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justforbooks · 4 years

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Toilet paper, sometimes called toilet roll or toilet tissue in Britain is usually supplied as a long strip of perforated paper wrapped around a paperboard core for storage in a dispenser near a toilet. Most modern toilet paper in the developed world is designed to decompose in septic tanks, whereas some other bathroom and facial tissues are not. Toilet paper comes in various numbers of plies (layers of thickness), from one- to six-ply, with more back-to-back plies providing greater strength and absorbency.

The use of paper for hygiene has been recorded in China in the 6th century AD, with specifically manufactured toilet paper being mass-produced in the 14th century. Modern commercial toilet paper originated in the 19th century, with a patent for roll-based dispensers being made in 1883.

Joseph Gayetty is widely credited with being the inventor of modern commercially available toilet paper in the United States. Gayetty's paper, first introduced in 1857, was available as late as the 1920s. Gayetty's Medicated Paper was sold in packages of flat sheets, watermarked with the inventor's name. Original advertisements for the product used the tagline "The greatest necessity of the age! Gayetty's medicated paper for the water-closet."

Seth Wheeler of Albany, New York, obtained the earliest United States patents for toilet paper and dispensers, the types of which eventually were in common use in that country, in 1883.

The manufacturing of this product had a long period of refinement, considering that as late as the 1930s, a selling point of the Northern Tissue company was that their toilet paper was "splinter free".

Moist toilet paper, called wet wipes, was first introduced in the United Kingdom by Andrex in the 1990s. It has been promoted as being a better method of cleaning than dry toilet paper after defecation, and may be useful for women during menstruation. It was promoted as a flushable product but it has been implicated in the creation of fatbergs; by 2016 some municipalities had begun education campaigns advising people not to flush used wet wipes.

More than seven billion rolls of toilet paper are sold yearly in the United States. Americans use an average of 23.6 rolls per capita per year.

During the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic, toilet paper shortages were reported in March 2020 in a number of countries due to excessive hoarding and panic buying.

As the epidemic spreads across the globe, people have been seen rushing to supermarkets to buy 'essentials' in bulk.

First it was the masks, then hand sanitisers. Now it seems the novel coronavirus outbreak has people rushing to stock up, among other things, an essential item: toilet paper.

Shelves have been emptied across the world. In Australia, a newspaper helpfully printed out an extra eight pages as a "backup loo roll". Fights have broken out, trolleys piled high, and across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, most supermarkets imposed a cap to limit the number of rolls a person could buy.

Dubbed #ToiletPaperPanic and #ToiletPaperApocalypse online, there is no shortage of videos capturing the mass hysteria that has swept up globally as shelves are cleared. Canned goods, water bottles and pasta shelves have similarly been emptied out.

So, why are we seeing panic buying across the globe?

"Panic buying and hoarding of supplies is obviously not desirable, but it's understandable, particularly when people see images of cities, regions and even whole countries in lockdown," Michael Baker, professor of public health at the University of Otago in Wellington, New Zealand, told Al Jazeera.

While panic buying was not seen in response to the most recent influenza pandemic in 2009, Baker said the ongoing crisis is similar to a behavioural response during a natural disaster.

"The difference this time is that people now see COVID-19 as a real threat, one that will last for months, and they may not have confidence in the authorities to contain it."

Insufficient information on the new coronavirus is also playing a factor in people's response, while current measures taken by the authorities do not seem to have reassured the masses.

"We're poor at learning and good at forgetting. No one alive today has seen a global pandemic of this seriousness. Current measures to manage this pandemic are not nearly enough in most countries," Baker said.

"We are now seeing the world splitting into those countries which are containing this pandemic, notably China, Singapore and South Korea, and those which are not."

Anxiety over return to a sense of control is another factor behind the widespread panic, said experts.

"We don't know how long it will last, we don't know much about the virus, it's something new and we are learning something new about it," Dimitrios Tsivrikos, consumer and business psychologist at the University College London, told Al Jazeera.

"Consumers are trying to gain control and panic buying is essentially our attempt to be in control of a situation. It's quite important to feel that at least we are doing something, we are being proactive and panic buying is exactly that," he said.

Tsivrikos said consumers are also in a position where they are receiving global news, looking at other countries, for instance Italy on lockdown, and comparing it to local news and directions they are getting, further creating a sense of added uncertainty.

But is our increasing connectivity and heightened awareness a good thing, or is it feeding increasing anxiety among the people?

"While established media organisations might be trying to cover the outbreak in a measured way, that's no longer the only source we consume information from. Certain claims read online might aggravate the anxiety. While social media is a great place for entertainment, consumers need to be wary of getting their news from there," Tsivrikos said.

Social media's impact is a mixed bag, Baker added. "It's good at connecting people and giving them a voice, but it also dilutes messages from key health agencies with many unqualified voices. Now, everyone's an expert."

"If you think about it, people are walking into the markets, they are looking for bulk, large volume items that last for longer. They want to grab the largest possible items - toilet paper is one of those," said Tsivrikos.

"That, added to the fact that it is low-value, means you don't need to think about it much. You tell yourself that at some point I'll have to use it, so I might as well get loads of it, especially as the duration is uncertain."

While panic buying may give consumers a sense of control and help them manage anxiety, experts said it could also disrupt the supply chain.

"We don't have an unlimited supply, so if we're buying things disproportionately, others who are in immediate need of that item won't be able to find it," said Tsivrikos.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

#JUST FOR BOOKS #COVID-19 #My Lockdown Diary

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mixchronicles-futureboyfriend · 4 years

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Dear Future Boyfriend – Quarantine with Me

Leave it to take a global pandemic and social isolation for me to finally sit down with myself and tap into some deep seeded issues I’ve buried over the years. Like my fear of suspending my LA Fitness gym membership, a dream I’ve always wanted to achieve, but have been too scared to do so. The logical person inside says why pay for something you can’t use. You’re locked in the house and it costs absolutely nothing to put your membership on hold. The optimist says, it’s okay to shut it down, once the ban lets up you’ll be itching for fresh air anyhow. I can start a new routine of boot camps and morning hikes which will save tons of money in monthly gym dues. But the realist trumps them both and says, who are you kidding this gym suspension is the gateway drug to quitting. You freaking hate working out and have been looking for an excuse to stop doing it for years. And now that the world is coming to an end, here’s your chance. And the realist is right. I can quit without the judgmental bodies of LA’s perfect petites jogging past me in the mornings. Or the anxiety at the thought of my Future Boyfriend showing up with an effortlessly chiseled 6-pack while I’m concealing a full liter under my clothes (which at least isn’t a gallon… but nothing to strip about either). And you know why? Because they’re all locked inside, just like me. Halleluiah Corona! Finally, you’re good for something. Let’s never go back to the gym again.

Now as I sit in my isolation chamber eating my second bag of family sized Kool-Ranch Doritos while alternating between red and white wine, I’ve reached yet another realization. I hate being alone. Well not really. I like being alone when I choose it, but after 5 days of forced loneliness, it’s beginning to feel a little like I’m in solitary confinement. Not sure how inmates do it, but if I was in prison I’d be the model convict. I need to stay out in general population, plus my spades game is too good to be solo. So, in an attempt to not go stir crazy, I surprised myself, grabbed a jump rope and went outside and exercised. I’m sure that’s against some Martials’ Law (it’s definitely against everything I believe in to my core… check the paragraph above), but I needed to breathe fresh air and see sunlight. I needed to clear my mind. And who would have thought, working out actually does it. Now with a clear head, I immediately thought of you Future Boyfriend. Or rather us. See in 5 days I’ve learned something very important about myself. I’m freaking needy. I need to hear, see and feel a human being (preferable you Future Boyfriend). I need social interaction and I wonder if you do too. Because I need you to need me or at least act like you do. I need you to want to be quarantined with me. Personally, I think it would be great for our love story. We’d spend days watching movies, playing games, cuddling under each other. We’d dance to our favorite playlists and eat snacks together. And we’d talk for hours and hours and hours, but when we finally run out of words it will still be okay because you can watch old rerun games on ESPN (which I’ve probably already seen, but promise not to spoil the ending) while I read a book (because I’m cultured), legs thrown over you of course. #physicaltouch. Bottomline I want both of us to walk away from this knowing that in the middle of an apocalypse, I won’t kill this person. Now how romantical is that? And isn’t that what true love really is? The ability to see each other every day and night and not Natalee Holloway them. So here in the year of 2020, in the middle of a global crisis, I realized this is the level of commitment I need from you Future Boyfriend. I need to know that you will be all in. Not only when it’s convenient, but when times get rough and toilet paper gets scarce. I need to know that you are down. So are you ready to quarantine with me?

Xo,

Mix

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ladystylestores · 4 years

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Make Juneteenth a Non-Shopping Holiday – WWD

https://pmcwwd.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/nike-taraget-1-2.jpg?w=640&h=415&crop=1

Juneteenth has long been celebrated by Black people and across communities of color. The holiday references June 19, 1865, two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, when a document declaring the end of slavery was read publicly in Galveston, Tex., by a U.S. Army general. Now the day is getting broader recognition, as numerous American companies, including some in fashion, are making it a paid holiday. Congress will likely take up the issue as well, and Juneteenth could, and should, become a national holiday.

How great and long overdue for our country to formally celebrate the end of slavery, and by doing so, come face-to-face with the horrific devastation it wrought and that is ongoing. Not so great that this reckoning comes only after the killings by police of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and too many others, acts that have shaken American society to its core. In response, millions of people have joined voices in condemning and demanding an end to systemic racism and inequality, and their countless granular manifestations, including those across the employment sphere.

Over the past three weeks, U.S. and global companies have unveiled broad-stroke social-justice initiatives. Typically, these involve pledging to do more to diversify the workforce across its breadth and up through the management ranks; ensuring that those newly diverse work environments are genuinely inclusive, and check-writing, lots and lots of check-writing, mostly to organizations aimed at ending racism and its resulting injustices that so profoundly impact people of color in general, and Black people most dramatically.

In the U.S., newly instituted Juneteenth observations are part of these moves. Among the fashion retail-involved companies instituting the paid holiday are Target Corp., J.C. Penney Co. Inc., Nike Inc. and Ralph Lauren Corp. (PMC, WWD’s parent company, is also observing Juneteenth.) At Nike, the holiday is of the sort that we once perceived holidays to be — a day off company-wide, all-inclusive. This year at least, Nike is closing all U.S., EMEA and Canadian Nike and Converse stores, as well as distribution centers and Air MI facilities. Yet righteousness and commerce don’t always intersect seamlessly. While published numbers and anecdotal evidence suggest that people of color comprise huge portions of the in-store workforce, Target, J.C. Penney and Ralph Lauren are keeping stores open, with those working receiving extra pay. At Ralph Lauren, hourly employees will receive time-and-a-half and salaried workers, comp time. At Penney’s, those working will get non-specified holiday pay.

Target announced its implementation of the holiday simultaneously with the fabulous news that, starting July 5, it is making permanent its increase of minimum pay to $15 an hour (up from $13) that it instituted as hero pay early in the coronavirus pandemic. Retail associates who work on Juneteenth will receive time-and-a-half, and if in-store employees choose not to work, they will be paid for the day. So on one level, no one loses out, and some employees will gain financially.

But what are the optics? And optics be damned, the deeper messaging?

Target employs more than 350,000 people. According to the company web site, 48 percent belong to a “racial/ethnic minority.” While specific percentages for in-store and corporate employees are not given, it’s safe to deduce that a huge number of that 48 percent work in-store, and that many of those employees are Black.

Regardless of a company’s scale, there’s a philosophical gap — and a common sense gap, to boot — in the segment of employees who work in-store not having equal access to the holiday. If a cashier must request the day off when her colleagues in the corporate office get it automatically, she doesn’t have equal access to the benefit.

People in service industries — U.S. retail workers in particular, a large percentage of whom are people of color — get the shaft during holidays, and have for years. They just do. Because stores are always open. Once upon a time, stores closed for major holidays (in the U.S. we have 10 national holidays, but only a few merit major work closures) and even on Sundays. And do you know what happened? Life went on. People knew to stock up on their toilet paper, fresh veggies, beer and Thanksgiving canned cranberry sauce the day before. But somehow, we developed an insatiable societal need for 24-hour access to everything. Now, many stores are open on most holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas and — irony of ironies — Labor Day. (Target is open 363 days a year, closing for Easter Sunday and Christmas.)

The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted for all of us exactly what are essential businesses, and who are essential workers. Target — absolutely, an essential business. Its retail-store and distribution-center employees are essential, and among the heroes of the COVID-19 crisis. Target’s sales associates sell us the things we need; its stockroom workers, store managers, distribution staff and truck drivers facilitate those purchases. But “essential” does not necessarily mean 24/7 access required. Short of pharmacies — there is genuine emergency need for pharmaceuticals — no store really has to be open on a specific day. We know we need toilet paper; we know we need food. If my cupboard is wanting of such items on Juneteenth, Labor Day or Christmas, that’s my fault.

The steps being taken now by the mostly white corporate world to acknowledge and deal with racial discrimination and inequities within their organizations, and efforts to affect the larger society, are crucial and long overdue. But lest self-righteousness come knocking even faintly, it’s important to acknowledge that this awakening is not born of pure principle. It is a pragmatic awakening forced by public outrage over the shocking killings by police of innocent Black people.

That’s not to say that corporate hearts and minds aren’t in the right place, and that their moves and proclamations are showboating. But one test of strength of conviction is what happens when principle swerves afield from immediate financial interest. Imagine the statement if more retailers professing to make Juneteenth a paid holiday really make Juneteenth a paid holiday, as Nike is doing. If the lords of commerce say by their actions that, in our world now and going forward, June 19, Juneteenth, is a day for community. For reflection. For reconciliation. Not for shopping. It would also be a fine day to arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor.

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instantdeerlover · 4 years

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‘We Started in the Same Fashion as the Black Panthers Feeding Our People’ added to Google Docs

‘We Started in the Same Fashion as the Black Panthers Feeding Our People’

Food is prepared by volunteers at an East Oakland Collective event. | East Oakland Collective

East Oakland Collective’s mission is to push back against racist policies and fight for meaningful, lasting change. One way it does that is to ensure its community has access to food.

Candice Elder recognized the lack of equal access to fresh food in Oakland, California, before the coronavirus pandemic compounded those disparities. While whiter, wealthier Oakland neighborhoods house plenty of big-box grocery stores, there are virtually none to be found in deep East Oakland. This food insecurity is the result of deeply rooted systemic racism that limits access to resources for the city’s black and brown residents. In 2016, Elder, a longtime leader and organizer, founded the East Oakland Collective, an organization that creates political change and provides resources to economically disadvantaged and unhoused communities in East Oakland. The program is perhaps best known for Feed the Hood, an initiative aimed at feeding an enormous gathering of Oakland residents every six weeks. During the pandemic, it’s delivered these meals across the city.

The nature of Elder’s work demands that she be ready to adjust and adapt quickly. Right now, that means not only supporting those hit hardest by the pandemic, but also those protesting police brutality and the continued murder of black people across this country; 15,000 protesters took to Oakland streets on Monday. In a recent conversation with Eater, Elder talked about how the East Oakland Collective’s work now includes handing out supplies, including water and snacks, to protesters — all part of its mission to push back against racist policies and fight for meaningful, lasting change. It’s a mission rooted in Oakland’s history as the city where the Black Panther Party first organized, and one that Elder says her organization is continually inspired by. “Working in the food justice space, we’re kind of always in crisis mode,” Elder says. “We just pivot to meet whatever the community’s needs are.” — Elazar Sontag

Black and brown residents across Oakland were already suffering from food insecurity and a lack of access to fresh food before the pandemic. And with the sheltering in place, the closure of restaurants, the fear of going to the grocery store, and the panic buying, there weren’t a lot of available food options in stores to begin with. There wasn’t much access for families who have EBT or SNAP benefits, and who used the benefits at the grocery store.

Beginning in the spring of 2019, we started serving hot meals as part of what I call food reparations, where we actually picked up excess food from tech companies in Silicon Valley and brought it back to Oakland: It was a three-hour round trip for us because of traffic. We did this twice a week, and we were distributing 400 gourmet meals weekly. With COVID-19, we lost our access to hot meals, because everyone was working from home and tech companies no longer needed to have catering services. We had to scramble and source food from other areas. And we were fortunate enough to start working with Oakland-based restaurants.

For about the first 60 days of the pandemic, we were working every single day. We got into the groove of picking up food from various places, and then delivering, and we now have three distribution days a week.

The protests haven’t changed much for us. The only slight pivot was starting to hand out supplies to protesters. We’re making sure that while they are out and about, that they have snacks, water, supplies, that they have first aid as well because they’re out for all hours of the night.

We are dealing with centuries, since the inception of America, of systemic and racist problems. And it comes out in the form of poverty. Black and brown communities, immigrant communities, and other groups of color are still impoverished. With poverty comes a lack of access to housing; lack of access to food and resources; problems with transportation. Those are the issues that we’re seeing exacerbated by systematic racism, and policies and measures and laws that are now blowing up in our face. And we see it visible on the street with the explosion of the homelessness crisis.

This is what the Black Panthers had to deal with. This is what people were fighting for during the civil rights movement. In the East Oakland Collective, we are very much inspired by the work that was done before us, by the road that was taken before us, by groups such as the Black Panthers. We believe in the 10-Point Program [the Black Panther Party’s 10 core tenets and demands, which included decent housing and an end to police brutality]; we believe in doing for our people first. We don’t believe in relying on the government. We partner with the local government, yes, when it’s for the benefit of our people. But we don’t rely on the government. We started in the same fashion as the Black Panthers: feeding our people. That is the simplest thing, and the least that we can do.

The Black Panthers started the Free Breakfast for Children program, and they were able to feed the people in the community in absence of government. It pushed the government to actually implement a federal school lunch program. Similarly, we’ve noticed that since the East Oakland Collective started doing Feed the Hood events in September of 2017, more groups, more churches, more families, have started feeding the people. And we encourage that. It’s not a competition. We actually have given people the rubric, the model in order to do so. And we encourage families to participate in Feed the Hood, but to also be inspired to go out and actually feed people on their own: Carry granola bars or toilet paper in your car, and hand these things out to people.

There’s policy work and advocacy work surrounding food justice that people don’t know about, and that we need to pay attention to because it’s going to hit our communities really hard.

People are going hungry, still; people are dying on the streets. So being able to provide food is the least that we can do.

via Eater - All https://www.eater.com/21278676/east-oakland-collective-candice-elder-interview-food-deserts-covid-19-police-brutality-protests

Created June 4, 2020 at 12:26AM /huong sen View Google Doc Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xa6sRugRZk4MDSyctcqusGYBv1lXYkrF

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easyfoodnetwork · 4 years

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Food is prepared by volunteers at an East Oakland Collective event. | East Oakland Collective East Oakland Collective’s mission is to push back against racist policies and fight for meaningful, lasting change. One way it does that is to ensure its community has access to food. Candice Elder recognized the lack of equal access to fresh food in Oakland, California, before the coronavirus pandemic compounded those disparities. While whiter, wealthier Oakland neighborhoods house plenty of big-box grocery stores, there are virtually none to be found in deep East Oakland. This food insecurity is the result of deeply rooted systemic racism that limits access to resources for the city’s black and brown residents. In 2016, Elder, a longtime leader and organizer, founded the East Oakland Collective, an organization that creates political change and provides resources to economically disadvantaged and unhoused communities in East Oakland. The program is perhaps best known for Feed the Hood, an initiative aimed at feeding an enormous gathering of Oakland residents every six weeks. During the pandemic, it’s delivered these meals across the city. The nature of Elder’s work demands that she be ready to adjust and adapt quickly. Right now, that means not only supporting those hit hardest by the pandemic, but also those protesting police brutality and the continued murder of black people across this country; 15,000 protesters took to Oakland streets on Monday. In a recent conversation with Eater, Elder talked about how the East Oakland Collective’s work now includes handing out supplies, including water and snacks, to protesters — all part of its mission to push back against racist policies and fight for meaningful, lasting change. It’s a mission rooted in Oakland’s history as the city where the Black Panther Party first organized, and one that Elder says her organization is continually inspired by. “Working in the food justice space, we’re kind of always in crisis mode,” Elder says. “We just pivot to meet whatever the community’s needs are.” — Elazar Sontag Black and brown residents across Oakland were already suffering from food insecurity and a lack of access to fresh food before the pandemic. And with the sheltering in place, the closure of restaurants, the fear of going to the grocery store, and the panic buying, there weren’t a lot of available food options in stores to begin with. There wasn’t much access for families who have EBT or SNAP benefits, and who used the benefits at the grocery store. Beginning in the spring of 2019, we started serving hot meals as part of what I call food reparations, where we actually picked up excess food from tech companies in Silicon Valley and brought it back to Oakland: It was a three-hour round trip for us because of traffic. We did this twice a week, and we were distributing 400 gourmet meals weekly. With COVID-19, we lost our access to hot meals, because everyone was working from home and tech companies no longer needed to have catering services. We had to scramble and source food from other areas. And we were fortunate enough to start working with Oakland-based restaurants. For about the first 60 days of the pandemic, we were working every single day. We got into the groove of picking up food from various places, and then delivering, and we now have three distribution days a week. The protests haven’t changed much for us. The only slight pivot was starting to hand out supplies to protesters. We’re making sure that while they are out and about, that they have snacks, water, supplies, that they have first aid as well because they’re out for all hours of the night. We are dealing with centuries, since the inception of America, of systemic and racist problems. And it comes out in the form of poverty. Black and brown communities, immigrant communities, and other groups of color are still impoverished. With poverty comes a lack of access to housing; lack of access to food and resources; problems with transportation. Those are the issues that we’re seeing exacerbated by systematic racism, and policies and measures and laws that are now blowing up in our face. And we see it visible on the street with the explosion of the homelessness crisis. This is what the Black Panthers had to deal with. This is what people were fighting for during the civil rights movement. In the East Oakland Collective, we are very much inspired by the work that was done before us, by the road that was taken before us, by groups such as the Black Panthers. We believe in the 10-Point Program [the Black Panther Party’s 10 core tenets and demands, which included decent housing and an end to police brutality]; we believe in doing for our people first. We don’t believe in relying on the government. We partner with the local government, yes, when it’s for the benefit of our people. But we don’t rely on the government. We started in the same fashion as the Black Panthers: feeding our people. That is the simplest thing, and the least that we can do. The Black Panthers started the Free Breakfast for Children program, and they were able to feed the people in the community in absence of government. It pushed the government to actually implement a federal school lunch program. Similarly, we’ve noticed that since the East Oakland Collective started doing Feed the Hood events in September of 2017, more groups, more churches, more families, have started feeding the people. And we encourage that. It’s not a competition. We actually have given people the rubric, the model in order to do so. And we encourage families to participate in Feed the Hood, but to also be inspired to go out and actually feed people on their own: Carry granola bars or toilet paper in your car, and hand these things out to people. There’s policy work and advocacy work surrounding food justice that people don’t know about, and that we need to pay attention to because it’s going to hit our communities really hard. People are going hungry, still; people are dying on the streets. So being able to provide food is the least that we can do. from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2Bs7N65

http://easyfoodnetwork.blogspot.com/2020/06/we-started-in-same-fashion-as-black.html

#EasyFoodNetwork #ComfortFoodRecipes #EasyRecipes #GoodFood #BestComfortFoodRecipes #TastyFoodv

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riichardwilson · 4 years

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What Does the Crisis Mean for the Sharing Economy?

May 19, 2020 7 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The global health crisis has rocked the sharing economy. Uber and Lyft drivers have seen their incomes plunge as people shelter in place. Airbnb bookings have tumbled, and its services have been banned in some cities and states. Gig workers at a number of companies are protesting a lack of basic protections like hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies and sick pay.

This crisis has brought to a head problems that have been lurking in the wings for years. As a professor who researches the sharing economy, I’ve found that the features that make it so successful — especially its flexible, decentralized, independent workforce — create both unique opportunities and vulnerabilities. The stresses of our current situation have made these contradictions clearer than ever.

Related: 5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Rebound After a Crisis

Will this public health emergency push the sharing economy to evolve? Or will it throw the entire business model into question? The answer hinges on whether companies can adapt quickly and find ways to create a virtuous cycle of benefits for both workers and customers, as well as their bottom lines. Sharing economy giants like Uber and Airbnb have become so ubiquitous that their ability to survive will have serious implications for the economy as a whole.

The most innovative aspect of the sharing economy is a unique relationship between companies and their workers. Rather than hiring and managing a traditional workforce, these businesses create platforms for individuals to sell goods and services, from use of their cars and homes to their time and skills. An estimated one-third of U.S. workers are now engaged in “gig work,” much of it through sharing economy marketplaces.

The sharing economy’s flexibility and low barriers to entry have long appealed to workers who can decide when and how much to work, or who want to pick up side hustles to earn extra income. Now, we may see people who have been laid off flock to gig work in an attempt to make ends meet, such as the 250,000 new users who signed up to work for Instacart during the first week of April.

At the same time, the tenuous relationship between sharing economy companies and their workers is showing signs of strain. Some frustrated Instacart workers have simply quit or switched to competing services like Postmates, while others are striking for safer working conditions. Though companies like Uber and Lyft are offering sick pay, many workers report trouble collecting benefits or meeting eligibility requirements.

Related: 10 Ways Startups Can Pivot From Growth to Operational Efficiency During a Crisis

These challenges reveal how precarious sharing economy jobs can be for workers, most of whom are classified as independent contractors. This means they are not guaranteed a steady income and often lack basic benefits like paid sick leave, health insurance and access to unemployment assistance. In recent years, gig workers at Uber and other companies have fought to be recognized as employees to obtain greater protections.

These ongoing concerns about the lack of security afforded by sharing economy jobs have boiled over during these trying times, resulting in highly publicized strikes and demands that companies better protect their workers. Policymakers are also getting involved, as states like Michigan and Colorado explore ways to help gig workers access unemployment benefits.

A workforce of independent contractors poses challenges for companies too. Because these businesses are so decentralized, it is harder for them to control the behavior of workers and sellers across their platforms to ensure customers have a good experience. Airbnb, for example, has struggled in recent years to protect the safety of guests and hosts and faced backlash after a series of sexual assaults at its properties.

Related: 10 Lessons Every Entrepreneur Should Learn About Their Business

The current crisis has made the underlying problems of decentralization clearer than ever. Although Grubhub, Postmates, and other food delivery services have announced precautions such as contactless delivery, restaurants and consumers have little guarantee that drivers are following proper protocols. In an attempt to discourage risky public health behavior, Airbnb issued guidelines for how hosts represent their properties during the pandemic. Yet there are still listings encouraging people to “Quarantine in Paradise!” with friends or offering toilet paper as a perk.

This situation has laid bare some of the core contradictions of a sharing economy built on a decentralized, independent and often precarious workforce. Companies will have to adapt quickly to mount a cohesive response that satisfies customers and workers, both of whom are essential to their continued success. The flexibility built into the sharing economy model may be an asset for companies looking to innovate rapidly. Uber, for example, has encouraged struggling drivers to shift to its food delivery service Uber Eats.

In many cases, workers’ demands for better protections might closely align with the interests of customers who are also concerned about their health. Previous research my colleagues and I conducted found a virtuous cycle on sharing economy platforms like Airbnb where good behavior from sellers induces better behavior from buyers, and vice versa. If companies can find a way to harness positive feedback loops around worker and customer safety, they may be able to secure the trust of both groups.

This logic also applies to protecting workers financially. Some sharing economy companies quickly realized that if they didn’t offer some form of paid sick leave, they could be forcing workers into an impossible choice — “starvation or sickness ” — potentially putting customers at risk as a result. Particularly in competitive sectors like food delivery, visible failures to protect workers could concern customers and lead to (further) losses of revenue.

The government might also need to step in to ensure gig workers are protected. This crisis could be the tipping point that finally leads companies and policymakers to address the precarity of gig work by offering a better safety net including access to health and unemployment benefits, greater income stability and paid leave.

The sharing economy’s ability to weather this storm will have broader impacts on the economy, given how thoroughly it has infiltrated our national and local markets and workforces. In a recent paper, my colleagues and I found that increased activity on home-sharing platforms like Airbnb boosted local restaurant revenue, often in areas outside traditional tourist districts. A downturn could have the opposite impact.

Local economies might also be affected as gig workers who’ve lost income shift gears. For example, some hosts are converting their now-empty Airbnb properties into long-term rentals, potentially reversing a trend we uncovered in our previous research on Airbnb’s impact on local rental housing markets.

To survive this pandemic, the sharing economy must address some of its underlying contradictions by ensuring the security of both workers and customers. Companies that are able to do so might even come out ahead if they can safely offer essential services like grocery delivery. However, if the sharing economy cannot deal with its fundamental vulnerabilities in a moment of crisis, it could spell the end of its meteoric rise as a business model.

Related: Uber to Riders and Drivers: Wear a Mask or Lose Access to App

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scpie · 4 years

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What Does the Crisis Mean for the Sharing Economy?

May 19, 2020 7 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Related: 5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Rebound After a Crisis

Related: 10 Ways Startups Can Pivot From Growth to Operational Efficiency During a Crisis

Related: 10 Lessons Every Entrepreneur Should Learn About Their Business

Related: Uber to Riders and Drivers: Wear a Mask or Lose Access to App

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asfeedin · 4 years

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Coronavirus: Survival Guide for Businesses

The coronavirus pandemic has shaken businesses to the core within an alarmingly short space of time. This temporary, newfound reality means that almost one-third of the world’s population is currently in lockdown, dramatically altering people’s daily routines, behavior patterns, and ultimately their consumer needs.

For many small and medium businesses to have the best possible chance of surviving and even thriving under these testing conditions, this requires change and adaptation.

COVID-19 has changed everything. And, let’s be real for a moment… we are ALL still figuring this out — we are in untested waters, and things are somewhat uncertain. It won’t be easy, but it is critical we try to consider the big picture. In particular, think about how your business can help people through this crisis. As a result, you will help your business get through this crisis.

— Adam Connell

We understand just how overwhelming this could be right now. To guide you through this difficult time, we have put together a survival guide that covers not only marketing advice, but also support regarding financing options, as well as managing team and commercial operations.

We have included great tips given during last week’s #SEMrushchat on this topic by our community. We also reached out to several leading marketing influencers for insights, Kevin Indig, Amy Bishop, and Adam Connell.

How to Pivot Your Marketing Strategy During Coronavirus

EMPATHY IS IMPORTANT

Empathy is key during this difficult time, and this should be reflected in the content you create, meaning you should avoid the hard-sale of your services at all costs.

Recognize that nearly everyone’s day-to-day has shifted in a major way. People are trying to acclimate to a new normal, all while feeling anxious about the pandemic, their work, the wellbeing of their friends and family – and potentially their job security and their income. Consumers and businesses are vulnerable, so it is important that advertisers take that into account in messaging.

— Amy Bishop, owner and digital marketing consultant at Cultivative, LLC.

Being empathetic was reiterated in last week’s #SEMrushchat too:

Socially responsible brands right now have empathy and truly understand their marketplace and their customers. Any companies who don’t – or do the opposite – are making a big mistake.

The biggest thing I think actually came from my coworker @Thomas718J Tone matters more than ever right now. Users are people and want to see the human side of your company. Reach out and check on how people are doing, everyone is hurting.

An example of lack of empathy:

I got an email from a restaurant telling me all about how they fired 90% of their workforce. But oh, you can still order takeout. Really turned me off from going there ever again. Yes, hard decisions have to be made, but opening your email with that, ouch.

To ensure your content is appropriate during the crisis, we recommend that you:

Prioritize highlighting the things that will matter most to your customers, such as contactless delivery and safety precautions being taken at your business.

Make sure that scheduled editorial or social media content is not insensitive. For example, a promotional piece that says ‘dresses to die for’ in the title is inappropriate.

Check that scheduled launches are still relevant, given the pandemic.

Remove impertinent call-to-actions. For example, this could be a CTA that encourages customers to ‘visit today’ when your store is now online only. Provide replacements, if possible.

SEO STRATEGIES

Continuing to invest time in SEO during this crisis is worth it, as it can help you identify new ways that your brand can add value and fulfill consumer needs. Here are some tips from our three experts:

Kevin Indig

Perform keyword research for concerns customers have in your industry or around your product and create content around it.

Closely monitor what keywords or categories on your site increase in impressions/search volume and double down on them.

Amy Bishop

“Look at keywords and queries containing ‘near me’ that perform really well. Determine if there is a way that you can still fulfill that need, online or via pickup/shipping/dropoff. Determine if there are new needs that have arisen that your company can fulfill. Then adjust your keyword strategy to capture that search volume.”

Adam Connell

“Develop your online presence – More people are spending time online than ever before, but many brands are pulling back on advertising due to the uncertainty COVID-19 presents. Use this time to create helpful content and build an audience you can market to when the time is right.”

We also suggest closely monitoring Google Trends, which collects data in real-time, so you can determine which topics to focus on for content creation, at a time when search demand and trends are constantly changing.

Three areas to review during the pandemic:

Schema: Ensure Google is showing the most accurate information possible to consumers.

Improve existing on-page copy: Make sure it is still relevant in the current climate.

Fix any technical SEO backlog: Improve page speed and user experience.

PROVIDE AN ESCAPE

People are spending more time watching TV and using their mobile devices. SEMrush found that the biggest streaming services experienced a dramatic rise in searches during March, rising by 87.6% on average.

However, people’s attention spans are under severe strain due to coronavirus-related fears and concerns. Now is the time to engage your audience by providing them with a welcome entertainment break that takes their mind off the situation.

Creating something thoughtful and memorable now could build trust and result in future leads.

GENERATE GOODWILL AND BE A HELPFUL RESOURCE

Use this time to create helpful content and build an audience you can market to when the time is right. Now is the time to focus on helping over-selling. For example, Frank Turner, a musician from the UK, is using Facebook Live to raise money for local music venues who need help to get through this crisis. And Signature Brew is hiring musicians who are out of work to help deliver their products.

— Adam Connell, influencer and founder of Blogging Wizard

Kevin Indig also recommends:

Extending free subscription months or adding free products for customers if financially viable.

Combining your products with high-demand goods such as face masks, wipes, and toilet paper.

Offering Facetime and Facebook Messenger text consultations.

Our community in last week’s chat agreed that the focus should be on providing value, status updates, and helpful information to customers. Here are just a few of the tweets from that discussion:

I think there’s real opportunity if you can provide help during this time. For instance, if you offer financial services, there’s a variety of content you can create to guide people. Boost your SEO, be a thought leader, and help others.

We’ve found growth opportunity in e-comm by simply informing users that orders are still being fulfilled. For lead gen, it’s all about promoting contactless or remote service (when applicable) by producing new, user-friendly content.

We have ramped up our marketing production and even shifted some team members over to the marketing team for additional support. We are producing more blogs and eBooks than ever. We are also actively participating in webinars and hosting one later this month.

My focus has been to help businesses and friends with their digital strategy. Giving helpful advice can help keep their business afloat, which is important for me. Plus, it provides me with a chance to get more leads in the aftermath.

It’s helping us to think even more creatively about adding further value to both the community and our clients.

ADAPT YOUR ADVERTISING

It is commonplace for marketing campaigns to be paused or dropped entirely in an economic downturn, but statistics show companies that continue will get to enjoy lower Cost Per Leads than before. On average, Cost Per Clicks have dropped by over 50%.

This is the first time in as long as I can remember, that inventory demand and costs have declined. If you can afford to be marketing and you are able to be operative &mdash now can be a really great time to push into paid social. There is a really captive audience on social networks right now, and there have been major declines in CPCs, CPMs, and CPVs – leading to major decreases in CPLs (depending upon what you are selling).

— Amy Bishop

VIDEO CONTENT IS KEY

With social distancing measures in force, we have seen an astronomical rise in demand for video, especially video apps and platforms. For video conferencing and webinar platform Zoom, its traffic increased by 67 million site visits in March alone.

The popularity of the social networking app Houseparty has also skyrocketed, with its downloads up by 2902% month-on-month since January 2020. Meanwhile, the social video platform TikTok’s downloads are up by around 96% year-on-year from February 2019.

Consequently, shifting your company’s attention to videos is going to be important in this pandemic. Consider the ways your brand can utilize your assets and turn them into video content, to help build a sense of community.

A lot of people are looking for human connection right now. As a bonus, everybody is at home, even popular talk shows are filming from their home, so the opportunity for some really genuine, authentic video content has never been greater. Even if you film your video with your laptop or your iPhone within your home — that won’t seem out of the ordinary!

— Amy Bishop

Commercial Strategy During Coronavirus

IDENTIFY HOW YOUR BUSINESS CAN MEET NEW CONSUMER DEMANDS

Can your business provide products that consumers need? Can you build trust by helping consumers and first responders?

Businesses everywhere are moving fast and pivoting to assist people through this crisis. For example, in-person events are being moved online, and manufacturers such as Dyson, GAP, Nike, and others are creating products specifically to address COVID-19. For example, Dyson is manufacturing ventilators for the NHS here in the UK. And the likes of GAP and Nike are manufacturing masks & gowns, etc.

— Adam Connell

GET ONLINE

For offline businesses, bring your inventory online, or turning in-person events to online conferences or webinars, is likely needed to survive the crisis.

Converting offline offerings to online offerings works well (e.g., online lessons), engaging the audience providing valuable information to people is the key. Another example is one coworking space in Toronto. They had to close the physical location but now have online co-working hours, productivity challenges, etc. That’s amazing!

Many restaurants worldwide are now online, providing delivery options for menu items and meal kits, and many retail stores now allow you to order items online and provide curbside pick up — get creative. One grocery store lets you print a newly created checklist every day with items that are in stock, and when you get to the store, they go shop for you.

For restaurants without the necessary infrastructure to go online quickly, companies such as food surplus firm Too Good To Go are now allowing local businesses to use their app as a takeaway platform; this comes with an automated payment structure already in place.

CHANGE YOUR GOOGLE MY BUSINESS LISTING

Make sure that you have updated your Google My Business listing if you have physical locations because consumers are relying heavily on the information provided by Google for real-time information.

Your updates should include pivotal information such as your new operating hours and/or pick-up and delivery options.

Team Strategy During Coronavirus

Remote work has now become the norm for many businesses in this public health crisis. Here is our advice on how to maintain productivity and morale:

Internal communication is key: Use online platforms such as Slack, Google Hangouts, and Zoom to help you to do this. Maintaining a dialog is important.

Provide clarity to your team as to how each of these channels will be used to communicate and have different departments can lean on one another for support.

Keep employees updated: Share company policies for the pandemic, and make sure all teams are educated and onboard. Also, share company updates and provide support (working from home is hard for some).

Set clear parameters as to your work expectations from your team. For example, giving plans for the day and designated checking-in times.

Encourage online team building: This could be holding Zoom breakfasts or lunches or having happy hours to keep everyone connected in the pandemic. Help people feel not alone.

What Businesses Should Avoid Doing During Coronavirus

EXPLOIT THE SITUATION

“bove all else, do not exploit a tragedy. Trying to make weak connections just to ride the wave of the current news cycle is a bad idea. Using words like Corona as a promo code is a worse idea. People will remember the way that businesses behave right now. You do not want to damage your brand by leaving a negative impression during a crisis.

— Amy Bishop

This was reiterated in our #SEMrushchat too:

I’ve seen businesses jumping on Covid hashtags, pandemic hashtags that are for pandemic information, not a way to get eyes on an irrelevant social media post. It is not something to be exploiting!

FAILING TO ADAPT

To survive, many companies will need to diversify, expand, or pivot to avoid going out of business altogether. Look at the ways you can re-segment your audience and get creative with your strategy.

Being reactive instead of proactive. Where can you diversify/expand/pivot instead of furlough or layoff? Hiring a good team is hard. Don’t throw that away.

Being rigid or slow to adapt are absolute death blows to businesses right now. Empathy and understanding go a long way – at the current time, profits may have to take a bit of a back seat, at least for a few more months as people continue to struggle.

DROPPING MARKETING EFFORTS

Stopping marketing altogether may cut costs, but it could be at the expense of your business:

Now is time to engage with your audience, this is the time for digital communication, step up your social media and digital strategies, talk to your audience!

Some companies fall into the trap of uncertainty. While demand for online content is higher than ever and advertising is generally cheaper, some do the mistake to cease or slow down their marketing activities.

Examples of Successful Business Responses to Coronavirus

The following businesses have chosen to adapt. Here are some quick examples, and if you have others, please include them in the comments below.

A number of zoos and aquariums have gone online, providing live streams. This includes the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, who tweeted a video of their penguins waddling around the aquarium that has since gone viral.

The adventure continues! This morning, Edward and Annie explored Shedd’s rotunda. They are a bonded pair of rockhopper penguins, which means they are together for nesting season. Springtime is nesting season for penguins at Shedd, and this year is no different! (1/3) pic.twitter.com/VdxN3oQAfe

— Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) March 16, 2020

There has been a huge increase in searches for home fitness. The online demand for yoga alone saw an 811% increase.

Workout studios such as the UK based Barry’s Bootcamp are now giving free 20 to 30 minute online workouts on Instagram Live.

Hobs 3D, primarily a 3D printing studio for construction purposes, is using its technology to print thousands of visors to provide PPE equipment for NHS workers in the UK:

Mexican restaurant chain Chipotle has set up ‘Chipotle Together Sessions’, creating virtual community building through lunch hangouts on Zoom. Every session includes celebrity appearances, competitions, and Q&As.

Source: Contagious

Airbnb has started a new global initiative to help house 100,000 healthcare professionals, first responders and relief workers, as well as waiving all their fees during COVID-19.

E-commerce fashion brand Rosie On Fire has turned its attention to selling lockdown-related packages to UK consumers, such as the lockdown birthday kit (containing home workout gear and pamper products) through a dedicated website.

UK experiences firm Secret Cinema started by pivoting to Zoom, hosting a 90s themed party on the platform. This has now transformed into a deal with Häagen-Dazs for an eight-week run of virtual screenings called ‘Secret Sofa’, involving interactive elements related to the film.

London-based childcare startup Koru Kids is helping essential workers to keep working by providing nannies in their homes.

The Scottish craft beer company BrewDog has created ‘online bars’ for every one of its 48 UK bars, as well as for its locations in the US, Germany, and Australia. They have also transformed their distillery to create hand sanitizers.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has radically and suddenly changed how our lives will operate for the foreseeable future, in a way that many businesses could never have anticipated. However, we hope that this guide is a useful resource for you, providing you with advice that can help you improve your marketing and strategies for the foreseeable future.

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vsplusonline · 4 years

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Coronavirus: Calgary doctor leads workout as people wait in line at Costco

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/coronavirus-calgary-doctor-leads-workout-as-people-wait-in-line-at-costco/

Coronavirus: Calgary doctor leads workout as people wait in line at Costco

As stores restrict the number of shoppers and mandate physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, a Calgary doctor took the opportunity to turn a Costco lineup into a workout session on Friday.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: 241 new cases confirmed in Alberta as 4 more people in long-term care homes die

Dr. David Keegan stood in line with everyone else, standing about two metres apart in the maze of barricades.

“It was actually a bit colder than I had anticipated. I decided after about 20 minutes or so, I would just do some lunges to warm myself up. Then I thought, ‘Hey, why don’t we turn this into something bigger and cooler?’” he told Global News on Sunday.

READ MORE: ‘Dumbbells are now the new toilet paper’: COVID-19 leads to demand for fitness equipment

Keegan shouted out to people about the workout idea and they were willing.

“I think everybody was a bit bored, a bit cold, a bit, maybe, frustrated, scared, and just [thinking] about everything going on — but people were game, and so very quickly, they were totally into [it],” he said.

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READ MORE: Small space and no equipment? Here’s how you can still exercise

With nothing else to do but wait, the group did jumping jacks, lunges, squats, core work and pushups against barricades.

“It just felt like something could happen and you never know. All I did was bring the spark,” Keegan said. “But everybody, almost everybody engaged and that was cool. Within seconds, like maybe a second, it was clear this is going to be fun.

“It just was a fun spark in a very difficult time.”

Tweet This

pic.twitter.com/FUAdRcL3l7

— David Keegan (@drDavidKeegan) April 17, 2020

Keegan said it was delightful to see everyone’s day boosted by the exercise session.

“It was fun to have this totally random thing kind of come out of nowhere and just lift my day, for sure, and I think it kind of lifted everybody’s day,” he said.

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“I mean, before that happened, pretty much nobody was smiling in that whole lineup… But, boy, I think everyone was smiling afterwards.”

[ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]

Even though there is something comedic about the lineup workout, Keegan said it’s about being human.

“We’re all looking for something more than the rigid structures we’re having to work within. So what can we do that’s kind of fun, social and fitness-oriented within that? So I think that’s why it’s touched a lot of people’s interest,” he said, referencing the 355,000 views that video of the workout had online by Sunday evening.

Prioritizing fitness

Keegan said his family — his wife, who is also a doctor, and their three kids — are prioritizing fitness during the pandemic.

“As humans, the best things we can do for our health are to exercise our bodies, exercise our brains and exercise our social skills on a regular basis,” he said.

“So in this environment, it’s even more important to stay physically strong.”

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Calgary fitness studios stream free classes online

The doctor believes exercise is more important than any prescription he could ever write.

“Medications have their role but exercise, bar none, is the single best intervention I can help people with — helping point them in the right direction for whatever condition they have or are trying to prevent,” he said.

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READ MORE: Coronavirus closed your gym. Here’s how to stay fit — at a distance

Keegan hopes the video will inspire people to do what they can to be active, strong and social within the crisis’ constraints and take care of their physical health, even when the pandemic is over.

“We’re hoping that it spreads the word, and more importantly, even beyond COVID-19. What can we do so that throughout our lives, we can sneak in good physical activity, challenge our brains and challenge our social skills on a regular basis?” he said.

Keegan is encouraging people to exercise in line with the hashtag #lineupworkout, posting a video of themselves working out and donating money to a place in need.

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laurelkrugerr · 4 years

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Social Shorts: Creative highlights, Quora queries, Twitter ad data, Facebook’s newest app

(Beyond social) creative moments that caught our attention

Audi x We Are Social takes viewers on a virtual road trip. With much of the world on lockdown, Audi Australia in partnership with creative agency We Are Social jumped on the opportunity to recreate a scenic drive for those stuck at home. The four-hour, slow TV-style video – shot inside and around an Audi A6 sedan – takes viewers through Australia’s countryside, complete with weather changes throughout the journey. True to the times, director Luke Bouchier employed multiple cameras with four crewmembers in four separate cars to capture the footage, while composer John Hassell scored the track from his own home in France. Source: AdAge

William Grant & Sons opens a virtual bar. Scotch whiskey distillery William Grant & Sons is shaking up its stay-at-home routine by bringing the bar to people at home. The 1887 Virtual Bar (named for the year the family-owned company was founded) will feature weekly guests as hosts and bartenders. The first experience will take place on Zoom this week, and will include Hendrick’s Gin ambassador Charmaine Thio and Glenfiddich’s Brett Bayly as recurring hosts. It’s a refreshing example of how brands like WG&S are finding opportunities to connect with audiences while keeping the brand spirit alive despite restrictions around in-person gatherings. Source: The Drum

IKEA’s instruction manual for staying home. To amplify the public message to stay home during this crisis, the Swedish retailer released its own step-by-step guide for what to do in a pandemic. The guide looks a lot like IKEA’s typical instruction manual – branding and all – only, the words “Stay Home” are displayed above a house. Instead of listing tools to build the pictured house, the manual shows a key, a lock and 100 rolls of toilet paper. Below that, a graphic of a closed door shows a checkmark while an open door shows an “x,” indicating what NOT to do. The instructions were posted on IKEA Israel’s Facebook page and were created in partnership with agency McCann Tel-Aviv Israel. “It’s really not complex – just staying at home,” reads the post. Source: AdAge

Quora users are looking for answers on productivity tools

Source: Quora. Methodology: Percent increases are calculated using global answer views over the last three weeks (3/8/20 – 3/28/20) compared to the three weeks prior (2/16/20 – 3/7/20).

Quora’s head of marketing agency, JD Prater, highlighted trends around how users (and brands) are engaging on Quora during this time of crisis. “From productivity tools to self-improvement activities to video conferencing, it’s obvious we’re all doing our best to settle into this new normal,” he noted.

In particular, he outlines the brands that are seeing a trending spike in engagement on the question-and-answer platform. “Several productivity tools are breaking through the noise and earning a lot of attention on Quora. Microsoft Teams rocketed up 310% while their primary competitor Slack was up 19%. No surprise here that popular video conferencing apps GoToMeeting, Zoom, WebEx, and Skype are seeing nice increases in views,” Prater wrote.

Twitter’s bot problem persists, Zoom vows to improve its platform amid surge in usage

Zoom pledges to improve systems, ramp up security. With the global workforce scrambling to WFH, video conferencing platform Zoom is feeling the pressure as usage skyrockets. Zoom has acknowledged the cracks in its system and announced plans to continue improving its platform, protecting user security, and supporting the surge in traffic. In a blog post last week, Zoom wrote, “These new use cases have helped us uncover unforeseen issues with our platform… We appreciate the scrutiny and questions we have been getting – about how the service works, about our infrastructure and capacity, and about our privacy and security policies. These are the questions that will make Zoom better, both as a company and for all its users.” Source: Zoom. Why we care: As marketers, communication is critical – even more so in times like these. Zoom’s commitment to making productivity changes for the better is an improvement that we can all benefit from.

Twitter bots are alive and well – and fueled by politics. Bots and fake accounts have been a long time headache for Twitter users, but the problem doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Fake profiles and bots account for anywhere between 5% to 15% of total users, Social Media Today notes, but their presence has an even bigger impact. Social media analysts have called out swarms of bot accounts being used for malicious purposes, such as amplifying political messages or mass retweeting to drown out opposing views. Source: Social Media Today. Why we care: Despite Twitter working to address the issue through various measures (like bulk removal of fake accounts), the issue is still a red flag for users and brands. As told by Social Media Today, “banning political ads on the platform is one thing, but banning bot swarms would likely have a much bigger positive impact in the case of tweets.”

Facebook’s app for couples, Twitter shares more data with advertisers and TikTok’s latest legal troubles

Facebook has a new app for couples. Earlier this week, the tech giant quietly released a new app for couples called Tuned, developed by Facebook’s New Product Experimentation team. It takes on a messaging app appearance and is designed to help romantic partners communicate via text, voice messages, photos, and songs. Source: The Information. Why we care: The app abides by Facebook’s data policy, which allows user information to be collected for ad targeting purposes.

Twitter is sharing more data with advertisers. Twitter alerted users with a pop-up this week that it’s passing more data to advertisers in order to help prove the effectiveness of ads on its platform. As part of the effort, Twitter removed a privacy setting that users could toggle to prevent Twitter from sharing information (such as ads views and your device ID). For most users, that information will now be shared by default and can’t be turned off. Source: The Verge. Why we care: According to Twitter, this move helps verify that people are actually watching, interacting with, and otherwise seeing the ads that advertisers are paying for, which helps the company “continue operating as a free service.” For advertisers, this means more measurable data which could drive stronger ad performance. Suddenly, advertising on Twitter makes sense.

Publishers threaten to sue TikTok over music licensing issues. TikTok has taken measures to reduce the amount of copyrighted music on its platform, but the Chinese-owned app still has a long way to go. According to the Financial Times, the National Music Publishers Association is threatening legal action against TikTok, and rumor has it that Universal Music Publishing Group is considering doing the same. Source: Financial Times. Why we care: TikTok is still a young platform, and will likely continue to experience legal growing pains – especially with music as a core feature of its platform. Brands on TikTok should keep an eye on the music they use (especially in campaigns). Or, do what e.l.f. cosmetics did – and make your own track.

Facebook rolls out Quiet Mode, Instagram brings DMs to the web

Quiet time on Facebook. Facebook has released a new feature called Quiet Mode last week, which lets users mute all notifications in an attempt to promote downtime away from the screen. It will continue rolling out for iOS users through the next month, and it will be available for Android users starting in May. Source: VentureBeat. Why we care. Quiet Mode complements Facebook’s other efforts to offer relief in the time of COVID-19. It’s coupled with the app’s ‘Your Time’ feature as part of Facebook’s well-being suite that launched back in 2018. The ability to mute all notifications signals a broader push to address growing concerns about the impact of technology on mental health – especially during a time of crisis.

Instagram now shows DMs on desktop. As a long-awaited feature sought after by businesses, creators, and users alike, Instagram is finally bringing direct messages to its desktop browser site. Instagram announced the move on Friday, stating that users globally will now be able to access DMs on the web. Source: The Verge. Why we care: Desktop DMs have been in beta since January, and the platform has gradually added small features to mirror the DM experience users are already familiar with on the app. For marketers in particular, the ability to access DMs directly from the computer means one less step when connecting with audiences or customers.

About The Author

Taylor Peterson is Third Door Media’s Deputy Editor, managing industry-leading coverage that informs and inspires marketers. Based in New York, Taylor brings marketing agency expertise grounded in creative production and agency advertising for global brands. Taylor’s editorial focus blends digital marketing agency and creative strategy with topics like campaign management, emerging formats, and display advertising.

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instantdeerlover · 4 years

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Huddle House & Perkins Unveil Emergency Franchisee Relief Plan added to Google Docs

Huddle House & Perkins Unveil Emergency Franchisee Relief Plan

Homestyle Restaurant Franchises Roll Out Program to Support Franchise System During COVID-19 Outbreak

Atlanta, GA (RestaurantNews.com) In an effort to help franchisees overcome the business challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis, Huddle House and Perkins Restaurant & Bakery have announced a program of relief measures being temporarily offered to franchisees to support the system head-on during this crisis.

“It is unbelievable how quickly things can change. Within a matter of days, the business model that has helped sustain us in various capacities for nearly 70 years has been turned on its head,” said Michael Abt, CEO of Huddle House and Perkins. “The restaurant industry, along with a few others such as airlines, hotels and walk-in retail, has been hardest hit. We have determined that when we find ways to keep our restaurants open and operating we stand a much greater chance for success when the crisis peaks and passes. We have to stay focused and work on growing sales every day.”

In an appeal to the system to continue to maintain a fierce will to fight and win against the current crisis, Huddle House and Perkins have rolled out this series of relief options as a temporary method to help franchisees preserve cash and keep restaurants open as they face major economic hardship.

The brands’ efforts to support franchisees has taken the form of a variety of temporary relief offerings, including: royalty and marketing fund deferrals, suspension of finance charges and fees, occupancy cost assistance, promissory note relief, deferred franchise renewal payments, freezing capital requirements and extending new store development deadlines.

In addition, Huddle House and Perkins shared methods and tactics with franchisees that the brands have found effective at its company-owned restaurants. In particular, quickly pivoting to find ways to aggressively drive carry-out and delivery business; keeping restaurants operating in order to retain GMs; ramping up grass roots community and neighborhood marketing tactics; and working with landlords and vendors for accommodations on payments.

During the crisis, Huddle House and Perkins are focused not only on cost savings measures but also on creative ways to drive sales for restaurants. Huddle House and Perkins have implemented condensed menus for ease of execution due to limited staffing, curbside carryout delivery and family meal deals. The brands have also introduced Huddle Market and Perkins Market at participating locations. In a matter of days, the Huddle House and Perkins corporate team developed the Market programs to sell groceries to guests, including meat, produce, cheeses, desserts, breads, cleaning supplies and of course, individual rolls of toilet paper.

“We are going through a crisis the likes of which I hope my children won’t ever have to endure as adults. None of us know what tomorrow will bring but I do know how we can face this challenge directly,” added Abt. “Collectively, my leadership team has chosen to fight, and we want our franchisees to fight as well. We are going to fight like our lives and our businesses depend on it. We are going to fight to protect the business that we have built and fight to help protect the livelihood of our employees and our franchisees. This is our purpose during the pandemic.”

The brands are also quickly working with franchisees to support them in gaining access to funds available through the recently passed stimulus package, the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery and Economic Security (CARES) Act. With the goal of facilitating franchisees to gain access and quickly utilize the $2 trillion packages targeted for business owners and U.S. citizens, Huddle House bas engaged the services of employment and tax professionals to advise both brands on how to take advantage of the package to quickly get money into the hands of business owners and employees alike.

For more information on Huddle House, contact your local Huddle House location or visit https://www.huddlehouse.com.

For more information on Perkins, contact your local Perkins location or visit http://www.perkinsrestaurants.com.

About Huddle House

Committed to serving “Any Meal, Any Time,” Huddle House restaurants have become icons in the communities they serve throughout the country by “Bringing Friends and Family Together, Over Delicious Food, Served from the Heart.” The core values on which the brand was founded – serving freshly prepared, quality homestyle food in a warm, friendly environment that brings the community together – are as true today as they were when it was founded 54 years ago. To learn more about Huddle House franchise opportunities, visit huddlehousefranchising.com.

About Perkins Restaurant & Bakery

Since it was founded in 1958 as a single pancake house in Ohio, Perkins today has more than 300 restaurants in 32 states and Canada, of which approximately 100 are company-owned. Committed to delivering 100% satisfaction through service excellence and positive dining experiences, the brand embraces a “Kindness Served Daily” philosophy. To learn more about Perkins franchise opportunities, visit https://www.perkinsrestaurants.com/franchise/.

Media Contact:

Jessica Tcholakov

All Points PR

847-897-7483

[email protected]

via RestaurantNews.com http://www.restaurantnews.com/huddle-house-perkins-unveil-emergency-franchisee-relief-plan-040920/ Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://trello.com/userhuongsen

Created April 10, 2020 at 05:32AM /huong sen View Google Doc Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xa6sRugRZk4MDSyctcqusGYBv1lXYkrF

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instantdeerlover · 4 years

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Huddle House Unveils Emergency Franchisee Relief Plan added to Google Docs

Huddle House Unveils Emergency Franchisee Relief Plan

Homestyle Restaurant Franchise Rolls Out Program to Support Franchise System During COVID-19 Outbreak

Atlanta, GA (RestaurantNews.com) In an effort to help franchisees overcome the business challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis, Huddle House has announced a program of relief measures being temporarily offered to franchisees to support the system head-on during this crisis.

“It is unbelievable how quickly things can change. Within a matter of days, the business model that has helped sustain us in various capacities for nearly 70 years has been turned on its head,” said Michael Abt, CEO of Huddle House. “The restaurant industry, along with a few others such as airlines, hotels and walk-in retail, has been hardest hit. We have determined that when we find ways to keep operating we stand a much greater chance for success when the crisis peaks and passes. We have to talk ‘sales’ every day. My team has been incredibly creative and responsive.”

In an appeal to the system to continue to maintain a fierce will to fight and win against the current crisis, Huddle House rolled out this series of relief options as a temporary method to help restaurants facing major economic hardship.

The brand’s efforts to support franchisees has taken the form of a variety of temporary relief offerings, including: royalty and marketing fund deferrals, suspension of finance charges and fees, occupancy cost assistance, promissory note relief, deferred franchise renewal payments, freezing capital requirements and extending new store development deadlines.

In addition, Huddle House shared methods and tactics with franchisees that the brands have found effective at its company-owned restaurants. In particular, quickly pivoting to find ways to aggressively drive carry-out and delivery business; keeping restaurants operating in order to retain GMs; ramping up grass roots community and neighborhood marketing tactics; and working with landlords and vendors for accommodations on payments.

During the crisis, Huddle House is focused not only on cost savings measures but also on creative ways to drive sales for restaurants. Huddle House has implemented condensed menus for ease of execution due to limited staffing, curbside carryout delivery, family meal deals and introduced the Huddle Market in restaurants. In a matter of days, the Huddle House corporate team developed a program to sell groceries to guests, including meat, produce, cheeses, desserts, breads, cleaning supplies and of course, individual rolls of toilet paper.

The brand is also quickly working with franchisees to support them in gaining access to funds available through the recently passed stimulus package, the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery and Economic Security (CARES) Act. With the goal of facilitating franchisees to gain access and quickly utilize the $2 trillion packages targeted for business owners and U.S. citizens, Huddle House bas engaged the services of employment and tax professionals to advise both brands on how to take advantage of the package to quickly get money into the hands of business owners and employees alike.

For more information on Huddle House, contact your local Huddle House location or visit https://www.huddlehouse.com.

About Huddle House

To learn more about Huddle House franchise opportunities, visit huddlehousefranchising.com.

Media Contact:

Jessica Tcholakov

All Points PR

847-897-7483

[email protected]

via RestaurantNews.com http://www.restaurantnews.com/huddle-house-unveils-emergency-franchisee-relief-plan-040920/ Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://trello.com/userhuongsen

Created April 10, 2020 at 03:02AM /huong sen View Google Doc Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xa6sRugRZk4MDSyctcqusGYBv1lXYkrF

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