Public, Service and Private - American Landscape Design Areas

Down through the ages various nations and races have developed certain styles in gardening largely because of the different climates and topographical features in their particular parts of the world. If you want to do some extra reading on the history of the landscape art, you will find good books on all phases of the subject in public libraries. The important thing concerning the evolution of the landscape art in America is the fact that there has been developed a distinct style which is admirably suited to our modem way of life. Consequently, in professional circles, it is referred to as the "American Style."

Years ago I remember meeting the famed Brazilian landscape design visionary Roberto Burle Marx who's style fascinated me but was of a completely different flavor than American Style.

Public Area

Basically, American Style is built around the theory that for maximum efficiency, privacy, and beauty, the property shall be divided into three distinct sections: the public area, the service area, and the private area.

The public area is, naturally, that part which is generally seen by the public when walking or riding past the front of the property. Many of us are in the habit of calling it the "front yard." This area, although you have paid for it, pay taxes on it, and also maintain it, does not in a sense belong to you; rather, it is more or less a part of the community, since so many people can see it. Therefore, in all fairness to your neighbors, you should attempt to follow certain set rules concerning its design.

Reciprocal Planning

This also works the other way around in as much as you have to look at the public areas of other home owners. These rules, generally speaking work toward a public area that is pleasant to look at and adds to the dignity of the neighborhood as a whole.

Service Area

The service area of a property is that portion set aside or designated for the more utilitarian activities around a home, such as the garage, driveway and turn-court, yard, garbage cans, compost piles, children's play areas, cut-flower gardens, vegetable gardens, etc.

Since this area is important to the efficient functioning of the home, and the remainder of the garden, plan it with the same thoughtful consideration that you have given to the public and private area. You can also add some umbrella tree to highlight it.

All too often, the home gardener is prone to expend his time, money, and effort on areas where the results will be most evident. Since few outside the family will see service area, it may be neglected.

Private Area

The third or private area is perhaps the most important to the true enjoyment of your home property. This is where the landscape is arranged for you and your friends to enjoy while you are actually in the garden, or as you look out at it through windows or doorways of your home. It is an area devoted solely to relaxation, beauty, and meditation.

Customer Service Skills - Getting It Right

To succeed in any type of business it is important to provide good customer service. A business may have been operating for many years and built up a first-rate reputation with the buying public but without providing the required service it would struggle in an aggressive marketplace.

To maintain market share these days in a competitive market, business owners are finding that it is vital to have well trained competent staff who have the necessary experience to provide their customers with exceptional service.

The following information outlines how customer service skills can be effectively utilized and put into practice in any business -

Conduct regular staff meetings with key staff to discuss experiences and examples of good service as this will help to identify any short-comings in your own business. Provide weekly incentives for successful employees by rewarding them with a $20 gift voucher or other small incentive.

Employees who are required to interact with customers need to be effectively trained and mentored in order for them to have a good understanding of the business and so they can be in a position to effectively attend to a customer's requirements.

However, it can be difficult for many employees to be calm and professional when put under pressure such as handling a complaint from a difficult customer. It is therefore important to ensure employees who have been placed in a position where this situation could happen are properly equipped with the appropriate customer service skills to deal with abusive demanding customer's. A good strategy that some businesses use is to organize a role play scenario during a staff meeting so staff can be trained in the art of dealing with difficult customers and situations.

It is important for shop assistants and particularly those employees who are at front counter positions to always project a friendly helpful image by welcoming the customer with a simple "hi" or good morning.

Dealing with a customer's enquiry should always be undertaken confidently and promptly. By listening carefully to what the customer is saying and using effective skills learned through training techniques the customer will be left with a good impression and a happy experience dealing with your business.

External Audit Jobs in Public Service - Careers in Audit

The demand for those to fill external audit jobs continues to stay high as companies try to comply with SOX. One of the best places to be looking for external audit jobs these days is in public service.

In fact, the government is hiring in all areas of finance, including internal and external audit jobs, risk management jobs, account management jobs, all the way down to payroll officers and ledger clerks. These days, the government is working hard to make those public sector jobs attractive to graduates, so if you've been looking to the private sector because you thought you'd get better benefits and wages there, the range of external audit jobs and other jobs in public finance may surprise you.

There's a general perception that government work simply doesn't pay well, though it affords job stability and offers you a sense of accomplishment. It turns out that this notion doesn't play well outside London. In the local governments in fact, wages and compensation for financial officers, internal and external audit jobs and other such positions compare quite favorably with the local private offerings and fit in well with the local cost of living.

Government service also tends to offer attractive packages when it comes to training benefits. For example some roles within the pubic service offer training schemes to its employees that include paid time off to take up new courses and sit for exams. In addition, employees are encouraged to map out career paths that gain them experience in all sorts of circumstances and conditions, from perusing the books at public agencies to doing full external audit jobs of private companies under investigation.

Working in the public sector is especially an option if you want to stay local to your roots. In the local economies, the public sector is often one of the biggest employers. In the Northeast, for instance, Public Sector jobs provide just under 50% of all jobs for graduates under the age of 40. In Wales, that figure is above 50%, and those positions include many jobs in the financial sector. If you're hoping to stay close to home and work locally, then government sector jobs offer far more opportunity to work than private firms.

The changing attitudes and emphasis by the government on training and reimbursement are opening up internal and external audit jobs to those who are still in training. A quick look over at current job recruitment ads shows many that read, "Do you want to make FD in two years time?" or "...looking for a part-qualified Accountant willing to engage in continued professional development". The adverts offer such enticements as continued opportunities, exciting work, personal growth experience and rapid advancement within your field. If you've been looking at external audit jobs with private companies, this may be the time to turn your sights on the public sector where you can combine your aspiration for the good life with the desire to do good.

Notary Public Jobs

If you wish to work at home or in any office that could use a notary on duty during the hours you want to work, you might enjoy becoming a notary public. Consider the situation where a normal employee of an institution such as a bank receives a notary public license. This new designation enhances his value in the organization and offers a good adjunct service to his employer. Bank transactions often involve the need for notarized documents, such as a notarized signature for a loan.

A notary public is an executive licensed by the state to serve as an impartial witness to the signing of documents, such as affidavits, real estate deeds and powers of attorney.

The signature and stamp of the notaries acknowledge that the signers have entered into an agreement knowingly and willingly. Notaries are not responsible for the legality or accuracy of the content of the documents they notarize. The signers are responsible for the correctness of documents.

Notaries usually spend some time to verify the identity of signers, usually done with a driver's license. After verification, they press the notary seal on the document and sign it. A notary cannot offer any legal advice and service, unless he is a lawyer. Institutes that normally require notary jobs include real estate firms, law offices, financial organizations and credit unions.

Notary public jobs include mobile notary publics and notary signing agents. The first types are notaries who travel to the homes and offices of those asking to have a document notarized. Notary signing agents are notaries with good experience in notarizing loan document signings. To become a notary public, an individual satisfies several state certification requirements including clearing a background check, providing the bond, paying the required filing fees and passing a multiple choice test.

Notary public fees differ from state to state. In California, the fee per signature varies from $5 to $20, depending on the nature of the notarized document. For example, the notary charges $10 per signature for notarizing a deed or power of attorney, and $20 for services available in connection with deposition testimony. In many states, a notary has statewide authority and can do notarial deeds in any county in these states.

Notary publics are reappointed every four years. To renew commission, they must file a new bond and pay the required fees no earlier than 90 days before the conclusion date of the notary's term. The forms are available from the office of the Secretary of State, county clerk, or an insurance agency.

Qualities of a Good Laundry Service

Regular launderettes offer to clean your clothes. However, first rate laundry services make sure that your items are treated in the best way possible. They consider client satisfaction as a requirement and they uses different ways to get it. Some of these are:

Preserving fabric quality. A shop that offers good laundry service classifies the items that they service so that each are washed in its proper setting. For example, silks are washed differently from lyocells. This kind of handling is necessary to ensure that all the items are kept in good condition. It is also a very good method to make sure that fabrics will last longer and look its best.

Proper handling of items. Laundry services with good standards operate in clean surroundings. They keep their premises free of dust, dirt or any other materials that may sully the clients' clothes. They also do not allow smoking so that the items retain its fragrance from the wash. Additionally, quality laundry service is done by trained personnel who take all the necessary steps to care of the clients' items.

Be efficient and timely. Time translates to resources, and the sooner the items are returned to the clients the better. A good launderette can perform its washing services at a minimum of three hours per visit. They do the job as soon as possible for the convenience of the client and also to get more jobs done, a mark of a serious business. Good and professional launderettes can also provide same-day collection and return services to even bulky items like rugs and carpets.

Competitive rates. All clients want services that are worth what they are paying. Some launderettes may offer services at a cheap price but have a shoddy output. But on the other hand, high price may not always mean quality service. So what you would like to look for is a launderette that gives quality service at the minimum price.

Offer a variety of services. A mark of good laundry service is that they can clean not only different types of clothes, but also different items. They can also provide their services to a variety of clients, including offices, public houses, nurseries, salons, restaurants, and businesses of different types. Being able to supply laundry services to various clients is an indication that a shop already has a lot of experience in the business and can accommodate whatever requests may be given to it.

Spending Public Service Money Wisely During Downturns

In the face of global economic hardship, people the world over are re-evaluating their spending practices.

From individuals and small businesses to government bodies, financial crises encourage everyone to tighten their belts - and also pay closer attention to the spending of public money. When people are paying more attention to their own spending, it is natural that their sights also become set on public services and how efficiently public money is being used to support them.

While a global economic downturn may to some extent change the spending priorities of many individuals, there are some public services that people almost unanimously believe should be supported no matter what the world-wide financial situation may be. For example, the UK's National Health Service, has faced many funding and financial problems over the years but the provision of effective and free healthcare remains a priority, even when money is tight.

Luckily, the help of best practice systems can afford organisations like the NHS ways to operate efficiently despite budget cuts. Prioritisation is key to ensuring that money is spent on the right thing and this is only more essential when money is short. By looking at long-term as well as short-term targets, it is easier for public sector managers to handle financial downturns and budget restrictions that could last for a matter of years rather than months. One way to achieve this is for organisations to ensure that the services they deliver are as effective as they may be, even if this means cutting services.

Making sure that the services that are given priority are the ones that are most necessary might mean losing face in some instances, but by playing to a long-term plan the public are likely to see the benefits of such organisational methods eventually. In the same vein, when public sector managers are able to ensure that their staff, management teams and specialists are working to the best of their abilities and skill sets they will find that money can also be spent more efficiently.

As many people working in public sectors have advanced training or skills, their time is valuable and if workload is inefficiently distributed, this valuable time could be being squandered on tasks below their level. Therefore, by ensuring that the best person for the job is the one doing it, managers will find that they are able to show that public money is being put to good work.

With the spotlight turning on the global financial situation, and more and more people wanting to get involved in the decision making process and hoping to see money used efficiently, there's never been a better time for public sector workers to re-evaluate their spending habits - for the benefit of everyone.

Public Service Transformation and Reform

The performance gap between private and public service provision is widening. Yet this is happening at a time when there is cross-party recognition of the need for reform of public services and when investment is casting a spotlight on public sector productivity rates.

The obstacles hampering efforts to transform public sector delivery are no longer ideological. They range from systemic issues, risk aversion, change management capability, lack of understanding of what is possible and inflexible procurement processes. Yet the appetite for involvement in public service delivery amongst the provider community remains strong. In addition, the market in many areas has matured and expanded significantly, and there is a willingness to work with government in new and innovative ways.

This paper argues that alternative service delivery models (ASDMs, a mix of public private and third sector provision) are inevitable as a prerequisite for transformation; only the quantity and pace of change is unknown. We examine ways of accelerating that process so that the significant benefits expected can be delivered more quickly.
 
Introduction
The idea of Public Service transformation is not new. Since the introduction of the Welfare State in the late 1940s successive governments have looked at how to balance public need and available funds.
 
What is different is the pace of change. Changes in society, public expectations and attitudes, use of technology (particularly the web), types of industry, working practices and the private /third sector capabilities have accelerated in the past 10-15 years. The public sector has struggled to keep up and the performance or productivity gap between public and private sector has widened. But there is now a clear determination to deliver meaningful transformation, as political parties seek to differentiate themselves on efficient and effective provision of public services.
 
A number of obstacles lie in the path of reform. For example, infrastructure, processes and technology do not provide a suitable platform for any government. Other barriers include: fear of failure (due to the public scrutiny and accountability of civil servants and ministers); resistance to change, either because of familiarity with established processes or sectional interest; political and social constraints; the drive for excessive fairness when policies are being developed which leads to over complicated rules and processes which are unintelligible to the general population; or a fundamental lack of understanding of what really could be achieved through properly harnessing the capabilities of the private and third sectors to the public sector.
 
Despite some improvements, our current Government finds itself increasing investment without necessarily producing the step changes needed. There is a political consensus on improving public services, increasing fairness (equality of opportunity, needs vs. ability to pay), devolving responsibility to the individual and capitalising on private and third sector capabilities. Indeed, there has been a shift in ideology, with the result that the whole concept of 'fairness' has become synonymous with 'competition' and choice. Yet there is no apparatus or know-how to achieve those outcomes.
 
Real transformation requires reform of the delivery mechanisms involved in public services. Reform comprising a combination of private, third and government sectors is inevitable. Such plurality of provision should introduce contestability, helping to drive innovation and close the public/private productivity gap. However, such an approach will require shared objectives under creative commercial arrangements (what we have called Alternative Service Delivery Models or ASDMs). Successful implementations such as National Savings and Investments and the congestion charge in London point the way. The questions are when, or how much and how fast, not if and the answers depend on the balance between the drivers for change and the lack of current capability.
 
On the plus side are factors that augur well for reform: growing demand from users; increasing dissatisfaction of wider stakeholders; recognition of the systemic nature of some current problems; and the growing maturity and flexibility of the provider community. However, concerted and co-ordinated effort is required to capitalise on those drivers, remove the barriers and accelerate delivery of the expected benefits.

The drivers for change.
1. 'Customer' demand
A drive towards devolved responsibility and customer-centricity fuelled in large part by a population whose expectations and demands of Government have risen in line with private sector improvements and who are no longer tolerant of poor standards. The Varney Review Service Transformation: a Better Service For Citizens and Businesses, a Better Deal for Taxpayers and strategy paper Transformational Government - Enabled by Technology both identified the need for 'customer' (either business or citizen) centricity.
 
2. Wider stakeholder expectations
Increasing criticism from media, Treasury, parliamentary and departmental reviews as current initiatives are seen as not working or are over-sold. For example, some departments are relying almost exclusively on LEAN techniques to deliver all their desired changes - efficiency, service quality improvement and greater customer-centricity. Criticism is coupled with a clear desire for radical reforms across all Government Departments and a need for prioritising public spending, putting transformation at a premium. That desire for the radical is linked to a shift in ideology. There is now a widespread belief that competition is synonymous with fairness. As a result, rather than 'fairness' being the exclusive domain of the public sector, plurality of provision, driving contestability and innovation, are seen as the route to closing the productivity gap between public and private service provision. Lastly, there is a growing realisation that, structurally, information mechanisms within the public sector appear to be less sensitive than the private or third sectors and therefore struggle to harness the market as a selection mechanism.
 
3. Underlying systemic failures
Recognition that change is not possible within an infrastructure that cannot support or facilitate it, where the investment in modernising legacy infrastructure outstrips government ability to fund it and where big bang IT investment at best delivers only discrete new capabilities. It is also widely understood that fragmented operations between and within departments have a detrimental effect on service quality such that citizens need to deal with a multitude of government touchpoints to accomplish even basic tasks. For example the Varney Review recognised that the consequences of bereavement can require 41 separate notifications to government agencies.
 
4. A maturing market
A maturing and expanding third-party provider market with the ability to transfer know-how, share risk and rewards, provide examples of proven concepts and cover more 'niche' service provision. This is coupled with a genuine willingness on the part of the major providers to explore creative commercial constructs with Government. In addition, there is a recognition at senior levels within government that the private (and third) sector has a crucial role to play in effecting transformation and developing / maintaining the pre-requisite systems and processes.
 
5. Untapped benefits
Untapped benefits which derive from the ability to change the underlying business model to deliver better services at lower cost. Direct benefits include: vast reductions in cost; avoidance of capital expenditure; sustainable service improvements; guaranteed service levels; variable pricing; influx of talent; sharing of know-how; more flexible service provision able to respond more quickly to change - either in terms of new services, or additions/amendments to existing services.
 
 
True transformation remains elusive.
Despite the many drivers for change there are barriers to be overcome. These range from resistance to change; inflexible, procurement processes and regulations; lack of know-how and experience; concern about public services not being provided directly; and the private sector preferring to react to demand rather than spend time offering creative solutions when there seems to be no appetite for them. At their heart is a lack of understanding of what really could be achieved if the Public sector could properly harness the capabilities of the private and third sectors.

As a result, creative delivery models are rare in the public sector because the roadmap for getting there is not understood. That roadmap comprises - formulate strategy, engage the potential internal and external service suppliers, compare, negotiate, finalise, transition and manage. In addition, the models themselves are feared by many of those who should promote and create them because they are seen as adding risk when there is so much to do, rather than mitigating the risk. The argument is often that 'now is not a good time'. Such an approach means that 'now' will never be a good time - whenever now is.
 
The process itself isn't complicated but there is a lot to do and you need a clear outcome (or picture of the new service delivery model and underlying processes), sufficient resources, robust methods and a flexible procurement process. Government procurement processes lack this flexibility and are geared toward selecting the lowest cost 'offer'. This precludes creativity and innovation as competing suppliers pare their services to the bone in order to stay in the hunt. That might be appropriate for product procurement, but complex services require a more sophisticated approach and selection criteria. There is also a lack of upfront acknowledgement that things will go wrong and little attention paid to how all parties will work together to put things right. Procurements should be decided much more by the track record of organisations to sort problems when things go wrong, rather than those who tender the lowest price. The 'blame' culture which prevails is not healthy and merely serves to make suppliers defensive or to factor risk cost into their tender responses.

Despite some notable exceptions, the end result is often poorly constructed, adversarial arrangements where neither party is satisfied with the outcome, relationships that are strained at best, the service levels are unsatisfactory and there is often early termination. Most highly visible use of external providers to provide complex service solutions are therefore examples that have failed. This 'fear-of-failure' becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy - that the provision of public services and support functions (rather than simply their procurement) must be the exclusive domain of civil servants. This colours approaches to existing services, and to new ones. The latter should be encouraged to start with the opposite presumption; that is, the service should be delivered by the private or third sectors rather than the public sector (in line with the Public Sector Reform Model published in 2006).
 
It is widely accepted that there is massive demand is for high calibre individuals to drive complex Change Programmes,  and that there are not enough of these people to go round.  In any market where there is a shortage of resources the logical answer would be to distribute the scarce resources which are available in the most effective way. Public sector reform would be massively assisted by 'seeding' individuals with these skills into their major programmes and recognising that they are provide exceptional value (despite their high cost).

Government departments need to learn how to become better clients, and how to get the maximum out of their chosen providers. In the public sector, commercial performance-management and governance typically means applying service metrics and penalties. Relationship building and incentives to over-perform and provide innovation are rarely considered - yet these are the areas which offer the most potential for a step-change in service performance.

Accelerating Transformation through Alternative Service Delivery Models (ASDM)
ASDMs in this context reach beyond traditional outsourcing, off-shoring, joint ventures or even shared-service solutions (see Annex A for further details on some of the issues raised by these approaches). The supplier/provider market has matured and expanded substantially over recent years. Providers recognise the need to innovate and adapt services to meet the specific needs of their customers. Large-scale, off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all solutions are no longer the order of the day. While some contracts remain large, there is a growing trend towards smaller-scale tailored solutions, with the customer and supplier working in partnership to deliver a set of shared outcomes. Notable successes can be found in local government, but these have not as yet become commonplace in central government. For example: front office services in Westminster City Council (provided by Vertex).
 
The challenge is to exploit and capitalise on the drivers for change, by addressing the barriers identified above. We believe a number of steps can be taken to accelerate the process - their timing, start-point and sequence will depend on the particular circumstances involved. In summary, these are (see Annex B for more details):
 

• Build Acceptance- a key early step is to gain widespread acceptance that monopolistic service provision is not the only option; there are other better, (cheaper and more effective) delivery approaches available. As a result current initiatives are unlikely to deliver the required transformation on their own. This will require education (see below) on what ASDMs can deliver, in particular how they can de-risk current approaches.
• Education - acceptance and then transformation will not happen without a better understanding of ASDMs - what is possible, the potential benefits and where support can be found. This can best be done in dialogue with the provider community (see also below).
• Identify suitable candidate processes for ASDM's -trying to identify possible candidate functions for transformation can be daunting when faced with the scale and the multiple objectives that characterise many public sector organisations. One approach that has been piloted successfully, is to filter the main processes by applying a series of coarse filters and asking key questions at each stage (for example - is the process specialised or generic?). More details of this approach are provided in Annex B.
• Create Heroes - these are the sponsors who will champion the processes through, turning the concept into delivered reality. 'Heroes' are likely to be responsible for strong-candidate processes as well as embracing the concept of ASDMs.
• Engage the Provider community (both private and third sector) -in the past ten years this market has matured and changed almost beyond recognition. Harnessing the power of the private and third sectors is a crucial step on the transformation journey and will require working with the internal commercial department to set up informal Provider 'advisory groups' to explore innovative technical solutions and commercial constructs (non-traditional, faster, less-formal, more creative and politically sellable). This, we believe, is the step that will be the biggest challenge and require the highest level of support.

Conclusion
The gap between private and public sector service provision will continue to accelerate unless more radical approaches to transformation are adopted within government. We believe that radical changes to procurement processes and attitudes coupled with alternative service delivery arrangements - integrating public, private and third sectors in innovative ways - are the key to that transformation. There are clear steps that can be taken now that will speed up the process of change - particularly to educate the public sector and engage the provider community. The benefits are significant (fewer disaster projects, massive cost reduction, avoidance of capital spend, better quality provision, more flexible/responsive services); the time for action is now.

Annex A - Issues facing traditional external service delivery models
Theoretically these traditional approaches have the potential to provide real value. Indeed some such solutions have been highly successful; for example National Savings and Investments. However, each traditional approach carries its own set of problems and issues. For example:

• Outsourcing: the attractions and benefits of Outsourcing need to be off-set against negative connotations such as the loss of jobs and potential transfer of work offshore leading to social and political resistance as well as being the least welcome option for the civil servant to buy-in to. Outsourcing transactions themselves are fraught with pitfalls and the public sector doesn't have the know-how to avoid the pitfalls and manage the risks. Typically it will try and rely on draconian, rigid contract terms and conditions that stifle creativity, co-operation and innovation.
• Shared Services: shared services (between or within departments) are beginning to emerge as transformation agents but require huge augmentation from outside which is expensive and rarely, if ever, do the requisite skills and know-how transfer to the public sector staff and this jeopardises the sustainability of the model. Shared services have struggled to materialise because Departments do not like giving up control and there is no incentive for Departments to share because Government does not yet reward its senior people by reference to the way they work together & there is nothing similar to a share price to show the result of the overall endeavour.
• Joint Ventures: joint ventures (or enterprise partnerships) are even less well understood than outsourcing or shared-services. Theoretically, an enterprise partnership will overcome many of the traditional weaknesses and pitfalls by providing an influx of talent, a close working relationship and responsibility which is designed into the concept and real incentives for both parties to perform. The reality is that the providers who prefer this commercial approach are working with the financial service and other industries where buying services has become far more sophisticated in the past decade and [with the exception of PFi initiatives] this option is largely (and in our opinion wrongly) eschewed in the Public sector. Joint Ventures have proved difficult because Government has worried about a perceived conflict of interest if the senior Civil Servants involved in the Joint Venture focus on its success rather than the Department's.  In our view it should be possible to design things in such a way that the two are mutually compatible.

Other variations on the above themes, such as smart-sourcing, right-sourcing, right-shoring etc are insufficiently understood with little knowledge of the upside or how to create and manage them, insufficient resources to pursue and social / political factors.

Annex B - Detailed steps to accelerate transformation through ASDMs

• Build Acceptance

A key step on the road to transformation is widespread acceptance that there is a problem. There are innumerable initiatives currently underway involving armies of consultants and various change methodologies but few, if any, will result in radical or sustainable improvements to public services. This is partly because the external resources are not augmenting the departmental staff, partly that the results aren't guaranteed and partly due to the lack of skills and know-how transfer during the process. Acknowledgement of the need for a more radical approach is hampered by the belief that the programmes underway are radical enough, are already stretching the resources and are presenting risk.

• Education

Delivering transformation by definition means changing established and familiar delivery models. Many of the difficulties lie in 'soft' barriers because it means changing the perspectives that people are attached to and gives them their sense of identity. Transformation will not happen without a better understanding to dispel myths, broadcast benefits, reduce fear and anxiety and help people become aware of the support available. Seminars allow people to meet to share their challenges and help key sponsors identify 'transformation heroes' and generate a feeling of change inevitability. That's necessary to convince decision makers that proposals are soundly based. Finally education instrumental in helping foster 'Acceptance'. Training programmes can be run in-house or by the private sector; either way you need to involve both for maximum effect. The courses should include work-shops involving private sector solutions-architects and senior executives to broaden the debate away from the traditional models and demonstrate the willingness, capability and passion that these organisations have in this area. Workshops ensure that stakeholders feel part of the solution. They should involve the directors of the centres within government that are meeting both parties' objectives (for example Westminster City Council / Vertex or the congestion charge in London). Aside from the levelling of knowledge, part of the objective would be to create a lasting excitement around ASDM's to replace the suspicion and fear that currently exists.
 

• Identify suitable candidate processes for ASDM's

Government departments can, and should, integrate where it makes sense or needs, to but government is too big to treat as a single entity; and this is where things often fail. A single Department could have tens of thousands of civil servants and hundreds of bespoke processes. Trying to identify possible candidate functions for transformation (leverage, shared-services, centres of excellence or any variety of external sourcing) can be daunting when faced with this scale and the multiple objectives that characterise public sector organisations. One approach that has been piloted successfully, is to filter the main processes (e.g. forms processing, form design, call centre and even internal expense claims) by applying a series of coarse filters (process characteristics, internal capability and organisational factors) and asking key questions at each stage:

i. Can the process be shared or leveraged?
ii. Is it specialised or generic?
iii. How does the internal capability compare with external providers'?
iv. Is there a mature, proven market for the process or function?
v. Do our customers or employers demand that the process (service) is carried out by state officials?
vi. What level of comfort would the key stakeholders feel with the various delivery options for this process?
 
This process categorises the various processes into the delivery option pools that might be suitable and makes explicit any assumptions and possible sensitivities (political and social). Processes can be examined in an environment of continuous improvement, recognising the need to understand the end to end process to avoid lock in by handing off one task in isolation. It also prepares each directorate in terms of readiness for further transformation, anticipating the time when current initiatives run out of steam or further spending reviews demand more radical solutions.
 

• Create Heroes

Another key step is to identify the sponsors who will champion the processes through, and help prove the concept. 'Heroes' are likely to be responsible for strong-candidate processes as well as embracing the concept of ASDMs. Without sponsorship at this level, transformation will remain a concept. There are already some notable successes. Xansa at the DoH has proved that an attractive offering can create competition and attract support.
 

• Engage the Private Sector

The capacity, capabilities, and willingness of the major service providers to participate in the reform of public services are vastly underestimated. In the past ten years this market has matured and changed almost beyond recognition. There are now sophisticated commercial arrangements in all industry sectors [e.g. IBM, GenPact Accenture] The Public sector has been the slowest to embrace these new commercial models. Often it keeps these organisations at arm's-length and engages with them reluctantly through inflexible procurement structures designed for a different era (the NHS NPfIT programme is a classic example of what not to do in this regard). Harnessing the power of the private sector is a crucial step on the transformation journey. This requires working with the internal commercial department to set up informal Provider 'advisory groups' to explore innovative technical solutions and commercial constructs (non-traditional, faster, less-formal, more creative and politically sellable). This, we believe, is the step that will be the biggest challenge and require the highest level of support.

How to Prepare Effective Public Service Announcements (PSAs)

With the traditional and new media available today, you can take advantage of different media formats to reach your target audience(s). From broadcast and print to out of home (OOH) and web advertising, a PSA can complement your media program and can even be the topic of publicity. A well-conceived PSA can get publicity in advertising and media columns and publications as well as in general interest media.

A common mistake in developing a PSA is trying to fit in too many messages, when the most effective PSAs often have one main message and, as needed, one or two supporting messages. The main message is what you want to instill in your audience and should be directly related to the call to action at the end. A supporting message can be a simple statistic or other point that gives the viewer perspective on the main point.

Presenting messages is just as important as selecting them. Rather than a detailed paragraph, use bullet points or a similar technique to set forth information. This includes print PSAs, where the temptation is to fill up a page with details. Bullet points or a similar device are easier to read or follow, and can be visually more appealing.

From a branding standpoint, your PSA should include branding elements including your logo and positioning tagline, if any. If you have a logo but not a tagline, consider developing a positioning tagline that very concisely captures your mission and positioning vis-à-vis other organizations. Such strategic messaging will help distinguish your organization in the minds of your target audiences.

In producing your PSA, use imagery and a color scheme that fits with the look and feel of your brand. If you use a spokesperson on the PSA, his/her values should correspond with those of your brand and organization. Likewise, for any sponsors, choose organizations or businesses that share your values and have a positive reputation on the issue area.

As far as placement is concerned, consider creative alternatives when time slots or otherwise good placements or insertions are difficult to get. For example, consider partnering on your program or campaign with the particular media outlet(s). This can result in better placement and additional exposure from the media outlet's announcements of the partnership in news programs and the outlet's own website.

The conclusion of your PSA should have a call to action. Commonly used today is a web address or toll-free, vanity number. But the most effective PSAs do more than just mention or flash a web address or phone number; they are explicit about the ultimate action desired. For example, "Register your support at the website..." This provides a clear reason for going to the website or calling and increases the chances that action will be taken on your behalf.

For more information on this and other PR or publicity topics, see http://prandpublicity.com

Copyright 2008. Email Ivan

An experienced and innovative PR and public affairs professional, Ivan Howard Chan helped develop the Web's most thorough public relations resource, Prandpublicity.com. Ivan also blogs on public relations and public affairs, and produces a companion podcast. His experience includes working with print, broadcast, out-of-home media, as well as news agencies, newswires, and online media. He has worked on projects for nonprofit organizations, associations, as well as for-profit corporations.

He has also worked on projects involving advocacy, coalition-building and grassroots support in Washington, DC as well as the state and local levels. His unique experience includes integrating PR in marketing strategies and plans, as well as social marketing and branding.

His professional development activities have included workshops at New York University and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Voice Broadcasting - A Good Customer Service Tool

The success of any business is good customer service. Without it, a business is doomed to fail. When you take care of your customers and treat them right, they will more than likely stick around, give you repeat business, and refer you to their friends and family.

Many business owners fail to recognize the extreme importance that good customer service plays in their business. And quite frankly, one of the biggest mistakes a business owner can make is to overlook the necessity of taking care - I mean good care - of their existing customers.

Many businesses will lay out the red carpet when they are trying to make the sale and then roll it up and throw it in the closet once they have closed the deal. Then they look for the next potential victim...I mean, potential customer.

Poor customer service is the death of any business. Oh, a business may continue, but it will not thrive in the long-term. For those who want to have a successful business, you HAVE to take care of your customers, and I don't mean just new ones, I mean existing ones. You need to let them know that they are important and that you want your relationship to be ongoing and not just a single-transaction event.

Good customer service is based on great communication. It is important to keep in contact with your customers. Let them know you appreciate them. One way to do this that is both personal and effective is through a communication marketing tool called voice broadcasting. With voice broadcasting, you can send out personalized pre-recorded messages to large groups of people all at one time. You can send an appreciation message to dedicated customers. You can alert existing customers of upcoming specials before they are known to the public. You can tell them of special offers that are only made available to them.

Voice broadcasting is a great tool to help with customer service when you do not have a big back office to do the work or when you have a large customer base and need to send out many messages at once. Voice broadcasting can help you keep in touch with your customers in a fast, yet personalized manner.

So keep in contact with your customers through voice broadcasting. Let them know that their business matters to you. Take care of them, make them feel important and they will stick around. Your relationship will grow and so will your business. And in the end, your customers will be happy and so will you!

How Crucial is Good Customer Service to Your Bottom Line?

As I am both a service provider and a consumer, I'm quite comfortable saying I believe good customer service is essential to maintaining or growing your business. Excellent customer service is what begins to separate one from the crowd. So, it stands to reason that, regardless of how great your service or product is, poor customer service will eventually bring your business to its knees.

4 Elements of Customer Service

Manage Expectations: Whatever your service or product may be, ensure you consistently deliver on your service promises. If your company promotes that it guarantees a maximum 24-hour turn around on services, make sure that's what you deliver...every time.

Communicate Expectations: Let the customer or client know what they can expect from you and what you're going to do to ensure they get it. Ensure everyone on your team is aware of the customer service standards you've set for your company. They should understand how important consistent delivery of superior service quality is to your bottom line.

Exceed Expectations: Once you've set the standard for your customer service, try and find ways to deliver above and beyond. Your client is already expecting what you've promised; now knock their socks off by taking it a step further.

Follow Up: Particularly in the professional service industry the golden rule is "Follow up, Follow up and then, Follow up some more." Never leave a client wondering where things stand. Make certain you have a communication plan in place to always keep clients updated on progress during the project as well as maintaining continued success upon completion.

Too often companies can make the mistake of putting most of their effort into getting new clients and not enough into delivering on the services they've promised. I firmly believe that customer satisfaction from your current clients is the most valuable resource for attracting new customers.

Most clients won't complain about poor customer service, especially when it's the 2nd or 3rd time, they'll just go elsewhere. And, these days, they'll share their bad experience with their network of connections in person and through Twitter, Facebook, as well as various other online business review services. Local business reviews through Google serve as a very public platform for customers to easily comment on the businesses found in their directory. Here's where the impact of bad customer service can begin to drastically impact your bottom line.

Superior customer service is one of the most important tools left that seldom costs money and creates the most impact. It's more costly to attract and secure new clients than it is to keep the ones you've got satisfied.

Customers and clients are not only interested in the service or product you're offering; it's the additional elements of service that create loyalty.

West Coast Way Consulting Inc. is proud of its record for superior customer service. Try us out today.

At West Coast Way Consulting Inc., we help companies seamlessly integrate virtual workers into a traditional corporate structure. Our experience spans the business, government and industry sectors, and we know about the benefits of using a virtual workforce, because we have run our company that way for years. West Coast Way's management team offers a good mix of common sense, business acumen and unparalleled customer service. We collaborate with you to develop a workable plan by listening to your needs and problems, gathering data, and then analysing the information in order to produce a step-by-step plan for successful virtual workforce integration.

Good Customer Service - What is Considered Good Customer Service

Are you an owner of a small business? Are you in sales, a server at a restaurant, or deal with the public in another way? If so, then it is necessary that you know what good customer service is. For this article we will use the restaurant industry for the examples. You can relate it to your business as you need it.

Imagine this for a moment.....

You and your significant other go out to eat at a restaurant that is the new talk of the town. This restaurant just opened it's doors and is supposed to be the next big thing when it comes to service and food quality. So the two of you go out for dinner and you arrive at the restaurant already knowing that you have a reservation.

The host or hostess informs you that even though you have a reservation it is going to be a 15 minute wait.

STOP - So right off the bat they have broken a promise to you that was given when they took your reservation. When you make a reservation you do not expect to wait more than a minute or two because your table is supposed to be ready to go.

So, you wait and you finally get seated at your table. Now the restaurant is very busy and it takes your server almost 5 minutes to come to your table or acknowledge you in any way whatsoever.

STOP - Strike two has happened. Your server has to greet you in less than a minute your you will start to wonder. Five minutes is absolutely ridiculous and some people would actually get up and leave at this point. This is a sign that the dining experience is not going to be a good one. (For those that have offices the rule is you need to greet your customer within 30 seconds of them walking in your door.)

Your server takes a drink order and tells you about a few feature appetizers and you order one. Now they go away to give you time to look over the dinner menu and your drinks arrive in a timely manner. (It is very bad if they are sitting up at the bar and you can see them or if you know they should not take as long as they ar taking.)

Your server comes back and asks if you are both ready without making any recommendations for dinner and is a bit pushy to try to get your order.

STOP - This is very bad for any new business, especially a restaurant. It is important to WOW your customers right off the bat when running a new business and to do so you have to recommend a few things that are considered your best. When doing so you take control of the situation and you guide your customer into making a decision that is going to make them happy.

So this inadequate service goes on throughout the night and you and your significant other leave knowing that your food was very good, but the service was horrible. You will most likely tell friends of your experience and will most like not go back for quite a while if at all.

Most of the time you get one chance as a new business or with a new customer to give them good customer service. If you cannot do this the first time, then chances are you will not get a second chance. This even goes for businesses that have been around for many, many years.

Think of Twitter As a Mini Public Service Announcement

Twitter is good for non-profits because just like other distribution channels it helps people learn more about your organization. Your strategy for Twitter and other social networking media should be part of your public relations plan. Twitter can be used like a mini public service announcement.

You can use Twitter to alert the public of upcoming events. You can use it engage volunteers and ask for donations. Twitter can be used to update your organizations Facebook status. Yes, you can use this micro- blogging application to tell your organization's story in 140 characters are less.

Twitter is very easy to use you don't even have to get your Information Technology department involved.You can Twitter from your computer, laptop or mobile phone. If you Twitter from your phone you want to have a SMS package, because some cellular providers charge per SMS. Twitter is a lot like text messaging, because it is limited to only 140 characters.

How do you get started on Twitter? It's a fairly easy process. You sign up at the website http://www.Twitter.com. To sign up you need to have an email account. Select a username that represents your organization, then create a password. You can upload a picture to represent your organization. you can also change the background to a custom background for your organization. Complete the bio information on your profile page. Use this section to briefly state your organization's purpose.

On Twitter you have followers, those are the people who read your (tweets) messages. Twitter will help you get your first followers if you allow it to access your email contacts. It will check and see if your contacts are already on Twitter and allow you to automatically follow them. You also have to decide who you want to follow. It's best to follow people in your industry. " You also want to follow local media. Journalist use Twitter as a resource for stories. "Following" are the people who you are interested in reading about. You read there messages(tweets).

Start by publishing Tweeting) information about your organization's cause. Use hash-tags as key words or categories for your tweets. Use # follow friday to attract attention and gain more followers. Charity tuesday provides an opportunity for you to engage people

The best Twitter applications (tools) to aid with creating your brand or awareness are:
- Twitter backgrounds-select something that allows to make it your own.
- Twit pic- You can send pictures of events.
- Twitxr- Allows you to upload pictures using your mobile phone

Put Your Amateur Radio License to Good Use - Participate in a Public Service Event

OK, so you've passed your amateur radio exam and are waiting for your "ticket" (license). All that studying, cramming, and worrying are behind you. It's about this time that you start to ask yourself, "What do I do now?" Great question. Your first step is to consider the type of equipment to buy. That's something your Elmer (mentor) can help you with. (A link at the bottom takes you to a discussion of my equipment.) My focus here is to help you put your ham radio skills and enthusiasm to work for the betterment of your community.

One of the more rewarding ways is to get involved with a public service event. Most often a walk or bike ride, these events support the efforts of many fine organizations, including the American Cancer Society, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, among others. It doesn't make sense for organizers to buy and maintain equipment for just a one-day event, so they turn to local amateur radio operators. "Hams" are happy to help out, particularly for the larger events.

How might you, a new ham radio operator, help? Each event needs operators at numerous points along the route. Hams provide extra sets of eyes, and help ensure a smooth operation. There are a number of areas to choose from:

1. Net control - The command center of all public service events, net control contains the "dispatchers" (net control operators) who keep all radio traffic flowing smoothly. Net operators tend to be more experienced; newer ones may assist with logging, monitoring the APRS system (similar to GPS), or other duties.

2. Aboard a SAG wagon - Support and Gear vehicles ride a predetermined route, looking for injured walkers/riders and broken bikes that are then transported to the appropriate location. You may also be asked to deliver supplies to a rest stop during the event. (Initial supplies are provided by event organizers.) With your radio, your vehicle can be dispatched as needed.

3. At a rest stop - This can be a more relaxing assignment. Ham radio operators stay in touch with the event volunteers on the scene, and stand ready to call in any needs. Occasionally you'll hear from someone with a broken bike or pooped walker/rider who wants a ride to the finish line.

4. With a Sentry Captain - Some rides employ Sentry Captains. These folks are assigned a particular route, and are responsible for the flag-carrying volunteers (sentries) you find along the route and at many intersections. The Sentry Captain rides the route continuously, making sure the sentries have sufficient water, munchies, and so forth. If you spot any walker or rider needing assistance, you call net control for help.

5. At an intersection - Some intersections are staffed by ham radio operators. Much like at the rest stops, you watch the crowd go by, and stand ready to call in assistance for a rider or walker.

As you can see, there are many opportunities during a charity walk or ride for you to put your amateur radio license and gear to good use. Although you need to get up early, and the morning can seem long, you will feel very satisfied afterward. You helped a worthwhile organization meet its fundraising goals, and in the process, you gave back something to your community.

Your Elmer should be able to help you get involved in public service. You can learn more at most ham radio club meetings and by monitoring the repeater nets. Have fun!