Welcome back to “Top Headlines In CX News This Week” here at CCW Digital where we’ll be handpicking and highlighting the most interesting news stories in customer contact and business just for your learning pleasure.
This week, quite a few industries are "going through it" as the slang goes these days: hospitality, tech, social media, education, and chain stores are all between a rock and a hard place. Security concerns and consumer preferences are some common themes throughout but, as you'll read, each sector and organization is addressing its issues differently.
Let's take a look at how.
Worried About Hidden Cameras In Your AirBnb? Not Anymore
"Airbnb will no longer allow hosts to use indoor security cameras, regardless of where they’re placed or what they’re used for," as of April 30 the hotel alternative announced Monday, adding that the decision was made to “prioritize the privacy” of renters. Airbnb has long been in the hot seat for customer service and customer saftey concerns—whether it was hidden cameras or strict housekeeping expectations.
Moving forward, reports The Verge, "if a guest reports the presence of an indoor camera after that, Airbnb says it will investigate and that it could remove the host’s listing or account as a result."
Despite Legal Strife, Customers Still Flock To OpenAI
After a lawsuit from Elon Musk claiming that as a non-profit with the aim of building AI for the “benefit of humanity”, OpenAI's profit-making subsidiary and investment from Microsoft as part of a ChatGPT tech-trade-off deal is a breach of contract and a step away from the NPO's original intentions.
Even though America’s Federal Trade Commission launched an antitrust probe into OpenAI’s deal with Microsoft earlier this year and regulators in Britain and the EU are considering similar moves, organizations looking to utilize the technology and competitors looking to get ahead of new software developments are still hot on OpenAI's heels.
Pinterest Makes Social Media Scrolling More Like IRL With New 'Body Type Ranges’ Tool
If you're an avid pinner and you've long-wondered what that outfit off of Pinterest would actually look like on you, you're in luck: the platform now offers a way for women exploring fashion and wedding looks a chance to see them on one of four "body types" now included in the app.
"Pinterest now features size-inclusive brands on its search landing page, including Eloquii, Ganni, Mara Hoffman, Osei Duro, Gia / Irl, and more," reports TechCrunch. "To use the feature, users can type into the search bar and select the 'Body Types' option to see four different body types at the top of the results page. If a user selects the same option twice, the body type selection can be saved to their device."
This trend follows other retailers across industries—like furniture, makeup and hair care, that have been using AI and consumer data techoogy to better customer tailor the buying experience online and in-store. With data security concerns abound, 2024 may just be the year that try-before-you buy becomes a mainstay or a stay away for buyers.
Customers Are Willing To Splurge On These Brands—Are You?
Frugal People Are Sharing The Name-Brand Items That They're Always Willing To Pay A Bit More For
Some of us might have been today years oild when we realized that "many generic products are made using the exact same ingredients as the big brand versions, and some are even manufactured in the same facilities," but even more of us swear alligence to very specific brands for some odd but interesting very specific reasons. Buzzfeed recently highlighted a viral Reddit post where users shared the thought process behind their brand loyalty.
We'll leave some here for your mulling over:
"I used to buy things like Barilla until we had De Cecco at my dad's house. Came home after that trip, gave away everything we had, found places to buy De Cecco, and have never looked back. That's been probably close to 20 years now. Don't care that it's expensive, it's great. And if you find a store that carries most or all of their line, there are some great shapes to try."
—u/julznlv
"Soy sauce. I initially thought I could cheap out on it. Hell no, Kikkoman for life."
—u/thrownforlife69
"Scotch Tape, but especially their double-sided tape. It's the very best. I've used it many times in bizarre emergencies. I even use it to mount heavy paper to presentation boards. Their magic tape is amazing too."
—u/shanyfaithoryx
What are your brand-name-only non-negotiables? Comment on our socials and let us know.
Like Everyone Else, Libraries And Publishers Are Still Trying To
Master Digital
Local libraries are struggling as book publishers charge three times as much for digital books as physical ones—and they don’t even get to keep them, reports Fortune:
"Librarians in several states have been pushing for legislation to rein in the costs and restrictions on electronic material, which has been growing in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic. Patrons are stuck on long waiting lists for audio and e-books, and digital offerings are limited... They face strong opposition from the publishing industry, which argues the legislation undermines intellectual property values and will harm the publishing ecosystem.
Just as agents and customers are trying to strike that balance between not online at all and too online, educators and book binders need to find that happy medium before quite a few industries lose customers, capital and employees.