BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria says the year-long revolt to topple President Bashar al-Assad is now over, but it will keep its forces in cities to "maintain security" until it is safe to withdraw in keeping with a U.N.-backed peace deal.
The agreement proposed by United Nations-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan says the Syrian authorities must be first to withdraw troops and stop violence immediately.
The army kept up an offensive against opposition strongholds on Saturday, pummelling the Khalidiya district of Homs city.
"Mortars are falling every minute and the sounds of explosions are shaking the neighborhood," an activist report said. A child was killed by rocket fire in the al-Bayyada area and a man was killed in crossfire in clashes near a checkpoint.
Rebels battled army forces near a base in Jaramaneh in Damascus province. Five bodies bearing signs of torture were found near Maarat al-Noaman, the report said. A soldier was killed when rebels ambushed a troop carrier in Deraa province.
Despite the violence, Damascus says it has the upper hand.
"The battle to topple the state is over," Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad al-Makdissi told Syria TV late on Friday. "Our goal now is to ensure stability and create a perspective for reform and development in Syria while preventing others from sabotaging the path of reform."
His assertion follows army victories over rebel strongholds in the cities of Hama, Homs and Idlib, and Assad's acceptance this week of Annan's plan that does not demand he step down.
Calls by Gulf Arab states to arm the rebels have fizzled. The political opposition remains divided, and prospects of Western-led military intervention are close to zero.
Assad has endorsed Annan's six-point peace plan, which has the U.N. Security Council's unanimous backing, but Western leaders say the 46-year-old Syrian leader has broken similar promises before and must be judged by actions not words.
Assad's opponents have not yet formally accepted the plan.
"FRIENDS OF SYRIA"
They were due to meet the foreign ministers of allied Western powers, including U.S. Secretary of Sate Hillary Clinton, on Sunday at a "Friends of Syria" conference in Turkey, which provides a safe haven for Syrian rebels.
Makdissi said Annan, who had talks with Assad in Damascus on March 10, had acknowledged the government's right to respond to armed violence during the ceasefire phase of the peace plan.
He said Syria's conditions for agreeing to Annan's plan included recognition of its sovereignty and right to security.
"When security can be maintained for civilians, the army will leave, he said. "This is a Syrian matter."
However, Annan's plan says Syria must stop putting troops into cities forthwith and begin taking them out.
"The Syrian government should immediately cease troop movement towards, and end the use of heavy weapons in, population centers, and begin pullback of military concentrations in and around population centers," it states.
"As these actions are being taken on the ground, the Syrian government should work with the envoy to bring about a sustained cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties with an effective United Nations supervision mechanism," it says.
The U.N. peacekeeping department will send a team to Damascus soon to begin planning for a possible ceasefire observer mission, Western diplomats said on Thursday, adding that it was unclear the 200 to 250 monitors envisaged would ever be deployed.?"We are very far from a peace to keep," one said.
Western diplomats say the key to the implementation of Annan's ceasefire -- the main thrust of the deal -- lies in the sequencing of the army pullback and ending rebel armed attacks.
They say the opposition won't feel safe negotiating before the army halts its offensive, but also note it would be impractical to expect a complete government pullout before the rebels are obliged to respond.
In 2011, an Arab League observer mission sent to oversee the promised withdrawal of the Syrian army from opposition flashpoints collapsed partly over the issue of when and how troops could be withdrawn.
HEZBOLLAH SAYS REVOLT FAILED
More than 9,000 people have been killed by Assad's forces during the revolt, according to the United Nations, while Damascus says it has lost about 3,000 security force members.
"The armed opposition is incapable of toppling the regime," said Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Assad's Lebanese ally Hezbollah. Foreign intervention was a "closed subject", he said.
"Betting on military efforts to topple the regime is a losing gamble and the burden is too great: more bloodshed and loss of life and property, to no avail," he said on Friday.
Western and Arab foreign ministers backing Syrians trying to topple Assad head for Istanbul on Saturday for what diplomats predict will be a challenging "Friends of Syria" conference.
They will seek clear endorsement of the Annan plan from the Syrian National Council (SNC), although their own governments are skeptical that Assad will genuinely try to implement it.
In Libya a year ago, the West and the Arabs quickly granted recognition to a revolutionary national council as the sole legitimate government of Libya. They are not close to doing the same for the splintered SNC in Syria, diplomats say.
There is also little chance they will agree to arm rebels.
The Istanbul conference is instead expected to declare strong support for Annan's peace proposals, which do not include an opposition and Arab League demand that Assad go now. It is expected to demand that he order a ceasefire without delay.
If he does not withdraw his forces, the opposition can hardly be expected to begin a dialogue with him, diplomatic sources said. If he does, one question will be how effectively they can persuade disparate armed rebel groups to stop shooting.
The Istanbul conference may press for immediate steps "to accept and implement a daily two-hour humanitarian pause", as Annan's plan stipulates, until all fighting ceases.
If Assad fails to keep his word, Annan would have to decide whether to call time and tell the United Nations he has failed to make peace through a "Syrian-led process".
The issue would then return to the U.N. Security Council, with increased pressure on Assad's allies Russia and China, which have endorsed Annan's mission, to get tough with Damascus.
Russia, however, has warned in advance that it is not up to the "self-styled friends of Syria" to pronounce on Sunday on whether Assad is keeping his part of the Annan deal or not.
Diplomats say "Friends of Syria" powers construe the carefully-worded terms of Annan's six-point plan as intending that Assad will eventually cede power in a political transition. but?the language is nuanced to get a step-by-step process going.
"I think inevitably we will see frustration this weekend. We are all frustrated," said one Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "It is frustrating that after more than a year, the violence continues in Syria and has been particularly brutal over the last two or three months and at the moment does not seem to be stopping."
(Additional reporting by Adrian Croft in London, John Irish in Paris, Steve Gutterman in Moscow, Dominic Evans in Beirut; Writing by Douglas Hamilton; Editing by Alistair Lyon)
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[unable to retrieve full-text content]Being a consultant business analyst! when you scribe to make an impression without meeting someone in person, applying to job postings on the web. it is always advisable to keep a resume cover letter. What should a job ...
Job Category: Marketing Location: Germany - Non Location Specific, DE Job ID: 790666-78138 Division: Interactive Entertainment Business
Team Purpose/Mission
To be a world-class global sales & marketing arm for Microsoft, developing and executing retail marketing plans and programs that drive product demand, improve the customer experience, deliver on contribution margin, share goals and create high partner satisfaction.
Reporting Relationship
The Retail Windows Phone Channel Manager reports to the WE Retail Windows Category Marketing Manager
Role Purpose
The retail channel is vital to Microsoft?s growth not only for the direct revenue it generates, but also due to the retail channel?s unique ability to help build brand equity and engagement due to its outreach to consumer and small business customers worldwide. Microsoft has a long history of working with partners to reach end customers and this certainly applies to our retail go-to-market approach. Microsoft has developed tremendous relationships with retailers and distributors worldwide making our retail success possible. Windows has become one of the most engaging and recognizable consumer brands in the world today. Yet even with this fantastic consumer presence, the opportunity for growth in both our traditional PC business, as well as our new online services business with Windows Live has never been greater.
Retail plays a key role in selling more Windows devices to consumers. To confront strong competition in the Phone category, we need to drive customer purchasing experience through OEM, leveraging JMA program investments. We must communicate the value of a Windows Phone through RSP advocacy, in store merchandising and online experience.
Key Responsibilities/Accountabilities
The Windows Phones Retail Channel Manager has direct responsibility and accountability for executing Mobile Operator & Managed Retail marketing plans and programs in support of BG direction. Support account collaboration, execution, and integration between category management, sales, and internal support teams (visual merch, field merch & training) to drive retail programs and execution around in-store presence, training, promotions, demo and events. Monitor business results to influence business and marketing decisions.
Key responsibilities for the Retail Windows Phones Channel Manager include:
- Engage together with OC team in designing JMA program for the region
- Design training strategy and execution across channels (Retail / Telco)
- Drive RSP (Retail and Telco) engagement programs
- Drive landing of promotional activities (OEM/Telco offers)
- Manage the relationship with Regional Phones BG to maximize opportunities through collaboration and planning
- Provide in depth business analysis on the regional Windows Phones retail market
- Work with Retail Services teams to land the retail channel component of a comprehensive channel marketing strategy that encompasses the People, Place, Demo and Online elements
- Own channel KPI for Windows Phones
- Drive development around retailer pitch decks and presentations for tradeshows, events and account tours
- Partner with Global Account Managers to drive programs and marketing activities across our top European Retail partners
- Support Local team in setting strategy and direction around account presentations and meetings
Key Interfaces/ Relationships
- Corporate, Regional and Subsidiary Windows Phones Business Group Leads
- Regional and Subsidiary CCG and OC Director
- Subsidiary marketing personnel
- Corporate, regional and subsidiary Retail Services teams
- RSM Country Leads and Key Account Managers
Key Measures of Success
Key measures of success are tired directly to the Windows Phones scorecard.
- Windows Phones units / Live ID activations
- Windows Phones revenue
- % RSP completed Windows Phone Expert Silver program
- % RSP engaged in Windows Phone VIP site
- RSP recommendation rate
- Trainer Demo skills index
- RSP communication index
Key Competencies/Knowledge
- Visionary leader with strong conviction able to lead a team and keep them focused even when dealing with ambiguity
- Leader who has well developed competencies in developing retail strategies that drive customers to Windows products at retail.
- Strong understanding and relevant marketing experience in the mobile channel or mobile technology fields
- Broad skill set encompassing excellent marketing & relationship management capabilities, with proven ability to collaborate well with cross functional groups and virtual teams to achieve specific objectives
- Demonstrated ability to develop innovative channel marketing strategies that will drive core metrics at retail
- Experience leading diverse v-teams spanning both corporate and field teams to drive win-win decisions against aggressive timelines
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills
- Maturity in the following competencies: cross-group collaboration, dealing with ambiguity, Business and Strategy Leadership, Integrated Marketing Planning, and Customer Insight (as it relates to and through partners)
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Solid understanding of the Microsoft channel sales model
- Great attitude and a passion for driving results and seeing projects through to completion
Experiences Required
- Significant experience working in consumer, retail and/ or Telco Marketing BA and/or MBA is preferred
- Ideal candidate will have prior consumer marketing experience, ideally of consumer electronics products such as Phones and PC HW.
- Must have lead v-teams or project teams in the past
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer and supports workforce diversity
Microsoft?s privacy statement can be viewed on the following web page: http://privacy.microsoft.com/en-gb/default.mspx
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George Zimmerman's brother spoke out for the first time Thursday night, defending his brother's actions in the killing of unarmed Florida teen Trayvon Martin and saying that medical records will back his account of the shooting. NBC's Ron Allen reports.
By msnbc.com staff and news services
SANFORD, Florida -- The mayor of the city where Trayvon Martin was killed says he overruled police and prosecutors who opposed the release of tapes of 911 calls, telling them: ?We're not here to hide anything.?
Jeff Triplett, who is a senior vice president at United Legacy Bank and part-time mayor of Sanford, said he took the decision after Martin?s family asked for the release of recordings of a call that shooter George Zimmerman made to police and 911 calls from neighbors who heard the confrontation.
Police, prosecutors and the city attorney opposed releasing the calls because of the ongoing investigation, Triplett told Reuters.
?Everyone was saying to me, no, no, no, don't turn them over," he said. "I just continually asked, 'Why wouldn't we do this?'"
"I made that call to try to settle everything down a little bit, to let the family hear what transpired. We were being accused of a lot of things, or the police department was, so we can take the step to say, 'We're not here to hide anything,'" Triplett added.
World is 'watching' Triplett was governs a population of about 54,000, 30 percent of whom are black and have long complained bitterly about police mistreatment.
"I ran for office to make a better Sanford. And this comes on your plate, and it's just amazing," 43-year-old Triplett told Reuters in an interview.
"The decisions I'm trying to make, I could be not only held accountable for them from the city side but from the nation and the world that's watching right now," he added.
Spike Lee apologizes to Florida couple, agrees to pay for retweeting their address
Martin's death?has drawn international attention, spurred protests in American cities and prompted a federal review.
George Zimmerman's brother said late on Thursday that medical records will prove that his brother was attacked and his nose was broken by Trayvon Martin before he fatally shot the teen.
Robert Zimmerman Jr. told CNN's Piers Morgan: "We're confident the medical records are going to explain all of George's medical history," he said.??
Controversy surrounding the case deepened Thursday when surveillance video footage of George Zimmerman being led from a police car shortly after he fatally shot Martin appeared not to show any obvious signs of injuries or bloodstains.
The footage, obtained by ABC News, shows a handcuffed Zimmerman getting out of the police car unaided and walking into the police station.
In the video, there are no readily visible signs of injuries to Zimmerman's head or blood on his clothes. However,?he is wearing a red jacket, which could obscure blood stains. Also, at one point, an officer pauses to look at the back of Zimmerman's head, which he claims was injured by Martin.
Triplett has had a mixed reaction: he has been booed off a stage, defended by black community leaders, and lectured on racial justice by civil rights activists.
He described how, on March 16, he invited Martin's family and lawyers to his office at City Hall to listen to the 911 calls prior to the public release. Natalie Jackson, an Orlando civil rights lawyer, was also present.
Martin's mother weeps Triplett played the calls on his office computer. Someone was heard crying for help. Martin's mother wept and ran from the room, convinced it was her son, Jackson said. Everyone was moved to tears.
"It was very emotional," Triplett recalled. "Obviously when you hear something like that, there couldn't be anything worse for a family member or a parent ... and to hear your own son, what transpired at the last second."
Police video shows George Zimmerman shortly after Trayvon Martin shooting
Not everyone approves of Triplett's actions. Sanford City Commissioner Patty Mahany said she thought he meant well, but that he had drawn more attention to the case and the calls could influence jurors in any trial.
"I think it stirred up a lot of anger in very well-meaning people who still don't have the whole story," Mahany said.
Meanwhile, a college newspaper has apologized for publishing a cartoon about the Martin case after it received complaints, according to a report in the LA Times.
The editorial board of the University of Texas at Austin's Daily Texan said its decision to publish the cartoon ?showed a failure in judgment on the part of the editorial board?, adding that the cartoonist responsible, Stephanie Eisner, had left the paper.
Reuters and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
Lindsay Lohan smiles during a progress report on her probation for theft charges at Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday, March 29, 2012. A judge ended Lindsay Lohan's supervised probation on Thursday, giving the actress her freedom after nearly two years of constant court hearings and threats of jail. Lohan thanked Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner for her patience and let out a sigh of relief as she exited the courtroom after the brief hearing. (AP Photo/Joe Klamar, Pool)
Lindsay Lohan smiles during a progress report on her probation for theft charges at Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday, March 29, 2012. A judge ended Lindsay Lohan's supervised probation on Thursday, giving the actress her freedom after nearly two years of constant court hearings and threats of jail. Lohan thanked Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner for her patience and let out a sigh of relief as she exited the courtroom after the brief hearing. (AP Photo/Joe Klamar, Pool)
Lindsay Lohan arrives for a progress report on her probation for theft charges at Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday, March 29, 2012. Lohan will update a judge on her progress on strict probation requirements that have had her doing cleanup duty at the county morgue and attending regular psychotherapy sessions since late last year. Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner has said she will end Lohan's probation on a 2007 drunken driving case on Thursday if she completes the requirements. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Lindsay Lohan smiles in court during a progress report on her probation for theft charges at Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday, March 29, 2012. Lohan will update a judge on her progress on strict probation requirements that have had her doing cleanup duty at the county morgue and attending regular psychotherapy sessions since late last year. Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner has said she will end Lohan's probation on a 2007 drunken driving case on Thursday if she completes the requirements. (AP Photo/Joe Klamar, Pool)
Lindsay Lohan leaves after a progress report on her probation for heft charges at Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday, March 29, 2012. A judge ended Lindsay Lohan's supervised probation on Thursday, giving the actress her freedom after nearly two years of constant court hearings and threats of jail. Lohan thanked Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner for her patience and let out a sigh of relief as she exited the courtroom after the brief hearing. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Lindsay Lohan, right, embraces her attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley after a progress report on her probation for theft charges at Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday, March 29, 2012. A judge ended Lindsay Lohan's supervised probation on Thursday, giving the actress her freedom after nearly two years of constant court hearings and threats of jail. Lohan thanked Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner for her patience and let out a sigh of relief as she exited the courtroom after the brief hearing. (AP Photo/Joe Klamar, Pool)
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Lindsay Lohan's days as a criminal defendant could be over ? if she can behave herself.
A judge on Thursday ended the long-running probation of the problem-prone actress in a 2007 drunken driving case after a string of violations, jail sentences and rehab stints.
The 25-year-old actress will remain on informal probation for taking a necklace without permission last year, but will no longer have a probation officer or face travel restrictions and weekly shifts cleaning up at the morgue.
Lohan, wearing a powder blue suit and black blouse, let out a sigh of relief as she left Judge Stephanie Sautner's courtroom, possibly for the last time.
"I just want to say thank you for being fair," Lohan told the judge. "It's really opened a lot of doors for me."
The judge said she wasn't going to lecture the actress, but gave her some parting advice.
"You need to live your life in a more mature way, stop the nightclubbing and focus on your work," Sautner said.
She reminded Lohan that she will remain on informal probation until May 2014 in the necklace case and could face up to 245 days in jail if she gets into trouble again.
Still, the end of probation left Lohan looking relieved. She hugged her attorney, Shawn Holley, before leaving the courtroom, and was beaming by the time she walked past the rows of cameras waiting for her outside the courthouse near Los Angeles International Airport.
Sautner's regimen of morgue duty, therapy and monthly court dates helped Lohan weather the drunken driving case. The judge opened the hearing by calling the case "endless."
Lohan is now free to focus on her career for the first time since May 2010, when she missed a court appearance and was later jailed for failing to complete the terms of her sentence.
The "Mean Girls" star has struggled with the case and her career since the two drunken driving arrests in 2007.
She had small appearances in films and did some modeling but came nowhere near her heyday as the star of Disney films and movies aimed at teens and young adults.
Her career is already showing signs of a comeback. She is due to guest star on an upcoming episode of "Glee," recently hosted a highly rated but criticized episode of "Saturday Night Live," and is set to star as Elizabeth Taylor in a television movie.
"Lindsay is already talking about her next few projects," her spokesman Steve Honig wrote in a statement after the hearing. "She is ready to start the next chapter in her life and get back to work and doing what she loves to do ? making movies."
Lohan's tortured four-and-a-half-year effort to complete probation is not unprecedented. Actress Michelle Rodriguez took more than five years to resolve her drunken driving case, which featured many of the same elements as the Lohan saga ? missed deadlines and jail sentences.
Other celebrities resolved their DUI cases much faster. Fellow female celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie and Khloe Kardashian were all sentenced to jail and faced multiple court hearings because they didn't properly comply with orders from a judge, but their cases have long since ended.
Lohan might still have to return to a courthouse to resolve civil issues.
Two weeks ago, a nightclub manager in Hollywood accused her of grazing him with her Porsche. The actress denied the accusation and no charges have been filed. But the matter could end up in a civil court, where Lohan is already being sued by two other people for auto-related incidents.
Three men who were in a car that Lohan commandeered and used during a chase along Pacific Coast Highway are suing her and the case is scheduled for trial later this year. The incident led to her second drunken driving arrest in 2007.
Lohan is also being sued by a woman who claims she was struck by the star's car while walking in West Hollywood, and by a former Betty Ford worker who was involved in an altercation with the actress during her three-month stay at the facility in late 2010.
___
Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP
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Today we?re joined of the Our Social Times blog by Barry Furby who is Live Blogging at our ?The Social Customer? Conference at Prospero House. The event has a fantastic line up of speakers offering invaluable insights into the future of customer service and social media marketing. It will also highlight innovative customer engagement and social CRM strategies and techniques.
Barry be adding notes into the article below throughout the day? and follow the #SCRM12 hashtag for tweets!
The Rise of the Social Customer Guy Stephens ? Technology Consultant, CapGemini
The rise of the Social Business, its a approach and culture that needs to be adopted, The Cluetrain Manifesto is a must read book if you?re going to attempt it. Guy Stephens explains how social media has been adopted by consumers and how this is changing their relationship with companies. Citing examples of how businesses are changing and adapting their internal structures and processes to enhance their services and meet customer expectations. Making your business Customer Centric is not about technology, but about a cultural shift in the business, this culture and approach will lead you to implement Social technology, but it must follow the shift?
Nice point: ?Before you make these changes for Social Business, ignore the technology, look at objectives for the business first? #scrm12
We?d make a huge step forward if we apply the Conversation Prism to Customer Service rather than just marketing #scrm12
How Marketing & Customer Service Can Work Together Martin Hill-Wilson, Director, Brainfood Consulting
Businesses have a huge disconnect between departments, we still operate in silo?s despite working so hard (well at least talking so hard) for so long? We can only get get over this when we finally work as a business, together, with a single agenda. Are we finally over the bad old days of over promising and under servicing customers? When Marketing and Customer Service fail in this way, the value of customer engagement is lost. Why do we manage these two closely aligned activities separately? What does effective collaboration look like? And, can it really happen? Customer Centric might even allow the business to empower its customer to become a voice in the customer service department ? Consumer Managed Q&A forums?
Sky take 50-75million calls from it?s customers ? Its not hard to see the value of reducing the volume with Social #scrm12
Smart businesses map the customer journey, look at potential ?Social? touch points & develop a common single agenda #scrm12
Panel Discussion: Who Should ?Own? Social? Moderator ? Neville Hobson (Communications Consultant), Katy Howell (Managing Director, Immediate Future), Nick Sharples (Corporate Communications Consultant), Martin Hill-Wilson (Brainfood Consulting), Aaron Stewart (Product Marketing Manager, KANA Software) Moderated by Neville, the discussion floats around the topic of who owns Social. No single person in a business, or no single department should own Social, it should be a communication and engagement channel throughout the company. The higher you are in business the more you experience disconnect, a CEO may provide guidance of strategy, but every customer touchpoint can be empowered to use Social. In most organisations, Marketing has led the way in social media adoption and usage. Some would say, though, that ?social? is more attuned to the goals of Customer Services ? in which a focus on generating trust and delivering value is not polluted by a requirement to generate leads. I think the answer to the discussion results similar to a comment Neville experienced on his blog, We?re asking the wrong question! But there should be a department that take lead to pass things through the companies eco-system ? is this the Social Media command centre?
Social media needs someone to ?Lead? it not ?Own? it within an organisation says @nicksharples1 #scrm12 #custserv
Customers don?t own ur social media they inform it. Do you know ur customer journey via @katyhowell #scrm12
Insight is great, but it?s useless unless it is actionable, the business still needs the attitude & culture to make things happen #scrm12
Control never really there, a construct that orgs lulled their customers/themselves into believing. Customers finally waking up! #scrm12
Everything Everywhere Case Study: Leveraging Social Customer Service to increase Customer Loyalty Ben Kay ? Head of Digital Strategy and Adoption, Everything Everywhere
A practical case study about the work of TMobile/Orange. Customers made 1.33Bn Calls, 5.5Bn Texts and used 326Bn Kilobytes of Data, they use the data services rather than a call even to ask about Customer Service problems. Listen, Listen, Listen and keep Listening. Everything Everywhere wanted to find out about the brand conversation ? who, why, where. Then look at how to we manage this? Ben has an interesting and rather conflicting statement to bust the myth of reducing calls ? he says when you have 27 million customers the phone will always ring, maybe we can marginally shift this. We enjoyed a rather honest and critical look at how and why Everything Everywhere participate in Social.
How do customers seek service? 77% search, 71% go to company site, 48% read reviews, 13% use social networks (Mintel) @Benjamin_Kay #scrm12
Some Orange/TMobile stats: Customers made 1.33Bn Calls, 5.5Bn Texts and used 326Bn Kilobytes of Data #SCRM12 << All about the data?!
Panel Discussion: Measuring the Value and Effectiveness of Customer Communities Moderator ? Luke Brynley-Jones (Our Social Times), Bian Salins (Head of Social Media Innovation, BT Customer Service), Vincent Boon (Community Manager, GiffGaff/Telefonica), Guy Stephens (Cap Gemini)
Value and Effectiveness is one of those metrics that is hard to quantify. We look at cost reduction, renewals (sales), sentiment, net promoter scores etc. Customers are increasingly being asked to resolve their problems through interaction in communities, but do these really work? How can companies measure the effectiveness of their customer communities and what techniques can be used to ensure that knowledge is effectively shared and stored, that problems are resolved and that customer satisfaction levels are maintained? GiffGaff have achieved 85% of support successfully by use of Social and Web support. Again, clarification that Customer Services starts at Google? Your customer know so much about your products, more than you might yourself as a business. Bian almost wins quote of the day with ?I?ve leant more from customers than anyone In the business?.
Giffgaff originally started in social to reduce customer service costs. It has since evolved into a way of living! #scrm12
Frustrated community customers can end up being your brand ambassadors by getting the answers they need and being satisfied #scrm12
#scrm12 ?I?ve leant more from customers than anyone In the business?. Great quote from Bian Salins
The Future of Social Customer Frank Eliason ? VP Social Media, Citi
We?re joined by Frank via Webinar (phew, the internet worked!), he?s the voice behind @ComcastCares he successfully demonstrated that social media could enable a large corporation to build genuine relationships with their customers. At Citi he says he is focused on ?building a lifetime of trust? between the bank and its customers. In this live video presentation Frank offers his insights into how large organisations should approach social customer engagement. In his whitty manner Frank talks us through the traditional process of customer complaints, it?s tough business. Social Media allows consumers to enthusiastically complain in a public domain, we?re connecting with frustration in a public environment so it has become a priority we need to tackle. Business want Social Service, Consumers want the product to work. For 20 years call centers have slowly become huge cost centers, and therefore sales centres ? consumer do not want to be sold to in this environment, but it happens ? these are key things to think about in Social Service. Social Media brings out Passion, so driving change in a brand that witnesses bad sentiment online can quickly turn it round and those same people that are passionate will continue to show their now positive passion. Start using a smart social listening program to drive change in your business and what you?ll find that you?ll dramatically reduce the need for Customer Service across the business regardless of if you participate in Social ? look at Apple.
Everything about the call centre is about getting you off the phone via @frankeliason #scrm12
?CE (Customer experience) + P (Passion) = Social Media Success? > Formula by @askciti #SCRM12
Business want Social Service, Consumers want the product to work #SCRM12
British Gas Case Study: Implementing a Cohesive Strategy for Customer Engagement Lloyd Salmons, Managing Director, Outside Line and Laura Price ? Social Media Manager, British Gas
In this co-presented session British Gas and agency, Outside Line, explain how they employ social media to generate conversation and social currency around their brand. They demonstrate how they brought together different platforms and teams to create one cohesive strategy, how they have tackled internal and external challenges, and how they use social media to try to mitigate negative sentiment, so prominent in the energy industry. The challenge was to create a eco-system of positive sentiment and perception around the brand, so that the customer journey through to support was one that was reinforced with positive messages about the brand. This calls back to the message from earlier talks where we discussed the customer journey starting more than often in Search, the first steps in this journey are just as important as the interactions later in the process whether they?re call center of socially enabled. British Gas have quantified each view of support YouTube videos to an ?80 saving (call time, home visits, parts). There is a huge process of learning to interact with customer via different means of technology.
Half of British gas mentions every day are #custserv issues. #scrm12
British Gas have quantified each view of support channel on YouTube videos to an ?80 saving (call time, home visits, parts etc) #SCRM12
Integrating Social Media into Traditional Customer Services Carolyn Blunt ? People Development Consultant, Real Results
So how did we get here? Hear Carolyn Blunt explains how customer services has been organised, trained and managed for the past 10 years and how social media is starting to impact on it. She explores what this shift means and what can be done to stay ahead of the curve, to maintain and improve the customer experience and to keep staff working confidently and efficiently. The shift in Social Contact Centers represents a huge cultural change for the providers to the industry, they?re fighting for ownership of a platform and technology with the marketing folks. Its becoming a case of be pro-active or die. Goldern Rules: 1) Consistence across channels (Social and Calls) 2) Never Argue with customers 3) Avoid the Chardonnay Tweeters. Creating a sub-team for the Social task force is a great idea, look at Twitter / Facebook but also we?re seeing the rise of the forums.
Carolyn Blunt is gen X and still wants to phone. Give your customer choice in how they want to converse with you #scrm12
Three responses to social customer, passive, pounce or proactive. Latter is best says @CarolynBlunt #scrm12
Implementing Multi-Channel Social Customer Services Richard McCrossan (Strategic Business Director , Genesys)
Richard is a huge advocate of Customer Service, ultimately we need to give our customers options. The do not necessarily want to develop a relationship with your brand, they want a good product and they want to quickly resolve any problems in a quick and efficient manner. Customer Service isnt a huge factor in Customer Loyalty, but it?s a major factor in Customer Dis-Loyalty. When we have identified a problem we need to leverage customer service tools, identify the relationship you have with that consumer, deal with the issue there or take it offline, then close the loop.
Being able to empower customer service to move between social and phone can be very powerful #scrm12
Instant messaging or ?Live Chat? customer satisfaction ratings much higher than traditional mediums such as the telephone #scrm12
Customers don?t want a relationship with an organisation, they want the benefits of it via @dossan #scrm12
Panel Discussion: Does Social Customer Service Improve the User Experience? Moderator ? Maria McCann (Head of Customer Services, Spotify), Dominic Sparkes (Managing Director, Tempero), Amanda Brown (PR Manager, First Direct), David Hughes (Director of User Experience Expedia Affiliate Network), Charlotte Garfield (ACCA).
Nicely put together wrap up of the day. If we took a step back to no Social, would the world be a better place. Consensus on the panel is that we?re enjoying the changing market, brands enjoy the advocacy gained through social and as volumes grow for major brand divertative measures such as social media are ultimately making things possible. Predictions: Sentiment aware websites, faster product development, Mobile Customer Service.
@domsparkes ?Social media can make customer service unfair?watch what u put on trip advisor if you are still in the hotel?? #scrm12
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In the wish words of our ACME friends, Thats all folks?
If the home you are buying has been foreclosed on, it?s probably best to assume that it might need some repairs. If you decide to buy one of these bargains, be sure to get a thorough inspection done before purchasing it. Most foreclosed homes will need new HVAC systems, and may have pests.
If a home is in need of many repairs and updates, it is likely to be sold at a greatly reduced price. This enables you to pay less initially, while letting you decide how best to upgrade your new home. You will be able to design the home you have always dreamed of and significantly enhance the value of your property. So try to focus on what the house could be, or its potential, as opposed to looking at the negatives involved with its current state. The home of your dreams may be concealed behind that ugly exterior.
Real estate agents who make an effort to remember clients will be rewarded when those clients need to remember a real estate agent. They will be reminded of how you made their home buying experience a great one. Kindly remind them that you make your income via referrals and that you would feel honored if they spread your name to friends.
Come up with the money for your minimum mortgage down payment. Otherwise you may have to end up paying PMI, which is private mortgage insurance. That will add more money you need to pay every month to prove to the bank you can pay your mortgage.
Make a list of questions you want to ask, and take it with you when you interview real estate agents. Make sure they?re familiar with the neighborhoods you?re interested in, and ask about how many homes sales they were involved in. They should answer every question professionally.
If you are looking to purchase some of or all of a building in order to open a business, make sure it is in a good neighborhood. You will not be able to establish a large clientele if your business is situated in a rough neighborhood. Real estate agents will be able to advise you as to the best places to open a business.
If you apply the suggestions you?ve read in this article, purchasing real estate will be much less stressful. If you have the knowledge, you are halfway there.
Thank you for visiting this website dedicated to Louisville Ky real estate and checking out our articles and viewing all of the available homes for sale in this community. For a more complete collection of blog posts as well as weekly analysis of local market trends, please feel free to visit our Crescent Hill homes for sale website or for a more specific real estate search, please visit http://livinginindianhills.com/under-400k/
Annual cost of autism has more than tripled - $126 billion US and 34 billion in the UK Public release date: 28-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jane E. Rubinstein jrubinstein@rubenstein.com 212-843-8287 Autism Speaks
Lifetime care of individuals with autism highest for those with intellectual disability $2.3 million US and 1.5 million UK
New York, N.Y. Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today announced preliminary results of new research that estimates autism costs society a staggering $126 billion per year (U.S.) a number that has more than tripled since 2006, and annually in the U.K. has reached more than 34 billion (equivalent to $54 billion U.S.). The costs of providing care for each person with autism affected by intellectual disability through his or her lifespan are $2.3 million in the U.S. and 1.5 million ($2.4 million) in the U.K. The lifetime costs of caring for individuals who are not impacted by intellectual disability are $1.4 million in the U.S. and 917,000 in the U.K. (equivalent to $1.46 million). The Autism Speaks-funded research, conducted by researchers Martin Knapp, Ph.D., of the London School of Economics, and David Mandell, Sc.D., of the University of Pennsylvania, will be presented at the international conference "Investing in our Future: The Economic Costs of Autism," hosted by Goldman Sachs in collaboration with the Child Development Centre and Autism Speaks, on March 31 in Hong Kong.
Drs. Knapp and Mandell compiled information from recent studies of autism costs from multiple sources to calculate the current cost of autism associated with the current CDC-reported prevalence that 1:110 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The cost of autism continues to grow with the rise in prevalence. While the latest prevalence estimates in the U.S. and U.K. are comparable, the primary difference in total costs of autism in the U.S. and U.K. are due to differences in total country population (five times larger in the U.S. than the U.K.). The research team found that the cost of autism in the U.S. alone is greater than the entire Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 139 countries around the world.
Bob Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks, said, "Autism is a global public health crisis. The costs are staggering and will continue to rise as prevalence continues to increase. We know that early diagnosis and treatment are critical, so it is imperative that the U.S. and governments around the world step up their commitment to helping people living with autism today. The investment we make now is essential to reducing the long-term costs of autism."
This research found that intellectual disability plays a major role in the cost of autism to individuals, families, and society as a whole. The costs of autism per year are nearly twice as high on average for children and adults with intellectual disability than for children and adults without intellectual disability, $2.3 million in the U.S. and 1.5 million in the U.K. ($2.4 million) for those individuals who are impacted by intellectual disability compared with more than $1.4 million in the U.S. and 917,000 ($1.46 million) in the U.K. for those who do not have intellectual disability.
A number of factors were considered by the researchers that contributed to the cost differential between U.S. and U.K. lifetime and total costs. The education and healthcare systems in the two countries offer different responses to the needs of people with autism and their families. Access to empirical data regarding healthcare and education costs differed between the two countries. It is also currently estimated that 45 percent of individuals with ASD in the U.S. and 55 percent of individuals with ASD in the U.K. have intellectual disabilities, defined as an IQ of 70 or less. Experts consistently point to early interventions as key to increasing language and IQ scores, and reducing life span costs.
Total costs to the U.S. were also based on adult prevalence of one-half of one percent, lower than currently estimated 1:110 prevalence of autism in children, derived from past CDC studies. The researchers point to adult prevalence as an area for additional study in the U.S.
The research also found that non-medical costs account for the greatest proportion of expenses. While direct medical costs, such as outpatient care, home care, and pharmacy, contribute significantly to overall expenses, non-medical costs, including intervention services and special education, child daycare, and especially residential placements and care for adults who age out of school and can no longer live at home with parents account for the largest proportion of autism costs.
"The burden on families affected by autism is enormous," continued Autism Speaks President Mark Roithmayr. "The extraordinary cost further exacerbates that burden. The time and effort involved in coordinating the care and treatment plan across a large number of providers has reduced the ability of many families to earn a living. Too many families are still denied insurance coverage for essential treatments and services, and the economics add to overall emotional burden on families."
Building on this preliminary research, Autism Speaks recently provided additional funding to Drs. Knapp and Mandell to support an additional year of study to examine how autism therapies reduce lifetime costs associated with autism. Their investigation will focus on both intensive preschool behavioral interventions and vocational interventions that support an individual's independence during the transition to adulthood. Calculations will take into account costs related to healthcare, education, caregiving, housing, and employment.
As confirmed by this study, the majority of costs related to autism are incurred during adulthood, principally due to the cost of residential care as well as loss of productivity, underemployment and unemployment among adults with autism. Services for adults are both lacking and expensive.
In 2007, Michael L. Ganz, Ph.D. of the Harvard School of Public Health published research in the journal Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine which estimated that autism cost the United States more than $35 billion per year, and that the incremental cost of caring for an individual with autism over his or her lifetime due to their special needs was more than $3 million. Despite growing prevalence, autism currently receives less than five percent of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases and disorders.
Dr. Mandell added, "We are paying for the costs of inaction and the costs of 'inappropriate action.' Social exclusion of individuals with autism and intellectual disability, and exclusion of higher-functioning individuals from employment opportunities are increasing the burden not only on these individuals and their families, but on society as a whole."
Dr. Mandell and his colleagues recently published findings in Pediatrics that mothers of children with ASD are less likely to work, work fewer hours per week and earn substantially less. Typically the primary caregiver, mothers are called upon to serve as their child's case manager and advocate, and on average, earn 56 percent less than mothers of children with no health limitations. They earn 35 percent less than mothers of children with another health limitation. They are 6 percent less likely to be employed, and they work an average of seven hours less per week.
Dr. Knapp, Professor of Social Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science and a preeminent expert on health economics explained that the economic burden of autism varies widely across different parts of society from the individuals with ASD, their families, the communities they live in, businesses in those communities, to the government agencies which provide healthcare, education, welfare benefits, social care, and housing. "There is an immediate need for better coordination across public agencies and levels of government from local to national in the way that society structures its service delivery system; too often responses to the needs of individuals and families are piecemeal and less helpful than they could be," he concluded.
###
This research was wholly funded by Autism Speaks. The World Health Organization (WHO), through its partnership with Autism Speaks, is serving in an advisory capacity and providing technical support for the cost of autism analysis.
About Autism
Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders autism spectrum disorders caused by a combination of genes and environmental influences. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by social and behavioral challenges, as well as repetitive behaviors. An estimated 1 in 110 children in the U.S. is on the autism spectrum a 600 percent increase in the past two decades that is only partly explained by improved diagnosis.
About Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization. It is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Mr. Wright is the former vice chairman of General Electric and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal. Since its inception, Autism Speaks has committed over $173 million to research and developing innovative resources for families. Each year Walk Now for Autism Speaks events are held in more than 95 cities across North America. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org.
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Annual cost of autism has more than tripled - $126 billion US and 34 billion in the UK Public release date: 28-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jane E. Rubinstein jrubinstein@rubenstein.com 212-843-8287 Autism Speaks
Lifetime care of individuals with autism highest for those with intellectual disability $2.3 million US and 1.5 million UK
New York, N.Y. Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today announced preliminary results of new research that estimates autism costs society a staggering $126 billion per year (U.S.) a number that has more than tripled since 2006, and annually in the U.K. has reached more than 34 billion (equivalent to $54 billion U.S.). The costs of providing care for each person with autism affected by intellectual disability through his or her lifespan are $2.3 million in the U.S. and 1.5 million ($2.4 million) in the U.K. The lifetime costs of caring for individuals who are not impacted by intellectual disability are $1.4 million in the U.S. and 917,000 in the U.K. (equivalent to $1.46 million). The Autism Speaks-funded research, conducted by researchers Martin Knapp, Ph.D., of the London School of Economics, and David Mandell, Sc.D., of the University of Pennsylvania, will be presented at the international conference "Investing in our Future: The Economic Costs of Autism," hosted by Goldman Sachs in collaboration with the Child Development Centre and Autism Speaks, on March 31 in Hong Kong.
Drs. Knapp and Mandell compiled information from recent studies of autism costs from multiple sources to calculate the current cost of autism associated with the current CDC-reported prevalence that 1:110 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The cost of autism continues to grow with the rise in prevalence. While the latest prevalence estimates in the U.S. and U.K. are comparable, the primary difference in total costs of autism in the U.S. and U.K. are due to differences in total country population (five times larger in the U.S. than the U.K.). The research team found that the cost of autism in the U.S. alone is greater than the entire Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 139 countries around the world.
Bob Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks, said, "Autism is a global public health crisis. The costs are staggering and will continue to rise as prevalence continues to increase. We know that early diagnosis and treatment are critical, so it is imperative that the U.S. and governments around the world step up their commitment to helping people living with autism today. The investment we make now is essential to reducing the long-term costs of autism."
This research found that intellectual disability plays a major role in the cost of autism to individuals, families, and society as a whole. The costs of autism per year are nearly twice as high on average for children and adults with intellectual disability than for children and adults without intellectual disability, $2.3 million in the U.S. and 1.5 million in the U.K. ($2.4 million) for those individuals who are impacted by intellectual disability compared with more than $1.4 million in the U.S. and 917,000 ($1.46 million) in the U.K. for those who do not have intellectual disability.
A number of factors were considered by the researchers that contributed to the cost differential between U.S. and U.K. lifetime and total costs. The education and healthcare systems in the two countries offer different responses to the needs of people with autism and their families. Access to empirical data regarding healthcare and education costs differed between the two countries. It is also currently estimated that 45 percent of individuals with ASD in the U.S. and 55 percent of individuals with ASD in the U.K. have intellectual disabilities, defined as an IQ of 70 or less. Experts consistently point to early interventions as key to increasing language and IQ scores, and reducing life span costs.
Total costs to the U.S. were also based on adult prevalence of one-half of one percent, lower than currently estimated 1:110 prevalence of autism in children, derived from past CDC studies. The researchers point to adult prevalence as an area for additional study in the U.S.
The research also found that non-medical costs account for the greatest proportion of expenses. While direct medical costs, such as outpatient care, home care, and pharmacy, contribute significantly to overall expenses, non-medical costs, including intervention services and special education, child daycare, and especially residential placements and care for adults who age out of school and can no longer live at home with parents account for the largest proportion of autism costs.
"The burden on families affected by autism is enormous," continued Autism Speaks President Mark Roithmayr. "The extraordinary cost further exacerbates that burden. The time and effort involved in coordinating the care and treatment plan across a large number of providers has reduced the ability of many families to earn a living. Too many families are still denied insurance coverage for essential treatments and services, and the economics add to overall emotional burden on families."
Building on this preliminary research, Autism Speaks recently provided additional funding to Drs. Knapp and Mandell to support an additional year of study to examine how autism therapies reduce lifetime costs associated with autism. Their investigation will focus on both intensive preschool behavioral interventions and vocational interventions that support an individual's independence during the transition to adulthood. Calculations will take into account costs related to healthcare, education, caregiving, housing, and employment.
As confirmed by this study, the majority of costs related to autism are incurred during adulthood, principally due to the cost of residential care as well as loss of productivity, underemployment and unemployment among adults with autism. Services for adults are both lacking and expensive.
In 2007, Michael L. Ganz, Ph.D. of the Harvard School of Public Health published research in the journal Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine which estimated that autism cost the United States more than $35 billion per year, and that the incremental cost of caring for an individual with autism over his or her lifetime due to their special needs was more than $3 million. Despite growing prevalence, autism currently receives less than five percent of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases and disorders.
Dr. Mandell added, "We are paying for the costs of inaction and the costs of 'inappropriate action.' Social exclusion of individuals with autism and intellectual disability, and exclusion of higher-functioning individuals from employment opportunities are increasing the burden not only on these individuals and their families, but on society as a whole."
Dr. Mandell and his colleagues recently published findings in Pediatrics that mothers of children with ASD are less likely to work, work fewer hours per week and earn substantially less. Typically the primary caregiver, mothers are called upon to serve as their child's case manager and advocate, and on average, earn 56 percent less than mothers of children with no health limitations. They earn 35 percent less than mothers of children with another health limitation. They are 6 percent less likely to be employed, and they work an average of seven hours less per week.
Dr. Knapp, Professor of Social Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science and a preeminent expert on health economics explained that the economic burden of autism varies widely across different parts of society from the individuals with ASD, their families, the communities they live in, businesses in those communities, to the government agencies which provide healthcare, education, welfare benefits, social care, and housing. "There is an immediate need for better coordination across public agencies and levels of government from local to national in the way that society structures its service delivery system; too often responses to the needs of individuals and families are piecemeal and less helpful than they could be," he concluded.
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This research was wholly funded by Autism Speaks. The World Health Organization (WHO), through its partnership with Autism Speaks, is serving in an advisory capacity and providing technical support for the cost of autism analysis.
About Autism
Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders autism spectrum disorders caused by a combination of genes and environmental influences. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by social and behavioral challenges, as well as repetitive behaviors. An estimated 1 in 110 children in the U.S. is on the autism spectrum a 600 percent increase in the past two decades that is only partly explained by improved diagnosis.
About Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization. It is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Mr. Wright is the former vice chairman of General Electric and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal. Since its inception, Autism Speaks has committed over $173 million to research and developing innovative resources for families. Each year Walk Now for Autism Speaks events are held in more than 95 cities across North America. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org.
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Public release date: 28-Mar-2012
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