Powerfeedback by Scott

Americans seem more willing than ever to fight back with bold initiatives. For example, just over three-quarters (76 percent) support immediately increasing oil drilling in the United States

Some political tacticians think if gas prices stay at $4.00 per gallon until election day, consumers will start to accept this as “normal”, and not make drilling for oil in the USA an election issue. Many others disagree, and should prices rise even more prior to the election, the Democrats will be hard-pressed to justify serious review of this policy, especially with China drilling for oil 60 miles off of OUR our own coastline.

Seems to me even if we never drill on our own shores, the serious consideration of it may inspire the Mideast countries who supply us to re-examine the supply levels that they are offering to us.

The J.D. Power and Associates 2008 North America Airline Satisfaction StudySM finds that the most important reason behind a decline in overall airline customer satisfaction is deteriorating airline staff customer service. Overall customer satisfaction is at its lowest point in three years. When passengers experience a lack of knowledge, courtesy and helpfulness from reservations and gate agents, check-in staff and flight crew, it can quickly sour them on their airline travel experience.

Duh!

It is an interesting quandary for the airlines. Based on our experience in this space, they are spending less and less on flier (customer) research to conserve overall costs, yet as the above study illustrates, the satisfaction numbers among fliers continues to get worse.

Perhaps the airlines need an innovative firm like Powerfeedback to show them how to enable employees to get direct and personal feedback to measure their own performance, which would lead to improvements in surrey results like this!

The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade has held its Spring Fancy Food Show in Chicago since 1999. But the association’s talks with exhibitors and buyers after the 2008 event led organizers to believe that the show “is no longer providing the majority of our members with the most effective means by which to grow their businesses in the Midwest,” NASFT President Ann Daw said in a statement.

In the past, we have attended this and many similiar shows. Based on the turnout for events like this, I can’t help but think that this is a sign of things to come. Just look at what happened to COMDEX.

Perhaps some of these organizations and the “customers” who attend need to find ways to provide better opportunities to the vendors who support them.

It is hard for me to fathom that that they are seriously considering this tax! This is wrong on many, many levels!

The Census Bureau’s data collection contract for the 2010 census might cost hundreds of millions less than previously estimated.

This is because Harris still must submit a cost proposal. Harris spokesman Marc Raimondi said the original figure was only an initial estimate, and that the proposal will reflect a more accurate figure.

Sweet deal. Advise the client that the project will probably cost $1.3 billion dollars, but, don’t finalize the estimate until after it has been sourced! Small wonder why we pay such high taxes!

Additionally this distresses me as Powerfeedback suggested a plan to the Bureau of Census about 5 or 6 years ago for similar automation at a significantly smaller cost.

So much for Uncle Sam supporting small business!

This is an interesting, albeit imperfect time calculator. It does have some merit and an offers an interesting view on how you allocate your time between work, sleep, leisure, etc.

Scientists have started work on a massive official study to discover whether the long-term use of mobile phones causes brain cancer, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Make you think twice the next time you make, or answer a call on your cell phone?

According to a new survey of 907 people released exclusively to Ad Age today, more than one-third (37%) of respondents believe that the National Basketball Association somewhat or very likely alters the outcomes of its games.

The YouGovPolimetrix Omnibus Poll found that among “casual” or “avid” fans, an even higher number, 41%, think it’s either very likely or somewhat likely that the NBA alters the outcome of games.

Wow, this is pretty unsettling news for the NBA, especially as the Celtics and Lakers are in the heat of the championship series.

You can’t help but wonder whomever the victor of this championship is, if they will always have a cloud, or some sort of asterisk next to their place in history.

Bikinis and other sexy stimuli can make men more prone to seek immediate gratification — leading to blown diets, budgets and bank accounts, new research suggests.

Powerfeedback does a lot of great and truly rewarding research that leads to great advancements in the medical, financial, pharmaceutical, food, and hospitality fields as well as many other industries. That said, once in awhile, we won’t mind studying bikinis either :-)

The Commerce Department reported an increase last month that was twice as much as expected by Wall Street economists polled before the report.

When I see reports like this, I can’t help but think of that great Chicago song, “Does anybody really know what time it is.”

This is yet another scenario when “experts” rely on gut and charts versus facts provided by firms like Powerfeedback. And as happened in this case, they got it wrong!

I understand that we have to be realists and practical, but we also have to be sensitive to the psyche of hard-working Americans who, given all that is happening in our economy, need a good dose of optimism as well!

Even as gas prices hit historic highs in the United States, most residents can’t telecommute, according to a new survey released by advocacy group Telework Exchange.

Powerfeedback recently conducted a similar web survey for a large international client. Interestingly in that particular study, 44% of the participants felt that there would be a drop in productivity if they telecommuted, even on a part-time basis. Of the total respondents however, 67% preferred to telecommute at least 1 to 2 days per week. Of this grouping, 39% cited fuel costs and 21% stated that career advancement opportunities were the key drivers for their responses.