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Valentine’s Day: Fast facts from the heart
Kaylee Nelson RetailAh, sweet Valentine's Day. Loved by some, hated by others, Feb. 14 is unavoidably well-known in America to anyone who shops for groceries, surfs the web or just likes chocolate. Despite not being a true national holiday in any country, the popular date calls for the celebration of love — in many forms and fashion.
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Touch points to enhance the customer experience
Deena Murray Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementOur office team recently took a field trip to the "Happiest Place on Earth" — Disneyland. This trip was an opportunity to learn from one of the best on ways to make clients feel special. We had spent time throughout the year developing touch points to use with our clients to help build relationships. We define a touch point as every place or opportunity that a client is touched or interacts with our team, products or brand. It can be initiated by the client or it can be initiated by anyone on the team.
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Getting help for struggling managers
Michael J. Berens Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIt is a fact widely known but seldom acknowledged that many managers hold their positions for reasons other than their management skills. Because management positions often are treated as promotions, individuals may become managers due to their subject matter expertise, as a reward for past performance, because they are good at managing their own work and responsibilities, or because they get along well with members of the executive team. Others with little hands-on experience are hired as managers because they have a management degree.
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Metals Thoughts: Are you not entertained?
Brad Yates Natural ResourcesIt seems we have gotten a small dose of the "Bad Trump" effect we spoke of last week. Sure enough, DXY and yields are slightly lower, all while the Chinese New Year has many out of office. We still face some technical resistance through the recent $1,220 highs and will likely need help from the FOMC to talk down the dollar a bit further with some dovishness, but at least the rollover from a week ago has been stemmed for now.
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5 leadership mistakes to stop making now
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementBy reading this article, you have already avoided the first mistake: thinking you are done learning how to be a good leader. Though it may seem that people never change and management principles all boil down to the same few tenets, good leaders know that to continue to motivate and inspire requires a commitment to sharpen and expand the tools in their toolbox.
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From TPP to NAFTA: International trade in Trump’s America
Katherine Radin Civil & GovernmentWhen I wrote about the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in November of 2015, I concluded by asking where we would be in a year. At the time, the Canadian political landscape had seen the election of Liberal leader Justin Trudeau to replace Conservative leader Stephen Harper as the prime minister of Canada. A year later, the political landscape has changed once again, this time with the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States of America.
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What is the future of the shopping mall?
Danielle Manley RetailIn the last decade, the retail industry has faced many challenges — from difficult economic times to rapid technological improvements. These developments have changed the modern consumer and caused an overhaul of the industry. In the latter half of the 20th century, shopping malls were a staple of the booming retail industry. Today, shopping malls are out, and experience-focused and hybrid retailers are in.
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Make more money because you deserve it
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementOne of the most common complaints I heard from employees while working in HR was regarding compensation. Everyone wants a raise, regardless of whether they make $25,000 or $250,000. And the two most common reasons were: they felt they deserved more or they needed (or wanted) more to pay for something.
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Indoor smoking bans result in fewer kids visiting the ER for asthma
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareIndoor smoking bans reduce the number of emergency department (ED) visits in children with asthma, according to a new study. Pediatric asthma is the most common serious chronic disease in infants and children, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Secondhand smoke is a well-known trigger for asthma, and a severe asthma attack can lead to a visit to the emergency room.
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What to consider when working out your landscape contract
Doug Haymore Facilities & GroundsWe all want to get the things we need for a price that works for us, and commercial landscape maintenance is no exception. However, when it comes to commercial landscaping, it's worth it to invest a little more. Your landscaping is one of the first things customers will see, and it's important to look good for them. To make sure that your landscaper can live up to your expectations, go into your meetings with these things fresh on your mind.
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