Thursday, January 30, 2020
Vodafone Case Essay Example for Free
Vodafone Case Essay The UK mobile telecommunications market is one of the most competitive in the world and, as a consequence, customer attrition or ’churn’ is high. In 2005, as part of a strategy to build on its market leadership, Vodafone UK began the quest for a competitor intelligence tool that would help its sales advisors reduce customer attrition and secure new sales. Vodafone wanted a service that would deliver timely, accurate information on the tariffs, deals and handsets being offered by its competitors to the employees that need it most the customer facing staff. After a rigorous analysis of competitor intelligence offerings from over a dozen providers, Vodafone UK selected CInergy’s Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢. The service delivers same day market tracking and analysis of key competitor information from other mobile operators, major retailers and mobile virtual network operators. Quarter by quarter reduction in churn Measurable improvements in conversion rates Integration with retention and sales strategy Easy deployment with minimal impact on IT/CRM systems Partnership approach to implementation and training The Challenge With thousands of tariff, handset and offer combinations available in the market, keeping contact centre advisors up to date can seem an impossible task. Vodafone UK recognised this challenge and identified that it required a competitor intelligence tool that would help it to retain existing contract customers, notably at time of contract renewal, and attract more new customers. The company had initially considered developing its own solution, but had soon found that this would have been excessively costly both in financial terms and in the amount of resource required and identified that this was not its core area of expertise. Vodafone UK also found that there was a dearth of competitor data that was comprehensive and accurate enough for advisors to rely on during high pressure customer negotiations. The company therefore sought a partner which understood the specific challenges of the mobile telecoms market and which could apply that expertise to the data it delivered. Business Objectives â€Å"This has been an excellent implementation for CInergy, and Vodafone’s innovation and dedication to the project has enabled it to achieve very good results from the CInergy AIâ„ ¢ system†. Brian Boroff, MD, CInergy International Vodafone UK’s brief was that it wanted to understand its competitive landscape more clearly, to enable it to respond swiftly and effectively to customer requests and to ensure that it had a clear picture of how its offers stacked up against the competition. Specifically, the company wanted this information to be available not just to the management and marketing functions, but directly to advisors in its contact centres who deal with customers day to day. The company also wanted a system that would not have major implications for its IT platforms and which could be integrated into the existing desktops used by contact centre advisors, complete with Vodafone corporate branding. Finally, Vodafone UK needed an exp ert in the field that could provide end to end support from designing the service, through to delivery, advisor training and rollout across the organisation. The Solution: CInergy AIâ„ ¢ CInergy had already developed its Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ (AIâ„ ¢) competitor intelligence platform for the mobile telecoms market at the time that Vodafone issued its RFP in 2005. By designing an appropriate interface and tailoring specific service modules to meet Vodafone’s needs, CInergy was able to meet the criteria detailed in the RFP and to deliver a fully working system in a very short timeframe. After a successful trial, the service was rolled out to the majority of Vodafone’s contact centre community around the UK during 2006. Key features of Vodafone UK’s implementation of CInergy’s AIâ„ ¢ include: Comprehensive tariff and promotion monitoring Handset / device tracking with up to date pricing from all major competitors On demand, side by side comparisons of different deals, tariffs and handset options Expert analysis and scripted points that enable Vodafone sales advisors to demonstrate ’why we’re better’ Fully branded interface to match Vodafone UK’s Intranet Reliable, accurate data analysed by teams with mobile telecoms knowledge A hosted, secure platform Delivering Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ Vodafone and CInergy worked closely together to ensure that Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ would deliver optimum benefits in terms of improved customer retention and sales. This partnership approach has enabled Vodafone to achieve a swift return on its investment. The company has found that its levels of churn have decreased as more sales advisors become familiar with the system and are able to integrate the CInergy AIâ„ ¢ functionality and information into their acquisition and retention processes. CInergy supported Vodafone in the development and delivery of induction training on Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ for all contact centre advisors with access to the system. Now that the system is in use, short refresher sessions delivered in the weekly advisor meetings ensure that all advisors are kept up to date as new features are introduced. Since CInergy AIâ„ ¢ was launched in 2006, CInergy has worked with Vodafone to implement two major upgrades to the system, as well as providing regular enhancements to the interfaces, functionality and database content based on feedback from the advisors who use CInergy AIâ„ ¢every day. â€Å"Since we’ve started using the system, it has contributed to a fall in our churn rates quarter by quarter, ensuring we remain highly competitive in the UK market†. John Coulstock, Senior Manager, Vodafone UK The Results As John Coulstock, a senior manager at Vodafone, explains, â€Å"We launched Accelerated Intelligence in Q3 2006 and it is currently in use by a large number of our contact centre advisors. Since we’ve started using the system, it has contributed to a fall in our churn rates quarter by quarter, ensuring we remain highly competitive in the UK market. We’ve found that the more our agents use the system, the more sales they are able to close. The CInergy AIâ„ ¢ application has become an integral part of our customer retention and sales strategy.†Vodafone has now renewed its contract with CInergy for an extended term. CInergy’s AIâ„ ¢ service has delivered a range of benefits to Vodafone including: A contribution to a reduction in contract churn since its launch in Q3 2006 Improvement in the rate of saves in consumer and enterprise customer bases Reduction in call handling time Increased ability to set deals in a market context leading to better acquisition performance Improvements in operational efficiency by eliminating onerous, manual data collection Improved reporting, trend prediction, forecasting and analysis Clear understanding of competitor offerings to improve key pricing messages in advertising, dealer negotiations and channel marketing CInergy AIâ„ ¢ Content Modules CInergys AIâ„ ¢ is a powerful platform which is modular to suit the needs of todays mobile operators: Tariff and price tracking Detailed handset and device information Channel specific deals and advertising Source: Vodafone KPIs, December 2007 CInergy’s Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ has contributed to a 18.6% reduction in churn since its launch in Q3 2006. As Brian Boroff, MD of CInergy concluded, â€Å"This has been an excellent implementation for CInergy, and Vodafone’s innovation and dedication to the project has enabled it to achieve very good results from the CInergy AIâ„ ¢ system.†Vodafone UK Contract Churn Within OneYear of CInegy Al Rollout About Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢ CInergy’s Accelerated Intelligenceâ„ ¢(AIâ„ ¢) puts competitive information into the hands of customer facing teams, enabling them to counter competitive offers and achieve higher retention and sales performance. The service enables service providers to significantly improve the number of sales they close in a single call, helping to drive down the cost of customer acquisition and retention as well as improving revenues. Accelerated Intelligence is proven in the UK mobile telecom space having worked with four of the UK’s main network operators, delivering an average incremental customer save rate of 1.59% and reduction in call handling time of 22 seconds. CInergy International was set up in 2003 to deliver customer acquisition and retention solutions to providers of mobile and fixed telecom, broadband and digital television services. â„ ¢ About Vodafone UK Vodafone UK has 18.4 million customers and is part of the worlds largest mobile community offering a wide range of voice and data communications. The company is committed to providing mobile solutions that allow both consumer and business customers to make the most of now. Vodafone customers can now use Internet on your Mobile to view and navigate web pages and their favourite sites such as YouTube, eBay and the BBC. In addition, Vodafone connects customers across the globe with roaming agreements worldwide. It provides 3G roaming in 29 countries and offers great roaming value with Vodafone Passport.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
The Federal Reserve System: Modern Fascism And Absolute Power Essay
Most Americans feel the United States of America is a beacon of democracy and raw capitalism, the leader of the â€Å"free†world. The founding fathers had every intention of turning the new world into a full fledged democracy, devoid of any monarchy or source of totalitarian power. The constitution itself demands that our government be â€Å"of, for and by the people†, and be divided into complex units of checks and balances, designed to thwart any potential power struggle by one specific branch. In essence, the constitution of the United States is a perfect blueprint for democracy in its purest form, with power and control in the hands of its citizens. Unfortunately, this is not the case today. By giving up the right to print its own currency in 1913, the US Government bequeathed its powers to a select few, who have owned and operated this country ever since. They are the true masters of US domestic and foreign policy. Just like a corporation issues shares of stock to function as a productive entity, a country has to issue currency in order to fund its operations. This currency is the lifeblood of a nation, creating wealth for its citizens by fostering economic development and providing public infrastructure and services. In a true democracy, the government is owned by the citizens and operated by representatives of the population as a whole, who control and more importantly regulate the issuance of this currency. This is a critical point to remember. Just like a public company [that issues too much stock] can be punished by the public markets for diluting its share structure, a nation’s currency can suffer the same effects through inflation if the government prints too much money relative to the value of the economy. This can be co... ...al well into the 21st century and beyond depends on it. Thanks to innovations like the Internet, the public’s ability to access information that was once kept hidden from view is now possible. This instills the hope that much like the Fellowship in LOTR was eventually able to thwart the efforts of Sauron, we as citizens of the United States can succeed in abolishing the Federal Reserve System and help restore this nation to the democratic vision of our Forefathers. http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/frseries/frseri.htm Delaware Corporation No. 0042817, https://sos-res.state.de.us/tin/GINameSearch.jsp http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/jfkeo/eo/11110.htm DiLorenzo, Thomas J. 1994. Economic Fascism, The Freeman DiLorenzo, Thomas J. 1994. Economic Fascism, The Freeman http://www.house.gov/paul/legis/106/hr1148.htm http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/
Monday, January 13, 2020
Automobile? The Main Source of Pollution? Essay
Innovation and creativity, these are the very benchmarks that pave the way in producing new technology that governs the very lives of our future. But the question is, is it doing more harm than good to society? To verify the nature and essence of this query, I will be inquiring and delving into the world of automobiles and motorcycles. On one hand, I balance the modern wonders that craft the very definitions of convenience and comfort. While on the other, I hold the unfathomable realities that draw the line between useful and harmful. Therefore, let it be stated that I have come to an understanding that both automobiles and motorcycles pose a substantial threat the world is constantly ignoring.            In probing this discussion, I will begin by first illustrating the statistics on ownership of automobiles and motorcycles made in the United States. Then, I shall be focusing on the comparison between the subjects and issues that society deals with regard to automobiles and motorcycles by citing some examples in Southeast Asia. Lastly, I will emphasize the known facts and matters that give impact on the current view of automobiles in the society.            To start with, it is acknowledged that present ownership of the automobiles is increasing day by day. According to the US Bureau of Transit Statistics for 2004 there are a total of 243,023,485 registered passenger vehicles in the U.S. of which 136,430,651 (56.13%) are classified as cars. While 91,845,327 (37.79%) are classified under 2 axles and 4 tire vehicles, presumably SUV’s and pick-up trucks. Yet another 6,161,028 (2.53%) are classified as vehicles with 2 axles and 6 tires and 2,010,335 (0.82%) are classified as trucks in combination. In addition to that, there are approximately 5,780,870 motorcycles in the U.S. in 2004, which accounts for 2.37% of all registered passenger vehicles. With the increasing number of automobiles yearly, there is a plan to see an effective way of reducing the emissions from cars through hybrids, diesel and other form of technology.            Recent studies show that automobile emissions are not as bad as motorcycles emissions. Usually, motorcycles are not the major form of transportations in developed countries. Astonishingly, the American Chemical Society reports that motorcycles collectively emit 16 times more hydrocarbons, three times more carbon monoxide and a â€Å"disproportionately high†amount of other air pollutants compared to passenger cars (Science Daily, 2008). The study, by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, has found both two- and four-cycle motorcycle engines emitted significantly more of these pollutants than automobile engines. Given this data, we can now see the ineffectiveness of motorcycles. Given the sitting capacity of a car compared to a motorcycle, a car is able to hold twice as much sitting capacity compared to motorcycles. In developing countries such as Indonesia, the number of motorcycles is overwhelming compared to the number of automobiles. Being born in Surabaya, Indonesia, I have witnessed some of the worst air pollution that I have ever encountered. It has been so bad to an extent that I can see dust on my front porch every ten minutes upon mopping it clean            Although, there have been seen steps taken to reduce the emissions in automobiles, regulations has been a bit late for motorcycles. This does not take into account the other subjects related to pollution such as air contamination, water contamination, soil contamination, and solid waste mishandling ( L. Gari, 475 – 488).Unlike automobile emissions that have been regulated only after 1970s, the motorcycle emissions have only been regulated only after 1999. This technological advancement has made motorcycles less harmful to the environment. Thus, future bikes may have emissions from new motorcycles at a same level of emissions as cars. For example, the 1000cc Suzuki V-Strom produced in 2002, equipped with a regulated catalyzer, oxygen sensor and fuel injection, complies with 2003 emissions limits and is very close to the 2006 ones (Motorcycle Emission, 2008). It is also said that they have reduced 60% of the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons emissions of new four-stroke bikes produced from the 1st April 2003 and reinforcing it on 1st January 2006. This will in turn apply a further 50% reduction compared to the 2003 limits. Two-stroke engines will see their emissions output reduce by 30% for carbon oxide and 70% for hydrocarbons. Hopefully, motorcycles will have low level of oxides of nitrogen and limits will remain the same for 2003 giving the time for the industry to achieve more drastic nitrogen oxide measures for 2006. With this at hand, Indonesia air pollution would be drastically reduced.            Automobiles and motorcycles affect our environment and push them into critical conditions. There are even unusual emissions that are produced in the atmosphere (Beychok, 29 – 36). Pollutants from automobiles are the major causes for green house effects and other environmental pollutions. Although Bangkok is praised with their three-wheeled vehicles whose name comes from the sputtering sound produced by their horribly polluting two-stroke engines, â€Å"tuk-tuks†look like beat-up golf carts with roofs and backseats and function as inner-city taxis (Hertsgaard, 1999). Unfortunately, â€Å"tuk-tuks†and motorbikes, in terms of mobility, are undercut by their abnormal tailpipe exhaust that burn a fuel that is part gasoline, part benzene. Benzene of course causes cancer and each flick of a driver’s wrist sends thick puffs of bluish-white smoke into the already soup like air (Hertsgaard, 1999). Though the presence of â€Å"tuk-tuks†created many jobs as a â€Å"tuk-tuk†driver for the people in Bangkok, it also cost them their health as prolong breathing of benzene causes cancer.            Nowadays, diesel cars are cleaner than the petrol cars. Modern technologies have been applied in order to reduce the level of emission from cars. For example, carbon dioxide emissions are directly proportional to fuel consumption, and as diesel cars use 30 to 40% less fuel and they emit 30 to 40% less carbon dioxide than petrol cars (Vasic and Weilenmann, 149 – 154).  On the other hand, natural gas and LPG cars are actually quite fuel inefficient, if otherwise cleaner burning, and so produce more CO2 than diesel. Diesel engines produce virtually no carbon monoxide.  Emissions of nitrous oxides can be effectively reduced in both petrol and diesel cars by use of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR).  EGR reduces the combustion temperature to below the point where nitrogen effectively burns. Hydrocarbon emissions are contained in petrol engine emissions much more than in diesel engine emissions.  Benzene is also present in the fumes which can be smelt when filling up with petrol at a service station; however this is not a problem with diesel.            Personally, I strongly feel that it is necessary for everyone to get a car since it has a viable use in the lives of ordinary men and women. Moreover, cars have been viewed as a twentieth-century technology (Hertsgaard, 1999). Since the invention of automobiles, more and more industries associated with it have begun to expand. This in turn provides enormous employment opportunities to the people. With that, countries such as Thailand, China and Bangkok have soon started to welcome foreign automobile industries to invest in order to boost their economic progress. One great example of this particular event is the success story of Thailand. Over the past two decades, Thailand’s per capita income in 1991 was U.S$ 1,570â€â€a stunning six fold increase over the 1971 figure of U.S$271 making Thailand an apparent economic success story (Hertsgaard, 1999). With a sudden massive economic growth in an automobile industry as have been seen, there comes a price that everyone has to pay.            In conclusion, not only automobile’s emissions is held scapegoat to many people around the world for global warming and the increase of greenhouse gases, certain factors such as the massive motorcycles emissions are also partly to blame. Both the automobile and motorcycles affect our environment and push them into critical conditions such as the green house effects and other environmental pollutions. Overall, I agree with Hertsgaard when he made a strong point that â€Å"proponents of the car like to point out, as the Mobil Corporation did in a 1995 advertisement in the New York Times, that the cars and skies in the United States are much cleaner now than they were a quarter of a century ago†(Hertsgaard, 1999). This statement he makes inspires the entire environmentalist out there that their efforts have not gone too waste. WORKS CITED ScienceDaily.Amounts of Air Pollutants. March 21, 2008  http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2006/01/060101155000.htm U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. â€Å"Automobile Emissions: An Overview.†August, 1994 1-5. 21 March, 2008 http://www.epa.gov/OMS/consumer/05-autos.pdf Beychok, Milton R. (January 1987). â€Å"A Database for Dioxin and Furan Emissions from Refuse Incineratorsâ€Å". Atmospheric Environment 21 (1): 29-36 Christi, â€Å"The Truth About Diesel Emissions†Fred’s Tdi Forum 21 March, 2008  http://www.stealthtdi.com/Emissions.html Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). â€Å"Estimated National Average Vehicle Emissions Rates per Vehicle by Vehicle Type using Reformulated Gasoline and Diesel.†U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) Nov. 29, 2007. 21 March, 2008 . Hertsgaard , Mark . Earth Odyssey: Around the World in Search of Our Environmental Future . New York: Broadway Books, 1999. Gari. â€Å"Arabic Treatises on Environmental Pollution up to the End of the Thirteenth Centuryâ€Å", Environment and History 8 (4), 2002, pp. 475-488 â€Å"Motorcycle Emissions – Bikes Go Greener.†British Motorcyclists Federation 30 Sep, 2004. 21 March, 2008 http://www.bmf.co.uk/pages/briefing_room_archive.php?fullstory=432 â€Å"Passenger Vehicles in the United States.†Wikipedia 27 February 2008 21 March, 2008 . Vasic, Ana -Marija and Martin Weilenmann. â€Å"Comparison of Real-World Emissions.†Environmental Science&Technology 402006 149-154. 21 March, 2008 . Self-evaluation            Upon starting this essay, I experienced several setbacks and challenges. It took me a total of 3 days of researching and 2 days to complete the essay. The first thing which I did in this essay was the search for good source information for this research. This was hard as I have to be able to find data which preferably have a range of 10 years. Secondly, I read the Top Ten Tips on the transition and brilliant beginnings and I really can see myself being a better writer with it. The last and final step was for me to put all the information down and start writing followed by proofreading. For this research only managed to do a single draft and I did not get the help of any body except the tools of Microsoft words such as its thesaurus and dictionary. I believe that my strong and insightful data on the emission outputs of automobiles and motorcycles are the strengths of my essay. In addition to that I believe that my essay is weak because of proofreading problems. One of the primary problems that I have with this essay was that I have to retype everything again due to a computer problem. The essay was supposed to be done on my lap top. However, it crashed and I am unable to backup my data causing me to lose come information that can help me with this essay. One thing that I would do next time is definitely to start earlier and have a visit to Dr Lankford office to ask him on his views on my current ideas for the essay. I would definitely rewrite this essay for the second time in hope to have at least a B+/- for this course as it depended on this essay. References Vehicle ratios since 1990 Year Motor vehicles Increase in vehicles % Growth  1990 189 2 +1.01  1991 188 -1 -0.52  1992 190 2 +1.06  1993 194 4 +2.10  1994 198 4 +2.06  1995 202 4 +2.02  1996 206 4 +1.98  1997 208 4 +1.94  1998 208 0 +/-0  1999 216 8 +3.84  2000 218 2 +0.92  2001 226 8 +3.66  2002 230 4 +1.76  2003 231 1 +0.43  All numbers in millions; SOURCE: US Department of Transportation  Estimated National Average Vehicle Emissions Rates per Vehicle by Vehicle Type using Reformulated Gasoline and Diesel (Grams per mile)    1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 RFG (assuming 100% RFG)              Light-duty vehicles              Exhaust HC 1.45 1.28 1.15 1.04 0.97 0.84 0.76 0.68 0.62 0.55 0.47 0.41 0.38 Nonexhaust HC 0.89 0.87 0.86 0.84 0.82 0.64 0.63 0.61 0.59 0.57 0.54 0.51 0.47 Total HC 2.34 2.15 2.01 1.88 1.78 1.48 1.39 1.29 1.21 1.12 1.02 0.921 0.852 Exhaust CO 22.78 20.84 19.43 18.25 17.21 15.36 14.68 13.88 13.17 12.49 11.44 9.81 9.29 Exhaust NOx 1.78 1.64 1.55 1.46 1.35 1.24 1.19 1.12 1.06 1.00 0.90 0.77 0.72 DIESEL              Light-duty vehicles              Exhaust HC 0.77 0.79 0.81 0.81 0.82 0.80 0.76 0.73 0.73 0.60 0.58 0.48 0.36 Exhaust CO 1.69 1.73 1.76 1.78 1.79 1.78 1.75 1.73 1.74 1.59 1.57 1.41 1.21 Exhaust NOx 1.89 1.89 1.88 1.86 1.85 1.81 1.72 1.62 1.54 1.43 1.32 1.11 0.85 KEY: CO = carbon monoxide; HC = hydrocarbon; NOx = nitrogen oxide; RFG = reformulated gasoline. SOURCE:U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory, personal communication, Nov. 29, 2007.
Sunday, January 5, 2020
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