The rise of artificial intelligence has many worried that robots may be taking their jobs. But Starbucks is using digital advancements to foster a stronger relationship between its customers and its employees.
“Our Mobile Order and Pay platforms through digital have been fantastically successful,” Ron Crawford, the company’s vice president of global benefits told Cheddar. “It’s driving more and more customers into our stores, which is great. It’s allowing our partners to have yet even more and more interaction with our customers.”
Starbucks has long been known for the emphasis placed on its “partners”, the term the company uses for baristas and other non-corporate employees. The company announced last week a second wave of raises, on top of pay increases that had already been scheduled for this year. It also unveiled stock grants for both full-time and part-time employees, extended sick-pay benefits, and plans to add more than 8,000 new jobs.
And while some credited President Trump’s new tax policy with sparking the changes, Crawford says most of the plans were already in the works.
“Some of those things would’ve happened in the next couple of months anyway, we were just able to do it a little bit sooner,” he said. “We were still on a path to execute our longer term strategy, and we would’ve made partner investments during the normal course of our business.”
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/starbucks-brews-up-employee-benefits).
Karl Farmer, Vice President and Portfolio Managers at Rockland Trust Bank, breaks down why inflation and interest rates may stick at these levels, and why Bitcoin still carries some risks.
If you wince at the grocery store checkout, you’re not alone. Wall Street Journal reporter Jesse Newman breaks down why prices are so high – and not going down anytime soon.
An inflation gauge favored by the Federal Reserve increased in January, the latest sign that the slowdown in U.S. consumer price increases is occurring unevenly from month to month. (Getty Images)
Glen Smith, CIO at GDS Wealth Management, shares how investors can allocate their assets as the market broadens and why he’s eyeing June for the first potential rate cut.
After years of price increases for cars and trucks in the United States, costs are slowing and in some cases falling, helping cool overall inflation and giving frustrated Americans more hope of finding an affordable vehicle.
Missed out on the Nvidia wave? Oh course you did — you’re reading this article aren’t you, instead of luxuriating on a white-sand beaches of Bali. But here are at least four other promising semiconductor stocks to add to your portfolio.
