Latest news with #MichaelTaylor
Washington Post
28-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Chaos on the bases costs Juan Soto a hit in Mets' win over White Sox
NEW YORK — Hits haven't come easy for Juan Soto during his first season with the New York Mets. The $765 million slugger lost one Tuesday night against the Chicago White Sox because of some chaos on the basepaths. With teammate Brandon Nimmo on first in the opening inning, Soto sent a drive toward right-center, where a diving Michael A. Taylor trapped the ball in his glove off a short bounce.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Proactivity of Home Improvement Retail Customers and Employees Improving Experience, J.D. Power Finds
Lowe's Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction TROY, Mich., May 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nearly two-thirds (64%) of home improvement retailer shoppers say they would definitely shop at their store again, an increase of 9 percentage points from 2024, according to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study,SM released today. This increase is due to the proactivity of employees, as they are taking more initiative to keep the stores clean, greeting and assisting customers, as well as an increase in customers shopping on the retailer website before visiting the store. "The collaborative nature of customers and employees essentially working together toward the same goal has improved the shopping experience," said Michael Taylor, senior managing director of the retail intelligence practice at J.D. Power. "Customers are coming into stores with greater knowledge of what they want, if store employees can make helpful suggestions, it increases the likelihood that customers will return to that store." Study Ranking Lowe's ranks highest in customer satisfaction with a score of 680. Ace Hardware (672) ranks second. The U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study measures customer satisfaction with home improvement retailers by examining eight dimensions (in alphabetical order): additional services; digital tools; level of trust; people; product/supplies; return policy/process; store/facility; and value given price paid. The 2025 study is based on responses from 2,143 customers who purchased home improvement-related products from a home improvement retailer within the previous 12 months. The study was fielded from July 2024 through March 2025. For more information about the U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study, visit See the online press release at About J.D. Power J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services, and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 55 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies. J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company's business offerings, visit The J.D. Power auto-shopping tool can be found at About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: View source version on Contacts Media Relations Contacts Geno Effler, J.D. Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; john@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Proactivity of Home Improvement Retail Customers and Employees Improving Experience, J.D. Power Finds
TROY, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nearly two-thirds (64%) of home improvement retailer shoppers say they would definitely shop at their store again, an increase of 9 percentage points from 2024, according to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study, SM released today. This increase is due to the proactivity of employees, as they are taking more initiative to keep the stores clean, greeting and assisting customers, as well as an increase in customers shopping on the retailer website before visiting the store. 'The collaborative nature of customers and employees essentially working together toward the same goal has improved the shopping experience,' said Michael Taylor, senior managing director of the retail intelligence practice at J.D. Power. 'Customers are coming into stores with greater knowledge of what they want, if store employees can make helpful suggestions, it increases the likelihood that customers will return to that store.' Study Ranking Lowe's ranks highest in customer satisfaction with a score of 680. Ace Hardware (672) ranks second. The U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study measures customer satisfaction with home improvement retailers by examining eight dimensions (in alphabetical order): additional services; digital tools; level of trust; people; product/supplies; return policy/process; store/facility; and value given price paid. The 2025 study is based on responses from 2,143 customers who purchased home improvement-related products from a home improvement retailer within the previous 12 months. The study was fielded from July 2024 through March 2025. For more information about the U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study, visit See the online press release at About J.D. Power J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services, and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 55 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies. J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company's business offerings, visit The J.D. Power auto-shopping tool can be found at
New York Times
12-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Twins' first-quarter MVPs? Byron Buxton and Harrison Bader, the catch-everything outfield duo
MINNEAPOLIS — In each of the past three offseasons, the Minnesota Twins have acquired a speedy, right-handed-hitting veteran outfielder with a sterling defensive reputation to serve as Byron Buxton injury insurance in center field and boost depth in the corner spots. It worked brilliantly in 2023, when the Twins made a January trade with the Kansas City Royals for Gold Glove Award-winning center fielder Michael A. Taylor, who was pressed into extended duty when Buxton's knee injury limited him to designated hitter before eventually requiring surgery. Advertisement Taylor started 110 games in center field, playing spectacular, Buxton-caliber defense, stealing 13 bases in 14 tries and popping 21 homers at the bottom of the lineup. He rose from an inexpensive depth piece to one of the Twins' top all-around players, filling an essential role. It worked horribly in 2024, when the Twins made a February trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers for Manuel Margot, only for the coaching staff to look at the 29-year-old during spring training and quickly deem him not a viable option in center field. And their immediate assessment was right. Margot looked lost in center field, wasn't much better in the corners and hit just .238/.298/.337 in 343 plate appearances, including breaking the all-time MLB record for pinch-hitting futility by going 0-for-30. He performed worse than a replacement-level player, totaling -0.9 bWAR in 129 games. Buxton was vastly healthier in 2024 than in 2023, returning to center field without missing a beat and playing more than 100 games for the first time in seven years, but the Twins went back to the same well this past offseason by signing Gold Glove-winning center fielder Harrison Bader for $6.25 million. Three straight games with a HR for Byron Buxton! 💥 — MLB (@MLB) May 8, 2025 Through the first quarter of this season, the Buxton insurance hasn't been required. He's healthy and thriving, starting 38 of 41 games in center field and hitting .264/.304/.520 to lead American League center fielders in OPS, homers (nine), RBIs (26), runs scored (30) and bWAR (1.7). And his bat is merely part of the story. This is as sturdy as Buxton, 31, has seemed physically in a long time, and his speed can still make a huge impact. Buxton is 8-for-8 stealing bases, pushing his career rate to an MLB record 89.4 percent, and only Bobby Witt Jr. has a higher average sprint speed. Advertisement 'I think Buck is just enjoying feeling great and playing every day with his teammates,' manager Rocco Baldelli said. 'There's probably a little less on his mind because of that. Just being a baseball player again and being able to go out there and do his job, the job that he loves to do.' Buxton is running faster than he has since 2019 — six seasons and two knee surgeries ago — and his defense remains great at an age when many center fielders decline sharply. On the rare occasion an opposing base runner dares to test his arm, he's shown why that's still a bad idea. 'He's a jump-starter,' Baldelli said. 'He always gets something going and makes something happen. Because he can force the issue. He doesn't have to wait for the game to come to him and take what he can get. He can just make things happen on the field.' BYRON BUXTON CLINCHES THE GAME WITH AN UNBELIEVABLE CATCH! — MLB (@MLB) April 23, 2025 Few players in Twins history have played at this elite level in so many areas of the game. It's nothing new for Buxton, who has had stretches like this before, but to be doing it at 31, and as an everyday part of the lineup, is especially meaningful after a decade of frequent injuries and absences. 'You're watching one of the best players on the planet in all facets,' said Trevor Larnach, often the third member of the Twins' outfield. 'Defense, on the basepaths, in the (batter's) box. He makes it look so easy. I'm stoked for him. He's one of the best guys you'll ever meet. He deserves the best.' And because of Buxton's health this season, Bader has barely been needed in center field, enabling the Twins to instead play him nearly every day in a corner spot. Not surprisingly for an award-winning center fielder, his defense has been spectacular alongside Buxton. Advertisement 'He's got a Gold Glove for a reason,' Buxton said. 'We communicate quite well and back each other up. He understands, and so do I, to take a chance for the ball because you know we are going to have that backup. It's fun to have another guy who goes after the ball, plays aggressive and plays hard.' Bader leads AL outfielders — regardless of position — with eight Defensive Runs Saved, and he ranks third with four outs above average, no small feat with just 30 innings in center field. He's quickly perfected what Baldelli has taken to calling 'the double-knee slide catch' on sinking liners to left field. 'The addition of Bader does a lot of things for an outfield,' Baldelli said. 'He takes an immense amount of pride in the way he plays. … This is why we wanted him, and this is why we went and got him, because we think he can affect the game with his glove and his legs. And he is. He's crushing it.' HARRISON BADER MAKES AN INCREDIBLE CATCH (this should not be shocking) — Minnesota Twins (@Twins) April 13, 2025 Bader and Buxton have been as good defensively as any outfield duo in the league, and arguably in Twins history, forming an impenetrable no-fly zone for would-be extra-base hits. The Twins' outfield leads the AL in outs above average and ranks second in Defensive Runs Saved. 'Our outfield defense has been outstanding,' Baldelli said. 'Not only is it a strength of ours, but I can't imagine an outfield defense that's helping their team win games the way ours does.' And like great artists admiring each other's latest work, Buxton and Bader have formed something of a mutual admiration society for great grabs. 'If he ain't the leading defensive outfielder in baseball, then something is a problem, because I haven't seen any balls drop over there,' Buxton said. Bader's glove is why the Twins targeted him in free agency, viewing him as strong enough defensively to be a valuable regular even with a weak bat that produced a sub-.660 OPS in each of the past three seasons. They also saw him as perhaps having untapped hitting upside at 30, but nothing like this. Advertisement Bader, who batted .167 in the second half last season to lose his starting job with the New York Mets, has blown past the Twins' most optimistic expectations offensively. He popped three homers in the first week to signal things might be different, and has hit a career-best .298/.387/.462 in 37 games overall. Life is Bader when Harrison hits home runs 🚀 — Minnesota Twins (@Twins) May 8, 2025 Buxton, the Twins' longest-tenured player, and Bader, a free agent signed a few days before spring training to back him up, have been the team's MVPs through a quarter of the season, combining for 3.3 bWAR; every other hitter on the roster has produced a total of 0.6 bWAR. Buxton ranks ninth among AL position players with 1.7 bWAR, and Bader is one spot behind him with 1.6 bWAR. And they've each consistently made a game-changing impact with a similar mix of outstanding hitting, aggressive base running, dazzling defense and infectious energy. Having two dynamic center fielders in the same outfield is a hell of a thing.
The Hill
10-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Which US airlines fared worst in J.D. Power's customer satisfaction survey?
(WJET/WFXP) — The results of a 2025 study from J.D. Power shows that airlines are seeing an overall improvement in customer satisfaction. Overall satisfaction among travelers on North American airlines during a 12-month period — March 2024 to May 2025 — was actually up 6 points over 2024, according to the data analytics firm. But it wasn't a consistent across the board. The survey results showed that passengers who flew economy and basic economy were the most satisfied, driving an 8-point increase, while those in premium economy and business/first class were actually less satisfied year-over-year, dropping 7 points and 1 point, respectively. Passengers weren't equally satisfied with carriers, either. J.D. Power's analysts surveyed more than 10,000 travelers to determine their satisfaction across seven areas, which the company lists as 'airline staff; digital tools; ease of travel; level of trust; on-board experience; pre/post-flight experience; and value for price paid.' The results were also divided into three segments, with one each representing those who flew first/business class, premium economy and economy/basic. This year, JetBlue Airways overtook Delta Air Lines in the first/business class category, taking the top spot in customer satisfaction with a score of 738 out of a scale of 1,000 points. Delta fell to second with 724 points, after it beat out JetBlue in last year's study. For the premium economy segment, Delta took first place for the third year in a row with 717 points, with JetBlue coming in second with 699 points. As for the economy and basic economy class, Southwest Airlines remains on top for a fourth consecutive year with 694 points, with JetBlue Airlines in second place with 663 points. Another takeaway was that falling fares and less-crowded planes had 'helped keep overall passenger satisfaction levels high,' according to J.D. Power executive Michael Taylor. 'But it's clear that market dynamics are changing and will likely affect passenger experience in the coming weeks and months,' Taylor added. 'Airlines will likely have a tougher year this year, economically, but the key to their longer-term success will be how well they manage economic headwinds without compromising on customer experience.'
