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The Way We Travel Now: Airbnb Looking Ahead, Looking Back

YourUpdateTV

As summer winds down and the seasons begin to change, now is the time to look back at how Americans spent their summer traveling and what they are looking forward to experiencing in the fall. Recently, Communications Leads for North America at Airbnb, Liz DeBold Fusco, teamed with YourUpdateTV on a satellite media tour to share the most recent travel trends. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/aBehaUcamIE Not surprisingly, outdoor escapes with the family were the top summer travel trend, and as we come to the end of the summer, longer trips and reunions have become a go to. One of the biggest trends was the great escape to rural, with destinations near national and state parks among the top places to stay. Few weeks ago, Airbnb reached their biggest night ever in the US with more than 4 million guests using the platform. This has created a lot of opportunities for the Airbnb host community. This past summer, US Hosts on Airbnb collectively earned more than $1.3 billion – with some hosting while they were away to pay for their vacation to some offering one-of-a-kind unique stays, like treehouses and yurts. With the remote work trend continuing into fall, so does the increase in trips extending beyond just a weekend. Longer weekend trips with families lasting three to four days are up 70 percent, with weekday stays increasing from 63 to 65 percent. Guests’ rising and diversified interest in mid-sized cities extends beyond the weekend and is focused on fall scenery. Searches for stays in large and mid-sized cities make up about a third of searches each for fall, compared to more than half for stays in just large cities in fall 2019. Big events are also coming back, and more guests are eager to head back to stands and seats once again. In fact, a number of those top trending destinations for Labor Day Weekend and beyond are large and mid-sized cities. This is due to welcome-back iconic competitions and major music festivals, like the Made in America Festival in Philadelphia and Astroworld in Houston. You can always go to airbnb.com to find places to stay, Online Experiences to try. Or, if you are looking to share your space this fall or ahead of a big event, you can become a host at Airbnb.com/host. About Liz DeBold Fusco: Liz DeBold Fusco is a Communications Leads for North America for Airbnb. Prior to that, she was a Vice President at SKDKnickerbocker, a national public affairs firm, where she provided strategic communications guidance to organizations ranging from the NAACP and Demos to The Rockefeller Foundation and AT&T. Liz has also worked for Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City and New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray as well as the New York State Attorney General. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

September 08, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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CSG Field Service Management Ups the Ante on Customer Experience, Recognized in the 2021 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™

CSG

CSG ® (NASDAQ: CSGS) is transforming the way companies engage with their customers by arming today’s leading brands with future-ready, innovative solutions that drive extraordinary customer experiences. With a customer-first culture dedicated to delivering results, CSG Field Service Management. These factors combined CSG’s breadth of experience and its leading-edge capabilities in machine learning and augmented reality led to CSG Field Service Management’s first-time placement in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Field Service Management. “Field service management is often the ‘last mile’ of customer service that can make or break your brand and your ability to win in the marketplace,” said Alfred Binford, president of customer engagement for CSG. “CSG Field Service Management delivers both agility and game changing innovation for our customers that lead to greater cost and productivity efficiencies. More importantly, it creates higher quality customer interactions that lead to elevated customer experiences. Gartner’s ratings are deeply respected in our industry, and it is a tremendous accomplishment to be in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Field Service Management. CSG will build on this momentum with our unique domain expertise in serving communications service providers to enhance our solutions and help our growing global customer base transform ordinary customer experiences to be extraordinary.” CSG Field Service Management is a global, award-winning, multi-industry, cloud-based platform that optimizes field service operations before, during and after the day of service. The solution enables field technicians and dispatchers to make informed decisions based on real-time, predictive data that offers intelligent insights and increases customer satisfaction. These capabilities combined with automated reporting and timely, relevant customer communications help companies deliver a superior customer experience, while enabling seamless operations for both dispatchers and technicians. CSG Field Service Management supports hundreds of thousands of technicians and dispatchers every day and is the engine that processes more than 100 million work orders every year for some of the world’s largest communications service providers. With an average 4.6 out of 5 rating on Gartner PeerInsights ™, customers have commended CSG Field Service Management as “ [a] powerful workforce management solution ” matched with a great customer experience, “thorough communication and the willingness to assist. It was a phenomenal experience with the whole team that made our product successful.” For more information on CSG Field Service Management, visit https://www.csgi.com/portfolio/field-service-management/. To download the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Field Service Management visit https://info.csgi.com/FSM-GMQ-2021-Report. # # # Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Field Service Management, Jim Robinson, Naved Rashid, 31 August 2021 Gartner and Magic Quadrant are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose About CSG For more than 35 years, CSG has simplified the complexity of business, delivering innovative customer engagement solutions that help companies acquire, monetize, engage and retain customers. Operating across more than 120 countries worldwide, CSG manages billions of critical customer interactions annually, and its award-winning suite of software and services allow companies across dozens of industries to tackle their biggest business challenges and thrive in an ever-changing marketplace. CSG is the trusted provider for driving digital innovation for hundreds of leading global brands, including Airtel Africa, América Móvil, AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DISH, Formula 1, Hutchison 3 Indonesia, Inmarsat, Mastercard, Maximus, Microsoft, Mobily, MTN, New Leaf Service Contracts, State of California DMV, TalkTalk and Telstra. To learn more, visit our website at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Copyright © 2021 CSG Systems International, Inc. and/or its affiliates (“CSG”). All rights reserved. CSG® is a registered trademark of CSG Systems International, Inc. All third-party trademarks, service marks, and/or product names which are referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners, and all rights therein are reserved. Contacts: Tammy Hovey CSG +1 (917) 520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com John Rea Investor Relations CSG +1 (210) 687 4409 john.rea@csgi.com Contact Details Tammy Hovey +1 917-520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

September 08, 2021 09:05 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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Comcast Business Supports CORE Electric Cooperative’s Goal of Delivering Low-Cost, Reliable Electricity

Comcast Colorado

Comcast Business today announced that CORE Electric Cooperative — a nonprofit electric distribution cooperative that serves more than 170,000 customers along Colorado’s Front Range region — has selected Comcast Business to provide two 1 Gig Ethernet Dedicated Internet (EDI) connections for its offices, as well as a 1 Gig Ethernet Private Line (EPL) for its main data center. The solutions will provide CORE employees with reliable connectivity to its sites, thus furthering its goal of providing reliable, cost-friendly electricity services to the communities it serves. CORE is the largest electric distribution cooperative in Colorado and one of the largest in the U.S. Its 5,000-square-mile service territory includes portions of 10 counties to the east, west and south of Denver. As a customer-owned cooperative, CORE operates on a nonprofit basis. Any earnings exceeding its expenses are invested back into the facilities used to provide electric service and are booked as member equity. Some of this equity is returned to members each year. “Our mandate is to provide reliable electricity at the lowest cost, and network uptime and reliability are key to ensuring the success of our operations,” said Josh Liss, public affairs director for CORE. “We can count on Comcast Business to provide reliable connectivity. As a result, we are truly set up for success now and in the future, even as we continue to grow and add customers to our network.” CORE’s EDI connections from Comcast Business are a cost-effective solution for the cooperative to power its networks, helping its employees stay connected and able to quickly respond to customer needs. Meanwhile, CORE’s EPL ensures redundancy at its data center site in Bennett, as well as 24/7 priority network support and monitoring from the Comcast Business team. In the future, these solutions will help CORE provide quality service to customers as it expands its focus into renewable energy. “Electricity services are an essential for all households, regardless of income, but they are not always turnkey to deliver to customers,” said Robert Thompson, vice president of Comcast Business for the company’s Mountain West Region. “We are proud to partner with CORE and help support their mission to bring affordable utilities to residents of the Front Range region.” For more information, please visit https://business.comcast.com/. About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers a suite of Connectivity, Communications, Networking, Cybersecurity, Wireless, and Managed Solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what’s next. Powered by the nation’s largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. About CORE Electric Cooperative CORE Electric Cooperative is a nonprofit electric distribution cooperative that serves more than 170,000 customers inside a 5,000-square-mile service territory along Colorado’s Front Range. Its headquarters is in Sedalia, and district offices are in Bennett, Conifer and Woodland Park. # # # Media Contacts: Chloe Huard Finn Partners chloe.huard@finnpartners.com About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers a suite of Connectivity, Communications, Networking, Cybersecurity, Wireless, and Managed Solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what’s next. Powered by the nation’s largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. Contact Details Comcast Business Chloe Huard chloe.huard@finnpartners.com Company Website https://business.comcast.com/

September 08, 2021 09:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time

Velocity Global adds tech talent acquisition veteran Kokoro Robinson to double its global team

Velocity Global

Robinson joins Velocity Global from Stack Overflow Velocity Global to double its worldwide team of 400 over next year Robinson is a two-time Velocity Global client Velocity Global, the leading provider of global employment solutions, today announced it welcomed Kokoro Robinson as its vice president of Talent Acquisition. Robinson applies 25 years of experience building teams for high-growth technology companies. “We plan to double our team over the next year and Kokoro has spent more than two decades building global teams from Silicon Valley to push midsized companies to their next stage,” said Sarah Fern, Velocity Global chief people officer. “He has been a direct client of Velocity Global in two of his recent positions so he knows firsthand how to build global remote-first teams.” Robinson reports to Fern as the company grows its headcount that now stands at approximately 400 in 27 countries across five continents. “This is not about jobs; I look to hire owner-employees -- people with a passion for what they do and for the collective organization,” said Robinson. “Velocity Global delivers a unique global platform for companies and talent to benefit from a distributed and varied workforce. We look for individuals who want to guide that journey. We literally create the future of how the world works.” The company’s global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience to employ any talent anywhere with just a click through its proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, a system backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. Robinson joins Velocity Global from Stack Overflow where he led Talent Acquisition for the world’s pre-imminent question and answer website for developers, touting some 100 million active monthly users. Prior to that, he led talent acquisition for Saba Software (now part of Cornerstone OnDemand NASDAQ: CSOD) where he doubled the size of the organization while cutting in half the time-to-fill and cost-per-hire metrics. Previously he held roles with Good Technology (now part of Blackberry), where he led the charge for their diversity and inclusion. “As a former client of Velocity Global, I know firsthand how we can serve as an example of best practices to grow global, distributed teams,” said Robinson. “The survival of any company going forward relies on hiring and supporting remote global talent. What was a trend for tech companies prior to 2020 is now mainstream in every industry. Along with a talented group at Velocity Global, I get to build the team that supports this model for nearly every company in the world.” Velocity Global is hiring for roles across the organization, particularly on the Technology, Revenue, and Marketing teams. For more information on open positions, interested candidates can visit https://velocityglobal.com/about-us/careers/. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience to employ any talent anywhere with just a click through its proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. As the largest global Employer of Record (also known as International PEO) in 185 countries and all 50 United States, more than 1,000 brands rely on Velocity Global to build global teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. The company offers additional services including Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors. Velocity Global was named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across five continents. For more information visit velocityglobal.com. Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

September 08, 2021 07:01 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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BEE Set to Take Stage at SaaStr 2021 Annual Conference to Address Industry Trend of “build-vs-buy”

BEE

BEE, a business unit of Growens and leading digital content design platform, announced today they will be speaking at this year's SaaStr Annual event, the world’s largest non-vendor B2B software conference. BEE has been an active participant of SaaStr sponsored events and this year Mariela Towers, Head of Marketing and Jules Costa, Content Manager will take the stage to talk about "Behind the Scenes of a Build-vs-Buy Decision.” SaaStr is known to be the most inclusive event in SaaS. In the past three years, 60% of speakers were women or multicultural speakers, and they strive to continue this growth through future events. BEE echoes the sentiment of diversity and inclusion and will be represented by two of their own women leaders to speak at the conference. For the first time, Towers and Costa will bring their diverse backgrounds in business and content strategy to the SaaStr conference by joining key industry conversations. "We are looking forward to the event and the opportunity to safely engage and network with fellow SaaStrs in person this year,” said Towers. “We are excited to bring a relevant conversation about leveraging third-party technology for faster speed to market, and of course can't deny that the team at BEE is really proud to participate in the movement to balance out what diversity should look like in technology.” "SaaS products continue to play a huge role in the future of work. We've seen remote collaboration become expected and, at times, crucial to sustaining business,” states Costa. “The 'make or buy' decision is one piece of getting these products to market faster." For more information on this upcoming event check out saastrannual2021.com. BEE can be found at booth 323 where the team will also be highlighting BEE Plugin, the company's embeddable email, landing page and popup builder that is integrated into over 600+ different SaaS applications worldwide. About BEE: BEE provides no-code design tools that empower everyone to quickly create content that resonates. BEE’s visual builders are used to design emails, landing pages, one-page sites, and more. They deliver fantastic design flexibility and a great user experience, combining granular control on design elements with handy features like editing content directly in mobile view. BEE is building on its vision to help democratize content design, with millions of monthly users in over 20 languages and from over 150 countries. BEE’s design tools are available online at beefree.io and embedded in 600+ SaaS applications. BEE will present on Tuesday, September 28 at 12pm PST/3pm EST. Contact Details Jules Costa communications@beefree.io Company Website https://beefree.io/

September 08, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Xeneta Appoints Peter Sand as Chief Analyst

Xeneta

Xeneta, the leading ocean and air freight rate benchmarking, market analytics platform and container shipping index, today announced the appointment of Peter Sand as Chief Analyst at Xeneta. Sand’s appointment comes on the heels of Xeneta successfully closing a $28.5 million Series C round at over a $130 million valuation. Sand is set to begin his role on Nov. 1. “We are excited to welcome a seasoned professional like Peter Sand who has extensive knowledge and a successful track record in the shipping and logistics industry,” said Xeneta CEO Patrik Berglund. “Peter is a staple in the market who consistently gives a fresh and global outlook into the ins and outs of the ever-changing container shipping world. His extremely well thought-through market commentaries and expert insights will serve to further position Xeneta’s data as the go-to-source for accurate container rate information. Sand joins Xeneta after over a decade at BIMCO, where he was responsible for analyzing commercial markets based on the global economic situation and its influence on trade. Prior to Sand’s Chief Shipping Analyst role at BIMCO, he worked with D/S NORDEN, a Danish shipping company operating in the dry cargo and tanker segments worldwide, as a Senior Analyst. Throughout his career, Sand has been regarded for his widely read articles and industry insights, as well as his regular appearances on global news networks such as CNN, BBC, CNBC and Bloomberg. He holds a Master’s in Economics from the University of Copenhagen. “This is an exciting time to be joining a pioneer-leading company and I am fortunate to become a part of the Xeneta team at a time where the company is experiencing growth and momentum,” said Sand. “Xeneta’s groundbreaking freight rate data insights addresses industry pain points and I am eager to leverage my shipping and logistics expertise to help navigate such an unprecedented time that our sector is facing.” As Chief Analyst, Peter Sand will be responsible for delivering expert insights to strengthen Xeneta’s state-of-the-art intelligence software for both ocean container and air freight. His analysis will be invaluable to the company’s strong portfolio of multi-billion dollar brands such as General Mills, Volvo, John Deere, Amer Sports, Rockwell Automation, Volvo and CEVA Logistics. For more information on Xeneta, visit www.xeneta.com. About Xeneta Xeneta is the leading ocean freight rate benchmarking and market analytics platform transforming the shipping and logistics industry. Xeneta’s powerful reporting and analytics platform provides liner-shipping stakeholders the data they need to understand current and historical market behavior – reporting live on market average and low/high movements for both short and long-term contracts. Xeneta’s data is comprised of over 280 million contracted container and air freight rates and covers over 160,000 global trade routes. Xeneta is a privately held company with headquarters in Oslo, Norway, and regional offices in New York and Hamburg. To learn more, please visit www.xeneta.com. Contact Details Xeneta Katherine Barrios +47 951 46 414 press@xeneta.com Trust Relations Noe Sacoco +1 408-340-8130 xeneta@trustrelations.agency

September 08, 2021 05:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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ECI Development, Community Build Announce 400-Key Sustainable Tourism Village in El Salvador

ECI Development

ECI Development, a leading provider of responsibly developed properties in Central and South America, and The Community Build, a US-based non-profit that serves communities in El Salvador, today announced plans to develop a sustainable tourism village in El Salvador. The village will provide authentic tourist experiences that celebrate and conserve local heritage and culture and will grace the Pacific coast of El Salvador near the town of El Zonte, nicknamed “Bitcoin Beach,” known for its world-class surf beaches and Bitcoin economic ecosystem. The Community Build’s 40-acre property located near El Zante, and ECI Development’s village design, engineering, marketing, and construction, as well as property and rental management post-completion, will produce a tourism village that serves equally Salvadorians and North Americans. “There is currently a shortage of hotel rooms and homes for sale along the El Salvadorian coast. The residences we will develop will serve the Salvadorian and North American marketplace for both ownership and rentals,” said Michael Cobb, CEO of ECI Development. “Because of the central location along the best surf beaches in El Salvador, and the close proximity to the town of El Zonte, the property is perfect for the development of a sustainable eco-tourism village.” The eco-sustainable village will have 400-450 addresses with multiple price points and models for both rent and ownership, offering luxury condos, affordable condos, and tiny homes ranging from $150,000 to $1 million. El Salvador is the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender with a law that takes effect today, September 7. In light of this world first, ECI Development will offer property discounts when buyers use Bitcoin as opposed to fiat currency or financing. “We expect the tourism village to create sustainable jobs for young people in the city and surrounding area, helping boost the local economy and preventing migration to San Salvador, the capital and the country's most populous city,” said Mike Peterson, the founder and President of Missionsake, of which The Community Build is an initiative. “We also want to become the standard-bearer for Bitcoin transactions in real estate for this country and the world, ushering in a new level of comfort for the broader society to utilize Bitcoin in their daily lives.” About ECI Development ECI Development is a real estate development company that has been responsibly developing properties within communities in Nicaragua, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, and Argentina for more than 20 years. Visit www.ecidevelopment.com for more information. About The Community Build The Community Build is a non-profit organization born in 2017 designed to help foster the growth and education of the youth in El Zonte, El Salvador. The Community Build is an initiative of Missionsake. Missionsake exists to help develop the spiritual, mental, physical, and relational health of the missionary community in El Salvador and also of the local communities in which they serve. Visit thecommunitybuild.com for more information. Contact Details Razor Sharp PR Ray Young +1 512-633-6855 ray@razorsharppr.com Company Website https://www.ecidevelopment.com/

September 07, 2021 02:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Velocity Global named the presenting sponsor of PGA TOUR University

Velocity Global

Velocity Global has partnered with the PGA TOUR and GOLF Channel to become the presenting sponsor of PGA TOUR University, the PGA TOUR announced Tuesday. Additionally, Velocity Global, which delivers a global work platform for employers to grow compliant distributed workforces in 185 countries and all 50 United States, has been named the Official Global Workforce Solutions Platform of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions as part of the multi-year agreement. Entering its second season, PGA TOUR University presented by Velocity Global rewards elite college players with access to Tours operated under the PGA TOUR umbrella, while upholding the principles and virtues of collegiate athletics. At the end of each college golf season, the top 15 players in the final Velocity Global Ranking earn status on the Korn Ferry Tour or a PGA TOUR international tour. The Class of 2022 Ranking will be finalized May 30 following the conclusion of stroke play at the NCAA D-I Men’s National Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. “We’re excited to welcome Velocity Global to the PGA TOUR family as the first-ever presenting sponsor of PGA TOUR University,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Velocity Global shares our passion in supporting the top collegiate golfers on their journey to the professional game, and we look forward to their partnership in growing PGA TOUR University together.” As the Official Global Workforce Solutions Platform and Official Professional Employer Organization of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, Velocity Global will have a presence in programming throughout PGA TOUR media properties, align with PGA TOUR players and host customers at PGA TOUR events. “This partnership highlights access to opportunity. The Velocity Global Ranking identifies the top players in college golf and rewards them with access to the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA TOUR’s international network of competition, just as we make global work accessible to employers and talent,” said Ben Wright, Velocity Global Founder and CEO. “We’re proud to partner with the PGA TOUR to open doors for these players and support the game’s future stars, as Velocity Global supports the future of work.” Billy Horschel, a six-time PGA TOUR winner and the 2014 FedExCup champion, is a global brand ambassador for Velocity Global and an avid supporter of college golf. During his four-year career at the University of Florida, Horschel was a two-time SEC Player of the Year and a four-time All-American. “Velocity Global is the perfect match to present the top college players in the world of golf because it is the company that drives how work gets done for the next generation,” said Horschel. “They cheer for hard work and success, and that’s exactly what the PGA TOUR University presented by Velocity Global does. It creates access to global opportunities for these players to compete right away which is so important for their development as pros. I look forward to competing against these guys really soon.” In addition to being the presenting sponsor of PGA TOUR University, the agreement also includes a partnership with GOLF Channel. PGA TOUR University and the Velocity Global Ranking will be featured each Wednesday on Golf Today and within weekly live tournament coverage, as well as across GOLF Channel and PGA TOUR digital platforms throughout the season. GOLF Channel’s first college tournament broadcast of the season is next week’s Maridoe Collegiate Invitational (September 13-15). Additionally, GOLF Channel will collaborate with Velocity Global to highlight a new PGA TOUR University charity program to be announced at a future date. “As the television home of college golf, we’re excited to continue the growth and development of PGA TOUR University alongside our partners at the PGA TOUR,” said Tom Knapp, EVP, Partnerships and Programming, NBC Sports. “The addition of an international partner like Velocity Global enhances our ability to cultivate this important platform, and ensure the top collegiate players will be showcased on GOLF Channel as they progress toward competing throughout the professional ranks and ultimately on the PGA TOUR.” The PGA TOUR University Class of 2021 made their marks in their first summers as professionals. Arizona State’s Kevin Yu finished 4th in the 2021 Velocity Global Ranking, and he posted five top-25s and two top-five finishes in eight starts on the Korn Ferry Tour. On the Forme Tour, Arizona’s Trevor Werbylo and SMU’s Mac Meissner both have wins after finishing 9th and 8th, respectively, in last year’s Velocity Global Ranking. With one event remaining this season, Werbylo leads the Order of Merit and Meissner is fifth, and both players are in position to be promoted to the Korn Ferry Tour next season. For more information, please visit www.pgatour.com/university or  velocityglobal.com. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience to employ any talent anywhere with just a click through its proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. As the largest global Employer of Record (also known as International PEO) in 185 countries and all 50 United States, more than 1,000 brands rely on Velocity Global to build global teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. The company offers additional services including Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors. Velocity Global was named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across five continents. For more information visit velocityglobal.com. About PGA TOUR University presented by Velocity Global PGA TOUR University presented by Velocity Global rewards elite college players with access to Tours operated under the PGA TOUR umbrella, while upholding the principles and virtues of collegiate athletics. Introduced in 2020, the program strengthens and elevates the path to the PGA TOUR through the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR international tours. The Velocity Global Ranking will be featured on GOLF Channel each Wednesday on Golf Today and within weekly live tournament coverage, as well as across GOLF Channel and PGA TOUR digital platforms throughout the season. For more information, please visit www.pgatour.com/university and follow PGA TOUR University on Twitter and Instagram (@PGATOURU). Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com PGA TOUR Chris Richards ChrisRichards@pgatourhq.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

September 07, 2021 09:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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RESTAURANT OPERATORS BEWARE OF ONLINE MENU BLIND SPOTS AND SUGGESTIVE SELLING TOO LATE

Revenue Management Solutions

Revenue Management Solutions, in partnership with the University of South Florida’s Center for Marketing and Sales Innovation (CMSI) and CMSI Director and Study Primary Investigator Dr. Rob Hammond, has released preliminary findings from its newest study using remote eye-tracking technology to analyze how consumers navigate online menus. TGI Fridays volunteered to participate in the first phase of the study. Early results could mark big learning for restaurants: Distinct search patterns revealed blind spots when customers review online menus on a desktop. Suggestive selling opportunities within the “buyer’s journey” of online ordering identified, a set of discrete phases uncovered during analysis. The research, which began in May 2021, marks the first remote eye-tracking study of online ordering behavior. New technology developed by iMotions in collaboration with CMSI allowed researchers to use participants’ own webcams to gather eye-tracking data as they ordered from TGI Fridays’ online test menu via their desktops or laptops. Data was analyzed using Emotional Artificial Intelligence tools, and pre- and post-study survey responses assessed participants’ recall of their ordering journey, behavior and total spend. “In the past 18 months, we’ve undergone a seismic shift in the way our customers interact with our menu,” said Sara Bittorf, Chief Experience Officer at TGI Fridays. “The research has already given us tools to improve the guest experience and increase menu profitability. We’re looking forward to exploring further menu engineering insights as the research proceeds.” Blind Spots Revealed According to the eye-tracking data and the research team’s gaze-path analysis, preliminary findings indicate a persistent blind spot on the left side of the menu. Though each respondent had a unique path, respondents started with a site’s main menu categories (appetizers, sandwiches, etc.), reading across from left to right. Respondents’ focus then shifted down toward the center of the screen, like a “T,” and navigated predominantly to the right of the center. Results show that approximately 50% of the time, respondents missed items displayed on the left of the screen altogether. Suggestive Selling The RMS and USF research team also uncovered a distinct buyer’s journey within the online ordering process, revealing untapped opportunities for suggestive selling. They observed four discrete phases with mental tasks and outcomes for each, including: Familiarization: Respondents scanned the entire menu/website. Exploration: Respondents narrowed and evaluated choices. Affirmation: Respondents began adding items to the cart while toggling back to menu options to add or search additional items. Confirmation: Respondents completed checkout. “We found that respondents were more likely to change their mind or add items during the exploration and affirmation phases of the process,” said Ryan Garner, data architect for Revenue Management Solutions. “Yet most suggestive selling happens during checkout. If these results translate across many menus — and we anticipate that they will — it could be a game changer for operators.” Researchers are finalizing the next phase of the ongoing research, which will be open to interested brands. Subsequent phases will investigate how consumers navigate brand menus with different designs across various media, including online, mobile and physical menus. Analysis will also include age and gender demographics, compare cost/spend recall to actual cost and evaluate other ordering behaviors. The research will conclude this winter. RMS first partnered with CMSI in 2019 to conduct in-laboratory eye-tracking research that revolutionized how the industry thinks about the way we read physical restaurant menus. For more than 25 years, RMS has served restaurant industry leaders with data analytics expertise and profitability solutions. This research is true to RMS’ roots — using restaurant industry science and data and translating highly academic insights into practical solutions for restaurants. About Revenue Management Solutions RMS provides numerous data-driven solutions and services to the restaurant industry, all designed to help brands drive sales and profitability while maintaining traffic and enhancing brand value long-term. RMS works with more than 50 major brands in more than 40 countries, with its patented processes of revenue management used in more than 100,000 restaurant locations globally. The company holds five U.S. patents on menu pricing and customer segmentation and supports ongoing academic research efforts. For more information on how RMS helps its clients, visit www.revenuemanage.com. About TGI Fridays As the world’s first casual bar and grill, TGI Fridays is the birthplace of fun, freedom, and celebration, bringing people together to socialize and experience “That Fridays Feeling TM ”: a sense of celebrating the fun in everyday moments, big and small. For over 50 years, Fridays has been lifting spirits around the world with more than 700 restaurants in 54 countries, serving high-quality, classic American food and iconic drinks backed by authentic and genuine service. Visit www.Fridays.com for more information and join Fridays Rewards®. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Contact Details Tracy Henderson +1 720-989-3530 tracy@centerreachcommunication.com Company Website https://www.revenuemanage.com

September 07, 2021 08:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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