities. Owners interested in enhancing their sales processes can find more information in the ChatGPT app directory. As the operating landscape becomes increasingly competitive, tools that streamline workflows and harness the power of AI are likely to be game-changers for small businesses. For further details on this innovative integration, visit Salesforce’s official announcement here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Salesforce Unveils Agentforce Sales App, Revolutionizing CRM with AI Integration" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Salesforce recently unveiled its innovative Agentforce Sales app during Dreamforce, aimed at transforming the user experience for small businesses relying on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools. This new feature integrates the capabilities of ChatGPT, allowing sales teams to navigate the complexities of customer relationships with enhanced efficiency and intelligence. Imagine a sales environment where your CRM is no longer just a database, but a dynamic conversational partner. The Agentforce Sales app leverages the powerful AI capabilities of ChatGPT to streamline tasks and improve productivity, especially for small business owners who often juggle multiple roles. “With the Agentforce Sales app in ChatGPT, our reps can prioritize deals, plan accounts, and update Salesforce directly from the conversation. It will change how our sales team works and boost productivity,” stated Brandon Metcalf, CEO and Founder of Asymbl. One of the most significant challenges small businesses face is the “Toggle Tax”: the friction caused by constantly switching between various platforms for research, updates, and communications. The Agentforce Sales app operates within ChatGPT, allowing users to access and utilize Salesforce data in a seamless manner. Instead of copying and pasting information to feed into AI tools, users can directly interact with their Salesforce data. For example, if a sales representative asks for new uncontacted leads, the app instantly pulls a live, interactive list from Salesforce, eliminating the cumbersome manual work typically involved. Small business owners can also benefit from superhuman prioritization. The app doesn’t only evaluate leads based on internal metrics but uses external market insights to surface the most critical leads at any moment. This combination of cross-data analysis allows for more informed decision-making than traditional systems alone could provide. In practical terms, the app enhances the sales workflow significantly. Users can delegate tasks by simply instructing ChatGPT to assign leads to particular agents, update records in a single command, or even generate strategic plans for accounts. For instance, after a successful meeting, a user can promptly update the opportunity status to “Closed Won” with just a few keystrokes. This efficiency can lead to faster closing times and, ultimately, increased sales. However, adopting technology always comes with challenges. Small business owners should consider the potential learning curve associated with utilizing advanced AI features. While the integration is designed to simplify processes, it may initially require time and training to maximize its benefits. Additionally, ensuring data security remains a priority; Salesforce’s Agentforce Trust Layer reportedly safeguards business data, adhering to strict security measures and respecting existing permissions. “Now conversations with the Agentforce Sales app in ChatGPT understand your customers, move deals forward, and get real sales work done,” said Kris Billmaier, GM and EVP of Agentforce Sales at Salesforce. This statement underscores the app’s potential not only to facilitate conversations but also to drive real outcomes in sales processes. For small business owners seeking to improve their sales operations, integrating tools like the Agentforce Sales app offers a way to work smarter, not harder. With its ability to pull data directly from Salesforce, and its potential to enhance strategic planning, this new solution aims to reduce busywork and allow teams to focus on closing deals. The Open Beta for the Agentforce Sales app is now available, providing an opportunity for eligible customers to explore its capabilities. Owners interested in enhancing their sales processes can find more information in the ChatGPT app directory. As the operating landscape becomes increasingly competitive, tools that streamline workflows and harness the power of AI are likely to be game-changers for small businesses. For further details on this innovative integration, visit Salesforce’s official announcement here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Salesforce Unveils Agentforce Sales App, Revolutionizing CRM with AI Integration" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

US President seeks to win commitments to invest up to $100bnView the full article