You can almost smell the eggnog (or non-dairy alternative) being poured as we’re rounding out the month and year. Enjoy our last #FridayFive of 2024! 👋 1. Were you helped by an AI assistant while shopping this season? Salesforce reports that the tech is set to influence over $200B in holiday sales with a focus on personalization, order support and product recommendations helping businesses earn more of the holiday pie. Retail Dive has more details: https://lnkd.in/gDibxPCD 2. As Starbucks makes ambitious plans to be the best retail place to work, the coffee giant is putting a renewed focus on employee wellbeing, competitive compensation and staffing up to deliver a consistent customer experience. Hospitality Technology has a closer look at the new CEO’s plans for long-term success: https://lnkd.in/gSiZzmzW 3. Offering a glimpse of the year at work, Glassdoor shared the word of 2024 is “divisive." Whereas last year’s word was “anxiety," the shift signals conflicting positions on typical hot-button issues like current events, workplace culture and hiring practices. HR Dive unpacks what else was on workers’ minds this year: https://lnkd.in/gJW2zRxF 4. It looks like Americans are feeling optimistic about the year ahead, and the disconnect between the health of the economy and personal financial standing—the so-called “vibecession”—is receding. CNBC has the story:https://lnkd.in/ekrdZRQk 5. We couldn’t end the year without at least one post about 2025 predictions. Find out why Placer.ai sees legacy brands like Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and Anthropologie continuing to experience steady growth and how one-stop shop formats and smaller outposts will pop up to better serve a wide variety of customers. Chain Store Age digs in deeper: https://lnkd.in/gM6E6Pgr
