Software

Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provides the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it. Software refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of the computer. In other words, software is a set of programs, procedures, algorithms and its documentation concerned with the operation of a data processing system. It is usually written in high-level programming languages that are easier and more efficient for humans to use (closer to natural language) than machine language. High-level languages are compiled or interpreted into machine language object code. Software may also be written in an assembly language, essentially, a mnemonic representation of a machine language using a natural language alphabet. Assembly language must be assembled into object code via an assembler.

Types of software
The types of software include web pages developed in languages and frameworks like HTML, PHP, Perl, JSP, ASP.NET, XML, and desktop applicationslike OpenOffice.org, Microsoft Word developed in languages like C, C++, ObjectiveC, Java, C#, or Smalltalk. Application software usually runs on an underlying software operating systems such as Linux or Microsoft Windows. Software (or firmware) is also used in video games and for the configurable parts of the logic systems of automobiles, televisions, and other consumer electronics. Practical computer systems divide software systems into three major classes: system software, programming software and application software

System software
System software is computer software designed to operate the computer hardware, to provide basic functionality, and to provide a platform for running application software.System software includes device drivers, operating systems, servers, utilities, and window systems. System software is responsible for managing a variety of independent hardware components, so that they can work together harmoniously. Its purpose is to unburden the application software programmer from the often complex details of the particular computer being used, including such accessories as communications devices, printers, device readers, displays and keyboards, and also to partition the computer's resources such as memory and processor time in a safe and stable manner.

Programming software
Programming software include tools in the form of programs or applications that software developers use to create, debug, maintain, or otherwise support other programs and applications. The term usually refers to relatively simple programs such

as compilers, debuggers, interpreters, linkers, and text editors, that can be combined together to accomplish a task.

Application software
Application software is developed to perform in any task that benefit from computation. It is a set of programs that allows the computer to perform a specific data processing job for the user. It is a broad category, and encompasses software of many kinds, including the internet browser being used to display this page.

Software projects have certain characteristics that make them different.

Usually there are three successive processesthat bring a new system: 1. The Feasibility Study: This investigates whether a prospective project is worth starting. Information is gathered about the requirements of the proposed application. The clients and other stakeholders may be aware of the problems but not be sure about the means of achievement. The operational costs will also have to be estimated. With a large system, the feasibility study could be treated as a project in its own right. 2. Planning: If the feasibility study produces results which indicates that the prospective project appears visible, then the planning of the project can take place. For a large project, all detailed planning is not done at the beginning. An outline plan will be formulated for the whole project and a detailed one for the first stage. 3. Project Execution: The project can now be executed. It often contains design and implementation sub-phases.Design is thinking and making decisions about the precise form of products that the project is to create. In case of software, this could relate to the external appearance of the software., the user interface.

The above figure shows a typical sequence of software development activities recommended in the international standard ISO 12207. 1. Requirement Analysis: This starts with a requirement elicitation which investigates what the potential users and their managers and employers require as features and qualities of the new system. These will relate to the system as a whole. A quality requirement might be, for instance, that the user should be able to complete a transaction within a certain time. These customer facing requirements then have to be translated into technical requirements from which the developers of the new system can work. 2. Architecture Design: This maps the requirements to the components of the system that is to be built. At the system level, decisions will need to be made about which processes in the new system will be carried out by the user and which can be computerized. This design of the system architecture thus forms an input to the development of the software requirements.

3. Detailed Design: Each s/w component is made up of a no. of s/w units that can be separately coded and tested. The detailed design of these units is carried out separately. 4. Code and Test: This could refer to writing code for each software unit in a procedural language such as C# or java. Initial testing to debug individual s/w units would be carried out at this stage.

5. Integration: The individual components are collected together and tested to see if they meet the overall requirements. 6. Qualification Testing: The system, including the software components, has to be tested carefully to ensure that all the requirements have been fulfilled.

7. Installation: This is the process of making the new system operational. It include activities like setting up a standing data such as payroll details for employees if this were a payroll system.

8. Acceptance support: This is the resolving of problems with the newly installed system, including the correction of any errors that might have crept into the system, and any extensions and improvements that are required. It is possible to see s/w maintenance as a series of minor s/w projects. Problems with software Projects Problems experienced by managers: Poor estimates and plans Lack of quality standards and measures Lack of guidance about making organizational decisions Lack of techniques to make progress visible Poor role definition-who does what? Incorrect success criteria.

The above list looks at the project from the managers point of view. Below is a list of the problems identified by staff members: Inadequate specification of work Management ignorance of ICT. Lack of knowledge of application area. Lack of standards. Lack of up to date documentation. Preceding activities not completed on time. Lack of communication between users and technicians. Lack of communication leading to duplication of work. Narrow scope of technical expertise. Changing s/w environment. Deadline pressure. Lack of quality control. Remote management. Lack of training.

Setting objectives Setting objectives can guide and motivate individuals and staff. An effective objective for an individual must be something that is within his control. So, objectives need to be broken down into goals or sub objectives. The mnemonic SMART is sometimes used to describe well defined objectives: 1. Specific: Effective objectives are concrete and well defined. Objectives should be defined in such a way that it is obvious to all whether the project has been successful or not. 2. Measurable: Ideally there should be measures of effectiveness which tells us how successful the project has been. For ex, to reduce customer complaints would be more satisfactory as an objective than to improve customer relations. 3. Achievable: It must be within the power of the individual or group to achieve the objective. 4. Relevant: The objective must be relevant to the true purpose of the project. 5. Time constrained: There should be a defined point in time by which the objective should have been achieved.

The Service Development Lifecycle

Services marketing is built on carefully understanding the deeper needs of your customers, and then providing services that will help to make them more successful. There is a great deal of leverage in providing services, since after your organization has started to delight your customers with your first services, you'll have the opportunity to hear your customers articulate progressively higher impact areas that they'd like you to address. This is when a virtuous cycle emerges: your most demanding, early adopter customers help you to identify services that will subsequently address the needs of your mainstream market customers months or years later. When this occurs you have succeeded in building a services business based on a deep understanding of your customers! The diagram identifies the four phases of the Service Development Lifecycle:

The starting point is the market research phase of Identifying the Customer Pain Point. During this phase the customer pain points and requirements are captured. The next phase, Developing the Service Definition, takes these needs and casts them into a set of service components that form the heart and soul of the customer engagement. The third phase, Marketing & Selling, develops the customer-facing portfolio used to communicate and sell the service product to a customer. Once the service is purchased by a customer, the fourth phase, Delivering & Supporting, is used to implement the service. Insight gained during this implementation phase is used as input into the identification of new customer pain points, leading to the development of additional services Customer Pain Point Identifying the Customer Pain Point is the starting point in the Service Development Lifecycle. The choice of the words "pain point" is intentional: only something that is severe enough to be painful to your customer will cause them to act to relieve the pain. This pain doesn't necessarily have to be in a negative sense; the pain can easily be that of the frustration of wanting your product to do even more than it does today. If you've established good communications with your customers, they'll tell you their pain points. In essence, during this phase of the Service Development Lifecycle you perform market research to identify in a very specific way the unmet services needs of your customers. The

identification of the customer pain point can involve the use of formal and informal market research methods. Among the many techniques are: 1. In-depth interviews with your field support staff. Field support personnel can be walking treasure troves of information on the customer's pain points. It's easy to overlook them as a source of information, since they're often in job roles in which there is no expectation for them to seek out and disseminate information on customer needs. 2. Requests from your most important customers. These are the low hanging fruit of market research! If the requests seem reasonable, and especially if you hear similar requests from multiple companies, you have a very viable candidate for a service. A note of caution: a bit of probing is needed to make sure that the customer requests are an accurate reflection of their business need. 3. One-on-one customer interviews. These can range from an informal conversation over lunch on through to interviews conducted with scripted questions. The interviews ideally include people in multiple roles in the customer organization so that a clear understanding of business impact can be determined. 4. Customer focus groups. This is a formal market research method in which your customers participate in a group discussion with other customers. The discussion questions are posed by an independent meeting facilitator. This method can be expensive, but is warranted when a significant investment (or risk) will be part of bringing the service to market. 5. Customer user group meetings. These can provide a ready-made forum for discussions of current challenges Since it's likely that a number of pain points will be identified, you'll want to leverage some business methods to prioritize and choose among the alternatives. With a bit of luck, one of the pain points will clearly emerge as the most appropriate one to address with a service product. The choice should of course align with the business plans of your support organization. Once you've settled on a specific customer pain point to address, you're then ready to develop the service

Service Definition The second phase of the Service Development Lifecycle is Developing the Service Definition. During this phase the detailed characteristics of the service are developed. A clear, concise statement of service deliverables and impact will enhance customer satisfaction. Your customers will feel that their purchase decisions have less risk when they are confident that they know what they'll get for their money. Similarly, your organization will have more of an ability to resist scope creep during the delivery of the service, since the deliverables are spelled out. A number of methods can be used to define the service:

1. Restate the customer pain point into an action statement. For example, the customer pain point "the computing throughput of the software is too slow for selected applications" can become a service that "performs a systematic evaluation and tuning of 20 parameters to reduce system response time by at least 10%." 2. Dissect the customer pain point statement. The detailed points can then be used as the basis for the components of the service. 3. Define and bound the range of work to be performed. Provide a detailed description of which product areas and interfaces will be examined. Similarly, mention those areas that won't be evaluated. 4. Develop a clearly stated definition for the completion of the services engagement. 5. Develop a service methodology. The methodology provides a consistent approach to be used by your field delivery personnel, ideally across many different services. At a high level, the methodology identifies the sequence of steps taken during delivery of the service. 6. Seek alignment with the goals and capabilities of other functional organizations in your company: a. Will you need engineering resources to develop your service? b. Will you need the sales channels to commit quota and commission for taking on the sales effort? c. Will you need to build staff within your support organization to be able to deliver and support the new service? 7. Define the roles and responsibilities of field personnel: a. Will the services be delivered by a "Professional Services" organization, or by the same organization that provides break/fix support? b. Will there be a named Engagement Manager for each customer engagement? The service definition, together with the customer pain point statement for the customer, forms the inputs into the next phase: Marketing & Selling the new support service.

Marketing & Selling The next phase of the Service Development Lifecycle is Marketing & Selling your new support service. This phase packages the service into an offering that can readily be communicated and sold by your company. If you've done your homework carefully during the proceeding phases, you'll have a very clear notion of target customer, customer needs (pain points) addressed by the service, the impact and benefits that your customer will experience from your service, and how the service will be delivered. The activities in the Marketing & Selling phase emphasize the customer facing issues for the service:

1. Select a pricing approach. Will the service be sold: a. As a fixed price engagement? b. Based on time and materials? c. On a performance/contingency basis? 2. Develop a discount policy 3. Provide a standard sales contract 4. Create marketing materials that provide an attractive description of the service. This can include brochures, web site, articles, customer satisfaction stories, and many others. The materials should emphasize the way in which the service addresses the customer pain point. 5. Build customer awareness for your service via customer presentations, email notices, webinars, conference presentations, conference call briefings, et al. 6. Provide a fact-oriented summary of the service deliverables. The customer can use this as part of the purchase order to identify what they are purchasing. 7. Identify the type of sales channel that will be the best fit. As a minimum, the sales reps should be excited about the opportunity to sell your service product. The following is a sample of sales channel alternatives: a. Leverage the existing sales channel and personnel used by your company. This will work if each sales rep will be effective selling the service. An indicator of appropriateness of this channel is whether the sales management will take on quota for your service product. b. Shift an existing sales rep to become the company wide sales rep for support products. This can make sense if the service, or the customer usage, is especially complex, and carries a high enough price to cover the cost structure of a dedicated sales rep. c. Use factory based telesales reps, ideally ones who currently sell support products like break/fix support renewals. This can be an incrementally lowcost way to start sales for a service that is a low-risk, low-cost customer purchase decision. d. Sell through an indirect channel partner, for example, a VAR or a systems integrator. These channel organizations often look to services to differentiate themselves from their competitors. 8. Leverage an existing business development staff to also handle the your service product. 9. Train your sales and delivery channels on the service At the conclusion of this phase the customer signs a purchase order for the service.

Delivering & Supporting The final phase of the Service Development Lifecycle is Delivering & Supporting the new service product with a customer. If the prior phases have been implemented carefully, the customer has a clear understanding of: 1. The components of service that will be delivered 2. How the service will be delivered (e.g., engineers on-site from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM every business day, or, once per month visits to install system updates and retune the system) 3. Prerequisites and requirements to be fulfilled by the customer before and during the services engagement 4. Who will deliver the service, whether jointly, or solely by your company. The management structure and reporting relationships for the engagement are clearly identified, with specified roles and responsibilities. 5. Service methodology to be used 6. Timeline & milestones 7. Payment terms and conditions 8. Client training and support 9. Warranty 10. Engagement closure

During delivery of the service is a great time to actively engage in the first phase of the Service Development Lifecycle: Identifying the Customer Pain Point. Your team will now have significant access to key audiences in the customer organization, who may be very eager to articulate their needs to a good listener. You'll then be on your way to developing another service, with a launch customer from the very beginning!

Cloud computing
Cloud computing is a type of computing that relies on sharing computing resources rather than having local servers or personal devices to handle applications. In cloud computing, the word cloud (also phrased as "the cloud") is used as a metaphor for "the Internet," so the phrase cloud computing means "a type of Internet-based computing," where different services -- such as servers, storage and applications -- are delivered to an organization's computers and devices through the Internet. Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. These services are broadly divided into three categories: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). The name cloud computing was inspired by the cloud symbol that's often used to represent the Internet in flowcharts and diagrams.

A cloud service has three distinct characteristics that differentiate it from traditional hosting. It is sold on demand, typically by the minute or the hour; it is elastic -- a user can have as much or as little of a service as they want at any given time; and the service is fully managed by the provider (the consumer needs nothing but a personal computer and Internet access). Significant innovations in virtualization and distributed computing, as well as improved access to high-speed Internet and a weak economy, have accelerated interest in cloud computing. A cloud can be private or public. A public cloud sells services to anyone on the Internet. (Currently, Amazon Web Services is the largest public cloud provider.) A private cloud is a proprietary network or a data center that supplies hosted services to a limited number of people. When a service provider uses public cloud resources to create their private cloud, the result is called a virtual private cloud. Private or public, the goal of cloud computing is to provide easy, scalable access to computing resources and IT services. Infrastructure-as-a-Service like Amazon Web Services provides virtual server instanceAPI) to start, stop, access and configure their virtual servers and storage. In the enterprise, cloud computing allows a company to pay for only as much capacity as is needed, and bring more online as soon as required. Because this pay-for-what-you-use model resembles the way electricity, fuel and water are consumed, it's sometimes referred to as utility computing. Platform-as-a-service in the cloud is defined as a set of software and product development tools hosted on the provider's infrastructure. Developers create applications on the provider's platform over the Internet. PaaS providers may use APIs, website portals orgateway software installed on the customer's computer. Force.com, (an outgrowth of Salesforce.com) and GoogleApps are examples of PaaS. Developers need to know that currently, there are not standards for interoperability or data portability in the cloud. Some providers will not allow software created by their customers to be moved off the provider's platform. In the software-as-a-service cloud model, the vendor supplies the hardware infrastructure, the software product and interacts with the user through a front-end portal. SaaS is a very broad market. Services can be anything from Web-based email to inventory control and database processing. Because the service provider hosts both the application and the data, the end user is free to use the service from anywhere. The diagram below depicts the Cloud Computing stack it shows three distinct

categories within Cloud Computing: Software as a Service, Platform as a Service and Infrastructure as a Service.

a very simplified way of differentiating these flavors of Cloud Computing is as follows: SaaS applications are designed for end-users, delivered over the web PaaS is the set of tools and services designed to make coding and deploying those applications quick and efficient IaaS is the hardware and software that powers it all servers, storage, networks, operating systems Software as a Service Software as a Service (SaaS) is defined as:software that is deployed over the internet With SaaS, a provider licenses an application to customers either as a service on demand, through a subscription, in a pay-as-you-go model, or (increasingly) at no charge when there is opportunity to generate revenue from streams other than the user, such as from advertisement or user list sales. SaaS is a rapidly growing market as indicated in recent reports that predict ongoing double digit growth.9 This rapid growth indicates that SaaS will soon become commonplace within every organization and hence it is important that buyers and users of technology understand what SaaS is and where it is suitable. Characteristics of SaaS Like other forms of Cloud Computing, it is important to ensure that solutions sold as SaaS in fact comply with generally accepted definitions of Cloud Computing. Some defining characteristics of SaaS include: Web access to commercial software. Software is managed from a central location. Software delivered in a one to many model. Users not required to handle software upgrades and patches.

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) allow for integration between different pieces of software.

Platform as a Service Platform as a Service (PaaS) brings the benefits that SaaS bought for applications, but over to the software development world. PaaS can be defined as a computing platform that allows the creation of web applications quickly and easily and without the complexity of buying and maintaining the software and infrastructure underneath it. PaaS is analogous to SaaS except that, rather than being software delivered over the web, it is a platform for the creation of software, delivered over the web. Characteristics of PaaS There are a number of different takes on what constitutes PaaS but some basic characteristics include, Services to develop, test, deploy, host and maintain applications in the same integrated development environment. All the varying services needed to fulfill the application development process. Web based user interface creation tools help to create, modify, test and deploy different UI scenarios. Multi-tenant architecture where multiple concurrent users utilize the same development application. Built in scalability of deployed software including load balancing and failover. Integration with web services and databases via common standards. Support for development team collaboration some PaaS solutions include project planning and communication tools. Tools to handle billing and subscription management

Infrastructure as a Service Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a way of delivering Cloud Computing infrastructure servers, storage, network and operating systems as an on-demand service. Rather than purchasing servers, software, datacenter space or network equipment, clients instead buy those resources as a fully outsourced service on demand Generally IaaS can be obtained as public or private infrastructure or a combination of the two. Public Cloud is considered infrastructure that consists of shared resources, deployed on a self-service basis over the Internet.

By contrast, Private Cloud is infrastructure that emulates some of Cloud Computing features, like virtualization, but does so on a private network. Additionally, some hosting providers are beginning to offer a combination of traditional dedicated hosting alongside Public and/or Private Cloud networks. This combination approach is generally called Hybrid Cloud. Characteristics of IaaS As with the two previous sections, SaaS and PaaS, IaaS is a rapidly developing field. That said there are some core characteristics which describe what IaaS is. IaaS is generally accepted to comply with the following: Resources are distributed as a service Allows for dynamic scaling Has a variable cost, utility pricing model Generally includes multiple users on a single piece of hardware

Proposal (business)
A business proposal is a written offer from a seller to a prospective buyer. Business proposals are often a key step in the complex sales processi.e., whenever a buyer considers more than price in a purchase. A proposal puts the buyer's requirements in a context that favors the sellers products and services, and educates the buyer about the capabilities of the seller in satisfying their needs. A successful proposal results in a sale, where both parties get what they want, a win-win situation. The professional organization devoted to the advancement of the art and science of proposal development is The Association of Proposal Management Professionals The general purpose of any proposal is to persuade the readers o do something, whether it is to persuade a potential customer to purchase goods and/or services, or to persuade your employer to fund a project or to implement a program that you would like to launch.

Types of Proposals
There are three distinct categories of business proposals:

Formally Solicited Informally Solicited Unsolicited

Formally Solicited Proposal Solicited proposals are written in response to published requirements, contained in a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), Invitation For Bid (IFB), or an Request for Information (RFI). Request for Proposal (RFP) RFPs provide detailed specifications of what the customer wants to buy and sometimes include directions for preparing the proposal, as well as evaluation criteria the customer will use to evaluate offers. Customers issue RFPs when their needs cannot be met with generally available products or services. RFIs are issues to qualify the vendors who are interested in providing service/products for specific requirements. Based on the response to RFI, detailed RFP is issued to qualified vendors who the organization believes can provide desired services. Proposals in response to RFPs are seldom less than 10 pages and sometimes reach 1,000's of pages, without cost data. Request for Quotation (RFQ) Customers issue RFQs when they want to buy large amounts of a commodity and price is not the only issue--for example, when availability or delivering or service are considerations. RFQs can be very detailed, so proposals written to RFQs can be lengthy but generally much shorter than an RFP-proposal.[1] RFQ proposals consist primarily of cost data, with small narratives addressing customer issues, such as quality control. Invitation for Bid (IFB) Customers issue IFBs when they are buying some service, such as construction. The requirements are detailed, but the primary consideration is price. For example, a customer provides architectural blueprints for contractors to bid on. These proposals can be lengthy but most of the length comes from cost-estimating data and detailed schedules. Request for Information (RFI) Sometimes before a customer issues an RFP or RFQ or IFB, the customer will issue a Request for Information (RFI). The purpose of the RFI is to gain "marketing intelligence" about what products, services, and vendors are available. RFIs are used to shape final RFPs, RFQs, and IFBs, so potential vendors take great care in responding to these requests, hoping to shape the eventual formal solicitation toward their products or services.

Informally Solicited Proposal Informally solicited proposals are typically the result of conversations held between a vendor and a prospective customer. The customer is interested enough in a product or service to ask for a proposal. Typically, the customer does not ask for competing proposals from other vendors. This type of proposal is known as a sole-source proposal. There are no formal requirements to respond to, just the information gleaned from customer meetings. These proposals are typically less than 25-pages, with many less than 5 page. Unsolicited Proposal Unsolicited proposals are marketing brochures. They are always generic, with no direct connection between customer needs or specified requirements. Vendors use them to introduce a product or service to a prospective customer. They are often used as "leave-behinds" at the end of initial meetings with customers or "give-aways" at trade shows or other public meetings. They are not designed to close a sale, just introduce the possibility of a sale.

Components of a Proposal
Any proposal offers a plan to fill a need, and your reader will evaluate your plan according to how well your written presentation answers questions about WHAT you are proposing, HOW you plan to do it, WHEN you plan to do it, and HOW MUCH it is going to cost. To do this you must ascertain the level of knowledge that your audience possesses and take the positions of all your readers into account. You must also discern whether your readers will be members of your technical community, of your technical discourse community, or of both, and then use the appropriate materials and language to appeal to both. You might provide, for those outside of your specific area of expertise, an executive summary written in non-technical language, or you might include a glossary of terms that explains technical language use in the body of the proposal and/ or attach appendices that explain technical information in generally understood language. The most basic composition of a proposal, as with any other written document, is simple; it needs a beginning (the Introduction), a middle (the Body of material to be presented) and an end (the Conclusion/Recommendation).

The INTRODUCTION presents and summarizes the problem you intend to solve and your solution to that problem, including the benefits the reader/group will receive from the solution and the cost of that solution.

The BODY of the proposal should explain the complete details of the solution: how the job will be done, broken into separate tasks; what method will be used to do it, including the equipment, material, and personnel that would be required; when the work will begin; and, when the job will be completed. It should also present a detailed cost breakdown for the entire job.

The CONCLUSION should emphasize the benefits that the reader will realize from your solution to the problem and should urge the reader to action. It should be encouraging, confident and assertive in tone.

There are several formats to a proposal, but one that has the greatest flexibility and has achieved the widest acceptance is as follows:

Letter of transmittal Title Page Project Summary (approx. 200 word abstract) Introduction Body Project Proposal: (Includes Statement of the Problem, Proposed Solution(s), Program of Implementation, Conclusions/Recommendations) Conclusion/Recommendations

Front Matter

Back Matter Bibliography and/or Works Cited Qualifications (of writer(s) and/or project implementers) Budget (Itemization of expenses in the implementation and operation of the proposed plan, and detail of materials, facilities, equipment and personnel) Appendices

Components of a Proposal Executive Summary: umbrella statement of your case and summary of the entire proposal 1 page

Statement of Need:

why this project is necessary

2 pages

Project Description:

nuts and bolts of how the project will be implemented and evaluated

3 pages

Budget:

financial description of the project plus explanatory notes

1 page

Organization Information:

history and governing structure of the nonprofit; its primary activities, audiences, and services 1 page

Conclusion:

summary of the proposal's

2 paragraphs

main points

Five Strategies to Deal with an Unsatisfied Customer

Customer service is the backbone to every business, right? So why do the majority of retail people lack customer service skills? I believe the root of the problems lies in the fact that many organizations do not teach their employees how to deal with customers who have a problem. Here are five strategies that will help you manage the situation when you find yourself face-toface with an unsatisfied customer. First, apologize. Regardless of how minor or severe the situation, make sure you apologize. In many cases, this simple step is enough to resolve the situation. The second strategy is to listen to the customer. Let them tell you about their situation. This tends to be the most challenging aspect of dealing with unsatisfied customers because they often lose their temper and become difficult to listen to. However, it is an extremely effective strategy because it gives the customer time to vent their emotions. Until their emotions are addressed, you wont make much headway in solving their concern. It is also critical that you do not interrupt them while they express their anger and frustration. Although it may seem like it takes forever for them to tell you their problem, most people run out of steam in less than a minute. Third, take responsibility for the problem. You should discuss the importance of assuming responsibility for the mistake even if it was caused by someone else which is usually the case. Your customers dont care who is at fault. They just want their problem fixed The fourth technique is to avoid specific hot phrases such as; thats our policy, I cant do that, and you should have No one likes to hear statements such as these even if they are appropriate to use. Fifth, put yourself in the customers position. How would you be reacting if the same situation happened to you?While you may not respond in the same manner, this approach can help you better understand the problem or concern by giving you a different perspective. Be cognizant of your tone of voice and body language. Make sure that what you say and how you say reflects the severity of the situation. Delivering great customer service in todays retail world of big -box stores will help give you a competitive advantage. It is much easier to teach a team of five or ten employees the concepts mentioned above than it is to execute them consistently with a staff of a hundred of more.

7 Relationship-Building Strategies for Your Business

successful businesses don't just communicate with prospects and customers for special sales. Today, making your company indispensable is a vital key to marketing success. It's a terrific way to add value, enhance your brand and position against your competition. Here are seven relationship-building strategies that will help you transform your company into a valuable resource: 1. Communicate frequently. How often do you reach out to customers? Do the bulk of your communications focus on product offers and sales? For best results, it's important to communicate frequently and vary the types of messages you send. Instead of a constant barrage of promotions, sprinkle in helpful newsletters or softer-sell messages. The exact frequency you choose will depend on your industry and even seasonality, but for many types of businesses, it's possible to combine e-mail, direct mail, phone contact and face-to-face communication to keep prospects moving through your sales cycle without burning out on your message. 2. Offer customer rewards. Customer loyalty or reward programs work well for many types of businesses, from retail to cruise and travel. The most effective programs offer graduated rewards, so the more customers spend, the more they earn. This rewards your best, most profitable clients or customers and cuts down on low-value price switchers-customers who switch from program to program to get entry-level rewards. Whenever possible, offer in-kind rewards that remind your customers of your company and its products or services. 3. Hold special events. The company-sponsored golf outing is back. With the renewed interest in retaining and up-selling current customers, company-sponsored special events are returning to the forefront. Any event that allows you and your staff to interact with your best customers is a good bet, whether it's a springtime golf outing, a summertime pool party or an early fall barbecue. Just choose the venue most appropriate for your unique customers and business. 4. Build two-way communication. When it comes to customer relations, "listening" can be every bit as important as "telling." Use every tool and opportunity to create interaction, including asking for feedback through your Web site and e-newsletters, sending customer

surveys (online or offline) and providing online message boards or blogs. Customers who know they're "heard" instantly feel a rapport and a relationship with your company. 5. Enhance your customer service. Do you have a dedicated staff or channel for resolving customer problems quickly and effectively? How about online customer assistance? One of the best ways to add value and stand out from the competition is to have superior customer service. Customers often make choices between parity products and services based on the perceived "customer experience." This is what they can expect to receive in the way of support from your company after a sale is closed. Top-flight customer service on all sales will help you build repeat business, create positive word-of-mouth and increase sales from new customers as a result. 6. Launch multicultural programs. It may be time to add a multilingual component to your marketing program. For example, you might offer a Spanish-language translation of your Web site or use ethnic print and broadcast media to reach niche markets. Ethnic audiences will appreciate marketing communications in their own languages. Bilingual customer service will also go a long way toward helping your company build relationships with minority groups. 7. Visit the trenches. For many entrepreneurs, particularly those selling products and services to other businesses, it's important to go beyond standard sales calls and off-the-shelf marketing tools in order to build relationships with top customers or clients. When was the last time you spent hours, or even a full day, with a customer-not your sales staff, but you, the head of your company? There's no better way to really understand the challenges your customers face and the ways you can help meet them than to occasionally get out in the trenches. Try it. You'll find it can be a real eye-opener and a great way to cement lasting relationships. .