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Property management during COVID-19: Here’s what you need to know
Terri Williams Facilities & GroundsOwning and managing rental property has never been a walk in the park. However, the pandemic has created a high level on uncertainty regarding evictions, service requests, how to interact with tenants who have contracted COVID-19 and more. Aaron Marshall, co-founder and CEO of Keyrenter Property Management, addresses some of the most pressing issues for property managers.
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6 ways to finish strong at your spa in 2020
Elizabeth Donat RetailWith Thanksgiving and the holiday season just days away, it's time to make a plan to finish your year strong at your spa or medspa. We've experienced a year of ups and downs, and it has certainly shown us that with planning, tenacity and a lot of patience we can continue to do the work that we love. Follow my six tips in this article to finish 2020 on top and start the new year off right with some fun and festive ideas.
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How design is aiming to bring hotel guests back
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesHospitality and travel arguably have been the sectors hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Beset by fears of contagion, travel restrictions and mandated closures, hotels rushed to put strict health and safety protocols in place and revamp spaces to accommodate social distancing, hoping to revive custom, with only partial success. Now, as they look ahead to next year and the promise that the virus will be brought under control, hoteliers are exploring what more they can do to lure travelers back to their properties.
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Remodelers bullish as demand resurges
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsRemodelers entered the final quarter of the year riding a wave of strong demand for home renovation projects. With no end to the coronavirus pandemic in sight, homeowners are continuing to upgrade and alter their living spaces to accommodate the changes to their lifestyles resulting from home confinement and the need to work and be schooled from home. Rising home values and low interest rates are helping to sustain the trend and carry it through to the end of the year.
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A new era for Berlin as Brandenburg Airport finally opens
Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & AutomotiveA mere nine years late and approximately $3.8 billion over budget, Berlin’s new Brandenburg Airport (BER) finally opened on Oct. 31. A muted ceremony, at what is arguably the worst time to open a new airport aimed at handling more flights and passengers than ever before, allowed Germany to at least save face and put the huge debacle of this construction project behind it. Originally planned to open in 2011, the flagship airport project has been plagued by problematic safety measures, insufficient retail space, and fraud as many reasons for delay stacked up.
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US payrolls add 638,000 jobs; unemployment rate drops to 6.9%
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementU.S. employers added 638,000 nonfarm jobs in October, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. October’s rate of unemployment fell to 6.9% from September’s 7.9% and August’s 8.4%. The gradual employment improvement is a result of eased COVID-19 restrictions on social movement and resuming of commerce, though the pandemic remains uncontained and prospects for a vaccine available to the public are unclear. "The number of unemployed persons fell by 1.5 million to 11.1 million," according to the BLS. "Both measures have declined for 6 consecutive months but are nearly twice their February levels."
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Interior designers foresee softer demand at year’s end
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesContinuing the upward trend that began toward the end of the second quarter, interior design activity rebounded to close to 2019 levels in the third quarter. Billings were up nearly twice what they had been in the spring, with demand for residential remodeling and design services leading the way. As the quarter came to a close, though, firms experienced a slowdown in new inquiries and committed projects, a signal that business may taper off slightly in the final months of the year.
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The pros and cons of lean manufacturing: A 2020 perspective
Bambi Majumdar ManufacturingThere is a reason why manufacturers are turning towards lean during these uncertain times. Lean manufacturing became popular during World War II when hardship and uncertainty ruled the world economy. Companies were forced to reduce costs during a time of radical change and yet had meet their customers' quality and delivery needs. So, they learned to optimize their systems and innovate, giving birth to modern-day lean manufacturing technologies. Flash forward to 2020 when an unexpected virus brought the whole world to its knees. Manufacturers have to drive efficiencies and agility in new ways by adjusting, adapting, and persevering in this environment.
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Hawaii inches toward opening for tourism
Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementTraveling to Hawaii has never been tougher. The Aloha State, which saw visitor numbers nearing 10.5 million in 2019, has seen visitation decrease by some 50% this year so far. In May alone, that was down 98.9%. That number came to 9,116 visitors, and they traveled to Hawaii by air. That figure compared to 841,376 total visitors that entered by air and cruise ships during the same month a year ago. On the upside, a new pre-travel testing program recently began in October that will allow visitors in Hawaii who test negative for COVID-19 to avoid the two weeks of mandatory quarantine Hawaii has had in place since the pandemic began.
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Can leisure and work-from-home demand stimulate extended-stay hotel growth…
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementThe lodging industry is still struggling to fill empty rooms. For months, U.S. hotels have been running at an occupancy of 50% or lower. Not every segment in the industry suffers the same impact from the pandemic, however. Demand for home-sharing facilities already bounced back over the summer. Airbnb reported a higher booking rate than last year. Marriott’s home-sharing arm is also doing well, seeing a sevenfold increase in booking over last summer. Similar to what a residential rental or home-sharing facility offers, guestrooms in extended-stay hotels also feature a full-size kitchen or a kitchenette.
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