The Power of Retail

Due to all the photos I have been taking and storing on my laptop, I’ve had to shuffle a few things around so that I don’t run out of space. I have even got myself some additional laptop memory just to safeguard against running short of space for my work, while my photographs take up all the space on my laptop. Well, it’s not going to happen like that, since I have already made arrangements for it. It really is the simplest thing in the world to get stuff for your laptop or computer, all it takes is some basic amount of technical know-how and logical problem solving capabilities. If you don’t have that, then get a friend to help you get sorted out and you’ll be all set.

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I’ve done it. I’ve got myself a pro account on Flickr! It’s been such a fun time to browse through others photographs and upload my own. The kind of photo’s I have been taking has changed in the past few months, thanks to the influence of my flickr friends and to my spending some time thinking how to take a picture rather than just taking it and thinking about it later on. I was not into photography at all, so this has been a surprising shift for me, but all in all a very fun one too.

Here’s a screen shot of my pro page!

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Today’s generation feels no shame or embarrassment in getting professional help for their problems and going in for a stint of alcohol rehab treatment. Maybe it is because of all the publicity about celebrities going in for rehab of one kind or the other, or maybe it is the changing times. What ever reason it might be, it is a telling change in the way society thinks and judges others. Ultimately, it is for the good of society that those in need of help get it professionally and in the best possible time, so that their personal future and that of the society is not put in jeopardy. It’s not always an easy choice to make I’m sure, and to go through with it means that you have to bare your soul, but if the end result is a positive one and through it you can make changes in your life, then it must be done. And it’s really as simple as that.

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There are so many interesting sites that we come face to face with, but don’t really see at all. The common way is to photograph beautiful things, but it’s often more interesting to notice something completely different and unexpected and turn it into a work of art just by taking an interesting photograph. Sometimes all it takes is having some wonderful sunlight and at other times, just the right angle ot make it interesting.

I never bothered to take scenic photographs earlier, so taking pictures of unassuming things was far beyond. But ever since I have started taking photographs and posting them on my flickr page, I have been inspired to take better pictures, not necessarily of grand and beautiful objects, but of the mundane and commonplace, but to turn them into something worth looking at.

I’ve not been successful on all fronts of course, but the learning experience has been a great part of it and my journey continues on.

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The club in our neighborhood is being redone and there are lots of changes that will soon be seen. The biggest change is to be in the card rooms, which are going to get a complete overhauling and will have everything from new poker tables to new shades on the windows and snack room facilities for the kids. With so many players keen on the up-gradation the management really had no alternative but to make the changes and keep its members happy. Elections are around the corner as it is, so it’s the best time to get all the long pending issues sorted out. We’re all looking forward to the new look of the room, which will also have better lighting and air circulation.

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Could you be a good trendspotter?

Are you able to notice new products or services that are being offered in your neighborhood?

Well, if you can, then you could become a SpringSpotter. I have been an avid reader of Springwise for many years now and love reading about all the news they have on trends from all over the world. Their network of people who spot trends is called Springspotters and if you think you’re good at this kind of thing, do sign up and you might even win some cool gifts. The concept of being able to participate in such a project, makes looking out for trends even more interesting, right? It’s kind of along the same vein as social networking and participating in global forums.

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Before we shifted into this house, we saw lots of other ones and I was despairing that we would not find something to our liking, when we finally came to see this one. It’s amazing at how much variety of houses and apartments we saw, in generally the same budget, but some were large and extravagant with walk in tubs perfect for senior citizens and huge kitchens, while others were sparse and cramped. The price differences were mainly based on location rather than square footage, in fact most people don’t even bother measuring the size of houses and apartments, and just count the number of rooms instead. A completely weird concept, but that’s what it is! Most of the newer options had the very latest in kitchen and bath fittings, which are a reason enough to take an apartment or house, just as long as you like the location.

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As a retail analyst and marketer, it is hard for me why some retailers just do not understand the value of customer service. What you sell is very important, but how you sell it is just as important and unless done right, it can have a negative impact on your company. I came across a blog called Light Within which discusses the value of customer service and how companies are using newer and innovative methods of reaching out to their employees to make them understand how to do it right.

Price, product, placement and promotion are the four key aspects to marketing a product or service, but its servicing is also just as important. They work in tandem with each other, complementing instead of replacing. Most companies spend thousands of dollars training their employees each year, but the turnover rate in retail is so high that its a very high expense for many retailers to undertake. Newer ways to train employees are gaining popularity, such as the one discussed in Light Within, using cartoons to gain employees attention and make the training more memorable.

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Ever since I have started taking photographs to post on my Flickr page, I have started taking things like lighting and angles quite seriously. These were things that I never much bothered with at all, I was a point and shoot camera kind of girl but now I make sure that the light is good and try to create the right mood with indoor lights when I take photos in my house. Apart from the subject of photography, having good lighting in the house, really makes all the difference in setting up a nice relaxing mood. I love lots of lamps and usually don’t even turn on the regular lights, but instead use the lamps to create a warm and inviting feel.

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Another cool cartoon from bLaugh.com! This one is pretty funny, but there will be a time that everyone and their dog knows everything about blogs and blogging. So we might as well have fun laughing about this right now. There will of course be newer things that the older generations will have trouble keeping up with, but that’s a prerequisite of sorts.

Enjoy!

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