Wells Fargo Reaches Settlement Agreement

Wells Fargo is taking action after the discovery that bank employees opened millions of fake checking and credit card accounts. Employees opened accounts in unsuspecting customers' names so they could earn credit for the sale. The bank benefited from fees people paid on accounts they never used.

In addition to paying a $100 million settlement fee to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the bank has fired 5,300 employees over the past few years.

The company issued two major communications related to the situation: 

• A press release
• An email to employees

In addition, Jim Cramer interviewed CEO John Stumpf on Mad Money:

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Compare the two Wells Fargo statements. How well does the company tailor these messages to primary and secondary audiences?
• How can customers miss paying fees? What is their responsibility, and what is the company's? Consider visual displays of bank statements in your response.
• How well does Stumpf respond to Jim Cramer's questions? Which are his strongest and weakest arguments?

Airbnb Continues Working Towards Inclusion

Just as Twitter is battling harassment, Airbnb if facing its own demons: hosts who discriminate. A report published in September by Harvard researchers found that, as previously believed, hosts are less likely to accept reservations from guests who are African-American. Hosts are 16% less likely to rent to someone whose name sounds African-American, all else being equal.

In a detailed report, Airbnb outlined policies and practices the company will implement. The Economist highlights two of the changes, referring to the first as the "most visible" and the second as "perhaps the most meaningful": 

• Everyone signs a "community commitment" statement: "We believe that no matter who you are, where you are from, or where you travel, you should be able to belong in the Airbnb community. By joining this community, you commit to treat all fellow members of this community, regardless of race, religion, national origin, disability, sex, gender identity,
  sexual orientation or age, with respect, and without judgment or bias."
• If a host rejects a reservation, he or she will not be able to book the same nights with another guest. Airbnb also is starting an "Open Doors" program to help people who believe they were discriminated against find another place to stay.

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky described these and more changes in an email to users:

Dear Airbnb community, At the heart of our mission is the idea that people are fundamentally good and every community is a place where you can belong. We don't say this because it sounds nice. It's the goal that everyone at Airbnb works towards every day – because we've all seen how when we live together, we better understand each other. Discrimination is the opposite of belonging, and its existence on our platform jeopardizes this core mission. Bias and discrimination have no place on Airbnb, and we have zero tolerance for them. Unfortunately, we have been slow to address these problems, and for this I am sorry. I take responsibility for any pain or frustration this has caused members of our community. We will not only make this right; we will work to set an example that other companies can follow. In June, we asked Laura Murphy, the former head of the American Civil Liberties Union's Washington D.C. Legislative Office, to review every aspect of the Airbnb platform, and to make sure that we're doing everything we can to fight bias and discrimination. Thanks to Laura's leadership, today we're releasing a report that outlines the results of that process. You can read the full report here, but I'd like to highlight four changes that will impact the way our platform works: Airbnb Community Commitment Beginning November 1, everyone who uses Airbnb must agree to a stronger, more detailed nondiscrimination policy. We aren't just asking you to check a box associated with a long legal document. We're asking everyone to agree to something we're calling the Airbnb Community Commitment, which says: We believe that no matter who you are, where you are from, or where you travel, you should be able to belong in the Airbnb community. By joining this community, you commit to treat all fellow members of this community, regardless of race, religion, national origin, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or age, with respect, and without judgment or bias. Open Doors We'll be implementing a new policy called Open Doors. Starting October 1st, if a Guest anywhere in the world feels like they have been discriminated against in violation of our policy – in trying to book a listing, having a booking canceled, or in any other interaction with a host – we will find that Guest a similar place to stay if one is available on Airbnb, or if not, we will find them an alternative accommodation elsewhere. This program will also apply retroactively to any Guest who reported discrimination prior to today. All of these Guests will be offered booking assistance for their next trip. Instant Book We'll increase the availability of Instant Book, which allows our hosts to offer their homes to be booked immediately without their prior approval of a specific guest. Instant Book makes booking easier for everyone, and our goal is to have 1 million listings bookable via Instant Book by January 1st, 2017. Anti-bias training We are working with experts on bias, including Dr. Robert Livingston of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Dr. Peter Glick of Lawrence University, to make anti-bias training available to our community, and will be publicly acknowledging those who complete it. These steps are just the beginning, not the end, of our efforts to combat bias and discrimination. While we as a company have been slow on this issue, I am now asking you the community to help us lead the way forward. Every time you make someone else feel like they belong, that person feels accepted and safe to be themselves. While this may sound like a small act of kindness, we are a community of millions of people strong. Imagine what we can do together. Brian Chesky CEO, Co-founder  Sent with ♥ from Airbnb ‌A‌i‌r‌b‌n‌b‌,‌ ‌I‌n‌c‌.‌,‌ ‌8‌8‌8‌ ‌B‌r‌a‌n‌n‌a‌n‌ ‌S‌t‌,‌ ‌S‌a‌n‌ ‌F‌r‌a‌n‌c‌i‌s‌c‌o‌,‌ ‌C‌A‌ ‌9‌4‌1‌0‌3‌

Discussion Starters:

• How well do you think Airbnb's initiatives will solve the problem of discrimination on its site? What else could the company do? Some advised that they remove profiles and use pseudonyms. What do you think?
• Assess Brian Chesky's email. Describe the components of the writing process he likely followed.

Wells Fargo Apologizes for Ads Targeting Teens

Wells Fargo made the news twice this week. In addition to a big settlement for creating fake accounts, the company has apologized for an ad targeting teens.

Several actors and other artists have expressed their disappointment in the company's promoting science over the arts. The Irregular Times was one of many critics of the company's campaign:

Wells Fargo will teach teens that the path to financial prosperity just so happens to come through the financial services offered by Wells Fargo itself. That's no coincidence. Teen Financial Education Day is really just a sales gimmick, at which Wells Fargo will teach the children of working Americans that they can't have the privilege of careers in the arts.

Wells Fargo posted an apology on Twitter.

Discussion Starters:

• A Forbes article reminds us that science isn't something you just do; it's good to have "talent and ability" for the field. How do you see this factoring into the ad's logical failure?
• The Forbes writer also insults the "marketing guru" who developed the ad campaign. What's your view? Should the company have known better, or is this a good attempt to advertise to teens, even if the results were appreciated?

FDA Finds No Evidence for Antibacterial Soaps

What does "antibacterial" mean, and is it better than regular soap and water? The Food and Drug Administration says there's no evidence to back up such claims. In a press release and a post on the FDA website, the agency explains that antibacterial soap won't prevent the spread of germs any better than regular hand washing.

The FDA explains, "To date, the benefits of using antibacterial hand soap haven't been proven. In addition, the wide use of these products over a long time has raised the question of potential negative effects on your health." The announcement will affect many brands with false claims:

"Companies will no longer be able to market antibacterial washes with these ingredients because manufacturers did not demonstrate that the ingredients are both safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness and the spread of certain infections. Some manufacturers have already started removing these ingredients from their products."

 Manufacturers were criticized for lacking evidence:

"Because the manufacturers haven't proven that those ingredients are safe for daily use over a long period of time. Also, manufacturers haven't shown that these ingredients are any more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illnesses and the spread of certain infections. Some manufacturers have already started removing these ingredients from their products, ahead of the FDA's final rule."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Chapter 9 describes types of evidence. What principles apply in this situation?
• Antibacterial brands will have a difficult time defending their products. What advice would you give brand managers?

ITT Closes and Leaves Students in Limbo

The U.S. Education Department has stepped up its regulation of for-profit institutions, and ITT hasn't fared well. The government cut federal aid for new students attending ITT schools, and the organization has decided to close the entire operation-130 campuses across 38 states. More than 35,000 students and 8,000 employees will have to find new a place to study or work.

A non-profit sector research analyst was quoted in the LA Times: "Both Corinthian and ITT made the same bad decision, which was to guarantee third-party private loans while pushing out more students into a weak jobs market after the Great Recession."

The New York Times reported a host of questionable practices at ITT for years:

"[Critics] reported deceptive marketing; strong-arm recruitment tactics; misleading information about costs, courses, graduation and job placement rates; inflated enrollment numbers; bait-and-switch schemes; subpar instruction; and more."

A former dean was troubled by ITT's practices but got fired when he raised issues.

U.S. Education Department Secretary John B. King Jr. said, "The school's decisions have put its students and millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded federal student aid at risk." He explained the Department's perspective and provided resources to students in a blog post, shown here. Students also can participate in a webinar to learn more.

ITT, of course, is blaming the government, calling its actions "unwarranted" and "inappropriate and unconstitutional." 

Discussion Starters:

• Compare ITT's statement and King's message to students. What differences do you notice in audience focus, tone, messaging, organization, and so on? 
• What other information do you think students will need? What about employees?
• How could ITT more convincingly defends its position?

British Airways Apologizes for Delays

Computer issues plagued Delta recently, and now British Airways is feeling the pain. Tens of thousands of customers have been delayed while checking in, dropping off luggage, and waiting to take off. Frequent fliers may remember similar delays in July, when the airline was upgrading its check-in system. This time, an IT issue shut down some systems, causing staff to hand write boarding passes.

The airline apologized for the delays, admitting that processes have been "taking longer than usual": "We are sorry for the delay to their journeys." Although passengers were actively complaining on Twitter, the company had little to say online. The Twitter page has only one reference to the delays-after the issues were resolved.

But some customers did receive a letter, posted in an NBC article.

 

Discussion Starters:

• Assess the letter to customers. What principles of letter writing and bad-news messages does the airline follow in this communication? What would improve the letter?
• What word choices and other aspects of the letter tell you it's British? Why did the airline chose this method of communication?
• What else, if anything, should the airline have communicated on social media?

More Jargon to Banish

Once a year or so, I write about business clichés and jargon. This infographic, generated by GoToMeeting is a good summary of perhaps the worst examples heard in companies recently.

Here are some of my favorites (to avoid, that is):

• Content is king (Who's the queen?)
• Game change, par for the course, and other sports references I don't understand
• With all due respect, which usually indicates no respect at all
• Do more with less, a.k.a. work harder for less pay
• Open the kimono, which has both sexual and racial overtones.

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• What's the value of business jargon? It's not all bad.
• Compare these 50 to those in Chapter 5 of the textbook. Which are most and least familiar to you?
• Do you find any of the terms offensive?

Does American Airlines' New Ad Blame the Customer?

American Airlines has a new ad campaign and video: "World's Greatest Flyers."

Critics say the ad blames the customer: If you want a better travel experience, pack better, bring headphones, and change your attitude. Not everyone appreciated the advice. 

The company's VP of global marketing told AdAge, "The demographic of the type of customers we have is changing. The pervasive use of social tools, for example, digital and video -- these are things that are becoming more important for us to connect to and for us to start a dialogue with our customers." Fernand Fernandez also said, "The bigger goal here is to create, celebrate and acknowledge these types of behaviors and hopefully, amplify them on social media."

Encouraging customers to use #GreatestFlyers, the airline will see about as many positive comments as negative ones.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of the campaign? The reaction may reflect the typical cynicism of people, particularly those on Twitter. Or could the negativity have been avoided?
• Could American have done something different to change the social media conversation?

Maine Governor Regrets Voice Message

Maine Governor Paul LePage is know for his brash style, but he seems to have crossed a new line. Politico calls him "America's Craziest Governor." Reacting to a reporter, LePage left an enraged voice mail message (NSFW) that included,

"Mr. Gattine, this is Gov. Paul Richard LePage, I would like to talk to you about your comments about my being a racist, you (expletive). I want to talk to you. I want you to prove that I'm a racist. I've spent my life helping black people and you little son-of-a-b----, socialist (expletive). I need you to, just friggin, I want you to record this and make it public because I am after you. Thank you."

He discussed his remarks in a news conference:

Listeners are debating whether LePage has apologized, with a political scientist at the University of Maine, Amy Fried, referring to his speech as "a non-apology apology." Mostly, LePage blames reporters and vowed never to speak to one again:

"I will no longer speak to the press ever again after today," LePage said. "And I'm serious. Everything will be put in writing. I am tired of being caught - the gotcha moments."

"You folks live in a seven-second fiction world. I live in 24-hour reality," he continued.

Some are calling for LePage to resign. At first, he seemed to consider it ("maybe it's time to move on"), but he has since changed his mind.

Discussion Starters:

• Few people will accept LePage's shifting the blame to the reporter, but does he have a point? What, if any, responsibility does the reporter have in this situation? Read more.
• What's your view of LePage's "non-apology apology"? What else should he say? Should he resign?

JetBlue Temporarily Loses a Child

A woman paid $100 for JetBlue to safely escort her five-year-old son from the Dominican Republic to JFK airport in NYC. But her boy was sent to Boston, in exchange for another boy who landed in JFK., according to The New York Times. JetBlue issued a statement:

"On August 17, two unaccompanied children of the same age traveling separately from Santiago, Dominican Republic - one to New York JFK and one to Boston - each boarded a flight to the incorrect destination. Upon learning of the error, our teams in JFK and Boston immediately took steps to assist the children in reaching their correct destinations. While the children were always under the care and supervision of JetBlue crew members, we realize this situation was distressing for their families."

The JetBlue representative also said, "We are also reviewing the incident with our leadership and Santiago airport team to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future." The company refunded the child's ticket and gave the family $2100 is vouchers for future flights.

On a webpage, Families in Flight, JetBlue gives parents tips for traveling with children, including a page with pick-up and drop-off requirements for "kids flying solo."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• How did JetBlue handle the situation? Consider the statement and compensation. Should the company have said or done something differently?
• Since this writing, we haven't heard anything about the other boy, which may start a new round of news stories. What, if anything, should JetBlue say at that time? The company should be preparing for it.

Conversational Customer Service Wins Big Points

When Skyscanner travel app suggested a 47-year itinerary for a customer, he asked what he could do during the layover. Jen, the customer service rep didn't miss a beat: she's quick and fun, and includes her promise in the P.S.

The post went viral on Facebook, with people commenting on her spontaneity and lack of script. Customers are getting tired of the template response. The Houston Chronicle wrote, "We aren't sure who Jen is, but she totally just owned the Internet and we all loved it."

Social media responses have been getting friendlier. Perhaps companies (or their social media reps) are taking more risks. Sure, a negative post can cause all sorts of trouble, but this example and others prove that a positive, personal style by a human being can garner a lot of attention.

Discussion Starters:

• Look at recent social posts by your favorite company. Analyze the tone and approach. Have you noticed a change over time?
• Jen's strategy may not work for everyone. What are some risks of her casual style?

Sponsorships Getting Less Clear

The Federal Trade Commission has guidelines for celebrities and bloggers to reveal their sponsorship ties, but they are not consistently followed, and some say the guidelines could be clearer. Companies shell out thousands of dollars for people with large numbers of followers to mention their brands on social media. But what's the difference between testimony and an ad?

Mary K. Engle, the FTC's associate director for advertising practices told The New York Times that, although an endorsement has to be clear, they are not "prescriptive" about what's included in a social mention. The FTC guidelines suggest starting a post with something like "#Ad." According to the Times, "For example, simply saying 'thank you' to a brand or adding '#sp' or '#spon' probably isn't clear enough, while saying a brand is a 'partner' probably is," Engle said.

The organization Truth in Advertising wrote a letter to the Kardashian/Jenner family about recent posts they consider to be deceptive marketing. On her Instagram account, Kylie Jenner displays Fit Tea but fails to mention that this is a paid endorsement.

Discussion Starters:

• Should the FTC create more specific guidelines for what to include in social media posts? Or should celebrities know better?
• What's the value of disclosing that a celebrity is compensated by a brand? How, if it all, would a clearer marking affect your decision to buy a product?

Mylan CEO Defends EpiPen Price Hike

Fighting critics who call the price hike "greedy" and "outrageous," Mylan CEO Heather Bresch makes no excuses for running a for-profit company. Yet the cost of an EpiPen has increased from about $165 in 2011 to more than $600 today. 

In a CNBC interview, Bresch stressed that "everybody who needs an EpiPen, has an EpiPen." She focused the costs involved in making the product widely available.

Trying to deflect blame, Bresch said, "This is a healthcare issue. . . . The system incentivizes higher prices." Pharmacy, retailers, and wholesalers are all taking a cut and are raising their prices. 

Discussion Starters:

• Twice, Bresch said, "As a mother..." How effective is this strategy as part of her argument?
• How well does Bresch convey her points? Which arguments do you find most and least convincing?
• CNBC's chart is effective because it shows the dramatic increase over time. What's your view of the caption about skiing? 

Trump Vs. Morning Joe

Now, Donald Trump is feuding with the hosts of MSNBC's Morning Joe, Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough. Earlier this month, Scarborough wrote a scathing piece in The Washington Post, "The GOP Must Dump Trump." He ended by encouraging Republicans to withdraw their support and find a new candidate:

"A bloody line has been crossed that cannot be ignored. At long last, Donald Trump has left the Republican Party few options but to act decisively and get this political train wreck off the tracks before something terrible happens."

Escalation of the debate has continued, as Brzezinski said he sounded as if "he's had a lot to drink" during a campaign rally speech in Fredericksburg, VA.

Trump did not enjoy that comment and struck back with a series of tweets matched by Scarborough, who shot back, "Neurotic and not very bright? Look in the mirror."

  The tweets came a few hours after Trump's campaign manager said he doesn't insult people. This is from Huffington Post:

"I don't like when people hurl personal insults," Kellyanne Conway told ABC News' "This Week." "That will never be my style, I'm a mother of four small children, it would be a terrible example for me to feel otherwise ... [Trump] doesn't hurl personal insults."

And yet Conway told Fox Business, "He has a right to defend himself."

Discussion Starters:

• When you watch the clip from Morning Joe, what do you notice about Brzezinski's delivery of the comment? How do others on the show react? Do you think she may regret her comment?
• How should Trump have reacted? And how should Scarborough have responded? As always, all players in the situation had several choices throughout these exchanges.

Costco Credit Card Transition Causes Problems

Costco is doing its best to resolve continued problems after transitioning from American Express to Visa credit cards. The decision was announced in June: 11 million customers would now have Citi and Costco co-branded credit cards, and American Express would no longer be accepted. Issues started early with Citi CEO Michael Corbat addressing questions on an earnings call in June. On the call, Corbat admitted that Citi received a high volume of customer calls:

"We're working through that. We're gaining on it. We're very focused on it. We've got a lot of resources deployed against it, and it's something we can fix in the short order."

Today, customers still have trouble getting through to the call center, and the situation has worsened. One customer posted a screenshot of his phone showing a call that lasted 1 hour and 43 minutes. Others complained that they received an incorrect card or none at all, and automatic payments were stopped.

To make the situation worse, Citi sent emails to some Costco members by mistake. The email should have gone to people who let their memberships expire, so customers thought their accounts had been hacked. Citi spokesperson Jennifer Bombardier focused on the size of the conversion:

"With a conversion of this magnitude - one of the single largest portfolio conversions in history (11 million cards) - and a brand as beloved as Costco, call volumes were unprecedented," Citi  told Business Insider. "With a portfolio of this size and eight months of pent up demand during which time we couldn't address questions on the new product or existing accounts as the portfolio was with a different issuer, the call volume was groundbreaking as of June 20th."

In an FAQ on its website, Costco answered common customer questions.

Discussion Starters:

• Who should take the blame for these problems? How can each company explain its role without damaging the partnership and the other's brand? 
• Review Costco's FAQ. How helpful do you find the answers? What else could the company include on this page?

Critics of Under Armour's Decision to Cancel a Sponsorship

Under Armour has cancelled its relationship with hunter Sarah Bowmar after reports that her husband, Josh, speared a bear and bragged about it. The Human Society called the spearing "giddy and ruthless." 

Although spear hunting is legal, some believe it is inhumane. An Under Armour spokesperson said, "The method used to harvest this animal was reckless and we do not condone it."

According to a Reuters report, Josh Bowmar defended the practice as a quicker, more humane cause of death than bullets or arrows.

On Instagram, Sarah Bowmar expressed her disappointment:

"I love and care about all of you and wanted to let you know that due to recent circumstances and media attention of a LEGAL hunt, @underarmour and @uahunt have terminated their relationship with us due to international social pressure from anti hunters. It really breaks my heart, we lived and breathed the brand for years and gave them everything that we had. We will never speak ill of the company. Just wanted to let everything know our current situation and how heartbroken we are when we did nothing wrong. Receiving that phone call was one of the hardest things I've ever went through. Don't be silent in this. If this bothers you- please reach out to UA and let them know."

This may be a lose-lose situation for Under Armour. Now, people are petitioning for the company to reinstate her contract.

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Did Under Armour make the right decision in cancelling Bowmar's contract? Read more about the public reaction. Should the company reinstate her now?
• How well did Under Armour communicate the decision? Other than the short statement, I don't see any posting on Twitter from the company or its affiliate, @UAHUNT. Should they post something, or let it go?

McDonald's Pulls Kids' Fitness Trackers

After a sizable backlash, McDonald's is pulling fitness trackers for kids. People complained that worrying kids about their weight could cause more problems than good. Brian Cuban, who writes and speaks about his history of an eating disorder and addition, posted the tweet shown here.  This story reminds me of the teen magazine that showed girls what type of bathing suit they should wear for their body type.

Chicago Tribune noted the "apparent hypocrisy of McDonald's encouraging children to exercise while also serving them high-fat foods":

Indeed, the paradox of a fitness monitor wedged in a Happy Meal box alongside chicken nuggets and french fries is hard to ignore. Even the healthiest Happy Meal combination will have kids ingesting 410 calories and 19 grams of fat, according to the company's online nutrition calculator. That's a lot of steps.

In announcing the decision to pull the bands, a McDonald's spokesperson said the company had received "limited reports of potential skin irritations that may be associated with wearing the band." No mention of the controversy was mentioned.

Discussion Starters:

• Should McDonald's have been more forthcoming about the controversy? What could have been the positive and negative consequences of admitting the issue about kids' weight? 
• Articles about the story say that people can distinguish between what companies do for the social good and what companies do for themselves. How does that play into the reaction in this case? Are those goals mutually exclusive?

Twitter's New Quality Filter

Twitter is still trying to make the site a kinder place, with fewer trolls and less abuse. Twitter's user base has been declining, and several celebrities have signed off permanently. The company, led by Jack Dorsey, has responded to complaints: "We are going to continue our work on making Twitter a safer place."

The latest attempt is a "quality filter," which Twitter explains on its blog:

"Turning it on filters lower-quality content, like duplicate Tweets or content that appears to be automated, from your notifications and other parts of your Twitter experience. It does not filter content from people you follow or accounts you've recently interacted with – and depending on your preferences, you can turn it on or off in your notifications settings."

Twitter frames the new features as ways to "Control Your Experience on Twitter." In addition to the filter, users can limit their notifications, for example, from only people they follow.

Discussion Starters:

• How well is Twitter addressing criticism of bullying and harassment on the site? To what extent will these features address concerns?
• How well did Twitter present the change on its blog?

Embarrassment for the Olympic Athletes and an Apology

U.S. Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte concocted a story about being robbed in Rio de Janiero and later apologized. Lochte said he and three other swimmers were robbed by people claiming to be police officers. Turns out, other U.S. swimmers said Lochte was drunk and unruly, and we learned later what actually happened: he vandalized a gas station bathroom, and armed guards approached him.

Lochte posted an apology on Instagram. But the damage extended far beyond the gas station. Rio officials are angry about the hit this incident may have on the city's reputation, and the Olympic's committee is trying to distance itself from Lochte's behavior.

Lochte's statement hasn't satisfied many people. Quoted in The New York Times, sports commentator Rodrigo Mattos said, "Lochte apologizes but doesn't admit lying. He's still portraying himself as a victim. So much arrogance."

Discussion Starters:

• Why did Lochte lie? How believable was the story, and what role did the other swimmers play?
• Another approach, of course, is to come forward with the truth even before the story got out. What could have been the consequences of this approach?
• Should Lochte have said something different in his apology? What is at stake?
• Do you agree with Mattos's views that Lochte is arrogant? How would you define arrogance, and how does Lochte show this trait?

Data Breach Affects 20 Hotel Properties

Twenty HEI properties suffered a data breach of payment information. HEI is a hotel owner/operator and has branded hotels under Marriott, InterContinental, Starwood, and Hyatt.

HEI posted a list of the properties, which includes an Equinox, two Le Meridiens, six Westins, and others. The company also posted a notice on its website.

Individual hotels don't seem to be communicating much; for example, the Boca Raton Marriott and Westin Philadelphia websites aren't displaying the typical breach notices. These brands may be smart to leave the trouble with HEI.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your assessment of HEI's message? What principles of business writing are followed? Who is the audience, and how well are their needs met?
• What are the most important messages for customers to hear after a data breach?
• Should individual properties do more? Why or why not?