Latest news with #supportteam
Entrepreneur
3 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Sweetgreen Layoffs: Cutting Support Staff, Ripple Fries
Sweetgreen's CEO announced that big changes are coming to the salad chain on an earnings call this week. Sweetgreen, the popular eatery known for its $16 salads, is streamlining its staff and its menu after reporting disappointing earnings this week. According to Restaurant Business, Sweetgreen has made job cuts equating to 10% of open and existing positions on its California-based support team. Sweetgreen employed over 6,400 workers as of the end of last year. Meanwhile, the chain will also discontinue its $4.95 Ripple Fries, marketed as a healthier alternative to French fries, a mere five months after introducing the option. Related: AT&T and Sweetgreen Are Following Amazon's Lead With Stricter Return-to-Office Mandates — Though Amazon's Plan Has Hit a Snag Sweetgreen CEO Jonathan Neman said on a Thursday earnings call with analysts that while consumers "loved" the air-fried ripple fries and had a "great reaction" to the product, it was a "distraction" to employees and added extra cooking complexity to their day. Sweetgreen has already tested removing the fries from its menu in certain stores, and seen "huge improvements in customer satisfaction" as employees focus on the salad chain's core products, Neman said on the call. Sweetgreen will discontinue the item next week, he added. Sweetgreen made these changes to its staff and menu after posting disappointing quarterly earnings. On Thursday, Sweetgreen announced its second-quarter results, noting that same-store sales fell by 7.6%. The chain reported a net loss of $23.2 million, up from $14.5 million in the same period last year. Total revenue increased by just 0.5% year-over-year to $185.6 million. What is Sweetgreen's turnaround plan? Though Sweetgreen may have reported poor financial results this week, the salad chain has a turnaround plan in place that includes offering larger sizes of proteins, improving the taste of its chicken and salmon, and offering discounts on salads ($13 instead of $15) for members. Mitch Reback, Sweetgreen's chief financial officer, said on the earnings call that the company was also bringing back seasonal options and chef collaborations, as well as presenting new offerings at "more moderate price points." "While we're not yet where we want to be, we're confident that these actions position Sweetgreen to emerge stronger, more focused, and better aligned with what our guests and investors expect from us," Reback said on the call. Related: These College Friends Wanted to Sell Better Food. Now, Their Company Is Publicly Traded. According to Reback, the changes have already taken effect and have helped sales in the current quarter. Sweetgreen's stock was down over 70% year-to-date at the time of writing. The company's market value was a little over $1 billion. Join top CEOs, founders and operators at the Level Up conference to unlock strategies for scaling your business, boosting revenue and building sustainable success.
CTV News
03-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
‘As tough as I could' Saskatoon born woman completes English Channel swim
Aerin Bowers completed one of the ultimate swimming challenges in the world. 'I swam across the English Channel. I swam from near Dover to Wissant, which is on the French coast. And it was a swim that took me 16 hours and 33 minutes and some,' Bowers told CTV News via Zoom from Ramsgate, England. Bowers is originally from Saskatoon but now lives in Rossland BC. She had initially hoped to complete the challenge in September for her 50th birthday, but it was called off because of bad water conditions. She flew back to try it again on June 30, and this time, she was able to get in the water with the help of her support team. Her team includes a coach, her partner and a friend who threw her bottles to feed her, which must be consumed in the water. Aerin Bowers - English Channel swim Brent Hobbs and friend Debbie Collingwood, the support team, with Bowers in the water beside the boat.(Courtesy: Aerin Bowers) Bowers recalls one of the challenges was trying to keep the liquid sustenance down during the grueling swim. Bowers' last name might sound familiar to those in Saskatoon. Her dad was Kelly Bowers, who passed away in 2019. He was an inspirational teacher and coach in the community. It was his wise words that kept her going during the 16-hour feat of physical and mental endurance. 'He had two sayings that he used to say to me all the time. And everyone will probably have heard these before. And the first one was, 'keep plugging.' So, you just keep going, keep plugging. And then the second one is 'you got to be tough.' So, that was the main one that I sort of repeat over in my head. You've got to be tough. So, I tried to be as tough as I could,' she said. Aerin Bowers - English Channel swim Bowers and her late dad, Kelly Bowers, who she drew inspiration from during her challenging swim. (Courtesy: Aerin Bowers) She admits she thought about giving up after intense jellyfish stings on her face and arms, her tongue burned by salt water. Not to mention the temperature of the water was a chilly 16 C. 'When I was getting closer to France, that's where the tide really kicked in so, I was sort of swimming in place for what felt like a really long time and had to still keep up my stroke rate so that eventually you kind of push past it.' And push past it she did. Bowers raised money through a GoFundMe page. Currently she's $800 short of her goal of $10,000. The money is going to Jumpstart, a children's charity close to her dad's heart. 'It was important to my dad that all kids would have access to do the sports and activities that they love without any financial barriers. And I benefited from that as a kid. I was able to do, you know, everything from swimming to volleyball.' She started swimming when she was three-years-old and has no plans to stop, saying she doesn't rule out attempting this swim again, but needs to financially recoup since she paid for all of it out of her pocket.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Yahoo
‘Just reach out to us': the Nationwide team helping vulnerable customers
The woman at the other end of the line sounds frantic. She's been ill and needs help sorting out some payments, but when Meg from Nationwide calls, she starts to talk about other things that are on her mind. Less than half an hour later, she confides that she's thinking of suicide and has even worked out how and where she could do it. On another day, a follow-up call to someone who reported being a fraud victim quickly takes a troubling turn. The woman's account has been used without her permission, but it was an abusive partner rather than an unknown scammer who was to blame. When Nicky asks her to explain what's happened, she tells a harrowing story involving a sexual assault and years of financial and coercive control. She had thought her former partner was taking her phone to stop her from using it, but he was actually using it to raid her accounts. These are glimpses into the work of Nationwide's specialist support team, a group whose job it is to help vulnerable customers. The building society let me listen to some of the many and varied cases its staff deal with on a daily basis. The calls highlight how money worries often go hand in hand with other problems – and, it seems, how difficult it can be for people to access help elsewhere. 'Every single week we'll see a brand-new situation, and I think it depends very much on what's going on in the outside world,' says Shannon Hancock, the specialist support team manager. 'You may have heard of [the Netflix TV show] Adolescence – that has drawn calls from people in a similar situation.' A small number of cases they have dealt with have involved exploitation – for example, children being blackmailed to send nude photos – and the team has acted on safeguarding concerns. Most banks and building societies have similar teams in place, although the type of help they focus on varies. Nationwide's team was set up 10 years ago, and its original focus was on supporting the building society's members (its equivalent of customers) who were having problems with payments because they had cancer. It worked closely with the charity Macmillan and helped people find and access any help they were entitled to, as well as addressing any problems they were having with their mortgages or other Nationwide products. A decade later, it's helped more than 100,000 people, and the workload has evolved. A big part of the now 50-strong team's job is to handle payments for people who can't bank online or get out to a branch. These customers have been identified, or have come forward, as being in need of extra help or support. Tina Grainger, Nationwide's head of specialist customer support, says some people ring 100 times a month over a period of years for this type of help. But alongside those cases are the more complicated issues involving domestic abuse, bereavement or incapacity. For these, says Grainger, 'there are not black and white solutions, but we have the time, we have the mandate and we have the resources'. Calls like the ones above are 'the lowest volume, but they are the highest impact', she says. Support is given to those taking them but, Grainger says: 'Not everyone could be on our team. You have to have a high level of resilience.' There are about 350 calls a day and, although most are not dramatic, they are all important to the people involved. I listen to a call in which Sarah speaks to a man who had fallen behind on his mortgage after his disability benefits were stopped. His family had stepped in and cleared his debt, but the team wanted to be sure that he was happy with the arrangements. During a long chat, Sarah checked if he needed help challenging the benefits decision, or with payments. When he said he felt guilty about getting his family's help, she was kind and reassuring. When she told him: 'If you do ever start experiencing financial difficulty, just reach out to us – we do have teams who can help,' his relief was audible. Calls can last from 10 minutes to two hours – the team typically work from home, and there's no clock ticking down or screen telling them that people are waiting. Listening, it's striking how valuable it is for people to be able to talk to someone who has plenty of time, with the clout of a big organisation. When the team calls the police or someone's doctor (with their permission) to report an emergency, things happen. As a result of the calls I heard, payments were sorted, the woman whose former partner had raided her account was refunded, and the woman contemplating suicide got help from her doctor. They were lifechanging – and sometimes lifesaving – conversations. * In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@ or jo@ In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at 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
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- The Guardian
‘Just reach out to us': the Nationwide team helping vulnerable customers
The woman at the other end of the line sounds frantic. She's been ill and needs help sorting out some payments, but when Meg from Nationwide calls, she starts to talk about other things that are on her mind. Less than half an hour later, she confides that she's thinking of suicide and has even worked out how and where she could do it. On another day, a follow-up call to someone who reported being a fraud victim quickly takes a troubling turn. The woman's account has been used without her permission, but it was an abusive partner rather than an unknown scammer who was to blame. When Nicky asks her to explain what's happened, she tells a harrowing story involving a sexual assault and years of financial and coercive control. She had thought her former partner was taking her phone to stop her from using it, but he was actually using it to raid her accounts. These are glimpses into the work of Nationwide's specialist support team, a group whose job it is to help vulnerable customers. The building society let me listen to some of the many and varied cases its staff deal with on a daily basis. The calls highlight how money worries often go hand in hand with other problems – and, it seems, how difficult it can be for people to access help elsewhere. 'Every single week we'll see a brand-new situation, and I think it depends very much on what's going on in the outside world,' says Shannon Hancock, the specialist support team manager. 'You may have heard of [the Netflix TV show] Adolescence – that has drawn calls from people in a similar situation.' A small number of cases they have dealt with have involved exploitation – for example, children being blackmailed to send nude photos – and the team has acted on safeguarding concerns. Most banks and building societies have similar teams in place, although the type of help they focus on varies. Nationwide's team was set up 10 years ago, and its original focus was on supporting the building society's members (its equivalent of customers) who were having problems with payments because they had cancer. It worked closely with the charity Macmillan and helped people find and access any help they were entitled to, as well as addressing any problems they were having with their mortgages or other Nationwide products. A decade later, it's helped more than 100,000 people, and the workload has evolved. A big part of the now 50-strong team's job is to handle payments for people who can't bank online or get out to a branch. These customers have been identified, or have come forward, as being in need of extra help or support. Tina Grainger, Nationwide's head of specialist customer support, says some people ring 100 times a month over a period of years for this type of help. But alongside those cases are the more complicated issues involving domestic abuse, bereavement or incapacity. For these, says Grainger, 'there are not black and white solutions, but we have the time, we have the mandate and we have the resources'. Calls like the ones above are 'the lowest volume, but they are the highest impact', she says. Support is given to those taking them but, Grainger says: 'Not everyone could be on our team. You have to have a high level of resilience.' There are about 350 calls a day and, although most are not dramatic, they are all important to the people involved. I listen to a call in which Sarah speaks to a man who had fallen behind on his mortgage after his disability benefits were stopped. His family had stepped in and cleared his debt, but the team wanted to be sure that he was happy with the arrangements. During a long chat, Sarah checked if he needed help challenging the benefits decision, or with payments. When he said he felt guilty about getting his family's help, she was kind and reassuring. When she told him: 'If you do ever start experiencing financial difficulty, just reach out to us – we do have teams who can help,' his relief was audible. Calls can last from 10 minutes to two hours – the team typically work from home, and there's no clock ticking down or screen telling them that people are waiting. Listening, it's striking how valuable it is for people to be able to talk to someone who has plenty of time, with the clout of a big organisation. When the team calls the police or someone's doctor (with their permission) to report an emergency, things happen. As a result of the calls I heard, payments were sorted, the woman whose former partner had raided her account was refunded, and the woman contemplating suicide got help from her doctor. They were lifechanging – and sometimes lifesaving – conversations. * In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@ or jo@ In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at
Entrepreneur
22-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Real Stories, Real Change: What Freedom Debt Relief Reviews Reveal About Debt
One of the best ways to gauge a company's impact is through customer reviews, where people share unfiltered experiences of how debt relief changed their lives. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur Asia Pacific, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. The first step toward relief is often the hardest for anyone struggling with debt. In a world field with big, bold promises, it's natural to be skeptical. That's why honest customer stories matter—people want to hear from others who've been in their shoes. One of the best ways to gauge a company's impact is through customer reviews, where people share unfiltered experiences of how debt relief changed their lives. In the case of Freedom Debt Relief, those reviews speak volumes. Why Reviews Matter in the Debt Relief Journey Debt is personal. It affects mental health, relationships, and daily life. That's why transparency is crucial when selecting a debt relief partner. Verified testimonials offer more than just five-star ratings: they provide insight into a company's process, values, and actual results. Freedom Debt Relief clients consistently describe the same things: respect, empathy, simplicity, and real progress. This type of social proof builds trust, especially for those who are ashamed of their financial situation. What Freedom Debt Relief Clients Are Saying A Common thread in Freedom Debt Relief reviews is the kindness and professionalism of the support team. "Everyone from start to my finish line—the counseling, the customer care—was so amazing," shared Mary Stephens. "You never feel like a number. Everyone is terrific. Anyone who needs help, you need to contact them. They will help you in every way you need." For many, the emotional relief was as powerful as the financial gains. "They didn't just help me with my debt," confirmed Jane M. from Arizona. "They helped me get my life back." Others highlight how simple the process was. "They make it nice and easy by doing all the work for you," wrote David Innings. "The only thing you need to do is put the money into your account. Very satisfied with my experience so far." Charlie Lopez raved, "This program helped me gain my financial independence. I didn't have to take a loan or anything. It just helped me budget and maintain to get a piece of my life back. I just recently did it. It took me only 18 months to get rid of $20,000 in debt. That's really good." How to Spot Real Reviews If you're reading reviews to make a decision, there are certain things to look for to tell they're genuine: Look for details that describe the whole journey. Pay attention to tone—genuine reviews often express emotion and gratitude. Check for consistency across platforms like Trustpilot, BBB, and ConsumerAffairs. Volume matters: a company with thousands of detailed reviews usually has a strong track record. Authentic reviews help reduce the noise and build confidence when taking that all-important first step. What Makes Freedom Debt Relief Different Freedom Debt Relief has helped over 850,000 people tackle more than $15 billion in debt. With over 20 years of experience, they've become one of the most established names in debt relief. But it's not just about the numbers. It's about how those numbers change lives. By providing easy-to-understand plans and ongoing support, Freedom Debt Relief stands out as a company that listens, adapts, and delivers. Their model doesn't involve pushing loans or quick fixes but instead helping people create real change through negotiation, structure, and empowerment. Your Story Starts With a Step Everyone's financial journey is different. But the path to peace of mind often begins similarly—with a simple decision to explore options. Reading a few reviews might be the first step toward your success story. If you've been carrying the weight of debt alone, there's help available—thousands of people just like you have found it. Maybe your very own five-star review is right around the corner.
