Январь 2012

Inbound Call Center: Email and Chat Support

The modus operandi for businesses has changed drastically in the recent past. The same can be said for the BPO firms. You would associate the call center firm to deal only with telemarketing. When you look at them now, you see they handle a diverse range of services that can be broadly classified into inbound call center and outbound call center. Other than this broad division, there is a subtle one as well. Contact with customers is not solely depended on voice calls. Other methods of contacting and dealing with customers have come up as well. Primary among the alternate methods of call center services are email and chat support.

Email is the communication medium for the future. There is nothing that is not being done with the email. BPO firms were quick to pick up this trend. They realized that many customers preferred emails because they could write emails at their convenience. Moreover, the fact that everything is written down reassures them that they are not making mistakes. When the call center agent calls, they might be busy on other work or just distracted by the ambiance. They may also feel at a loss because of information overload. Emails are useful that way. The inbound call center team answers each of their queries in a professional and precise way. They get their answers and the call center services team gets their opportunity to push their sales.

Answering emails is a huge opportunity for the inbound call center team. They have a written document to respond to. This is not just easier to do than convince a disinterested customer. This is also a chance to pitch in your sales stuff. Answer emails in a way that the customer can get to the information without any digging around. A sloppily written email, with grammar and syntax errors, can do a lot of harm to the company’s brand. So the call center agents responding to customers’ emails have to be really careful. There are zero margins for error, just like there is no end to the possibilities of cashing in on the opportunity.

Chat support is another non-conventional method of touching base with your customers. The inbound call center team uses the chat option to interact with the customers informally. Customers feel at ease when they are chatting. They feel comfortable to ask questions which they would have skipped if it was a telemarketing call. BPO agents understand this psychological advantage that they have. They know they have the attention of the customers and can direct the flow of conversation. The chat excerpts can become a coaching manual for future agents who are dealing with similar customers or products/services.

Email and chat support substantiate the fact that BPO in general and inbound call center in particular would leave no stone unturned to tap their customers. Customers have the freedom and the comfort level to connect with the call center agents through a medium that they prefer. The written word holds more value for many. When emails and chats are the vehicles of corporate communication in the modern world, why not use them for marketing?

Laptop Battery- an Indispensable Component for Your Laptop

Battery is what works as powerhouse for all electronic gadgets including laptops, camcorders and IPods. These batteries supply electrical energy which makes laptops work for you. This battery is manufactured keeping in mind the facets of portability just like watch battery and somewhat like car battery so that it can withstand the operating conditions properly.

Sound laptop batteries generally last for more than 5 years and that too depending upon the factors like programs you are running and power needs of your system. But many times it happens that you forget to charge your laptop battery and resultantly, you cannot work upon laptop unless you substitute it with replacement battery.

When you are contemplating to buy laptop battery, you will be normally having perhaps not more than two battery options. But before buying it, you must consider about the technology used and make sure it is absolutely efficient for your laptop.

Kinds of laptop batteries

There are different kinds of laptop batteries available that can be used in your computer. Some of these kinds are listed below:

· The NiCad battery or nickel cadmium battery is generally used in virtually every laptop. This battery can be charged for limited number of times and can work for longer hours in comparison with other batteries like nickel hydride among others. But you have to be cautious every time as you have to charge it before it goes dead. This is because once it goes dead; you will be crippled as it has no back up option available with this.

· Nickel hydride battery: this is another battery option available with you. This is an extension of technology in batteries as it can hold more power back up in comparison with the previous alternative. It has better memory effect as you can reoperate it after it becomes used up.

· Nickel ion battery: this is far more superior battery and can hold greater power back up than rest of the available options. The best part about these batteries is that it supports multiple kinds of batteries in the laptop system.

Ways to improve battery life

You can opt for any of these options for your laptop, but it is imperative to learn about techniques using which you can improve the performance as well as life of your battery system. Following are listed some of these top rated techniques:

? Conditioning: this technique simply means first of all, completely discharging the battery and thereafter, fully charging it. This practice has to be undertaken around at least twice a week in order to retain full capacity of laptop battery for longer span of time.

? You should refrain from the habit of storing your laptop battery below 50 ??F or above the levels of 95??F. In other words, you should avoid leaving your laptop battery either in car of storage room where you do not have stable climate control.

? In order to extend the usability, you must discharge the battery by about 50% capacity in around 3 years.

These top most valuable techniques can certainly help you in getting better accessibility with the same laptop battery for longer time period.

Initial organizing for retirement investment is wise

Planning to leave quite early from your job is one of the hardest decisions in one’s life. Some may think of it as a lifetime adventure while another may feel immensely stressed. If you are among those people who don’t have a fat bank balance to sustain you through the retirement years then you must probably be interested in planning for some retirement investments.

Irrespective of the amount of one’s savings or other accrued benefits, most of the retirement schemes fail to satisfy the expectations of the investors. This is more so because they start their planning a little late. Many start formulating retirement investment strategies after they retire. The people who do this usually find themselves in a piquant situation should they need to take their retirement at an earlier date than planned.

Indulging in deferred planning is not a nice idea when thinking of retirement. More so, if you plan to retire early. If you need to retire early, you should have professional plan for investment which should be able to provide you with the requisite financial security.

If you are planning for an early retirement you must prepare yourself for it at least a year in advance. You may need to consider many possibilities and would need time to research.

You must make it a habit to keep watch on the present market situation as you would like to see how these conditions could influence your sector which will give you an idea about the security of your job. Due to current uncertainty and fear about the job crises, the need for an early planning for retirement investment has increased rapidly.

Hiring the services of some private investment agent would make the entire process smoother for you. They will assist you in drawing a good portfolio of investments which will show you as to how much amount you may need to make your retirement a tension free affair. You may have to think of many things when being forced to take retirement from you job. For this reason, if you do a thorough research and planning, it would really become a lot easier for you to retire gracefully. You are never sure as to how your retirement could turn out to be, but the more you indulge in planning, the more are your chances of being pleasantly surprised about the adventure of a lifetime.

How To Start Earning Money From Home With A Simple Easy Home Business?

With many traditional business opportunities drying up, an easy home business selling products or services on the internet is what people are looking for these days. You can easily make money from home at the click of a mouse and there are loads of excellent opportunities waiting to be grabbed by stay at home moms as well. Depending on your aptitude and any innate skills that you may have, you can easily start a home based business.

Use online tools

By selling products and services over the internet, you can make easy money if you can use the tools that are available. Money can be made easily at the click of a mouse from affiliate marketing and you need to check out the websites that are offering the opportunity. Millions of Americans coast to coast are benefiting from hands-on tips and techniques to get them started on easy home business. But you need to cross check and verify the offers that come your way.

As there is a surge in popularity in sites advertising solutions to how to make easy money with a simple home business, you need to check the reviews as well. Reviews are posted by home based business owners who have benefited from their offers. It could also happen that some of have been at the receiving end of fraudsters who played a trick on them sensing their desperate need to make money online.

Scams are not uncommon in home based business offers and you need to take stock of the reviews of how to start an easy and simple home business to home in to the correct site. You can pursue your passion for offering beauty tips or selling gardening ideas and accessories if you have a knack for these hobbies that are common among men and women the world over.

You can write quality articles with SEO words on different subjects that are of your interest and make money like a freelance writer straight from home.

Little startup capital

The best part of a home based business is that it does not need a space and lots of startup capital. You can stock your produce in your garage or your basement and sell the products over the internet. Simple packaging jobs can be done by you and a small number of employees and members of your family can also chip on as well.

You can treat your business as a work in progress and you can also start a blog and get paid for the number of hits on ads. But you primarily need to get a website up and running that has an easy to navigate landing page. Your best bet would be to accommodate and use several online marketing tools for turning visitors to your website into prospects and prospects into buying customers in your easy home business.

India a Big Trade Mart for the Automobile sector

The automotive sector is one of the prime drivers of Indian economy. Economic liberalization policies adopted by government of India have primarily propelled India into the big league, with many global automotive players seeking to establish their operations in India. In fact in the last five years, India has turned into a big trade mart for the Automobile Industry, registering a growth rate of 15-27 percent.

And interestingly, the rise of Indian middle class and the simultaneous rise of the economy over the past few years have only charmed global auto majors to the Indian market. Moreover, India’s highly trained cheaper workforce has only added to its emerging status as a global manufacturing hub. All these plus points of the Indian markets on one hand and the recession faced by the auto sector in the developed markets like Europe, US and Japan on the other, have only resulted in increased capital flow to the Indian automobile sector.

Moreover, Indian car manufacturers are earning rare reviews in the wider world. According to Global 200: The World’s Best Corporate Reputations List, compiled by US-based Reputation Institute, India automaker, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) has earned the status of being the fourth most reputed auto company in the world, even ahead of its parent company Suzuki Motor Co of Japan.

Indian a big mart for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)

Tata and Mahindra & Mahindra are the leading names in the Indian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) segment, creating waves on the global arena too. And given the stiff competition, Indian OEMs are continually upgrading their technology and are producing superior quality vehicles.

Indian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Tata and Mahindra & Mahindra are leading from the front on the global scene. And with India Inc facing increased competition from the global players, Indian OEMs have also been upgrading their technology and are manufacturing better-quality vehicles.

‘Economical Engineering’ has being the flavour of the Indian automotive industry, with Indian OEMs making the best use of its cost-efficient and highly –skilled work force. Also, the skillfulness of their suppliers has helped them in reducing costs and the manufacturing time. In fact, OEMs all across the globe are making a beeline to India to gain access to India-based design and development centers.

Production

In the recent years, India has emerged as the big mart for foreign automotive manufacturers.

• Japanese auto major, Nissan Motor Co, has chosen India among the five low-cost countries to manufacture its GenNext compact cars, including the Micra.

• Hyundai has converted India into its global hub for manufacturing small cars. By 2013, the company plans to invest US$ 1 billion in its second plant in Chennai. The company is also planning to invest US$ 40 million in its R&D facility in Hyderabad.

• General Motors till date has invested around US$ 1 billion into its Indian operations. The factory of its small car, Spark has been set up in Maharashtra, with an investment of US$ 300 million. The company also intends to make India its focal point for manufacturing of export engines, power trains as well as cars for neighbouring countries like the US and Europe.

• Mercedes-Benz plans to invest around US$ 64. 21 million in its plant near Pune. The plant will apparently have a production capacity of 2,500 trucks and buses and 10,000 cars over two shifts every year.

• Renault has entered into partnership with Nissan Motors to set up a manufacturing facility near Chennai at a cost of US$ 901.35 million to manufacture 400,000 cars annually.

• Skoda Auto is planning to make India its regional manufacturing hub. The company plans to start manufacturing cars in India by 2010 with a target of 50,000 units.

• Tata Motors plans to manufacture 80,000 units of its much awaited Nano at its Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand in 2009-10. The mother facility at Sanand, in Gujarat, may be fully operational by 2010-11 and will have a capacity of producing 1, 50,000 cars annually.

Exports

Export figures of 2008-09 are a testimony to India’s growing status as big trade mart for the automobile industry. As per the data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, the passenger car sales in the overseas markets registered a growth of 63.01 pe+r cent during April-January 2008-09.

Exports scaled up to 2, 71,999 units as against 1, 66,859 units in the corresponding period in the previous year.

The growth in exports is primarily driven by Hyundai Motor India, followed by other auto companies such as MSIL, Mahindra Renault, Fiat India Automobiles, General Motors India and Honda Siel Cars India.

During April-December 2008, Hyundai Motors registered a growth of 100 per cent in exports with 198,600 units.

At 620,880 units as of December 2008, Bajaj Auto has clocked an increase of more than 35 per cent in exports.

Mergers& Acquisitions (M&As)

M&As have emerged as the key driving force in the Indian automobile industry. Recognizing India’s potential as a big automobile trade mart, Japanese, European, Korean, French, Italian and American automobile companies have either set up their manufacturing base in India or have joined hands with Indian automotive firms to launch new products in the Indian market. The list comprises Toyota, Renault, Nissan, Fiat, Kawasaki, Honda, Cummins and many more. Even, Indian companies have gone ahead and acquired foreign automobile companies to strengthen its presence in the global market.

One of the most publicized acquisitions in 2008 has been that of Jaguar-Land Rover by Tata Motors for US$ 2.3 billion. Even Mahindra & Mahindra had taken over three Italian companies — G R Grafica Ricerca, Metalcastello and Engines Engineering, during that period.

Other significant developments in this area include:

• Tata Motors,is planning to set up a dealership network for Jaguar-Land Rover in India. • The Auto Park established in Andhra Pradesh has received a whopping investment over US$ 401.55 million from about 34 automotive ancillary units.

• Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Ltd (TKM) will be investing an added US$ 311 and around 83 million in its second plant, thereby taking the total investment in the plant to US$ 641.74 million.

Preserving Growth

• Mercedes Benz India witnessed strong growth in 2008 with 3,625 cars (46 per cent growth), 240 trucks (53 per cent growth) and 16 bus chassis being sold.

• BMW India sold over 2,500 units in 2008. In January 2009, for the first time ever, BMW beat Mercedes Benz in terms of sales, by selling 270 cars and sports utility vehicles (SUV) while Mercedes Benz, sold 89 units in January 2009.

• Audi reported sales of 1,050 units in 2008, a three times rise over 2007.

Luxury models to be launched soon include:

• BMW India launched the new BMW 3 Series for India in January 2009.

• German sports car maker Porsche will be introducing its Panamera in September 2009, which will be priced over US$ 1, 72,344.

• Skoda Auto India will be launching its three new variants of its hatchback Fabia in 2009. The company will also introduce a sports utility vehicle Yeti, in 2010.

India a big mart for Small Cars & Hybrid Cars

Electric car Reva is very much popular in South India. Other markets are also coming under its influence with too much emphasis now on going green these days. Few other car manufacturers like Hero Electric and M&M are also planning to launch electric versions.

The euphoria that Nano car generated has also inspired other auto giants to cash in on the massive potential of the small car segment.

According to the survey carried out by Invest India Incomes
and Savings Survey 2007, by IIM Data works and another study by CRISIL Research, there is a colossal demand for entry level cars in India. And as per the survey there is a demand for 1.6 million small cars in India. So naturally, all auto giants have pulled up their socks towards capitalizing in on the prospect of this segment.

1. Fiat plans to roll out ‘Grande Punto’—plan in the new small car segment.

2. General Motors plans to launch its new mini car next year from its Talegaon plant, close to Pune.

3. Tata Motors is all set to offer new version of its Indica.

4. Honda intends to unveil ‘Jazz’, while Volkswagen plans to launch Indianised version of its popular ‘Polo compact.

5. Even Toyota and General Motors may join the bandwagon by 2010.

6. India launched its first hybrid car, Honda’s ‘Civic’, in June 2008, Indian majors like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra are also planning to launch hybrid cars.

7. BMW also plans to launch its hybrid car to India.

Automotive Mission Plan 2006–2016 to Sustain India’s Status as Big Trade Mart for Automobiles

The idea behind Automotive Mission Plan (AMP) 2006–2016 is help India emerge as a big trade mart for design and manufacture of automobiles and auto components.

As per the AMP, India would continue to be largest tractor and three-wheeler manufacturers in the world and also world’s second largest two-wheeler manufacturer. By 2016, India will be the world’s seventh largest car producer and fourth largest truck manufacturer. Moreover, by 2016, the automotive sector would contribute 10 percent to country’s GDP from current level five per cent.