[MSB] Chapter 2 - What is a Service?

We established a service is different than a product. The main characteristics of a service is as follows:

1- Intangible:
You can touch it, taste it, or build with it. You can, however, experience it. So, that's why perception is everything.

2- Performed:
It is all about performance! The real time nature of it, means that it requires the service performer to be flexible with the people that he is serving. He is serving humans that are different from one another and, thus, must adapt to the clients.

3- Perishable:
No yesterday and all about present and future. A Hotel owner cannot sell last nights' rooms. The opportunity has gone. OC cannot sell last month's unused hours of a developer.
Neither can the the service be produced from stock. We can work before getting requirements, we cannot pre build services.  read more »

Marketing Your Service Business

Chapter 1:
Why Service? Fostering, the Firm's Most Valuable Asset

It is often argued what is the firm's most valuable asset. Some argue it is the people while others argue that it is the customer. It is both, it is actually the portfolio of  relationship that you have between the people that service the customer and the "person" that works for your customer. Relationship is between people and not between organizations. Always remember that.
There are two types of people that you have at work,
1- Those who look after the customer
2- Those who support the staff who look after the customer.

The ladder of loyalty of your customers range from the Universe to Partners.

The important ones are
1- Prospects, they must be M.A.D > has money, authority, and desire.
2- Customer, Buys once
3- Friend, repeat customer  read more »

Citi annouced today that they are selling their German consumer bank to put itself back on profitability road. What I like there is that I got to know that the current CEO of one the largest financial institutions in the world is Indian and his name is Vikram Pandit. That is something that the US really excels at. Before you utter liberty, equality, freedom or any of the sort of BS that Bush would say, think about it. That special thing is the ability to become American. It may sound weird, but the ability to acquire a nationality is one of the building block that makes the US successful. Think about this for a while and count the countries that can allow you to earn its nationality and you will find very very few countries. The ability to allow for special people to acquire the nationality stregthen the country.

The Brazilian government's Nation Indian Foundation (FUNAI) reported today that they discovered a lost tribe . Read the article and then think how frightning it must have been to wake up and be surrounded by the loud hum of  helicopter and then meeting men who has big metal rods and smiling at you! IMHO, this is such a good opportunity to study how civilizations record the arrival of a far more "advanced" society. Of course, I wouldn't want to spoil it for them by sending our spies but I am so curious to understand how will they react to this civilization in flying saucers. Are they going to consider them gods? how are they going to react to perhaps the event of their lifetime?

Castle Zaman never stops to amaze me. First, it is the food. You can autmatically know the difference between what's fake food once you take your first bite at the Castle. The technique they use is called Slow food (vs fast food) and takes on average 3-4 hours to cook your royal meal. The veggies are mouth watering and the meat is well...orgasmic. Second is the location. I don't know of a better location, see for yourself here. Third, is the super friendly service that you get here. Finally, it is the amazing architecture and the boldness of the concept. It takes amazing vision to go after a fantastic project like this. Others could have done a half assed job at this, but not Hany. Absolutely outstanding concept. Take a walk in the labyrinth  or treat yourself to a message in one of the rooms underneath the restaurant.
I wish them all the luck in the world!

I was happily surprised when I read this article about the governement taking action against women wearing the neqab (monaqabat) in hospitals. The basic premise that was publicized behind the ban are health reasons (sanitation) and that the profession requires interaction between patient and health care provider. I suspect, as well as the experts interviewed, that efficient interaction can occur while the caretaker is hiding behind a mask (for lack of better words). The hidden and unspoken reason is perhaps security related. I believe that this is the argument that should be used against this cultural and *not* a religious phenomena.  read more »