Thursday, October 28, 2010

Typical Business Waste


Having waste in a company is never a good thing. When you have waste it will only decrease the value of your products and it will cause your customers to pay more money for the products. When you have to hike up your prices in order to pay for wasteful design, you will start to lose customers. Since the revolution era, manufacturing companies are constantly worried about waste and looking for different waste to reduce or eliminate waste. Firstly, try to understand it and ‘befriend’ with the source of waste because by understanding the wastes, it will help you to easily figure out a better way to strengthen your company and to ensure that you aren't going to be stuck with excess inventory and other problems. A proper identification of the wastes will come down to learning the 7 wastes:

1. Transportation issues
2. Inventory control
3. Unnecessary movement
4. Faults in time
5. Overproduction or underproduction
6. Excess processing
7. Production defects

Some companies are adopting simple waste reduction habits such as reducing paper consumption through the use of e-mail and duplex printing. Other businesses are reviewing their entire operation to identify and implement as many opportunities for reducing waste as possible. Whether simple alterations or large-scale initiatives, companies are finding that waste reduction offers impressive rewards.

Example of a supply chain management

Supply chain management is defined as the management of the network of processes that are involved in manufacturing. Supply chain managers  follows the production process, from where it begins with the acquisition of raw materials through the work-in-process inventory, and finished goods, and then from point-of-origin to the point-of-consumption by the customer. This entire chain of events is appropriately named the supply chain. Efficient supply chain management is crucial, especially for the long-term success of the manufacturing organization. When manufacturers have a clear understanding of the supply chain process, they are much more likely to produce a cost-effective and successful, product.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

A Cool Marketing Plan


Your marketing plan should be more than just a way to advertise to your customers, it is a great way to educate the public about your business, your products, and your services. Marketing is all about communicating with your customers and building lasting relationships with them. You need to establish your business in your particular market sector and focus on building trust with your customers. Here are some simple steps you need to follow in order to create a cool marketing plan:

Step # 1 - Define your target market
Who is your target market? What customers are searching for your products and services? How can you reach your customers? A great place to start is to do some market research. You can do this by getting on social media sites and getting in touch with your customers. Try to understand their buying patterns and to find a way to reach them. Get involved in the discussion boards so you can talk to your customers about your company and products. This is a great way to find out what your online reputation looks like and to see what public opinion is about your company so you can change it with good publicity if you need to.

Step # 2 - What products are you selling
When it comes to finding your customers, why do they want to buy your products? Take a good look at your products and figure out who your niche market is and why they would to purchase your products. How does your product fulfill a need for your customers? Put yourself in your customer's shoes so you can figure out what they are looking for. Take a look at your industry and learn about your competition. What types of trends are going on in the industry and what type of message are your customers getting from your business? In addition to defining your products, you also need to take a look at your pricing strategy. Are you pricing yourself out of the market? Can your customers actually afford your products or services?

Step # 3 - What can you afford
Of course on one of the most important things you need to consider is the cost of marketing. What can you afford to spend on marketing? This is where your website and the internet will come into play and provide you with some great help. Your website is a marketing tool and it is much cheaper from pay-per-click ads and other marketing promotions. Design your website in a manner that is content rich and friendly to your customers as well as the search engines. Make your website user friendly and easy to navigate. Do you do a lot of e-commerce on your website? Set up an e-commerce page to provide your customers with additional buying options. Consider creating social media pages where you can interact with your customers and promote your products. Twitter, and blog is a great place to offer new information about your products or services to your customers. It's also a great way to strengthen your relationships with your customers as you can provide valuable information to them.


All businesses are clear and conscience that advertising is very important to attract customers to your business. You want to create a name for yourself by making a statement with your products and services and without advertising; there will be no way to let your target audience know what you have. So, if you want to advertise, you should think about:

What do you like?
As you start an advertising campaign, sit back and look at some of the ads already out there. What attracts you to some and not to others? You need to put yourself in your customer's shoes and find a way to connect with them through advertising. As you create a good ad, ask yourself why it would inspire your target audience to act. Does it instantly grab their attention? Are you generating interest? Did you leave them with a desire for your products? Did you use action words that will inspire them to do something now?

Research
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to research your market. Find out what your competitors are doing. Listen to your customers needs. Get out there and soak up all the information you can so you can take it back to your office and look for a way to bring it altogether in an effective advertising campaign. Getting to know your target audience is one of the most important things you can do. In order to get to know them, you need to go out where they are. Send out customer satisfaction surveys to encourage them to provide you with feedback. It's a great way to get to know what your customers buying patterns are, their income limitations, along with their motivations for shopping.

Keep it simple
when it comes to advertising, less is more. Keep your ads simple and use basic words. You don't want to overwhelm your audience with text; this will become too complicated and confusing to your audience. The average person will spent less than 1 second on an ad so use words that immediately grab their attention and suck them into the ad. Provide your web site or phone number so they know where to go if they do want more information.

Establish a clear pattern
after you spend time among your customers, you will have a better idea as to what they really want. This can help you create a clear pattern for your advertising campaign. You will be able to include some of their desires in your campaign and generate an immediate response to your ads. Be clear in your advertising so your customers know what you want them to do. Do you want them to call you, go online, or come into your store? Using smart action words will inspire your customers to do what you want them to do without any confusion.

P/S: Don't be too pushy when you are making the sale and if they seem on the fence, do a quick follow-up while your company is still fresh on their mind.


We meet again and now I would like to share ways on how to promote your business to the consumer. After spent 2 years and a half in the marketing course, I decided that there are several ways to market your product or services to the consumer and in the same time maybe you can gain their reaction and feedback. It is important to realize that marketing is multi-faceted function that is just about more than getting your name out there. You must be able to put together a marketing strategy that not only get your recognized, but respected by your target market. You want to position yourself as the leading expert in the field. You must be able to inspire trust and credibility. It is only after doing this that your target market will turn to you, for the answer to their need or want. Here are some ways to market your business. Remember, there are more than the listed ways but I will only enlist those I interested with.

Trade shows and conferences-Another effective way to get your business noticed is by attending industry specific trade shows and conference. It is here that you make key contacts that help you grow your business. The networking possibilities here are nearly endless. These types of gatherings give you the opportunity to interact with others in your industry, find out what they are doing, and see what they have to offer your business. You can not only get some valuable insight, you can begin to establish your business among your competition.

Social media and blogging-This just might be the new frontier of business marketing. Businesses are beginning to realize that they must go where their customers are, and for many businesses that means going online to social media sites. These social media sites are attracting customers, from many different demographics. It is important, however, to take your time before placing your business on these social networking sites. You must make sure that your target market frequents whatever site you choose, or it can simply be a waste of time and effort. You can begin by going to the forum and discussion boards, and checking out what the site visitors are saying. This will give you an idea if your target customer is on that particular site. An offshoot of the social media sites is blogging. Many companies are finding that if they develop a quality blog, that many of their followers, become customers. Best of all you can link everything together online. Your social media site visitors can be directed to your blog, where they can also be directed to your company website. The possibilities are nearly endless! Best of all using social media and blogging for marketing, cost little except for the time and effort needed in order to maintain it. It is important to stress, however that any online marketing effort, needs to be one that provides value and quality to the consumer, or they will quickly tire of your sites, tweets, blogs, etc and move on.

Special events and charity work-You can partner up with a charity that your customers might be interested in. Whether it is letting your employees volunteer to help build homes, or offering a discount for every can of food brought in, you can let your customers know about your business and where your priorities really are. Keep in mind however, that you efforts should be genuine and honest, or your customers will quickly catch on and move on from your business.

Newsletters-This can be an effective way to let your customers know what is happening in your business. If a printed newsletter is too much money, consider an online newsletter that will inform your customers about new products and services, promotions and even invite them to special events. Remember that marketing is about establishing a relationship and newsletters can be a valuable tool in doing just that. Sending out a newsletter can also be a way to bond with your customers, or even launch a marketing campaign online.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Types of Drunks



So, after 22 years living in this world, I have seen various types of people having fun and enjoy their life by consuming alcohol beverages.  So, the next time you join a party, you can investigate your own and see if these types of drunks are around you. Well, after one, two, or tenth shots, everyone changes and transforms. But, what do they change into?


The douchebag: Every time this type of person involve with a drinking session, they will surpassed the levels of jerk and asshole, however not yet reached fucker or motherfucker. You can consider them as uncivilized because they will look for trouble after several shots. Just name any uncivilized activity; you will see them doing it. Well, if it’s become worse, they will soon become motherfucker. Whoop them!!

The ‘cool dude’: These guys are better than the douche. They tend to act the most like your mother, sister, father and granny. If there is spilled beer, the cool dude is quick to be there with a rag .The cool drunk has typically been a category linked with women, but a surprising number of men fall into this category. And one more, they will sometimes act like a professor thinking of a new formula, sitting quietly and watching people around him.

The joker: These people tend to make joke about their surrounding and the sarcastic joke will somehow be an entertainment for the others. Usually, if they are in their normal stat, they tend to act serious. However, people prefer to have the joker instead of the douchebag in any party because they are entertaining and fun to be with.

p/s: This list will change from time to time .lol

Sunday, October 17, 2010

About Miele



For this semester, me and my group have been given the responsibility to analyze a brand name Miele. Miele is a manufacturer of high-end domestic appliances, commercial equipment and fitted kitchens, based in Gütersloh, Germany. Miele operates through approximately 10 factories which include eight in Germany, one in Austria and one in Czech Republic.

The Miele should be pronouncing as MEE-luh - rhymes with Sheila. Miele currently produce dishwashers; rotary irons; built-in convection, laundry appliances; vacuum cleaners, freezers, commercial wet cleaning machines, and coffee systems. The brand can be seen in 37 countries or in other words, it could be found globally. In terms of quality, Miele appliances were considerably better than those of the competition. Until now, Miele continues to grow around the globe. Miele strives to fulfill the high requirements of their customers and provide them with appliances of the highest quality and tested durability to make their lives more comfortable.
Miele is a family-owned company, founded in 1899 by Carl Miele andReinhard Zinkann. They supervised manufacturing personally, and Reinhard Zinkann apprenticed and handled finances and sales. They first produced a cream separator, butter churn, and tub washing machine. For more than 107 years, Miele stands for highest product quality , otherwise they would not have been able to compete successfully on such a fiercely competitive market.

According to their website, Miele stands for durability, reliability, security and peace of mind. Now in the fourth generation of family ownership, employs a workforce of over 16000 with two-thirds in Germany. Below are several successful achievements of Miele based on the information from its web site.
1. 1st ever electric dishwasher.
2. 1st ever fully automatic Washing Machine.
3. 1st ever Washing Machine and Dishwasher to be controlled by Microprocessors.



MIELE’S SLOGAN
Miele's motto is Immer Besser, German for "Forever Better" . Forever better is Miele's company philosophy from the onset and represents an absolute and uncompromising commitment to quality and innovation. This motto was conceived over 100 years ago by the founders and remains as the company motto til today, permeating through every aspect of their business.

MIELE’S PHILOSOPHY
1. Independent, self-contained and family-run company with traditional values committed to their workforce, customers and the general public alike.
2. Manufacture high-quality appliances and equipment for domestic use as well as for different branches in the commercial sector.
3. Aim to be a reliable partner for their customers.
4. They also have a responsibility towards their suppliers and the general public. The relationship should be performance-oriented, reliable and longstanding.
5. Furthermore, they are committed to strengthening public awareness of their positive company image.

PERFORMANCE
• Miele is consistently independently tested in many product categories and consistently comes out on top.
• Whether its washing dishes, clothes or cooking a meal, Miele products deliver optimal results no matter how big or small the task.
• What's more, optimal results are married with gentle performance, which is vital for good fabric care and glassware.

lets see what Miele should consider to look into if they want to enter the Malaysian market.



COMPETITORS IN MALAYSIA
1. Khind- Khind is a malaysian based brand and started since 1961, Cheng King Fa started a modest business in Sekinchan trading electrical goods. Driven by his clear vision, the business flourished and in the late seventies, developed to include the manufacture of electrical appliances such as washing machine, vacuum cleaner, audio visual, water heater and water pump. This prove that Khind will be one of our competitors in Malaysia.

2. Pensonic- This is another competitor for Miele in Malaysia. Pensonic was planted in 1965 when Keat Radio Co. Sdn Bhd was setup by Dato' Chew to sell electrical appliances. Since then, there was no turning back for Pensonic as the first Malaysian brandname in household appliances.

3. Singer- Singer is another popular brand among house hold in Malaysia. They also produce washing machine, television, and a lot more variety of electrical appliances. Its origin is from U.S.A.

POSITIONING

For their market in Malaysia, they could pride themselves on having the best products with high quality and it could be use to 20 years with the guarantee by our R and D team( research and developement). We admit that their products are quite expensive in term of the price but we promise that it will give benefit for their consumer especially if they need it for daily usage for example their laundry and their dishes. Their product could give maximum performance for consumers. Besides that, we have already identify Miele's strength if to compare with other competitors, for example, their product lifespan is longer than any of the product that could be found in Malaysia. Therefore, we can conclude that their main positioning is based on
1. Attributes
2. Quality
3. Application

TARGET MARKET

Miele target market can be categorized in two segments which are household users and industries such as hotel, laundry shop, hospital, and medical laboratories.

(a) Psychographic
Miele target market is household that live a luxury lifestyle that wants electrical appliances that suits their needs. These types of customer live a upper class lifestyle wants product that is high quality, durable, high tech, fashionable, and user friendly.
Base on industrial, the main reason for Miele wanted to serve these customer because Miele’s product is durable and sustainability. Customer in this segment use machine daily and consider a heavy user and Miele’s product can provide a lot of benefits such as energy efficiency and high quality.

(b) Geographic
Miele target market base on geographic is more to household that live in peninsular Malaysia. most of the household there are willing to try new product and invest in product that is consider high quality. Also, household in peninsular Malaysia adapt faster to changes around compare to west Malaysia.
Miele’s target market for industrial are also focus in peninsular Malaysia because it is a fast moving city that have a lot of technologies changes in a short period of time. Industrial consumer needed high tech equipment that can operate in heavy duty to server their customer. In that case, Miele can provide that kind of equipment.

(c) Demographic
Household that Miele focus on is their income. Premium segment are consumer that have a high income (above RM 3,500) are willing to pay more for electrical appliances for a better living. With a higher income they will not hesitate to buy Miele’s product because it have a good history and well known in the west.
In the context of industrial, they are not afraid to invest more for product that match with their needs. Even though, Miele’s product is expensive but if it can help the industry generate even higher profit then it will consider a good investment.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Dear PMR and UPSR....


Previously, we heard that the government wants to abolish UPSR and PMR from the life of Malaysian student. Well, let me tell you folks something. It is not a bright idea!!! Those that wants the exam to be abolish sure are not thinking straight and maybe they are keeping a grudge to either one of the exam because they failed it. For your information, by having the examination life of Malaysian student, it could keep them aware with the future challenge. We do not need to seek for majority vote because it is obvious that the exam hold a very big responsibility for our nation.The consequence of scrapping exams for the whole country at one go is a highly risky move.