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1. Dear Sir/Ma We are one of the leading financial instrument providers with offices all over Europe. We are major/Direct providers of SWIFT M

   Dear Sir/Ma

   We are one of the leading financial instrument providers with offices all over Europe. We are major/Direct providers of SWIFT MT103 CASH TRANSFER, Fresh Cut,lease BG, SBLC, POF, MTN on euro-clear, Loan and this financial instruments are specifically for lease/purchase, we do deliver on time and precision as Set forth in the agreement. You are at liberty to engage our leased/purchase facilities into trade programs, project financing, Credit line enhancement, Corporate Loans (Business Start-up Loans or Business Expansion Loans), Equipment Procurement Loans (Industrial Equipment, Air crafts, Ships, etc.) And many more, Our Terms and Conditions are reasonable.

   DESCRIPTION OF INSTRUMENTS:

   1. Instrument: Bank Guarantee (BG)/SBLC (Appendix A)

   2. Total Face Value: 10M MIN to 50B MAX USD or Euro

   3. Issuing Bank: HSBC, Deutsche Bank Frankfurt, UBS or any Top 25.

   4. Age: One Year, One Day

   5. Leasing Price: (5 +2 %) Purchase Price: (35 + 2%)`

   6. Delivery by SWIFT.

   7. Payment: MT103

   8. Hard Copy: Bonded Courier within 7 banking days.

   If you have need for Corporate loans, International project funding, etc. or if you have a client that requires funding for his project or business, We are also affiliated with lenders who specialize on funding against financial instruments, such as BG, SBLC, POF or MTN and SWIFT MT103 CASH TRANSFER, we fund 100% of the face value of the financial instrument. Inquiries from agents/ brokers/ intermediaries are also welcomed; do get back to us if you are interested in any of our services and for quality service, kindly contact us.

   Looking forward to hear from you.

   Regards,

   Mr. mike johnson

   Email: providentfinancialplc231@gmail.com

   Email: providentfinancialplc231@gmail.com

   Skype ID: providentfinancialplc231@hotmail.com

   Dear Sir/Ma

   We are one of the leading financial instrument providers with offices all over Europe. We are major/Direct providers of SWIFT MT103 CASH TRANSFER, Fresh Cut,lease BG, SBLC, POF, MTN on euro-clear, Loan and this financial instruments are specifically for lease/purchase, we do deliver on time and precision as Set forth in the agreement. You are at liberty to engage our leased/purchase facilities into trade programs, project financing, Credit line enhancement, Corporate Loans (Business Start-up Loans or Business Expansion Loans), Equipment Procurement Loans (Industrial Equipment, Air crafts, Ships, etc.) And many more, Our Terms and Conditions are reasonable.

   DESCRIPTION… more

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2. Mr. Ryan Shearwaters is a total scam.

   Mr. Ryan Shearwaters is a total scam.
   I'm a victim to him. Please beware NOT to Deal with him/her.

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3. Gorgeri Avtomat Lvacum

   Գորգերի ավտոմատացված լվացում, անվճար առաքում:
   Երաշխավորվում է գործվածքի որակի և գույների պահպանումը: Զանգահարեք 055 37 09 40
   1ք/մ 500 դրամ

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4. Ways in which employees and businesses can benefit from a recruitment agency that offers CA, CPA and Accountant Jobs in Sydney

   Today jobs related to CA, CPA and Accountants are in great demand. Considering this automatically the demand for CPA and CA recruitmentand Accountant job agencies in Sydney have also gone up. The staffs in these recruiting agencies are striving to bridge the gap amid contractors and job seekers for meeting one another. In fact, they help in facilitating employers in finding the most ideal candidate for filling their positions. Every leading CA and CPA recruitment agency in Sydney are equipped with expert recruiters having the necessary skills to communicate with the employees and the employers efficiently. The employment procedure definitely is convenient and easy as they can handle the major part of the paperwork.
   How businesses and employees can benefit from these recruiting agencies?
   By hiring the services of recruitment firms that offer CA, CPA and Accountant Jobs in Sydney both businesses and employees can benefit in ways untold namely,
   • Businesses- the staffs in these agencies are liable for managing termination tasks and recruitment together with social security, payroll and Medicare.
   • Employees- Being a potential candidate, you require to register on the selected recruitment agency’s website, make your profile and wait for the call
   Charges and advantages
   When it comes to the recruitment agency’s income source it is commissioned which in fact they charge to each employer who are on the lookout for a suitable applicant for a specific position. Their commission generally is as per the total successfully employed candidates and in the case of skilled positions, it is quite natural they will get a little more compared to an employee. Generally contractors desire to hire a temporary employee as they do not avail any fringe advantage such as health insurance and retirement plans. In fact a staffing agency at all times is the finest choice for the majority of the companies as they keep them safe against wrongful terminations. Besides, employees can enjoy more flexible schedules as well as get off extended time period for thinking and making a decision. The temporary employees may work in the respective domains or learn skills according to the position for which he/she has been hired.
   Temporary job employment in rare situations may lead to full time job as the organization appreciated the employee’s work and changed the mind for hiring employees on a permanent basis. As the agency becomes successful in offering an ideal candidate to employees, will charge a part of the salary offered to the employee for their commission. The bottom line is if you are all set on finding the right applicant or the right job position, then hire the best recruitment agency today. Be rest assured you will never regret on your decision. All the Best!!!

   Today jobs related to CA, CPA and Accountants are in great demand. Considering this automatically the demand for CPA and CA recruitmentand Accountant job agencies in Sydney have also gone up. The staffs in these recruiting agencies are striving to bridge the gap amid contractors and job seekers for meeting one another. In fact, they help in facilitating employers in finding the most ideal candidate for filling their positions. Every leading CA and CPA recruitment agency in Sydney are equipped with expert recruiters having the necessary skills to communicate with the employees and the employers efficiently. The employment procedure definitely… more

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5. The demand for leadership executive, CTO and CMO executive search agency in Sydney is on the rise. Know why

   The tech leaders of the current generation- CTO, CMO, CIO, CISO, CSO amid others are facing a novel platform as well as vendor challenges following the developments. The novel ways to work along with the blurring of social and corporate networks need organizations to think twice regarding the corporate practices for protecting customers, maintaining compliance and minimizing reputation damage. Here the best step will be to get in touch with a leading and registered leadership executive search agency in Sydney. While recruiting a CTO or CMO, they will help clients in acquiring the best leader and whose IT function indeed will be linked to the business completely, commercially astute and also geared to advancing the goals of the organization.
   How can they help?
   Great CMO and CTOs are real business leaders that have the capacity to influence stakeholders for driving change and innovation. It is they who bring true business value and boost up the competitive differentiation and at the same time leading different, multidisciplinary teams and handling interdependencies amid competitors, shareholders, regulators, customers and of course the broader community. The truth is the roles of such leadership executives grew following the magnitude and frequency of the malicious cyber attacks, thereby prompting the requirement of building an organization that is more security oriented. It includes coordinating with startups, intelligence community and government bodies for keeping at par with the constantly evolving risk, technological and bureaucratic landscapes. The multidisciplinary team at the CTO executive search agency in Sydney help to recruit an ideal leader for the company, someone who is capable of integrating the emerging technologies into business for building and protecting its worth for the future. Some of the benefits of joining hands with these agencies include,
   • They possess the industry access, experience, and gravitas for delivering exceptional outcomes
   • It is their goal to connect excellent companies with excellent leaders
   • They are personal mentors, professional advisors, and search experts
   • They work with universally oriented, growing and emerging firms offering leadership consulting services, interim management and executive search, dedicated to collaborating with clients for discovering the most appropriate leadership solutions which allow them in catering their business objectives
   The position of a CMO in the last decade has gained ample prominence the world over. Right from startups that are tech-centric to renowned government institutes, the majority of the companies has discovered the significance of this position for the success of their organization. This has led to the growing demand for CMO Executive Search agencies in Sydney. The staffs in these agencies are giving their 100% to help their clients to get the best CMO Executive for their firm and enjoy good productivity and ahuge success.

   The tech leaders of the current generation- CTO, CMO, CIO, CISO, CSO amid others are facing a novel platform as well as vendor challenges following the developments. The novel ways to work along with the blurring of social and corporate networks need organizations to think twice regarding the corporate practices for protecting customers, maintaining compliance and minimizing reputation damage. Here the best step will be to get in touch with a leading and registered leadership executive search agency in Sydney. While recruiting a CTO or CMO, they will help clients in acquiring the best leader and whose IT function indeed… more

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6. Important Things to Consider beofre buying Secure Lockable Box

   The safes are perfect if you want to keep your belongings or the contents of the safe box. These types of boxes are generally lockable and therefore have a lid and made of strong materials. Boxes that are safe have a wide range of uses depending on their shape and size and this will depend on what you want to use for. Boxes with closed or closed lid can be used to store garden equipment such as tools and small appliances; Alternatively, they can be used to store personal items and office documents.
   The safes are made in the form of bucket or oblong shape, although this depends on its intended use. The materials that are used to make this Secure Lockable Box include; Steel, plastic and aluminum. Both steel and plastic boxes are large storage units for garden essentials. Steel boxes are stronger and therefore will provide more security. Aluminum is a lighter metal and is generally used as a small box case or other small safe units.
   If you are looking for a colorful Locakbale Medicine Box that will also be safe then you might be disappointed because they are only available in a limited amount of colors. The largest outdoor steel varieties can be found in racing green, stunning silver or bright beige. Plastic boxes can be found in blocks of colors and does not depend on where you buy them as to what color range you can choose. Aluminum boxes offer perhaps the widest spectrum of colors for you to select.
   If you are looking to buy Medicine Storage Box that offers you a bit of added security to your content, then the best place to shop is online. Shopping online is often much easier and faster because you will discover a wide range of stores and suppliers at the simple click of a button. Online shopping is definitely the new 'on' thing because it is much more convenient as your boxes will be delivered directly to your door. Not only will you find it easy and convenient, but you will also find some hidden discounts that you would not find in stores.
   So if you want some extra protection for your goods and precious items then you will need to buy safes. These boxes are generally cost effective and very easy to use and lock. Unlike a safe, you can be transported to various places so you can have security wherever you go.
   IBOX is a leading online site which supplies a wide range of storage boxes for the customers at door-step. Make a consultation today or speak to us directly we will help you choose the perfect box at the best prices.

   The safes are perfect if you want to keep your belongings or the contents of the safe box. These types of boxes are generally lockable and therefore have a lid and made of strong materials. Boxes that are safe have a wide range of uses depending on their shape and size and this will depend on what you want to use for. Boxes with closed or closed lid can be used to store garden equipment such as tools and small appliances; Alternatively, they can be used to store personal items and office documents.
   The safes are made in the form… more

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7. Hire Luxury Lax Van to Get the Utmost Comfort and Convenience

   No matter travelling alone or in groups if the van is not luxury and spacious enough to carry you and your luggage, the trip can never be enjoyable. Soon after landing off the airport, the body gets tired and seeks more comfort and convenience and most importantly how much you will enjoy the trip will ultimately depend on how you enjoy the van experience.
   Driving in Los Angeles is never fun. It requires many things to transform a normal trip into a delightful trip. For this, the person who is driving the van must be experienced and knowledgeable enough to battle the traffic. If they stuck in traffic it won’t take much time to make your happy journey into boring. And then it depends on kind of van being hired by you. Whether it is spacious and looking great in style or not, however, all these just add some extra piece of comfort. Driving in 11 Pas Lax Van has always a different feeling. It will definitely add some more delightful moment in your trip.
   Normally rental cars come in standard coupe, neutral colors, and sedan and mini-van styles from all first-rated brands, like Toyota, Honda, GM, Ford, and Hyundai. If you are wishing to hire flashier variety of cars, then this option is also available for you. Also, there is a variety of stylish and sleek sports car to choose from. Just let them know if you are looking for Lax Vans On Rent or some sports car. They will reach at your destination without taking your much time.
   Los Angeles is a city, more known for having a great level of fun, glamour, and excitement. If you have come to this place on vacation, definitely forgetting the spent moment over there won’t be possible. However, most of the attractions and hidden gems of the local culture are spread out across the city and not possible to enjoy without access to a rental car.
   Booking your LAX car hire in advance will ensure that a car is available to you when you need it, and will not pay late fees. You can also shop around if you start your search before traveling, and make sure you are getting the best price.
   FCVans is a leading luxury lax van Los Angeles service provider, more known for offering on-time and affordable van service. It comprises of a wide range of car, including 11 passengers and 12 passenger car. Give a call to us or book online, 10 % discounts is being offered by them.
   Make a consultation today to find out more about our services!

   No matter travelling alone or in groups if the van is not luxury and spacious enough to carry you and your luggage, the trip can never be enjoyable. Soon after landing off the airport, the body gets tired and seeks more comfort and convenience and most importantly how much you will enjoy the trip will ultimately depend on how you enjoy the van experience.
   Driving in Los Angeles is never fun. It requires many things to transform a normal trip into a delightful trip. For this, the person who is driving the van must be experienced and knowledgeable enough to… more

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8. Private Equity and Venture Capital Fund Formation in Nigeria; Some Legal Considerations

   There is a growing wave of entrepreneurs in Nigeria who have recently launched or are currently promoting the launch of a first-time venture capital or private equity fund. 
   Whilst there is still some noticeable reluctance amongst the traditional institutional investors, who prefer to seek out established managers with a proven track record, global and more established PE/VC firms, an emerging LP class in the sub-Saharan Africa play, seem to be much more eager to give first-time local funds opportunities to prospect for deals locally, using a number of innovative fund-of-fund and feeder structures that offer downside protection.
   We share below some key legal considerations that first-time general partners should pay attention to when setting up a fund in Nigeria. Although often overlooked, legal and corporate governance considerations do have a bearing on the success and attractiveness of a fund. For context, we draw parallels from the regulatory approach to fund formation in the Cayman Islands.
   Fund manager registration
   All private equity and venture capital fund managers operating in Nigeria are required to register with Nigeria’s SEC. In accordance with the rules made pursuant to the Investment and Securities Act, a fund manager is an entity that provides investment advisory services, selects securities for a fund under management, publishes financial market periodicals, manages funds on behalf of investors and performs any role ancillary to the above. It is important to note that venture capital and private equity fund managers are required to register with the SEC regardless of whether their funds will be domiciled in Nigeria or in an offshore jurisdiction.
   Fund registration
   Private equity and venture capital fund managers are required to register their funds with the SEC where the fund(s) are to be domiciled in Nigeria. Depending on the structure and marketing objectives of the fund, there may be a need for parallel registration of funds in Nigeria.
   It is important to note that the funds registered with the SEC are subject to a number of rules relating to marketing restrictions, investment limits, valuation standards and capital requirements. For instance, private equity funds domiciled in Nigeria may only be marketed to the institutional investors delineated by the SEC.
   It is useful to note that there exist safe harbour provisions for private equity funds with the effect that private equity funds with investor commitments of up to ₦1bn need not register with the SEC. Although the same provisions do not exist for venture capital funds, certain other benefits come with SEC registration. For instance, certain institutional investors, like pension funds, are prohibited from investing in funds that are not registered with the SEC.

   In addition to these general considerations, fund promoters may have to contend with additional laws and regulations depending on the location and/or preferences of the fund’s targeted investors. In any event, it is important for fund formation/marketing activities to be carried out with the benefit of professional counsel as the evolving nature of fund regulation requires early and careful planning.
   Compliance
   Private equity and venture capital fund managers are required to comply to the fullest extent possible with Anti-Money Laundering/ Combating Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) standards prescribed by the SEC. Amongst others, private equity and venture capital fund managers are required to develop internal policies for complying with AML/CFT standards, undertake customer due diligence and KYC exercises based on the prescribed statutory risk categorisation of investors.
   Entity structuring
   Private equity or venture capital funds are investment vehicles formed by fund/investment managers, known as sponsors, looking to raise capital to make multiple investments in a specified industry sector or geographic region. The investors in the funds are usually passive investors who make a commitment to invest a set amount of capital over time, entrusting the fund’s sponsor to source, acquire, manage and divest the fund’s investments. More often than not, private equity or venture capital funds are legal entities structured as close-ended investment entities.
   In Nigeria, private equity and venture capital funds can be structured as limited liability companies, trusts or as limited liability partnerships (LLPs) with different legal implications. For instance, funds structured as an LLP, only possible in Lagos State as of date, are treated as ‘pass-through’ entities for corporate income tax purposes and therefore not subject to corporate income tax at the entity level. In practice, the entity’s income, gains, losses, deductions and credits are passed through to the partners and taxed only once at the investor level.
   Funds structured as LLPs also have the benefit of management flexibility and limited liability. Personal and income tax liabilities are huge considerations for investors, and fund managers must put these requirements in focus in determining which entity best suits present requirements.
   Domicile
   It is typical for local private equity and venture capital funds to domicile their funds in an offshore jurisdiction. The reason for this is because of the perceived advantages that offshore jurisdictions offer in terms of tax, flexibility, repatriability and sometimes familiarity of investors with some offshore jurisdictions.
   The tax position of would-be investors is a matter for careful consideration and perhaps one of the biggest factors influencing the choice of an offshore jurisdiction as the domicile for a fund. Fund promoters must ensure that investors will not be in a financially-worse position than they would have been if they had invested directly.
   Admittedly, it is practically impossible to foresee all the tax concerns that investors may have. Feeder fund structures are typically used to accommodate investment in the fund by one or more investors where they prefer, for tax purposes, to invest in the fund indirectly through an upper-tier entity.
   There are significant tax and operational advantages for funds domiciled in and structured as an Exempted Limited Partnership (ELP) in Cayman Islands. For instance, an ELP in the Cayman Islands is tax transparent with the effect that there is no entity-level taxation and the value distributed from investments will flow through to investors.
   In addition to the benefit of tax transparency, there are no capital gains, income, withholding, estate or inheritance taxes in the Cayman Islands. An ELP can apply for an undertaking from the Cayman Islands government that no form of taxation that may be introduced in the Cayman Islands will apply to the ELP for a period of 50 years from the undertaking being given. The general partner of an ELP can also apply for undertaking from the Cayman Islands government that no form of taxation that may be introduced in the Cayman Islands will apply to the GP for a period of 20 years from the undertaking being given.
   In some ways, the Cayman Islands ELP bears features similar to those found in the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, hence the attraction from managers and investors in the United States. More importantly, private equity funds, however structured, are not regulated by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, because the equity interests issued by the ELP are not redeemable or repurchaseable at the option of investors. Also, the private equity fund’s general partner does not require any form of approval or licensing in the Cayman Islands.
   Private placement
   The Investment and Securities Act makes provisions imposing restrictions on raising private capital. As a practical matter, interests in a private equity or venture capital fund are considered as securities and promoters of private equity and venture capital funds need to ensure that offerings are carried out as a private offering and should not constitute an invitation to the public.
   An invitation will be deemed an invitation to the public where such invitation is (a) published, advertised or disseminated by newspaper, broadcasting, cinematograph or any other means whatsoever (b) made to or circulated among any persons whether selected as members or as debenture holders of the company concerned or as clients of the persons making or circulating the invitation or in any other manner (c) made to anyone or more persons upon the terms that the person or persons to whom it is made may renounce or assign the benefit of the offer or invitation or any of the securities to be obtained under it in favour of any other person or persons; (d) made to any one or more persons to acquire any securities dealt in by a securities exchange or capital trade point or in respect of which the invitation states that an application has been or shall be made for permission to deal in those securities on a securities exchange or capital trade point. It is useful for fund managers to discuss fund marketing strategies with counsel ahead with a view to complying with extant securities regulation in this regard.

   There is a growing wave of entrepreneurs in Nigeria who have recently launched or are currently promoting the launch of a first-time venture capital or private equity fund. 
   Whilst there is still some noticeable reluctance amongst the traditional institutional investors, who prefer to seek out established managers with a proven track record, global and more established PE/VC firms, an emerging LP class in the sub-Saharan Africa play, seem to be much more eager to give first-time local funds opportunities to prospect for deals locally, using a number of innovative fund-of-fund and feeder structures that offer downside protection.
   We share below… more

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9. Understanding About the Fixed Deposit Investment

   Invest your saving in fixed deposit plans and get assured return on your investment along with high interest rate on fixed deposit.This Infographic will help to know that how to saving and get high return through Fixed deposit.

   https://www.bajajfinserv.in/investment/fixed-deposit/fixed-deposit.aspx

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10. Can IBM Watson Bring Customer Experience Back to the Future?

    Update - Biggest game changer ever for cable TV and telco operators and subscribers.

    http://thecxreport.genesys.com/2015/10/21/can-ibm-watson-bring-customer-service-back-future/

    IBM Watson excels at speedily processing information and producing helpful solutions, doing things that human agents simply cannot. But in any customer journey there are moments of truth when it’s important to get proactive, empathetic, and quick-thinking human agents involved. It could be a pivotal decision point, a delicate moment where a customer’s loyalty or a sale could be gained or lost, in which a human agent’s careful intervention might make all the difference.

    However, the opposite situation is equally true. How many times have you called customer service only to be put on hold while an agent searches for an answer to your question or transfers you to another department entirely? But if customer service agents have tools like IBM Watson at their disposal, they’ll be far better equipped to efficiently resolve customer queries themselves, reducing call times while keeping customers happy, too.

    Customer experience (CX) is the product of an interaction between an organization and a customer over the duration of their relationship. This interaction includes a customer's attraction, awareness, discovery, cultivation, advocacy and purchase and use of a service. It is measured by the individual's experience during all points of contact against the individual's expectations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_experience

    Over the past 50 years, customer experience has had many aliases, ranging from full service to customer service to customer care to self-service.

    Having grown up in a family business that included a service station, TV and appliance, and real estate business; CX quality had an immediate and direct impact on success and failure. Management and employees were transparent in their actions and results

    Having founded a customer care and billing (CC&B) company for cable TV, I’ve worked with many small operators in the US and internationally. All those operators were cross trained and handled everything from stringing cable to managing the back office. Customer care resolutions were handled directly by owners or employees trained and empowered to efficiently resolve them.

    My initial CC&B system sales required spending a lot of time in cable offices. Many times the owner was interested in utilizing the computer, and the office staff weren’t. Obviously change was not easy, but you have to show *vision, competency, information, engagement & integration, and empowerment for success. In smaller offices you had to appreciate the office staff “Watson” type memory recall of their subscribers, families, expectations, and habits; and then show them the benefits of speed to print bills, and monitor services and payments.(Back to the Future - very similar to Watson approach)

    What’s gone wrong? Why is cable TV considered to have the worst customer care?

    Cable was once considered a “Field of Dreams”, all they had to do was build and subscribers would come. Now they are facing challenges similar to Walmart with Amazon.

    As a long time cable TV software provider and cable subscriber; I’ve enjoyed all the advancements.

    As a cable TV subscriber for most of my life, I can make some personal anecdotal observations –

    Local ownership gives back to the community, and is reactive to cable programming requests. MSO’s with a national base give much less back to their franchises, and long-time channels have been removed for less popular ones, with no advance survey.

    Broadcast TV limited content costs by advertising revenue. Cable has allowed content providers to raise costs with impunity. Cable revenue model is broken. Cable must find ways to use behavioral marketing and targeted sales to offset content. Google, Amazon, Apple, Twitter,and Facebook have figured it out.

    Since the cost of customer care is only second to content costs, improving the customer experience is something that operators should take ownership, and radically improve.

    As a 21 year subscriber of my current cable operator, I’m disappointed with their approach to my customer experience.

    There should be a loyalty program to give long time subscribers the best rates, and services. You can get a better deal switching to satellite and later switching back (or just by using the threat). Note Consumer Report

    http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/05/cable-tv-customer-dissatisfaction/index.htm

    One other finding from the survey: It pays to negotiate. Among the 42 percent who said they tried to negotiate a better deal, 45 percent reported that the provider dropped the bundle price by up to $50 per month, 30 percent got a new promotional rate, and 26 percent received additional premium channels.

    If I get my statements on-line and use direct deposit, there should be a discount, at least in the $2 range. It’s an obvious savings to not have to generate a statement and mail it.

    Recently I contacted my cable operator’s customer service about an Internet issue, and the CSR quickly thanked me for being a subscriber for 21 years. After being put on hold, I lost the connection and redialed, and again was thanked for my 21 years. The troubleshooting process went through the normal steps of a new subscriber. All that I had already tried.

    After years of viewing customer care as a vendor, and as a subscriber the real game changer is “Watson” type tools to resolve problems at level one on the first call, or even better self service through a trained IVR using the logic of your best tech.

    Recently I attended the Customer Experience Management Summit in Atlanta,

    http://www.cemintelecoms.com/ , and got several takeaways.

    Customer Experience Management positions are now being filled at the VP and Senior VP level with executives from companies renown for providing the highest level of customer experience.

    From - JOHN WALBURN VP CUSTOMER SERVICE

    HOW TO ALIGN PRIORITIES WITHIN DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE CROSS FUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION.

    UNDERSTANDING CROSS FUNCTIONALITY TO DELIVER SEAMLESS CUSTOMER SERVICE

    RESULTS OF THIS NEW COLLABORATIVE APPROACH ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, COSTS AND REVENUE.

    Consistent message from all departments

    Reduction in call volumes

    Update - Biggest game changer ever for cable TV and telco operators and subscribers.

    http://thecxreport.genesys.com/2015/10/21/can-ibm-watson-bring-customer-service-back-future/

    IBM Watson excels at speedily processing information and producing helpful solutions, doing things that human agents simply cannot. But in any customer journey there are moments of truth when it’s important to get proactive, empathetic, and quick-thinking human agents involved. It could be a pivotal decision point, a delicate moment where a customer’s loyalty or a sale could be gained or lost, in which a human agent’s careful intervention might make all the difference.

    However, the opposite situation is equally true. How many times have… more

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11. Goals for Excellent Customer Service

    There are two clear goals for excellent customer service:

    Increase customer satisfaction and decrease costs. How are those goals met?

    1. Reduction of customer contact and shorter training times for customer service representative

       Avoid quantity over quality, many times companies add CSRs                  when they should be adding knowledge based tools.
       
        Ask fewer questions and provide more efficient and faster                         resolution.
       
        Watch an example of a solution to reduce customer contact                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJccOtkM2eM2.
       

    2. Increase in first level solution rate, quick modifications on product changes, and monitoring / optimization of the process.

       What is your current percentage of first level solutions? How much could you save by increasing it by 20-50%?

    Typical problem handling that many experience is repeating name, location, nature of problems several times, requests to stay calm, check cables, restart set top or modem/router, transfer to tech support, and roll a truck or pick up equipment.

      Watch an example of how a company has solved the problem
    
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFVuI5KU10o
    

    1. More efficient fault repair reducing field service assignments and end devices that were shipped unnecessarily. Automated assurance and guided diagnostics provide quick repair, diagnostic self-empowerment, reduced field cost, superior customer experience, and excellent service successes.
       

    There are two clear goals for excellent customer service:

    Increase customer satisfaction and decrease costs. How are those goals met?

    1. Reduction of customer contact and shorter training times for customer service representative

       Avoid quantity over quality, many times companies add CSRs                  when they should be adding knowledge based tools.
       
        Ask fewer questions and provide more efficient and faster                         resolution.
       
        Watch an example of a solution to reduce customer contact                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJccOtkM2eM2.
       

    2. Increase in first level solution rate, quick modifications on product changes, and monitoring / optimization of the process.

       What is your current percentage of first level solutions? How much could… more

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12. Is your customer service your biggest competitor?

    Recently I placed a customer service call to my local cable operator, whom my family has been a subscriber for approximately 50 years. During that period the ownership has gone from a locally owned small company to a regional company to a national operator.

    Every sale has resulted in a major step down in customer service. At one time your call went to a cross trained principal in the company, now it starts at the lowest level, where the CSR knows less than you do about their product and services (see excerpts under “Tiered Customer Support is Dead”.)

    Not only do you have to go through several menu steps, you have to repeat all that information at every hand-off. Not acceptable!

    As suggested below, it’s critical that companies realize that tiered support calls are becoming extinct. Very important to have knowledge based collaborative analytics in place to pinpoint problems and take corrective action.

    Another call I placed was relative to the high cost of my cable bill. I brought out the fact that although I have been a long time subscriber I could move to a satellite company at less costs. The extended conversation resulted in a 15% reduction, with no service changes. If the operator had proactively tracked competitive options, and given the discount in advance of call (via a rewards program), they would earn a much greater brand loyalty –

    Excerpt -

    A customer is 4 times more likely to buy from a competitor if the problem is service related vs. price or product related. (Bain & Co.)

    A 10% increase in customer retention levels result in a 30% increase in the value of the company. (Bain & Co) product related. (Bain & Co.)

    Customer churn is attributed to the poor quality of customer service. (Accenture Maximizing Customer Retention Report)

    18 Interesting Stats to Get You Rethinking Your Customer Service Process

    By Kendall Thornton in Customer Service

    Excerpts –

    https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2013/08/customer-service-stats.html

    Your customer service agents are just as responsible for the integrity of your brand as your marketers, and just as critical to customer retention as your sales team. When your products aren’t operating as you planned and things really hit the fan, your support team is the first line of defense for detecting and resolving customer concerns.

    Despite the direct impact support agents have on the success of your business, 92% of companies surveyed reported a decline in customer satisfaction; consumers were most disappointed by inconsistent service.

    Tiered Customer Support is Dead (And Why That’s Good for Business)

    http://www.wired.com/2013/04/tiered-customer-support-is-dead-and-why-thats-good-for-business/

    Excerpts-

    FOR AS LONG as customer support departments have been around, the idea of having a “Tiered” or “Level” model of support has been around. When new technicians were hired, they were placed in the “Tier 1” group and handled the most basic of questions. Anything above their ability was moved up to a Tier 2 technician to address, and so on.

    Tiering is Bad for the Customer

    Customers are smart, and they know your product. They use it all the time and have figured out a lot of the tips and tricks to make it work in their environment.

    Very few things upset a customers more than calling support and having to deal with an agent who knows less about the product than they do, and that’s exactly what happens many times in a heavily Tiered support operation.

    The customer is forced to call and explain the issue to a junior agent, then when that agent realizes that she can’t answer the question—something the customer already figured out 15 minutes ago—the customer gets put on hold and stuck in the level 2 queue.

    If the customer has a complex problem that ends up needing a technician who is several levels up, you can only imagine the frustration of having talked to a number of people and being transferred or put on hold numerous times.

    The tiered model of support is one we have all experienced, but something that we—as consumers—avoid as much as we can.

    What’s the Solution? Collaboration

    Recently I placed a customer service call to my local cable operator, whom my family has been a subscriber for approximately 50 years. During that period the ownership has gone from a locally owned small company to a regional company to a national operator.

    Every sale has resulted in a major step down in customer service. At one time your call went to a cross trained principal in the company, now it starts at the lowest level, where the CSR knows less than you do about their product and services (see excerpts under “Tiered Customer Support is Dead”.)

    Not only… more

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13. Five essential steps to enter USA market

    Why should International companies be interested in the USA market?

    For the same reason that Apple, Starbucks, FedEx, Caterpillar, Microsoft, Walmart, McDonald's and others are interested in the global market.

    Most of their future growth will come from that market. In small to medium size companies, it may come as revenue growth and an opportunity to increase the value of their company

    There are right ways and wrong ways to approach international business development, which I have written about extensively on my web site https://sites.google.com/site/cuoirent/home

    some of the wrong ways include – trying to sell and support directly, lack of understanding of the local culture and laws, failure to meet local requirements, underestimating localization, and failure to determine which selling techniques works best ?

    So why should International companies be interested in the USA market?

    *USA is second to China in fixed wired internet subscriptions

    *USA is first in mobile cellular subscriptions

    1. Develop a Strategy and Business Plan

    Define short­, medium­, and long-term strategy. Set reasonable goals to measure progress and cost/benefits.

    Define goals, objectives, and success metrics.

    Complete the business model and structure.

    Develop a top down annual budget.

    Develop a tactical project plan with commit dates.

            2. Establish USA Business Development Team
    

    Many global companies try to launch with executives from the parent company or rapidly build a local team from scratch. This is time consuming,risky, and slows time to market. Using proven senior executives allows the company to hit the ground running, quickly validate assumptions,and drive key readiness initiatives.

    Establish the financial infrastructure—to outsource this to local business development team.

    Very important to form agreements with integrators and distributors based on USD and USA laws

                 3. Product Readiness
    

    Based on the product gap analysis, take the necessary steps to market ready your offerings to achieve high impact product differentiation.

    Review government­ and industry specific regulations to ensure that compliance and certifications are obtained if needed.

    Partner with an advocate of your product.

    Determine what localization of the product is needed.

    Initiate testing and quality assurance review based on industry standards.

    Consider distribution networks.

    Show that system works and handles all the interfaces (API’s) to all the necessary equipment.

    Remember you are selling your expertise in the vertical market as well as the technology.

               4. Organizational Readiness
    

    Cultural differences, whether it is language, regulations, or customs, requires a firm to be flexible in the policies and procedures implemented in an international operation to ensure employees are engaged and executing on the company’s plans. The “one size fits all” mindset can have short-term benefits but will have negative long-term effects.

    Evaluate the organization structure needed to successfully execute your strategy.

    Develop policies, procedures, and handbooks that comply with local requirements while maintaining balance with overall company policies.

    Develop competitive benefits programs to attract qualified local employees.

    Develop competitive compensation packages based on local standards and customs.

    Develop a local information technology infrastructure that is compatible with your domestic infrastructure.

    Manage payroll and human resource functions—again, a process that lends itself to outsourcing.

             5. Establish a Go­-to-­Market Strategy
    

    The effective selling and marketing of your products or services requires a comprehensive, cohesive strategy that addresses sales strategy, sales delivery, branding/value proposition, marketing strategy, marketing programs, and pricing, which together create clear market differentiators that propel market acceptance and revenue growth.

    Determine your optimum sales model: direct, indirect, OEM, distributor, hybrid?

    Determine your sales methodology: solution, feature, consultative, price?

    Determine if a new brand will be created or whether you will use the parent brand.

    Develop a comprehensive marketing plan.

    Evaluate your pricing model

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_broadband_Internet_subscriptions

    Why should International companies be interested in the USA market?

    For the same reason that Apple, Starbucks, FedEx, Caterpillar, Microsoft, Walmart, McDonald's and others are interested in the global market.

    Most of their future growth will come from that market. In small to medium size companies, it may come as revenue growth and an opportunity to increase the value of their company

    There are right ways and wrong ways to approach international business development, which I have written about extensively on my web site https://sites.google.com/site/cuoirent/home

    some of the wrong ways include – trying to sell and support directly, lack of… more

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14. Big Data and IoT a Perfect Match!

    Pro’s and Con’s

    Cons - Disadvantages

    https://sites.google.com/a/cortland.edu/the-internet-of-things/disadvantages

    Three of the main concerns that accompany the Internet of Things are the breach of privacy, over-reliance on technology, and the loss of jobs.

    The privacy issues also leads to the question of who will control the Internet of Things? If there is only one company, that could potentially lead to a monopoly hurting consumers and other companies. If there are multiple companies that are given access to the information acquired, doesn’t that breach consumers privacy? Also, where is the information going to be stored?

    Recently there was an article that the Internet of Things was already losing steam

    http://www.infoworld.com/article/2937017/internet-of-things/the-internet-of-things-is-already-losing-steam.html

    Excerpts -

    It's not that they're tired of the hype. They're disappointed in the actual products, which for most people fall into the home automation category. Many products work poorly or have confusing technologies that keep people away. Industry battles of who will own the user or the home worsen both problems: Proprietary products create integration hassles that make both usage and purchasing much too difficult.

    "Even though Google and Samsung made big purchases in this space by buying Nest thermostats, Dropcam, and the suite of SmartThings products, demand is stagnating. It is obvious that the early adopters have bought what they want and other consumers are expressing frustration that these products are complicated and difficult to set up and use."

    Pros - Advantages

    https://sites.google.com/a/cortland.edu/the-internet-of-things/advantages

    There are many advantages of incorporating IoT into our lives, which can help individuals, businesses, and society on a daily basis. For individuals this new concept can come in many forms including health, safety, financially, and every day planning.

    IoT can also function as a tool that can save people money within their households. If their home appliances are able to communicate, they can operate in an energy efficient way. Finally, IoT can assist people with their everyday plans….…..Although this may sound unimportant, the misusage of time costs us “$135 billion a year” (Koreshoff, 2012). By allowing physical devices to communicate, it is taking the data that is individually collected, sharing it, and then translating the information into ways to make our current systems more efficient.

    Impacts

    Consumer

    IoT and Big Data will identify needs and actions required. Preventive maintenance to monitoring energy, utilities, health, security, and financials. How to get the best deal on maintaining, replacing existing equipment, and accelerate action.

    Proactive action to handle health issues, manage utilities, and prevent catastrophic events with all impacting costs ranging from insurance to utilities.

    Big Data will identify wants by collecting information from sensors and social media.

    Commercial

    Organizations that invest in real-time capabilities foster happier users that can pull the trigger with more confidence on tighter deadlines. Real-time data alerts executives to adverse

    events as they happen. For example, a Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO) could be notified of a delayed shipment of essential parts within seconds of the supplier's truck getting a flat tire. With the early notice, the CSCO is able to redirect key resources from elsewhere (or likely delegate the task) and keep the final delivery on time. This ability to immediately identify and address problems maximizes output.

    Recognize the ROI of working in real time. While there is by no means a direct causal relationship, real-time analytics correlates with desirable financial performance. On average, real-time executives reported a 14% improvement in operating cash flow and a 6% reduction

    in operating costs. The ability to immediately identify and address problems maximizes output. Executives can also react quickly enough to prevent a small hiccup from causing swelling costs.

    Conclusions

    Why Big Data and the Internet of Things are a Perfect Match

    http://www.datamation.com/applications/why-big-data-and-the-internet-of-things-are-a-perfect-match.html

    The benefits within enterprise are compelling.

    "IoT technologies allow for real-time and accurate data sensing and wireless transmission of that data to Web applications and servers connected to the Internet," explains Mindtree researcher Ronak Sutaria, talking to Infoworld. "This leads to a more precise and accurate monitoring and control of physical systems."

    In other words, it’s going to change the market in the same way as every truly disruptive technology before it – those who can adapt to it will thrive, and those who can’t, well…

    The Internet of Things (IoT) can considerably improve consumers’ experience of services delivered in the field by companies that provide assets in the field such as cable television, broadband, utilities, rail and most other companies with assets in the field. The IoT capabilities will disrupt these companies’ market and enable them to compete based upon asset monitoring and a proactive “up-time” rather than reactive service level agreement (SLA) response time business model. All this will drive customer loyalty, brand reputation and shareholder value…

    Field service companies rely on the equipment they use to deliver a satisfactory customer experience. If the broadband, asset or power fails, it impacts reputation, let alone the actual business impact of loss of use or the customer “trauma” if the cable goes down before the big game! The IoT will help technicians look to tailor preventative maintenance, do better triage and anticipate failure in new ways, all with the goal to fix assets before the equipment fails.

    http://sandhill.com/article/3-ways-service-companies-can-use-iot-to-improve-customer-satisfaction/

    There could be more disruption by IoT and Big Data technology than anything, since the advent of the computer.

    The management of business and consumer’s wants and needs will be totally different than they have ever been.

    Redux -- In other words, it’s going to change the market in the same way as every truly disruptive technology before it – those who can adapt to it will thrive, and those who can’t, well…

    Pro’s and Con’s

    Cons - Disadvantages

    https://sites.google.com/a/cortland.edu/the-internet-of-things/disadvantages

    Three of the main concerns that accompany the Internet of Things are the breach of privacy, over-reliance on technology, and the loss of jobs.

    The privacy issues also leads to the question of who will control the Internet of Things? If there is only one company, that could potentially lead to a monopoly hurting consumers and other companies. If there are multiple companies that are given access to the information acquired, doesn’t that breach consumers privacy? Also, where is the information going to be stored?

    Recently there was an article that the Internet… more

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15. In search of the “Internet of Things” Holy Grail

    Simplicity of use

    Since there are many “best of breed” selections, all devices must be intuitive in their setup and operation, as well as have the ability to interact with other smart devices.

    Use of audio, which has become common in smart phones, is critical to consumer acceptance.

    http://tech.co/dado-labs-simplification-key-the-internet-of-things-2015-01

    “Consumers have rising expectations of The Internet of Things. It needs to be so easy and seamless to use,” “Consumers don’t just want data. They want relevant – personally relevant – information in real time

    “Simplicity is the most complex thing to design,”, and a lot of #IoT companies tend to make things complicated.

    Utility value of data

    https://www.infobright.com/index.php/utility-value-data-internet-of-things-holy-grail/#.VXhuwflViko

    What value does IoT devices provide? How will it help with security, health issues, accidents, preventing catastrophic events, etc?

    IoT data has utility value to insurance – property and health. What are the savings to insurance companies if theft, property damage, and accidents were handled proactively? Should be a way to reduce insurance costs.

    Data has value to managing utilities – monitoring and adjusting use of water, gas, and electricity. Electrical devices, computers, TV’s, and appliances. Cost savings could be substantial.

    Smart 911 using smart devices could alert first responders to medical conditions of household and medication. Also devices could provide best access to entering home, as well as identifying dangerous and explosive items. Again insurance rates should be reduced.

    Appliance and product monitoring would minimize losses when away. Insurance savings.

    Checking items in advance to reorder or send to local merchant. Advertising and sales opportunity for retail and grocery stores. Use of targeted sales could be another revenue opportunity.

    Standard platform

    Determine how devices will be connected, and who will be responsible.

    http://venturebeat.com/2014/04/08/the-internet-of-things-dream-may-finally-come-true-with-prodeas-residential-os/

    “Connected devices are on the rise, but there’s one big reason we haven’t yet realized the Internet of things: a failure to communicate.”

    "For all of their network-enabled smarts, our connected gadgets can’t easily talk to each other. Right now, we have Things Connected to the Internet, which is far from a true Internet of things."

    http://www.networkworld.com/article/2687240/internet-of-things/internet-of-things-roundtable-experts-discuss-what-to-look-for-in-iot-platforms.html

    "The most important consideration is recognizing the risks inherent in vertically integrated solution architectures. By definition, the Internet of Things is heterogeneous in the types of things it is connecting. A horizontal architecture, to manage the information from and about the things they are connecting, can abstract the transport layer from the application layer. This allows applications to be developed independently of specific sensor devices, and sensor devices to be changed and network connectivity methods changed without breaking the application dependencies."

    Simplicity of use

    Since there are many “best of breed” selections, all devices must be intuitive in their setup and operation, as well as have the ability to interact with other smart devices.

    Use of audio, which has become common in smart phones, is critical to consumer acceptance.

    http://tech.co/dado-labs-simplification-key-the-internet-of-things-2015-01

    “Consumers have rising expectations of The Internet of Things. It needs to be so easy and seamless to use,” “Consumers don’t just want data. They want relevant – personally relevant – information in real time

    “Simplicity is the most complex thing to design,”, and a lot of #IoT companies tend to… more

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16. 5 Reasons Cable TV Subs Get No Satisfaction

    I can't get no satisfaction I can't get no satisfaction

    'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try I can't get no, I can't get no

    When I'm watchin' my TV And a man comes on and tells me

    How white my shirts can be But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke

    The same cigarettes as me

    Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction Lyrics | MetroLyrics

    Stones' song “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” succinctly gives the basic issues of cable TV customer satisfaction – cable keeps telling people, and not viewing the issue from the subscriber’s angle.

    Headline below gives impression that cable operators haven’t been serious in the past about customer care.

    MSO's Get Serious About Winning Over Subs Online.

    Consistently placing at the bottom of customer-satisfaction reports from J.D. Power and others over the years, cable has tried various ways to improve perception of its service. They include winnowing service appointment windows to as little as one hour and using online and automated methods to solve service issues and outages. Social media also has evolved from being a last-resort method to solving service problems to being the first place customers go when they have an issue, according to several operators. That and the instantaneous nature of social media seem tailor-made for cable’s customer-care efforts, offering customers the opportunity to voice their complaints in real-time and giving operators another avenue to solve problems quickly. - See more at:

    http://www.multichannel.com/news/distribution/omg-ops-go-social-4-customer-xoxo/389262#.VRrGFMBft9s.linkedin

    I can't get no satisfaction I can't get no satisfaction

    'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try I can't get no, I can't get no

    When I'm watchin' my TV And a man comes on and tells me

    How white my shirts can be But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke

    The same cigarettes as me

    Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction Lyrics | MetroLyrics

    Stones' song “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” succinctly gives the basic issues of cable TV customer satisfaction – cable keeps telling people, and not viewing… more

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17. The 5 Business Development Steps from Dreaming it to Doing it

    There’s a popular 60's musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” based on the premise you must do things the company way in order to climb the corporate ladder. Companies have unintentionally done a parody “How to Succeed in Business Development Without Really Trying”, and it’s being panned by the critics!

    Business development is the link that’s missing when many companies create a product and then fail to make it a financial success. Attempts to succeed without business development is a failed strategy that can doom even the best of products. The lyrics from “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying – Company Man - “Your brain is a company brain the company washed it and now I can't complain”. We sometimes become brainwashed by past products that were designed to meet a “need”, while many solutions today must create a “want” and how to market that want. For example many household products serve a “need”, such as an appliance but fall short on meeting the interactive “want” in an Internet of Things ecosystem.

    There’s a popular 60's musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” based on the premise you must do things the company way in order to climb the corporate ladder. Companies have unintentionally done a parody “How to Succeed in Business Development Without Really Trying”, and it’s being panned by the critics!

    Business development is the link that’s missing when many companies create a product and then fail to make it a financial success. Attempts to succeed without business development is a failed strategy that can doom even the best of products. The lyrics from “How To Succeed In… more

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18. Behavioral Marketing and Targeted Ads

    Behavioral Based Social Media System for the Cable TV Market

    Cable has long history of failing to develop 1-1 target marketing. Canoe Ventures (MSO venture) was touted as the Holy Grail of targeted advertising and was less than a success.

    "By the way, don't think that the Internet is a killer application in direct response advertising and electronic commerce." David Verklin, CEO of Canoe Ventures.

    http://www.itvt.com/interview/3353/canoe-ventures-ceo-david-verklin

    Interview highlights the indifferent attitude of cable operators towards the Internet and targeted ads. Which has led to losing major ad revenue to Google, Facebook, and Twitter.

    "Most TV ads are still stuck in a broadcast mindset, failing to emotionally engage viewers and missing the opportunity for social engagement."

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/onmarketing/2015/01/26/what-you-can-expect-for-social-video-in-2015/

    “Advertisers have weighed in heavily on the future of TV, with both their thoughts and their considerable wallets. Advertisers are increasingly expecting to present their advertising messages to just their desired audience…and not to anyone else. For over 60 years, video advertising could only be bought via a TV show’s projected audience, which served as a blunt proxy for a certain target audience. The result has been many wasted impressions and an often irrelevant experience for consumers. In the near future, advertisers will demand the ability to target their messages to people rather than targeting their messages to TV shows as proxies for people.”

    The obvious alternative, with the least cost to implement is an independent Cloud CRM solution designed to cross index cable subscriber households with their corresponding social network interests. The current regulatory and privacy issues experienced by cable TV operators gathering unauthorized data from set-top boxes could be mitigated by validating subscriber and even eliminated by essentially having an opt-in plan (provided conveniently by the social media). Access along with profile and interests of households would be controlled by the subscriber’s social media platform of choice. Facebook and Twitter have high consumer acceptance and could be used for household profiles, product interests, social interests, and viewing entertainment interests. There would be incentives to the subscribers to opt-in including notification and reminder of viewing favorites, Groupon type ads, and specific ads matching interests with infomercial type group discounts and urgency to buy.

    Behavioral Based Social Media System for the Cable TV Market

    Cable has long history of failing to develop 1-1 target marketing. Canoe Ventures (MSO venture) was touted as the Holy Grail of targeted advertising and was less than a success.

    "By the way, don't think that the Internet is a killer application in direct response advertising and electronic commerce." David Verklin, CEO of Canoe Ventures.

    http://www.itvt.com/interview/3353/canoe-ventures-ceo-david-verklin

    Interview highlights the indifferent attitude of cable operators towards the Internet and targeted ads. Which has led to losing major ad revenue to Google, Facebook, and Twitter.

    "Most TV ads are still stuck in… more

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19. 7 Rules for Marketing Technology That People Want and What to Avoid

    7 Rules for Marketing Technology That People Want and What to Avoid (or Killing the 7 Sacred Cows of Marketing Pay TV)

    I recall a book about “Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers” https://alvarodalcanton.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/book-summary-sacred-cows-make-the-best-burgers/

    Based on that I came up with some marketing ideas that have outlived their purpose and should have met a similar demise long ago. Particularly with pay TV

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20. TSCM Questions We Get - "How often do you find bugs and wiretaps?"

    A. It depends on the type of sweep. We conduct Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) sweeps for business and government, and rarely residential or matrimonial type sweeps. More on them later.

    Our regularly scheduled, due diligence, technical information security surveys rarely turn up devices. No surprise. Organizations using our services already have a high overall security profile. They are hardened targets. For them, the bug sweep bonus is... having a known window-of-opportunity when something is found.

    What we do find are other information vulnerabilities like: decayed security hardware; security policies no longer being followed; and other unseen security issues.

    Discovery statistics on our "emergency sweeps" (sweeps where electronic surveillance is suspected) varies from year to year, about 2%-5%. However, the rate of determining what happened and resolving the client's concerns is extremely high. (Isn't that the real point of the exercise?) More often than not, these info-loss cases can be traced back to the human element, or the poor security practices—which allowed the leak to occur some other way.

    The benefits of a TSCM sweep—with either type of sweep—make the task worthwhile.

    When it comes to the residential and matrimonial sweeps, The find rate is quite high. This makes sense. The opposition's focus is narrow; they want to intercept communications and/or determine location. Electronic surveillance is the tool of choice. Solving these cases is relatively easy.

    With organizations, the opposition's focus is information, in all its forms. Corporate espionage, industrial espionage, call it what you will. There is no one spy tool of choice here. It's electronic surveillance plus hundreds of other tradecraft techniques. Solving organizational emergency cases requires more than a simple TSCM bug sweep. Add-on skills include: corporate investigations, alarm system design, computer forensics, and information management to name a few.

    Second to 'getting the goods', the goal of espionage and voyeurism is 'never be discovered'. Obviously, if you don't check, you won't know. The big losers are the folks who don't check.

    ~Kevin

    A. It depends on the type of sweep. We conduct Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) sweeps for business and government, and rarely residential or matrimonial type sweeps. More on them later.

    Our regularly scheduled, due diligence, technical information security surveys rarely turn up devices. No surprise. Organizations using our services already have a high overall security profile. They are hardened targets. For them, the bug sweep bonus is... having a known window-of-opportunity when something is found.

    What we do find are other information vulnerabilities like: decayed security hardware; security policies no longer being followed; and other unseen security issues.

    Discovery statistics… more

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