Friday, November 30, 2012

Ways to improve energy efficiency through lighting


It is easy, once you cut your energy and increase the user-friendliness of the environment of your home. The key to energy saving lighting is easy, but for many homeowners and renters, know-how and what to do to improve the lighting efficiency of your home can be confusing.

To address the confusion that has the American Lighting Association (ALA), some simple steps to save energy:

A. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL). And your electric bill - their most frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps share by a direct influence on the energy consumption have. "This is the best way to begin to improve their energy efficiency," says Joe Rey-Barreau, education consultant for the ALA and an associate professor at the University of Kentucky Interior Design. To the CFL for you to find, look at the color temperature indicated on the label of the lamp. Choose a lamp with the words "Living Colour", "warm" or "soft white".

Second Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps adjustable adjustable. Since the color palette of CFLs has improved, so that their ability to be dimmed and adjustable lamps are known to reduce energy consumption. However, energy saving lamps do not usually range from light bulbs.

Third Buy brands. It's frustrating to invest in a long light bulb, only quickly burn. To avoid this, buy stamps, to improve the quality and color.

4th Renew outdoor accessories. Outdoor lighting accessories can be beautiful, but maybe a power eater, too. Look at energy efficiency of the two devices with compact fluorescent lamps or light emitting diodes (LED), or those triggered by a motion sensor or a photocell.

5th Buy ENERGY STAR qualified lighting and illumination. Energy Star is a U.S. Department of Energy certification in most devices not recognized - but also in the lighting and light bulbs.

6th Renovation recessed lighting with LED lamps. While LEDs have a higher initial cost, which will last for the life of the lamp.

7th Replace lighting under cabinets. With a long life and high efficiency LED lighting installed some fairly simple also, including hard drives, and as under cabinet lighting strips. As an added bonus, the LED lights are not emit unwanted heat from incandescent bulbs.



Monday, November 26, 2012

Performance standard game: Windows 7 vs Windows 8



We know that the look and feel of Windows 8 are very different from Windows 7. But once you pull the favorite track is the last impact your experience of Microsoft? We tested 10 games and chat with one of the developers games suppressing able to answer this question.

If you read blogs, I bet you have a copy of the new installation of your Windows system, maybe even go back to 1985 and Windows 1.0. That, as before, we provide new functionality. We love a certain part and we hate others. Things I've used for years to break down, and other things that I need an additional driver packages on the past will also work out of the box. Capabilities that have the potential to improve performance, and other software might be higher loads.

I do not expect to see the performance of the game are changing the transition from Windows 7 to Windows 8. AMD Zoomeven know before 8350 FX launch of Windows 7 machine properly repaired should not behave differently than Windows 8 on it (this is why I do not see us as a Windows 8 digits). Companies like AMD and Nvidia that much time to develop drivers and adequate support modern graphics cards was in place on the launch of Microsoft. In most cases, once the fire of your favorite game, their experience should be pretty similar.

"But wait a second," reads the player read a lot, now with problems. "What about the statement Gabe Newell:" I think Windows 8 is a disaster for everyone in a computer "Gabe seems to know what he was doing most of the time, Valve Corporation company developing games for steam and mass distribution platform. Course digital, we have eyebrows when he said Valve has invested resources Linux version of steam and adapt games to run on open source operating system. then what's really the problem? Windows 8 are desperate love? If players to avoid at all cost and stick with Windows 7?

Zoomi Gabe saw an interview where he said that Windows 8 has a terrible interface, and everything is much more difficult to make the new operating system. Right to be said, I use RTM of Windows 8 for some time now, and I agree that it should be possible to avoid the Metro interface on your PC completely. But I do not think Microsoft is the latest sign of the apocalypse.

It is not wise to sweep the paradigm of desktop icon and under the carpet. And, it will keep many people. But I like to think that it adapts to an enthusiastic crowd. Find out how to turn STACEY games will not be long at all, and after a little practice, people who are determined to learn your way around Windows 8. Game screaming edge if the operating system breaks more honest title.

I think the issue Gabe on Windows 8, and is one directed, is the new Windows Store. This is the equivalent of Microsoft's application store, and the company also owns 30% of what they sell there. Growing concern is that Microsoft does not allow certain software to work with your new operating system. Sounds a bit like Apple's closed platform? Development community just afraid that Microsoft Windows Store goes the same way. And it is clear that the company control over what is offered in their store, no one knows what will come of it. Therefore, Newell is willing to spend (or at least threaten to spend) money in the development of Linux.

Much ZoomAs I know, Microsoft has done something against the wall of Windows 8. Steam can be installed without problems with any other application inherited. Of course, it's a different story RT in Windows, which is limited to applications available through the Windows Store. Accordingly, it will be harder to make money end RT two devices with Windows and Microsoft Developer care can go a similar path in Windows 8 and to take part each sale they make.

For now, then, in addition to learning the new interface, the main concern, you need to do is to know how their favorite songs in the new OS. Windows 8 DirectX is updated to version 11.1 (11.1 DXGI Direct3D 1.2, WDDM 1.2, etc.), but at least for now, do not expect much difference. However, we had to see for myself if the frame rate or compliance would be adversely affected. If you compare the 10 songs we love Windows 7, and 8.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Customer Service Social Media Management Tool


The use of social networks as a major distribution channel for customer service management

In large / medium and small business value and generating gaining momentum.

Depth Survey (U.S.) of 578 companies found that 34% of companies surveyed,

Use the new - Tools for managing the media leader in customer service for two years or more.



Companies that adopt customer service with new tools - Media,

Is expected to significantly improve customer relationships and make the product / service offering attractive.



New concept of using channels - customer service communication, firms can generate medium / small:

Such businesses (SMB ((small medium as "thin / flexible and profitable"

The use of new media for customer service management,

We will save Aofrtziit expensive service costs (such as a call center wide)

To respond to customer complaints from customers who are natural places (social media),

Get personal information, and compete successfully

Big business, big customer service centers based large extent, ownership patterns may change and transition management tools and new technologies are limited and cumbersome.



The survey results show four companies (Best Buy, Dell, JetBlue, LL Bean) trained to use the new - media management solutions to their customer service.



Here are some ideas (essay based on one of the four companies above) can help companies

On his way to the realization of managing customer service "digital"



Listen first ...

Listen Pain "and could lead to customers complaints value: Play brings empathy -" Something really want to help me .. ".

This is the best listening channels were - the media, where you will find a broad dialogue, feedback and potentially free expression.



How to work behind the scenes - not interesting for its customers ..

Looking to help customers not interested in answering ready platform provider / does not care what the dispatchers and other professionals who will give you the solution or alternative, what are the procedures that provide customer service provider - is as a simple process - the customer wants a solution to your problem! .

Example: human service centers / answering customers funnel between different service providers / voicemail options - obstruct the process of providing the service, and often end in an open service call can not be an answer.

New channel compared to the treatment - the media that matters - simple, permits, and returns a clear solution for the customer to choose.

Reading can open the service / technical reading the new channel - Media and apply the solution directly by email, SMS, direct response to Facebook (as an example) -, which opened the service call or a personal call.

Reading a service and provide the solution focus, serious feel valued customers with convenient turn once more,

Tell friends and maybe interested in buying a product / service offers the solution.



Seller: Do not bother to quell customer complaints ...

On failure serious problem / providing the service / product, you must provide a "go" for their customers, simple and clear explanation of the nature of the problem / how to handle it, to create empathy for cause temporary inconvenience to customers as a result of malfunction.

In this case the use of new media - in customer service can play two opposite directions:

Share explain the difficult customer (video, short post, image, etc) instead of "sweeping under the rug" dialog will open new media channels, will give customers creative solutions that can help provide troubleshooting / show tolerance and understanding.

Hiding the problem can lead customers to express their frustrations on the "walls" New tool - media, and prove to offer loyal customers can find antagonism When not show the true situation and prevent behavior useful to use a product / service purchased.

Tip doubt was one step ahead of customer service while promoting fault / problem and give an open auction.



Seller: Doug quality team to achieve the solutions ...

Provide a more effective customer service through a new tool - Media requires professional treatment team dedicated service representatives.



Care staff training and service personnel (which may be one person ..) delivers a new medium professional channel

Received call service (Facebook / Twitter / corporate website / blog then)

Increase motivation of customers to continue to implement the use of these tools,

Recommend to friends

And the call of service upgrade was a response to the potential purchase of the product / service.

The easiest is to make service calls sales team "on the road" (instead of train service personnel designated for this purpose ..), move very fast out as an error - the client knows exactly if the season had several forms knowledgeable service and therefore measures the success of the quality of service providers and reliable customers.



Summary and Conclusions

The use of new - client communication service certainly seems an effective solution as the leading ones: Facebook, Twitter,

And it is necessary to match the organization's service provider / supplier.

There are many tools New - Media (mostly free) can be used in the implementation of customer service, choice and commitment must be considered in each business according to their capabilities.


• The Company has not yet entered the field of social media / domain that is still in its infancy:

Besides teaching new domain - Media, hiring personnel,

I should add the issue of strategic management as a customer service leads / Investment

And generates commitment (Commitment) and high commitment among business customers.




• a business that has a presence in New - Media, and plan to add a service to its customers:

Use the wisdom of crowds proved more than once,

Even in this case: a brief survey of customer-facing business (which represents the wisdom of the crowd)

Question: What new channel - Media preferred customer service and the best answer to your questions?

Bring a clear picture what customers want, we recommend preferred business approach in service delivery and customer convenience.