Latest news with #companies
Forbes
an hour ago
- Business
- Forbes
I Refuse To Talk To AI
The majority of customers prefer human-to-human interaction over AI. If you want to anger your customers, make them do something they don't want to do. Sixty-six percent of U.S. customers say that when it comes to getting help, resolving an issue or making a complaint, they only want to speak to a live person. That's according to the 2025 State of Customer Service and CX annual study. If you don't provide the option to speak to a live person, you are at risk of losing many customers. But not all customers feel that way. We asked another sample of more than 1,000 customers about using AI and self-service tools to get customer support, and 34% said they stopped doing business with a company or brand because self-service options were not provided. These findings reveal the contrasting needs and expectations customers have when communicating with the companies they do business with. While the majority prefer human-to-human interaction, a substantial number (about one-third) not only prefer self-service options—AI-fueled solutions, robust frequently asked question pages on a website, video tutorials and more—but demand it or they will actually leave to find a competitor that can provide what they want. This creates a big challenge for CX decision-makers that directly impacts customer retention and revenue. Why Some Customers Resist AI Our research finds that age makes a difference. For example, Baby Boomers show the strongest preference for human interaction, with 82% preferring the phone over digital solutions. Only half (52%) of Gen-Z feels the same way about the phone. Here's why: Customers aren't necessarily anti-technology. They're anti-ineffective technology. When AI fails to understand requests and lacks empathy in sensitive situations, the negative experience can make certain customers want to only communicate with a human. Even half of Gen-Z (48%) says they are frustrated with AI technology (versus 17% of Baby Boomers). Why Some Customers Embrace AI The 34% of customers who prefer self-service options to the point of saying they are willing to stop doing business with a company if self-service isn't available present a dilemma for CX leaders. This can paralyze the decision process for what solutions to buy and implement. Understanding some of the reasons certain customers embrace AI is important: CX leaders must recognize the generational differences—and any other impactful differences—as they make decisions. For companies that sell to customers across generations, this becomes increasingly important, especially as Gen-Z and Millennials gain purchasing power. Turning your back on a generation's technology expectations puts you at risk of losing a large percentage of customers. What's A CX Leader To Do? Some companies have experimented with forcing customers to use only AI and self-service solutions. This is risky, and for the most part, the experiments have failed. Yet, as AI improves—and it's doing so at a very rapid pace—it's okay to push customers to use self-service. Just support it with a seamless transfer to a human if needed. An AI-first approach works as long as there's a backup. Forcing customers to use a 100% solution, be it AI or human, puts your company at risk of losing customers. Today's strategy should be a balanced choice between new and traditional customer support. It should be about giving customers the experience they want and expect—one that makes them say, 'I'll be back!'
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
🏟️ The latest on Tigres' new stadium
In recent days, the new home of the Tigers has gained significant momentum. And it's because the feline fans need a top-level stadium to continue celebrating titles. Several companies are vying for the honor of being the sponsors of what would become one of the best stadiums in Mexico. What will it ultimately be called? Advertisement This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. 📸 Azael Rodriguez - 2025 Getty Images
Forbes
15 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
5 Top Undervalued Stocks To Buy For June 2025
The market's current volatility has created compelling opportunities for discerning investors willing to look beyond short-term noise. While headline indexes remain near historic highs, numerous quality companies are trading at significant discounts to their 52-week peaks, presenting attractive entry points for long-term wealth building. These dislocations often occur when broader market sentiment overshadows individual company fundamentals, creating the exact conditions where patient investors can capitalize. This analysis identifies five fundamentally strong companies currently trading at compelling valuations. Each selection represents a different sector, offering diversification benefits while maintaining focus on established businesses with durable competitive advantages, consistent cash generation and shareholder-friendly management teams that have weathered multiple economic cycles. The selection process prioritized companies trading at least 10% below their 52-week highs while maintaining strong underlying business fundamentals. Key evaluation criteria included consistent profitability, reasonable debt levels, competitive market positions, and management teams with proven track records of capital allocation and effective financial management. Special attention was given to dividend sustainability and growth potential, as these metrics often indicate management confidence in future cash flows. Additionally, each company needed to demonstrate resilience during recent market turbulence while showing clear catalysts for future growth. The focus remained on large-cap, established enterprises rather than speculative plays, ensuring each selection offers both value characteristics and quality business attributes that should appeal to conservative investors seeking both income and appreciation potential. ExxonMobil stands as America's largest publicly traded oil company, operating across the entire energy value chain, from exploration and production to refining and chemicals. The company has transformed its operational focus over recent years, prioritizing high-return, low-cost assets while maintaining one of the industry's strongest balance sheets. Recent strategic initiatives include expanding low-carbon solutions and optimizing its Permian Basin operations, which continue generating substantial free cash flow even at moderate oil prices. The company's integrated business model provides natural hedging between upstream and downstream operations, while its world-class refining network benefits from favorable crack spreads. Management has demonstrated disciplined capital allocation, returning significant cash to shareholders through both dividends and share repurchases while maintaining the financial flexibility to invest in growth opportunities. Exxon's current valuation appears compelling given its strengthened operational efficiency and commitment to shareholder returns. The company trades at a meaningful discount despite generating robust cash flows and maintaining a fortress balance sheet with minimal debt concerns. Recent quarterly results demonstrated the effectiveness of the company's cost reduction initiatives, with strong margins achieved across all business segments. The energy transition presents both challenges and opportunities, but Exxon's low-carbon investments and carbon capture initiatives position it well for evolving market demands. The company's dividend yield of 3.86% appears sustainable based on current cash generation capabilities. In comparison, the stock's 18.7% discount from recent highs creates an attractive entry point for investors seeking exposure to the energy sector through a financially stable, dividend-paying leader. Fifth Third Bancorp operates as a diversified financial services company serving customers across the Midwest and Southeast through approximately 1,100 locations. The bank has established a reputation for prudent risk management and exceptional customer service, consistently maintaining strong credit quality metrics across various economic cycles. Recent strategic focus areas include digital transformation initiatives, commercial lending growth, and expansion of fee-based services, including wealth management and payment processing. The bank's geographic footprint covers economically diverse markets with steady population and business growth, providing a stable foundation for loan demand and deposit gathering. Management has consistently demonstrated disciplined expense management while investing in technology infrastructure to compete effectively with larger national banks and emerging fintech competitors. Fifth Third presents compelling value at current levels, trading at a significant discount despite maintaining solid operational metrics and capital strength. The bank's conservative approach to credit risk has positioned it well to withstand potential economic uncertainty, while rising interest rates are expected to benefit its net interest margins over time. Recent quarters have shown steady loan growth and improving efficiency ratios, indicating that management's operational execution remains strong. The 3.89% dividend yield appears well-covered by earnings, with management maintaining a conservative payout ratio that provides flexibility during challenging periods. Regional banks like Fifth Third often outperform during economic recovery phases, and the current 22.5% discount from recent highs creates an attractive entry point for investors seeking exposure to well-managed financial institutions with strong local market positions and proven management teams. Mondelez International operates as a leading global snacking company, owning iconic brands including Oreo, Cadbury, Toblerone, and Trident across the chocolate, biscuits, gum, and candy categories. The company maintains strong market positions in key geographic regions, with particular strength in emerging markets where rising disposable incomes drive consistent demand growth. Recent strategic initiatives focus on expanding premium product offerings and enhancing direct-to-consumer capabilities. The business benefits from recurring revenue characteristics as consumers regularly repurchase favorite snack brands, creating predictable cash flows that support consistent dividend payments and growth investments. Mondelez has demonstrated pricing power during inflationary periods while maintaining market share through effective brand management and innovation programs that resonate with evolving consumer preferences. Mondelez offers attractive defensive characteristics combined with growth potential in emerging markets where the company maintains leading positions. The stock's recent weakness appears overdone given the company's strong brand portfolio and consistent execution on margin improvement initiatives. Management has successfully navigated supply chain challenges while implementing strategic pricing actions that protect profitability. The consumer staples sector provides stability during uncertain economic periods, while Mondelez's global diversification reduces dependence on any single market. The 2.82% dividend yield, combined with the company's history of consistent dividend growth, appeals to income-focused investors. With shares trading 12.2% below recent highs despite posting positive year-to-date returns of 12.38%, the current valuation presents an opportunity to acquire a quality consumer products company at a reasonable price. General Dynamics operates as a premier aerospace and defense contractor, serving government and commercial customers through four main business segments: Aerospace, Combat Systems, Marine Systems, and Technologies. The company builds Gulfstream business jets, Virginia-class submarines, Abrams tanks, and various mission-critical technologies for defense applications. Recent contract wins and robust order backlogs provide revenue visibility extending several years into the future. The defense contractor benefits from stable, long-term government contracts while the Gulfstream division serves affluent individuals and corporations seeking premium business aviation solutions. This diversification provides balance between government and commercial revenue streams, while the company's reputation for engineering excellence and program execution has earned it preferred contractor status across multiple defense platforms. General Dynamics trades at an attractive valuation, despite holding a strong competitive position in defense markets that are experiencing increased spending globally. Recent geopolitical tensions have highlighted the importance of defense capabilities, while growing international demand for proven American military systems creates additional growth opportunities. The company's submarine construction programs alone provide decades of contracted revenue streams. The Gulfstream business continues recovering from pandemic-related weakness, with order activity showing improvement as corporate travel normalizes and wealthy individuals invest in private aviation. Management maintains a conservative approach to capital allocation while consistently returning cash to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. The 2.18% dividend yield, combined with the stock's 13.2% discount from recent peaks, creates an attractive entry point for investors seeking exposure to both defense spending trends and luxury aviation recovery. Honeywell International operates as a diversified technology and manufacturing company serving aerospace, building technologies, performance materials, and safety solutions markets. The company's portfolio encompasses aircraft engines, automation systems, specialty chemicals, and safety equipment utilized across various industrial, commercial, and residential applications. Recent strategic focus emphasizes software-enabled solutions and sustainable technologies that address climate and energy transition challenges. The company benefits from multiple long-term secular trends, including aircraft fleet modernization, the adoption of building automation, and industrial digitization initiatives. Honeywell's engineering capabilities and established customer relationships provide competitive advantages in developing next-generation solutions for evolving market needs. In contrast, its diversified end markets reduce dependence on any single industry cycle. Honeywell represents quality industrial exposure at a reasonable valuation, with shares trading only 7.3% below recent highs despite delivering the strong year-over-year performance of 16.07%. The company's transformation toward higher-margin, software-enabled businesses has improved profitability metrics while reducing cyclical exposure. Recent aerospace recovery trends benefit multiple Honeywell divisions as air travel continues normalizing globally. The building technologies segment positions Honeywell to benefit from increased focus on energy efficiency and innovative building solutions. At the same time, performance materials serve the growing demand for specialty chemicals and advanced materials. Management's consistent execution of operational improvement initiatives, combined with disciplined capital allocation and a 2.01% dividend yield, makes Honeywell an attractive investment for investors seeking exposure to industrial innovation themes at a reasonable entry point. Bottom Line These five undervalued stocks represent quality companies trading at discounts to recent highs while maintaining strong fundamentals and clear growth catalysts. Each selection offers different sector exposure—energy, banking, consumer staples, defense, and diversified industrials—providing portfolio diversification benefits. The combination of attractive dividend yields, proven management teams, and compelling valuations creates opportunities for both income and capital appreciation as market sentiment eventually recognizes their underlying value propositions.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Indonesia Joins Regional Push Against Age Bias in Job Market
Indonesia is urging companies to remove age limits in job ads, reflecting growing regulatory scrutiny of discriminatory labor practices in Southeast Asia's largest economy. The Ministry of Manpower issued a circular signed on May 28 directing both domestic and foreign employers to eliminate age restrictions in recruitment efforts, including those targeting people with disabilities. Exceptions are allowed only when age is clearly relevant to the role — and even then, the criteria must not unfairly disadvantage applicants.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
The Factory Version of Two-for-One Beer Specials
To get Industrial Strength delivered directly to your inbox, sign up here. Two-for-one specials work great for beers and tacos, less so for industrial equipment. That doesn't stop companies from trying.
