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Daily Archives: September 10, 2014

Talk with Me, Not at Me: Playing to Win with Social Media

Accenture, From Welcome to the Switching Economy: “Consumers everywhere have a wealth of information at their fingertips, giving them more control than ever regarding who gets their business. They know they have choices and switch providers when frustrated with their experiences. The result is the emergence of what Accenture calls the Switching Economy: the $5.9 billion of consumer-oriented commerce that’s annually up for grabs globally due to dwindling consumer satisfaction with and loyalty to their established providers. According to Accenture’s 2013 Global Consumer Pulse Research, which included more than 13,000 consumers in 33 countries, 66 percent of consumers globally have switched providers because of poor experiences in at least one of ten industries surveyed. Welcome to the Switching Economy. An overwhelming majority of consumers (85 percent) said they switch providers because companies simply don’t make it easy to do business with them. It’s not for lack of effort on providers’ part. However, most companies have failed to keep up with consumers’ expectations and behaviors because they have been playing “not to lose” when developing their customer relationships. Instead, companies must play to win. That starts with recognizing that the traditional sales and marketing ‘funnel’ is out of synch with consumers today and adopt a new model that is aligned with how consumers behave in today’s digital world—a model that enables companies to understand and keep pace with today’s all-powerful and ever-changing consumers who don’t. We introduced this theme and shared findings from Accenture’s 2013 Global Consumer Pulse Research in our report “Digital Customer: It’s time to play to win and stop playing not to lose,” recognize and reward companies that meet them on their terms and punish those that don’t. One of the key elements of this new customer model is effectively leveraging social media. Social media has substantially evolved from its primary early use as a way to keep up with what friends are doing. It is now a valuable “window into the world of consumers,” enabling companies to listen to consumers, understand what they think and want, and use that insight to engage them in relevant and interesting interactions. Indeed, leading organizations are using the power and reach of social media to harness insights, create relevance, hone relationships and target stakeholders in a more meaningful and trusted way. “

Compensation Programs Falling Short at U.S. Employers – Survey

“Despite the importance of pay when it comes to attracting and retaining employees, companies are falling short in the delivery of their base pay and annual incentive programs, according to research from global professional services company Towers Watson. Further, while the competition for talent is heating up, companies are not differentiating pay for their best… Continue Reading

CRS – Defense Surplus Equipment Disposal

Defense Surplus Equipment Disposal, Including the Law Enforcement 1033 Program. Valerie Bailey Grasso, Specialist in Defense Acquisition. September 5, 2014. “On September 12, 1972, the Defense Property Disposal Service (the forerunner to DLA Disposition Services) was established under the Defense Supply Agency (now DLA). Defense property disposal offices were established worldwide on or near major military installations. DLA… Continue Reading

Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response

CRS – Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response. Christopher M. Blanchard, Coordinator – Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs; Carla E. Humud, Analyst in Middle Eastern and African Affairs; Mary Beth D. Nikitin, Specialist in Nonproliferation. June 27, 2014. “Fighting continues across Syria, pitting government forces and their foreign allies against a range of anti-government insurgents, some of whom also are fighting… Continue Reading

Publishers Gave Away over 120 Million Books During World War II

And, in the process, they created a nation of readers, Yoni Applebaum, The Atlantic: “In 1943, in the middle of the Second World War, America’s book publishers took an audacious gamble. They decided to sell the armed forces cheap paperbacks, shipped to units scattered around the globe. Instead of printing only the books soldiers and… Continue Reading

Younger Americans and Public Libraries

“Younger Americans—those ages 16-29—especially fascinate researchers and organizations because of their advanced technology habits, their racial and ethnic diversity, their looser relationships to institutions such as political parties and organized religion, and the ways in which their social attitudes differ from their elders. This report pulls together several years of research into the role of libraries in… Continue Reading

EPIC, Legal Scholars, Technical Experts Urge Federal Appeals Court to Safeguard Telephone “Metadata”

“EPIC has filed an amicus curiae brief, joined by 33 technical experts and legal scholars, in support of a challenge to the NSA telephone record collection program. The case, Smith v. Obama will be heard by the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit this fall. Earlier this year, a lower court ruled that the Fourth Amendment does not protect… Continue Reading

Cyberthreats in past year impact 93% of financial services organizations

“Cyberattacks targeting financial services firms are on the rise, but are these organizations doing enough to protect business and customer data? According to a Kaspersky Lab and B2B International survey of worldwide IT professionals, 93% of financial services organizations experienced various cyberthreats in the past 12 months. And while cyber-attacks targeting financial services firms are on the rise, nearly one… Continue Reading

New GAO Reports – Defense Planning, Education, DHS Training, USAID, Older Americans, Veterans Affairs

DEFENSE PLANNING: DOD Needs Specific Measures and Milestones to Gauge Progress of Preparations for Operational Access Challenges, GAO-14-801:  Published: Sep 10, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 10, 2014. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: Status of Prior GAO Recommendations, GAO-14-848T: Published: Sep 10, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 10, 2014. DHS TRAINING: Improved Documentation, Resource Tracking, and Performance Measurement Could Strengthen Efforts, GAO-14-688: Published: Sep 10, 2014.… Continue Reading