NAME: KEDIA AAYUSHI VIJAY

CLASS: T.Y.B.B.A.

DIVISION: B

ID NO.: K156

SUBJECT: SERVICE MARKETING

COLLEGE: SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST COLLEGE

DATE & DAY OF SUBMISSION:05.10.2011 WEDNESDAY

TAUGHT BY: RESHMA MAAM

SERVICE DELIVERY-CONCEPT

MEANING OF SERVICE DELIVERY

Sometimes one word or phrase captures a time and an issue. Often it is a phrase one uses so often and with such ease that one no longer hears the meanings hidden in it. And then when you take apart that phrase, you cut to the heart of a social or political problem. In the US, there has been an important debate over the use of the word torture. The Bush Administration avoided using the word to describe what they were doing in Guantanamo for a simple reason: torture is illegal, and to use the word was an admission that they had crossed over to the dark side. This government does not torture people, President George W Bush said. In the words of the New York Times, the CIA was allowed to strip Al Qaeda prisoners naked, bash them against walls, keep them awake for up to 11 straight days, sometimes with their arms chained to the ceiling, confine them in dark boxes and make them feel as if they were drowning. In South Africa, we would call that torture, and US media would have not hesitation doing so if it was done in Iran, but the ICA called it Enhanced Interrogation Techniques and even reduced that to the acronym EIT, which sounds technical and neutral, hardly something a patriot can object to. Journalists had to decide what to call it. Torture is a loaded and judgemental word, the kind journalists are taught to avoid. But if it is in fact torture, it is deceitful to call it anything else. The New York Times tried to avoid the emotive language by calling it harsh interrogation techniques and later (when more details emerged) brutal interrogation techniques. It was their duty as best they could to tell the facts in neutral language and allow the reader to decide what they thought of it, they argued. They were seeking words which did not choose sides. In

describing the technique of waterboarding, used by the CIA against suspected terrorists, they moved from calling it simulated drowning to near drowning. Rightwingers were outraged, leftwingers said they were still not being honest and were clothing uncivilized practices in the garments of decency. There were similar debates over whether what the US faced in Iraq after what might have been either an invasion or a liberation was an insurgency (which implies it comes from outside) or a civil war (which implies it is internal)? When Trevor Manuel would not say we were in a recession, was he being technically correct, or was he deceiving himself and trying to deceive us? When does a recession become a depression? When you call it that? These are not linguistic niceties. They cut to the heart of crucial national debates and can determine policies and outcomes. If what the CIA did was torture, then people should go to prison; if it was harsh, then they should get medals; if it was brutal, then they were just being the CIA. If it was an insurgency in Iraq, then the US was fighting invaders and that is easier to justify; if it was civil war, then they were fighting the very Iraqis they were there to assist. At the heart of our current politics, and particularly the spate of sometimes violent protests, is a phase we need to take apart: service delivery. It is not a neutral phrase. It contains a host of assumptions, policies, attitudes and promises which are starting to haunt a government which has built its promise entirely on the notion of improving service delivery. They did not promise better opportunities, better access or better support in getting services, as these did not making ringing election slogans. They promised delivery, simple and straightforward. That implies a top-down, government-led service provision. It does not suggest citizens have to do anything to get it (apart from vote for the right party) and it is up to the government and the government alone to deliver

these services. The implication now is that those who want and need it should expect it to arrive any day now, like manna from heaven. It implies a notion of development so old-fashioned and out of date that it is horrible to contemplate. It implies that development comes from above without the involvement or contribution of citizens, that we are recipients of development rather than participants, that we can be passive and expect it to arrive and dont have to be active in pursuing or shaping it. The phrase service delivery contains nothing of the now universally accepted notion that development can only work with the participation, involvement, contribution and guidance of its beneficiaries. That to work and sustain itself, development has to be a lateral, participative operation and not top-down and one-way. By using the word delivery, we are telling people that they only need to act when there is a failure to deliver. And then the only form of action is protest, and the only way to be heard is probably to make that protest violent. At the heart of the current protests sweeping across the country lies a communication and linguistic failure that reflects a conceptual and strategic problem. The message being communicated top-down is that the government can and will deliver way beyond what is likely or even possible. The only problem we are hearing - is that the government has not been as efficient as it should be. There is little communication of the reality that delivery is difficult and complex, particularly with a state which has been through so many changes in the last 15 years, and that even the most efficient state will take time to deliver the enourmous amount that has been promised in housing, health, education and welfare. When people take to the streets to protest, it is not a failure of delivery, but a failure of democracy. When democracy works, citizens feel they have legitimate channels to make their views heard. It could be through local officials or local elected representatives; it could be through their political

party or trade union; it could be through the courts or other state institutions. But people take to the streets to burn tyres and risk being arrested and hurt - when they dont see other ways of making themselves heard and seen. We cant stop this wave of protests by providing super-quick service delivery. That is not going to happen. The most we can realistically hope for is that there is some acceleration in delivery in the next few years, allowing people to take significant steps forward in their living conditions. We cant stop the protests by suppressing them. Heaven knows we have tried that one before. We can only stop them by communicating to citizens that improvement is coming, though it will take time and effort and will be a step-by-step process. We have to make people aware that it will take much longer if they sit back, fold their arms and wait for it. It will only come if they take part in making it happen and grab the opportunities it offers. And we can only stop them by showing them that they can be heard through their party branch, their local representative, officials or state institutions and that they have channels through which to demand and shape what services they want and how they want them. Democracy is a compact between citizen and their representatives which relies on successful two-way communication, whereby leaders are giving realistic and believable messages to citizens, and citizens can make themselves heard by leaders. What is happening in our country is a breakdown of that communication. We have to ask ourselves why people feel they have no other way to make their demands heard and felt, and why they are not rolling up their sleeves to play their part in the improvement of services and conditions.

Definition of service delivery

Customer Service D-E-L-I-V-E-R-Y During a research the eight new features of service D-E-L-I-V-E-R-Y was discovered which will help our customer service representatives go to the top of the league. "D" is for Dedicated. The moment a customer needs help, the dedicated customer service representative swings into action. The customer should be made to feel that he is priority number one, not that he's on the bottom of a list and will have to wait his turn. "E" is for Empowered. The empowered customer service representative is given what he needs to be able to provide outstanding customer service. Empowerment begins with training, the provision of tools, and the recognition of individual potential. Empowerment is nurtured by showing trust and support, listening to representatives and helping them resolve problems, and removing any obstacles or conditions that make their work harder. "L" is for Linked. The members of a customer care team must work together and share information. Great customer service cannot be achieved by individuals working in isolation. Linking should also extend beyond the team to include all other employees of the company in mutual support. A company with employees who work together for the mutual benefit of the company and its customers will quickly rise to the top. "I" is for Informed. In the past the customer service department was often neglected by management. Representatives, seen as workers at the bottom of the totem pole, went untrained and uninformed. Today more and more companies have realized the importance of these front-line staff and are treating them like royalty. After all, they are representing the company not only to established customers, but to new and potential customers as well.

How customers are treated is how business goes. Customers deal first with customer service representatives. These representatives should receive thorough training on the company's products, systems, policies, and procedures. They should know how to solve problems, what to do when a customer has a crisis, where to find needed information, when to ask for outside assistance, who to contact in specific situations, and how to build customer satisfaction and trust. They should be informed in all aspects of the company and its products and services. "V" is for Valued. Before customer service representatives can value their work and your customers, you must show them that you value them. If they feel like valuable employees doing work that is valued, they will produce far greater results than if they feel insignificant in an insignificant job. You can emphasize that you value them by providing training, asking for their opinions and feedback, responding to their needs and questions, acknowledging their contribution, praising them, and offering financial incentives to the degree possible and other rewards. Rewards might include gift certificates or small gifts on appropriate occasions. "E" is for Experienced. An experienced customer service representative learns to be knowledgeable but not overly technical with customers. He or she shows confidence but not arrogance, friendliness but not familiarity, helpfulness but not insistence, and attentiveness but not intrusiveness. The representative may be smartly dressed but never overpowering. It takes experience to automatically strike the right balance and quickly shift to a new balance for the next customer. "R" is for Representative. The customer service representative should always act in the best interests of the company. From personal appearance to speech and action, the representative should project a strong, positive image of the company and a sincere interest in helping the customer. At the conclusion of a contact with the representative, the customer should feel happy about doing business with a company whose employees are warm and friendly as well as efficient and knowledgeable.

"Y" is for "Your" Responsibility. The customer service representative accepts responsibility for his role as a front-line representative for the company. He knows that to a customer, he IS the company. Not just customer service representatives, but all employees of a company are responsible for delivering good customer service, and delivery means being a dedicated, empowered, linked, informed, valued, and experienced representative who accepts responsibility.

SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM

Eight fundamental principles should guide the design of local service delivery systems that integrate workforce development services to better respond to customer needs. Such a market-based delivery system should offer universal access; be customer oriented; be demand driven; maintain a highskill, high-wage focus; take a systems approach to service delivery; offer standard services and possess a common identity; be outcomes based, performance driven and accountable; and commit to continuous improvement. 1. Offer universal access. The principle of universal access promises all Texans equal access to the same high-quality information and basic labor market services, regardless of their income level, current labor market status, place of residence or the means by which they contact the service delivery system. Although it treats everyone as a potential customer, universal access does not mean everyone receives all services or even the same services. The kinds and levels of services provided depend on individual interests and needs and the

availability of resources. Shifting from categorical programs targeting certain segments of the population to a single, integrated system offering universal access poses an enormous challenge. The federal government is cutting funding for job training and employment programs, the focus is shifting to emphasize employer needs, and service providers are under intense pressure to perform. Questions arise immediately about how minorities, the hard-core unemployed and other special population groups now being served by various categorical programs will get the services they need under the new system to become economically selfsufficient. How does the state ensure them access to the delivery system? Or, put another way, how will the new system safeguard against creaming (i.e., serving only those who need minimal, low-cost services to find jobs)? No one rule, prohibition or precaution can eliminate creaming, but some combination of the following practices will protect the system from it: (1) Designing a Local Workforce Services Delivery System enforcing federal and state legislation that forbids discriminatory practices among businesses, schools, unions and other labor market entities, (2) adjusting performance standards to take into account the added risk and costs of serving hard-to-serve populations, (3) providing economic incentives for serving these populations and (4) instituting case management systems that provide advocacy and counseling support (Sheets and Stevens, 1992). While protecting services to special populations is essential, a growing number of researchers and professionals in the field share the opinion that

universal systemif carefully designed and managedwill better serve these groups than categorical programs, which label, sort, classify and inadvertently stigmatize those who enroll, thereby diminishing their chances for success in the labor market (Marshall and Tucker, 1992; Osterman, 1988; Wilson, 1987). Moreover, a universal system providing high value-added services to all employers and residents of Texas will enjoy much broader public support than the narrowly focused categorical programs. With time, this should result in a stronger political commitment to workforce development and increased funding for necessary labor market services. To make universal access a meaningful reality, local systems designers will have to be unusually innovative and work closely with their state counterparts. They will have to employ the latest electronic technology so that Texas employers and residents with computers can have on-line access to information and labor market services. To ensure that a good portion of the resources available are spent on those who need intensive services to become employable, local designers will have to build in needs assessment components early in the service delivery process to separate those who can assume responsibility for their own training and job search from those who need minimal assistance and from others who need longer-term education, job training and financial assistance to find jobs that pay a living wage. 2. Be customer oriented. The sole purpose of a local workforce service delivery system is to provide information and labor market services to its customersthe employers and residents of Texas. Its primary objective is to identify customer interests and needs and provide quality services in response,

so that both sets of customers become more competitive in the global economy. Designing a Local Workforce Services Delivery System 5 Being customer oriented requires that local service providers operate with services first philosophy that focuses on people rather than on the cumbersome and time consuming client processing activities that preponderate in categorical programs. It also requires attention to customer satisfaction and an immediate feedback capability at the local level to ensure that services are relevant, effective and provided in a timely fashion. Moving from separate categorical programs to an integrated service delivery system with a strong customer orientation will necessitate a whole new mind set for everyone in the system, especially those directly involved in providing workforce services. Under the former, service providers work within the narrow limits of a single program and spend their time identifying individuals who are both eligible for and in need of one or more of the services offered by that program. While some employers and residents may benefit from this approach, providing actual services is secondary to its primary focus: complying with federal and/or state laws, rules and regulations. In a customer oriented delivery system, exclusive attention is given to identifying customer needs, whatever they are, and providing services wherever they can be found. Customer choices are not limited by either the eligibility requirements of the available funding sources or the services currently supported by those funds. While still important, the traditional federal workforce

programs join other public and private resources as potential sources of funding for the needed services. These resources include other federal programs (e.g., education grants and loans), state and local governments, private foundations, church and civic organizations, individual employers and private scholarships. Operating from a customer oriented, services first perspective will yield unexpected results in the form of individual creativity and commitment. Once armed with high-quality information, multiple options and encouragement, many of the systems customers will be willing to shop around on their own, find and, in many instances, pay for a portion of or all the services they need. This approach, along with a carefully designed delivery system, will free up scarce public resources for those who cannot afford to pay. Designing a Local Workforce Services Delivery System 3. Be demand driven. A demand driven service delivery system defines employers as the primary customers of the system and is guided primarily by economic rather than social welfare concerns.2 In such a system, the first service focus is always to identify employers needs for information and labor market services that will make them more competitive in the global economy. This approach differs sharply from that of most public workforce programs, which are school-based, concentrate on the supply side of the labor market, have a strong social services orientation and provide education and training services that are often detached from labor market needs and the employment and training activities of employers and industries (Osterman, 1988). A demand driven local service delivery system brings the labor market into better balance. It gives employers the lead in determining the kinds of education and skills training to be provided with public resources, replacing educators and job training professionals, who have done this for far too long. It

also broadens the search for solutions to labor market dysfunctions from the almost exclusive reliance on education, job training and job search assistance found today in most categorical workforce programs. Identifying employers as the primary customers of a local service delivery system should not be misinterpreted. Employers are by no means the exclusive customers. It is simply a matter of setting a clear priority and putting the horse before the cart. This emphasis on meeting employer needs is grounded in the recognition that employers control the jobs. What residents need in the way of labor market services are information, education and training to bridge the gap between the skills they possess and those required to meet the entry level requirements of available jobs. Put in this context, residents workforce needs are derived needs, determined by labor market demand. A demand driven local delivery system also functions better as a labor market intermediary, tackling issues related to labor demand as well as supply 2 This is an old but important distinction drawn by E. Wight Bakke in his 1960s work on developing and implementing a positive labor market system for the United States. Bakke stressed that economic objectives should be the primary but not exclusive drivers of a labor market system and the services it offers. Social-welfare objectives, while also important, come second. For Bakke, it was a matter of deciding what is most important and setting the systems priorities accordingly. Designing a Local Workforce Services Delivery System 7

and providing a lubricant to make labor markets work more smoothly for Texas employers and residents. Both sets of customers have diverse interests and labor market needs. As an intermediary, the local system should seek to improve the quality of information and services available, better match services with customer interests and needs, and decrease costs for those using the system. It must be comprehensive and flexible enough to respond to all feasible combinations and permutations of employer and resident needs. 4. Maintain a high-skill, high-wage focus. Under this principle, an integrated local service delivery system supports Texas employers in following a high-skill, high-wage competitive strategy in the global economy by providing a ready supply of well-trained, highly productive workers. This sharply contrasts with a low-skill, low-wage approach to increasing market share and profit margins, which carries with it the undesirable consequences of driving down real wages, limiting domestic markets for employers products and lowering the standard of living for all Texans. At the same time it provides information and basic labor market services to all employers and residents, a local delivery system adopting a high-skill, high-wage strategy also targets industries and specific employers within those industries which pay their workers living wages and provide good fringe benefits. It focuses on the so-called demand occupations with clearly identifiable labor shortages as well as on emerging occupations offering new employment opportunities. It invests heavily in information and services that attract high value-added jobs to the area. Equally important, it provides area residents access

to the basic education and technical skills they need to be productively employed in the jobs it targets. Maintaining a high-skill, high-wage focus is critical to both economic growth and a higher standard of living for Texas workers. 5. Take a systems approach to service delivery. Under a systems approach to service delivery, a single, integrated system offering immediate access to quality information and a wide range of labor market services replaces the various categorical programs in each of the states 28 local workforce areas. One delivery system offers services to employers throughout the area and to Designing a Local Workforce Services Delivery System residentsthe employed as well as the unemployed, the advantaged as well as the disadvantaged, and the young as well as the old. An integrated service delivery system identifies and brings together resources from as many different sources as possible to meet the needs of its customers. Services previously available only through separate government agencies and programs are provided through a singleand seamless process. Ideally, customers cannot identify the specific federal or state funding source for the services they receive, and the service process does not include duplicative activities or services (e.g., eligibility determination, assessment, testing, counseling, etc.). The employer services offered to business customers of an integrated system include a wide range of information and labor market services available on line, through a centrally located employer services unit or through one of the

career development centers set up primarily to serve local residents. The services available will depend on employer interests and needs, but they might include economic forecasts, wage and salary information, employee recruitment, testing and screening, workforce skills analysis, education and skills training for incumbent workers, technical assistance, and automated unemployment insurance services. The resident services available to individuals looking for immediate employment or educational opportunities include high-quality labor market information and direct job matching and placement assistance. An integrated system also offers other employment related services (e.g., career counseling or job search assistance) to residents who need more than just good information to find a job. Developing a plan of action and identifying the resources required to provide even more intensive developmental services (i.e., basic education and skills training) will, of necessity, take more time. This process should involve an independent assessment of the individuals workforce needs, the development of a mutually negotiated career plan, the provision of high-quality labor market information and counseling, referral to approved providers for education and training, and follow-up services to ensure successful employment and economic Designing a Local Workforce Services Delivery System 9 self-sufficiency. At this point, once an individuals needs for training and services are determined and plans to meet them developed, the integrated system commits funding for the plan to the individual before referring him/her to local service providers (e.g., educational institutions or child care providers). This

contrasts with the current practice of some programs which earmark funds in advance to preselected service providers. Tying resources to individuals rather than to service providers changes the way the local service delivery process works in several important ways. First, it transforms clients into consumers by giving them good information, multiple options, the right to choose and the ability to pay for the services they need. It frees recipients from being viewed and treated as clients, dependent on the services offered by one or more public programs. Armed with reliable information and adequate resources, residents who can pay their own way and those who cant both become effective consumers in a market environment where high-quality education and training providers compete for students and funding. Second, the integrated workforce service delivery system envisioned here denies an exclusive role to any potential provider in the service delivery process. It relies on market forces. Without funding committed in advance, service providers must compete for applicants. The amount of workforce funding they receive depends on the number of individual referrals they successfully serve. Third, the integrated system changes the way special populations are served. Treated as individuals rather than as members of a separate group, residents with special labor market needs undergo the same assessment, counseling and career planning process as others. (Their proposed treatments, however, may vary significantly.) The up-front commitment of funds and appropriate referrals will effectively mainstream these individuals in regular education and training institutions. Though they have ongoing access to counseling, case management and support services through the local career development centers, they are no longer segregated in and stigmatized by

second chance programs. Designing a Local Workforce Services Delivery System 6. Offer standard services and possess a common identity. This principle assumes that every local service delivery systemwhile designed and governed locallyis also a compatible part of the larger statewide workforce system. In this role, all local systems should provide common information and a standard set of labor market services despite differences in local economic conditions, labor market needs and the service preferences of their customers.3 While local systems should each have their own unique identities, they should also share a common statewide identity that is easily recognizable and not directly linked to any one federal, state or local workforce program or agency.4 They should be electronically linked in a statewide management system to facilitate the free and efficient flow of information, resources and services across the state. The sharing of some common, standardized features will permit employers and residents to access information and services anywhere in the state, regardless of where they first contacted the system, without having to start over. It will also allow the state to better respond to emergency situations or unanticipated needs that outstrip the affected areas available resources. Any state mandates requiring that information and labor market services be available statewide can be viewed as usurping local decision making authority. State system designers must take care not to intrude unduly in local affairs, but the mobility of employers and workers mandate some standardization and uniformity across local labor market areas and even across

states. Any additional requirements imposed in the interest of building an integrated statewide system should be developed jointly by state and local officials and justified in terms of their contribution to improving services and making labor markets work more smoothly for employers and residents. Requiring that certain information and services be available statewide and establishing a minimum standard does not prohibit local service delivery systems from also offering services that meet their areas unique labor market needs. 3 Once fully developed, local labor market information systems will include on-line information about job opportunities, training and other workforce services available nationally and even internationally. 4 Local workforce boards should take the opportunity provided by the states current workforce reform efforts to take on new identities that distance them from public workforce programs of the past and their negative images. Designing a Local Workforce Services Delivery System 11 7. Be outcomes based, performance driven and accountable. This principle dictates that a local service delivery system be designed to achieve welldefined labor market outcomes for both sets of customers (i.e., increased competitive advantage for employers, and employment and earnings gains for local residents). Any evaluation of a local systems effectiveness should incorporate these outcomes and take into account the efficiency of the service delivery process as well as the level of customer satisfaction. Service providers are accountable to the local workforce board, which is, in turn, directly accountable to the new Texas Workforce Commission. Building in clearly identified roles and responsibilities for service

providers, clear lines of accountability and well-defined expectations (i.e., measures and standards for system performance and impact) stands in sharp contrast to the current program-by-program approach to workforce development. With the exception of some of the services provided under the Job Training Partnership Act, performance management and systematic evaluations of impact are virtually nonexistent. While current programs can generally account for the money they receive, they are not held accountable for whether the money is spent effectively. Furthermore, no one asks whether the programs help labor markets work more efficiently or whether they increase the employment and earnings of residents served or the profits of employers. Designing a Local Workforce Services Delivery System 8. Commit to continuous improvement. Following this principle, local workforce delivery systems must commit themselves to an ongoing monitoring of the service process and its track record in achieving desired outcomes in order to continuously improve the quality of services offered.5 The key to abiding by this principle is developing the capacity to listen, learn and respond to customer needs. Workforce reform in Texas provides a unique opportunity to identify and promote such practices, including the continuous training for professional staff throughout the new delivery system. The language and practice of quality improvement is now standard in the private sector. Incorporating them into local workforce delivery systems provides a means to better communicate and connect with businesses leaders across Texas, in many cases for the first time.

THE LOCAL SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM

While the many constraints identified in the previous section represent major challenges for those designing local service delivery systems across Texas, they can and must be surmounted. Texas future standard of living depends on it. The categorical approaches of the past have failed to provide high valueadded services, but integrating workforce services in a single delivery system holds the promise of making Texas employers and residents more productive and more competitive in world markets. This section examines that promise and makes the case for battling the odds to build integrated local service delivery systems throughout Texas. By describing a model local service delivery system that meets the requirements of state law and conforms to the guiding principles identified earlier, it also addresses practical design issues such as service mix and sequence and structuring the service process. The service delivery system envisioned here provides high-quality information and labor market services which meet the interests and needs of two sets of customers, Texas employers and Texas residents. Given the nature of most workforce services, serving either set of customers in effect serves both, often simultaneously. In contrast to the categorical programs, however, this system identifies employers as the primary customers, and it gives top priority to meeting their human resources needs. Putting employers first not only better

serves employers who already use public employment and training programs, it also expands that pool by attracting employers who currently choose other alternatives. For individuals seeking jobs and/or further education and skills training, including the economically disadvantaged and otherwise hard-toserve, the new employer relationships open routes to otherwise unavailable highskill, high-wage jobs. Consistent with its dual customer base, the local service delivery system has two major components, one providing services to local employers, the other to area residents, primarily students and workers looking for information and Designing a Local Workforce Services Delivery System assistance in meeting their labor market needs. Separate contractors may manage the two components, but they are strategically linked as integral parts of the same local system. To provide universal access to information and services, both components must invest heavily in the technology to offer electronic access. Unquestionably the heart and soul of the states workforce development effort, the local service delivery system requires support from a statewide management infrastructure, including a comprehensive labor market information system and a sophisticated, state-of-the-art management information system. The first provides essential information to both employers and residents, often the most valuable service they receive. The second tracks customer services and costs, provides on-line information for service staff and managers, and reports program activities and expenditures to the appropriate funding source

SERVICE DELIVERY NETWORKS

ClearSDN services are the power behind ClearOS. Many of the functions provided by ClearOS require software and content updates, monitoring, or cloud based services such as off-site server backup, dynamic DNS, etc. ClearSDN offers services in the following categories: software updates, monitoring, software modules, and cloud-based services. Software updates are the software improvements that may be available for your open source software. You can subscribe to update the entire system or only the components you use. Login to your ClearSDN account to configure the updates to drop automatically, or give you a notice that your software requires updates. Using the ClearSDN software updating services, your applications will be constantly updated with the latest improvements, patches, and security updates to keep your server and gateway current and secure.

Service Delivery Network The Workforce Board strives to build a workforce system that produces quality employees for employers, and develops and delivers quality opportunities for employers. The workforce development system refers to an alliance of partners working to provide access to employment, education, training and economic development services. Branded as Illinois workNet, the system functions to makes it easy for business to make connections with a qualified pool of applicants. This system is also creates a single point of access for people to learn about and access a broad range of employment, education and related services. Whether individuals are starting their first job, expanding their skills, changing careers or reentering the workforce,

they must be prepared to keep up with the demands of an evolving economy and a changing workplace.

FIVE STEPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SERVICE DELIVERY Step 1 - Understanding customer needs The first step is to review and analyse your customer needs. The objective of this step is to define a system that successfully meets these needs and the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of your organisation. Step 2 Turning the customer needs into service criteria The objective of this step is to turn the customer needs into an auditable standard or an audit framework. If your organisation already follows a standard, SGS as an independent third party can review it, set up an audit program, deliver audits and issue a report or a certificate. If on the other hand, you do not have a standard, we can help you set one up. Depending on whether or not you wish to make public your service commitment, you can choose from three modular solutions: 1. Customised Audit Solutions We define a program and checklist together with you, based on the level of control you wish to have over your network. We also analyse opportunities to foster continuous improvement of your systems and the service criteria to better meet your customer requirements. 2. ServiCert The first step toward this solution is to collect your customer needs and translate them into service delivery KPIs. Based on the needs of your customers, we help you define the key service components, the expected service delivery levels and the service

criteria (KPI) by providing training and a knowledge base. We then validate the criteria as being relevant and auditable. 3. QualiCert This program includes a thorough analysis of the existing service delivery system against the customer needs; what your organisation does and which parts of the service delivery process need measurement and control. Using this as a basis, SGS can help you draft a standard that is then validated by an external committee consisting of your most important stakeholders. This step is fundamental to test your standard with the endorsement of your market. Once done, we will perform the feasibility audit, and your organisation can implement the program. Step 3 Auditing After you have put your service quality program in place, SGS can perform independent audits such as mystery shopping audits and interviews or observations, depending on your requirements. These audits can also be performed alongside ISO audits. Step 4 Reporting & certification After the audit has been performed, SGS issues a report containing findings and opportunities for improvement. Depending on the solution you have chosen, SGS validates your commitment or certifies your programme. The reporting and certification phase for the three programs is as follows: 1. Customised Audit Solutions The report is reviewed by the nominated SGS manager and eventually submitted to you for peer review. Upon analysis, the results of the audit and fulfilment of your program requirements are validated. If your organisation or its network meets program requirements and has established the need to communicate this achievement, SGS issues you with a validation certificate. If it helps to increase your value offering to the market, you have the option to publish all or part of your internal best practices.

2. ServiCert The report is reviewed by the nominated SGS manager. Upon analysis, the audit results and fulfilment of the service criteria chosen by you are validated. SGS then issues a validation certificate stating the fulfilled service criteria. 3. QualiCert The report is reviewed by the Service Certification manager. Upon analysis, the certification decision is reached and a Service Certification certificate is issued. One of the requirements of Service Certification (versus validation) is that the service standard is made available for both your customers and stakeholders. Furthermore, the key service criteria (extracted from the standard) are mentioned on the certificate. Step 5 Continuous improvement In the final stage, SGS performs surveillance audits to assess your service delivery network still meets the necessary requirements. Surveillance audits can be performed as either pre-agreed or unexpected visits and are an efficient way to identify areas of improvement. As an additional service to the QualiCert and Customised Audit Solutions program, SGS can provide you with a comprehensive analysis and standard/framework review to leverage the most of continuous improvement opportunities

Network Delivery Systems is a Northern California-based Less Than Truckload (LTL) and Truckload carrier that provides our clients with the finest in transportation, warehousing, load consolidation, load reworking, distribution services, and short- and long-term storage solutions.

With daily service to most Northern California points and over 50 years of combined transportation experience, our growth and success is based on straight forward solutions for your shipping needs. We would rather say, NO we cant do that, than say YES just to get your business. With nationwide brokerage authority, we represent some of the largest and most reliable Truckload and Less-Then-Truckload carriers in the United States. Whether its within California or nationwide from California, Network Delivery Systems has the resources to move your shipment efficiently and cost-effectively. Network Delivery Systems, Inc. is an asset-based organization, with our owner actively involved in daily operations and sales, ensuring our customers receive the outstanding service they expect. If youre looking to improve the performance of your companys supply chain, look no further than Network Delivery Systems. Network Delivery Systems is a Northern California-based Less Than Truckload (LTL) and Truckload carrier that provides our clients with the finest in transportation, warehousing, load consolidation, load reworking, distribution services, and short- and long-term storage solutions.

As an experienced freight forwarder, we consolidate your LTL shipments with the use of our own vehicles, a distribution center in Sacramento, CA, and our network of trusted partner carriers. Let us utilize our resources to assure that your freight arrives on time and at the best available cost. Warehousing/Distribution

Network Delivery Systems can meet all your Warehousing / Distribution needs. With over 21,000 square feet our warehouse provides your business

with a cost-effective, flexible storage option, allowing you to respond to changing business conditions without the long-term financial commitment of owning your own warehouse. We will pick up your shipments with our own trucks and consolidate them at our terminal in Sacramento. We can store your inventory of goods in our warehouse and ship your products to any destination on demand, keeping your costs down and your customer-service quality high.

Load Consolidation

Network Delivery Systems provides our clients with the means of reducing transportation costs while decreasing transit times. Customers with sizable LTL shipments are linked to like shippers and the resulting consolidated load yields savings for all parties. Our target consolidation freight are shipments from 2500 pounds to full truckloads. Our fleet of trucks will pick up your shipments and consolidate them at our 20,000 square feet warehouse for future delivery. Let us help you with all your load consolidation needs.

Loads Reworked

reworking needs.

Network Delivery Systems can meet all your load

Short-Term Storage

Network Delivery Systems can immediately assess and accommodate our clients emergency shipping storage needs. We are experts in coordinating your emergency storage needs to ensure your shipment stays secure and ready for final delivery. Network Delivery Systems can hold your shipment for up to three months, but offers the flexibility of a storage plan that does not require a long-term commitment and offers low overhead charges Through the use of patterns, network architects can recognize common scenarios for which there are well-understood solutions. Sun Service Delivery Networks (SDNs) is a modular, pattern-based approach to creating logical architectures that can then be deployed onto physical architectures. The service delivery network methodology results in a logical design that is specifically created to meet the needs of a particular workload. It may, for example, specify the service components that must be assembled to provide a particular service to an end user, along with all of the required supporting infrastructure services such name, authentication, and messaging services. IT organizations can take the logical architecture defined by the SDN methodology and then deploy it onto its physical architecture. As workloads change, the architecture can be replicated or scaled easily, allowing IT organizations to quickly meet the changing requirements. Service delivery networks take IT organizations one step closer to having a dynamic infrastructure, one that can rapidly adapt to changing business conditions, helping them to more quickly align with their company's business objectives.

SDN Building Blocks The Service Delivery Network methodology uses the following set of building block components to construct service-optimized network design solutions:

service instances service domains service and distribution modules optional specialty modules, including security and caching modules network components including switches, routers, and load balancers These building blocks can be grouped into three entities that can be combined in various ways to deploy services.

SDN building blocks include core modules, specialty modules, and service domains and instances.

Service Instances A service instance is a running application that provides part of a service. Multiple service instances are typically deployed, each one providing the same service component but on different physical hardware or infrastructure. The below diagram illustrates two service instances, each of which is contained within a virtualized environment. The lower service instance is instantiated within a Solaris Container. The Solaris Container requires various services, including storage, execution, and network resources which are provided by the container and it's operating system. The upper service instance illustrates how they can be deployed within physical or logical domains, including Dynamic System Domains that are physically isolated at the electrical level on Sun SPARC Enterprise servers, and Logical Domains (LDoms) that provide software-level isolation on Sun's UltraSPARC T1 processor-powered servers.

Two service instances, one deployed within a Solaris Container, and one deployed within a physical or logical domain.

Service Domains Service domains are patterns that organize similar services into logical groupings that can then be managed at a higher level. A service domain consists of multiple service instances and the containers running on physical servers that provide the same, or similar, logically grouped services. Separating services into service domains provides an additional scalability mechanism that allows services to take advantage of other service domains, and allow them to use all of the domain's features and capabilities. This approach offers significant security benefits when the principles of compartmentalization and least privilege are applied to the offering of policy-based services. Elements in a service domain can be isolated from each other where inter-element communication is not required (for example, between Web server instances). This approach also mitigates the effects of undiscovered flaws, because the execution containers are not available on the network except through the specific service they provide for the service domain. Any other services running on the host are effectively out of reach. Finally, the approach of applying policies to network interfaces (in, out, and management interfaces) allows organizations to specify precisely how services can communicate. This significantly simplifies intrusiondetection and firewall policies. Service domains provide:

Network services to operating system instances, containers within them, and their dependent application services. Physical access layer and communication paths to each service instance. Each service domain provides network services for a single application. Applications and their service domains aggregate to provide a business service or services. Each service domain is a logical collection of similar service containers, each providing the same application service. Physical network access to containers and underlying servers. Each server has at least two physical connections to the service domain host connectivity switch to help ensure that the service instance will remain available in the event that a failure occurs within a network switch or cable.

Security features, such as Access Control Lists (ACLs) and physical port isolation. Service Modules The next higher SDN building block is the service module, which consists of service domains and the hardware required to support them. A service module consists of physical network hardware, server connections for the service networks, and the software applications that make up the services to be delivered. Using these components, a service module provides the services, physical access, routing, distribution within the service module, availability features, integration to other networks (for a single service module), and network services. A service module provides a service through its service delivery interface, as illustrated.

Service module provides a service through its service delivery interface.

A service module consists of one or more service domains to provide a specific business service, or a set of services that support a particular architectural layer, such as a presentation layer. For example, one service module may deliver messaging services, and another might provide identity services. Service modules consist of more or fewer service domains depending on a

number of factors, including the size of the deployment. In small deployments, a service module might contain a mixture of services, while in larger deployments might contain a more homogeneous mix of services. A service module can exist as a standalone component, or it can be linked together and scaled as needed. Service Delivery Interface The service delivery interface is the primary service interface. It provides the integration point to upstream access providers, LAN or WAN access, and is the primary connection point for clients and end users. Typically, the service delivery interface connects to a router, pair of routers, or other distribution network that connects to the data center. This allows the network design to be self-contained behind this interface, and limits the amount of configuration necessary above this point for service routing. Distribution Modules Distribution modules allow the integration of several service modules. They provide intelligent service routing, presentation services, and other features in a highly scalable, flexible design. For example, after capacity has been reached within a single service module, a distribution module and additional service modules can be added. Distribution modules allow a better logical layout of services and help reduce complexity while maintaining required service relationships. They are required when multiple service modules are used in a single environment. The Figure illustrates how a distribution module can be used to integrate multiple service modules.

A distribution module allows multiple service modules to be integrated.

Distribution modules consist of network components that are similar to service modules. They enable several service modules to work together and aggregate services to a single service delivery interface that clients and users can access. Because distribution modules tie several service modules together, service modules may be isolated from one another, use different implementation hardware, or be managed by different organizations. The distribution module provides central access to the delivery of those services which can be managed by a centralized network team. They may also manage common specialty modules, such as proxies or caches, that provide these services to the entire network. Specialty Modules Specialty modules provide specific services in the SDN methodology. Depending on the deployment location within the network, a specialty module may provide services to the entire network architecture, to individual service modules, and to individual service domains. Specialty modules may be optional or required based on business and technical requirements.

Examples of specialty modules include the following:

Security Firewalls Intrusion Detection Systems VPN Gateways/SSL Gateways Performance Caching Application Acceleration Network Shaping/QOS Security Modules Service delivery networks support pluggable security modules that can be used to augment the native security of individual platforms and services, as well as security controls implemented in the network infrastructure itself. This allows for the use of security appliances and devices such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and virtual private network concentrators to be integrated into the architecture. The decision to use these modules must be made based on an analysis of organizational policies and requirements, in conjunction with the threat profile for the network architecture. SDN utilizes three types of specialty security modules: integration, service, and domain security modules. The architecture's in-depth security goal distributes security--related functions across the systems within the environment. The Solaris OS provides two security features that are particularly relevant to service delivery networks: the Solaris Security Toolkit, and support for IP-based filtering on each host. Security and Management A high security architecture must incorporate multiple, independent, mutually reinforcing, and different security technologies. A decentralized approach to security in the SDN architecture allows all of the components to protect themselves. This approach enables the ability to provide a high level of security with few, if any, inspection bottlenecks.

Differing, independent, and rationally configured technologies can be incorporated at every level of the network and software stack to reinforce the security of individual components. When designing a network architecture, architects must integrate the required security framework while considering any potential impact on network latency. Network architects must pay particular attention to the high-bandwidth segments of any proposed network architecture and minimize the number of complex security checks that could impact latency. Integrated Security Framework The SDN methodology uses an integrated security model that considers the security features in applications, containers, servers, network, security modules, and other security features in all of the different interfaces in the service delivery. The Figure illustrates this integrated security framework and how it is integrated with the various levels of the network and software stack.

The SDN integrated security framework considers security at the various levels in the network

High security depends on securing each aspect of the path by which traffic flows through the network, its components, and applications, all the while maximizing performance and reducing latency.

Security Zones and Compartmentalization Security zones enhance security and flexibility by enforcing compartmentalization. Security zones can be implemented using virtual switching technology within a single load balancing switch. Each security zone in a single unit involves a virtual switch and includes a group of service domains that have similar security requirements. In addition, each security zone can be administered individually, which means that the administrator for one security zone cannot administer another security zone without explicit authorization. Secure Management Networks Network administrators must be able to manage and monitor services and applications in a network, as well as any related logical and physical components. The SDN methodology incorporates a management network into a network architecture in a secure and reliable way, minimizing risk to the production side of the network.

The service delivery network architecture uses segregated management and production networks.

The Figure illustrates how the operational, client-delivery side of a network can be segregated from the management network. Inbound client requests are distributed by a pair of redundant load balancers. The management network connects to each server and to a switch front of a firewall that secures the organization's management systems. The figure illustrates an access portal with various administration workstations attached. The management network infrastructure follows the security requirements of each service, and is separated into management domains.

NMS Server Network and Network Operations Center Access Management networks can optionally use a firewall to provide network access s to the various management domains, the network operation center segments, and network management system server networks. For example, network management system software could be configured to allow both polling and push management traffic. SNMP traps could be enabled and could be configured to forward the traps to specific event servers located on an internal management network segment.

Management domains can be segregated securely while still allowing common access from
the network operations center. A logical representation of management domains segregated in this way is illustrated in Figure. In an actual implementation, each management domain could use separate switches or chassis-based switches using VLANs depending on security requirements and cost constraints. A network management system can store data polled from the network on servers located in an internal network management system server network segment. Because the management network is a standard IP network, it can be used to integrate a variety of commonly used network management system platforms, which can in turn be integrated into an network operation center LAN or other networks as needed including customer networks. The network operation center can access management servers to retrieve and view network and system events and other management data through a secure channel to the management server segment. This design can be further enhanced via user profile-based VPN technology. Overview of Service Delivery Networks In the beginning of 2000, IT companies experienced unprecedented growth. Additional services, network, and system capacity were added with little planning or foresight. Rather, they were viewed as stop-gaps to prevent a widespread meltdown. By the end of 2000, growth slowed, spending slowed, and confidence shrank. These companies now have the opportunity to concentrate on the services they wish to offer to their customers and to reevaluate the technology decisions that were made in the past. This service emphasis is the heart of the service delivery network,

a services-based architecture for data center deployments. Service-based architectures are focused on the applications provided over the network, rather than the technologies or their related components. For example, an IDC may provide a web-based online shopping system for their clients. End users do not care which application server or protocol is being used. They only care that they can shop and perform transactions on any device, anywhere, and at anytime of the day. This implies that optimal architectures must be developed to support this type of ubiquitous access. Applications might also need to be redesigned to support this type of access and to support new integration requirements as demanded by the business case. In addition, a shifting paradigm in the network is soon to lead to the next generation of the Internet and always-on access. Service Delivery Network, Architecture Overview There are several factors that will effect the future computing platforms and services delivered by service providers today: Bandwidth availability and growth Wireless services Disaster recovery and services Computer processing growth These factors greatly enhance the need for scalable, secure, and highperformance network topologies. Todays service provider data centers (Internet data centers) face a challenge satisfying the huge growth and need for continuous availability. Server

solutions have been developed that can provide almost limitless scalability by the use of horizontal replication. This has huge implications on the network infrastructure used to distribute the data between the server instances.

The following list contains some of the more important issues that service providers need to address: Scalability Is there a low impact to framework as requirements expand? Availability Is there constant availability of service? Flexibility Are there fully independent services based on any IP-based protocol? Security Are there high levels of security without latency and performance impact? Persistence Can the design preserve consumers shopping basket (as an example)? Manageability Can systems and applications be upgraded without service interruptions? Performance Is there high performance, high session concurrency and throughput? Backup and recovery Is there a sufficient backup strategy? Service Delivery Network Introduction SDN Description The SDN is the next generation data services platform for scalable data centers. The following illustration provides an overview of the various components of the SDN.

Assessing Market Opportunities

A marketing intelligence system deals with procurement and analysis of data from various internal or external sources on a continuous basis to assess market opportunities and threats, and helps design and implement suitable marketing strategies. Industrial marketing research helps to find possible solutions to a particular problem or to arrive at possible outcomes of a situation. It provides competitive intelligence and decision support. Various tasks of industrial marketing research include analyzing market share, assessing the market potential for new products as well as for existing products, determining the market characteristics, analyzing past sales, and developing sales forecasts. The marketing research process involves recognizing and defining the problem, developing research objectives, establishing study hypothesis, planning the research design, developing sources of information, deciding the sampling plan, data collection, analysis to arrive at interpretations and recommendations, and presenting the findings. Industrial marketers need to conduct demand analysis on a regular basis as the demand for industrial goods is volatile. Demand analysis is done based on the analysis of the price, income levels, existence of substitutes for the products, etc. It is done using either

quantitative or qualitative techniques. An industrial marketer also needs to avoid the common problems that arise during demand forecasting.

Market Opportunity Assessment

Market opportunity assessment is a crucial success factor when a company is evaluating its position in the market or entering a new market. To ensure you make the right investment, to ensure you have an optimal product portfolio and to ensure you get maximum results of your marketing budget. IDC can help you to better understand your position and opportunities in the current market place as well as the potential in new markets or market segments. We can provide you with details, forecasts and viewpoints on the specifi c market segments that are in your focus. We know the hot topics, the trends, players and customers the ITC industry. Market opportunity assesments will be benefi cial to: Market Opportunity Assessment

RESEARCH, ANALYSIS, AND CONSULTING SERVICES

WHY USE IDC? IDC knows your market from a different angle than yourself. We are therefore in a unique position to disscuss and assist you in your market approach. IDC analysts help you: Find market opportunities and make sound business decisions supported by market understanding Defi ne business growth rate scenarios Recommend product directions and strategies

 Evaluate threats to your market Discuss your market potential and client base Improve the quality of business planning Management teams in business planning process Sales and marketing departments in marketing efforts TOOLS AND METHODOLOGIES Opportunity Analysis A combination of different IDC methods to help realize the market opportunities. Market Sizing and Forecasts IDCs proven methods on market size and forecasting is the basis for many IDC projects. Market sizing can be based on supply and/or demand side research. Forecasts are based on a systematic process, building assumptions taking into consideration market history, similar markets, impact from other IT market segments as well as external factors such as general economic development, demographic factors and legislative factors. Leadership Grid IDC model used for competitive analysis. Consumer and B2B User Surveys Every year IDC conducts business and consumer user surveys on hot topics. EXAMPLES OF RECENT MARKET OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENTS Market Entry Strategy Scope: An international network service provider considered offering a new kind of Internet service in a Nordic country and asked IDC to describe and illustrate the internet access market. This project looked at the market size and trends by internet access technology.

Benefit: This information helped the client develop a realistic plan for market entrance and evaluate the potential competition before entering the market. Market Opportunity Assessment Scope: A leading global hardware vendor needed to understand their opportunities in three new emerging IT hardware markets to decide on the following years business plan and marketing strategy. IDC provided data about vendor market shares with details about how the sales were divided between the different market segments. Benefi t: IDCs input enabled the client to determine a business plan for the next year, which was based on a realistic view on the current market status and future opportunities. Whether a founding team is seeking VC funding, or a big league Marketing team is selecting the next product, evaluating the market opportunity for new products should be a pragmatic, truthful, apolitical, customer centric process that is backed-up by an analysis of the best data available. Doing an adequate job requires looking outside the company to identify the target customer, as well as digging deep within the company to assess whether the development team has what it takes to deliver the product required in the time frame that makes sense. MARKETING MECHANICS can expertly guide your team through this process. We can take responsibility for the overall success of the process, or we can execute on any one of the individual steps. The Three Major Components of Market Opportunity Assessment Characterizing the Customer Exactly who is the customer? How many kinds of customers are there? Why will they buy? How will they buy? How much will they pay? Understanding the Competition What products compete directly? Who makes them? How are they sold? How good are they? What is the true cost to the customer? What is the

indirect competition? (What other ways are there for customers to get the job done?) How will the competition respond to the new product? Specifying the Product What is the major must have feature set? What will the product cost? When is delivery needed? What is the expected life-cycle? How will it be sold? What kind of support is necessary? Are partners a critical piece of the whole product solution? Market Opportunity Assessment Services

Market Segmentation Model Market Forecast Customer Profile Customer Lifetime Value Model Competitive Assessment
o o

direct competition product alternatives

Optimal Product Feature Determination Price Sensitivity Model

Market Assessment Workshops Workshops and Training sessions can be designed to address your company's needs and requirements and use products and market data most relevant to your company. The sample outline below was derived from a workshop delivered to members of the Silicon Valley Product Management Association (SVPMA). The workshop was deemed highly relevant by participants. The SVPMA workshop began with a discussion of "the whole product concept" and a review of probability distributions, Monte Carlo simulation and simple Markov models. The main thrust of the workshop was on how to use these statistical techniques to build practical, quantitative market models. In the context of assessing the opportunity for a home

entertainment network product, sample models were developed for each stage of the market assessment process:

Characterizing the Target Market Segmenting the Available Market Determining the Accessible Market

The workshop concluded with two breakout sessions: a discussion on the market assessment process and a "hands on" quantitative walk through of the details of the simulations. Market Assessment Workshop Outline

Preliminaries
o o o o o

The "Whole Product" Market Assessment Preview The benefits of a quantitative approach Data intensive modeling What if there is no data? Dealing with uncertainty Probability Risk Monte Carlo simulation Markov models Where to start Demographic data How to use analyst reports What does available mean? Accounting for the competition

Stochastic Models
o o o o o

Characterizing the Target Market

o o o

Segmenting Available Market

o o

Determining Accessible Market

o o

Constraints and enablers Modeling the success metrics Hands on modeling Making the process work for you.

Break Out Sessions

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