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What Went Wrong At Smile Direct Club?

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Mohammad Ahmad, a 17-year-old from New Jersey, joined Smile Direct Club in October, just a few weeks after the teeth-straightening company filed for bankruptcy.

A sizable discount on the company’s invisible braces and assurances that the financial problems wouldn’t affect business operations, according to him, persuaded him.

However, Mohammad never received the transparent plastic aligners he was promised after the company went out of business in December, putting him and hundreds of other customers in the lurch.

“I basically got scammed,” claimed Mohammad, still looking for a $1,000 (£788) refund from tutoring fees.

smile direct club

What Went Wrong At Smile Direct Club?

It was a humiliating conclusion for the Tennessee-based company, which had previously had a market capitalization of more than $8 billion and had vowed to disrupt traditional dentistry with lower-cost, remotely-supervised care.

The notion won over more than two million customers. Mohammad, who already wore braces, merely wanted to address some minor shifting when he failed to use his retainer as recommended.

But, from the beginning, Smile Direct Club had to defend itself against opponents concerned about its procedures.

It was embroiled in legal battles with business groups representing traditional dentists and orthodontists, who claimed that its remote treatment, frequently provided after customers mailed in impressions of their mouths taken at home, provided inadequate care and accused the company of misleading customers.

Prominent investors, including Hindenburg Research, known for betting against companies, had also expressed concern, accusing Smile Direct Club of “cutting corners” and warning that it would “wind up as a case study in why it’s a bad idea to invest in a company that attempts to fit a complex, dangerous medical process onto a low-cost, high-volume assembly line.”

The firm disputed the charges and called them “the latest in a stream of unevidenced and misleading attempts… to thwart legitimate competition.”

However, it took the threat to its business seriously and moved quickly to quell subsequent bad allegations.

smile direct club

What Went Wrong At Smile Direct Club?

It threatened reporters and academics with legal action and compelled angry customers to sign non-disclosure agreements to receive a refund until a government lawsuit forced it to stop this year.

According to Myron Guymon, president of the American Association of Orthodontists, Smile Direct Club’s troubles eventually caught up with them.

“Orthodontics looks simple but it is a complex medical procedure and should start with an in-person exam and good diagnostic records,” the doctor stated.

Executives of Smile Direct Club did not reply to a request for comment.

The company blamed its demise on typical economic villains: the pandemic and rising prices, which it claimed damaged its manufacturing operation, escalated expenses and squeezed its target clients.

It also highlighted a $63 million award from a court for a contract dispute with its arch-rival and former business partner Align Technology.

But, according to Brandon Couillard, an analyst at Jefferies, deeper issues were at work, noting that the cost of addressing reputational issues – not just about quality but also about customer service – hampered development and caused the loss-making firm to spend too much on advertising.

“It’s not hard to Google and find people who have had a bad experience,” he told me. “As the business matured, people did become more aware of the brand and that wasn’t always a positive experience.”

After a streak of spectacular sales growth, Smile Direct Club’s triumphant 2019 listing on Nasdaq, the US stock market index, proved to be the firm’s pinnacle moment.

It raised over $1 billion and briefly made its young founders wealthy.

However, sales immediately decreased from more than $750 million in 2019 to $470 million last year. More than half of their revenue was spent on advertising to gain new customers. The losses piled up.

When it filed for bankruptcy in September, the company had only $5 million in cash and roughly $900 million in debt.

“It was pretty clear that consumer interest in the brand had been eroding for some time,” said Mr. Couillard.

Investors later accused Smile Direct Club of withholding critical information about its detractors during its 2019 share offering, and the company was sued for violating financial laws.

However, Sanjula Jain, chief research officer at healthcare analytics and research firm Trilliant Health, said Smile Direct Club’s demise is also a reminder of the market’s limits for remote health care, which her team discovered has fallen in almost every area since the pandemic’s peak.

“Consumer behaviours are not changing in the way that a lot of the market and virtual care providers want it to,” she told me. “Will that change over time remains to be seen.”

University of Pennsylvania professor Anna Wexler, who has studied direct-to-consumer health firms, believes there is still a future for remote or partially remote orthodontic care, noting that younger generations, in particular, are dissatisfied with current health care options and seeking more convenient and affordable models.

smile direct club

What Went Wrong At Smile Direct Club?

Her 2020 study of 470 remote orthodontist patients discovered that about 6% were required to return to a regular clinician for follow-up therapy.

However, more than 87% were satisfied with their care and were willing to overlook flaws in exchange for a reduced cost.

The study cautioned that the usage of non-disclosure agreements by Smile Direct Club may have skewed the responses.

On the other hand, Prof Wexler stated that she anticipated it and other companies marketing similar treatments to accept her findings.

Instead, Smile Direct Club threatened legal action, accusing her team of misrepresenting its process and slandering the company.

“I was shocked,” she recounted, noting that her team had taken care not to name any companies.

The conflict, which had not previously been disclosed, was resolved with a letter to the editor.

Prof. Wexler said she was not sorry to see this particular company die, considering its history of attempting to muzzle opponents.

“Maybe if they hadn’t spent so much money on legal counsel they’d be in a better financial state,” she told me.

SOURCE – (BBC)

Kiara Grace is a staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. Her writing focuses on technology trends, particularly in the realm of consumer electronics and software. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics, Kiara delivers insightful analyses that resonate with tech enthusiasts and casual readers alike. Her articles strike a balance between in-depth coverage and accessibility, making them a go-to resource for anyone seeking to stay informed about the latest innovations shaping our digital world.

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Elevate Your Business with White Label Local SEO Services in 2024

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Elevate Your Business with White Label Local SEO Services in 2024

White Label Local SEO: To attract local customers, local SEO optimizes a business’ online listings, builds local citations, and earns positive reviews. For small businesses, local SEO plays an integral role. They stand out locally, appear in nearby searches, and attract customers to their physical locations.

White label Local SEO agencies provide various services. They offer expertise­ under their own brands, which companies can rebrand and resell as their own. Essentially, one firm provides the SEO expertise, while another resells the services.

The advantages of offering White Label Local SEO services

It is advantageous for marketing agencies to offer White Label Local SEO services. It allows them to expand their service offerings without hiring additional employees or acquiring new skills, which allows them to increase revenue streams. As a result, they may be able to upsell SEO services to their existing client base and increase revenue streams.

In addition, offering White Label Local SEO services can help agencies attract new clients specifically looking for local marketing solutions. White Label Local SEO services can benefit both marketing agencies and small businesses.

What are White Label Local SEO Services?

White Label SEO describes an SEO partnership. One firm provides SEO services under its own brand, and the other firm resells those services as its own. The SEO provider works behind the scenes, lending expertise to the reseller, who distributes it to customers branded as theirs.

Local SEO from White Labe­l focuses on increasing a business’s online presence to attract local customers. It optimizes Google listings, manages local citations, generates positive reviews, and employs tactics to boost its ranking in localized search results.

How does White Label Local SEO work?

In general, White Label Local SEO works as follows:

  • Partnering with a provider: Partnering with a local SEO provider with expertise and resources to implement effective Local SEO strategies is the strategy of the marketing agency or reseller.

  • Reselling services under your brand: The reseller then markets and sells local SEO services under its own brand name, with the SEO provider working on behalf of the reseller to deliver the services.

Difference between White Label and Traditional SEO Outsourcing

As a result, White Label SEO differs significantly from traditional SEO outsourcing in terms of branding. The client knows that a third-party vendor is providing the services, and the vendor’s brand may be visible in communications and reports.

As a result of White Label SEO, the services appear to be provided directly by the reseller. In most cases, the SEO provider’s brand is not visible to the end client, and the reseller handles all communication and reporting.

Key Components of White Label Local SEO Services

In general, White Label Local SEO providers provide the following services:

  • Google My Business (GMB) Optimization: This involves optimizing a company’s Google My Business profile to ensure it contains accurate and up-to-date information, such as business hours, contact information, and business category, as well as adding photos and managing customer reviews.

  • Local Keyword Research: Keyword research identifies relevant search terms that potential local customers use to locate products or services. This helps optimize website content and local listings so that they appear higher in local searches.

  • Local Citation Management: Ensure that the company’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistently displayed across online directories, review sites and other platforms. This helps improve local search rankings and establishes credibility and trustworthiness.

  • On-Page SEOOur team tweaks website pages for local searches, incorporating relevant keywords and optimizing meta tags, headers and URLs while maintaining a user-friendly structure and navigation.

  • Local Link Building: Quality backlinks from local sites, directories, and other relevant sources enhance a site’s authority and position in local search results.

  • Local Content Creation: Creating tailored content for the local audience—blog posts, articles, and landing pages—attracts local traffic and establishes the business as a market authority.

  • Review Management: Keeping an eye on online reviews across Google, Yelp, Facebook, and other websites helps maintain a positive online reputation.

  • Local SEO Reporting and Analysis: This report analyzes the performance of Local SEO. It covers rankings, website visitors, leads generated by those visitors, and sales generated by those leads. Progress is tracked, showing what needs to be enhanced.

Benefits of Offering White Label Local SEO Services

Here’s a deeper dive into the benefits you mentioned:

1. Expanding Your Reach and Attracting New Clients

  • Broadened Service Portfolio: Offering White Label Local SEO makes you more attractive to clients who wish to concentrate on local marketing.

  • Targeting a Wider Audience: The local business market is vast and growing. You can tap into this potential and reach a new audience by offering local SEO services.

2. Increase revenue with Minimal investment in Staff or Training

  • Minimal Investment: By leveraging the expertise of a partner, you can reduce the need to hire additional staff or invest heavily in training your existing employees.

  • Faster ROI: You can begin offering high-quality SEO services immediately, which can generate new revenue streams quickly.

3. Cater to the growing demand for local SEO, especially among small businesses

  • Growing Demand: Local SEO services are in high demand among small businesses due to the increasing number of consumers searching online for local businesses.

  • Helping Local Businesses Thrive: White Label Local SEO empowers businesses to increase their online presence, attract more local customers, and ultimately grow their business.

4. Scale your business efficiently by outsourcing SEO tasks

  • Focus on Your Strengths: By outsourcing time-consuming SEO tasks to your White Label partner, your team can focus on core competencies such as client acquisition, strategy development, and account management.

  • Increased Capacity: Offloading SEO tasks enables your agency to take on more clients and projects, allowing your business to scale efficiently.

Finding the Right White Label Local SEO Provider

Marketers and resellers can benefit from offering White Label Local SEO services in several ways:

  1. Reputation and Track Record: Ideally, you should find a White Label service with a great reputation. Check their reviews, success stories, and online ratings to determine their clients’ happiness.

  2. Expertise and Experience: Find a provider that specializes in local SEO. Find professionals who understand the ins and outs of ranking businesses locally. Ensure that you keep up with new SEO techniques as well.

  3. Communication and Support: It is also important to consider the provider’s communication channels and level of support. Ensure that the provider offers responsive communication, timely updates, and ongoing support if a question, concern, or issue occurs.

  4. Transparency and Reporting: You should choose an SEO provider that will provide transparent reporting and regular performance updates on your clients’ local SEO campaigns. The provider should also be able to provide detailed insights and analytics to track progress and demonstrate the value of their services.

  5. Pricing and Value: Consider comparing the pricing structures and packages offered by different providers to ensure you receive the best value for your money. Be wary of providers that offer excessively low or unrealistic pricing, as this may suggest a lack of expertise or quality.

Getting Started with White-Label Local SEO

  • Step 1: Research and Selection: Establish a partnership agreement outlining the terms and expectations between your agency and the White-Label Local SEO provider you choose.

  • Step 2: Onboarding and Training: The provider’s team should be familiar with your agency’s processes and client expectations. Coordinate the onboarding process with the provider and provide necessary training.

  • Step 3: Client Discovery and Strategy: Develop tailored Local SEO strategies based on client information and collaboration with the provider.

  • Step 4: Implementation and Execution: Maintain close contact with the provider to implement Local SEO strategies and monitor their progress.

  • Step 5: Ongoing Communication, Support, and Analysis: Communication should be maintained regularly, issues should be addressed promptly, and performance reports should be analyzed to optimize strategies.

  • Step 6: Client Satisfaction and Retention: Monitor client satisfaction regularly. Look for opportunities to upsell or expand your services. This strengthens the relationship you have with your clients. Stay focused on their satisfaction. Look for other services that you could offer them.

Conclusion

Therefore, starting White Labe­l Local SEO services requires extensive research and selecting a trustworthy provider. Then, the proper onboarding and training process is essential. Working together on client strategies, executing campaigns and maintaining clear communication and analysis are crucial for success. Agencies must focus on keeping clients happy and retaining them to build solid partnerships. As a result, clients will receive better results, and their own businesses will grow.

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California Disney Characters Are Unionizing Decades After Florida Peers. Hollywood Plays A Role

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California Disney Characters
California Disney Characters: Image AP

ORLANDO, Florida. Throughout his three-year tenure as a parade performer at the Disneyland Resort in Southern California, Zach Elefante has consistently held additional employment to supplement his income.

In contrast to the experiences of his colleagues at Disney’s parks in Orlando, Florida, where there is a limited number of skilled individuals available, the actors who portray Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and other cherished Disney characters in the California parks do not always receive a regular and predictable work schedule from the firm.

That is one of the reasons why Californian artists are currently organizing to form a union, more than forty years after their Florida counterparts did the same.

According to the California performers, Disney requires character performers to have open availability but does not always provide them with set work hours as a result.

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AP – VOR News Image

California Disney Characters Are Unionizing Decades After Florida Peers. Hollywood Plays A Role

“Many performers believe that if they do not make themselves fully available, they will not be cast in shows…” “This will have a ripple effect on other occupations that are necessary for our livelihood in this region,” stated Elefante, a resident of Santa Ana, California.

In recent weeks, the California character performers, along with the Actors’ Equity Association union representing themannounced that they have submitted a formal request for union certification.

In this instance, a different union is carrying out the organizing efforts, and they are happening at a different time. Consequently, it is expected that the California character and parade performers will likely not encounter the same level of animosity that the Disney actors in Florida have had with their union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

The relationship between the performers that bring enchantment to the Magic Kingdom and the Teamsters, a union originally established for transportation and warehouse employees with strong connections to organized crime until the late 1980s, has been tumultuous during the past forty years in Florida.

What is the reason for the California character performers organizing now, several decades after their Florida counterparts? In contrast to Florida, where being a character actor is typically a full-time occupation, many character performers in Southern California have many other engagements, frequently in Hollywood films and television.

Elefante entertains audiences at Universal Studios Hollywood and also serves as a tour guide for the movie studios. Chase Thomas not only performs in the “Fantasmic!” show at Disneyland but also holds the position of director of operations for a theatrical festival. Before this, he worked as a visual effects coordinator and an entertainment licensing agent.

Angela Nichols relocated to California to pursue a career as a television writer. In addition to her role as an entertainment presenter at Disneyland, she frequently engages in writing activities. At Disneyland, she supports the character performers by assisting them during customer interactions.

“Disney truly serves as a fundamental and essential element of the narratives that shape our cultural upbringing.” “The ability to observe individuals fully engaged in these narratives and experience them firsthand is enchanting,” Nichols stated. When we receive support as cast members and performers, we are able to achieve that.” Currently, we are not adequately prepared for success in the necessary manner.

Amidst the COVID-19 epidemic and recent actors’ and writers’ strikes, the character performers sought a more reliable schedule at Disneyland following its yearlong hiatus due to the pandemic. The pandemic has heightened their awareness of health and safety issues, such as embracing guests or maintaining hygienic costumes.

disney

PBS – VOR News Image

California Disney Characters Are Unionizing Decades After Florida Peers. Hollywood Plays A Role

The majority of the workforce at the Disneyland Resort in Southern California, which exceeds 35,000 employees, were already part of a labor union. The parades and character department members were included in this group.

“Many cast members aspire to pursue this as a full-time career and succeed,” Thomas stated.

In contrast to their colleagues in Florida, the character actors in California are being organized by a specialized union dedicated to entertainers. Officials of the Actors’ Equity Association possess a deep understanding of the distinctive requirements of theme park performers, which may be challenging for other labor unions to comprehend.

Before a new stage show, it is necessary to conduct tests on the shoes of the costumes to ensure that the actors do not encounter any accidents, such as tripping or slipping while on stage. Union representatives ensure that “face performers,” with visible faces, such as Cinderella, have appropriate cosmetics and verify the availability of ice packs for procession dancers to alleviate knee soreness.

The persistent issue of unclean costumes was a primary motivation for Florida artists to seek organization with the Teamsters in the early 1980s. Additional factors comprised of children striking Disney antagonists, such as Captain Hook in the lower legs and adults reaching for the chests of actors portraying Mickey Mouse to ascertain the gender of the individual within.

Ensuring the cleanliness of costumes was of utmost importance to the character performers in Florida. Over twenty years ago, the Teamsters effectively negotiated a contract language that designated specific underwear for each performer. The performers allowed these undergarments to be taken home for washing purposes. This measure was implemented after instances of pubic lice and scabies were transmitted through the shared clothing.

disney

LA Times – VOR News Image

California Disney Characters Are Unionizing Decades After Florida Peers. Hollywood Plays A Role

In Florida, there has always been a conflict of cultures between the costumed character entertainers and the conventional leaders of the Teamsters Union, who represent truck drivers and warehouse workers. The drivers frequently regarded the performers as individuals leading enchanted existences, remunerated for adorning themselves in costumes on a daily basis, as if it were Halloween.

Tensions reached their climax in the late 2010s when a new leader of the local Teamsters unit in Orlando started singling out the costumed character performers for abuse. The character actors resisted, and the conflict escalated to James Hoffa, the then-leader of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who intervened.

Elefante in California is optimistic that union representation will provide artists with a platform to influence decisions regarding many matters, such as the oversized costumes that can lead to long-term injuries if not properly fitted, as well as the safety protocols for performing in parades during rainy weather.

“It is about having the opportunity to participate in the discussion and be included in the decision-making process from the standpoint of the performers,” Elefante stated.

SOURCE – (AP)

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Online Retailer Shein Is Latest To Face Strict European Union Digital Regulations

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VOX - VOR News Image

LONDON —Shein, an online fast-fashion retailer, has been placed on the European Union’s list of major platforms that require heightened examination. This will subject the company to the bloc’s most stringent digital restrictions.

The European Union’s Executive Commission has officially categorized Shein as a “very large online platform” by the Digital Services Act, a comprehensive set of regulations aimed at improving the safety of online platforms and protecting internet users.

shein

AP – VOR News Image

Online Retailer Shein Is Latest To Face Strict European Union Digital Regulations

Shein is an affordable e-commerce company that originated in China but is currently headquartered in Singapore. Its primary means of reaching clients is through its application. The corporation committed to actively collaborating to establish a secure and lawful environment for our online community.

Leonard Lin, Shein’s worldwide head of public relations, agreed with the Commission’s goal of providing European Union consumers with a secure online shopping experience. He affirmed Shein’s dedication to contributing to this objective. “We also have a shared dedication to the fundamental values of openness and responsibility that form the foundation of the DSA.”

Shein has grown rapidly in the Western market by providing affordable clothing and household products, focusing on younger women. This has been achieved through collaborations with online influencers and celebrities on social media platforms.

shein

Dao Insights – VOR News Image

Online Retailer Shein Is Latest To Face Strict European Union Digital Regulations

With its user base exceeding 45 million in Europe, Shein is obligated to comply with the most rigorous regulations by August. The company implements efforts to safeguard online users and addresses and reduces any potential “systemic risks” associated with its services, such as restricting the sale of unlawful or counterfeit items.

According to the Commission, Shein is required to modify its user interfaces and recommendation algorithms to mitigate any potential dangers to customers’ safety and well-being. Additionally, Shein must submit annual risk assessment reports that evaluate the potential harm to consumers, focusing on youngsters.

shein

reuters – VOR News Image

Online Retailer Shein Is Latest To Face Strict European Union Digital Regulations

The European Union has already included 22 prominent technology companies, such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Amazon, and Google Search, on its roster of major online services that require the highest level of oversight since the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) last year.

Other online services operating in the European Union are not exempt and must adhere to the law’s main criteria. Infractions can result in penalties of up to 6% of a corporation’s yearly global income.

SOURCE – (AP)

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