#payroll customer service

[ecdlbd]

Achieving Success Through Supply Chain Management Training in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a country of immense potential, but it has struggled to leverage that potential due to inadequate supply chain management training. As the world globalizes, supply chain management has become increasingly important for businesses in both developed and developing countries. For Bangladesh, this opens up opportunities to create jobs, increase exports and nurture economic growth. 

But what does it take for Bangladesh to become a leader in the field of supply chain management? In this blog post, we will explore how training and education can help drive forward success in this area and help grow the economy of Bangladesh.

What is Supply Chain Management?

Supply chain management (SCM) is the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the operations of a company's supply chain. The main goal of SCM is to ensure that the company's products are delivered to customers in a timely and efficient manner.

SCM training can help Bangladesh-based companies improve their supply chains and achieve success. Through SCM training, companies can learn how to better plan and control their supply chains, which can lead to improved customer satisfaction and increased profits.

The Importance of Supply Chain Management Training

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is committed to ensuring that its members are able to access the best possible supply chain management training. In order to achieve this, the BGMEA has partnered with a number of leading international organizations to offer a range of courses which cover all aspects of supply chain management.

The BGMEA recognizes that an efficient and effective supply chain is essential to the success of the garment industry in Bangladesh. In order to keep up with the ever-changing requirements of the global market, it is essential that Bangladeshi manufacturers have access to the latest information and techniques. The courses offered by the BGMEA will ensure that members are able to stay ahead of the competition and continue to meet the demands of buyers.

The courses on offer include:

- An Introduction to Supply Chain Management

- Principles of Supply Chain Management

- Fundamentals of Purchasing and Procurement

- Supply Chain Management for Apparel Brands and Retailers

- Sourcing Strategies for Apparel Manufacturers

- Lean Manufacturing for Apparel factories

- Quality Control and Assurance in Apparel Production

Each course is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills they need to improve their operations and contribute to the success of their company. The courses are delivered by experienced instructors who are experts in their field, and who use a variety of teaching methods including lectures, case studies, group work, and individual tutorials.

The Current State of Supply Chain Management in Bangladesh

The current state of supply chain management in Bangladesh can be best described as fledgling. Despite the fact that the country has been making strides in recent years to improve its logistics infrastructure, the overall level of development is still relatively low. This is particularly true when compared to other countries in the region such as India and China.

However, it is important to note that there are some bright spots. In particular, the Bangladeshi government has been investing heavily in training programs for supply chain management. These programs are designed to help improve the skills of those working in the logistics industry and to raise awareness about best practices.

There is still a long way to go before Bangladesh can claim to have a world-class supply chain management system. However, with continued investment and commitment from both the public and private sectors, it is certainly possible that the country will be able to make significant progress in this area in the years to come.

The Benefits of Supply Chain Management Training in Bangladesh

The benefits of supply chain management training in Bangladesh are numerous. Perhaps most importantly, it helps to improve communication and coordination between different parts of the supply chain, which can lead to improved efficiencies and cost savings. In addition, supply chain management training can help to improve supplier relationships, as well as customer service and satisfaction levels.

In today's business environment, having a well-trained and efficient supply chain management team is critical to success. By investing in quality training for your team, you can ensure that your company is able to keep up with the competition and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction.

The Different Types of Supply Chain Management Training in Bangladesh

Supply chain management (SCM) is becoming increasingly important in today's globalized world, particularly for firms in the developing world. Bangladesh is no exception; training in SCM is necessary to keep up with the challenges of an ever-changing business landscape. This article will discuss the different types of SCM training available in Bangladesh, and how each of these courses can help organizations improve their performance.

1. Traditional supply chain management training: This type of training covers the basic concepts and methods of supply chain management. It is typically delivered in a classroom setting, and may include lectures, case studies, and group discussions.

2. Online supply chain management training: This type of training is delivered online, and can be self-paced or synchronous (taught in real-time with a live instructor). It may include videos, readings, quizzes, and simulations.

3. Supply chain management certification programs: These programs provide comprehensive training in supply chain management principles and practices. They often include an exam at the end, and successful completion can lead to professional certification.

4. On-the-job training: Many organizations offer on-the-job training programs for their employees. This type of training can be tailored to the specific needs of the organization, and allows employees to learn while they are working.

The Challenges of Implementing Supply Chain Management Training in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, the challenges of implementing supply chain management training are many and varied. The first challenge is the lack of awareness of the importance of supply chain management among the general population. This is compounded by the fact that there is no formal education or training available in Bangladesh on this topic. As a result, there are few people who are knowledgeable about supply chain management and its potential benefits.

The second challenge is the lack of infrastructure and resources to support supply chain management training. In Bangladesh, most businesses operate on a small scale and do not have the necessary resources to invest in training their employees on supply chain management. Additionally, there is a lack of qualified trainers who are able to provide quality training on this topic.

The third challenge is the cultural barriers to implementing supply chain management training in Bangladesh. The culture in Bangladesh places a high value on personal relationships and networking. This can make it difficult to implement changes within an organization, such as introducing new processes or technologies related to supply chain management. Additionally, the hierarchical nature of Bangladeshi society can make it difficult to get buy-in from all levels of an organization for new initiatives.

Despite these challenges, there are also opportunities for successful implementation of supply chain management training in Bangladesh. One opportunity lies in the increasing globalization of business and trade. As more businesses operate internationally, they will need employees who are trained in international standards and practices related to supply chain management. Additionally, the growth of the Bangladesh economy provides opportunities

Tips for Successful Supply Chain Management Training

Having an effective supply chain management training program can be a great resource for any organization. It is essential to ensure that proper training is conducted in order to maximize efficiency and productivity. With the right guidance and resources, companies can build a successful supply chain management program that benefits the entire organization. Below we will discuss some tips for successful supply chain management training that can help you get started on the right track.

1. Define your goals: What do you hope to achieve through supply chain management training? Is it to improve your knowledge of the subject so that you can be more effective in your current role? Or are you looking to advance your career and move into a managerial position? Once you know what your goals are, you can tailor your training accordingly.

2. Do your research: There are many different types of supply chain management training programs out there. Before enrolling in one, do some research to make sure it's a good fit for you. Ask yourself what the program covers, how long it is, and whether it's offered online or in-person.

3. Consider your schedule: Supply chain management training can be intensive, so make sure you have the time to commit to it. If you're working full-time while taking classes, consider an online program that offers more flexibility.

4. Set aside time for study: In addition to attending classes, you'll need to set aside time for independent study. Make sure you're prepared to commit the necessary time to reading textbooks and other course materials, as well as completing assignments.

5. Stay organized: Supply chain management involves a lot of moving parts, so it's important to stay organized throughout your training. Keep track of deadlines and due dates, and create a system for organizing course materials so that you can easily find what you need when you need it.

How to Overcome the Challenges of Supply Chain Management Training in Bangladesh

In order to overcome the challenges of supply chain management training in Bangladesh, it is important to first understand the specific challenges that exist within the country. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of a centralized government body or institution that can provide cohesive and standardized training. This often results in a fragmented approach to training, with different organizations and companies using their own methods, which can make it difficult for employees to receive a consistent education.

Another challenge is the limited resources that are available for training. This includes both financial resources and skilled personnel. As a result, many supply chain management programs in Bangladesh are forced to operate on a shoestring budget, which can impact the quality of instruction and learning materials. In addition, there is often a shortage of qualified trainers, which can make it difficult to find someone with the necessary knowledge and experience to effectively teach employees.

Despite these challenges, there are also several opportunities that exist for those interested in pursuing supply chain management training in Bangladesh. One of the biggest advantages is the country's vast pool of potential workers. With over 160 million people living in Bangladesh, there is a large labor force that can be tapped into for supply chain management positions. In addition, Bangladesh has a rapidly growing economy and its manufacturing sector is expected to expand significantly in the coming years. This provides an opportunity for those with supply chain management training to find employment with companies that are looking to capitalize on this growth.

Overall, while there are some challenges associated with supply chain

Conclusion

In conclusion, supply chain management training in Bangladesh can help businesses achieve success. With proper training and resources, businesses can become more efficient and effective in their operations thus gaining a competitive edge over other companies. It is essential for organizations to invest in the right technology and personnel to ensure that they are well-prepared for the ever-evolving business environment. Ultimately, it is up to each business's leadership team to recognize the importance of having strong supply chain management processes and provide necessary support towards successful supply chain implementations.

[m8-group]

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[elisopsin]

Top Insurance CRM System for Agents

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[adelitawilliam]

Customized Payroll Solutions: Tailoring Services to Small Business Needs

In the intricate landscape of small business management, every detail matters. Payroll services for small businesses have emerged as essential partners in ensuring smooth operations, accurate compensation, and regulatory compliance. One key aspect that sets modern payroll services apart is their ability to provide tailored solutions that align precisely with the unique needs of each small business.

Understanding the Importance of Customization

Small businesses operate in diverse industries and sectors, each with its own set of challenges, regulations, and demands. Off-the-shelf solutions often fall short of addressing the specific intricacies that small businesses face. This is where customized payroll services step in. They recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach isn't effective when it comes to payroll management.

Addressing Unique Requirements

One of the primary advantages of customized payroll solutions is the ability to address unique requirements. Whether it's handling multiple pay rates, managing different types of compensation, or accommodating irregular working hours, these services can be tailored to handle these complexities seamlessly. Small businesses can rely on these services to calculate accurate paychecks, factoring in overtime, bonuses, and deductions with precision.

Scalability and Growth

As small businesses grow, their payroll needs evolve. Traditional payroll methods might struggle to accommodate this growth. Customized payroll services are designed to scale along with the business. They can easily adapt to changes in employee numbers, additional locations, and expanded benefits packages. This scalability ensures that small businesses can continue to receive efficient payroll management as they expand.

Adapting to Industry Regulations

Different industries are subject to varying regulations, tax codes, and compliance standards. Payroll services for small businesses understand these nuances and can tailor their offerings to meet industry-specific requirements. This not only ensures accurate calculations but also minimizes the risk of non-compliance penalties.

Personalized Employee Experience

Employees appreciate a seamless and transparent payroll process. Customized payroll solutions can offer employee self-service portals, allowing individuals to access their pay stubs, tax forms, and other relevant information online. This not only enhances employee satisfaction but also reduces administrative burdens on the small business's HR team.

Efficiency and Accuracy

Accuracy is paramount in payroll management. Customized solutions integrate with time and attendance systems, reducing manual data entry and the risk of errors. This streamlined approach not only saves time but also enhances accuracy, reducing the likelihood of payroll discrepancies that can negatively impact both employees and the business.

Cost-Effectiveness

Contrary to the misconception that customized solutions are costly, tailored payroll services can be cost-effective for small businesses. By eliminating the need for manual data entry, minimizing errors, and ensuring compliance, these services save time and resources that would otherwise be spent on rectifying mistakes or dealing with regulatory issues.

Choosing the Right Partner

Selecting the right payroll service provider is crucial. When seeking payroll services for small businesses, it's essential to collaborate with a provider that not only offers customization but also has a proven track record of reliability, security, and excellent customer support. A strong partnership can lead to long-term benefits in terms of streamlined operations and optimized financial management.

In the dynamic world of small business management, one-size-fits-all solutions fall short of meeting the complex payroll needs of different companies. Customized payroll solutions have emerged as a game-changer, empowering small businesses to navigate the intricacies of compensation, compliance, and growth with confidence. By embracing tailored payroll services, small businesses can focus on what they do best while leaving the intricacies of payroll management to the experts.

In conclusion, the synergy between customized payroll solutions and small businesses showcases the potential for optimized operations, increased efficiency, and enhanced employee satisfaction. As small businesses continue to evolve, these tailored solutions stand as valuable assets, helping them thrive in a competitive business landscape.

[neofelis----nebulosa]

My current employer’s customer service line is such a joke lol

[lovelybucky1]

Leashed

Kinktober Day 10- Pet Play

warnings: pet play, cockwarming, dom/sub dynamics, vaginal sex, 18+ minors DNI

main masterlist

kinktober masterlist

Tommy had always wanted a dog. Growing up he never had one, playing with the strays on the street instead. Now, he doesn’t have time to take care of a pet. Not one so reliant on him, anyway.

That’s why he has you. You’re obedient, never causing any trouble or making messes he has to clean up. You love to play, but you’re content sitting at his feet as long as he pets you every now and then. You’re good at fetch; you always get him his matchbook or a glass for his whiskey whenever he asks. And best of all, you have a tight cunt you’re eager to let him use whenever he wants it.

You’re not a prostitute, he made that much clear when your arrangement started. You’re on his payroll for the company you provide, not the sex. Whatever you do with your cunt is between you and Tommy, not the business.

He got you a custom made collar from the leather worker down the street, and your role has been set ever since. You’re Tommy Shelby’s puppy. Loyal, obedient, perfect.

Today Tommy is in a particularly sour mood. A business deal fell through or something, you never know the specifics, and he’s been angry all afternoon.

You know better not to pester him, especially when he’s like this, but you truly hate seeing him upset. You’ve been kneeling at his feet and he hasn’t even pet you in over an hour. You paw at his pant leg to get his attention.

“What is it?” he asks without looking down at you.

“Do you need anything, sir?” you ask.

He shakes his head and sighs heavily. “If I needed something, I’d take it. Keep quiet, pet.”

You pout but take his instruction and stay silent. You walk forward on your knees to rest your cheek against his thigh. He sighs again but doesn’t chastise you for it. Still, he doesn’t pet you.

You stay like that for a while, but you can feel his tension and you hate when he won’t tell you what he needs.

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

“No,” he replies, frustration evident in his voice.

“I can help you relax, sir.”

Tommy slams his fist onto the solid oak top of his desk. “I don’t need your fucking help. I’m trying to work.”

You huff. You don’t usually act like this, but Tommy is never usually so dismissive of you.

“I was going to offer to sit on your cock while you work, but I guess you’re too busy.”

It was petty, but it peaked Tommy’s interest. His large hand cups the back of your neck and you look up at him.

“You’ve never acted this way before,” he says with an unreadable tone.

“I just want to help you, sir.”

Tommy's jaw clenches and he sighs heavily. Then, he reaches down to loop his finger in the ring of your collar and pulls you up to your feet. You watch as he undoes his pants and takes out his soft cock.

He looks up at you expectantly, waiting for you to service him. You grasp his dick and begin to stroke him gently, working him up to full hardness. It doesn't take long; Tommy can never resist your soft hands.

Once he's at full mast, you pull up your dress and straddle his lap. His cock slides into you slowly and once he's fully seated, you wiggle your hips to get comfortable.

"Stop fuckin' moving. I've got work to do," Tommy gruffs.

You nod and rest your chin on his shoulder. You sit still like a good girl while he fills out whatever paperwork is on his desk. You can feel the tension in his muscles release a bit as time passes, your cunt obviously doing the trick.

You don't move your body, but your walls clench around him every now and then. You're not doing it on purpose, you just can't help it. It feels so good being full of Tommy's dick.

"Puppy," Tommy says, breaking the almost hour of silence.

"Yes, sir?"

"You're distracting me."

"I'm sorry, sir. I swear I'm not doing it on purpose," you say with a pout, trying to look as honest as possible.

Tommy puts his pen down and leans back in his chair, creating space between your face and his so he can get a good look at you.

"Cunt's just that desperate for me, eh?" You nod. "Well I suppose I've worked hard enough for one day. I could use a bit of stress release."

Tommy's hands land on your hips and he begins to rock you back and forth. Tommy never was strong willed when it came to you.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

No, “convenience” isn’t the problem

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in CHICAGO (Apr 17), Torino (Apr 21) Marin County (Apr 27), Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!

Using Amazon, or Twitter, or Facebook, or Google, or Doordash, or Uber doesn't make you lazy. Platform capitalism isn't enshittifying because you made the wrong shopping choices.

Remember, the reason these corporations were able to capture such substantial market-share is that the capital markets saw them as a bet that they could lose money for years, drive out competition, capture their markets, and then raise prices and abuse their workers and suppliers without fear of reprisal. Investors were chasing monopoly power, that is, companies that are too big to fail, too big to jail, and too big to care:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/04/teach-me-how-to-shruggie/#kagi

The tactics that let a few startups into Big Tech are illegal under existing antitrust laws. It's illegal for large corporations to buy up smaller ones before they can grow to challenge their dominance. It's illegal for dominant companies to merge with each other. "Predatory pricing" (selling goods or services below cost to prevent competitors from entering the market, or to drive out existing competitors) is also illegal. It's illegal for a big business to use its power to bargain for preferential discounts from its suppliers. Large companies aren't allowed to collude to fix prices or payments.

But under successive administrations, from Jimmy Carter through to Donald Trump, corporations routinely broke these laws. They explicitly and implicitly colluded to keep those laws from being enforced, driving smaller businesses into the ground. Now, sociopaths are just as capable of starting small companies as they are of running monopolies, but that one store that's run by a colossal asshole isn't the threat to your wellbeing that, say, Walmart or Amazon is.

All of this took place against a backdrop of stagnating wages and skyrocketing housing, health, and education costs. In other words, even as the cost of operating a small business was going up (when Amazon gets a preferential discount from a key supplier, that supplier needs to make up the difference by gouging smaller, weaker retailers), Americans' disposable income was falling.

So long as the capital markets were willing to continue funding loss-making future monopolists, your neighbors were going to make the choice to shop "the wrong way." As small, local businesses lost those customers, the costs they had to charge to make up the difference would go up, making it harder and harder for you to afford to shop "the right way."

In other words: by allowing corporations to flout antimonopoly laws, we set the stage for monopolies. The fault lay with regulators and the corporate leaders and finance barons who captured them – not with "consumers" who made the wrong choices. What's more, as the biggest businesses' monopoly power grew, your ability to choose grew ever narrower: once every mom-and-pop restaurant in your area fires their delivery drivers and switches to Doordash, your choice to order delivery from a place that payrolls its drivers goes away.

Monopolists don't just have the advantage of nearly unlimited access to the capital markets – they also enjoy the easy coordination that comes from participating in a cartel. It's easy for five giant corporations to form conspiracies because five CEOs can fit around a single table, which means that some day, they will:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/18/cursed-are-the-sausagemakers/#how-the-parties-get-to-yes

By contrast, "consumers" are atomized – there are millions of us, we don't know each other, and we struggle to agree on a course of action and stick to it. For "consumers" to make a difference, we have to form institutions, like co-ops or buying clubs, or embark on coordinated campaigns, like boycotts. Both of these tactics have their place, but they are weak when compared to monopoly power.

Luckily, we're not just "consumers." We're also citizens who can exercise political power. That's hard work – but so is organizing a co-op or a boycott. The difference is, when we dog enforcers who wield the power of the state, and line up behind them when they start to do their jobs, we can make deep structural differences that go far beyond anything we can make happen as consumers:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/18/administrative-competence/#i-know-stuff

We're not just "consumers" or "citizens" – we're also workers, and when workers come together in unions, they, too, can concentrate the diffuse, atomized power of the individual into a single, powerful entity that can hold the forces of capital in check:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/10/an-injury-to-one/#is-an-injury-to-all

And all of these things work together; when regulators do their jobs, they protect workers who are unionizing:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/06/goons-ginks-and-company-finks/#if-blood-be-the-price-of-your-cursed-wealth

And strong labor power can force cartels to abandon their plans to rig the market so that every consumer choice makes them more powerful:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/01/how-the-writers-guild-sunk-ais-ship/

And when consumers can choose better, local, more ethical businesses at competitive rates, those choices can make a difference:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/10/view-a-sku/

Antimonopoly policy is the foundation for all forms of people-power. The very instant corporations become too big to fail, jail or care is the instant that "voting with your wallet" becomes a waste of time.

Sure, choose that small local grocery, but everything on their shelves is going to come from the consumer packaged-goods duopoly of Procter and Gamble and Unilever. Sure, hunt down that local brand of potato chips that you love instead of P&G or Unilever's brand, but if they become successful, either P&G or Unilever will buy them out, and issue a press release trumpeting the purchase, saying "We bought out this beloved independent brand and added it to our portfolio because we know that consumers value choice."

If you're going to devote yourself to solving the collective action problem to make people-power work against corporations, spend your precious time wisely. As Zephyr Teachout writes in Break 'Em Up, don't miss the protest march outside the Amazon warehouse because you spent two hours driving around looking for an independent stationery so you could buy the markers and cardboard to make your anti-Amazon sign without shopping on Amazon:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/29/break-em-up/#break-em-up

When blame corporate power on "laziness," we buy into the corporations' own story about how they came to dominate our lives: we just prefer them. This is how Google explains away its 90% market-share in search: we just chose Google. But we didn't, not really – Google spends tens of billions of dollars every single year buying up the search-box on every website, phone, and operating system:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/21/im-feeling-unlucky/#not-up-to-the-task

Blaming "laziness" for corporate dominance also buys into the monopolists' claim that the only way to have convenient, easy-to-use services is to cede power to them. Facebook claims it's literally impossible for you to carry on social relations with the people that matter to you without also letting them spy on you. When we criticize people for wanting to hang out online with the people they love, we send the message that they need to choose loneliness and isolation, or they will be complicit in monopoly.

The problem with Google isn't that it lets you find things. The problem with Facebook isn't that it lets you talk to your friends. The problem with Uber isn't that it gets you from one place to another without having to stand on a corner waving your arm in the air. The problem with Amazon isn't that it makes it easy to locate a wide variety of products. We should stop telling people that they're wrong to want these things, because a) these things are good; and b) these things can be separated from the monopoly power of these corporate bullies:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/08/divisibility/#technognosticism

Remember the Napster Wars? The music labels had screwed over musicians and fans. 80 percent of all recorded music wasn't offered for sale, and the labels cooked the books to make it effectively impossible for musicians to earn out their advances. Napster didn't solve all of that (though they did offer $15/user/month to the labels for a license to their catalogs), but there were many ways in which it was vastly superior to the system it replaced.

The record labels responded by suing tens of thousands of people, mostly kids, but also dead people and babies and lots of other people. They demanded an end to online anonymity and a system of universal surveillance. They wanted every online space to algorithmically monitor everything a user posted and delete anything that might be a copyright infringement.

These were the problems with the music cartel: they suppressed the availability of music, screwed over musicians, carried on a campaign of indiscriminate legal terror, and lobbied effectively for a system of ubiquitous, far-reaching digital surveillance and control:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/02/nonbinary-families/#red-envelopes

You know what wasn't a problem with the record labels? The music. The music was fine. Great, even.

But some of the people who were outraged with the labels' outrageous actions decided the problem was the music. Their answer wasn't to merely demand better copyright laws or fairer treatment for musicians, but to demand that music fans stop listening to music from the labels. Somehow, they thought they could build a popular movement that you could only join by swearing off popular music.

That didn't work. It can't work. A popular movement that you can only join by boycotting popular music will always be unpopular. It's bad tactics.

When we blame "laziness" for tech monopolies, we send the message that our friends have to choose between life's joys and comforts, and a fair economic system that doesn't corrupt our politics, screw over workers, and destroy small, local businesses. This isn't true. It's a lie that monopolists tell to justify their abuse. When we repeat it, we do monopolists' work for them – and we chase away the people we need to recruit for the meaningful struggles to build worker power and political power.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/12/give-me-convenience/#or-give-me-death

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[doolallymagpie]

HACKING NOISES

do i need all this if i'm just ripping her head for printing?

idk, but i might as well grab it

as i've said before, since i'm learning to play around with game models for 3D print purposes, i may be trying to rip and 3D print my custom Shepard

anyone got like a tutorial for that that's better phrased than the one i've found so far, or am i just stuck decoding that

hopefully i can plop a slick resin-print Artemis Shepard head onto a painted Halo figure and then i've got that off my bucket list

[robertreich]

Why Does Flying Suck so Much? 

You might not believe this, but I’m old enough to remember when flying was fun.

Now I'm sure you've got your own airline horror stories, which I hope you’ll share. But what happened to make flying such a nightmare?

The answer is simple: the same things happening across most industries. In fact, a close look at airlines reveals five of the biggest problems with our economy.

Number 1: Consolidation means fewer choices.

While there were once many more airlines, a series of mergers and acquisitions over the last three decades has left only four in control of about 80% of the market.

This kind of consolidation has been happening all over the economy. For example, four companies now control 80% of all beef production, and two control over 60% of all paper products. This lack of competition has led to:

Number 2: Companies Charging More for Less

Even before recent airfare spikes, air travel was getting more expensive because of new fees for things that used to be free, like in-flight meals, checked bags, or even carry-ons.

Spirit Airlines even charges $25 to print your boarding pass at a ticket counter! It’s just a piece of paper!

One of the ugliest ad-ons is the fee some airlines charge for families to sit together. That doesn’t even cost them anything!

Airlines are leading an economy-wide trend of adding often unexpected new charges to goods and services without adding value.

And you’re getting less in return. Airlines have cut an estimated 8 inches of legroom and two inches of seat width in the last two decades. Doesn’t bother me (I’m short), but many of you may feel the squeeze.

This parallels other industries where you’re paying more for less — just look at how cereal boxes, rolls of toilet paper, and candy bars are all shrinking.

Number 3: Exploiting Workers

While their jobs have become more difficult, many flight attendants haven’t had a raise in years.

And a lot of their hardest work is totally unpaid, because most flight attendants don’t get paid during the boarding process. They’re off the clock until the plane’s doors close.

And if the flight is delayed, those are often extra hours for no extra money.

Again, this mirrors trends in the overall economy, where too many workers are pushed into unpaid overtime or made to do work or be on call during their off hours.

Number 4: The Illusion of Scarcity

Airlines pretend they have no choice but to raise prices, cut services, and limit payroll. But their profits are in the stratosphere. In the five years before the pandemic, the top 5 airlines were flush enough to pay shareholders $45 billion, largely through stock buybacks.

During the pandemic, they got a $54 billion bailout from taxpayers (you’re welcome).

In the years since, they’ve resumed flying high, with nearly $10 billion in net profit expected across the industry in 2023. They can afford to take care of workers and customers.

Whether it’s multi-millionaire movie moguls pretending they can’t afford to pay writers or a grocery chain blaming “inflation” for high prices while raking in record profits, this illusion of scarcity is a sham.

Number 5: Misdirected Rage

Instead of being mad at the people at the top, we’ve been tricked into being mad at each other. Fights have broken out over whether it’s ok to recline a seat or who gets overhead bin space. But reclining’s only an issue because airlines intentionally put the seats too close together. And bin space is only running out because they’ve made it expensive to check bags — and also risky, with the rate of lost bags doubling over the last year.

Airlines are pitting us against each other the same way billionaires and their political lackeys pit groups against each other in society, hoping we’ll blame unions or immigrants or people of other races or religions or gender identities for why it’s so hard to get ahead, and that we won’t notice how much wealth and power is in the hands of so few.

So what do we do?

A lot of these problems could be solved with tougher antitrust enforcement — which we are starting to see. The Justice Dept is suing to block JetBlue from buying Spirit Airlines. We need that kind of anti-monopoly protection across the board.

Another part of the solution is unions. Airline workers are among the wave of American workers organizing to demand better pay and working conditions.

And then there’s your power as an informed consumer. Companies get away with bad behavior when we accept their excuses that there’s just no other way to run a business. They’re counting on us not knowing what’s really going on. So share this video, and share your airline stories in the comments.

Finally, try to be a little nicer to service workers and your fellow passengers — on planes and in life. After all, we’re all on this journey together.

[senatortedcruz]

If I were a billionaire I would finance the payroll to hire actual real human beings for any company that currently forces you to speak to a robot for customer service

[phantomarine]

Silly thought, but could their works as Gods be considered something akin to an office job?

No wonder Cheline is that done with humanity? Having to organise all that stuff, losing her coworkers(siblings) and the last one left leaves on permanent sick leave. And then being in a position akin to manager/customer service

It's basically that.

And if the gods were the Board of Directors then she's the last one around, with no one else to help and no one else on payroll that she would trust.

And in her mind, the human employees are like... ants in an ant farm on the lowest level of the building.

But whoops, Cheth liked ants.

[elisopsin]

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[fuck-customers]

cw: i cursed a lot this time, sorry

now officially former escape room worker here throwing in a final FUCK YOU to my former boss who tried to get me to extend my two weeks notice until the new guy finished training. as if i havent been working Three Jobs with no days off for the last two weeks.

i’m so glad i refused because i just walked out of my final shift ever and i feel free. i feel like a person again. i never have to talk to that asshole ever fucking again. the rest of my now-former coworkers are also on the job search, including the “manager” (in quotes bc he was never officially given the job title, and was only supposed to be covering payroll and scheduling until the boss hired someone else) so i hope he enjoys watching his entire staff jump ship in the next few weeks. good fucking riddance to that hell hole. if i never work customer service again, it will be too soon.

Posted by admin Rodney.

[alestrameria]

TWST CHARACTERS IN CUSTOMER/ ATTRACTIONS SERVICE: HEARTSLABYUL EDITION

((Source: Yours truly is a service worker, dw it'll get worse

Riddle Rosehearts:

- He's not bad, he's just really strict and its helpful when he needs to reinforce and clarify rules and standard operating procedures (SOPs)

- Anyone trying to flout or bend the rules like taking priority queue when they can't and making excuses to get in? Throw them to him

- I feel like he'd get into an argument if he had to deal with stubborn guests though, maybe he'd be better overseeing operations. Yeah

Trey Clover:

- Because of his mom energy and generally chill (if not a bit non-confrontational) disposition, he'd do well in frontlines honestly

- He's gentle and nice so kids love him, most seniors too probably. Those with membership passes will prob see him often and eventually recognise him even when he's visiting the place off-duty

- He's like the polite chatter, will prob be a trusted member of the team

Cater Diamond:

- He brings in more visitors as an influencer I just know it ONE MAGICAM STORY OF HIM IN WORK CLOTHES AND HIS GROUP OF FANS WILL VISIT-

- But yeah he takes pictures on the job esp if its a really pretty attraction he's assigned to

- Uses his glib tongue to sweet-talk and try to convince/placate/negotiate with guests

- Prob does it part-time, but visits out of work just for pics

Ace Trappola:

- Can be nice to guests but shittalks the pain in the ass ones hardest during break (relatable)

- Because he's mischievous, the kids like his energy

- Often chided by Riddle for being tardy or not wearing the uniform right

- Tries to keep his cool, but he does argue with more unreasonable guests, esp when he first came in. He's had a few complaints, thankfully most of them are just bullshit customers so he's on the payroll still

- for now

Deuce Spade:

- He tries his best to be a good worker!!

- He reins his temper in as much as he can but sometimes,, the delinquent in him pops back up

- Like 'Sir,,, this is from a travel agent,,, it's a third party group and it's not under our attraction sales,, you can't get a refund here,,,' (restraining urge to clock a motherfucker)

- Usually others try to take over if they think it'll escalate and he feels bad abt it after the situation is resolved

- Other than that he's pretty liked by frequent visitors and the seniors too

- Honestly he should be in security I think it just fits him better

[fairlyabookie]

Fatigue

Author's note: silfgdlksfesdlf I'm so sorry for the late post!! I had to lock in for finals week and I just finished class, and I'm going to catch up!!!!!

Content: nappies

Winter was the more irritable out of the four seasons in the year when he would tire easily. After a long day of work, he’d find himself seeking something sugary to ease his energy. He quite disliked this indulgence, noting how much sugar such a snack would throw off his nutritional balance. Perhaps the colder temperature had to do something with it, he’d think to himself, concluding his tasks after doing payroll. 

You’d come and visit him at Mostro Lounge after a bout of studying, an eager smile at your lips as you see Azul at the entrance. The second year rarely made exceptions towards his clients, especially when it came to his own business, but he’d admit that you are a friend worth of his time and investment. 

As he makes his rounds about the business, he spots you waiting by the entrance, your eager smile a sight for sore eyes. He couldn’t simply help but let a smile grace his lips as soon as he changed paths to greet you. Like clockwork, Azul puts on his businessman demeanor and greets you as he would with a customer. Although any staff working at Mostro Lounge would take care of this, Azul preferred to show you only the top quality service the restaurant had to offer. 

“[Reader], a pleasure to see you again! Allow me to seat you.” 

“Thank you, Azul.” 

You smile graciously, taking his offered arm. He guides you to a booth, one of the best seats the restaurant has to offer. 

“What would our special guest like for today?” 

The businessman readies his pen and notebook to write down their order. You answer shyly, hoping that such a request wouldn’t come off as strange to him. 

“May I ask for your time, Azul?” 

“Not even a drink or meal, [Reader]?” 

A perked eyebrow conveys his bemusement. You suspect a failure of your advances.

“A drink is fine.” 

You shyly drop your gaze. 

“Right away.” 

He maintains his polite smile, taking note of your reticent posture and smile. His demeanor switches from a civil, silver-tongued con man to a temperament boss. 

“Floyd, Jade! Get [Reader] their milkshake this instant!” 

Nearby workers jolt from their stupor from Azul’s shrill voice, their working pace quickening to frantic shuffles across the establishment at the mention of the Leech twins. The twins, on the other hand, answer to Azul’s summons with loud affirmations, their voices echoing across for all to hear. Azul lets a smirk dance on his lips. 

“Azul..” 

You reach out to him, a gentle hand touching his forearm. 

“Yes?” 

He turns around, giving pause upon a rare sight; a vulnerable expression listing on your youthful features, a hand seeking his warmth as you lean close to him. Your lips open for a yawn, one that even Azul could fathom as a spell of exhaustion passes him by. 

“I’m tired, Azul. Do you mind staying with me for a couple of minutes?” 

“Work, [Reader]-”

Azul couldn’t simply waste a couple of minutes of work - he had other matters to do. 

“It can wait. If you don’t mind..” 

Your voice, a soft tone, conveys nothing but profound exhaustion, your eyes lowering as you lean against the second year. Before he could utter a word, he finds himself in a predicament: your eyes fluttering to a close as your body softly presses against him. 

“Hey, [reader]--” 

It was too late; he could feel himself also getting tired from just looking at your slumbering figure. 

“What can I do with you?” 

He utters a helpless statement, gloved fingers teasing your locks in an affectionate fashion. Sensing a towering Leech twin from behind, he takes the requested item from the served platter and places it by the center of the table. 

“Oh my, oh my, Azul, looks like you’re busy with our customer today.” 

The teasing easily irked the dorm leader. 

“Return to work, Jade.” 

Any second longer, and I’ll see to docking a cut to your paycheck. A toothy grin was more than enough to implicate the twin’s understanding - he wasted no time to vacate the scene, away from Azul’s wrath. Instead, Azul sighed helplessly - he could practically feel his heart melting. He spares no time to wrap his jacket around your shoulders and settle down next to you, placing your head against his shoulder. As soon as he sits down, the curse of slumber lingers over him, his eyelids heavy. A rare moment between you and Azul, where nothing mattered except a moment of slumber.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Meatspace twiddling

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me next weekend (Mar 30/31) in ANAHEIM at WONDERCON, then in Boston with Randall "XKCD" Munroe (Apr 11), then Providence (Apr 12), and beyond!

"Enshittification" isn't just a way of describing the symptoms of platform decay: it's also a theory of the mechanism of decay – the means by which platforms get shittier and shittier until they are a giant pile of shit.

I call that mechanism "twiddling": this is the ability of digital services to alter their business-logic – the prices they charge, the payouts they offer, the particulars of the deal – from instant to instant, for each user, continuously:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

Contrary to Big Tech's own boasting about its operations, the tricks that tech firms play to siphon value away from business customers and end-users aren't very sophisticated. They're crude gimmicks, like offering a higher per-hour wage to Uber drivers whom the algorithm judges to be picky about which rides they'll clock in for, and then lowering the wage by small increments as a way of lulling the driver into gradually accepting a permanent lower rate:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/12/algorithmic-wage-discrimination/#fishers-of-men

This is a simple trick. The difference is that tech platforms like Uber can play it over and over, and very quickly. There's plenty of wage-stealing scumbag bosses who'd have loved to have shaved pennies off their workers' paychecks, then added a few cents back in if a worker cried foul, then started shaving the pennies again. The thing that stopped those bosses was the bottleneck of payroll clerks, who couldn't make the changes fast enough.

Uber plays crude tricks – like claiming that a driver isn't an employee because the control is mediated through an app – and then piles more crude tricks on top – this algorithmic wage discrimination gambit.

Have you ever watched a shell-game performed very slowly?

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-do-penn-tellers-famous-cups-and-balls-trick-in-12-steps

It's a series of very simple gimmicks, performed very quickly and smoothly. Computers are very quick and very smooth. The quickness of the hand deceives the eye: do crude tricks with superhuman speed and they'll seem sophisticated.

The one bright spot in the Great Enshittening that we're living through is that many firms are not sufficiently digitized to to these crude tricks very quickly. Take grocery stores: they can get up to a lot of the same tricks as Amazon – for example, they can charge suppliers for placement on the most prominent, easiest-to-reach shelves, reorganizing your shopping based on which companies pay the biggest bribes, rather than offering the best products and prices.

But Amazon takes this to a whole different level – beyond simply organizing their product pages based on payola, they do this for search. You ask Amazon, "What's your cheapest batteries?" and it lies to you. If you click the first link in a search-results page, you'll pay 29% more than you would if you got the best product – a product that is, on average, 17 places down on the results page. Amazon makes $38b/year taking bribes to lie to you:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/06/attention-rents/#consumer-welfare-queens

Amazon can do more than that. Thanks to its digital nature, it can continuously reprice its offerings – indeed, it can simply make up each price displayed on every product at the instant you look at it – based on its surveillance data about you, estimating your willingness to pay. For sellers, Amazon can continuously re-weight the likelihood that a given product will be shown to a customer based on the seller's willingness to discount their products, even to the point where they go out of business:

https://www.businessinsider.com/sadistic-amazon-treated-book-sellers-the-way-a-cheetah-would-pursue-a-sickly-gazelle-2013-10

Twiddling, in other words, lets digital services honeycomb their servers with sneaky wormholes that let them siphon value away from one kind of platform user and give it to another (as when Apple silently began spying on Iphone owners to create profiles for advertisers), or to themselves.

But hard-goods businesses struggle to do this kind of twiddling. Not for lack of desire – but for lack of capacity. Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon Fresh – an online grocery store – can change prices and layout millions of times per day, at effectively zero cost. Jeff Bezos, owner of Whole Foods – a brick-and-mortar grocer – needs a army of teenagers on rollerskates with pricing guns to achieve a fraction of this agility.

So hard-goods businesses are somewhat enshittification-resistant. It's not that their owners are more interested in the welfare of their customers, workers and suppliers – they merely lack the capacity to continuously rejigger the way their business runs.

Well, about that.

Grocers have been experimenting with "electronic shelf labels" in order to do "dynamic pricing" – that means that prices change quickly, in response to circumstances:

https://www.npr.org/2024/03/06/1197958433/dynamic-pricing-grocery-supermarkets

This doesn't have to be bad! As @planetmoney points out, it's a little weird that grocers don't discount milk whose sell-by date is drawing near. That milk is worth less to shoppers, because they have to use it more quickly lest it expire. Instead of marking down the price of perishable goods – day-old lettuce, yesterday's bread, etc – grocers put them on the shelves next to fresher, more valuable products, leading to billions of dollars' worth of food-waste and and unimaginable quantities of methane-producing, planet-cooking landfill.

In Norway, ESLs are pretty well established and – at least according to Planet Money's reporting – they are used exclusively to offer discounts in order to reduce waste. They make everyone better off.

But towards the end of the story, they note that Norway's grocery sector – which alters prices up to 2,000 times per day – has been accused of using ESLs to rig prices, hiking them and blaming them on pandemic supply-chain problems and loose monetary policy. Greedflation, in other words.

Greedflation is rampant in the grocery sector, all around the world. Remember when the price of eggs doubled and they blamed in on bird-flu, even as the CEO of the one company that owns every egg brand you've ever heard of boasted about how he could hike prices and suckers would just pay it?

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/23/cant-make-an-omelet/#keep-calm-and-crack-on

In Canada, grocers rigged the price of bread, the most Les-Mis-ass form of corporate crime you can imagine (do you want guillotines, Galen Weston? Because this is how you get guillotines):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_price-fixing_in_Canada

EU grocers – another highly concentrated industry – also collude to rig prices:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/17/how-to-think-about-scraping/

Which is all to say that while these companies don't have to use the twiddling capabilities that come with ESLs to enshittify their stores, we'd be pretty fucking naive to assume that they won't.

And here's the bad news: US grocers like Whole Foods (owned by Amazon, the company that wrote the enshittification playbook) are already experimenting with ESLs. So is Alberstons/Safeway, the massive, inbred conglomerate that has already demonstrated its passion for using twiddling to fuck over their workers:

https://knock-la.com/vons-fires-delivery-drivers-prop-22-e899ee24ffd0/

Economists love "price discrimination" – where prices change based on circumstance, trying to match the perfect price with the perfect customer. On paper, that sounds plausible: if I need a quart of milk for a recipe I'm making tonight and I get a 50% discount on some about-to-expire 2%, then everyone's better off. I get a discount and the grocer gets some money for milk they'd have to throw away at the end of the day.

But these elegant, self-licking ice-cream cones only emerge if the corporation offering the deal is constrained. Perhaps they're constrained by competition – the fear that you'll go elsewhere. Or perhaps they're constrained by regulation – the fear that they'll be punished if they use twiddling-tech to cheat you.

The grocery sector, dominated by a cartel of massive companies that routinely collude to rip us off, is not constrained by competition. And for years, regulators let them get away with ripping us off (though finally that might be changing):

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/21/us/politics/grocery-prices-pandemic-ftc.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ek0.t2Pr.g4n2usbxEcoa

For neoclassical economists, the answer to all this is "caveat emptor" – let the buyer beware. If you want to make sure that ESLs are only used to offer you discounts and not to gouge prices, all you need to do is note the price of everything you buy, every time you buy it, and triple-check it every time you go back to the grocery store. Just be eternally vigilant!

Thing is, the one thing computers are much better at than humans is vigilance. With ESLs and other twiddling mechanisms, you're a fish on a hook, and the seller is tireless in giving you a little more slack, then a little less, until you finally drop your guard.

Economists desperately want these elegant models to work, but "efficient market hypothesis" is a brain-worm that always turns into apologetics for fraud. Dynamic markets sound like a good idea, but they are catnip for cheaters. "Just be eternally vigilant" is miserable advice, and no way to live your life:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/24/passive-income/#swiss-cheese-security

In his brilliant novel Spook Country, @GreatDismal describes augmented reality as "cyberspace everting" – that is, turning inside-out:

https://memex.craphound.com/2007/07/31/william-gibsons-spook-country/

The extrusion of twiddling technology from digital platforms into the physical world isn't cyberspace everting so much as it is cyberspace prolapsing.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/26/glitchbread/#electronic-shelf-tags