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Companies deliberately design customer service friction to discourage refunds and claims, according to research into a practice academics call "sludge." The term, coined by legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein and economist Richard H. Thaler in their updated version of "Nudge," describes tortuous administrative demands, endless wait times, and excessive procedural fuss that impede customers. ProPublica reported in 2023 that Cigna saved millions of dollars by rejecting claims without having doctors read them. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered Toyota's motor-financing arm to pay $60 million for alleged misdeeds including deliberately setting up dead-end hotlines for canceling products and services. The 2023 National Customer Rage Survey found that the percentage of American consumers seeking revenge for customer service hassles had tripled in three years.

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If you are looking for advice on which washing machine is the most reliable, who is going to know better than the expert mechanics who fix them?

Medication like Wegovy can help start weight loss, but what comes next? UK nutritionist Kirsten Davies has shared her tips for those finishing weight loss jabs and looking maintain their new weight.

The intense heat dome that has descended over Europe is shattering temperature records, straining infrastructure and posing serious health risks across the continent.

The butterflies were once close to extinction

Braintree has been listed as a "priority location" for new Aldi store as the supermarket looks to expand.

The event at RMBI Care Co. Home Prince Edward Duke of Kent Court featured music, flags, and drag queens.

The actress, 44, and her eldest, 17, matched in floral outfits as they joined fellow VIPs at the Evian suite before taking their seats in the stands.

The role of 'chief commercial officer' - based at the Palace of Westminster - has been advertised with a salary of around £150,000.

A top Iranian cleric has issued a fatwa against US president Donald Trump, declaring him an 'enemy of god.'

I had £120.46 credit on it, which I'd purchased at my Post Office. I paid by cash, so I requested a cheque. It refused. This is most unfair.

An investigation into the tragic incident continues

Nicolas Lopez Gomez, 38, died while cleaning the massive oven at the Gilster Marylee Cereal Plant in Perryville on Thursday afternoon, police said.

The two musicians, 34-year-old Pascal Robinson-Foster - aka 'Bobby Vylan' - and the still unidentified drummer who goes by 'Bobbie Vylan' are set to tour America in the fall.

Apple plans to release a cheaper MacBook powered by the A18 Pro chip used in the iPhone 16 Pro line, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The laptop will be priced below $999 -- first time for a MacBook Air -- and go into production in late 2025 or early 2026 on the new laptop, the analyst noted. The device will feature the same 13-inch screen as the current MacBook Air, with the chip representing the primary difference between models. The A18 Pro chip delivers single-core performance around 3,500 on Geekbench, trailing the M4 chip only slightly, though multicore performance lags significantly at approximately 8,780 versus 15,000 for the M4. The A18's multicore performance matches the original 2020 M1 chip.

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We've all felt the pinch in our wallets as grocery prices rise - but the sky-high prices in a Swiss supermarket has shocked a British tourist.

Emergency services were called to Great Ancoats Street in Manchester at around 7am today following reports a body had been found.

Farmer's daughter Chloe Fitton, 15, turned up to her school prom in Bolton, Greater Manchester, on the back of five-year-old British Blue cow Oasis in her stunning blue prom dress

THE emergency services were rushed out to a plane crash in Essex this afternoon.

Despite one councillor calling the plans 'very contentious' they were given the green light by the council