Dorsey, who was Twitter’s CEO until October 2008 and remains the social network’s chairman, said he came up with the idea for Square nearly a year ago with Jim McKelvey, a glass artist who was frustrated after losing out on a $2,000 sale because he was unable to accept a credit card from a customer.
The two started brainstorming about how businesses and individuals could quickly start accepting credit, debit and prepaid cards over the iPhone and other small electronics, and came up with the idea for a credit card reader that connects to a cell phone.
Eventually, McKelvey and a group of engineers decided they should build a gizmo that hooks up to a standard audio jack, which is common on all sorts of consumer electronics from iPhones to BlackBerrys to laptops.
Over the past month AT&T has struggled to maintain its reputation with current iPhone users. First, we heard that the company might start charging users based on their data usage in an attempt to minimize the massive amounts of data that iPhone users are prone to sharing. Then Verizon went to battle with AT&T by revealing the massive holes in the company’s 3G coverage. And in the last couple days, we saw AT&T suddenly stop selling iPhones to New York customers only to turn around and start selling them again the next day. Clearly, the company is on the defensive and it should take measures to solve these issues as soon as possible.
AT&T wanted the iPhone and it got it. Now, the company is scrambling to figure out how do actually accommodate its users. Here are five meaningful things the company can do to solve this issue:
Sincerely apologize and promise to treat your iPhone users well. This isn’t rocket science. You wanted the iPhone and all the business that was going to come with it. Apple gave you a gift, one that has allowed you to dominate the smart phone service provider business. It was a great move; however, since you got the business you’ve been slow to innovate and have done little to treat this precious market in a way they deserve to be treated.
It is time to make amends and you had better do it before someone else does. Instead of making another television ad that brags about your less-than great 3G coverage, make an ad with where your CEO or iPhone team goes on air and apologizes for their past performance and then layout your plans to take you iPhone service to an all new level.
Expand your 3G coverage and upgrade to 4G: Verizon’s got you beat when it comes to 3G coverage. I have experienced your lackluster coverage first hand. If I leave Salt Lake City, you coverage becomes spotty and downright unreliable. It’s time to invest and add the towers you need to make sure your coverage is up to par with your competitors. While in the process, why not set a goal to offer 4G coverage as soon as possible?
Take a lesson from Zappos. Of all the cellular service providers, you rate the lowest in consumer satisfaction. Now’s the time to look outside the cell phone industry and learn how to provide the world’s best cell service. Take a look at every point of contact with your consumers, from the kiosks in the malls to your website, and identify ways to “wow” your customers every step of the way. Find ways to make your service easy to sign up for (not the easiest thing in the world if you are switching from another provider) and even easier to use after they have signed up. Make “solving customer problems” your number one priority. No one is better than Zappos when it comes to customer service. Take a look at them for starters.
Offer something for free. A while back, you launched your first app, a turn-by-turn GPS service. Instead of trying to find ways to milk your iPhone customers for every cent they are worth, why not build loyalty by offering them several key and useful apps they they really need. Free GPS would be a great way to start. But don’t stop there. Look at what apps are the most useful and needed by your customers and then figure out a way to create and offer them free of charge.
Remember tethering? You have held up this service for some time now. It’s time to allow this to happen and it would be an excellent time to offer this free of charge to your loyal iPhone users.
Let your customers leave for free. Gone are the days when you can punish customers who don’t like your service. Put your business, service and technology to the test by allowing your customers to leave if they are unhappy and do it free of charge. Sure, you might argue that you have made an investment in your customers by subsidizing the cost of their phones. That is completely true; however, that is the business model you built. It’s not too late to change course.
What do you have to worry about? A lot in the initial stages; however, if you are able to offer the world’s best service on the world’s best smartphone, you should not have much trouble with this one.
You have been given a gift. Apple selected you as the provider of choice for the iPhone. Luckily for you, Apple has held up their end of the bargain by continuing to push the envelope on the technology side. It’s time to match the world’s best phone with the world’s best service. The game is yours to win or lose.
Since March of 2000, (www.eTherapistsOnline.com) we have been
Online Therapy
providing to the public a pool of well qualified clinicians; mental health professionals who have at least 10 years post graduate experience, provided 6 personal and professional references that attest to their qualifications, “exhibited strong professional skills including a personal interview with a top clinician and management of our company, and in general have made it though the most rigorous screening process of any online therapy site we know of.
It has been extraordinarily rewarding to watch our “experiment” in online therapy grow at a rate we’d never dreamed would happen to where we are now one of the oldest, most established and most publicized online therapy sites online today.
We have conducted a few surveys with our clients over the years, but our most recent one is the one I find most interesting, at least right now. We asked our clients what were the top five reasons they shoes online therapy over seeing someone in office and feel the results are so interesting we wanted to share them with you.
Our research was informal and consistent only of a follow up email to 200 past clients who had purchased a session for the first time within the last 6 months asking them to share with us the top 5 reasons for selecting online therapy.
The results are as follows:
# 5: Availability — People cited that the therapist they wanted to see was available within the next 2 – 5 days as a reason for seeing someone online. Their comments indicated that this window of time, 2 – 5 days was extremely important and they felt that contact with a professional was more important than where the contact took place.
#4: Ease of Use — respondents cited the ease of use of the site as the 4th top reason to select online therapy vs. in office therapy. A frequent remark was that there was little effort to “sell” them on this form of therapy which they liked “Lack of pressure to buy” something was a typical response from respondents.
#3: Price– The cost of sessions was reason number three given. They thought the range of prices from ($39.95 for 1 email to $85 for 1 60 minute chat or phone) was affordable enough to see if this would be a helpful way of “seeing “ someone and over 72% said they purchased an additional session even though we did not ask for this information.
#2: Intake Process – While many people complained that the intake process was long, they also felt reassurance that this was “a legitimate” site; “real professionals” and “ethical licensed professionals” if they were asking this much detailed information beforehand. Credibility, while not using that term, seemed to be the reason they were identifying.
#1: Skill level of the professional – We post an extensive biography of each therapist on the site and the fact that qualifications was cited was not surprising to us, al thought it was surprising that it was the number one reason. Because most of our professionals have at least 15 – 20 years post graduate experience and they write well (as demonstrated in their bio) seems to be an important indicator for those seeking therapy. This lends support to my belief that clients who seek therapy online tend to be more professional, highly educated group of people who are looking for convenience and quality in making a decision about what type of service to purchase online and where to make that purchase.
It was a fascinating experience to review the clients’ comments. While we do not have any plans now for future surveys, we will be conducting some as we go on. We do not present this in any way as an attempt at a “scientific study “so we will not respond (mostly for time’s sake) comments critical of the methodology we used. Our goal here is simply to share information we found interesting. All comments and suggestions are welcome.
Flash your Tats at the Singapore Tattoo Show 2010 and you could be one of the many FACES in the coverage of the Singapore Tattoo Show by Tattooink.tv. Have a global audience admire your pride and joy tattoo/s – see you at the show.
On the morning of a life coach program the entrance fee is free,
The jest of the speech is material accumulation and a myriad of slime,
At the end of the program $5000 packaged programs and you’re sorry,
Feeling an accessory to a crime.
She comes out from backstage with fake Rolex so stunning,
Thinking the audience has no brains,
Then she wonders why on Twitter that she shunned,
She’ll mutter something about Newton’s inertia reference frame,
But she smells like a rat.
She only has a sec for questions,
And prefers Mastercard or bank transfers,
She counts on you to be dense with no direction,
Till your bank balance disappears.
You later find better advice on public bathroom stalls,
And you realize like so many others you’ve been screwed,
The BS was so thick you could cut it with a knife,
So you sip another brew,
Cheers to the year of the rat.
Well she counts her cash so cruely,
Smiling like another Macy’s shopping spree,
Your migraine now is grueling,
So you tweet her, but her only answer is snide,
I can’t help being a rat.
Well the morning comes and you’d like to believe her,
But the bozos on that bus are gone.
You’d like to form a group and start a line of pickets,
But the life coach took all their funds.
Lots Are Becoming Life Coaches Yes Even Danny Bonaduci
You try to think back at a filthier stain,
But the life coach leaves a permanent decay,
Repackaged ancient wisdom is the game she lives for.
They make Michael Madoff seem okay,
To a life coach you’re a doormat.
————————————————————————————————————–
Rick London is a writer, designer and cartoonist. He founded and creates Londons Times Cartoons, the nets #1 ranked offbeat cartoon. He launched Shoes That Amuse, the world’s only famous love quote shoes which have been featured in media worldwide. He has written over 650 published magazine articles and is brand designer for Mariel Hemingway Healthy Gifts. His funny gift stores contain over 70,000 funny tees funny mugsand other funny gifts such as LT Superstore and Rick London Collection.
Job Type: Full Time Location: Civic Centre, City Of Mississauga, ON, CANADA; Job Category: Marketing Industry: Government Year(s) of Experience: 3 Number Of Positions: 1 Date Posted: Dec 22, 2009
Mississauga is Canada’s sixth largest city with a population of more than 700,000. With well-established infrastructure and state-of-the-art facilities, the City is considered to be an employer of choice, delivering quality municipal programs and services to its citizens. Mississauga is a dynamic, diverse and progressive municipality, known for its economic strength and for being Canada’s safest city.
CORPORATE SERVICES DEPARTMENT
COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION
CORPORATE MARKETING/PROMOTIONS SECTION
requires a
MARKETING CONSULTANT, NEW MEDIA
Job Specifications: Post secondary education in Marketing, Web Design, Information Technology, Graphic Arts, or Communications along with a minimum of 3 years progressive experience in the development and management of a large corporate Web site or equivalent combination of appropriate education and experience. Experience in all aspects of the web development lifecycle including: analysis, specification building, design and development, coding, QA testing, promotion and maintenance. Proficient in web design and development software including advanced experience using Dreamweaver, Photoshop, ImageReady and Flash. Must be highly skilled in hand coding HTML, JavaScript, Cascading Style Sheets and Action script. Demonstrated proficiency in user interface design principles and standard web design and development methodologies. Demonstrated proficiency in the development and integration of dynamic content such as Flash, video and audio content within web sites. Experience and proficiency in the development of dynamic multi-media presentations using PowerPoint, Flash and Apple Keynote. Experience with Content Management Systems (creating and deploying content). E-marketing tactical experience, including creative development that supports a broader marketing plan. Excellent oral and written communication skills. A task-orientated approach to projects and the ability to perform duties requiring independent judgment, analytical skills and initiative. Demonstrated commitment to professional development, including a track record of remaining current with emerging web technologies. Ability to work well under pressure and within strict deadlines. Strong problem solving skills and attention to detail.
Primary Responsibilities:
Under the direction of the Manager, Corporate Marketing and Promotions, the successful candidate will be responsible for coordinating and completing assigned Web page maintenance tasks and supporting the design and implementation of various web development and multi-media projects. Completion of these duties will require, but not be limited to creating, managing and integrating web pages into eCity and Inside Mississauga. Supporting the development and integration of multi-media content such as flash and video on to City Web pages. Developing and implementing dynamic and user-focused web content (both internal and external) for Communications division supported projects. Providing support and consultation to the Communications Team with implementing web-based projects. Partnering with Creative Services to develop dynamic multi-media presentations utilizing PowerPoint, Flash and Apple Keynote for high-profile and strategically important initiatives. Prioritizing and responding to web page maintenance requests from Communications staff based on defined priorities and workload demands. Partnering with Creative Services and Information Technology to advise, build and execute web site development plans based on project needs and goals. Participating in section and divisional work teams and projects as required. Assisting with the ongoing evaluation of web sites and other web services by producing quantitative performance measures. Maintaining an awareness of current trends and technology in related fields. Performing other related duties as assigned.
Salary range: $50,947 – $67,929
A Criminal Record Search will be required of the successful candidate, at their own expense, to verify the absence of a criminal record for which a pardon has not been granted.
We thank all who apply, however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. All personal information is collected under the authority of the municipal Act. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Please note that once you have submitted your resume an on-line a questionnaire will appear on screen and must be completed in order to be considered for this position.
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Keyword: Top, Best, Monthly, Yearly, affordable, online, on page, off page, search engine optimization company, google search engine, marketing, seo, search engine optimization placement, web marketing strategy, independent, web 2 marketing, marketing to the social web, For USA, India, Cambodia, China, France, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States
www.itliveweb.com is top and best search engine Optimization Company for USA, India, Cambodia, China, France, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States. We work online on page and off page seo for google search engine. We work for web 2 marketing and marketing to the social web. We are affordable for all type of website, Magento, oscommerce, joomla, ecommerce. We gives monthly and yearly feature to our clients. www.itliveweb.com Online Marketing company allows Our clients to promote The website and services online at a affordable cost than traditional advertising such as yellow pages. ITLiveWeb helps you grow your business and gives traffic because We provide qualified leads from potential customers who are looking for your products and services.
Job Type: Full Time