Sunday, January 26, 2020

A view on cumulative satisfaction

A view on cumulative satisfaction Whether in doing business or as an end user of a product or service we tend to realise the importance of value for money. Consumers look for products or services of good quality for the price that they are willing to pay. This pursuit of value is the basis of their perceived satisfaction. Customer satisfaction plays a vital role in deciding value. The overall purpose of this article is to identify the importance of customer satisfaction for organizations and most essentially when and why cumulative satisfaction is important for businesses today. It is vital to make sure that the customers are happy and to view customer satisfaction as a main key to organisational success. Quality of a product or service is a means to an end. Customers perception of a products quality is part of a customers assessment of value and satisfaction. What is Customer Satisfaction? In todays competitive business environment, Organisations thrive to become the market leaders in their respective fields to gain profits. Customer satisfaction is seen as the key to any companys competitive advantage and profitability. It is the overall customer attitude towards a product or a service provider, or the reaction to the difference between what the consumer expects and what they receive, in order to fulfil a need or desire. Customer satisfaction is a highly personal assessment that is affected by customer expectations and is also based on the customers experience with a service or a product, idea, personnel. Imagine going to a reputable shopping venue in Sri Lanka such as Odel, where the atmosphere is excellent for shopping. Renowned for quality products ranging from clothes to jewellery and also provides various facilities such as handy ATMs, telecommunication, cafes where customers can sit and relax after shopping, the play area for children with adult supervision, and the efficient staff who are willing to help all their customers with a smile. In such a place, the overall experience that a consumer gains is what creates value for customers. This value creation adds to the overall satisfaction of the customer. The atmosphere at Odel and the quality products along with the services would affect the customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction and its effect on Organizational profitability Businesses focus on Customer satisfaction mainly to increase their customer loyalty; this generates repeat purchases, thereby increasing their revenue, and importantly helps them to survive among the intense competition. Exemplary organisations focus on how to give their customers a positive experience in order to gain their trust and loyalty because the purchasing behaviour of loyal customers creates higher organisational revenue and reduces the cost of doing business. Satisfied customers will often refer the business to their family and friends which will create positive word of mouth, attract new customers and minimise the costs of advertising. When customers are highly satisfied they are less likely to switch to other service providers. For example a loyal customer of HSBC who is been given recognition for being a HSBC card holder for a long period will be treated exceptionally by the bank, providing him with premium rates, special bonus packages, and therefore this satisfied customer will not want to switch to another bank. Although attracting new customers is important it also can be costly, but serving current customers who are well satisfied with the business and its service can be rather cost efficient. Moreover, highly satisfied customers are less price-conscious because they are brand loyal and will pay a premium price for a product or service. Therefore having satisfied loyal customers will most certainly have a direct impact on profit. This is why successful businesses focus on customer satisfaction. Change in the perception of customer satisfaction through time There was a time when customers were less demanding and less vocal if they were less satisfied with a product or service. This is not that time. In the modern business context customers are becoming more demanding and less tolerant and with a combined increase in expectations, they are ever more concerned with their satisfaction and look for recognition and respect from these service providers. Customers have more power and therefore demand much more than just the product or service. Today, customers are looking for that extra value added full package as opposed to just the product or service. It is the basis of their customer satisfaction. So when is customer satisfaction most important for businesses? The answer is now. It has never been more vital. Cumulative satisfaction and its impact on business Overall satisfaction is not based on a single experience, but rather a chain of positive experiences bringing about a cumulative sense of satisfaction. The perceived value at the pre-purchase stage is short lived, however it sometimes transforms into satisfaction in the post-purchase stage. This post-purchase satisfaction results in repurchases and leads to greater trust and customer loyalty which is a result of cumulative customer satisfaction. A product has five key components such as goods, services, experiences, ideas, and people. Quality should be embedded in all of these components which ultimately creates value, when what is been received is evaluated against what is been offered leading to transactional satisfaction or results of one off exchanges. If a consumer is satisfied with a particular experience, that will eventually lead to cumulative satisfaction where the consumer engages in multiple experiences. Cumulative satisfaction is a psychological state, which leads to a deep sense of trust towards the product or service. This trust will be embedded in the customers mind and therefore will not think twice about purchasing the product or service. For instance, when a customer goes into a groceries super market such as Cargills food city, they reach first for the reputed brands in which they lay their trust. For instance if a customer has been using Colgate toothpaste for the past five years and trusts the brand through experience, thereby he will undeniably select and purchase that particular brand among many other toothpaste brands. This unconscious loyalty stems from countless positive experiences associated with the particular brand. This is what most businesses are looking for. Cumulative satisfaction; as the basis of customer relations In an increasingly impersonal world, customers look for personalized service. Since customer satisfaction varies depending on the individual, it is essential that businesses tailor their services for the customers subjective needs. This is where building customer relationships begin. Since cumulative customer satisfaction leads to loyalty and trust, it is plausible to state that customer relations stems from customer satisfaction. Giving a one-on-one service will enhance the customer experience providing greater cumulative satisfaction. Customers therefore will revisit the business and thus strengthen the relationship between the customer and business. For instance consider salon, Ramani. It is a reputed and leading salon in Colombo. They pay attention to detail, whiles giving an additional touch to the whole salon experience by providing not only a tranquil environment but also a calming beverage. Most importantly, they give a tailored service to each customer. Therefore a relationship is built between the customer and their stylist. This is further strengthened through regular visits and revisits. It is clear that customer relations are rooted by cumulative satisfaction. Due to years of experience and satisfaction, a relationship is built between the customer and her stylist. Furthermore, it should be noted that any decision made to remain loyal to the product or service or move to a competitor is based on prior experience and is positively correlated with the duration of the relationship throughout which the customer has been satisfied. Therefore businesses should consider the longer the relationship between the customer and service provider, the less probability of losing that customer to a rival business. Ways that businesses can improve customer relations In order to improve the cumulative satisfaction levels of customers, service providers should continue to aim at delivering good quality services and products in order to improve the total product value and to build profitable relationships based on cumulative satisfaction. Keeping the consumer happy should be their main goal, to retain the customers loyal and satisfied, businesses should delight their customers and give due recognition to their loyalty, for instance profitable customers should be given special treatment such as special bonuses, loyalty cards, special discounts. Some service providers go to the extent of keeping track of their customers birthdays and send cards for these special occasions, this is in order to maintain a healthy relationship with their customer base. The famous Ritz-Carlton hotel keeps a record of all their guests favourite snack, chocolate, which is entered into a computerized tracking system so that when the guest returns to any of their worldwide hotels these items, will be offered to the guest to make them feel special. Creating cumulative satisfaction does not always have to be done in a huge scale but making the customers feel special while providing value for their money is what should be done, giving customised products and service, having good and efficient employees to fulfil every customers needs, anticipate their needs before the competitors take action, asking customers about their needs, getting feedback in order to avoid any defects.. As small and medium organisations, you should keep in mind how cumulative satisfaction can lead to Organisational success and profitability. It is of paramount importance to build and maintain relationships with your consumers that will eventually lead to customer loyalty and trust.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Constantine vs Ashoka

Tamika Wright Constantine vs. Ashoka World Civilization: Jackson State University Dr. Susan S Maneck When reviewing the histories of the religions of Christianity and Buddhism, you can not help but come across the names of Ashoka and Constantine the Great. Even though Ashoka and Constantine aided in the spread of their empires and respective religions they had different reasons for doing so. Constantine, the son of a Roman Army officer was trained as a solider early on in his life. While he was growing up the role of emperor changed hands many times.Until and Roman general name Diocletian seized the throne During the leadership of Diocletian, he made a reform where he appointed Maximian, as a co emperor and two others co-rulers who became known as the Caesares. One of the Casesares was Constantius, Constantine the Great’s father, to a section of the empire that he divided into four territories. The rules of this new division of land came to be called the Tertiary. With this ne w older of power, the Roman Empire became stable again. Although many years had passed since Diocletian came to rein, he still had one problem that he had not dealt with.He somewhat despised that Christian population of the empire because they would not worship that Roman Emperor as a divine figure. This was a major issue for Diocletian because the Christian population had been steadily growing and if they started to outnumber those who worshipped the emperor as a godly figure then that would put a damper on the Tertiary’s leadership. Also, the Christians would not declare their loyalty to the state through sacrifices, taxation or imperial service. To fix this dilemma, Diocletian proclaimed that any person that worshipped the Christian faith was an enemy of state.He ordered his subordinates to persecute bishops and priests trying to compel the Christians to become loyal to him. Many Christians stood their grounds, refusing to surrender regardless the ruthless acts of Diocleti an and his subordinates. This battle went on until Diocletian died. Soon after the death of Diocletian, Constantius followed thereafter. Because he had become a skilled fighter, the soldiers under Constantius’s rule awarded Constantine the role of their new leader. Constantine lead them to many victories, one in particular, the battle of Milan Bridge.After the battle of Milan Bridges, there was only one enemy left name Licinius. Because of Constantines’s victory against Maxenius at the Battle of Milan Bridge, Licinius decided to accept Constantine as authority and ended the long fought war. The only thing left for Constantine to deal with was the Christian population of his empire. My opinion is that he basically said you cannot beat them join them. According to an artivle I found, â€Å"In 313, Constantine releases an edict for Milan that shocked the Roman world, The Edict of Milan stipulated that henceforth, all religions, including Christianity, would be tolerated by Roman authorities. By doing this, Constantine put himself in a position where he was well liked by the majority of the population. True enough they would not worship him as a god but by accepting their beliefs it gave him another type of power. It was basically like the saying you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Constantine stopped the killing of Christians started by previous leadership, which made the Christian community grateful. This also put them in Constantine’s corner. So from then on, they mostly agreed with anything he wanted to do.He built on the organization of the empire government by mimicking the chain of power in the Christian leadership. He also assigned some of the positions of leadership in the empire to bishops and priests of the Christian Religion because they already understood how to lead and how important a chain of command is to a thriving culture. By doing this would also increase his political control. He exempted the Bishops and ma ny of the churches from imperial taxation. He also pushed the Christian community to come up with one centralized idea of what a Christian is and rules they should live by.Now Ashoka on the other hand, unlike Constantine The Great, did not agree with war at all. He saw war as a waste of time and resources. â€Å"According to his own accounts, Ashoka conquered the Kalinga country in the eighth year of his reign. The sufferings that the war inflicted on the defeated people moved him to such remorse that he renounced armed conquests. It was at this time that he came in touch with Buddhism and adopted it. Under its influences and prompted by his own dynamic temperament, he resolved to live according to and preach the dharma. Ashoka used his power as ruler to spread the teachings of Buddhism by word of mouth. He also wrote some of them down. In my view or opinion, Ashoka was very sincere when it came to the acceptance and spread of the Buddhism religion. He did not necessarily want the power, but he used it in a way that bettered the people he was appointed to control. â€Å"Ashoka Repeatedly declared that he understood dharma to be the energetic practice, of the sociomoral virtues of honestly, truthfulness, compassion.Mercifulness, benevolence, considerate behavior toward all, â€Å"little sin and many good deeds, â€Å" nonextravagance, nonaxquistiveness, and noninjury to animals. : â€Å" He spoke of no particular mode of religious creed or worship, nor of any philosophical doctrines, He spoke of Buddhism only to his coreligionists and not to others. : Like Constantine, Ashoka used the priests and highly appointed people to help him build the empire and the spread of the religion. They both also aiding in the building of hospitals and roads.Ashoka was well liked and remembered because of his leadership and his many writings like the quote; â€Å"All men are my children. As for my own children I desire that they may be provided with all the welfare and happ iness of the worlds and of the next, so do I desire for all men as well. † In conclusive resolution, Ashoka and Constantine are very much similar in which they are very strong leaders who were typically well liked by the people they ruled, their empires thrived with the growth of the religion but in some ways they differ like I believe that Ashoka was more sincere in his belief in Buddhism.Whereas, Constantine I think used the Christian religion to advance his position of power. By tolerating Christianity, he gained the trust of the majority of the population of his empire. So this made them, the people who practiced Christianity like him. There for in a way they still did what he wanted them to do without technically forcing them to do it. It like when you ask someone to do something rather than forcing them or demanding them they are more likely to do what you asked. 1

Thursday, January 9, 2020

A Brief Biography Of Salvador Dali - 1712 Words

On May 11, 1904 in Figueres, Spain, a boy named Salvador Dalà ­ was born. People today know him as a famous painter who symbolized surrealism. Throughout his life, the experiences that he confronted within his journey set him on the path of success. The way his family raised him and supported his craft, joining the surrealist movement and even the people he had in his life helped shaped the man he was and how he acted until his death. After Dalà ­Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s forced retirement, on January 23, 1989 at the age of 85, Dalà ­ passed away due to heart failure. Dalà ­ was the second born of three into the family of Salvador and Felipa Dome Dalà ­. However, he grew up as the first born due to his older brother dying due to gastroenteritis. Even though he was†¦show more content†¦It was during this time when he was introduced to the style of Surrealism. Then in 1929 he met Diakonova, also known as â€Å"Gala†, who turned out to become his wife in 1934. Even though Freud’s theory is considered to be eccentric and outdated in today’s society. However, some parts of his theory still hold true in the present and to people’s lives. One of Freud’s components of this theory was the Oedipus complex and castration anxiety. The Oedipus complex is the unconscious desire to have the mother and get rid of the father. It is during this complex when castration anxiety occurs within the son and the superego starts to develop. Castration anxiety is the fear that his penis will be cut off by the father. Dalà ­Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s father was a notary who held political and social power, not only within his job but also within the family dynamic as well. Dalà ­Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s father had such a bad temper that Dalà ­ was afraid of him and sought comfort from his mother. Because of this, he and his father competed for his mother’s attention and love. Another example in Dalà ­Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s life of the Oedipus complex is the way his mom and dad treated him. Before Dalà ­ was born, his parents had another son and named him Salvador Dalà ­. Yet, he died during infancy and nine months later they had another son and named him Salvador Dalà ­ as well. Throughout his childhood, his parents treated him like he was the son they had lost. An example Dalà ­ has talked about is when he was 5 years old, his parent took him to his brother’sShow MoreRelatedMona Lisa and Last Supper3080 Words   |  13 Pagesfew other works of art are as romanticized, celebrated, or reproduced. The painting shows a woman looking out at the viewer with what is described as an enigmatic smile. Title of the painting The title Mona Lisa stems from the Giorgio Vasari biography of Leonardo da Vinci, published 31 years after Leonardos death. In it, he identified the sitter as Lisa, the wife of wealthy Florentine businessman Francesco del Giocondo. Mona is a common Italian contraction of madonna, meaning my lady, the

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Deepwater Horizon Was An Offshore Drilling Rig - 966 Words

Deepwater Horizon was an offshore drilling rig built in 2001 in South Korea by Hyundai Heavy Industries. In September 2009, the rig drilled the deepest oil well in history with a vertical depth of 35,050 feet. An unplanned flow of well fluids into the wellbore can be dangerous as it could cause a blowout which would then cause a fire. In order to prevent this, driller’s pump a drilling mud into the well, creating a barrier between the undersea oil and gas and the rig. The safety of the drilling crew relies on a piece of equipment placed on the top of the sea floor called the blowout preventer. This is essential for controlling the well and in an emergency situation preventing a disaster on the platform high above on the sea surface. The blowout preventer is connected to the rig by a large diameter pipe called a riser. If a blowout occurs the blowout preventer is designed to prevent flammable oil and gas travelling up the drilling rig. At 8:45pm on April 20th 2010 a blowout occurred in the well. Oil and gas entered the wellbore undetected, eventually passing above the blowout preventer. Quickly it made its way up the riser towards the Deepwater Horizon and the 126 people on board. Just after 9:40 pm, drilling mud forced upwards by the rising oil and gas suddenly blew out on the rig. Crew members responded by closing the upper annular preventer. This did not work. They then tried to close a pipe ram. This successfully closed the annular space and sealed the well but thisShow MoreRelatedCurrent Ethical Issues on Oil Spill1482 Words   |  6 Pagesmind, offshore drilling can be a viable option for satiating the need of oil and also to boost the economy of the nation. 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Offshore oil drilling is known asRead MoreArgumentative Essay : Bp Oil Spill1558 Words   |  7 PagesThe BP Oil Spill Introduction In 2010, BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, causing millions of barrels of crude oil to be leaked out into the Gulf of Mexico. The extensive oil spill created a lot of pollution and far-reaching effects on the tourism industry. The resultant damage to marine wildlife such as fish will continue to be felt for many years to come. Weeks after the event, and while it was still in progress, the Deep Water Horizon oil spill was being discussed as a disaster that will impactRead MoreFailure Regarding Corporate Social Responsibility Essay2147 Words   |  9 Pages Among the most monumental examples of failure regarding corporate social responsibility, that is to maximize profits within the law (Dejardins, 2014, p.53), is the Deepwater Horizon blowout catastrophe, occurring April 20, 2010. Historically noted as the single greatest environmental failure in the United States, the blowout of the Macondo well claimed 11 lives, injured dozens more, leaked 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, disrupted ecosystems and communities globally, andRead MoreThe Deepwater Horizon Oil Drilling Rig1480 Words   |  6 PagesThe Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig caught fire on April 20, 2010, exploring and sinking after some days. The explosion was as a result of the equipment failure, perhaps the blowout protector, and the emerging explosion and fire killed 11 people, injuring others. The aftermath of the explosion became the largest issue in the US, estimated to surpass 1989 Exxon Valdez spill. The environmental contamination was huge, greatly impacting marine life in the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding beaches ofRead MoreHow Oil Drilling Works Essay1238 Words   |  5 PagesPeople in the U.S. use oil every day. Powering cars, heating homes, and providing electricity are just a few examples of how we use oil fuels in our daily life. Where would we be if we woke up tomorrow and couldnt fly because there was no fuel, or products containing plastic were taken off the market? In fact, oil is a part of everyday items such as crayons, bubble gum, and deodorant (Mooney 19). Oil is the number one source of energy in the U.S. today. However, the U.S. imports 140 billion worthRead MoreMultinational Gas And Oil Company1624 Words   |  7 Pagesand the more leases on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico than any competitor (BP p.l.c). In 2010, an explosion occurred at BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig, forever changing their public image. The Obama administration created a commission to identify the cause of the spill and found tha t BP, its partners, and the government all made many mistakes that if avoided could have prevented the spill. In this essay I will detail the events the lead up to the Deepwater Horizon spill, examine the actions takenRead MoreDeepwater Horizon Oil Spill1102 Words   |  5 PagesEssay 1 The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed for three months in 2010. This spill had a catastrophic on the environment causing extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats as well as killing 11 workers and injuring 17 others. This spill is the â€Å"worst environmental disaster the US has faced†, according to White House energy adviser Carol Browner. Why did this occur? The staff of the BP Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore drilling CommissionRead MoreThe Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill2022 Words   |  9 PagesDeepwater Horizon Oil Spill The Context Before the occurrence of the Deepwater Horizon event, BP had already been labelled as having a horrible safety record. A 2009 report by the United States Department of Labour Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Todd Petterson , 2009), indicated that BP had 270 existing fines of a ‘failure to abate’ and 439 ‘wilful violations’ of various safety protocols. At the time of the disaster the regulators of the oil industry in the United States was theRead MoreProject Failure: Deepwater Horizon and the Bp Oil Spill4756 Words   |  20 PagesIntroduction The Deepwater Horizon rig sank on April 22, 2010, two days after the Macondo well blowout and explosion that killed 11 workers. The Deepwater Horizon accident, also known as the BP Oil Spill, was a project failure of immense proportions. It went from an oil exploration â€Å"project† to a massive program with portfolios of projects related to dealing with the families of those killed on the oil rig, stopping the oil leak, capturing the oil (from the well and from the ocean), cleaning the