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Archive for January, 2011

Pension’s Tips: It is said that people either “live too long or die too young”, and nowhere is this more typified than in the Construction Industry, where up to recently, both the safety record and the Pension planning record had been nothing short of appalling.

On the one hand, the fatality and injury record of workers in the Irish Building Industry was one of the highest in Europe (in 2001, 28% of all workplace fatalities were Construction Industry related), while those who were lucky enough to have survived working on Irish Construction sites faced a very uncertain future as they neared retirement.

While the authorities have made some strides in addressing the Construction Industries safety record in the recent past, there is still considerable scope for improvement with regard to adequate and proactive Pension Planning (in an IAPF survey dated October ,2005,it was found that nearly the entire Irish population was dependant on the state pension)While a recent IMPACT Trade Union report found that in Ireland, there are currently 5 people of working age for every person aged over 65, but that figure will fall to 2 to 1 by 2050,causing a huge funding crisis.

The lack of Pension planning is a symptom of a larger Irish malaise, namely their totally reactive nature to nearly everything. This especially applies to Construction Industry Pensions, where despite extensive publicity on the need for adequate Pension planning, the Pension expertise available and the negative effects of no Pensions being in place at retirement, excuses still abound for doing nothing. In an effort to be seen to do something, the Government is even rumored to being looking at making Pension funding compulsory.

In over 25 years of Pensions planning, here are the 7 most popular excuses I’ve come across in the Construction Industry for not planning a Pension.

* I can’t afford it

* I’m too young/old

* “Someone else” will provide for it

* I’ll do it “later”

* There’s a state pension

* I don’t want to think about it

* I’ll be dead by then

I can’t afford it — expansive pension ……ask yourself can you afford NOT to? Waiting until you can afford it will never happen. The minimum monthly premium for a self employed Pension is 25 gross, or with tax relief at 20%, 20per month ……that’s 1.00 per day. Given that the minimum Lottery ticket price is 1.50 per go, and there are absolutely no guarantees whatsoever with that, 1 is a small price to pay for securing your future and security of mind, isn’t it?

Insurance go first! I’m too young/old ….you’re never too young, or old for that matter, to start to proactively secure YOUR future. The earlier you start, the longer your funds have to grow and appreciate in value, while even starting much later in life will give you tax relief and help you to exercise SOME power over your finances.

A plan for my Pension? “Someone else” will provide it …………who, precisely? And why should they? While an employer may contribute to your Pension Plan, ask yourself how much of a benefit you’d expect to get, would it be guaranteed, and if so, for how long? Would you be happy to have “someone else” pick your clothes, choose your car or have any other say in your life – but if you don’t plan for your Pension, “someone else” WILL be deciding your future.

I’ll do it “Later …… look at the cost of delay – to provide a pension of 2,000 per month, a 20 year old would need to pay 270 per month into a pension plan, while a 40 year old saving for EXACTLY the same amount would need to pay 951 per month – FRIGHTENING, isn’t it??

There’s a State Pension …….there is alright. As of Jan, 2007, that stands at the princely sum of 209.30 per week. Now ask yourself, given the ever increasing cost of accommodation, transport, food, communications, entertainment etc., if you were relying on the State Pension ONLY, would you be LIVING or EXISTING?

I don’t want to think about it…….fair enough, that’s your prerogative, but burying your head in the sand on the Construction site won’t make planning for your future go away. Can you imagine a Builder deciding they didn’t want to think about something on a Construction site……would you be happy to work there?

I’ll be dead by then …perhaps you will, but suppose you’re not? Can you imagine HAVING to continue doing manual labor out of dire economic necessity? Or what if you’ve worked all your life and in spite of your best efforts, face 30 years of retirement?

Another alternative the Irish Government are looking at, as pointed out in a recent IBEC report in Feb 2006, is that they may increase the minimum retirement age to 70 or 75.Can you imagine the potential effect this would have on the Construction Industry? So, as an Irish Building worker, why don’t you take control of your future, ignore the 7 most popular excuses outlined above, and make your Pension THE KEYSTONE of your financial future……and if you need another incentive, try living on 209.30, and nothing else, for a few weeks!!!

For general pension’s information, please visit the website of the Irish Pensions Board or for Information relating specifically to Pensions visit Irish Construction Industry Pensions.

Ireland’s premier supplier of Pension and Retirement planning for those contractors, suppliers and sub-contractors who work in the Irish Construction Industry

Architectural drafting India provide Architectural design services, home design architectural services and architectural plan design services for worldwide architectural design projects with affordable rates. Architectural drafting India offer the necessary strength to the architectural design components within building, bridges and other commercial architectural. Quality, precision, reliable and effective design of the architectural components is of the supreme importance. Hence, choosing the right subcontractor for the architectural design services requires much attention and investigation.

At the same time, outsourcing is becoming more profitable option to meet tight budget constraints and early turnaround time. With so many companies across the globe offering architectural drafting services, it is a difficult job to decide on one country which can serve as the best source of suitsable architectural drafting contractors.

Architectural drafting India is the primary low cost architectural design services provider to the architect’s infrastructure. Our architectural engineers have unique experience when dealing in the architectural design services. If you do not want your architectural design to be copied, you should outsource your architectural design requirements to architectural drafting India. With prior planning and including cost-saving elements within architectural design help saving costs. We convert your paper-based ideas or sketches into durable, easily manageable, user-friendly and flawless architectural designs and models.

The main advantages to outsourcing architectural design to India:

Architectural Cost Saving

Experienced Architectural engineers and CAD draughtsman

Get Quality Architectural Work

Requisite infrastructure and latest technologies

High-speed internet connections

Reduced Operational and Recruitment costs

Maximize your ROI

Reliable Services

Better infrastructure

Relatively stable government

Investor friendly laws

Contact us or Email: info@architecturaldraftingindia.com to outsource your architectural design requirements.

Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA – The United States construction industry has taken one of the largest blows in the past three to four years from the current recession. Many construction companies have down sized, done massive lay offs or cease to exist. Rumson, Bolling & Associates have worked closely with an extensive network of individuals and companies in the construction industry. Our network in the construction industry is made up of individuals and companies that work in fields such as: Commercial Contractors, Crane Operators, Painting Contractors, Steel Erectors, Concrete Contractors, Asphalt, Paving, Windows, Siding, Elevators, Engineering, Architecture, Heating Cooling HVAC, Demolition, Industrial Accidents, Spills, Cleanups, Fire Damage, Flood Damage, Landscaping, Flooring, Carpet, Cabinetry, Marble, Granite, Kitchen Remodeling, Bathroom Remodeling, just to name a few.

Rumson, Bolling & Associates understands that the United States construction industry is a back bone of capital growth in the United States. It is was not uncommon for construction companies to have in-house collectors and in-house employees working on accounts receivables; however, since the construction market in almost every major city in the United States has slowed down a considerable amount outsourcing account receivable work is a much more efficient business decision.

Rumson, Bolling & Associates has achieved and continues to achieve high margin recoveries for many individuals and companies in the construction industry during this slow economic downturn. Rumson, Bolling & Associates specializes in commercial recovery and is consistently doing Our part in creating stability in industries that are necessary for the growth of the United States but are financially unstable due to the current market. Rumson, Bolling & Associates wants to thank those We’ve worked closely with in our past and looks forward to continue helping those in the construction industry in recovering their money.

http://www.rumsonbolling.com

Source:
http://www.1888pressrelease.com/rumson-bolling-associates/news/rumson-bolling-associates-rebuilding-the-united-states-co-pr-193712.html

Customer service representatives (CSRs)

Interact with customers to provide information in response to inquiries about products and services and to handle and resolve complaints. First point of customer contact for general inquiries like pricing, products, scheduling etc maintain business relation with clients by providing accurate service so as to promote customer loyalty.

CSRs are people employed by companies to serve as a direct point of contact for customers. In the 24/7 worlds today companies need to secure their customers receive an adequate level of service or help with their questions and concerns. Such customers may be individual consumers or other companies each with different needs. Many companies provide customer service to path of the telephone through call centers. The Customer service representatives interact with customers to provide information in response to inquiries about products or services. They also handle and resolve complaints and communicate with customers through a variety of means. Telephone is the most famous but increasingly customer service is supplied by e-mail. Faxes and regular mail parallelism and even a direct meeting can also be used by the CSR. Some customer service representatives handle general questions and complaints, whereas others particularize in a particular area.

Customer Service Representative is explain by the following points: –

1. Customer Services

Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business.

Excellent customer service is one of the few ways to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Customers are satisfied or dissatisfied with the level of customer service provided by CSRs. Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. You can offer promotions and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your business wont be profitable for long. Customer Services are increasingly changing the way customers interact with firms to create service outcomes. Good customer service can increase your customer loyalty rate, leading to greater profitability.

2. Customer Satisfaction

No business can exist without customers.

Customer Satisfaction may be measured directly by survey and expressed as a percentage, such as Percent of Customers Completely Satisfied. Providing good service in a pleasant manner and meeting the customer’s expectations is also known as Customer Satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is the fulfillment of customers requirements or needs.

Consider this, only 4% of all customers with problems complain. The average customer with a problem eventually tells 9 other people.

In other side, three types of relationship were identified:

1. Satisfaction-as-love

2. Satisfaction-as-trust

3. Satisfaction-as-control

Each responded to the same failure in different ways. Satisfaction-as-love customers had emotional bonds with the product category and thus reaffirmed their loyalty following the failure. Satisfaction-as-trust customers saw the service failure and inadequate recovery as a breach of the brand’s implied promise and thus excited the relationship. Satisfaction-as-control customers took charge of the situation, using their status to improve their situation and then defended the brand.

3. Customer loyalty

Multiple regression analysis assessed the impact on customer loyalty of four key constructs of relationship marketing: -

1. Trust,

2. Commitment,

3. Communication,

4. Conflict Handling.

These four variables have a significant effect and predict a good proportion of the variance in customer loyalty.

The stairs of Customer Loyalty shows you how to consciously shape a plan for developing your customer relationship skills in a more congruent manner and is a benchmark in fostering and promoting permanent customer relationships for businesses of all sizes.

4. Customer Orientation

There are seven keys that strongly indicate a customer orientation attitude:

Thinking and talking about clients a lot

Continually assessing your customers perceptions

Resolving priority issues in favor of the customer

Giving in, compromising, adding value for the customer

Making amends to customers for poor treatment

Employing a “whatever it takes” policy to satisfy special needs

Redesigning processes, re-deploying resources and when they get in the way of service quality

5. Mass customization

Mass Customization is a way of building and selling products such that the product features are broken down and offered to the consumer as choices. Mass customization, in marketing, manufacturing, and management, is the use of flexible computer-aided manufacturing systems to produce custom output. Those systems combine the low unit costs of mass production processes with the flexibility of individual customization.

The flourish surrounding mass customization increased dramatically with the advent the Internet. Companies saw how e-commerce could allow an individual customer to tailor a product to his or her own specifications and then order it. The vision of mass customization seemed to promise manufacturers several benefits: They could offer service, achieve greater levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, gather advance information on market trends, and reduce inventory levels.

So, what I learned from my research was delivering consistently good service quality is difficult but profitable for service organizations. In many services, quality occurs during service delivery, usually in an interaction between the customer and contact personnel of the service firm. So, that service quality is highly dependent on the performance of employees.

Contact Us : Call Centers India

Email : sales@callcentersindia.com

Phone : 206.384.4669

Delivering quality customer service is not an easy task. Whether it’s inbound customer service or outbound customer service, the quality cannot be compromised on. If you want to hire the services of a BPO and want to ensure that your customers and clients receive the best of services in time, always go for a reputed call center agency, which is an expert in handling BPO processes for a long time and caters to a global clientele.

A good call center pays its agents well and also imparts proper training to the executives; this enables the agents to provide superior quality service. Rendering good customer service means earning a good name among your prospective customer base. The customer service providers at a BPO strive towards gaining more prospective customers. If customer service executives are happy by working in a particular BPO, it will be reflected in their voice and in the manner they deal with clients and customers. Thus, it’s very important to keep employees satisfied so as to get the best out of them.

Customer service falls under the broader category of customer relationship management or CRM. CRM includes customer acquisition, customer growth and customer care. CRM service focuses on meeting every aspect of business, which includes technical support, marketing, customer and sales.

For customer service executives working at a BPO, just obtaining new customers is not the most important, but the target should be to maintain a huge client base. For maintaining a larger client base, the customer service executives at the call center has to follow a well planned customer care retention program and ensure that there is growth of customers.

Why to hire the services of a BPO?

A BPO that has several years of business experience and is reputed usually has well developed customer relationship management services for meeting the growing needs of all clients. You can also keep a track of the buying patterns of customers through the call center customer service. Customer service also makes it easier for you to detect the present market trends, which helps you sell your product or service better.

Remember customer service represents the face of the company, so it is very important to have efficient service at that level so as to rope in as many customers as possible. If customer service is not good, the image of the company suffers a setback. Hire the services of a BPO which offers a complete customer service including planning, organizing and delivering to the clients. Responding to the individual needs of the customer, a reputed call center offers diverse processes of customer assistance, training including troubleshooting, configuration, and installation.

Call centers are adept at handling customers because their services include providing quick support to clients for gaining control on brand integrity, solving account queries, billing queries, providing product information, making reservations and bookings. Customer service areas in which BPOs specialize in also include customer retention, order management, and maintenance. So, hurry up and hire the services of a good BPO; give your customers what they need and make your business grow.