Great customer service is vital because customers are turning their backs to businesses that do not deliver value. And good customer service adds value! There’s no way around it. No shortcuts. Customers demand value for money, or they are out of the door.

And if that customer feels bad about how he or she has been treated, she will tell her friends about it. Or even worse, drop a note in a user group or other forum that is heavily trafficked.

Before you know it, you’re out of business!

Below is a list of ten compelling reasons why you need to deliver an amazing customer service experience:

1:Amazing customer service builds credibility, trust and confidence, which can lead to customer loyalty.
2. It can help the marketing and sales budget.  It costs less to keep existing customers than it does to create new ones.
3. Delivering amazing service creates a buzz, word-of-mouth marketing and referrals, again helping the marketing budget.
4. Delivering amazing customer service can lead to existing customers buying more.
5. Customer service saves money.  When you do it right the first time, you don’t have to fix it the next time.
6. Customer service can give your company an advantage over competitors.
7. Amazing customer service can make price less relevant.
8. Customer service focused companies are usually employee focused companies, thereby creating a better place to work.  That means lower turnover, which could mean savings in hiring, training and more.
9. Customer service superstar companies are usually more profitable than the ones that aren’t.
10. Customer service helps get and keep customers… because without customers, you don’t have a business.

Source: Shep Hyken

In order to get your team to buy in and be part of your vision for the company, there are certain qualities you must possess to be a transformational leader:

1. A clear vision:
   Transformational leaders have a vision of what they want to achieve and the ability to clearly communicate this vision so that everyone in the organization understands what is needed to achieve this vision. Is your vision clear? Does it need to be refined?
2. Courage:
   An effective leader needs courage; a willingness to take on new challenges, take calculated risks, make tough decisions, and be willing to go out on a limb for something they believe in. Transformational leaders have the courage to create a vision and do what it takes to achieve their vision.
3. Self-motivation:
   Leaders need to fuel their passion from within. Transformational leaders have passion and motivation that people can sense and feed off of it. Are you passionate about your vision and willing to do what it takes to see your vision achieved?
4. Inspiration:
   Transformational leaders, based on their personal passion, have the ability to inspire others and get them to buy into their vision and execute it on all levels of the company. How do you inspire your employees to create change? Are you effective at motivating and inspiring your staff?
5. Know your people:
   Personal interaction is important. The impact of a simple “hello” in the hallway or conversation in the lobby goes a long way into getting employees to feel important and want to be part of the vision a leader has created for the company.  You have the ability to impact each of your team on a personal level. When was the last time you took the time to listen to your team and get to know them as individuals?
6. Set a company standard:
   Transformational leaders model a company standard they expect everyone to follow. They clearly communicate their vision, expectations, and how this standard is to be carried out throughout the organization. What is your company standard? What standard are you setting by example?
7. Follow through:
   While it is a bit cliché, actions do speak louder than words — and when leaders live according to the standard they set, employees take notice. Leaders often promise a lot, but it is the follow through that has a true impact on a leader’s ability to evoke change and get employees to buy in. How do you follow through and ensure your standards are met?

Source & Author:  Bill Hogg

Intel is exploring whether it can branch out as a foundry by opening its chip manufacturing facilities to more third-party customers, the company said on Tuesday.

Intel has expanded its chip-to-order business by signing up additional customers to take advantage of its 22-nanometer process facilities, company spokesman Chuck Mulloy said. Intel’s upcoming PC chips are already being made using the 22-nm process, and laptops and desktops with the chips are expected to become available in a few months.

Intel in the past has exclusively retained manufacturing facilities for its own chips, but late last year said it would make FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays) for Achronix Semiconductor. Another FPGA product designer, Tabula, on Tuesday said it would have its products made on Intel’s 22-nanometer process. Intel’s Mulloy said the company has even more customers, but couldn’t reveal their names.

“We think we’ve got a world-class process. We also understand we are an integrated device manufacturer, but we don’t have experience as a foundry,” Mulloy said. “It’s very much about us learning how to do this.”

Intel formed a team two years ago to see whether it was feasible to expand its manufacturing process to other products, Mulloy said. The company doesn’t expect to be a large-scale foundry company like its rivals, but Mulloy said there could be strategic advantages in opening up its manufacturing facilities.

Intel advances the manufacturing process every two years and invests billions of dollars to upgrade factories. Intel’s 22-nm manufacturing facilities are considered more advanced than its top contract manufacturing rivals including TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.), UMC (United Microelectronics Corp.), and GlobalFoundries.

It’s becoming increasingly difficult for companies to own and operate their own facilities and to develop the latest and greatest process technologies, said Trevor Yancey, vice president at semiconductor market research firm IC Insights.

Intel is a chip powerhouse and may feel it has a manufacturing edge over rivals, which could make its 22-nm plants attractive to customers, Yancey said.

Intel is the only company offering chips with power-efficient 3D transistors, which could be attractive to third parties because it is more power-efficient than planar transistor designs. TSMC is expected to implement 3D transistors eventually, Yancey said.

Intel’s only announced manufacturing customers are makers of FPGAs, which are reprogrammable circuits that do specific tasks faster than CPUs. The major FPGA companies Altera and Xilinx are getting products made from TSMC and UMC, Yancey said.

“UMC is falling behind the curve on process technology. Intel may be seeing that as an advantage,” Yancey said.

Intel could also be taking on contract manufacturing on a selective basis to better utilize extra factory capacity, said Jim McGregor, chief technology strategist at In-Stat. The higher the factory utilization rates, the more cost effective it is to make chips, McGregor said.

Intel could be following the model of Samsung, which has implemented the foundry model over the past few years as an effective way to fill capacity during slack economic times, McGregor said. It would take a long time for Intel to catch up with the likes of TSMC, which has assets such as intellectual property and libraries necessary to take on contract manufacturing.

The volume of third-party chips from Intel’s factories may initially be insignificant, McGregor said. Intel’s focus will remain on its own processors, but in the future, it may be possible for the company to make chips based on processor technologies such as ARM.

“They are taking on small guys to test the waters” of the foundry business, McGregor said.

Source: Infoworld Tech

Author: Agam Shah

This customer service tip focuses on customer loyalty, which is one of the coveted bi-products of delivering good customer service. Yet good – even great – customer service by itself will not create loyalty. It takes more, such as quality, reliability, dependability and more. On the flip side, it doesn’t take much to erode loyalty.

Below is a list of “twenty loyalty killers.” This may seem like a negative article, but please don’t view it as such. Look at this as a checklist to confirm that you are avoiding any of these behaviors. There, I’ve put a positive spin on it. So, here is a list of a twenty “loyalty killers” that you must avoid to maintain your customer’s confidence and their loyalty:

1. Uncertainty is a loyalty killer.

2. Complacency is a loyalty killer.

3. Apathy about your work is a loyalty killer.

4. Lack of confidence is a loyalty killer.

5. Bad customer service is a loyalty killer.

6. A bad attitude is a loyalty killer.

7. An aggressive attitude is a loyalty killer.

8. Indifference toward a customer is a loyalty killer.

9. Lack of enthusiasm is a loyalty killer.

10. A communication breakdown is a loyalty killer

11. Inconsistency is a loyalty killer.

12. A weak relationship is a loyalty killer.

13. A long wait time is a loyalty killer.

14. A slow returned phone call or email response is a loyalty killer.

15. Arguing with a customer is a loyalty killer.

16. Making a customer feel that they are wrong is a loyalty killer.

17. Making a customer feel ignorant is a loyalty killer.

18. Being impatient with a customer is a loyalty killer.

19. Using unfamiliar jargon or acronyms is a loyalty killer.

20. A failed promise is a loyalty killer.

Are you or your company guilty of any of the above loyalty killers?

Remember that customer service by itself will not create loyalty, but it helps to get you there. You need your customer’s confidence. The old cliché is that people want to do business with people (or businesses) that they know, they like and they trust. What are you doing to create those feelings?

Source: Hyken
Author: Shep Hyken

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on Friday issued a final determination that Apple doesn’t infringe certain HTC patents related to smartphones. HTC makes devices based on Google’s Android mobile operating system that compete with Apple’s iPhone. 

The ruling was made on a complaint that HTC filed with the ITC following a complaint lodged by Apple last year. HTC accused Apple of selling products that violate its patents relating to power-management methods and phone-number directories.

HTC can appeal the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and said it might. But based on the merits of the case, HTC isn’t likely to be successful if it does appeal, said Florian Mueller, a patent expert, in a blog post. Mueller, who is sometimes paid for his work by companies such as Microsoft, has been closely following the mobile patent wars.

HTC hasn’t fared well in its disputes with Apple in front of the ITC. Late last year, the ITC found that HTC was infringing an Apple patent and issued an injunction against the importation of offending HTC products. Rather than lose sales, HTC removed technology from its smartphones that let users click on a phone number in an email or other application to make a phone call.

Apple has appealed that decision to the Federal Circuit in hopes of widening the scope of the ruling, Mueller said.

Source:  Infoworld Tech

Author:  Nancy Gohring

In 2011, the Department of Higher Education allocated R200 million to the National Skills Fund to enable students with historic debt to obtain their certificates.

Applicants had until the end of January 2012 to apply to the fund and applications are currently being processed, Motshekga said.

At a briefing to outline government’s Human Development Cluster’s plans for the year, Motshekga said the amount available in funding to students had almost doubled – with the allocation to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme having increased from R3.3 billion in the 2010 financial year to R5.5 billion for the current financial year.

As at 30 September last year, R753 million had been claimed under the department’s financial support programme covering 23 453 students.

Students that graduate will have their student loans converted into bursaries, she said.

In the current financial year, R1.24 billion was allocated to the Further Education and Training (FET) colleges bursary scheme and currently 122 911 students are being supported by bursaries and loans.

The recent national skills accord between the government, business and labour included a commitment for businesses to take on graduates of FET colleges.

Deputy Minister of Higher Education Hlengiwe Mkhize said President Jacob Zuma planned to make a visit to one of the FET colleges soon.

Motshekga said a national skills fund project, the National Rural Youth Service Corps, had been initiated to recruit and develop youths between the ages of 18 and 35 years to be trained as para-professionals in rural areas.

She said the first phase to set up two universities in Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape would begin in the 2012/2013 financial year.

The minister said a website that provides career guidance to pupils reaches 72 000 users a month and a SA Qualification Authority (Saqa) helpline responds to 1 000 calls per month, would be expanded.

Motshekga said tens of thousands of students were benefiting from workplace placements, artisan training and learnerships, these include:

- 8 898 FET and Universities of Technology graduates who were last year placed in workplaces and a further 4 191 students that were placed in workplaces while studying.
- 30 117 unemployed pupils and 19 192 workers who have entered learnerships, while 11 335 learners entered the artisan training systems, with 8 102 learners already passing and obtaining trade certificates.
- The number of students in N1 to N3 for artisan development is 57 212; the number of NC (V) programmes is 120 053; the number of N4-N6 as post-matric courses of study is 164 701 and the number of learners in skills and occupational programmes is 85 519.

To improve the country’s focus on developing skills, a green paper was released last month on post-school education and training, while the Department of Science and Technology was developing a Human Capital Development Strategy, which focuses on research, scholarship and innovation to increase the number of researchers and boost the number of black students that enrol in post-graduate degrees.

Motshekga said the Department of Science and Technology’s National Research Fund Internship Fund Internship Programme provided 789 graduates with workplace experience between 2008 and 2010 financial years.

She said while research chairs made up 1.45% of South African authors, they were responsible for about 4.3% of publications in ISI journals, which was evidence that the department’s initiatives to promote science and technology were paying off.

 Source: Skills Portal

So what is happening with the digital medium and where is it taking us? Wayne Bischoff unpacks some ideas after taking a look at the New Digital Economy report from PricewaterhouseCoopers that predicts what it calls “the reverse of the digital divide”.

The digital medium may have been planted and nurtured by the so-called First World, but it is in the Third World that it has really taken root and flourished.

The New Digital Economy report from PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts what it calls “the reverse of the digital divide”, where emerging nations take the lead in digital development, due to their willingness to adopt digital technologies. According to the report, two-thirds of executives in emerging markets believe that mobile devices will become the standard for web applications over the next five years, compared with only one-half of executives in advanced economies. And two-thirds of emerging market executives expect businesses to embrace social media and networking, against just one-third of their industrial-market counterparts.

This is closely aligned to another trend prediction from the same report – that of the emerging-market customers taking centre stage.

So, we have willing brands, and willing customers. And that’s a winning recipe.

While 2011 was characterised by heavy infrastructural development (in the form of undersea fibre optic cables and the upgrade of the data backbone), 2012 will see the nation begin to take advantage of digital media.

The fierce competition and resultant price wars have already begun, but expect them to intensify – with the consumer reaping the rewards in the form of increased accessibility not only in terms of the necessary hardware to access the digital world, but also a sharp decrease in data costs.

Mobile has always been big in emerging nations, but it’s going to get bigger and better as the once-deep chasm between traditional online and mobile user experiences continues to close. Mobile applications will grow at unprecedented rates as business and brands accept that it has become the preferred medium not only of the masses, but also the elite mavens who lead the pack and cannot live without BlackBerrys, BBM or their iPads.

Trust in the mobile medium will also continue to grow, bringing with it the rise of the mobile virtual wallet such as the likes of mPesa in Kenya, where 50% of the population uses mobile banking. The take off of this phenomenon has been slightly slower in South Africa as the older generation still places more trust in physical premises. But statistics reveal that 21% of the 60% of South Africans who are aware of mobile e-commerce have made use of the service. Short-term insurance, for example, will soon be directly accessible via the mobile network.

Closely aligned to this is the growth of mobile couponing whereby a virtual coupon is sent to a user’s mobile phone and can be redeemed at various retail outlets simply by providing a unique six-digit sequence to the teller.

The benefits of mobile couponing are enormous – it can accurately target the burgeoning middle class that is notoriously difficult to reach in terms of mass market media options. It is also trackable – a marketer will know exactly which mobile consumer redeemed the coupon by date, time, and store location, thereby enriching their data profiling.

The social media trend will continue to dominate the digital space for the foreseeable future. The reality is that customers are using social networks to connect and talk about brands, whether or not these brands are active in the space. Those that are active are using the medium to conduct two-way conversations with their customers, in this way deepening their relationships with these customers.

In 2012, brands will begin to monetise the social medium. Research giant Gartner predicts that by 2015, half of all online sales will be generated through social media and mobile applications.

Location-based services are also expected to take off as brands begin to push personalised content to people with mobile devices who subscribe to services such as Facebook’s Check-In Deals, recently launched in South Africa by Habari Media.

As smartphones become more prevalent, so consumers will demand brands to produce experiences to match, and smart brands will respond. Mobi sites providing a good user experience will thrive.

The year 2012 will see more brands embracing online video as a powerful advertising medium. Video is a critical part of the digital solutions suite and highly effective at driving user engagement.

Social media is only going to become more powerful and is expected to become more so than all traditional media combined. So we are clearly in for an interesting year online.

Source: The Media Online
Author: Wayne Bischoff

The possibility of some long-awaited good news from Europe, key economic reports from the world’s two largest economies and a budget speech here at home will keep economists and investors riveted in the week ahead. 

United States
Two closely-followed reports on America’s housing market are likely to captivate economists and investors this week.

America’s housing market is critical to the overall health of the country’s economy. For the majority of Americans, their house is their most valuable asset. When the value of this asset decreases, people tend to feel less wealthy. This perceived loss of wealth leads many consumers to cut back on spending, a phenomenon US Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke attempted to quantify last week.

“Recent declines in housing wealth may be reducing consumer spending between $200-billion and $375-billion per year,” Bernanke told a gathering of the National Association of Home Builders in Florida on Friday.

This week, many are hoping that reports covering existing and new home sales – scheduled for release on Wednesday and Friday, respectively – may show signs that America’s housing market is finally stabilising.

Europe
The fate of a bailout package for Greece and the release of key leading indicators elsewhere on the continent will dominate European economic news this week.

On Saturday, Greek officials signed-off on a final series of austerity measures sought by the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund as a precondition to receiving a €130-billion bailout package.

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos said that officials found ways to make the contentious cuts necessary to lower spending by €325-billion. This clears the way for final approval of the rescue plan by European finance ministers on Monday.

Speaking in a television interview on Sunday, when asked if ministers would approve the bailout, Austrian Finance Minister Maria Fekter said, “I am confident that they will approve the package, but with conditions.”

Without aid, Greek officials have said that they would not have enough money to make €14.5-billion in bond payments due in March. Failure to do so would precipitate a debt default, the first ever for the euro zone. This would wreak havoc in an already deeply troubled region.

The eurozone’s economy shrank in the final quarter of 2011, largely as a result of the continent’s long-running sovereign debt crisis. Many economists fear that output will shrink in the first quarter of 2012 as well. This would mean that most of Europe would be in recession – generally defined as two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth.

But good news could be around the corner. Wednesday will see the release of February’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) readings for the euro zone, Germany and France. Analysts expect these measures, though still signalling contraction in some areas, will show broad signs of improvement.

South Africa
The big event on South Africa’s economic calendar this week is Wednesday’s national budget address. Audiences at home and abroad will be paying close attention to how Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan plans to meet demands for increased government spending in the face of decreasing revenues.

Over the last three months, two international ratings agencies have downgraded their outlook for South Africa because of concerns about the country’s growing budget deficit. In October’s three-year medium term fiscal framework, the National Treasury said that the budget deficit for the 2011/2012 financial year would likely widen to 5.5% of gross domestic product from 5.0% in the previous year.

For the new fiscal year, most economists believe that South Africa is likely to grow at a lower rate than the 3.4% government predicted for 2012, meaning tax revenues will remain limited. For many analysts, this means that the deficit is likely to widen in the next fiscal year rather than narrow as officials had previously predicted.

Elsewhere on the economic calendar, Statistics South Africa will release last month’s consumer price index (CPI) on Wednesday and producer price index (PPI) on Friday. Consumer inflation breached the 6.0% upper end of the Reserve Bank’s target range in November and remained at 6.1% in December, so economists and investors will be studying this week’s release closely.

Source: Mail & Guardian
Author: Matt Quigley

Handling customer complaints is something that many businesses struggle with; however, it costs much more in time, money, and effort to gain new customers then it does to retain an existing one.  While effectively communicating with an unsatisfied customer can be difficult, these five tips will help you handle complaints with confidence.

1) Attitude is everything

The attitude you have going into an issue has a large effect on the way that you will react. It’s really important to keep an open mind, stay calm and under no circumstances go on the defensive.

Remember:

• Complaints and problems are opportunities to build trust
• Customers are humans first
• How would you feel if you were experiencing the problem?

 2) It’s not just about what you say…

Body language is a powerful form of communication that extends to demeanour, facial expressions, and even posture.  You can be saying all the right things but convey the exact opposite with your body language.  Here are a few ways you can communicate effectively without words.

• Make eye contact with the customer
• Nod occasionally to show that you are listening and understand the problem
• Stand or sit up straight – you don’t want to appear disinterested, bored or tired

Of course for some companies, complaints may not be dealt with face-to-face; instead they will be handled over the phone. You might think that in this instance you don’t need to worry so much about body language – after all the customer can’t see you! Nevertheless they will pick up a lot from your tone of voice; again here, you don’t want to sound disinterested, bored or tired.

3) The customer’s problem is your problem

Customers are the only reason that your business is able to do what it does.  When a customer has a problem, listen with a perspective that is positive and empathetic.  Customers want to know that they are being heard and taken seriously.  Give the customer a chance to explain their problem and make sure you understand what has gone wrong and why. Ask further questions (where appropriate) to ensure that you have a full understanding of the situation.

4) If possible, fix the problem immediately

Once you have acknowledged the issue and apologised for the inconvenience, if at all possible, find a solution immediately.  A customer’s time is limited.  They didn’t take time out of their day to talk to you so that they can come back later.  If it is not possible to fix the problem right away, then explain the steps that you will be going through to resolve the issue and when they can expect to hear back from you. Not all issues can be fixed straight away, but ensure you keep the customer in the loop at each stage so they know what you are doing to come to a resolution.

 5) Take the opportunity to delight your customers

The manager of a local restaurant recently received a complaint from a customer whose car was clamped in a nearby car park whilst they were eating at the restaurant. Despite not being culpable he offered to pay the fees to have the clamp removed. In doing so, he took the opportunity to go the extra mile and win that customer for life.

However, you don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune to win a customer. Often a relatively small gesture can go a long way. Above all, remember that your customers want you to listen to their complaints and take steps to resolve them.

Source: Infoworld Tech

Author: Guy Letts

Most of your team members probably like to do a good job at work, and having a sense of accomplishment is one of the keys to being happy. However, you will sometimes have to deal with unhappy employees, and it’s up to you to find ways to uncover the problem and motivate them to turn things around. 

Would you be surprised to know that some of your employees dread getting up for work in the morning? Most of your team members probably like to do a good job at work, and having a sense of accomplishment is one of the keys to being happy.

Sometimes you may have to deal with unhappy employees. They could be unhappy for various reasons (money, career, personal), and it’s up to you to find ways to uncover the problem and motivate them to turn things around.

Below is a list of the things you can do to help an unhappy employee become a happy one.

1: One-on-ones

How much time do you spend with your employees? Do they get the opportunity to discuss nonwork-related issues with you or is that time spent only on reviewing project status and budget problems? If you are really keen to understand your team members, scheduling regular one-on-ones is a great approach. Spending some quality time with them and giving them a chance to talk out their thoughts allows you to see issues before they get too big — and in many instances allows you to cut off potential problems before they manifest themselves.

 2: Coaching

Employees sometimes lose their way at work. Maybe they aren’t sure what is expected of them or what the goal of the organization is. Your role is to help them get a better understanding of these things. Take the time to ensure that they know what they should be doing on their project, or maybe when their next deadline is. Providing positive feedback when things go well and constructive criticism when tasks go wrong is all part of the process. No matter what the issue, taking an active role in their growth is important.

3: Paying attention

When asking questions, try to put yourself in your team members’ shoes. There could be something going on in the office you are not aware of. Or maybe something is happening in their personal life that is spilling over into their job. Either way, you need to really listen to understand what the issues are. Employees will see right through you if you’re asking them about a situation but you’re more interested in answering your BlackBerry than in listening to what they’re saying.

4: New projects

Resolving some issues is as simple as giving employees a more challenging project. A work environment devoid of challenges (and their associated successes upon completion) can easily lead to boredom, which can turn a happy employee into an unhappy one.

5: Training

Sending one or more employees to a class to work on a new skill or learn a new technique — or even just allowing them to attend a seminar — is a great way to jump-start people. Having something new to learn and bring back to share with others can motivate not just individual members but the entire team.

6: Time Off

We’ve all been there. Working 20 hours a days, five, six, or seven days a week for who knows how many weeks in an effort to get a big project launched can be grueling. Having a few days to recharge after such an effort can help even the most diehard workaholic. Employees all like to have a few days off now and then that aren’t part of their standard compensation.

7: Mentors 

Having somebody to talk to and relate to can provide many benefits for employees. Finding a mentor isn’t the easiest task, since you have to figure out the right match. But if you can find somebody employees trust and respect, someone who will inspire and challenge them, the potential for their growth and happiness can be endless.

8: Telecommuniting 

There is nothing worse than commuting back and forth to work each day. With the length of the typical daily commute now more than 30 minutes, employees are increasingly frustrated with the long lines of traffic and the cost of fuel.

Source: TechRepublic
Author: Bill Stronge