Types of Corporate Wellness Programs
By Jackie Polete
Because corporations are facing a dramatic, exponential rise in the cost of health insurance for their employees, they are constantly looking for ways to lower costs. Some of the ways that have quickly gained in popularity are corporate wellness programs, which aim to encourage workers to embrace a healthier lifestyle and to more closely monitor whatever health issues they may have. There are many types of corporate wellness programs, for any size or type of company. Below are a few that have seen success in the workplace.
Physical Health Care Screenings
By offering on-site health care screenings for your employees, you encourage them to be more proactive with their health and motivate them to make healthier lifestyle changes, such as losing weight or quitting smoking. Engaging them in the health care screening process also identifies at-risk participants, thereby allowing them to deal with health issues before they reach a critical point. Screenings will identify those with a risk for such things as heart attack, stroke, abdominal aneurysms, and osteoporosis.
Look for a company that offers a quick turnaround on test results. Most doctors agree that waiting 21 days for your results is too long. Instead, find a screening company that offers results and ultrasound images in four days. Also, because your employees are busy people, look for a company that offers quick, convenient testing that takes 30 minutes or less.
Mental Health and Wellness Initiatives
Assisting employees with mental health and wellness issues can relieve debilitating burn-out and stress, which affects productivity and your company's bottom line. Some corporate wellness programs focus on issues such as anger management, family counseling, financial planning, child care and elder care initiatives. Others may focus on relieving employee stress by offering alternate work arrangements, such as job sharing or telecommuting.
Environmental Health Issues
The physical and mental environment in your company can also affect your employees' health. Some corporate wellness programs look at physical environmental issues, such as air quality and sick building testing, fire safety initiatives, injury prevention, ergonomic work station design, and CPR and first-aid training. Some also help companies with issues such as violence in the workplace, equity in the workplace, training for identifying harassment, and professional development. All of these can reduce stress, improving the health of your employees.
Corporate Wellness Assessments
Some companies will conduct an assessment of your workplace to find ways to improve your employees' health. For example, they may look at vending machines to ensure that healthy choices are available instead of the standard fare of chips and sodas. Perhaps those items containing large amounts of sodium or fats can be replaced with healthier options like fruit, nuts, or granola, and fresh juice and bottled water could replace sugar-laden sodas. They may also examine no-smoking policies or implement incentives for employees to walk or exercise in company gyms during break periods, or perhaps recommend that the company install bike racks for employees who cycle to work.
Corporate wellness programs come in all shapes and sizes. All will benefit both your employees and your business. The trick is to identify which one will work best for your particular company.
What factors may affect the length of the new product planning process?
New product planning is a vital activity in every company and applies to services as well as physical products. Companies that are successful in new product planning follow a step-by-step process of new product planning combined with effective organization designs for managing new products. Experience help these firms improve product planning over time. The corporate cultures of companies like Microsoft encourage innovation.
Well the worst things are the unforseen events…
There is no 100% perfect planning for anything but there is what we call GOOD PLANNING…
Other factors are human errors that is not on your side… And this is really grrrrrrrrr…
describe the benefits and opportunity to the business of using internet marketing within the marketing mix?
the question has to be a selected business as i chose, ASOS.com
i have an answer which i’m not sure is correct or even in the right context, i would appriacte if you let me know if it is okay, or let me know along the lines of what you would write to help me, thank you.
My work:
An effective ‘Marketing Mix’ including all 7 is a way of identifying a businesses achievements of marketing objectives, meeting customer needs, is balanced and consistant, creates a competitive advantage and matches corporate resources.
‘It is known as a “mix” because each ingredient affects the other and the mix must overall be suitable to the target customer’…(source: http://www.tutor2u.net)
The 7p’s include:
-Product
-Price
-Place
-Promotion
-People
-Process
-Physical Evidence
* Product: This is first considered in the marketing mix as it all depends on it. This can be a physical product or a service that the corporation is offering to the public. The only way to have a good marketing strategy is by making sure that the ‘product’ is up to standard, promoting every quality part of that good or service.
ASOS Products: ASOS promotes their products very effectively as they use clever visual tools such as 360 degree view of their product, video and picture to enhance the quality of the product itself. They also provide a range of products and service including clothes, accessories, shoes/sandals etc and its provided for men and women. They include their own brand and designer wear which shows that they have high quality in their product. ASOS have mentioned in their annual report that their 20 biggest brands are now represented by a ‘shop in shop’ providing a rich brand experience for their customers and a unique distribution platform for ASOS brand partners. ASOS also sells a range of products matching famous celebrity’s outfits that customers would want to buy. ASOS, online or in their magazine provides customers the latest fashion info and what not to wear giving them an advantage to promote their products. Their business attract over 5.2 million visitors per month and has over 24,000 lines for sale.
* Price: This is the total amount a customer pays for the product. It is decided through a number of factors a product have to offer including material costs, product identity, competition, market share and the customer’s percieved value of the product. If other store/business have the same product on stock other businesses may decrease or increase their price for customer satisfaction.
ASOS Price: Thier price for the products vary depending on the product – quality, brand etc. For the designer items it can be expensive, although ASOS may provide same looking product without the brand name making it affordable. With the price they offer ASOS is making a Profit over £10,009,000 (figure taken from ASOS annual report) as they have increased number of active shoppers over 1.2 million.
* Place: Place represents the location where a product can be purchased. It is often known as the distribution channel. The place can be situated as a physical store or as virtuals stores on the internet.
ASOS Place: ASOS.com is rapidly becoming the market leader in the UK online fashion world. All the products are sold ONLINE and not located anywhere else where people can purchase ASOS items. ASOS does have a warehouse where all stocks are kept and together has a office located in…
…
Comany and Investor Relation
Asos plc
Greater London,
Hampstead Road,
London,
NW1 7QY,
Tel: +44(0)20 7756 1000
Fax: +44(0)20 7756 1001
Logistics/Customer Care
ASOS.com
Century House, Maylands Avenue
Hemel Hempstead Industrial Estate
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
HP2 7DE
UK
rest of my work in additional detail
Promotion: Is a way of communication that a business/organisation may use in the market place. It enables the marketer to a advertise the product or service being provided by them. Advertisement is a powerful tool that corporations uses to enhance their products/service to encourage buyers/customers. Promotion has four distinct elements made up of advertising, public relations, word of mouth and point of sale.
ASOS Promotion: As their business is purely based upon the internet everything is promoted through the World Wide Web on the website and off. They have promotion on other websites and also ASOS has developed an application to allow customers to track particular products on its sites through their web browser, whatever websites they are looking at. The online retailer has used functionality within the latest version of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) web brower, which Microsoft released on March 19. ASOS.com also mentions on the annual report that one of their aim is to ha
ve Uncompromising Presentation. ‘The ASOS website is our shop window and we will continue to develop it to ensure that our customers enjoy their time on the site and find it easy to find their way around it’ this being a vital promotion towards their website. ASOS organisation communicates information about their product and service to potential customers by identifying customer details and sends them information through mail, post etc aiming to sell the products.
Another advertising method ASOS uses on their website is that they have added a page of feedback from customers which enables ‘public relation’ which is one of the promotion powerful element.
People: It is appropriate to have people in the marketing of services as all people who directly or indirectly influence the perceied value of the product or service, inlcuding knowledge workers, employees, management of the business and also the consumers. People deliver services – they could be any mentioned. People promote and sell
products and services. For example promotion elements inlcuding ‘word of mouth’ ‘public relation’ is achieved through PEOPLE. Service quality is a key source of customer retention and brand differentiation. Hence skills, manner and appearance are important.
ASOS People: Are their employees, customers – their family and friends, and any other people associated with ASOS.com. Employees are important to this strategy of marketing mix as in can be those who deliever the products to customers. So they have to polite, helpful and have the knowledge of the business for them to answer any questions provided by the customer. It can also be the employees that answer the phone when any customer calls for any quiries. ASOS.com also have employees updating their website and replying to emails and online comments on their feedback page. ASOS employees has the knowledge, training and other aspect helping the business with marketing for their business. ASOS customers are also people that help in the
marketing of services as they spread the business information.
Process: This is the procedures of activities which lead to an exchange of value. The process should include how customers are handled from first and last point of contact.
ASOS Process: ASOS is determined to be number one in the online market. They have thought through their process and kept it clear and have made it customer satisfactory. ASOS’s strategy consists of aims that has a well-defined process.
ASOS have control of their website, their information/images etc are presented without any doubt intelligibly promotional. Payments are all done through their website online as they are only an online business. Also they have a step-by-step information on how to use and buy off their website, they also have page on delivery information. Here they can track down on where shopping is, know how much is cost to deliver, know when to expect the delievery etc.
Physical Evidence: It is the tangible form of the service – th
the service – this can include how a customer is treated by a staff member, a train ticket, the length of time a customer has to wait for service or their product (depending on the business). A physical evidence is aproof for customer to measure whether he or she has recieved value.
ASOS Physical Evidence: As ASOS.com is an online company their customer has difficulty not knowing how for example a dress will feel, look on them. ASOS therefore provides annual reports, articles, etc showing them that ASOS products are worth the value. ASOS helps customers with their products by giving them full information about the product. They have recieved awards that convince customers to buy online. First award was given to them in 2008 from Company High Street Awards for ‘Best Place To Spend’ and the second was given in 2009 from Drapers Etail Awards for ‘Best Customer Experience Cosmopolitan Online Fashion Awards – Best for Bargains’. ASOS allows to give unwanted products back and their staff a
re always helpful and polite towards their customer as its one of their business objectives.
The main benefit is the low cost of online advertising. A small newspaper ad might cost $100 and run for one day. For $100 you can buy a domain and pay to host it for a year. And you have complete editorial control over the site.
How do I get ahold of Sony Corporate Office to file a complaint?
We literally bought four (4) of the Sony Bravia KDL40S5100 starting Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010 through Feb. 28, 2010. Three from Walmart and one from Sears. Each had issues within 2-5 days. We took all four (4) back based upon the advice of Sony Technicians, and I tried to call Sony to seek help. I spent a total of 3 1/2 hours over 3 days on the phone, mostly on hold, waiting to talk to a person. I finally was told “that is beyond our control, you need to talk to someone in Customer Relations. FYI, if you try to call Customer Relations at 1-239-768-7547 the first thing you will notice is it is a “long distance call.” The second thing you will notice is you will be on hold for a minimum of 30 minutes. The third thing you will find is that you aren’t calling Sony Customer Relations.
You are calling Product Support, who will ask you dozens of the same question, until you have wasted more of your day. Only after you get so angry you are ready to spit nails do they say “you need to talk to someone in Sony Customer Relations” and they will offer to transfer you. Then the fun really begins, as Sony Customer Relations is only open on Monday through Friday. On top of that they seem to never be available, and after being on hold for another 30 minutes someone will come on the phone and suggest you call back the next day. Oh, if they offer to call you back the next day don’t hold your breathm, because each time I was never called back. See the pattern here? And, after your blood pressure is sky high, then you will have a person finally tell you that “Sony does not compensation Customers for time and inconvenience.”
Perhaps I am just strange, but what is wrong with Retailers these days? They offer a product, we buy it. If we don’t hold up our end of the bargain, ie paying for the item there are late fees, charges and other consequences. Yet, if they don’t deliver their part of the bargain your option is to live with it or return it. They feel no need to make up for your lost time, gas, etc. I have a problem that. And I especially have a problem with it after four (4) freaking tvs. Sony has become a joke, and I want to take my complaint straight to their Corporate Office. So if anyone knows an e-mail address, phone number or physical address I would appreciate it. I want to make sure that they remember the day they screwed me over and treated me like this.
Better dump (4) of the Sony Bravia KDL40S5100 to dealer place and demand for refund otherwise
better approach consumer forum to solve your problem.
Will you please put these into paragraphs for me?
I need these job experience’s put into single paragraphs but I am horrible at doing this.
They are…
Copiers, Printers, Fax
Used copy machine to make copies of order forms, packaging slips, and other paperwork.
Used printers to print order forms for management and myself.
Used fax machine to fax discrepensies documents and other paperwork to corporate.
Physical Production
Climbing up and down ladder with boxes.
Stacking boxes on pallet, shrink wrapping, labeling, moving for storage.
Stocking shelves with merchandise.
Using conveyer to move product from upstairs to downstairs.
Using cart to pick product to place on shelves in store.
Unloading # boxes on UPS trailer in under 60 minutes.
Sorting # boxes out of UPS trailer onto conveyer belt.
Accuratly loading # boxes onto UPS package truck.
Picked cabinetes and desks weighing up to 200 pounds.
Shipping/Receiving
Received product from shipping service and signed for it.
Checked packing slip against order copy to ensure no discrepensies.
Called companys about any discrepensies and fixed.
Kept filling cabinet of all order copies.
Signed all paperwork nessesary for warehouse.
Split orders and shipped to other stores.
Shipped excess discrepensies back to companies.
Shipped wrong product back to companies.
Inventory Management
Made an inventory system that tracked all product inside of warehouse.
Used LRT scanner to keep track of product count inside of warehouse.
Kept track of packages loaded on package truck incase of change in delivery.
Heavy Equipment
Used industrial sized mowers to mow grass.
Used moterized carts with hydraulic beds to transport materials.
Used riding bunker raker to rake sand bunkers on golf course.
Used forklift, squeeze forklift, and pallet truck to pick products.
Used forklift, squeeze forklift, and pallet truck to load and unload trailers.
Drove tractor at Antique Powerland festivle.
Customer Service
Deal with any problems that customers had with order.
Returned money to customers if needed.
Used phone to answer questions by customers.
Checked customers orders and told them when order would arrive.
Called customers to let them know if there were any problems with order.
Assembley
Assembled cardboard displays that held products.
Assembled meteal and plastic racks that held products.
Assembled wooden racks to hold products.
Assembled cardboard
Other Equipment
Used pallet jack to to move pallets onto sales floor and to storage location.
Used handtruck to move product throughout warehouse and store.
Used shrinkwrap to shrinkwrap pallets for stability.
Used weedeater, hedger, edger, chainsaw, and blower.
Used rake, shovel, machette, and tamp.
I need all of the tasks in there, nothing can be left out. Will you please help me out?
Your format will be just fine. Just make sure the category heading (Copiers, Printers, Faxes; Physical Production; Shipping Receiving, etc.) are in bold. Then make use of bullets to arrange them properly. For example:
Copiers, Printers, Fax
• Used copy machine to make copies of order forms, packaging slips, and other paperwork.
• Used printers to print order forms for management and myself.
• Used fax machine to fax discrepensies documents and other paperwork to corporate.