FB Assignment: Grades Posted in SIS

Your Facebook assignments have been graded and posted in SIS. Please check your grade and your progress. If you have a question about your FB grade, please see me Wednesday morning, or send an email no later than Thursday 2 Oct. by 5 p.m. After that, the grades are final. 

Focus Groups: What Are They & How To Conduct Them

As you prepare to conduct a focus group, here are two sources of information for you to review:

Focus Group:
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/focus-group.html
Conducting A Focus Group
http://www.cse.lehigh.edu/~glennb/mm/FocusGroups.htm

Typical Focus Group 

The second document was prepared by a professor at Lehigh University in the USA. Pay particular attention to these sections:

What are Focus Groups?
Before The Focus Group
Conduct The Focus Group
After The Focus Group

Remember that you do not need to create the Focus Group questions because they have been provided for you. And rather than selecting 1 facilitator or moderator, your team members will all participate in the Focus Group.

If you have questions, be sure to ask them! We will discuss the Focus Group concept in more detail during the morning Services Marketing class session on Oct. 1. 

Services Marketing Schedule For Wednesday Oct. 1

Please note that on Wednesday Oct. 1, 2014, Services Marketing 320-51 will meet at 11 a.m. in W5-002 . . . this is a make-up class for the Monday session that was cancelled for the Student Association. During the Oct. 1 session, I will discuss the Midterm Assessment. Students enrolled in 320-1 may attend the 11 a.m. session. This will give you an opportunity to ask questions relative to your Midterm Assessment progress. Services Marketing 320-1 will not meet at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 1. 

Remember:

Services Marketing Midterm Assessment Deadline: 26 October at Midnight

Here's Your Facebook Assignment

You saw 3 of the 4 episodes about The Evolution of Facebook. Do a search and find the 4th segment and watch it. Then answer one of the following questions:

1.  "Tagging" and "Newsfeed" changed Facebook. For the better or the worse? Why were these changes controversial? Explain both of the changes and then discuss in 2-3 sentences why and how they changed Facebook. And were these changes for the better or worse? 

2.  Facebook gathers information about advertisers. This is a controversial issue because it touches on privacy laws. What kinds of information can marketers gather from Facebook users -- be specific. Why is this information valuable to marketers -- be specific. 

DIRECTIONS

1.  Create a Word document. Name it (YourFirstName)_FB_(Serv#).doc. Here's a sample: John_FB_Serv51.doc. Serv is short for Services and the 51 says that I'm in section 51. On the first page of your document type your full name and GUST ID#. Also type the course name and section number, i.e. Services Marketing Sec 51. Use English style formatting. Type your response to one of the 2 questions above. Your response needs to be specific. English usage counts. Your response must include a real explanation of the question . . . and it will consist of at least 4-6 sentences. Extra credit is given to those who use English well, and who go beyond the norm to answer the question (providing that the information is specific and on point). 

2.  Email the document to hayes.j@gust.edu.kw with Subject line: FB. Your document must arrive in my email no later than Monday 29 September 2014 at 9 p.m. in Kuwait. 

3.  Are you in both Internet and Services Marketing? In that case, you will answer BOTH questions. 

Speaker Series: GUST Grad Danielle Huss on 29 September in W6-200

Danielle Huss, General Manager of American Tax Bureau (ATB), Kuwait, will speak to GUST Internet and Services Marketing students on Monday 29 September at 12:30 p.m. in W6-200.

Danielle, a recent GUST graduate, is responsible for managing all aspects of ATB's services including leading a professional team of tax preparers, ensuring the dissemination of accurate expat tax knowledge to the public, and setting a standard for exceptional customer service. 

Throughout her 11 years in Kuwait, Danielle has gained a wealth of U.S. expat knowledge, focusing on the responsibilities and concerns that involve being a U.S Citizen living abroad. She has experience in a number of industries with
particular emphasis in the private sector and office/project management.


Danielle holds a BA in Public Relations, and is working towards a Masters in Business Administration.

Please note: The presentation begins at approximately 12:30 p.m. Any students who arrives after 12:40 p.m. will be counted as absent for this class session.

Service Hero Focus Group Discussion Guide . . . Follow This Plan To Success

When you conduct your Focus Groups, you will need a roadmap to follow to help you complete your goals and objectives. Click here for the Service Hero Focus Group Discussion Guide.

Team members can study the guide and decide who will ask the questions. Remember, you also need a team member to take notes, and another team member to record the Focus Group questions and answers.

A Focus Group requires approximately 2 hours. You can arrange your Focus Group to meet any day of the week and at any time. But of course you need to reserve an appropriate room -- one that is private and you can have access to it for approximately 2 hours. You also need a projector, screen and Internet access.

You'll learn all about Service Hero with this document -- download it now.

Midterm Assessment Team Members: Read the document and make certain you understand it. Ask if you don't understand it. Then you can duplicate the document for the participants in your Focus Group. Send them this document in advance to review . . . give each participant a copy of the document at your Focus Group. Review the document with your participants when you conduct your Focus Group. 

Midterm Assessment: Details & Deadlines . . . Report Team Member Names By 28 September

Details about the Services Marketing Midterm Assessment are available here. Access the document immediately, read it, and make certain that you understand it. If you have questions, ask them in the classroom or via email. (Please note that I changed the link from Dropbox to Google Docs).

The Midterm Assessment is time consuming! That's why I am giving you advance notice of the project. To complete this assessment successfully you must immediately select your team and begin working. If you delay working until after the Eid holiday, you will jeopardise your grade. There's much work to be done . . . the team must be organized and prepared to tackle the assignment. No complaints will be accepted regarding the time commitment. Of course you will have other midterms due, too. That's the nature of a college semester. Budget your time accordingly and plan to spend long hours working on this project. 

Your team can include 3 or 4 students (no more). Report the names of your team members to me no later than Sunday 28 September 2014. All the requirements regarding the team are on the Midterm Assessment report, which you can access using the link provided in the first paragraph. 

"No Fly" Grades Posted

This assignment was worth 25 (not 20) points and some of you earned more than 25 points! Students who use English exceptionally well, who think outside the box (i.e. creatively), and who exhibit both effort and results will be rewarded with additional points.

If you did not get at least 25 points on this assignment here are some reasons why:

• Poor use of English. 
• Arabic instead of English style formatting.
• Little effort exhibited.
• One to two line answers for complex questions. 
• Confusing answers -- contradictory answers cancel out each other to zero.
• Not following the directions. 

In some instances I sent students email explanations of their grades -- I did this in situations where students risked getting a zero on future assignments, or where students could benefit from English tutoring via SSC or The Writing Lab.

If you received a zero, that means one of the following:

• You did not do the assignment.
• You did not email the assignment to me. 
• You emailed the assignment to me but did not follow instructions and so the email ended up in spam and was not recovered. 

This assignment cannot be made up.

Please review your grade and if you would like to question it please contact me before Tuesday 23 September at 9pm in Kuwait. Send an email with the Subject: Grade. If you would like me to review your assignment in person, please visit me during office hours -- but let me know in advance so that I will have a copy of your assignment.

I will be in my office Monday 22 September even though morning classes have been cancelled.

Check Your Grades

The 248 and Bensirri assignments have been graded and posted; if you have questions about your grades you must say so via email no later than Tuesday at 9 p.m. in Kuwait. Subject for email: Grade.

Each assignment was worth 5 points; if you lost a point or two, it was most likely due to poor use of English, or to improper formatting of your assignment (English style only), or to other technicalities.

If you are enrolled in both Internet Marketing and Services Marketing you must say so at the top of your assignments so that there’s a good chance that I will post your grade in both courses. If your grade was posted in one but not the other course, please send me an email and explain the matter. Follow the directions in the first paragraph above.

If you would like me to review your assignment with you in person, please let me know and we will do so during office hours.

If you received a zero for an assignment that means one of the following: a) you didn’t do the assignment, b) you didn’t send me the assignment via email, c) you sent the assignment via email but I did not get it; possibly it went to spam because you did not include the proper Subject. In any case, these assignments cannot be made up. 

Your Bensarri Assignment: Due Wednesday 17 September

Today's speaker, Fawaz Al Sirri of Bensirri Public Relations, delivered an outstanding presentation to Internet Marketing and Services Marketing students. Thanks to all of the students who asked questions! Fawaz was very impressed with the quality of students and I was proud of you for asking intelligent, and sometimes in-depth questions. 

Here's the assignment related to this presentation:

Answer 3 of the following questions. Open a Word document and save it as follows: (YourFirstName)_(Your4DigitGUSTID)_Bensirri.doc. At the top left of the document include your full name and the class you are enrolled in, i.e. Internet or Services Marketing. If you are in both classes list both names. Make sure you use English formatting (not Arabic). And of course, English grammar, spelling and punctuation counts. 

Select the 3 questions you want to answer. You do not have to repeat the questions, but you must number the answers in your document using the # of the question. 

Here are the questions:

1.  What 3 skills are needed today by students to get hired at Bensarri Public Relations, or another agency in Kuwait? List the 3 skills and explain them. 

2.  Define Service using Fawaz's formula, which he showed you on a slide. Explain the formula as he did. 

3.  Explain Starbuck's 3rd Place Strategy. What is it? Why is it important in Starbucks' overall marketing strategy?

4.  Fawaz explained that there are 4-5 PR professionals in Kuwait, but the market needs 300. These pros are earring as much as investment bankers (without the bonuses). Why are there so few PR professionals in Kuwait? What's keeping the market from seeing 300? What challenge must be overcome to solve this issue? 

Deadline

You must submit your assignment via this email no later than Wednesday 17 September at 12:00 noon in Kuwait. On the Subject line of your email type: Bensirri. Assignments that arrive at 12:01 or later will lose 10 points. No hard copies will be accepted -- you must submit your assignment via email. Emails that do not include the Subject: Bensarri will likely go to spam and not be graded. If you are enrolled in both Internet and Services Marketing you only need to answer 3 questions total -- submit the assignment only one time. 

Speaker Series: Mark Makhoul, 2:48 AM, Wednesday 17 September

Look at what 2:48 AM is talking about — customer service in Kuwait. How timely! And just in time for you to prepare for Mark Makhoul’s presentation at GUST on Wednesday 17 September at 12:30 p.m. in W6-200 (the Conference Center).

Mark is the founder of 2:48 AM, which may be Kuwait’s most popular (and most profitable) blog. He will talk to you about his experiences in advertising and as a blogger, and he will answer your questions as well.

Your Assignment

Send me 3 questions to ask Mark. The questions can be related to any pertinent topic. I suggest you read his most recent blogs and ask questions that are relative to the (a) content of the blog, and (b) the production/sales of the blog.

Open a Word document. Save it this way: (YourFirstName)_(Your4DigitGUSTID)_248.doc. At the top of the file type your full name and GUST ID. Then type your 3 questions for Mark. You will receive a grade for originality (of course English usage counts too).

Deadline

Email your document to me no later than Tuesday 16 September at 8 p.m. in Kuwait. On the Subject line of your email type: 248. Assignments that arrive at 8:01 p.m. or later will not be graded.  

How Do You Solve This Service Problem?

The widower of a New York woman who was booted off several flights because she was "too fat to fly" has settled a multi-million dollar lawsuit with three airlines. Janos Soltesz, whose wife Vilma, 56, weighed more than 400 pounds (185 kilos), died in October 2012 in Hungary after trying to return to New York to see her regular doctors.  You can read the details of this story here and watch a related video.

Your Assignment

Assume that you work for one of the airlines that refused to provide a flight to this woman. Assume that you are the Vice President of Customer Relations, and it's your job to protect the relationship between the airlines and the public. You want your airline to be known for providing world-class (outstanding) customer service. Is that what your airline provided in this instance? (Be sure to read the article and watch the video before you make a decision). 

For your assignment, you must answer several key questions. 

1.  Was the airline right or wrong for refusing service to this woman? Either way, defend your answer by explaining why. 

2.  After learning that the woman had died, and the airline directed you to make a statement on behalf of the airline, what would you have said to the media? 

3.  What could have been done differently, if anything? Assume that you could have made any decision regarding this woman's request to fly to New York on your airline. Would you have refused her service (as was the case) or would you have done something else? Explain your answer. 

4.  Now assume that you are a judge who has to decide if this woman's husband is entitled to millions of dollars in settlement money from the airlines that refused to provide a flight to the woman. Why would you as the judge decide that the airlines must pay a settlement? Why would you as the judge decide that the airlines should not pay a settlement? Be sure to explain your answer. 

Grading

This assessment is worth 20 points. You must answer Questions 1-4 above. You will be graded for your ability to (1) think clearly about the problem and (2) respond effectively with answers. English usage also counts -- you can lose up to 10 points for spelling/grammar/punctuation errors. Thinking out of the box will lead to a higher grade!

Open a Word document and save it as follows: (YourFirstName)_(Your4DigitGUSTID)_NoFly.doc. Please insert your first name where it says to, and please insert the last 4 digits of your GUST ID where it says to -- and you do not need to keep the brackets. Type your full name and GUST ID at the top of the document. Give your assignment a title of your choice. Then answer each of the 4 questions -- be sure to number the answers (you do not have to retype the questions).   

Deadline

Deliver the Word document via email no later than Thursday 18 September at 9 p.m. in Kuwait. On the Subject line of your email type: No Fly. An assignment that is marked 9:01 p.m. or later loses at least 10 points.  Questions? Send them to my email, please. 

  

Speaker Series: Fawaz Al Sirri, Monday 15 September

The founder and president of one of Kuwait's leading public relations agencies will speak to GUST Services Marketing students on Monday 15 September at 12:30 p.m. in W6-200. This session replaces Monday's regularly scheduled classes. Please attend the speech prepared to ask questions!

Bensirri Public Relations, owned and operated by Fawaz Al Sirri, represents numerous service-based businesses. This presentation will focus on the challenges involved in promoting service businesses.

Please visit Bensirri Public Relations for background information to prepare yourself (and develop questions) for this session. 

Read the Services Marketing Syllabus

Here's your syllabus for Services Marketing. Please read it and make certain that you understand the content. If you have questions, please let me know, but please do not ask questions that have been answered in the syllabus.