Michigan mobility plans include EVs, boats and aircrafts
The state is preparing for an influx of EVs and improving the waterways that surround the state and the airways above it, said Justine Johnson, Michigan’s chief mobility officer.
Technician damaged vehicle learning to drive a manual transmission, lawsuit alleges
Two technicians at a Milford, Conn., dealership allegedly damaged a service customer’s “dream car” during a joyride where the older one wanted to teach the younger one how to drive a manual transmission vehicle.
New GM aftersales VP Dave Marsh aims to improve customer, employee experiences
Dave Marsh was promoted to global vice president of Customer Care and Aftersales at General Motors as of Feb. 1.
Travel Troubleshooter: Vrbo promised to cover my rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?
DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: My family and I recently rented a house through Vrbo for a vacation stay in Hawaii. When we entered the home, we were immediately hit with a strong smell of mold. Upon further inspection, we noted and took pictures of black mold located on the smoke detector, the pictures hanging on the walls, the shower stall and the windowsills.
One of the members of my party is a 17-year-old who has severe asthma. She has been hospitalized in the past on several occasions for this and continues to be under the direct care of a respiratory specialist. So, I immediately contacted the homeowner, who was very kind and suggested that we get in touch with Vrbo for assistance. The homeowner offered to cancel the reservation if we did not feel comfortable staying there.
I contacted Vrbo, and a representative assured me that we were covered by its “Book With Confidence Guarantee.” Vrbo sent us an email authorizing us to spend $15,138 for a new place, which was double what we originally paid. The new place was $21,014, but we had no choice, since there was an extremely limited inventory available on Oahu for seven people at the last minute. A representative assured me that Vrbo would cover the entire amount.
Big brands could pivot easily if TikTok goes away. For many small businesses, it’s another story
By HALELUYA HADERO and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO (Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) — If content creators and corporate executives made TikTok videos about the platform’s possible U.S. demise, disco diva Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” could supply the soundtrack.
Sure, businesses that built strategies around TikTok and promote products there would prefer not to seek eyeballs on another app. Smaller firms and solo entrepreneurs are bound to feel more pain in the event of a breakup. But if the popular video-sharing service remains under Chinese ownership and Congress bans it, many companies would learn to get along.
A lot of “What ifs” still surround a bill the U.S. House passed this month that would mandate TikTok′s Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell its stake in the platform within six months or face a nationwide ban. It’s unclear when the Senate will take up the legislation or if it will approve a ban when it does.
Big brands that have relied on TikTok to reach younger consumers do not appear to be panicking as they wait to see what happens in Washington. But they also have started planning. Some are retooling promotional campaigns that were originally intended just for TikTok. Many are testing alternatives and prioritizing work with influencers who have sizable followings on multiple social media platforms.