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Friday, May 8, 2015

10 Behaviors of High Achievers


I remember the conversation like it was yesterday. After lobbying to absorb yet another project into my ever-growing engineering group, something was bugging me. “It’s like I can’t get enough,” I confided in my manager. “It sort of scares me.” Finally, I asked, “Am I power hungry?”

“No, Steve, I don’t think you’re power hungry,” my boss replied. “You’re just achievement oriented.”

Relieved, I thanked him for his time and went back to work. It was only later that I realized I had no idea what he was talking about. What the heck does “achievement oriented” even mean, I wondered.   

If it sounds like I was a bit naïve, I’ll cop to that charge. Unlike today’s up-and-comers, we didn’t really spend a whole lot of time thinking about ourselves back in the dark ages. But that never stopped some of us from reaching for the stars, even if we had little understanding of why we did it.

I believe that, among a number of other behavioral elements, explains why certain people are consistently high achievers.

1. They do without obsessing over why.
The common thread between every successful overachiever I’ve ever known – and I’ve probably known hundreds in the tech industry alone – is that they’re born doers, troubleshooters, and problem-solvers. If something important needs to be done, they’ll figure out how to do it, no questions asked.

2.They have no patience for the status quo.
If you tell these people how something is done, how it should be done, that it can’t be done, or why it can’t be done, you’re likely to be branded as “part of the problem,” treated with disdain, and shunned. They simply have no tolerance for bureaucrats and negatrons.  

3. Their passion and drive inspires others.
Let’s face it, it’s like a religious experience sitting in a room with these people or hearing them speak. Once they’ve set their sights on accomplishing a mission, to them, it may just as well be finding the Holy Grail or the true meaning of life on Earth. And I wouldn’t bet against them.

4. They’re never satisfied with their achievements.
In What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School – a book I recently learned, to my horror, many Millennials have never heard of – Mark McCormack sites profound “dissatisfaction with their own accomplishments” as a defining characteristic of true champions. 

5. They live for the challenge.
If it’s easy, anyone can do it; so what would be the point? It’s the obstacles that make it fun. That’s why people who accomplish great things don’t let challenges stand in their way. The harder it is, the more they want to do it. That’s the fun part, the gratifying part.

6. They never admit defeat.
We often note how successful entrepreneurs overcome setback after setback before achieving what they set out to do. That’s actually a double-edged sword and sometimes gets them into trouble. While stick-with-it-ness is an admirable quality, sometimes you’re better off cutting your losses and moving on. Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell the difference.

7.They need to win ... desperately.
Competition gets a bad rap these days. The problem is people misunderstand it. The need to win isn’t sadistic or personal. It’s not that we want to see the other guy grovel in the sand. It’s just that, for us to win, our competitors have to lose. That’s simply how competitive markets work.

8. They have a chip on their shoulder.
Accomplishment-oriented people don’t typically concern themselves with why they are the way they are. Nevertheless, they often appear to have something to prove. Usually that stems from growing up with adversity, as we’ve previously observed with respect to Alibaba chairman Jack Ma, Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, and Starbucks founder Howard Schultz.

9.They are not political players.
Don’t get me wrong: in politics, everyone is a political player. But in the business world, accomplishing and winning is based on merit. That’s why true achievers are not into finger pointing, backstabbing, or hogging the limelight. There’s simply no point.

10.They’re not necessarily paragons of virtue.
While I’d love to tell you that overachievers never overdo it, we both know that’s not true. Some have a hard time distinguishing ethical behavior from the ends justify the means. And once they start down that slippery slope, look out below. I’m not sure if it’s any consolation, but that usually involves mitigating dysfunction.

As a final thought on the subject, there is a flipside to being so driven to achieve. People like us don’t rest easy. I often quote Robert Browning’s famous line from Andrea del Sarto, “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?” Always reaching for the stars is like never having a dull moment, but it can be exhausting. It’s definitely not for everyone.   

CRDB to float shares worth 150 billion/- to boost its services

CRDB Bank Managing Director, Dr Charles Kimei.

CRDB Bank is expected to collect 150bn/- from selling shares to shareholders as part of the bank’s initiative to boost its services in the next financial year.

Speaking ahead of this year's shareholders meeting, the bank’s managing director, Dr Charles Kimei said that the amount will be used by the bank to expand and improve its services.

He said the amount is to be approved by the bank’s shareholders who are expected to start their meeting on Friday in the safari capital of Arusha.

Kimei said that the 150bn/- will be an increase of 20 percent of the bank’s capital base. “The bank’s capital base is at 400bn/- which is not enough to meet bank’s demands, that’s why we are thinking to increase it by 20 percent.”

“We have a number of things to do, which needs money and when we sat down we decided to float shares to our shareholders,” Kimei said, adding that those shareholders who won’t be able to buy those shares they will sell those shares to the new bank’s investor.

He said the new foreign investor is expected to buy shares amounting to 100bn/-.

“Our shareholders will be buying shares at a cheaper price compared to those shares which are to be sold to the new investor and the difference will be the profit of our shareholders,” he said.

The official said that the projected amount will be spent in expanding services and improving bank’s ICT systems.
According to Kimei, the CRDB Bank's subsidiary company in Burundi has been performing well and since last year they have started registering profit.

“This is what makes us to eye for other foreign markets,” he said.

On the plummeting of Tanzanian shillings, the bank’s senior official blamed politicians for politicizing the matter, saying: “The weakening of shillings have a positive benefit to Tanzanian farmers. Their crops will be bought as people may stop importing food stuffs from abroad. Even importation of sugar will come to an end as the locally produced sugar will become cheap.”

He suggested the need for the Tanzanian shillings to be measured by the market.
The bank’s shareholders meeting is expected to bring on board more than 1,000 shareholders from across the country.

As of November 2014, CRDB Bank has a network of 118 fixed branches, 13 mobile branches, 984 Point of Sales (POS) terminals and 335 Automated teller machines, in all regions of Tanzania.


BY LUSEKELO PHILEMON
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Kilimo cha zao la Ufuta - Masoko, Mbinu na Ushauri


Ufuta (sesamum indicum)ni zao linalolimwa kwa wingi katika mikoa ya Lindi, Mtwara, Ruvuma, Pwani, Morogoro, Dodoma, Tanga na ukanda wa chini katika mikoa ya Rukwa na Mbeya. Zao hili hulimwa kwa ajili ya chakula na biashara. Mbegu za zao hili huwa na wastani wa mafuta kiasi cha asilimia 45.

MAMBO YA KUZINGATIA WA KATI WA KUZALISHA MBEGU 
• Chagua aina ya mbegu inayotoa mazao mengi na bora, inayovumilia mashambulizi ya magonjwa na wadudu, inayokomaa mapema na kutoa mafuta mengi.

• Chagua mbegu inayokomaa kwa pamoja ili kurahisisha uvunaji na pia kuepuka upotevu wa zao shambani. 

• Aina nyeupe ya mbegu ya ufuta hupendelewa zaidi kuliko aina nyeusi.

MBOLEA
Ufuta unahitaji rutuba ya kutosha ili kutoa mazao bora. Katika kudumisha rutuba ya udongo, tumia kilimo cha mzunguko wa mazao au weka mbolea za asili pale inapobidi.

PALIZI
Dhibiti magugu kwa kupalilia ili kuruhusu ufuta kutumia vizuri unyevu na virutubishi. Magugu mengine huwa ni maficho ya wadudu waharibifu wa zao la ufuta.

MAGONJWA NA WADUDU
Ufuta hushambuliwa na magonjwa na wadudu mbalimbali ambao huweza kusababisha upungufu na ubora wa mazao. Hivyo kagua shamba mara kwa mara hasa kwenye maua na mapodo ili kuona dalili za mashambulizi. Endapo kuna dalili zamashambulizi, chukua tahadhari mapema kabla ya uharibifu mkubwa haujatokea.

MAANDALIZI KABLA YA KUVUNAKAGUA SHAMBA
• Kagua shamba kuona kama ufuta umekomaa. 
• Ufuta hukomaa, kati ya miezi mitatu na minne tangu kupanda kutegemea aina.
• Aina ya ufuta usiokuwa na matawi hukomaa mapema kuliko ile yenye matawi.
• Ni muhimu kuwahi kuvuna ili kuepuka ufuta kupukutikia shambani.

DALILI ZA KUKOMAA UFUTA SHAMBANI
• Kwa kawaida majani hubadilika rangi kutoka kijani na kuwa ya manjano na hatimaye kudondoka.

• Mashina hubadilika rangi kutoka kijani na kuwa ya kahawia.

VIFAA VYA KUVUNIA
• Kamba
• Siko
• Panga

VIFAA VYA KUKAUSHIA
• Sehemu ya kukaushia yenye Sakafu ya saruji
• Maturubai
• Sakafu safi

USAFIRI
• Mikokoteni
• Matela ya matrekta
• Magari

KUVUNA
• Vuna ufuta mapema kabla mapodo kukomaa sana na kuanza kupasuka na kuachia punje.Mapodo ya ufuta yaliyokomaa sana yakiguswa au kutikiswa na upepo hupasuka na kuachia mbegu, hali inayosababisha upotevu mkubwa.

• Mbegu za ufuta ni ndogo na zikidondoka chini ni vigumu kuziokota. Vilevile mbegu zilizodondoka ni vigumu kuzitenganisha na uchafu.

• Uvunaji wa ufuta huhusisha ukataji wa mimea yenye mapodo kwa kutumia vyombo vya mkono kama panga kwa kukata mashina.

• Kwa aina za ufuta zenye mapodo yanayopasuka, uvunaji ufanyike wakati mimea bado ni kijani ili kuepuka upotevu wa mbegu.

• Aidha uvunaji ufanyike wakati hakuna upepo wala jua kali.

• Baada ya kukata mashina yafunge katika mizigo midogo na kuweka katika vyombo vya kusafirisha kama vile mikokoteni, matela au magari hadi sehemu ya kukaushia.

• Panga mizigo midogo kwa kusimamisha katika malundo madogo yasiyozidi mizigo minane kwenye sehemu safi za kukaushia.

KUKAUSHA
Mapodo ya ufuta hukaushwa yakiwa yamefungwa katika vitita. Vitita huwekwa kwa kuegeshwa kwenye fremu ya kukaushia kwa muda wa wiki mbili hadi tatu kutegemea hali ya hewa. Fremu hii huwekwa juu ya turubai au sakafu ili kuzuia upotevu wa punje kutokana na kupasuka kwa mapodo.

KUPURA
Upuraji hufanyika kwenye turubai, mkeka au kwenye sakafu safi.
• Vitita hupigwa taratibu kwa kutumia mti au hutikiswa vikiwa vimegeuzwa vichwa chini ili kuruhusu punje za ufuta kudondoka kwenye sakafu safi au turubai.

KUPEPETA NA KUPEMBUA
Kupepeta na kupembua hufanywa ili kuondoa takataka kama vile mawe, vipande vya mapodo,vijiti na vumbi.Njia bora ya kupepeta na kupembua ni kwa kutumia mikono.

• Ufuta huwekwa kwenye vyombo kama vile ungo kwa kiasi cha kilo mbili hadi tatu. Ufuta hurushwa hewani kwa kasi ndogo na takataka nyepesi huchukuliwa na upepo. Zile nzito huondolewa kwa mikono.

KUFUNGASHA
Mbegu za ufuta zilizo safi huwekwa kwenye vifungashio kama vile magunia madogo ya aina ya juti ya ujazo wa kilo 50.
• Fungasha mbegu za ufuta kwenye magunia yenye uzito usiozidi kilo 50. Kabla ya kufungasha hakikisha mbegu zimekauka hadi kufikia unyevu wa asilimia 10.

KUHIFADHI
• Panga magunia ya ufuta juu ya chaga.
• Panga kwa kupishanisha ili kuruhusu mzunguko wa hewa kati ya magunia.


KUSINDIKA MBEGU ZA UFUTA
Ufuta husindikwa kupata bidhaa ya mafuta ambayo hutumika katika mapishi mbalimbali. Mafuta hukamuliwa kwa kutumia njia za asili na kwa kutumia mashine. Njia za asili zina ufanisi mdogo ukilinganisha na zile za kukamua kwa mashine, hivyo ni vyema kutumia mashine. Kuna mashine za aina mbili zinazotumika kukamua mafuta; mashine za mkono na zile zinazoendeshwa kwa injini au mota ya umeme. Mashine za mikono zinazotumika zaidi hapa nchini ni za aina ya daraja (Bridge press) na Ram.

KUKAMUA KWA MASHINE YA DARAJA
Mashine ya daraja ni moja ya mashine za kisasa zinazoweza kukamua mafuta ya ufuta. Mashine hizi huendeshwa kwa mikono na zina uwezo wa kukamua mafuta kwa asilimia 68 hadi 72. Inaweza kukamua kilo 25 za ufuta kwa saa moja. Ili kupata ufanisi mzuri wa mashine hii, ni muhimu ufuta uwe na unyevu wa kati ya asilimia 11 na 13. Iwapo unyevu utakuwa chini ya kiwango hicho inashauriwa kunyunyizi maji kwenye ufuta kabla ya kukamua.

VIFAA VYA KUKAMULIA MAFUTA
• Mashine ya daraja
• Sufuria 
• Vifungashio
• Mifuko midogo ya nguo au viroba vyenye upana wa sentimita 20 na urefu wa sentimita 20.
• Chombo cha kukinga mafuta.
• Chujio safi
• Lebo
• Lakiri Malighafi
• Mbegu za ufuta safi
• Maji safi

UKAMUAJI MAFUTA
• Nyunyuzia maji kidogo kwenye ufuta ili kuongeza unyevu kufikia asilimia 11 hadi 13. Mafuta hutoka vizuri kwenye kiwango hicho cha unyevu.

• Jaza ufuta kwenye vifuko vya nguo au viroba

• Vipange vifuko hivyo kwenye silinda na kuanza kuzungusha mhimili hadi mafuta yaanze kutoka kupitia matundu ya silinda.

• Acha kwa muda mafuta yaendelee kutoka kisha endelea kuzungusha mhimili hadi mafuta yaishe. Mhimili ukiacha kuzunguka ni dalili kuwa mafuta yamekwisha.

• Kusanya mafuta, chuja na fungasha kwenye chupa safi zilizochemshwa. Hakikisha chupa ni kavu na zina mifuniko.

• Weka lebo na lakiri

• Hifadhi mahali pakavu na pasipo na mwanga mkali.

MASHINE YA RAM
Mashine ya Ram ina uwezo wa kusindika kilo 7 za mbegu za ufuta kwa ufanisi wa asilimia 57%.Aina ya Ram (BP-30) ina uwezo wa kukamua lita 20 za mafuta kwa siku.

VIFAA
• Ndoo
• Mashine ya Ram
• Kichujio au kitmbaa safi
• Vifungashio safi

UKAMUAJI
• Anika mbegu za ufuta juani kwa kuzitandaza kwenye mabati ili zipate joto la kutosha.

• Lengo la kuanika mbegu juani ni kurahisisha ukamuaji wa mafuta.

• Jaza mbegu za ufuta kwenye mpare wa kulishia

• Funga wenzozuia (HANDLE)ili mbegu za ufuta zisitoke.

• Nyanyua wenzozuia mpaka juu ili kuruhusu mbegu za ufuta kuingia kwenye silinda.

• Shusha wenzozuia chini ili kuruhusu pistoni kusukuma mbegu za ufuta ziingie ndani ya eneo la shindilio

. • Nyanyua tena wenzozuia mpaka juu na kushusha na wakati huohuo ukiendelea kujaza mbegu za ufuta kwenye mpare wa kulishia. Wenzoinua ukiwa mzito ni dalili kuwa msukumo wa kutosha umejengeka. Msukumo huo utasababisha mafuta kutoka.

• Mafuta yanapoanza kutoka legeza wenzozuia ili kuruhusu mashudu kutoka.

• Chuja na hifadhi mafuta kwenye vyombo safi vyenye mifuniko vilivyochemshwa.

MATUMIZI
Mafuta ya ufuta hutumika katika mapishi mbalimbali ili kuongeza ladha. Pia husaidia kuleta nguvu na joto mwilini. Mbegu za ufuta huchanganywa na vyakula mbali mbali kama mikate, keki, mboga na kadhalika.

Chanzo : Mitiki blog

Mambo 8 muhimu ya kuzingatia kutoka kuajiriwa hadi kujiajiri


Kuna sababu mbalimbali kwanini mtu atake kuajiri, badala ya kuajiriwa, mfano kipato kidogo anachopata katika kazi husika, hitaji la kutaka uhuru zaidi binafsi wa kufanya kazi, hitaji la kuweza kutoa ajira kwa wengine na zaidi sana kuweza kutumia vema kipaji na uwezo wa kuzalisha ambao katika kazi ya sasa mtu hapati nafasi ya kufanya hivyo.  
Kujiajiri ni jambo linalohitaji maandalizi ya muda mrefu na kuna mambo ya msingi kuyafahamu, haiwezekani tuu , ukaacha kazi na kusema ok, acha nijiajiri.
Makala hii inachambua mambo ya msingi ya kujiandaa na kuyafahamu kabla mtu hajaamua kuacha kuajiriwa.

Mkakati ni muhimu
Wazo au ndoto isiyo na mkakati wa kuitimiza ni upuuzi yaani ndoto hiyo au wazo hilo halina maana, hivyo basi ndoto yako ya kujiajiri siku moja, ni lazima iwekewe mkakati wa kuifanikisha ikiwa ni pamoja na muda hasa wa lini utaitimiza hiyo ndoto. 

Katika kuweka mkakati huu wa kutimiza ndoto yako, fanya utafiti wa kina kuhusu mipango yako binafsi ya maisha, mtazamo wako kuhusu maisha, mpenzi/mke wako, familia yako, na hali ya jamii kwa ujumla inavyoenda kama vile mabadiliko ya hali ya kisiasa, teknolojia, na uchumi. 

Tengeneza malengo ya aina ya shughuli unayotaka kuifanya ukiacha kuajiriwa, na pima uwezekano wa shughuli hiyo kufanyika kweli na kama itakulipa. Utambue pia aina ya watu na rasilimali nyingine utakazozihitaji, na jinsi utakavyozipata.

Unahitaji fedha
Ndio, unahitaji kiasi cha fedha za kutosha kununua vifaa na malighafi za kutengenezea bidhaa yako. Pia unahitaji fedha za kuwalipa wafanyakazi wako, na zaidi sana , unahitaji fedha za kuendesha maisha yako na familia yako , kwa kipindi fulani kabla ya biashara kuanza kukulipa mshahara. Hivyo kabla haujaacha kibarua chako, hakikisha umetengeneza bajeti ya kutosha na una akiba ya kutimiza mahitaji ya bajeti yako. Usingependa uache kazi halafu uanze kuwa omba omba kwa rafiki na jamaa, au uanze kujuta.

Network ni muhimu
Kumbuka katika kujiajiri kwako, utahitaji wateja, washirika, wafanyakazi na hata washauri mbalimbali ili mambo yako yaende vizuri. Hivyo, wakati ukiwa umeajiriwa ndio wakati wako muafaka wa kutengeneza na kupanua wigo wako wa watu unaowafahamu na waliokaribu nawe.

Kumbuka kuendeleza mawasiliano kwani watu hawapendi kuona wewe unataka kuwatumia tuu kisha unawatupa. Endeleza mawasiliano walau hata kwa salamu tuu. Zaidi sana, heshimu watu wote, hata usiowafahamu au wale unaodhani 'sio watu muhimu'. 
Jenga taswira nzuri kwa jamii kwa lugha fasaha, picha na matukio mengine, usifanye watu wakufikirie vibaya.

Usipitwe na wakati: Hakikisha kuwa unafuatilia taarifa za matukio, dili na watu wanaohusiana na aina ya shughuli unayopanga kuifanya wakati utakapojiajiri. Hii itakusaidia kupata uzoefu na kusoma alama za nyakati, na pengine kutambua fursa nyingine zaidi. 

Endelea kujifunza zaidi kuhusu kazi yako, watu na jamii kwa ujumla kwani kujiajiri kunahitaji uzoefu zaidi, na zaidi sana uwezo wa kupambana na changamoto nyingi ambazo nyingine haujawahi kukutana nazo kabisa, ila taarifa za awali na kujua jinsi mambo yanavyoenda kwa ujumla katika jamii vitakufanya ushinde changamoto.

Maana halisi ya biashara
Baada ya kuacha kuajiriwa, hautarajii kuwa mtu wa ‘kuganga njaa’ yaani kufanya biashara ili mradi tuu hela iingie, lakini haujui mwelekeo wa biashara yako upoje, na wala hakuna mkakati wa kuikuza na kuimarisha biashara husika. 

Biashara inahusu kutimiza mahitaji ya watu, kwahiyo ili mradi utakuwa na uwezo mkubwa wa kutimiza mahitaji ya watu, na kuendelea kuhamasisha watu zaidi kuja kwako uweze kutimiza mahitaji yao , basi biashara itakua, na itaendelea kuwa endelevu. 

Kinyume cha hapo, ushindani utakutoa katika biashara kwani wateja watakambilia kwa wengine. Biashara sio tuu kupata wateja, ni vile kuweza kuendelea kupata wateja na kuendelea kupanua biashara. 
Inabidi uipende shughuli husika unayoifanya, na uweze kutimiza mahitaji ya wateja kupitia biashara husika. 
Muda wako mwingi utautumia katika shughuli yako mpya utakayojiajiri hivyo, kama ambavyo kazi uliyonayo pengine ‘inakuboa’, hakikisha ajira yako binafsi ‘haikuboi’.

Umuhimu wa wafanyakazi
Watendaji wa shughuli husika za biashara yako utakayoianzisha ni muhimu wawe wenye ujuzi na uzoefu wa kutosha wa kufanya shughuli husika, na uweke mikakati ya kuwapatia nyenzo zote muhimu za kufanyia kazi ikiwemo teknolojia na mazingira mazuri ya kazi. Hivyo basi wakati unajiandaa kujiajiri tilia maanani hili katika bajeti yako ya kuajiri. Usingependa wafanyakazi wao wajisikie vibaya kama vile wewe ulivyojisikia vibaya katika ajira yako fulani (pengine ajira yako ya sasa). Muda huu ambao umeajiriwa, ndio muda pia muafaka wa kusaka 'vipaji'- yaani watu ambao utafanya nao kazi utakapojiajiri.

Inakuhusu wewe 
Mafanikio yako katika kujiajiri yanategemea mambo mengi ila zaidi sana yanakutegemea wewe. Je, nini hasa sababu yako ya kutaka kujiajiri? 
Ni kweli una bidhaa au huduma haswa ya kupeleka sokoni itakayokufanya iendeshe maisha yako na kuiendeleza biashara husika au ni hasira tuu za jinsi bosi wako anavyokuchulia hapo ofisini kwako, au kwakuwa mshahara uliopo sasa haukutoshi. Je, mipango yako mingine ya maisha ipoje? 
Ndoto zako za kusoma, au kuishi sehemu tofauti tofauti, pengine mkoa mwingine tofauti na uliopo sasa, au pengine hata nchi husika. Je, yote hayo yanaathiri vipi mipango na mikakati yako ya kujiajiri, bila kusahau msukumo toka kwa familia yako.

Ndoto sahihi
Ni kweli kuwa upo sahihi kufikiria au kuota kufanya biashara kubwa na yenye mafanikio sana, lakini kumbuka mafanikio hayaji kwa usiku mmoja, na hata kama yatakuja kwa usiku mmoja, inahitajika kazi ya muda mrefu kuyafanya yawe endelevu. 
Hivyo basi, usingoje wakati ‘muafaka’ wa wewe kuwa na kiasi kikubwa cha fedha au kwamba ‘umeyaset’ vema mambo yote. 
Anza kidogo kidogo, kubali kufanya makosa, na tambua kuwa hata kama utafanya uchambuzi na uchunguzi wa kutosha kuhusu soko, jamii na teknolojia, hali halisi unayoenda kukumbana nayo inaweza kuwa tofauti na ile uliyojifunza wakati wa uchambuzi au uchunguzi wako kwakuwa hicho unachoenda kufanya ni kipya hakikufanyiwa uchambuzi, bali unakifanya kutokana na uchambuzi uliofanya hapo awali. 
Kuna mtu mwingine atakuja kutumia makosa au mafanikio yako kupanga mambo yake.

Chanzo: Mbuke blog

25 Tips for Earning Customer Loyalty


As most marketers have experienced at some point, it’s one thing to hook customers, another beast completely to retain them. Improving customer loyalty should be a priority, or those customers you worked so hard to convert could vanish before you even know what happened.

To avoid that, here are 25 ways to better your company’s customer loyalty.

1. Share your values.
To build a strong relationship with your customers, you have to share their values. According to a study by the Corporate Executive Board of 7,000 U.S. consumers who said they had a brand relationship “64% cited shared values as the primary reason.” In fact, shared values are “far and away the largest driver.” If you want loyal customers, you need to tell them what your brand stands for.

2. Provide excellent customer service.
Sounds obvious, right? But, it deserves mention again because excellent service is what creates lifelong customers, avoids negative word-of-mouth and differentiates you from the competition. This is how a company like Zappos has created such a loyal following. But, how can you improve customer service?

For starters, listen to customers and address their concerns a timely manner. Make it easy for customers to get in touch with a representative. Clearly display an email address, phone number and social media account. You have to “wow” them by going above and beyond.

3. Be transparent.
There will be days when things don’t go as planned. Instead of denying the problem, be honest with your customers about the bad news. When Buffer had a security breach in 2013, the company old their customers about the situation, provided updates and addressed concerns immediately.

4. Create a sense of community.
With so many social media platforms, there is no excuse for not creating a community. Communities are an effective way to start a conversation with your customers and encourage user-generated content. For example, you can ask customers to share pictures of them using your product and sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.

5. Get their email addresses.
One of the easiest ways to keep in touch with customers is through email. Ask for addresses after completing purchases so you can keep customers updated on new products or follow-up with them after a sale to ask how was their experience. This information can be used to improve customer satisfaction and keep your current customers happy.

6. Use social proof.
Aileen Lee, partner at venture firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, describes social proof on TechCrunch as “the positive influence created when someone finds out that others are doing something.” It’s a great way for new customers to learn about your product or company.

Typically, brands achieve social proof in the following five ways:
Expert - statistics that are shared by a credible source.
Celebrity - celebrity endorsements, think William Shatner and Priceline.
User - reviews left by customers on sites like Yelp or Amazon.
Wisdom of the crowd - recall McDonald’s famous “Over 1 Million Served” sign.
Wisdom of your friends - inviting friends to play a game on Facebook.

7. Exceed expectations.
You’ve probably heard the cliché that businesses should "under promise and over deliver". You can accomplish this by simply exceeding expectations. If you state a customer service rep will get back to the customer within 24 hours, and the rep gets in touch within six hours, that’s exceeding customer expectations. As Noah St. John states perfectly on the Huffington Post, "Do what you say you're going to do."

8. Don’t neglect existing customers.
It’s incredibly easy to forget your existing customers when you’re busy trying to reach new customers. To avoid frustrating your loyal customers, make sure that your product or service doesn’t diminish over time.

9. Admit when you make a mistake.
Mistakes happen and customers have many platforms to share their experiences with your company. Don’t get defensive or sensitive if you get called out on something that was your fault. Instead, use these platforms to take responsibility and resolve the issue.

10. Have the right employees.
Employees are extremely important for improving customer loyalty. Employees who buy into the culture are more likely to share their excitement with friends, family and customers that they’re assisting - like this email from Zappos. Make sure your employees have the proper training and tools to enhance the customer experience.

11. Get personal.
Studies have proven that personalized emails have a transaction rate 6 times higher than impersonal emails. This could be addressing them by name, sending them a birthday greeting or an offering a coupon on the anniversary of when they became a customer. Customers appreciate the personalized messages that you send them because it can help create an emotional bond.

12. Be an expert.
Let’s say you’re buying a new television, but have some questions. Would purchase the TV from the company who answered all of your questions or the company who couldn’t give you an answer? You’re probably more likely to support the company who addressed all of your concerns. If you want to attract and retain customers, you should become a reputable and trusted expert in your field by making sure employees are knowledgeable and sharing your expertise on question/answer sites or writing blog posts.

13. Say the right words.
Research has proven the right words or phrases can help motivate customers. According to Kevan Lee, via Buffer, the five most persuasive words in the English language are: You, Free, Because, Instantly, and New. If you use these words in headlines, email subject lines or calls-to-action you can increase the chances of converting customers.

14. Offer incentives.
You want to give customers a reason to keep coming back. And, that’s when incentives come into play. It could be something as simple as a discount on their next purchase or giving them a free drink after their tenth purchase.

15. Ask for their feedback.
How do you know what customers like or dislike about your products? How do they feel about your customer service? If you aren’t aware of this information, then how can you make the appropriate changes to make your customers more satisfied? Whenever a customer completes a sale, ask them for their feedback through an email questionnaire or an online survey on your website.

16. Be reliable.
Earn a reputation for being consistent and dependable. This means if you promise a product to be delivered within 48 hours after the purchase, then make sure delivery occurs within that time frame. If you promise 24/7 live customer support, then make sure that is a promise that you can keep. Since launching my online invoicing company I've had to make sure that everyday I'm keeping up with my customers and deliver what I promised. If something changes or your business changes due to unforeseen changes, let your customers know and be very open with them.

17. Spend more time with customers.
Talking with your customers can serve several purposes. For starters, you can find out what made them become customers of yours in the first place. This information could be used to generate future content and marketing campaigns. You could also ask them to share their experiences for testimonials or case studies. This ensures you’ll keep your current customers happy because you’re taking the time to listen to their needs or hear their stories.

18. Make life easier for your customers.
You shouldn’t always be worried about making a sale. Believe it or not, there’s a lot more to marketing than just pushing your latest product or service. For example, if you own a home improvement store, than you could create YouTube videos or send out monthly newsletters that contain DIY home repair tips.

19. Anticipate problems.
There will be times when disaster strikes. Instead of scrambling to address and correct this problem, you should be prepared by implementing anticipatory services. Udemy uses an example of a bank that informs customers when their checking account is about to go below the minimum balance. Customers will receive a text message instead of getting hit with a fee after the account goes below the balance.

20. Be flexible.
While it’s important to have policies in place, you also have to remember that every customer has their own circumstances and problems. Let’s say that you have a 30-day return policy and a customer wasn’t able to return the product because of the weather or they were out-of-town. Instead of refusing to accept the return, wouldn’t it make sense for you to accept the return and offer either a refund or store credit?

21. Use automation.
Automation comes in handy because it can help you save time and keep customers in the loop. For example, you could send new customers an in-depth guide through an email after they have purchased a product or service. Not only does this answer all of their questions, it frees up some of your customer service reps.

22. Make it easy to communicate with a real person.
While technology has made it easy for customers to find the information that they’re seeking regarding your product or service, that’s not an excuse to completely hide behind it. There will be times when a customer has to speak with a real-life person. Make sure that your contact information is easily located throughout your website or that you have a click-to-call button on your mobile site.

23. Ask for a review.
In this day in age, reviews are as important as ever. Research has found:

88 percent have read reviews to determine the quality of a local business.
85 percent of consumers said they read up to 10 reviews.
72 percent of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more.
88 percent of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Don’t hesitate to ask customers to leave reviews and thank them for taking the time to review your product or service.

24. Surprise them.
Remember, it’s the small and unexpected things that keep customers coming back. One of my favorite examples is what a Rackspace rep did during a lengthy troubleshooting session. The employee overhead the customer mention they were getting hungry; “So I put them on hold, and I ordered them a pizza. About 30 minutes later we were still on the phone, and there was a knock on their door. I told them to go answer it because it was pizza! They were so excited.”

25. Offer a loyalty program.
Go beyond a reward system and initiate a loyalty program for your customers. Kendal Peiguss suggests on HubSpot that you try one of the following tactics for an effective loyalty program:

Simple Points System - Customers earn points which can be used for a reward.

Use a tier system - Provide a small reward and increase the reward over time.

Charge for VIP benefits - Think of a service like Amazon Prime.

Support programs around your customer’s values - Customers aren’t just concerned with monetary rewards, show your support for programs that they support.

Coalition programs - Team up with a related company for deals outside of your company.

Make it a game - Who doesn’t enjoy playing games?

Scratch loyalty programs - Build an awesome product, reward or benefits from the get-go and loyalty will happen organically.

Building a loyal customer base helps in several ways - it saves you from spending marketing dollars to constantly find new customers, and it helps build a loyal customer base. Remember, it is the little things that matter.

Deni la Sh275 bilioni lailiza Tanesco


Dar es Salaam. Shirika la Umeme (Tanesco) limesema limbikizo la deni la Sh275 bilioni kwa taasisi mbalimbali za Serikali na wateja binafsi, linachangia kukwamisha utekelezaji wa miradi mbalimbali.

Hata hivyo, Tanesco imeelezwa kuwa deni hilo limeanza kupunguzwa na mpaka kufikia Juni, mwaka huu, takriban Sh30 bilioni zilikwishalipwa na wadaiwa.

Kutokana na ukosefu wa fedha, Tanesco inafanya juhudi za ziada ili kufanyia matengenezo transfoma inayosambaza umeme katika eneo kubwa la Kipawa jijini.

Akizungumza jana na gazeti hili, msemaji wa shirika hilo, Adrian Severin alisema hutamani kufanya kazi bila kuwakera wateja wao, lakini tatizo la fedha linawafanya washindwe kufikia malengo.

Hata hivyo, Severin alisema baada ya kufikia kikomo cha muda wa tangazo la ukusanyaji wa madeni hayo, Tanesco itaanza kuchukua hatua kali dhidi ya wadaiwa wote sugu.

 “Kuna ripoti ambayo tutaipokea leo (jana) itakayokuwa na mwelekeo wa jinsi gani tutakusanya madeni hayo. Inasikitisha kuona taasisi za Serikali na wateja wengine hawalipi madeni yao wakati wanaendelea kupata huduma,” alisema.

“Shirika linaathirika sana na deni hilo, tunashindwa kutoa huduma kwa ufanisi katika maeneo mengi kwa sababu ya kukosa fedha. Kiasi hicho kama kingekuwapo kingeweza kusaidia kutatua changamoto hizi ambazo kwa kweli ni kero kubwa kwa wateja wengine.”

Akizungumzia transfoma ya Kipawa, Severin alisema mainjinia wa Tanesco wamebaini tatizo kubwa ambalo litatatuliwa baada ya siku tatu mpaka nne.

“Kuna mtaalamu atafika leo (tangu jana) kutoka India kwa ajili ya kuitengeneza. Inaweza kukamilika Jumatano au Alhamisi,” alisema alisema Severin.

Alisema kuharibika kwa transfoma hiyo, kumeyafanya maeneo ya Kisarawe, Gongo la Mboto, Kivule, Kipunguni, Ukonga, Tabata, Uwanja wa Ndege, Chang’ombe, Tandika, Nyerere Road na maeneo jirani kukosa umeme.

Alisema ili kupunguza usumbufu, umeme unaotumiwa katika makazi ya watu kwa sasa utatoka katika transfoma ya Ubungo, “lakini kwa viwanda itabidi wasubiri mpaka matengenezo yatapokamilika.”

Na Kelvin Matandiko na Daula Abdul, Mwananchi

The 7 Elements of a Strong Business Model


Creating a business model isn’t simply about completing your business plan or determining which products to pursue. It’s about mapping out how you will create ongoing value for your customers.

Where will your business idea start, how should it progress, and when will you know you’ve been successful? How will you create value for customers? Follow these simple steps to securing a strong business model.

1. Identify your specific audience.
Targeting a wide audience won’t allow your business to hone in on customers who truly need and want your product or service. Instead,  when creating your business model, narrow your audience down to two or three detailed buyer personas. Outline each persona’s demographics, common challenges and the solutions your company will offer. As an example, Home Depot might appeal to everyone or carry a product the average person needs, but the company’s primary target market is homeowners and builders.

2. Establish business processes.
Before your business can go live, you need to have an understanding of the activities required to make your business model work. Determine key business activities by first identifying the core aspect of your business’s offering. Are you responsible for providing a service, shipping a product or offering consulting? In the case of Ticketbis, an online ticket exchange marketplace, key business processes include marketing and product delivery management.

3. Record key business resources.
What does your company need to carry out daily processes, find new customers and reach business goals? Document essential business resources to ensure your business model is adequately prepared to sustain the needs of your business. Common resource examples may include a website, capital, warehouses, intellectual property and customer lists.

4. Develop a strong value proposition.
How will your company stand out among the competition? Do you provide an innovative service, revolutionary product or a new twist on an old favorite? Establishing exactly what your business offers and why it’s better than competitors is the beginning of a strong value proposition. Once you’ve got a few value propositions defined, link each one to a service or product delivery system to determine how you will remain valuable to customers over time.

5. Determine key business partners.
No business can function properly (let alone reach established goals) without key partners that contribute to the business’s ability to serve customers. When creating a business model, select key partners, like suppliers, strategic alliances or advertising partners. Using the previous example of Home Depot, key business partners may be lumber suppliers, parts wholesalers and logistics companies.

6. Create a demand generation strategy.
Unless you’re taking a radical approach to launching your company, you’ll need a strategy that builds interest in your business, generates leads and is designed to close sales. How will customers find you? More importantly, what should they do once they become aware of your brand? Developing a demand generation strategy creates a blueprint of the customer’s journey while documenting the key motivators for taking action.

7. Leave room for innovation.
When launching a company and developing a business model, your business plan is based on many assumptions. After all, until you begin to welcome paying customers, you don’t truly know if your business model will meet their ongoing needs. For this reason, it’s important to leave room for future innovations. Don’t make a critical mistake by thinking your initial plan is a static document. Instead, review it often and implement changes as needed.

Keeping these seven tips in mind will lead to the creation of a solid business plan capable of fueling your startup’s success.