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The Ten Commandments for customers
Anne Rose RetailMuch ado is made about delivering excellent customer service. You take care of your customers, give them the products and services they desire, go out of your way to treat them respectfully, and diligently work hard to earn their business and loyalty. But do customers have a reciprocal obligation to earn your respect — and service — by treating you equally well? I think there are mutual obligations in the business-customer relationship. Here are my Ten Commandments for customers.
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How will AI impact your business?
Shawn Smajstrla Science & TechnologyIs your business ready for AI? Artificial intelligence has become common conversation in business media as we seem destined to eliminate the fiction part of science fiction. A Deloitte survey of what it calls "aggressive adopters of cognitive technology" revealed three-quarters expect AI to "substantially transform" their organizations within three years. But AI isn’t a one-tech-fits-all solution. It’s an array of systems, processes, tools and algorithms — all still developing rapidly.
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Flossing toothbrush with ADA approval recalled
Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental HealthcareWater Pik Inc. might just have the hottest toothbrush in town — but not in a good way. This month, Water Pik Inc. voluntarily recalled its Sonic-Fusion water flosser/toothbrush amid concerns that the charging base could overheat and possibly cause a fire. In May, this product earned the ADA Seal of Acceptance after meeting all program requirements for toothbrushes and for powered interdental cleaners.
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Reshoring hits rough domestic waters
Delany Martinez ManufacturingSome call the moves bold, others brash, but no matter which way you perceive the recent trade-related moves of the current administration, they're making some large, potentially negative waves for manufacturing. One of President Trump's key talking points in the run-up to the 2016 election was an optimistic promise of reshoring the large amounts of manufacturing jobs that had set sail in search of more favorable foreign waters. For a time, it looked like it might have been a self-fulfilling prophecy, but in June, simmering trade tensions with China seemed to explode virtually overnight.
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Airlines, restaurants and hotels are switching to more sustainable products
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementFrom airlines to restaurants and hotels, the hospitality and tourism industry is responding to the calls for more sustainable products. A small move, as “simple” as dropping plastic straws, could make a significant impact on the planet. For example, Starbucks announced in July that the company would eliminate single-use plastic straws in over 28,000 stores. This "small" move alone is expected to eliminate more than 1 billion plastic straws per year.
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What spa clients are demanding now
Elizabeth Donat RetailWith clients’ increased awareness of product ingredients, sourcing and regulation, it's no surprise that they are coming into our spas and medical spas with more questions, concerns and demands. Clients regularly consult the Environmental Working Group's website, study the Goop newsletters and watch their favorite TV doctors for advice. It's our role as spa professionals to be cognizant of the current demands of our clients so that we can steer them in the right direction while meeting their needs.
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How to save money at your office with smart tech
Sam Radbil Facilities & GroundsThe green-at-home movement has been covered extensively, but what about at the office? While there are lots of articles about tech for your home, what concepts and ideas are being discussed about saving you and your company money at the office? First, let’s understand the Internet of Things (IoT). The idea is to control your office through the internet. Sure, you can tell everyone to turn off the lights when they leave a room, but how many employees simply forget to do so?
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The great carbon dioxide crisis in the UK
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingThe majority of my recent dispatches have concerned the problems of supply and demand with certain high-GWP HFCs caused by the onward march of the F-Gas regulations. With everyone continuing to worry about the price of the likes of R404A and R410A, it came us quite a shock for the industry to find itself suddenly in the grip of a full-blown carbon dioxide crisis. In the space of a few days, excitable headlines about a "national CO2 shortage" appeared to have created a self-fulfilling prophecy, and the U.K. quickly found itself in short supply of many forms of the gas.
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5 benefits to plastic food service packaging
Tracy Szwec Food & BeverageToday, it seems that there is a push to move to other products for food service packaging besides plastic. While there is understandably an abundance of plastic being mishandled from the waste standpoint, the reality is that there is no better product to use for packaging of food products, both from a retail and restaurant sales standpoint. Consider these five benefits to choosing plastic.
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Is hotel luxury dead?
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesWhat’s in a name? A luxury hotel by any other name is still luxurious, right? No longer, it seems, in today’s hospitality industry. When hotel discount brokers offer "luxury" accommodations at $49 a night, as occurred during the recent Independence Day holiday, does the word "luxury" have any useful meaning? Those in the industry who want to appeal to the wealthy and sophisticated traveler are upping their game and moving beyond traditional standards of luxury.
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