Service Encounters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Service Encounters - Essay Example The industry has also attracted more investors leading to a high competition for the market for the services. The management of an organization is therefore charged with a responsibility of ensuring that they acquire and sustain a competitive advantage over the other competing organizations that provide similar services. To be able to achieve this, the management relies on their employees to provide the customers with the level of satisfaction that can make the customers develop good reputations for the organization (Connoley, n.d, p.5). In this regard, it will be the major role of the front-line officers in a service industry to ensure that there is a kind of rapport created between them and the customers at the first instant in order to retain the customers for a long time. One of the key issues to be addressed in the service industry is how the customers perceive the kind of service that they are given by the particular industry. This is primarily determined by the kind of ‘ dyadic’ interaction that occurs between the customers and the service providers (Bitner et al, 1990, p2). The service encounter and subsequent relationship developed between the customers and the front office service providers make the management of the organizations value the employees as one of the most valuable assets in the organization. Customers and the service personnel in service organizations The diverse expectations of the participants in a service industry makes social encounters complicated in a number of ways. Firstly, the employees that are delivering the service need to derive some level of job satisfaction in the way they perform their duties. There is also a need to satisfy the needs of the customers in the industry. This makes these two actors become important participants in the service industry (Solomon et al, 1985, p). The quality of services provided by a given organization may be pointed out by the customers. The complaints that are given by the custome rs concerning the quality of the services offered by an organization can help the management of the organization establish the cause of a given problem in the delivery process (Tax & Brown, 1998, p.2). There are different views on the quality of the services offered depending on the industry itself. For instance, in hotel industry, what can be considered as quality service is the peaceful stay that has been accorded to a given customer in a given hotel. The quality of a service then follows the perception that the customers have about it. It was observed that in hotel industry, ‘the expectations and the perceptions of the customers are crucial because they are involved in the performance of the service’ (Kusluvan, 2003, p.265). However, there are important factors that impede the inclusion of the customers in the service quality management by the organization. Each of the customers in a given hotel has some unique demands and want to be served in a manner that suits thi s individual demands (Kusluvan, 2003, p.265). The service providers are then charged with a difficult task of keeping a wide track of the different customer demands. Besides, unlike the production industries where the quality of the products can be measured against the original standards that had been established, the quality a service may not be specifically broken down to the individual tangible components. The perception of the custome

Establishment of responsibility Essay Example for Free

Establishment of responsibility Essay While at the counter, the customer can see other employees making the pizzas and the large ovens in which the pizzas are baked Instructions: Identify the six principles of internal control and give an example of each principle that you might observe when picking up your pizza. Note: It may not be possible to observe all the principles. ) 1st Principle – Establishment of responsibility * Only one person is responsible for a given task. * For example, the cashier that exchanges the pizza for cash would be the principle of establishment of responsibility. 2nd Principle – Segregation of duties. Accounting employees balances books * Another personnel has custody of cash on hand (making deposits) * In this principle- segregation of duties one cannot observe this principle in this scenario. th Principle – Documentation procedures * Pre-number documents or invoices * For example, the cashier has pre-number receipts for each order that is picked up by the customer. At the end of the clerk’s shift these invoices are forwarded to accounting to timely record each transaction. 5th Principle – Physical mechanical and electronic controls * Consist of having safes, deposit boxes, and time clocks for time worked. * The clerk has a cashier that controls and safeguards the assets to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the accounting records. th Principle – Independent internal verification * Employees review, compare, and reconcile data that was prepared by them. Three measure are recommended: * An example cannot be provided for this principle because a customer cannot identify if: * 1st – Org. should verify records periodically or on a surprise basis. * 2nd – A manager should make the verification of an employee * 3rd – Discrepancies and exceptions should be reported to mgt. to make appropriate corrective action. Chapter 7: Problem Set B: P7-2B The board of trustees of a local church is concerned about the internal accounting controls pertaining to the offering collections made at weekly services. They ask you to serve on a three-person audit team with the internal auditor of the university and a CPA who has just joined the church. At a meeting of the audit team and the board of trustees you learn the following: A) Indicate the weaknesses in internal accounting control in the handling of collections. There are a few weaknesses in internal control in the handling of collections for the church, such as there is no supervision when the ushers take money. There is a chance that the ushers can take money from the collection plate. In addition, the financial secretary manages three tasks like bank reconciliation, has control and has custody of the cash, and maintains the church records. Moreover, the financial secretary holds out cash ($150-$200) per week; different withhold amounts for cash expenditures. There is not a witness when the head usher or the financial secretary count the money. Last, checks are made payable to cash (Kimmel, Weygandt amp; Kieso, 2007). B) List the improvements in internal control procedures that you plan to make at the next meeting of the audit team for: Ushers: How churches handle usher operations varies from congregation to congregation, but a consistent set of controls protects the fiduciary integrity of the church, and creates confidence among donors. One problem in the collection process is that only the head usher counts the collection without any accountability to ensure his count is accurate, or that all of the funds donated are transferred to the safe. This can be resolved by having the other ushers count the donations and sign off on the report, so that more than one set of eyes have verified the donations. Additionally, volunteers will need to take a course familiarizing would-be ushers with standard operating procedures, and reporting standards before being qualified to volunteer for usher position. This will help solidify controls for the ushers. Head Usher: While the church may not be currently experiencing anything wrong with the usher selection and volunteer system at the church, some improvements might be considered. The church might consider making the head usher a year-long term, elected by church members to create continuity, but also impose term limits – possibly every 3-4 years a head usher must take a sabbatical. Additionally, because the head usher role is so pivotal in the collection process, and it is a place where mistakes or malfeasance can easily take place; it would be helpful for the ushers and the financial secretary to be present in the collection counts, the day of, so someone outside the usher department can verify tithe counts. Financial Secretary: The most glaring issue, which opens up easy access for, would be embezzlers in the congregations check policy. All checks being written to cash basically enables anyone to cash out the check, the church, a rouge employee or volunteer, or otherwise. All checks need to be made out to the church, not to cash. It would be even better if the church went the route of many churches by allowing donors to have donations processed monthly (or weekly depending on donor preference) through e-commerce, allowing debit or credit payments to be made automatically to the church account. This will add a layer to the recording process, but it also increases security for donors. The financial secretary also needs to stop pulling cash from weekly donations for cash expenditures as cash transactions are harder to track and thus are more easily abused. Instead a petty cash account needs to be started, and cash allocated as needed based on historical records of cash expenditures. Additionally, a church credit/debit card, or reimbursement policy greatly will diminish the need for high levels of cash in the petty cash account. Finance Committee: The first thing the finance committee needs to do is to follow its own policy, and conduct annual audits. The church’s 501 (C)(3) nonprofit designation demands this. Often the most â€Å"trusted† employees are the ones who are found to have committed improprieties. Regardless of trust, regular audits, and reporting is essential. The second major priority is for the financial committee to purchase a fidelity insurance policy that will protect the church in the case of financial impropriety or massive fraud on part of those who handle finances. In addition to the need for an overhaul in policy (discussed below), the financial committee needs to inculcate a culture of financial vigilance and rigor to keep the church from even the perception of financial impropriety. C) What church policies should be changed to improve internal control? The church board of trustees is responsible of make sure that the church runs smoothly, from assigning the right ministers to the right ministries and making sure that the tithes and offerings are accounted for after each service. The first and most important thing that the church needs to do is getting some fidelity insurance. This type of insurance will protect the church of losses that may result of fraudulent acts by specified individuals. Protecting the church of any dishonest employee or member who may steal money, securities, and other property that once belong to the church. The second thing is to have an audit conducted because there has not been an audit performed in 15 years. Highly recommend using an outside source of performing the audit, this way every rock and stone will be turn over. The church financial management department should be responsible for counting and recordkeeping of the tithes and offering received but in separate offices, one office for counting the money and the other office for recordkeeping purposes The head usher responsibility should be making sure that the tithes and offering plates are accounted for and immediately delivering the plates (with one member from the board of trustee) to the financial management office (the financial office manager, and one individual from the board of trustees are the only ones with keys to both offices). The financial management recordkeeping personnel and the financial secretary should first come to an agreement on how much cash is needed for the week expense. Also the two will count the money with the intention to be deposit along with a deposit slip; the financial secretary will be responsible of making the deposit and afterward returning the deposit receipt to the recordkeeping office for recording purposes.

Competitive Organization Essay -- Business

How does your organization compete? Walker et al. (2010) write, â€Å"competitive strategies are based on overall patterns of purpose, practice, and performance.† After reviewing the annual report and company website, it appears that Limited Brands Inc. (LTD) does not only have one competitive strategy. Since the firm is divided into several distinct strategic business units (SBU) with differing core competencies and available resources, as well as disparate customer and competitive characteristics it employs different strategies to create value, promote growth and profitability (i.e. Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works; Walker et al., 2010). For instance, the Victoria’s Secret SBU appears to leverage a â€Å"differentiated analyzer strategy† by â€Å"actively seeking to expand into related product markets with differentiated offerings† (Walker et al., 2010). Not only does Victoria’s Secret offer a differentiated line of lingerie, but it also has expanded its product offerings to include beauty, apparel, and accessories. These expansions are largely financed and supported by the SBU’s core business (lingerie) and its profitable, strong brand reputation. In contrast, the Bath & Body Works SBU seems to employ a â€Å"differentiated defender strategy† (Walker et al., 2010). Its activities focus on constantly improving existing offerings by modifying products as well as processes. In addition, it also defends its market position through line extensions to help insulate and fortify the company’s position from competition. In its annual report LTD notes â€Å"we are aggressively focusing on bringing compelling merchandise assortments, marketing and store experiences to our customers† (LTD, 2011). This implies that LTD’s overarching strategy is driv... ...ity. Resources: Anderson, J.C., Narus, JA., & van Rossum, W. (2006). Customer value propositions in business markets. Harvard Business Publishing. Retrieved from http://hbr.org/ Johnson, M.W., Christensen, C.M., & Kagermann, H. (2008). Reinventing your business model. Harvard Business Publishing. Retrieved from http://hbr.org/ Limited Brands Inc. (LTD). (2011). Proxy statement and annual report. Retrieved from https://materials.proxyvote.com/Approved/532716/20110328/CMBO_86861/HTML2/default.htm Porter, M.E. (1996). What is strategy? Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from http://hbr.org/ Treacy, M., & Wiersema, F. (1993). Customer intimacy and other value disciplines. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from http://hbr.org/ Walker, O.C., & Mullins, J.W. (2010). Marketing strategy: a decision focused approach (7th Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

As Long as the Grass Grows or Water Runs Essay

Directions: As you read the chapter, think about and answer the following questions. What is the major theme in this chapter? The major theme was Native American survival and the effects of Americans taking their land, raiding their communities, and spreading diseases. What evidence does Zinn cite to illustrate the overall impact of Indian removal? He uses the story â€Å"Fathers and Children† to show the overall impact. The book talked about how the Native Americans were treated horrible. They were kicked out of their home and their homeland and as the horrors went on the Native population began to decrease majorly. How do Jefferson’s views concerning Indian policy differ when he served as Secretary of state and as President? Why did his views change? When he was Secretary he believed that the Indians should be left alone, but when he became President he believed the Indians should be forced out because this allowed for vast open lands for the Americans to occupy with ag, market, commerce, and develop a good economy. He also wanted to gain more respect from the American citizens (majority of population) How does Andrew Jackson’s early political/military career foreshadow his Indian policies as President? Before he was President he had a hatred for the Indians and had battled many of them at war. When he became President he had more power to allow him to try to get rid of the Indians permanently. How does Zinn’s view of the War of 1812 contrast with traditional histories? Zinn believed that war was unnecessary. Zinn thought that we were trying to expand our land but the histories say that we were just fighting the war to get away from England. Why does Zinn juxtapose the Nullification Controversy of 1832 and the enforcement of Worcester v. Georgia? He is trying to show the reader that people still believed the Indians should be left alone and that they were willing to fight for the Indian’s rights. Some states tried to abolish federal tariffs to help out, but those on Jackson’s side outnumbered these people. What is the significance of the phrase: â€Å"As  long as grass grows or water runs†? I believe this is saying that the situation between these two different civilizations will always remain the same, which was on bad terms. So as long as the grass continues to grow and the water still runs, things between them will continue to stay that way.

Families in poverty in Australia Essay

One of the important global plan is to eliminate poverty by 2015 as per UN Millennium Development Goals. Every day approximately 30,000 children are losing precious lives due to living in precarious conditions. (Make Poverty History) It is high time to bring a big change in the lives of people who deserve to meet the minimum needs for living. Not just one nation or two whereas a collective effort of all people beginning from Australia to the remote parts of other nations, is required to completely eradicate poverty. Especially in Australia poverty is on the rise from 7. 6 per cent to 9.9 per cent between the period of 1994-2004 (Australian Fair Campaign) Poverty levels are at a higher rate when compared with the poverty line of UK and Ireland. In spite of the fact that Australia’s economy is growing, there are two million Australians living in poverty according to (ACOSS) Australian Council of Social Service. Australia is ranked 14th in the developed world for poverty (UN Human Poverty Index) â€Å"There are two many areas where Australia is falling behind other OECD nations† â€Å"Governments need to ensure the benefits of the economic prosperity are shared with all Australians†(ACOSS President Lin Hatfield Dobbs) The following indicate the status of people in Australia as on September 2001. (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (a) There were 672,500 unemployed (officially) (b) There were 563,500 underemployed (c) 800,000 would like to work more This paper picks an issue of families living in poverty especially belonging to Australia which is a renowned nation for tourism and rich in natural resources. What are the ground reasons for continuous existence of poverty in a nation where there are industries, clean environment and beautiful landscapes which encourage foreign tourists to choose Australia as a destination point to reside either as a tourist or as an immigrant. Similarly, there are reputed educational institutions and universities in Australia which if collectively notified that a greater number of foreign students enroll for career advancements in Universities of Australia than the domestic students of Australia. This gives out a fact that, people around the world select and consider Australia as one of the best nation to opt for to reside as an immigrant, as a tourist, as a foreign student or for expansion of business ventures. An overall view about Australia as a nation produces a fact that, it invites tourists of all cultures and backgrounds and offers a multi-ethnicity atmosphere to all its residents. In the order of pursuing other priorities of economic development of nation, Australia could possibly be giving a lenient view to its domestic citizens and families in providing jobs, medical health schemes which otherwise are provided at a lesser cost in the other parts of Europe, in order to take care of its citizens as a premium issue, which is very important economic aspect that resident families are cared and nurtured after all families make societies which in turn make a healthy nation. In order to find how well and happy families are, a poll opinion was considered by Brother hood of St. Laurence in Australia which revealed that a mindset of middle class economy is prevalent and poverty is always secondary (Stewart 1996). An analysis and understanding of poverty has basically two phases. (1) a phase of listening (2) a phase of dialogue. Brotherhood has considered the poll of general public, group discussions, politicians, academics, telephone interviews, business leaders, community leaders which included both qualitative and quantitative findings. Basing on the general public opinion, the following findings were the result of Brotherhood’s research on poverty in Australia. Firstly and quite observantly, Brotherhood stated that poverty is least rated at 5 per cent as compared to any other issue such as unemployment, education, health, environment and other chronic issues of narcotics and games of casino or betting. The other ratings are, drugs at 25%, unemployment at 17%, divide between rich and poor at 16%, education at 13%, health at 9%, environment at 9%, gambling at 7% and poverty at 5%. Poverty line as established by Henderson in 1973 explains that an income of $62. 70 is a benchmark which is a disposable income for a family of four. (parents + two children).

MBA Correspondence Courses in USA Essays

MBA Correspondence Courses in USA Essays MBA Correspondence Courses in USA Essay MBA Correspondence Courses in USA Essay Before we show you these MBA correspondence courses in USA, let us first define it. Many students, who want to continue with their education and pursue an MBA degree, confuse the correspondence course with something else. Try and put it this way. The distance learning MBA or popularly called an online MBA course is pursued by correspondence. In this case, correspondence means ongoing remote communication that is held between two different parties. This type of educational format connects the students, who are not physically present to the class, and the lessons. MBA correspondence courses are made for those who have limited resources and time. Recent graduate, busy professional and mothers who want to gain advanced education are the most interested parties into pursuing an MBA degree on this way. All courses require a bachelor’s degree and meeting the required criteria which can be different depending on your school. The cost you need to pay for getting an MBA degree on this way is cheaper than the part-time or regular MBA. Most of the professionals and students who don’t want to take a regular MBA course are afraid of lack of materials. They don’t need to worry anymore because every school has its own online library that is open 24/7. These students will even receive assignments that need to be completed at the specified period of time. You will be supervised by professionals who have become really famous in the business. If you feel the need to climb higher on the corporate success ladder, getting an MBA degree will help you with that goal. According to the latest distance MBA correspondence courses we can see that many great schools offers great options for you. Let’s see the schools that made it up to our top 3 MBA schools’ list. Indiana University – Kelly School of Business This university is based in Bloomington, IN and it has everything that you need to continue your education.   You are required with a GMAT score and the school is AACSB accredited. Minimum credit hours for completing this course is 51 that is equal to 24 months of commitment time. North Carolina State University – Poole College of Management The university is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and offers specializing in many fields. It also requires GMAT scores and has 45 minimum credit hours for getting the degree. It’s AACSB accredited and you will need 24 months for completing this course. University of Illinois: Springfield – College of Business and Management This university is based in Springfield, IL and it is AACSB accredited. Since its start with MBA courses, this school is highly ranked each year. You have the opportunity to finish this program for 21 or 24 months and for getting the MBA degree you will need to complete minimum 36 credit hours. These three will give you the best correspondent MBA courses and they are affordable, too. Given that you need to know more information before deciding to enroll to these programs, you need to visit their official websites in order to do so.

Alice Lloyd College Admissions - ACT Scores, Tuition...

Alice Lloyd College Admissions - ACT Scores, Tuition... Alice Lloyd College Admissions Overview: Alice Lloyd College had an acceptance rate of 22 percent in 2016, but  the actual admission bar isnt overly high. Admitted students tend to have average ACT or SAT scores and grades in the A and B range. The admission process, however, is holistic and involves much more than numerical measures. As a work college with an extremely low price tag, Alice Lloyd looks for students who will be a good match for the college and who will benefit from the experience. For this reason, all applicants must schedule an interview with an admissions counselor, and visiting the campus for a tour is highly recommended.   Admissions Data (2016): Alice Lloyd College Acceptance Rate: 22 percentTest Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 440 / 590SAT Math: 470 / 540What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 18  / 25ACT English: 17  / 25ACT Math: 16 / 23What these ACT numbers mean Alice Lloyd College Description: Alice Lloyd College is a small liberal arts college located in Pippa Passes, Kentucky. It is also one of seven recognized  American work colleges, meaning that students are employed in the college’s work-study program on campus or with an off-campus outreach project as a way to gain work experience and to partially pay their tuition. Students at Alice Lloyd College are required to complete at least 160 hours of work per semester. The remote campus is situated on 175 acres in the hills of eastern Kentucky, a few hours southeast of Lexington. Academics are strong and leadership-driven, supported by the college’s work program. Students can choose from 14 liberal arts majors, including popular programs in biology, business administration and elementary education. The college is located in Knott County, which is a dry county, so alcohol is prohibited on campus. The Alice Lloyd College Eagles compete in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference of the NAIA. Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 605  (all undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 45 percent male / 55 percent female95  percent full-time Costs (2016 - 17): Tuition and Fees: $11,550Books: $1,400 (why so much?)Room and Board: $6,240Other Expenses: $5,100Total Cost: $24,290 Alice Lloyd College Financial Aid (2015- 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 99 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 99 percentLoans: 65 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $8,832Loans: $4,244 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Biology, Business Administration, Elementary Education, Social Sciences, History, English Literature, Sociology, Exercise Science Retention and Graduation Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 84 percentTransfer-out Rate: 20 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 27 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 31 percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Golf, Basketball, Baseball, Tennis, Track and Field, Cross CountryWomens Sports:  Basketball, Track and Field, Volleyball, Cross Country, Tennis, Softball Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like Alice Lloyd College, You May Also Like These Schools: For students that might be interested in another work college, other recognized schools include  Berea College,  Warren Wilson College,  Blackburn College,  Ecclesia College, and the College of the Ozarks. If youre looking for a small school (around or less than 1,000 students) in Kentucky, Transylvania University, Georgetown College, and Kentucky Wesleyan College are all great choices. And all three of these schools are largely accessible, with at least two-thirds of applicants accepted each year. Alice Lloyd College Mission Statement: mission statement from alc.edu/about-us/our-mission/ The mission of Alice Lloyd College is to educate mountain people for positions of leadership by Making an Alice Lloyd College education available to qualified mountain students regardless of their financial situation.Offering a high quality academic program, emphasizing the liberal arts.Promoting the work ethic through a self-help Student Work Program in which all full-time students participate.Providing an atmosphere in which Christian values are maintained, encouraging high personal standards, and the development of character.Serving the community and region through appropriate outreach programs which utilize mountain people helping mountain people.Assisting deserving students in obtaining advanced study beyond their program at Alice Lloyd.Producing leaders for Appalachia who possess high moral and ethical values, an attitude of self-reliance, and a sense of service to others.