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Airline had been grappling with a rising number of disrupted flights since the end of the pandemicView the full article

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If you’ve ever felt like your pet knows exactly when to pull you away from the stress of your computer screen, you aren’t alone. A landmark study surveying over 30,000 pet owners in 20 different countries found that 78% of dog or cat owners report that their pets remind them to take breaks during work or tasks, with 50% of the participants saying this happens daily. The study, which was conducted by YouGov on behalf of Mars, is the largest international survey of its kind in the world. The findings resonated deeply with David Reilly, global VP at Mars. “If my dog’s at daycare, I don’t take a break at lunch time,” he says. “But if my dog’s not at daycare, somehow miraculously, I find the space to create up an hour to take my dog on a walk.” Knowing that his relationship with his own pet had such an impact on his mental health, Reilly was excited by the data. “I think 46% of people globally report their mental well-being is their number-one health priority and 56% of the population of the world has a pet. So if we can help unlock this idea that the pet could be your well-being superhero . . . then there’s a real opportunity there,” he says. To do this, the Mars team needed to seek further expertise. “We have a deep knowledge of pets and we actually have a deep knowledge of the bond between people and pets. But we aren’t experts in human mental health,” says Reilly. The solution was to collaborate with consumer mental health company Calm. Together, Mars and Calm collaborated on a collection of content meant to help pet lovers think about their bond with their pets as ways to improve their own well-being. Its launch marks the first pet-inspired collection featured on Calm. The content on Calm will include: A series of sleep stories inspired by the emotional connection between people and their pets. A series of guided meditations meant to help listeners reflect on the ways pets support their mental wellness. A series of breathing exercises. On Mars’s pet advice platform Kinship, Mars and Calm are launching the interactive quiz My Pet Guru, which helps pet owners learn which of six “wellbeing superpowers” their pet has based on questions about their personalities and behaviors. “Together, we’re helping more people—and their pets—experience the proven benefits of the human-animal bond through real stories, science-backed tools, and supportive content,” says Greg Justice, chief content officer at Calm. “Once the insights are rich . . . it doesn’t need to be overly clinical” says Reilly. The researchers, pet experts, and content creators, “worked together to find the sweet spot of ensuring that the content was true to what we’d heard, but also really accessible and also engaging for pet owners or other people who love pets.” Mars and Calm are also seeking touching stories from pet owners to inform the wave of pet stories from Calm. “What I’m looking forward to, honestly, is hearing the stories that people share. Pets genuinely make a really incredible impact on people’s lives,” says Reilly. View the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. The world is at an inflection point unlike any before. AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a tidal wave, rewriting the rules of power, wealth, and survival. The corporate dream is in flux. The systems we were taught to trust—college degrees, career ladders, the safe path to success—are morphing in real time. AI is detonating industries, stripping white collar jobs down to algorithms, while the value of human labor is being rewritten before our eyes. The workers we once ignored—the welders, the electricians, the builders—are skyrocketing in demand. This is not a prediction. It’s happening now. The AI arms race: The new Manhattan Project AI is both an unprecedented tool of creation and a force of destruction, reshaping economies, governments, and labor forces at breakneck speed. According to Peng Xiao, CEO of G42, “AI is the defining technology of our era—an essential utility that will reshape economies and societies, much like electricity did in the past.” AI is recalibrating industries at an unimaginable pace. Meanwhile, the jobs AI can’t touch—construction workers, electricians, welders, mechanics—are becoming more valuable than ever. The AI wrecking ball: Skip Wharton? In 2019, an MBA from an elite school was the equivalent of winning the professional lottery. Today? AI-powered algorithms run finance, operations, and consulting—faster, cheaper, and without a 401(k). Companies like OpenAI, DeepMind, and Anthropic have unleashed AI models that make traditional knowledge workers obsolete. Banks are automating the work of employees. At the Cisco AI Summit in Palo Alto this year, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon noted that AI could draft 95% of an S1 document for IPO filing. A recent report states that 23% of 2024 Harvard Business School grads were still unemployed 3 months after graduation. Over 4 million members of Gen Z in the U.S. are currently not employed nor matriculated in school, joining the “NEET” movement instead: not in education, employment, or training—and prioritizing self-actualized careers outside of traditional degrees. Meanwhile, something unexpected is happening on the other side of the labor market… The jobs AI can’t kill (yet) AI can’t repair a busted water main, install solar panels, or build a skyscraper. Industry-defining laborers don’t disappear—they evolve. In the 19th century, steam engine workers shaped economies. In the 20th century, oil refinery workers fueled the modern world. In the 21st century, AI maintenance workers, robotics technicians, and skilled tradespeople will be the ones keeping automation in check. Skilled labor jobs—once dismissed as “fallback careers”—are now in high demand. The average salary for an electrician in major U.S. cities now outpaces some college-degree salaries. An achievable salary for an elevator technician or power plant operator? Over $100,000. In an age where AI strips knowledge jobs down to data points, the ability to physically build and repair may become the new currency of success. Geopolitics, immigration, and the 2025 labor crisis There’s another wrench in the system—immigration crackdowns and labor shortages. The U.S. has escalated mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. The fallout? Potentially, abandoned construction sites, rotting crops, and shuttered restaurants. The solution? More automation. Chick-fil-A introduced lemon-squeezing robots, cutting 10,000 hours of labor. But here’s the twist: Robots break down. Robots need maintenance. AI can’t currently fix AI. The labor shortage is fueling demand for highly paid, hands-on workers who keep machines—and society—running. AI: The new arms race The world is racing to control AI, much like the atomic race of the last century. But this war isn’t fought with bombs—it’s fought with data, computing power, and intelligent automation. Nations, tech giants, and corporate behemoths are pouring trillions into agentic AI—a new breed of AI that autonomously executes tasks. Yet even with AI agents taking over workflows, humans will still be essential. AI still needs oversight. AI still needs repair. AI still needs direction. Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, says it best: “No AI can replace 100% of a job, but many can replace 80% of what we do. We are literally at the beginning of a new Industrial Revolution.” Social media and the collapse of the corporate dream Some Gen Z and Millennials are rejecting corporate jobs. Social media has reshaped the perception of work. Why grind in a cubicle when you can make a living flipping houses on YouTube? Why get an MBA when you can have a lucrative career teaching people how to weld on TikTok? Why work a 9-to-5 when Kylie Jenner built a billion-dollar empire from Instagram? At the same time, these generations are about to inherit an unprecedented $100 trillion from baby boomers—the wealthiest generation in history. But this isn’t just a transfer of capital; it’s a transfer of knowledge, control, and priorities. The new elite aren’t climbing the corporate ladder—they’re building their own empires. As MrBeast puts it: “The creator economy is only going to get bigger.” The new workforce hierarchy: Who wins and who loses? AI isn’t eliminating labor—it’s creating a new elite class of skilled workers required to manage and maintain automation. While AI wipes out jobs, the long-term trajectory is clear: New industries will emerge. Humans will train AI-powered agents and tools. AI maintenance, robotics, and automation oversight will become critical fields. History proves that every disruptive technology creates new opportunities. Wages for some technical jobs are soaring past white collar salaries. The real winners of the AI revolution won’t be consultants in boardrooms—they’ll be the workers keeping the machines running. Elon Musk once said: “AI will make jobs kind of pointless.” Correction: AI might make your degree pointless. The future belongs to those who can do what AI can’t. Scott Cullather is chairman and chief growth officer of INVNT. View the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. Imagine someone with Parkinson’s sipping their morning coffee with a steady hand. A person with chronic pain or overactive bladder enjoying simple pleasures like going to the movies, taking a road trip, and a restful sleep. A life changed and potentially saved because signs of colorectal cancer were caught and treated early. These examples represent real people whose lives were changed with healthcare technology. Medical devices and therapies that once seemed like sci-fi are now alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending lives. Artificial intelligence, data, and robotics rightfully get credit for supercharging many recent health tech breakthroughs, but innovation will always be powered by people. Behind every new product is a team of individuals who grew up tinkering, dreaming, and embracing challenges, while ultimately dedicating their careers to improving lives. Yet, as optimistic as we are about the future of health tech and the people behind it, a global talent shortage of 4.3 million tech workers by 2030 threatens innovation. Making matters more urgent, a looming shortage of 11 million health workers could disproportionately impact health outcomes in low-income regions. These aren’t merely statistics. If left unaddressed, workforce shortages could stall the development of life-saving therapies and compromise the quality of care that all of us deserve. We can’t allow that to happen. Could a global challenge also be a needed solution? We think so. Despite global workforce shortages, there’s a generation at risk of being left behind. Currently 80% of young adults from low-income communities globally are not able to find a secure job and 65% of students in primary school today will work in jobs that don’t currently exist. Many of these will be in fields where early exposure to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) is critical. This raises important questions: What if we could equip a generation with the critical skills needed to meet workforce shortages while also breaking cycles of poverty? And, what if we could change the trajectory of lives while also saving them? We believe this isn’t only possible—it’s essential. Here are three key things that need to happen: 1. College degrees are valuable, but can no longer be the only path to entry In health tech we see how personalization is driving better health outcomes. Now, paths and preparation for careers in our industry (and other innovation-driven fields) must follow suit. The next idea that sparks a health tech breakthrough could come from anywhere—or anyone. But here’s the stark reality. There are bright students who face significant barriers to a post-graduate degree, even after they’re accepted into a program. According to Jobs for the Future, only 14% of low-income students who attend a four-year college will graduate. We must open new paths to health tech jobs; skills-based training, apprenticeships, and credentialing can all be effective alternatives. At Medtronic we’ve already worked with InStride to shift 150+ roles from degree-based to skills-based hiring, but we know more must be done. 2. Students need hands-on STEM experiences—early and often Research from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation found that three-quarters of Gen Z youth are enthusiastic about STEM fields, but only 29% would rank a STEM role as their top career choice. Lack of exposure to STEM concepts, and their real-world application, could be fueling this gap. Similarly, the Smithsonian Science Education Center conducted a five-year study in North and South Carolina. They found that hands-on, innovative STEM education not only improved science achievement but also enhanced reading, math skills, and essential workforce skills like collaboration, problem solving, and creativity. These foundational skills are key to preparing students for future jobs. But students must also know jobs exist—and see themselves in them. 3. Building awareness of health tech careers must be a priority Every day, health tech innovators are harnessing groundbreaking technologies to improve lives and help close critical gaps in our global healthcare system. Yet despite its “cool factor” most students will never hear about the health tech industry unless they or a loved one need it. To combat this, we are launching Medtronic Spark—a 10-year initiative that aims to address the growing health tech talent gap through three programs: Medtronic Spark Innovator Labs, Medtronic Spark Credentials, and the Medtronic Spark Scholarship. These programs aim to propel 1 million students from low-income households into health tech careers. We know we can’t do it alone, but we’re committed to sparking a conversation that we believe can help fuel the future of healthcare. Our goal isn’t to merely touch young people’s lives. It is to truly change the trajectory of their lives with opportunities in health tech that have potential for lasting generational impact. Because at its core, innovation isn’t just about technology—it’s about people. Torod Neptune is senior vice president corporate marketing and global chief communications officer at Medtronic and chairman of Medtronic Foundation. Sally Saba, MD is the president of Medtronic Foundation and global chief inclusion and diversity officer at Medtronic. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. “Skinny” is such an outdated concept; too diet culture for 2025. “Flat belly” sounds better, but we’re tired of that, too. What is the trend-dependent online influencer culture to do? Enter “gut health,” the current euphemism for having a thin waist—this time with extra wellness baggage. It sounds like it’s all about a science-based journey toward better nutrition, but really it’s more bullshit. So let’s explore the most questionable gut health hacks out there. Grab a towel, because it’s time for your internal shower! Taking an 'internal shower'The "internal shower" is meant to clean you from the inside. The metaphor evokes more than just relieving constipation, and implies that your guts are dirty and need to be made sparkling clean. That's not how gut health works—things should keep moving, sure, but there's no need to fully clean everything out unless you're preparing for a colonoscopy (which has its own protocol). Though “internal shower” sounds fancy, it's really just a drink that contains two full tablespoons of chia seeds, plus a squeeze of lemon. Chia seeds swell in water, forming a lumpy, gel-like texture. (This is both what makes them good in pudding, and what allows them to adhere to the terra-cotta planters of Chia Pet fame.) So why drink them? Well, they’re high in fiber, and you also consume a glass of water in the process. In other words, it’s a trendier version of Metamucil. Be warned: the sudden increase of fiber in your diet can lead to bloating and diarrhea if you’re not used to it, but isn’t likely to be harmful otherwise. Avoiding cheeseIt’s true that a diverse diet with plenty of plant foods is probably better for your gut than a crappy diet—but not for any game-changing, gut-specific reason. Your gut is healthy when your body is healthy, and a varied diet involving fiber and other nutrients is good for your gut microbes and for the rest of you. This amounts to “eat your vegetables,” and is thus not an exciting viral tip. Gut health advice often gives you a list of foods not to eat, or demonizes specific foods. There are no common foods known to be particularly destructive to gut health—we're built to handle just about anything—but influencers often target processed foods and dairy foods. This means that cheese has emerged as a mythically problematic food, when in fact it's probably fine—and some studies suggest that it may even be particularly beneficial. Taking L-glutamineThe pursuit of “gut health” has led influencers to tell you that you need to go out and get some L-glutamine (available in any store’s supplement aisle) to heal or prevent your leaky gut. Some of these videos include actual scientific facts about what we understand glutamine to do in the body. But that itself should set off alarm bells: When somebody talks about the mechanism of how something is supposed to work, without presenting data on whether it actually works for the intended outcome, chances are you’re on the wrong path. L-glutamine is an amino acid that our body can usually make for itself. There is evidence that supplementing it is helpful for people with serious bowel diseases, sepsis, injuries like extensive burns, and immune disorders. The Canadian Society for Intestinal Research notes that you should consult a physician if you think you have conditions serious enough to affect your body’s ability to make enough glutamine. Anything called an "elixir" There’s an incredible depth and breadth of "gut health elixir" recipes available on TikTok and other platforms. There are gut health elixirs with aloe juice and coconut water, or with olive oil and lemon, or with hibiscus and kombucha, or with turmeric and ashwagandha. What do any of these have in common? Gut health, of course. What a silly question. Washing our fruit (for gut health)Washing your fruit is fine. Believing that unwashed fruit is the only thing standing between you and a snatched stomach—that I can't get behind. The idea is that fresh produce has pesticides on it, and those pesticides are killing your good gut bacteria. It is a good idea to rinse fruit before you eat it, but there’s no link between the barely-detectable trace amounts of pesticides on fruit and the health of your gut or the size of your waistline. This isn’t a gut health tip, it’s just sensible food prep. Pilates (for gut health)Pilates is low-key strength training. It can be good for you, as almost any exercise can, but it doesn't work miracles. I've already covered the trend of TikTok influencers making up imaginary benefits of Pilates, but “gut health” is a stretch. Influencers claim (as in this video) that the breathwork and twisting motions of Pilates "massage" your gut to cure constipation, sometimes also referencing the complete myth that we have pounds of "stuck" poop inside our guts. Eating 30 plants a dayI actually like this as a hack for increasing the diversity of your diet: count up the number of plant species you eat each week, and aim to get more than you currently do. Lettuce and tomato on your sandwich? Add the wheat from the bun and you’re already up to three. This idea got its start with research from the American Gut Project, which found people who ate a more varied diet had a more diverse gut microbiome—although there is no specific link to health, and scientists still haven’t found a way of determining what a “healthy” microbiome looks like. But all of that has mutated quite a bit on social media. In one clip I remember watching, the narrator tells us that the difference between her before and after pictures is not due to “cardio and a restrictive diet.” But she has clearly lost fat. Gut health is just the new code word for losing fat. Nearly every one of the videos I’ve highlighted here starts with a before-and-after of somebody’s soft, then toned, tummy. If it were really about “bloating,” you’d be able to see the same abs in both pictures. Going for a walk every morningWalks are good! Morning routines are good! And it’s true that your gut has its own “clock” for telling what time it is. Some influencers get it backwards, though, when they suggest getting morning light to set your gut’s clock. In truth, the gut sets its clock based on when you feed it. If you want to set your gut’s clock in the morning, try eating breakfast. Like a whole, actual breakfast, not a glass of lemon water. Going for a walk may help your digestion—that's the whole idea of the "fart walk," a walk taken after dinner that may relieve feelings of bloating and that can also help your body to control glucose levels. Feel free to take one after breakfast instead of waiting until dinnertime. Oil pullingThis old thing? (I need to stop being surprised when old health trends make a comeback.) Oil pulling is when you swish coconut oil around your mouth, sometimes for up to 20 minutes, in addition to (or in place of) brushing your teeth. It’s not particularly good at that job, and there’s no reason to believe it will do anything for your gut health or your abs. ChewingAnother archaic one that keeps popping up. The idea of over-chewing your food always reminds me of that scene in The Road to Wellville where the dining hall erupts in a chorus of “Chew chew chew, that is the thing to do/Chew chew chew, good food is good for you.” Yes, your mouth produces salivary amylase to help break down your food. But there is plenty of amylase in your small intestine as well. Studies have shown potential, subtle effects of extended chewing on satiety (how hungry you feel), but the idea that you’ll get a TikTok flat belly by spending more time chewing is unsupported. View the full article

AI isn't coming for your job. Probably? Look, it's complicated. And anyone who has ever played around with a chatbot has likely asked themselves, "This is what they want to replace a human with?" It's a valid concern, because generative AI chatbots like Google's Gemini aren't super useful. To my surprise, though, Gemini's Canvas feature can be. I will say up front, I'm coming at this as a generative AI skeptic, but I'm also not an AI doomer. There are some situations—like creating alt text for images to boost accessibility—where AI-based tools can come in handy. I prefer to find where tools can be genuinely useful, and ignore the noise. To that end, Gemini's Canvas is the one thing that's made Gemini genuinely useful to me. Instead of just asking an AI to write for me, it gives me a workspace where I can do things, and occasionally ask for help or tasks as I need it. What is Gemini Canvas?Canvas is an optional tool that you can enable in a conversation with Gemini. This additional workspace can function as a text editor and a coding tool. Any documents or code you create with this tool, you can also edit directly just like any other editor. You can then export documents you create to Google Docs when you're ready to move on to another phase of the project. If you're using it for coding, you can run code directly inside Canvas. This is particularly useful for HTML-based applets when you're using Gemini in a web browser, since it's already designed for HTML. The window can switch between a preview running the code, or a text editor to manipulate it directly. To use Canvas, just click on the Canvas button at the bottom of your prompt window (or under the + icon on mobile). Your first prompt will open Canvas, and I usually prefer to start with a blank one, so I'll say something like "Give me a blank canvas window to start with." You can also ask Gemini to generate something to start with, and depending on whether it's a text document or code, it will default to the proper Canvas window for it. If that sounds like a much wordier way to just ask for a blank document, well, it is. LLMs are surprisingly good at understanding natural language commands, but aren't always great at succinct instructions (more on that later). What this means, though, is that it lends itself well to verbal commands. I often use tools like Windows dictation to write text, rather than type it all out by hand. It's a great tool on its own to reduce the constant wrist strain that comes from a career of typing all day, or if you're more of the stream-of-consciousness type. In some cases, dictating commands and having Gemini interpret them can be faster for me than doing things manually. With that in mind, here are a few use cases I've found that are actually more helpful than doing things the normal way. Organizing brainstorms and drafts"AI for brainstorming" is often the first thing people suggest, and it's not very useful—if your goal is to get the tool to do your thinking for you. I would like to suggest something slightly different. When I brainstorm ideas, instead of using Gemini to come up with my ideas for me, I'll use it to organize my ideas and notes, and turn approved pitches into outlines. The trick here is that Gemini can create, manage, and most importantly understand the differences between multiple different documents. For example, I sometimes use Gemini to write pitches for articles in one document, and then turn those into a draft in another. While working on the draft, I can ask Gemini to "change the status of [x] pitch to 'Finished' in the pitch doc." When I tested this, I expected Gemini to do something ridiculous and wrong. My "status" tracker is just an extra line under the paragraph that says something like "Status: Approved." But Gemini understood what this meant, and changed the text, all while I was working in another document. It's a small thing, but it demonstrates how handy it can be to have an assistant that understands what you're trying to accomplish. As a side note, Google Docs also has an "Ask Gemini" tool embedded in it, and you'd think that this would be a better way to accomplish the same task, but for some reason, it's not. I've tried asking Gemini to make small changes to a Google Doc, but it won't actually change anything unless I manually select the text. It also can't refer out to other Google Docs in your drive, so it's weirdly more limited than Canvas in Gemini. I'll still usually copy my drafts to Docs later in the process, but for some early brainstorming, Canvas is a handy tool. Edit formatting and presentation (in Markdown!)Gemini (and, frankly, every generative AI tool I've tried) is absolutely awful at writing anything of interest. Purely out of curiosity, I've tested whether Gemini could write a draft of an article for me, and I just make edits. In every instance, I had to rewrite every single word. Not just because they're often wrong, but because they're bland, boring, and cringey. Formatting the words you write is another story. When using Canvas, Gemini can understand conversational commands like "convert all subheadings to H2" or "move the second subhead section above the first" and apply them directly. It's also great for more complex style choices, like "convert all H2 subheads to sentence case" or "if there are any semicolons in this document, obliterate them." As a bonus, Canvas uses Markdown formatting by default (unlike Google Docs), which makes it extra useful for creating drafts you'll copy over somewhere else later. This isn't really a feature of Gemini or Canvas per se, it's just a nice touch that I find makes it easier to work with. Make your own shortcuts for complex edits and commandsEverything I've talked about so far is true and helpful, but if I'm honest with myself, it's not quite enough to convince me to fully integrate Canvas into my workflow. What pushed me over the edge was when I figured out how to create my own shortcuts. This trick is tucked away under Settings > Saved info. Google presents this as a way to store "info about your life and preferences" but it's really a place to put any instructions you want Gemini to always keep in mind. So, for example, I have a saved block that reads "If the entire prompt is 'H2s', then convert all subheadings in the Canvas window into H2s." From then on, I only need to type "H2s" to perform the action. It's a handy way to make your own custom shortcuts for any instruction you like. You can use this for more complex guidelines, like "When I ask for an outline, format it [however you like]". Or, if you're coding (more on that below), "When I ask for an applet, assume I want it written in HTML5." You can make these instructions conditional—as I have here—so that they only trigger when you need them. Create small, personalized applets for niche usesA while back, someone I knew was struggling with visualizing parking in tight spaces. At the time, I opened up Blender, a 3D modeling and animation tool, to visualize an example for her. More recently, I tried to see if I could make a similar tool in Gemini. It took one prompt. I asked for an HTML5 animated tool to demonstrate parking, gave a few specific for what I wanted, and soon had a little applet that was way easier to make than what I showed my friend. One might very reasonably argue that there are easier ways to code this, or that the code it came out with is bad for some reason. But I don't know how to code, at least not that well. Gemini, however, is pretty great at very simple little applets like this. Just don't expect to turn anything it generates in to your boss if you're a developer. Don't use it to replace creative or rigorous workIt should go without saying, but Gemini (and at this point, any AI chatbot) isn't going to be a substitute for thinking for yourself. It's godawful at writing anything interesting or creative, it can get facts or sources wrong, and most damningly, it will confidently say it can do or has done something that it's incapable of doing. At the end of the day, you still have to put in the work. Setting aside that AI tools often produce low-effort work, there's the open question of whether it's even ethical to use AI for work or creativity. Most AI tools were created by scraping copyrighted data, including from people that those same tools would then try to replace. (To say nothing of the rising electricity costs that training generative AI models takes.) AI tools can be extremely useful when they're put to the right purpose. I'll admit, I'm partly writing this aspirationally. Using Gemini's Canvas gave me a glimpse into how useful AI tools could be if they focused on being an interpretive layer for applications, rather than a replacement for doing real work. View the full article

U.S. Copyright Office report identifies copyright risks at every step of generative AI training and deployment The post U.S. Copyright Office Cites Legal Risk At Every Stage Of Generative AI appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Key Takeaways Exceptional Customer Service is Essential: High levels of customer satisfaction lead to increased retention, repeat business, and valuable referrals, directly impacting revenue growth. Key Characteristics of Excellent Service: Responsiveness, knowledge, empathy, consistency, follow-up, and adaptability are crucial traits that enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. Active Listening and Empathy Matter: Understanding customer needs through active listening and showing empathy are vital for building trust and rapport with clients. Prompt Responses and Follow-Ups: Quick replies to customer inquiries and regular follow-ups strengthen relationships, improve retention, and encourage referrals. Ongoing Staff Training: Regular training equips employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide excellent customer service, ultimately enhancing the customer experience. Leverage Technology and CRM: Utilizing technology and customer relationship management tools helps streamline communication, track interactions, and improve overall service quality. In today’s competitive market, exceptional customer service can set you apart from the crowd. You know that a satisfied customer is more likely to return and recommend your business to others. That’s why mastering the art of customer service is crucial for your success. Overview Of Customer Service Exceptional customer service serves as the backbone for any small business. Achieving high levels of customer satisfaction leads to increased retention, repeat business, and valuable referrals, directly impacting your revenue. Importance Of Customer Service Customer service plays a crucial role in your sales strategy. Satisfied customers often convert into repeat clients and advocate for your business, driving customer acquisition. Prioritizing excellent service fosters customer engagement and builds loyalty, providing a solid foundation for your sales pipeline. Understanding customer needs and effectively handling objections enhances the sales process and can lead to higher sales conversion rates. Investing in customer relationship management (CRM) systems streamlines interactions and improves overall service quality. Key Characteristics Of Excellent Service Excellent customer service includes several key characteristics: Responsiveness: Quickly addressing inquiries or issues can significantly enhance customer satisfaction. Knowledge: Possessing in-depth product knowledge allows you to effectively demonstrate value and meet customer needs. Empathy: Understanding customer emotions and perspectives builds trust and strong relationships. Consistency: Providing a uniform experience across all interactions ensures reliability and fosters loyalty. Follow-Up: Regular follow-ups ensure customers feel valued and can lead to additional sales opportunities. Adaptability: Being flexible in problem-solving meets varying customer expectations and enhances satisfaction. Embracing these characteristics enables your sales team to engage effectively with customers, motivating them toward positive outcomes like upselling and cross-selling. Apply these strategies to strengthen your customer service approach and cultivate lasting relationships. 20 Customer Service Tips Exceptional customer service is vital for sales growth in small businesses. Implementing effective strategies fosters customer loyalty and drives repeat business. Here are 20 essential tips to enhance your customer service: Tip 1: Listen Actively Active listening helps you understand customer needs and intent. Pay attention, respond thoughtfully, and clarify if necessary. This fosters trust and builds rapport, creating a strong customer relationship. Tip 2: Be Empathetic Empathy in customer interactions shows you value their perspective. Acknowledge feelings and express understanding. This approach enhances customer engagement and promotes positive experiences. Tip 3: Stay Positive A positive tone can defuse customer frustration. Use encouraging language and remain calm, especially during difficult interactions. Positivity contributes to a pleasant atmosphere and leaves a lasting impression. Tip 4: Personalize Interactions Personalization creates a connection with your customers. Use their names and reference past interactions. This individual approach can increase customer loyalty and enhance the overall sales experience. Tip 5: Use Clear Communication Clear communication reduces misunderstandings. Be straightforward in your messages and avoid jargon. This ensures customers grasp your service offerings and feel supported throughout their journey. Tip 6: Respond Promptly Quick responses show commitment to customer satisfaction. Aim to address inquiries within 24 hours. Timely responses can improve customer retention and support your sales pipeline. Tip 7: Follow Up Following up post-interaction strengthens relationships. Reach out to check on satisfaction or offer further assistance. This effort elevates customer service and can lead to valuable referrals. Tip 8: Train Your Staff Regular training equips your staff with essential skills in customer service. Emphasizing product knowledge and objection handling enhances their ability to support customers effectively. Tip 9: Handle Complaints Gracefully Address complaints with professionalism and patience. Acknowledge the issue, seek solutions, and follow up after resolution. Graceful handling builds trust and improves overall satisfaction. Tip 10: Empower Employees Empower your team to make decisions that benefit customers. Granting autonomy encourages swift resolution of issues, enhancing the overall customer experience. Tip 11: Provide Consistent Service Consistency builds customer trust. Ensure your team delivers the same high-quality service every time. This reliability strengthens your brand and fosters long-term relationships. Tip 12: Be Knowledgeable Maintain deep product knowledge to answer inquiries effectively. Understanding customer needs allows you to make informed recommendations and enhances the sales process. Tip 13: Showcase Patience Showing patience, especially during challenging conversations, demonstrates your commitment to helping customers. This approach leads to stronger relationships and improves customer satisfaction. Tip 14: Encourage Feedback Soliciting customer feedback shows you value their opinions. Use surveys or direct communication to gather insights. This information can guide service improvements and enhance customer engagement. Tip 15: Utilize Technology Embrace customer relationship management (CRM) tools to streamline communication and track interactions. Technology can improve customer insights and facilitate follow-ups, enhancing overall service. Tip 16: Maintain Professionalism Professional interactions project credibility and trustworthiness. Always communicate respectfully and adhere to your business’s standards, ensuring customers feel valued. Tip 17: Create a Friendly Atmosphere A welcoming environment encourages customer engagement. Train your staff to greet customers warmly and foster positive interactions. This atmosphere can influence repeat business. Tip 18: Set Realistic Expectations Clearly communicate what customers can expect regarding service timelines and outcomes. This transparency helps manage customer expectations, reducing potential frustrations. Tip 19: Stay Available Ensure customers can reach you through various channels. Availability encourages communication and demonstrates your commitment to customer service, vital for customer acquisition. Tip 20: Celebrate Achievements Acknowledge and celebrate milestones within your team. This practice fosters a positive work environment and motivates staff to deliver exceptional customer service consistently. Best Practices For Effective Customer Service These best practices help small businesses enhance their customer service, driving customer loyalty and contributing to overall revenue growth. Building Customer Relationships Building strong customer relationships forms the foundation of repeat business and referrals. You can strengthen these connections by actively listening to your customers and acknowledging their needs. Use their feedback to personalize your interactions, tailoring your sales approach to address specific concerns. Show empathy during customer interactions; understanding their perspective fosters trust. Engaging customers through consistent communication keeps them informed and connected. Consider utilizing customer relationship management (CRM) tools to track interactions, ensuring you remember critical details and maintain a seamless flow in your sales pipeline. Measuring Success In Customer Service Measuring the effectiveness of your customer service requires establishing key performance metrics. Track customer satisfaction through surveys and feedback forms, capturing insights that can drive improvement. Monitor customer retention rates to evaluate the success of your relationship-building efforts. Analyze metrics such as first response time, resolution time, and follow-up effectiveness to identify areas for growth. Employing data-driven insights can refine your sales strategy, ensuring you address customer needs efficiently. Regularly reviewing these metrics helps optimize your sales process and enhances overall customer experience, leading to improved sales performance and higher revenue. Conclusion Exceptional customer service isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a critical component of your business success. By implementing the tips shared, you can create meaningful connections with your customers that lead to loyalty and repeat business. Remember that every interaction is an opportunity to impress and retain clients. Stay committed to continuous improvement and adapt your strategies based on feedback and changing customer needs. Ultimately, investing in stellar customer service pays off in increased satisfaction and revenue. Prioritize these practices to set yourself apart in a competitive market and watch your business thrive. Frequently Asked Questions What is the importance of customer service in a competitive market? Exceptional customer service is crucial because it helps businesses retain customers and encourages them to make recommendations. Satisfied customers are more likely to return, making customer service a key factor in achieving success and driving growth. How can excellent customer service impact sales? Excellent customer service fosters loyalty among clients, turning satisfied customers into repeat buyers and advocates. This loyalty enhances customer acquisition, leading to increased sales and revenue for businesses. What are the key traits of exceptional customer service? Key traits include responsiveness, knowledge, empathy, consistency, follow-up, and adaptability. These characteristics are essential for sales teams to effectively engage with customers and enhance overall satisfaction. What are some tips for improving customer service? To improve customer service, businesses should listen actively, show empathy, personalize interactions, communicate clearly, respond promptly, and train staff to manage complaints. Consistent service, empowering employees, and soliciting feedback are also effective strategies. How can technology enhance customer service? Utilizing technology, such as customer relationship management (CRM) tools, can streamline interactions and improve service management. These tools help maintain a seamless sales pipeline and ensure better tracking of customer preferences and needs. What metrics should businesses use to measure customer service success? Key performance metrics for customer service include customer satisfaction, retention rates, and response/resolution times. Analyzing these metrics helps businesses optimize their sales processes and enhance customer experiences. How does customer service contribute to building strong relationships? Good customer service builds strong relationships by fostering trust through active listening and personalized interactions. This not only improves customer satisfaction but also creates loyal clients who are more likely to refer others. What role does feedback play in customer service? Soliciting customer feedback is vital for understanding their needs and areas for improvement. Regularly gathering and acting on feedback helps businesses evolve their service offerings and ensure customer expectations are met. Image Via Envato This article, "Essential Customer Service Tips to Enhance Satisfaction and Build Loyalty" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Exceptional Customer Service is Essential: High levels of customer satisfaction lead to increased retention, repeat business, and valuable referrals, directly impacting revenue growth. Key Characteristics of Excellent Service: Responsiveness, knowledge, empathy, consistency, follow-up, and adaptability are crucial traits that enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. Active Listening and Empathy Matter: Understanding customer needs through active listening and showing empathy are vital for building trust and rapport with clients. Prompt Responses and Follow-Ups: Quick replies to customer inquiries and regular follow-ups strengthen relationships, improve retention, and encourage referrals. Ongoing Staff Training: Regular training equips employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide excellent customer service, ultimately enhancing the customer experience. Leverage Technology and CRM: Utilizing technology and customer relationship management tools helps streamline communication, track interactions, and improve overall service quality. In today’s competitive market, exceptional customer service can set you apart from the crowd. You know that a satisfied customer is more likely to return and recommend your business to others. That’s why mastering the art of customer service is crucial for your success. Overview Of Customer Service Exceptional customer service serves as the backbone for any small business. Achieving high levels of customer satisfaction leads to increased retention, repeat business, and valuable referrals, directly impacting your revenue. Importance Of Customer Service Customer service plays a crucial role in your sales strategy. Satisfied customers often convert into repeat clients and advocate for your business, driving customer acquisition. Prioritizing excellent service fosters customer engagement and builds loyalty, providing a solid foundation for your sales pipeline. Understanding customer needs and effectively handling objections enhances the sales process and can lead to higher sales conversion rates. Investing in customer relationship management (CRM) systems streamlines interactions and improves overall service quality. Key Characteristics Of Excellent Service Excellent customer service includes several key characteristics: Responsiveness: Quickly addressing inquiries or issues can significantly enhance customer satisfaction. Knowledge: Possessing in-depth product knowledge allows you to effectively demonstrate value and meet customer needs. Empathy: Understanding customer emotions and perspectives builds trust and strong relationships. Consistency: Providing a uniform experience across all interactions ensures reliability and fosters loyalty. Follow-Up: Regular follow-ups ensure customers feel valued and can lead to additional sales opportunities. Adaptability: Being flexible in problem-solving meets varying customer expectations and enhances satisfaction. Embracing these characteristics enables your sales team to engage effectively with customers, motivating them toward positive outcomes like upselling and cross-selling. Apply these strategies to strengthen your customer service approach and cultivate lasting relationships. 20 Customer Service Tips Exceptional customer service is vital for sales growth in small businesses. Implementing effective strategies fosters customer loyalty and drives repeat business. Here are 20 essential tips to enhance your customer service: Tip 1: Listen Actively Active listening helps you understand customer needs and intent. Pay attention, respond thoughtfully, and clarify if necessary. This fosters trust and builds rapport, creating a strong customer relationship. Tip 2: Be Empathetic Empathy in customer interactions shows you value their perspective. Acknowledge feelings and express understanding. This approach enhances customer engagement and promotes positive experiences. Tip 3: Stay Positive A positive tone can defuse customer frustration. Use encouraging language and remain calm, especially during difficult interactions. Positivity contributes to a pleasant atmosphere and leaves a lasting impression. Tip 4: Personalize Interactions Personalization creates a connection with your customers. Use their names and reference past interactions. This individual approach can increase customer loyalty and enhance the overall sales experience. Tip 5: Use Clear Communication Clear communication reduces misunderstandings. Be straightforward in your messages and avoid jargon. This ensures customers grasp your service offerings and feel supported throughout their journey. Tip 6: Respond Promptly Quick responses show commitment to customer satisfaction. Aim to address inquiries within 24 hours. Timely responses can improve customer retention and support your sales pipeline. Tip 7: Follow Up Following up post-interaction strengthens relationships. Reach out to check on satisfaction or offer further assistance. This effort elevates customer service and can lead to valuable referrals. Tip 8: Train Your Staff Regular training equips your staff with essential skills in customer service. Emphasizing product knowledge and objection handling enhances their ability to support customers effectively. Tip 9: Handle Complaints Gracefully Address complaints with professionalism and patience. Acknowledge the issue, seek solutions, and follow up after resolution. Graceful handling builds trust and improves overall satisfaction. Tip 10: Empower Employees Empower your team to make decisions that benefit customers. Granting autonomy encourages swift resolution of issues, enhancing the overall customer experience. Tip 11: Provide Consistent Service Consistency builds customer trust. Ensure your team delivers the same high-quality service every time. This reliability strengthens your brand and fosters long-term relationships. Tip 12: Be Knowledgeable Maintain deep product knowledge to answer inquiries effectively. Understanding customer needs allows you to make informed recommendations and enhances the sales process. Tip 13: Showcase Patience Showing patience, especially during challenging conversations, demonstrates your commitment to helping customers. This approach leads to stronger relationships and improves customer satisfaction. Tip 14: Encourage Feedback Soliciting customer feedback shows you value their opinions. Use surveys or direct communication to gather insights. This information can guide service improvements and enhance customer engagement. Tip 15: Utilize Technology Embrace customer relationship management (CRM) tools to streamline communication and track interactions. Technology can improve customer insights and facilitate follow-ups, enhancing overall service. Tip 16: Maintain Professionalism Professional interactions project credibility and trustworthiness. Always communicate respectfully and adhere to your business’s standards, ensuring customers feel valued. Tip 17: Create a Friendly Atmosphere A welcoming environment encourages customer engagement. Train your staff to greet customers warmly and foster positive interactions. This atmosphere can influence repeat business. Tip 18: Set Realistic Expectations Clearly communicate what customers can expect regarding service timelines and outcomes. This transparency helps manage customer expectations, reducing potential frustrations. Tip 19: Stay Available Ensure customers can reach you through various channels. Availability encourages communication and demonstrates your commitment to customer service, vital for customer acquisition. Tip 20: Celebrate Achievements Acknowledge and celebrate milestones within your team. This practice fosters a positive work environment and motivates staff to deliver exceptional customer service consistently. Best Practices For Effective Customer Service These best practices help small businesses enhance their customer service, driving customer loyalty and contributing to overall revenue growth. Building Customer Relationships Building strong customer relationships forms the foundation of repeat business and referrals. You can strengthen these connections by actively listening to your customers and acknowledging their needs. Use their feedback to personalize your interactions, tailoring your sales approach to address specific concerns. Show empathy during customer interactions; understanding their perspective fosters trust. Engaging customers through consistent communication keeps them informed and connected. Consider utilizing customer relationship management (CRM) tools to track interactions, ensuring you remember critical details and maintain a seamless flow in your sales pipeline. Measuring Success In Customer Service Measuring the effectiveness of your customer service requires establishing key performance metrics. Track customer satisfaction through surveys and feedback forms, capturing insights that can drive improvement. Monitor customer retention rates to evaluate the success of your relationship-building efforts. Analyze metrics such as first response time, resolution time, and follow-up effectiveness to identify areas for growth. Employing data-driven insights can refine your sales strategy, ensuring you address customer needs efficiently. Regularly reviewing these metrics helps optimize your sales process and enhances overall customer experience, leading to improved sales performance and higher revenue. Conclusion Exceptional customer service isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a critical component of your business success. By implementing the tips shared, you can create meaningful connections with your customers that lead to loyalty and repeat business. Remember that every interaction is an opportunity to impress and retain clients. Stay committed to continuous improvement and adapt your strategies based on feedback and changing customer needs. Ultimately, investing in stellar customer service pays off in increased satisfaction and revenue. Prioritize these practices to set yourself apart in a competitive market and watch your business thrive. Frequently Asked Questions What is the importance of customer service in a competitive market? Exceptional customer service is crucial because it helps businesses retain customers and encourages them to make recommendations. Satisfied customers are more likely to return, making customer service a key factor in achieving success and driving growth. How can excellent customer service impact sales? Excellent customer service fosters loyalty among clients, turning satisfied customers into repeat buyers and advocates. This loyalty enhances customer acquisition, leading to increased sales and revenue for businesses. What are the key traits of exceptional customer service? Key traits include responsiveness, knowledge, empathy, consistency, follow-up, and adaptability. These characteristics are essential for sales teams to effectively engage with customers and enhance overall satisfaction. What are some tips for improving customer service? To improve customer service, businesses should listen actively, show empathy, personalize interactions, communicate clearly, respond promptly, and train staff to manage complaints. Consistent service, empowering employees, and soliciting feedback are also effective strategies. How can technology enhance customer service? Utilizing technology, such as customer relationship management (CRM) tools, can streamline interactions and improve service management. These tools help maintain a seamless sales pipeline and ensure better tracking of customer preferences and needs. What metrics should businesses use to measure customer service success? Key performance metrics for customer service include customer satisfaction, retention rates, and response/resolution times. Analyzing these metrics helps businesses optimize their sales processes and enhance customer experiences. How does customer service contribute to building strong relationships? Good customer service builds strong relationships by fostering trust through active listening and personalized interactions. This not only improves customer satisfaction but also creates loyal clients who are more likely to refer others. What role does feedback play in customer service? Soliciting customer feedback is vital for understanding their needs and areas for improvement. Regularly gathering and acting on feedback helps businesses evolve their service offerings and ensure customer expectations are met. Image Via Envato This article, "Essential Customer Service Tips to Enhance Satisfaction and Build Loyalty" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

All of those surveyed by Wolters Kluwer for its May Blue Chip Economic Indicators report ruled out the possibility the Fed could raise short-term rates. View the full article

Nintendo didn't make preordering the Switch 2 particularly easy—especially with its back and forth decisions in the face of tariffs. But even if you manage to get your hands on a Switch 2 for launch day, be careful, because Nintendo is ready to brick any Switch device you own should you break its rules—and I'm not talking about cheating at Mario Party. Rather, Nintendo is particularly concerned about Switch users who hack their systems, use emulators, or engage in piracy using Nintendo hardware. These players are the targets of the company's newfound bloodlust, and they're not messing around: steal our games, and lose the right to use your console. Stephen Totilo of Game File spotted the new philosophy on Thursday, when Nintendo sent out an email with the subject line: "Updates to Nintendo Account User Agreement and Nintendo Privacy Policy." Totilo counted over 100 edits to the Nintendo Account User Agreement, but the major change was to how the company handles modifications and piracy. The original agreement statement that you weren't allowed to "lease, rent, sublicense, publish, copy, modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble all or any portion of the Nintendo Account Services," unless you got the OK from Nintendo or the law permitted. Seems reasonable. However, the modified agreement is quite different, and outlines a stark new reality for users who might consider going against Nintendo's wishes: Without limitation, you agree that you may not (a) publish, copy, modify, reverse engineer, lease, rent, decompile, disassemble, distribute, offer for sale, or create derivative works of any portion of the Nintendo Account Services; (b) bypass, modify, decrypt, defeat, tamper with, or otherwise circumvent any of the functions or protections of the Nintendo Account Services, including through the use of any hardware or software that would cause the Nintendo Account Services to operate other than in accordance with its documentation and intended use; (c) obtain, install or use any unauthorized copies of Nintendo Account Services; or (d) exploit the Nintendo Account Services in any manner other than to use them in accordance with the applicable documentation and intended use, in each case, without Nintendo’s written consent or express authorization, or unless otherwise expressly permitted by applicable law. You acknowledge that if you fail to comply with the foregoing restrictions Nintendo may render the Nintendo Account Services and/or the applicable Nintendo device permanently unusable in whole or in part. "Unusable" doesn't necessarily spell out how Nintendo plans to act when they find a player that has broken these rules, but it doesn't bode well for them—or their Switch.It would seem Nintendo has a back-end capability to block Switches from running properly if there's evidence of such misconduct. While harsh, this isn't too surprising. Nintendo certainly hasn't looked the other way when it comes to piracy in the past. The company was more than happy to ban you from online play if they found you playing games illegally, for example—a risk some players took to hack their Switches, even if they weren't trying to steal their games. (Maybe they just wanted to boost the performance of Tears of the Kingdom before Nintendo offered an official solution?) View the full article

Learn how to compare websites to gain key insights, identify gaps, and find new opportunities. View the full article

Key Takeaways Understanding Consumer Alerts: Yelp’s consumer alerts help users identify potential fake reviews and suspicious activity, enhancing decision-making when choosing local businesses. Benefits for Consumers: These alerts protect consumers by highlighting issues, allowing them to avoid misleading information and make informed choices in finding dependable services. Impact on Businesses: By addressing flagged reviews, businesses can enhance their credibility and transparency, ultimately attracting more customers and fostering community support. Types and Triggers: Yelp employs different alerts for fraudulent reviews, suspicious activities, and business integrity, triggered by patterns in review activity and user behavior. Encouraging Feedback: User engagement with alerts leads to increased community feedback, improving overall review quality and accountability for businesses. Potential Misinterpretation: Alerts can sometimes be misinterpreted, which may harm businesses unfairly; thus, clear communication and varied reviews are essential for a balanced understanding. In today’s digital age, consumer reviews can make or break a business. When it comes to finding trustworthy establishments, Yelp plays a crucial role, and its consumer alerts feature is designed to protect you from misleading practices. With the rise of fake reviews and deceptive marketing tactics, knowing how to navigate these alerts can empower you to make informed decisions. Yelp’s consumer alerts are more than just warnings; they serve as a valuable tool in your quest for authentic experiences. Whether you’re searching for a new restaurant or a reliable service provider, understanding what these alerts mean can save you time and money. Dive in to learn how to leverage Yelp’s consumer alerts and enhance your decision-making process. Overview Of Yelp Consumer Alerts Yelp’s consumer alerts serve a crucial role in protecting both consumers and small businesses. These alerts notify users about potential issues with business reviews, ensuring transparency and accountability. By offering insights into possible fake reviews or inconsistencies, Yelp helps you maintain an informed perspective when evaluating small businesses, retail options, or storefronts. Businesses can also benefit from these alerts. Understanding the alerts can enhance your credibility and build trust with potential customers. If a consumer notices something suspicious, they might investigate further, leading to a more informed decision-making process. Using Yelp effectively enhances visibility and attracts genuine customers to your small business, ultimately fostering community support and loyalty. Importance Of Yelp Consumer Alerts Yelp consumer alerts play a crucial role in ensuring trust and transparency for both consumers and businesses. By actively monitoring and addressing fake reviews and misleading marketing practices, Yelp enhances the overall experience for users searching for local small businesses. Protecting Consumers Yelp consumer alerts act as a protective measure for consumers navigating online reviews. These alerts highlight flagged businesses or suspicious activity, helping you identify potential red flags. By utilizing these alerts, you can avoid misleading information and make informed decisions when choosing restaurants or service providers. This protection ultimately saves time and money, ensuring a positive experience with local small businesses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5smSSi7FZk Impact On Businesses Yelp consumer alerts not only safeguard consumers but also positively impact small businesses. When flagged for fraudulent reviews, small businesses receive opportunities to address and rectify issues, fostering accountability. This proactive approach enhances credibility and promotes transparency within the retail space. As your business gains trust from consumers, you attract more customers to your storefront and build a loyal community base that values integrity and authentic experiences. How Yelp Consumer Alerts Work Yelp’s consumer alerts enhance user experience while fostering integrity within the marketplace. By addressing the challenges of fake reviews, these alerts guide you toward reliable businesses. Types Of Alerts Yelp employs various types of alerts to protect users, including: Fraudulent Reviews Alerts: These alerts indicate potential fake reviews that may mislead consumers. Suspicious Activity Alerts: These notifications flag unusual patterns, suggesting ongoing manipulation of ratings or reviews. Business Integrity Alerts: These alerts inform users about businesses with multiple flagged reviews, signaling a need for caution. These alerts empower you to identify trustworthy small businesses and retail storefronts while avoiding misleading information. Trigger Mechanisms Yelp’s algorithms activate alerts based on specific trigger mechanisms, such as: Review Patterns: Sudden spikes in review submissions or changes in review content can prompt alerts. User Behavior: Unusual activity, like repetitive reviews from the same user or identical wording across multiple reviews, can trigger alerts. Business Practices: Engaging in practices that violate Yelp’s guidelines, like soliciting fake reviews, leads to alert generation. These mechanisms ensure that you receive timely warnings about businesses, helping you choose reliable options for your needs. Effectiveness Of Yelp Consumer Alerts Yelp consumer alerts significantly enhance transparency and trust within the marketplace. These alerts empower consumers to make informed choices, especially when looking for small businesses with storefronts or retail services. User Engagement User engagement with Yelp consumer alerts promotes active participation in community feedback. When consumers encounter alerts about fraudulent reviews or suspicious activity, they gain insight into businesses’ reputations. Engaged users often leave detailed feedback, helping others navigate their choices. Yelp’s alert system encourages more reviews from users who recognize the importance of authenticity. This proactive approach enhances the overall quality of reviews, leading to well-informed decisions for consumers and better accountability for businesses. Business Responses Small businesses that receive alerts have unique opportunities to address concerns head-on. Responding to Yelp consumer alerts allows businesses to clarify misunderstandings and rectify issues related to reviews. Quick and transparent responses can improve your business’s credibility, fostering trust with potential customers. By actively engaging with reviews or alerts, businesses signal their commitment to integrity. This responsiveness not only mitigates the impact of fraudulent reviews but also builds a loyal customer base that appreciates accountability in an increasingly competitive retail landscape. Challenges And Criticisms Yelp’s consumer alerts, while beneficial, face certain challenges that affect how businesses and consumers perceive them. Misinterpretation Of Alerts Misinterpretation of alerts occurs when consumers misunderstand the intent behind them. Alerts may signal a business’s integrity issues, yet not all flagged businesses engage in fraudulent practices. Some alerts stem from common retail issues, such as high turnover rates or legitimate customer complaints. For small businesses, this misinterpretation can lead to unwarranted damage to their reputation. To mitigate this effect, businesses should actively respond to alerts and clarify any misunderstandings with transparent communication. Over-reliance On Reviews Over-reliance on reviews can skew customer perceptions and decisions. While Yelp’s consumer alerts enhance trust, consumers sometimes depend solely on these alerts without considering their context. This can disproportionately affect small businesses that may have fewer reviews or are less established. Reliance on a handful of reviews or alerts can omit the nuanced realities of a storefront’s service and offerings. Businesses must encourage a diverse range of reviews to foster a more balanced understanding among potential customers. Conclusion Yelp’s consumer alerts are invaluable tools for navigating the complex world of online reviews. By staying informed about potential red flags in business practices you can make choices that protect your interests. These alerts not only safeguard your decisions but also encourage businesses to maintain transparency and integrity. As you engage with Yelp’s features, remember to consider the context of alerts and the importance of diverse reviews. This balanced approach will enhance your understanding and foster a more trustworthy marketplace. Embrace Yelp’s consumer alerts to empower your decision-making and support businesses that prioritize authenticity and accountability. Frequently Asked Questions What are consumer reviews and why are they important? Consumer reviews are feedback provided by customers about their experiences with a business. They are crucial because they help potential customers make informed choices, enhance business credibility, and promote transparency in the marketplace. How does Yelp protect users from fake reviews? Yelp uses consumer alerts to notify users about suspicious activities and fraudulent reviews. These alerts highlight potentially misleading information, allowing users to make safer choices when selecting businesses. What are Yelp’s consumer alerts? Yelp’s consumer alerts are notifications that inform users about concerns regarding a business, such as Fraudulent Reviews Alerts, Suspicious Activity Alerts, and Business Integrity Alerts. They guide users toward trustworthy businesses. How do consumer alerts benefit small businesses? Consumer alerts help small businesses by promoting transparency and accountability. They provide an opportunity for businesses to clarify misunderstandings and improve their reputation, attracting more customers in the process. What triggers Yelp’s consumer alerts? Yelp’s consumer alerts are triggered by patterns in reviews, user behavior, and business practices that violate Yelp’s guidelines. These mechanisms ensure timely warnings about potentially unreliable businesses. How can businesses respond to consumer alerts? Businesses can respond to consumer alerts by addressing concerns raised in the alerts, clarifying any misunderstandings, and encouraging diverse reviews to provide a balanced view to potential customers. What challenges do Yelp’s consumer alerts face? Challenges include the potential for misinterpretation of alerts by consumers, which could negatively impact the reputation of businesses that aren’t actually engaging in fraudulent practices. Over-reliance on reviews may also skew perceptions. How can consumers leverage Yelp’s consumer alerts effectively? Consumers can leverage Yelp’s consumer alerts by paying attention to notifications, researching flagged businesses, and reading a variety of reviews to ensure a well-rounded understanding before making a decision. Image Via Envato This article, "Maximize Trust and Transparency with Yelp Consumer Alerts for Smarter Choices" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Understanding Consumer Alerts: Yelp’s consumer alerts help users identify potential fake reviews and suspicious activity, enhancing decision-making when choosing local businesses. Benefits for Consumers: These alerts protect consumers by highlighting issues, allowing them to avoid misleading information and make informed choices in finding dependable services. Impact on Businesses: By addressing flagged reviews, businesses can enhance their credibility and transparency, ultimately attracting more customers and fostering community support. Types and Triggers: Yelp employs different alerts for fraudulent reviews, suspicious activities, and business integrity, triggered by patterns in review activity and user behavior. Encouraging Feedback: User engagement with alerts leads to increased community feedback, improving overall review quality and accountability for businesses. Potential Misinterpretation: Alerts can sometimes be misinterpreted, which may harm businesses unfairly; thus, clear communication and varied reviews are essential for a balanced understanding. In today’s digital age, consumer reviews can make or break a business. When it comes to finding trustworthy establishments, Yelp plays a crucial role, and its consumer alerts feature is designed to protect you from misleading practices. With the rise of fake reviews and deceptive marketing tactics, knowing how to navigate these alerts can empower you to make informed decisions. Yelp’s consumer alerts are more than just warnings; they serve as a valuable tool in your quest for authentic experiences. Whether you’re searching for a new restaurant or a reliable service provider, understanding what these alerts mean can save you time and money. Dive in to learn how to leverage Yelp’s consumer alerts and enhance your decision-making process. Overview Of Yelp Consumer Alerts Yelp’s consumer alerts serve a crucial role in protecting both consumers and small businesses. These alerts notify users about potential issues with business reviews, ensuring transparency and accountability. By offering insights into possible fake reviews or inconsistencies, Yelp helps you maintain an informed perspective when evaluating small businesses, retail options, or storefronts. Businesses can also benefit from these alerts. Understanding the alerts can enhance your credibility and build trust with potential customers. If a consumer notices something suspicious, they might investigate further, leading to a more informed decision-making process. Using Yelp effectively enhances visibility and attracts genuine customers to your small business, ultimately fostering community support and loyalty. Importance Of Yelp Consumer Alerts Yelp consumer alerts play a crucial role in ensuring trust and transparency for both consumers and businesses. By actively monitoring and addressing fake reviews and misleading marketing practices, Yelp enhances the overall experience for users searching for local small businesses. Protecting Consumers Yelp consumer alerts act as a protective measure for consumers navigating online reviews. These alerts highlight flagged businesses or suspicious activity, helping you identify potential red flags. By utilizing these alerts, you can avoid misleading information and make informed decisions when choosing restaurants or service providers. This protection ultimately saves time and money, ensuring a positive experience with local small businesses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5smSSi7FZk Impact On Businesses Yelp consumer alerts not only safeguard consumers but also positively impact small businesses. When flagged for fraudulent reviews, small businesses receive opportunities to address and rectify issues, fostering accountability. This proactive approach enhances credibility and promotes transparency within the retail space. As your business gains trust from consumers, you attract more customers to your storefront and build a loyal community base that values integrity and authentic experiences. How Yelp Consumer Alerts Work Yelp’s consumer alerts enhance user experience while fostering integrity within the marketplace. By addressing the challenges of fake reviews, these alerts guide you toward reliable businesses. Types Of Alerts Yelp employs various types of alerts to protect users, including: Fraudulent Reviews Alerts: These alerts indicate potential fake reviews that may mislead consumers. Suspicious Activity Alerts: These notifications flag unusual patterns, suggesting ongoing manipulation of ratings or reviews. Business Integrity Alerts: These alerts inform users about businesses with multiple flagged reviews, signaling a need for caution. These alerts empower you to identify trustworthy small businesses and retail storefronts while avoiding misleading information. Trigger Mechanisms Yelp’s algorithms activate alerts based on specific trigger mechanisms, such as: Review Patterns: Sudden spikes in review submissions or changes in review content can prompt alerts. User Behavior: Unusual activity, like repetitive reviews from the same user or identical wording across multiple reviews, can trigger alerts. Business Practices: Engaging in practices that violate Yelp’s guidelines, like soliciting fake reviews, leads to alert generation. These mechanisms ensure that you receive timely warnings about businesses, helping you choose reliable options for your needs. Effectiveness Of Yelp Consumer Alerts Yelp consumer alerts significantly enhance transparency and trust within the marketplace. These alerts empower consumers to make informed choices, especially when looking for small businesses with storefronts or retail services. User Engagement User engagement with Yelp consumer alerts promotes active participation in community feedback. When consumers encounter alerts about fraudulent reviews or suspicious activity, they gain insight into businesses’ reputations. Engaged users often leave detailed feedback, helping others navigate their choices. Yelp’s alert system encourages more reviews from users who recognize the importance of authenticity. This proactive approach enhances the overall quality of reviews, leading to well-informed decisions for consumers and better accountability for businesses. Business Responses Small businesses that receive alerts have unique opportunities to address concerns head-on. Responding to Yelp consumer alerts allows businesses to clarify misunderstandings and rectify issues related to reviews. Quick and transparent responses can improve your business’s credibility, fostering trust with potential customers. By actively engaging with reviews or alerts, businesses signal their commitment to integrity. This responsiveness not only mitigates the impact of fraudulent reviews but also builds a loyal customer base that appreciates accountability in an increasingly competitive retail landscape. Challenges And Criticisms Yelp’s consumer alerts, while beneficial, face certain challenges that affect how businesses and consumers perceive them. Misinterpretation Of Alerts Misinterpretation of alerts occurs when consumers misunderstand the intent behind them. Alerts may signal a business’s integrity issues, yet not all flagged businesses engage in fraudulent practices. Some alerts stem from common retail issues, such as high turnover rates or legitimate customer complaints. For small businesses, this misinterpretation can lead to unwarranted damage to their reputation. To mitigate this effect, businesses should actively respond to alerts and clarify any misunderstandings with transparent communication. Over-reliance On Reviews Over-reliance on reviews can skew customer perceptions and decisions. While Yelp’s consumer alerts enhance trust, consumers sometimes depend solely on these alerts without considering their context. This can disproportionately affect small businesses that may have fewer reviews or are less established. Reliance on a handful of reviews or alerts can omit the nuanced realities of a storefront’s service and offerings. Businesses must encourage a diverse range of reviews to foster a more balanced understanding among potential customers. Conclusion Yelp’s consumer alerts are invaluable tools for navigating the complex world of online reviews. By staying informed about potential red flags in business practices you can make choices that protect your interests. These alerts not only safeguard your decisions but also encourage businesses to maintain transparency and integrity. As you engage with Yelp’s features, remember to consider the context of alerts and the importance of diverse reviews. This balanced approach will enhance your understanding and foster a more trustworthy marketplace. Embrace Yelp’s consumer alerts to empower your decision-making and support businesses that prioritize authenticity and accountability. Frequently Asked Questions What are consumer reviews and why are they important? Consumer reviews are feedback provided by customers about their experiences with a business. They are crucial because they help potential customers make informed choices, enhance business credibility, and promote transparency in the marketplace. How does Yelp protect users from fake reviews? Yelp uses consumer alerts to notify users about suspicious activities and fraudulent reviews. These alerts highlight potentially misleading information, allowing users to make safer choices when selecting businesses. What are Yelp’s consumer alerts? Yelp’s consumer alerts are notifications that inform users about concerns regarding a business, such as Fraudulent Reviews Alerts, Suspicious Activity Alerts, and Business Integrity Alerts. They guide users toward trustworthy businesses. How do consumer alerts benefit small businesses? Consumer alerts help small businesses by promoting transparency and accountability. They provide an opportunity for businesses to clarify misunderstandings and improve their reputation, attracting more customers in the process. What triggers Yelp’s consumer alerts? Yelp’s consumer alerts are triggered by patterns in reviews, user behavior, and business practices that violate Yelp’s guidelines. These mechanisms ensure timely warnings about potentially unreliable businesses. How can businesses respond to consumer alerts? Businesses can respond to consumer alerts by addressing concerns raised in the alerts, clarifying any misunderstandings, and encouraging diverse reviews to provide a balanced view to potential customers. What challenges do Yelp’s consumer alerts face? Challenges include the potential for misinterpretation of alerts by consumers, which could negatively impact the reputation of businesses that aren’t actually engaging in fraudulent practices. Over-reliance on reviews may also skew perceptions. How can consumers leverage Yelp’s consumer alerts effectively? Consumers can leverage Yelp’s consumer alerts by paying attention to notifications, researching flagged businesses, and reading a variety of reviews to ensure a well-rounded understanding before making a decision. Image Via Envato This article, "Maximize Trust and Transparency with Yelp Consumer Alerts for Smarter Choices" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Optimism from investors that deal between Washington and Beijing will de-escalate Donald The President’s trade warView the full article

Google’s logo just got a little bit blurrier. In a new logo quietly rolled out across iOS and Pixel, the search giant ditches its color blocked “G” for gradients. Google’s new logo keeps the same letterform, as well as the bright red-yellow-green-blue color sequence, but now those colors blur into each other. The new “G” is Google’s biggest update to its visual identity since retiring serfs for its current sans-serif font, Product Sans, in 2015. Why a gradient? In 2013, Google was among the first tech companies to move from skeuomorphic, dimensional lettering to a flat logo design. It arguably ushered in the “blanding” era—a moment when companies embraced simpler, sans-serif logos. This was both an aesthetic and utilitarian choice: simple, flat design conveyed the sense of efficient functionality that underpins modern technology. It also made it easier for companies to show up across the many screens and media required in the current media landscape. Google’s “G” took this idea even further, reducing the company’s famous wordmark down to a single letter icon in 2015. That first “G” was playful enough with is color blocking. But a decade on, it’s easy to see how it feels representative of a different moment on the internet. A gradient is a safe choice for the new “G.” Tech has long been a fan of using gradients in its logos, apps, and branding, with platforms like Instagram and Apple Music tapping into the effect a decade ago. Still today, gradients remain popular, owing to their middle-ground approach to design. They’re safe but visually interesting; soft but defined. They basically go with anything thanks to their color wheel aesthetic. Other Google-owned products have already embraced gradients. YouTube is now using a new red-to-magenta gradient in its UI, and Gemini, Google’s AI tool, also uses them. Now it’s bringing the design element to its flagship Google app. The change to Google’s logo is so subtle some users might not immediately notice the difference in a small size on their phones, and the effect hasn’t shown up in other applications like Gmail or Google Maps, where it will be more identifiable. Still, it’s not a small change for a behemoth of a company. We’ll never knows how many meetings, iterations, and deliberations went into making that little blur effect, but we can safely guess it was many. View the full article

Billy Evans, the partner of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, is currently in the process of raising money for his own startup. It’s a blood-testing company. According to reports from NPR and The New York Times, both of which spoke with anonymous sources close to the venture, 33-year-old Evans has already raised several million dollars for a new “stealth” startup focusing on diagnostics and health testing. Prior to this news, Evans first came into the public eye back in 2018 when he began dating Holmes, who is currently serving out an 11-year federal prison sentence for committing fraud through her infamous blood-testing company Theranos. Over the weekend, Evans’s startup Haemanthus spoke out on X to reassure investors and potential future customers that it’s not “Theranos 2.0.” The company has no apparent contact information, and the direct messages on its X account are closed. Fast Company was unable to reach the company for further comment. Here’s everything we know about the company so far. What is Haemanthus? Based on information provided to NPR, Haemanthus is a diagnostics company that’s planning to build a tool that can scan biological material like blood, sweat, and urine to identify potential diseases. The name “Haemanthus” itself appears to be an allusion to a flower of the same name, colloquially termed the “blood lily.” To many readers, that whole premise might sound strikingly similar to the story behind Theranos, which promised to dole out accurate diagnoses using a single drop of blood, before it ultimately started falling apart. However, Haemanthus took to X this Sunday to clarify that its tech is not an extension of Theranos. The post starts by acknowledging Evans’s relationship with Holmes and adding that “Skepticism is rational,” before categorically denying any connection to Holmes’s failed blood-testing company. “This is not Theranos 2.0,” the post reads. “Theranos attempted to miniaturize existing tests. Our approach is fundamentally different. We use light to read the complete molecular story in biological fluids, seeing patterns current tests can’t detect. Not an improvement. A different paradigm.” What kind of tech is the company developing? Sources told NPR that Haemanthus is currently in the early stages of “using light detection technology that can essentially guide AI sensors to conduct medical tests.” The company is specifically focusing on Raman spectroscopy, a form of chemical analysis that’s been used to diagnose amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and some forms of cancer. Based on a notice published in late January, the company has already received a patent for its Raman spectroscopy system. A photo provided to potential investors and obtained by The New York Times reportedly indicates that Haemanthus plans to build a small rectangular device to contain the tech, which will include a door and a digital display screen. Sources told the publication that Haemanthus plans to roll out its tech for veterinary purposes first, before ultimately developing a stamp-size, wearable device for humans. This trajectory was confirmed in part in Haemanthus’s X thread. “We’re starting with veterinary medicine. Not because it’s easier, but because it’s practical and meaningful. It validates our technology, helps animals who can’t describe symptoms, and builds the foundation for human applications,” the post reads. Who is working for the company? Sources told both NPR and The New York Times that the startup currently has between 10 and 12 employees, most of whom worked with Evans previously at the lidar tech company Luminar Technologies. Haemanthus reportedly told investors that it had around two dozen advisers, including veterinarians and diagnosticians, though specific names were not provided. How much money has been raised? So far, The New York Times reported, the company has raised $3.5 million through family and friends and is currently seeking another $15 million from investors in the Austin and Say Francisco Bay areas. Materials reviewed by the publication reportedly suggest that the company has an ultimate goal of raising more than $50 million. Is Elizabeth Holmes involved? In February, Holmes told People magazine that she plans to return to her career in healthcare technology after her release, and that she’s continuing to write patents for new inventions while serving her sentence. And in its exclusive initial coverage of Haemanthus, NPR cited sources who claimed that Holmes has been providing advice to Evans on his new venture from behind bars. On X, however, Haemanthus strongly refuted that claim. “Setting the record straight,” the company wrote. “Elizabeth Holmes has zero involvement in Haemanthus. We’ve learned from her company’s mistakes, but she has no role, now or future. NYT and NPR implied otherwise. We’ve stayed quiet to build real tech, not conceal. Demonstrating, not promising.” View the full article

Calling it “inevitable,” Google executives expect Search to lose traffic to Gemini or rival AI answer engine ChatGPT, according to an internal document from October. Why we care. Google generated nearly $200 billion in revenue from Search in 2024. However, Google launched many new AI features and products (e.g., AI Overviews, AI Mode, Gemini) in the past two years that have radically changed search as we’ve known it for more than two decades. Now it’s confirmed that Google executives think it’s “inevitable” that Google will lose search traffic due to AI. ChatGPT’s impact. An internal summary of takeaways from a meeting with top execs – including Liz Reid, Vidhya Srinivasan, and Nick Fox – included this key point from Fox: “We have 3 options: (1) Search doesn’t erode, (2) we lose Search traffic to Gemini, (3) we lose Search traffic to ChatGPT. (1) is preferred but the worst case is (3) so we should support (2)” ‘Writing is on the wall.’ Although Google wasn’t losing any Search or Ad traffic at this time, Srinivasan felt that it was an inevitability, so Google should “prepare for Gemini’s success.” She apparently used the phrase “writing is on the wall” about Search losing traffic to Gemini. Srinivasan wanted to “accelerate monetizing Gemini with Ads ASAP.” (Sure enough, during Alphabet’s Q1 earnigns call, we heard about the potential of Gemini as an ad platform.) Srinivasan and others discussed the creation of a “connected strategy” for “when Gemini should kick back to Search” and building out “Shopping solutions.” The document. Google document: Notes_follow-ups on 25-Oct Ads Stats (Oct. 25, 2024) View the full article

Artificial intelligence might be the future of the workplace, but companies that are trying to get a head start on that future are running into all sorts of problems. Klarna and Duloingo have been some of the poster children for the “AI-first” workplace. Two years ago, Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski announced he wanted his company to be the “favorite guinea pig” of OpenAI, instituting a hiring freeze and replacing as many workers as possible with AI systems. Last month, Duolingo announced an AI-first shift, saying it would stop using contractors to do work AI can handle and only increase headcount when teams have maximized all possible automation. Klarna, though, is reversing course these days. And Duolingo is finding itself under attack on social media for its decision. Klarna CEO Siemiatkowski tells Bloomberg the fintech company is about to go on a hiring spree, in order to ensure customers will always have the option to speak to a live representative. The company did not say how many people it plans to add, but Siemiatkowski indicated Klarna would look at students and rural areas to boost its workforce. It’s an admission by the company that it might have been too ambitious with its AI goals. Last year, Klarna, in an announcement, said AI was doing the work of 700 customer service agents. Now, it’s once again focusing on human connections. “As cost unfortunately seems to have been a too predominant evaluation factor when organizing this, what you end up having is lower quality,” Siemiatkowski said. “Really investing in the quality of the human support is the way of the future for us.” Duolingo’s AI-first push is much newer, and there have been no policy reversals on its part as yet. But the company is facing a tsunami of pushback from the general public on social media after announcing the move, particularly on TikTok. The top comments on virtually every recent post have nothing to do with the video or the company – and everything to do with the company’s embrace of AI. For example, a Duolingo TikTok video jumping on board the “Mama may I have a cookie” trend saw replies like “mama may I have real people running the company 💔” (with 69,000 likes) and, “How about NO ai, keep your employees.” Another video that tied into the How to Train Your Dragon character Hiccup brought comments like “Was firing all your employees and replacing them with AI also a hiccup?” Other comments are more serious: “Using AI is disgusting,” wrote one user. “Language learning should be pioneered by PEOPLE. By making this decision duolingo is actively harming the environment, their customers, and employees when it hurts the most.” Another wrote, “What kind of audience do you think you’ve built that it’s okay to go ‘AI first’. we don’t want AI, we want real people doing good work. Goodbye Duo, if this is the way you’re going you wont be missed.” Others claimed to have deleted the app: “Deleted Duolingo last week. A 650+ day streak never felt so meaningless once I saw the news.” Companies, in general, remain excited about the potential cost savings of AI, sometimes for good reason. Duolingo’s stock is at an all time high and the company recently raised its sales forecast for 2025. A study by the World Economic Forum (WEF) found that 40% of employers expect to reduce their workforce and hand over automated tasks to the technology. As bullish as executives might be, however, that excitement has not made its way into the consumer space. Almost half of the Generation Z job hunters told the WEF they believed AI has reduced the value of their college education. And researchers at Harvard University say the technology is still threatening to people. “From early on in life humans strive to manage their surroundings to achieve their goals. So they’re naturally reluctant to adopt innovations that seem to reduce their control over a situation,” wrote Julian De Freitas, an assistant professor in the marketing unit at Harvard Business School. “The possibility that AI tools might completely take over tasks previously handled by humans, rather than just assist with them, stirs up deep concerns and worries.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. With dietary differences and grocery budgeting, eggless dessert recipes are more sought after than they used to be. Of course, eggs play an important role in the structure of your batter, so you can’t just leave it out. (Well, sometimes you can.) You’re better off knowing what sorts of egg replacements you can use for different types of baking. Here’s a list of the best egg replacement you can lean on during lean times. By the way, if you find yourself modifying recipes a lot, I highly suggest you buy The Elements of Baking. It can give you the tools (and ratios) you need to modify almost any recipe for different diets; you can read my full review of the cookbook here. What do eggs do in baking, anyway?Eggs are an emulsifier, and they provide moisture, structure, color, and aeration to baked goods. One single egg can do all this, so finding a replacement can be tall order. The following ingredients have a range of capabilities—offering all of those egg features above, or maybe just one or two. But a replacement doesn’t really have to do it all. Depending on what you’re making, sometimes moisture or aeration is all you need. AquafabaDespite its humble beginnings as the liquid byproduct of your canned chickpeas, aquafaba is an effective egg replacement. It works well for binding in cookies and cakes due to its starch content, adding moisture due to its water content, and can even be whipped to leaven cakes or suffice as a suitable meringue replacement (featuring a delightful nutty note). Use three tablespoons of aquafaba per every whole egg being replaced. Oh, and freeze any extra aquafaba that you didn't use for next time. BananasBananas do a top-notch job at providing moisture and structure to baked goods. Yes, they’ll provide a lovely banana flavor, but more importantly when replacing eggs, they deliver a springy hydration to cakes and cookies. Keep in mind that the moisture is unflagging, kind of like adding pumpkin puree to a recipe—you’ll never get a crisp cookie if you use bananas. Use a scant quarter-cup of mashed banana for each whole egg in a recipe. Tapioca and baking powder and other powdered blendsInstead of relying on a single ingredient to try and replicate the many functions of eggs, why not target its attributes with a blend of ingredients? There may be packaged store bought mixtures readily available in the baking aisle you can grab. I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Egg Replacer in cakes with great success. It’s made of potato starch, tapioca flour, baking soda, and psyllium husk to duplicate the leavening and binding of an egg. You can also make your own simplified blend with tapioca flour and baking powder. Stir together one tablespoon of tapioca flour with one tablespoon of water and add a quarter-teaspoon of baking powder before adding it to your recipe. The starches absorb the moisture in the batter (of which you added a bit extra to account for this), they gelatinize and bind the batter upon heating in the oven (no need to pre-cook the mixture to activate them), and the baking powder provides that subtle bit of lift like an egg would. SodaThat’s right. Fanta. Diet Coke. Root beer. Good old fashioned cola. With the help of a carbonated drink, you can add hydration and noticeable lift to your boxed cake mix without the eggs. You probably caught that—boxed cake mix. While I wouldn’t suggest using sodas as the sole ingredient for replacing eggs in cookies, cakes, or brownies you’re making from scratch, they make a surprisingly effective replacement in boxed cake mixes. Sour cream egg washWhile sour cream is delicious in cake batter or cookie dough, I’m pivoting slightly from replacing eggs in doughs, to replacing eggs on doughs. When you can’t spare an extra egg to make an egg wash for your pies, tarts, and biscuits, grab a tub of sour cream. Despite my predictions during testing, this fermented dairy product produces excellent browning and shine, even better than a regular egg wash. View the full article

The newly released Dotdigital Global Benchmark Report 2025 reveals a surprising trend: email volumes rose 23.9% year-over-year, and engagement metrics improved alongside them. Click-through rates doubled. Click-to-open rates jumped by 50%. Unsubscribes remained low at just 0.13%. The report analyzes billions of cross-channel interactions across industries, offering marketing teams rare insight into how leading brands are outperforming. With smarter segmentation, deeper personalization, and multi-channel orchestration, the data suggests that more can indeed mean better—when it’s done right. Why It Matters For digital marketers, ops leads, and marketing directors under pressure to prove ROI, these benchmarks offer both a performance yardstick and a strategic lens. Whether optimizing campaigns or advocating for budget, the report provides critical data to support smarter decisions. Download the Global Benchmark Report here. View the full article

The allegations against New York's attorney general involve transactions that occurred over decades, but James called the charges political retaliation. View the full article

A 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs between the U.S. and China boosted the near-term economic outlook for banks, but tensions and uncertainty around trade barriers remain high. View the full article

Google is facing a potential €2.97 billion ($3.3 billion) antitrust lawsuit in Italy, accusing the tech giant of stifling competition through anticompetitive practices. The lawsuit, filed by Moltiply Group, claims Google used its dominance in the search engine market to undermine the growth of its rival price comparison platform, Trovaprezzi.it, operated by Moltiply subsidiary 7Pixel. Key allegations. Moltiply argues that between 2010 and 2017, Google prioritized its own Google Shopping service over competitors, suppressing other comparison websites’ visibility. The lawsuit leans on a significant 2017 ruling by the European Court of Justice, which fined Google $2.7 billion (€2.42 billion) for similar practices, a ruling that was upheld by an EU court in 2024. Google’s defense. In response, Google has strongly contested the lawsuit, arguing that the changes made following the 2017 ruling have been effective and are in line with European regulatory expectations. A Google spokesperson said they “disagree strongly with these exorbitant private damages claims,” emphasizing the success of the comparison shopping industry since the changes were implemented. The bigger picture. This lawsuit (subscription required) comes amid heightened scrutiny on Google’s market behavior in Europe, where regulators have taken a firm stance against monopolistic practices. The case could add fuel to ongoing debates about the power of Big Tech and the need for stricter antitrust enforcement across the globe. While this particular lawsuit focuses on Google’s handling of price comparison services, it aligns with broader concerns about the tech giant’s influence across various industries. Texas lawsuit. In another legal development, Google agreed to pay nearly $1.4 billion to Texas to settle allegations surrounding data privacy violations, marking a significant settlement over concerns about user data tracking and privacy infringements. This settlement, while unrelated, underscores the increasing legal challenges the tech giant faces on multiple fronts. Why we care. These lawsuits highlight growing regulatory scrutiny on how Google operates its platforms – especially around product visibility and user data. If courts force changes to how Google ranks shopping results or uses consumer data, it could significantly impact ad performance, targeting precision, and cost efficiency. These legal challenges may also signal broader shifts in the digital advertising landscape, where transparency and fairness are becoming regulatory priorities. View the full article