Trademarks - A Detailed Discussion of Trademark Basics

A detailed discussion of trademark basics may seem like an odd title. With trademarks, however, the devil is in the details. If you don?t understand each step of the process, you will either end up with the mark being rejected or infringing on the rights of others. Neither is a good result!

Trademark Basics

What is a trademark? There are different types, but one can generally say that a trademark is an identifier for a product, business or service. The identifier must be something consumers associate with a product, business or service in the flow of commerce. You cannot just file random trademarks. They must be associated with something being offered or sold to consumers.

Trademark Examples

Trademark examples are a great way to understand this legal concept. If I show you a picture of a logo of an apple with a bite out of it, you should associate it with the Apple business that makes iPads, iPods and iPhones. When you see the logo, you associate it with a certain type of product, level of innovation and standard of quality. In short, we are talking about a trust factor.

Another classic trademark example is the Nike Swoosh. When you see it, you immediately know what company we are talking about. You also have a certain expectation level for the products produced by that company.

Interestingly, these trademarks are for business brands. Most trademarks are actually more product oriented. The iPad is a textual trademark, which is to say it is merely the word ?iPad.? If someone uses this term, you know the exact product being referred to. In this example, the Apple logo would be a business wide mark while the iPad would be a product specific mark.

Trademark vs. Copyright

It can be easy to confuse a trademark and a copyright. A trademark is a product, business or service identifier, but a copyright is merely the right to copy a creative work. An example can help explain the difference.

Let?s assume I write a book called ?Those Sexy Trademarks.? [Yeah, probably not going to sell to well!]. I would trademark the name of the book because it identifies the product, to wit, the book. I would copyright the actual textual content in the book since it is the creative work that I have created.

Let?s look at another example ? software. Assume I create a new operating system for smart phones called BlueBerry. The name ?BlueBerry? identifies the software, so I would file a trademark for the name. The actual written code, however, is a creative work, so I would copyright it.

Copyrights and trademarks can definitely overlap. In general, just keep in mind that a trademark identifies something while a copyright protects a creative work.

Trademark vs. Patent

A patent is another form of intellectual property. It is very different than a trademark. While a trademark identifies something, a patent protects a novel invention. Let?s go back to an Apple example to explain how this might work. If we take the first iPhone, the company should have filed a trademark for the name ?iPhone? [they didn't in all countries], a patent for the invention of the processing method for how the phone worked and a copyright for the actual code written down.

Perhaps a clearer example would be the patent for the automobile engine. When it was invented, a patent was filed for the process by which gasoline was introduced to a piston chamber, sparked to create combustion and so on. The process was patentable because it was an invention. The name of the engine could also be trademarked, but there would be no copyright because no creative work existed.

PTO

The Patent and Trademark Office is the controlling entity for trademark registration in the United States. Oddly, the Agency does not handle copyrights, which are dealt with at the Copyright Office in the Library of Congress.

The ?PTO? has come a very long way the last decade when it comes to trademark filings. The process used to be very slow and agonizing. Now it is just very slow. The PTO is undermanned and overworked, so having patience is critical when dealing with the agency. This being said, it has made a major effort to create online options for applicants and this is helping speed things up.

Trademark Registration

Trademark registration is not technically required to establish a trademark. A trademark is considered to exist as soon as it is used in the stream of commerce. That being said, proving such a date can be very difficult. Nearly everyone files a trademark because it creates a clear start date for the mark as well as confers a host of legal preferences to the owner, which makes preserving the mark much easier.

Trademark Ownership

Most businesses form a business entity to protect themselves from litigation threats. The question then becomes is it smarter for a trademark to be owned by the business entity or the person who started the business? If the founder owns the mark, they can lease it to the business. The answer to this question is highly dependent on the tax situation in the United States at the time, so a CPA should be consulted.

Trademark vs Service Mark

This is an issue that confuses people to no end. What is the difference between a trademark and a service mark? The answer is a trademark identifies a tangible thing, while a service mark identifies a service. HR Block would receive a service mark because they provide a service [tax preparation] to consumers. Apple would receive a trademark for the iPad because it provides a product to consumers. Both marks are provided the same protection once they are registered.

Trademark A Phrase

Can you trademark a phrase? Absolutely. A mark must just be an identifier. That identifier can be a sequence of words. Just consider the Nike phrase ?just do it.? It is an iconic trademark.

Trademark A Name

Trademarking a name is a bit trickier. The issue boils down to the name of what? Can you trademark the name of a product? Almost always. Can you trademark the name of a person? Almost never. The answer with names is highly dependent upon the specific situation you have, so feel free to contact me for a consultation.

Application Process

The trademark application process involves a significant amount of dead time. The first step is to create your mark. The second is to have a professional trademark search done to make sure the mark does not infringe on a mark already in existence. The third step is to file the application. After this, you wait between four and six months to hear back from the PTO. The examining attorney at the PTO will usually send you a letter asking for clarification on certain issues. Once you respond, another four to six months goes by before acceptance or rejection occurs. If there is acceptance, the mark goes into a published list and people have a certain time to object. If that does not occur, you are approved. Overall, the process can take a year or more.

Trademark Filing Basis

The filing basis refers to the status of the mark in commerce. You can file with an ?intent to use? it in the near future or with a statement that you are using the mark now. ?Intent to use? filings more or less reserve the mark, but do little else.

Trademark Classifications

Trademarks are filed in classifications. Each one covers a different niche of business and the filing only applies to that classification. An example can help explain how this might work.

Amazon is a well known online consumer site. As a result, it has a trademark filing for its name in the classification of computers. Does this mean nobody else can use the Amazon name? No. It simply has to be in another classification. For instance, a site providing tours to the Amazon rain forests could be called ?Amazon Rain Forest Tours?. The name would not be likely to cause confusion among consumers, so there would be no problems from a trademark perspective.

Trademark Fees

The PTO charges hefty trademark fees. A paper filing will run you between $375 and $325 depending on the specifics. An online filing is $50 less. Mind you, these are just the application fees. They do not include trademark search costs or attorney?s fees.

Trademark Infringement

Let?s assume I start a smart phone company. I call my lead product the iTelephone. Do you think this might cause confusion with consumers? They might think it is an Apple product instead of my cheesy version. My mark would infringe on the Apple iPhone mark. As a result, Apple would sue me and, in this case, win. Suing for infringement is the primary method to protect a trademark.

Trademark Dilution

Dilution refers to a trademark that should receive less or no protection because it has become a common term that does not necessarily reflect a product or service. Google faces this potential problem. People refer to ?searching? for something by saying just ?Google it? now. The phrase doesn?t really refer to just the Google search engine specifically.

Another mark that has this problem is Coca Cola. When was the last time you called a soda a soda? Most people call it a Coke, even if they want a Pepsi or some other brand. The term refers more to sodas than the specific product in question, thus the mark is diluted. Fortunately, Coca Cola has a herd of attorneys to protect the mark, but it is an issue many businesses can run into.

Do you need to worry about the dilution of your trademark? It is a rare problem for most businesses.

Assignment

The real value of a trademark is the niche it carves out in a consumer market. I can?t launch my iTelephone product because Apple has exclusive control of the iPhone market. Having said that, I could theoretically license the right to use the trademark from Apple or buy it. The transfer of the rights associated with the mark is known as an assignment and it usually costs a pretty penny in the form of a one time payment or ongoing royalty. When a business is sold, the intellectual property it owns must be assigned and this includes trademarks.

Abandonment

This refers to a trademark application or mark itself that the owner is no longer claiming. A trademark that is valuable today may lose its value. This is particularly true with the web where things evolve quickly. It wasn?t that long ago that AOL was an incredibly valuable mark. Now? You could get it very cheap. AOL hasn?t been abandoned as a mark, but that day isn?t far off.

Renewal

Trademarks can last forever. You have to file certain documents from time-to-time to keep the PTO apprised as to whether you are actually using the mark. The first filing typically must be done five years after the original approval of the mark. Filings must be made from time-to-time because the law puts an emphasis on the actual use of the mark in the stream of commerce. Marks that are not being used quickly lose their registration with the PTO and the benefits that come from being registered.

Expiration

Do trademarks expire? Yes, but only if the owner doesn?t follow through and file renewals. If you stay up on the filings, the mark could technically last forever.

In Closing

This article on trademark basics is intended to give you an introduction to this form of intellectual property. Trademarks are tricky beasts, but can be very valuable. Make sure you always use an attorney to file them to avoid problems down the road with infringement issues.

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Source: http://www.socalinternetlawyer.com/trademark-basics/

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Syrian PM who defected says Assad regime on verge of collapse, urges others to join rebels

AMMAN, Jordan - Syria's prime minister who defected to the opposition said Tuesday that Bashar Assad's regime was near collapse and urged other political and military leaders to tip the scales and join the rebel side.

The comments by Riad Hijab were his first public statements since leaving his post and fleeing to Jordan with his family last week. Hijab is the highest-ranking political figure to defect from President Bashar Assad's regime.

"The regime is on the verge of collapse morally and economically in addition to cracks in the military," Hijab told a press conference in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

Hijab is a Sunni Muslim from the eastern province of Deir el-Zour where rebels claimed to have shot down an army MiG-23 warplane on Monday. Hijab, who was not part of Assad's inner circle, said the trip to Jordan lasted three days during which he was protected by rebels of the Free Syrian Army.

He said he felt "pain in his soul" over the regime's shelling and other attacks on rebel strongholds as the government stepped up its military offensive. Activists say more than 20,000 people been killed in the struggle since March 2011.

"I was powerless to stop the injustice," Hijab said, speaking in front of the rebel flag. He called on "honourable leaders" in Syria to defect as well.

"Syria is full of honourable officials and military leaders who are waiting for the chance to join the revolution," he said, adding that Assad's forces only control 30 per cent of Syria.

"I urge the army to follow the example of Egypt's and Tunisia's armies ? take the side of the people," he added.

Hijab said he was now backing the rebels, but gave no clue on his plans. There had been speculation that he would travel to the Gulf nation of Qatar, which is one of the rebels' main supporters.

A spokesman for outgoing U.N. peace envoy Kofi Annan said that Syria authorities have backed Lakhdar Brahimi as his successor. The spokesman, Ahmed Fawzi, said the next step was for Brahimi, a former Algerian foreign affairs minister and longtime U.N. official, to formally accept the post and resume efforts for a diplomatic solution to Syria's crisis.

In Geneva, the U.N. said that its humanitarian chief has begun talks in Syria on a mission to boost international aid inside the war-battered country. Valerie Amos was to meet with Syria's foreign ministry and the Red Crescent, which has been the pipeline for humanitarian supplies to Syrians caught in the civil war.

Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, said Amos is on a three-day visit to the region. The U.N. estimates 2 million people in Syrian have been injured, displaced or facing problems securing food or other necessities. Also, more than 200,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries including Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.

In Lebanon, the militant Hezbollah group denied Tuesday that a man captured in the Syrian capital of Damascus and shown in a video released by the rebels was one of its members.

The video is the latest incident to reflect rising sectarian divisions in Syria's vicious civil war, which has seen an increase in abductions of Shiite Muslims who many rebel fighters perceive as supporting Assad. The regime is dominated by members of Assad's Alawite minority sect, an off-shoot of Shiite Islam. Sunnis, who are the majority in Syria, make up the backbone of the opposition.

The video purporting to show the captured Lebanese man followed another highly circulated rebel video Monday, showing the downing of the Syrian MiG and armed men later holding the captured pilot who ejected. Syria acknowledged a pilot had bailed out of a disabled plane but blamed the crash in Deir el-Zour on a technical malfunction.

In the video with the Lebanese captive, a man identifies himself as Hassane Salim al-Mikdad, and says he was one of 1,500 Hezbollah fighters sent to Syria on Aug. 3. The video was said to have been released by rebels and aired by Arab satellite TV Al-Arabiya on Tuesday.

"Most of those who entered were snipers," said the captive, whose face showed bruises as three masked gunmen stood behind him. A man, who could not be seen, was asking the hostage questions.

The captive then says that Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah gathered the men before they headed to Syria and told them that they should go to "support the Shiite regime and the Shiite army against Sunni gangs." The authenticity of the video could not be independently confirmed.

Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim group, is a key backer of Assad's regime. The Syrian opposition has repeatedly accused it of sending fighters to Syria, which Hezbollah denies.

Hezbollah issued a statement early Tuesday saying it "categorically denies that Mr. Hassane Salim al-Mikdad is one of its members."

There have been several attacks and abductions in Syria of Shiites from Lebanon, Iran and Iraq over the past months that were blamed on Syrian rebels. In May, Syrian rebels captured 11 Lebanese Shiites shortly after they crossed from Turkey on their way to Lebanon.

Earlier this month, 48 Iranians were captured by Syrian rebels near Damascus. Rebels claim the Iranians include members of Tehran's Revolutionary Guard and were on a "reconnaissance mission" in the Syrian capital. Iran insists the men were on a religious pilgrimage.

The Lebanese are apparently held to try to pressure the government in Beirut to show greater support for the Syrian rebels ? which is unlikely because of Hezbollah's strong influence and backing of Assad.

Also, many Iraqi Shiites, streaming back to their homeland in the past month to escape the conflict in Syria, reported a rash of attacks against their community, apparently by Sunni rebel gunmen. In July, 23 Iraqi Shiites were killed in Syria, some of them beheaded, according to the Washington-based Shiite Rights Watch. In one gruesome case, the U.N. said an Iraqi family of seven was killed at gunpoint in their Damascus apartment.

The motives for the attacks on Iraqis are unclear. They may be revenge against any Iraqi because the Shiite-led Iraqi government is seen as siding with Assad.

In other violence across Syria on Tuesday, activists reported clashes and shelling in the northern city of Aleppo, southern province of Daraa, suburbs of Damascus and the northwestern region of Idlib.

On Monday, gunmen abducted the correspondent of Iran's Arabic-language TV al-Alam in the central city of Homs Ahmad Sattouf, his wife told The Associated Press. She said he was taken from his office and his whereabouts are unknown.

Sattouf becomes the third journalist to be abducted in Syria over the past three days. Three other journalists were killed over the weekend in Damascus and its suburbs.

State-run news agency SANA said one of its reporters was wounded Monday while covering clashes in Aleppo.

____

Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Albert Aji in Damascus and John Heilprin in Geneva contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-pm-defected-says-assad-regime-verge-collapse-144016674.html

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?Dancing With The Stars? All-Star Pairings Announced (VIDEO)

“Dancing With The Stars” All-Star Pairings Announced (VIDEO)

The pairings for the upcoming “Dancing With The Stars” season 15 All-Stars cast have been announced. “Good Morning America” revealed the professional/celebrity couplings this morning. [...]

“Dancing With The Stars” All-Star Pairings Announced (VIDEO) Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/08/dancing-with-the-stars-all-star-pairings-announced-video/

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Sydney Home ? Fiona Bateman and Family | The Design Files

Painting by Jan Billycan at Short St. Gallery, Broome. Table from Original Finish, Newtown. Chairs by Tolix at Thonet, BTC Titan pendant lights from Dunlin Home. Photo ? Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Painting Lydia Balbal at?Short St. Gallery,? Cane Chair from Revival, Milton, NSW. ?Cushion from Koskela. ?I love the cane chairs ? we found them in Milton on the South Coast, at a 20th Century furniture shop called Revival? says Fiona. ?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Woven baskets on wall by Tjanpi Desert Weavers at Koskela. Photos -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Another stunning Sydney home for you today ? this is pretty little cottage on a steep, leafy street in Neutral Bay?belongs to florist-turned-interior-designer Fiona Bateman and family.

Fiona and husband Henry have been here for the past seven years. ?In that time their family has grown to five ? kids Freya and Edward share a room at the front of the house, whilst baby George has his own bedroom which doubles as a workspace / playroom for now. ?Fiona has recently finished renovating the rear of the house of create a little more space for her growing family ? the living area and kitchen have been updated and opened up to form a relaxed open plan living and dining space.

As you can see, Fiona and Henry have a passion for aboriginal art, and have an impressive collection of much-loved paintings purchased from various trips around Australia. ?One of Fiona?s favourites is the Weaver Jack painting (above Freya?s bed), purchased whilst Fiona and Henry were having their honeymoon in Broome ? ?it?s our first real piece of art? says Fiona. ?Fiona has some (understandable!) trouble ?pinpointing just one ?favourite? piece though ? ??the weavings hanging in the kitchen give me such joy every time I look at them? as does the beautiful kitchen table from Original Finish, my love of it has never wavered! ?SO this sounds like everything in the house is a favourite! Oh well.? Ha ha. ?It?s ok Fiona, you?re allowed more than one favourite!

I?m loving the bold details in this elegantly decorated home ? the consistent colour palette of reds, pinks and greens make the perfect vibrant punch on those bright white walls, alongside more classic furnishings in neutral hues. ?And of course Sydney?s signature lush foliage peeks through every window and door, adding another layer of beautiful deep colour to each room! (*sigh* I wish Melbourne were this green!).

Indeed, for Fiona, one of the biggest drawcards of living in this pretty little pocket of Sydney are the beautiful leafy surroundings. ?What I love most about Neutral Bay is all the beautiful parks on the harbour foreshore, and all the greenery ? while also being 2 minutes away from the harbour bridge and the city? she says, adding ??There is also a wonderful sense of community with everyone being so jam packed together.?

It?ll be no surprise to learn that Fiona has an impressive creative background ? and a bit of a green thumb! ?After spending the early years of her career in fashion, working with respected Australian design brands such as Akira Isogawa and Scanlan and Theodore, Fiona launched her floristry business in 2010 (such beautiful floral creations for weddings and events ? have a little look). ?More recently she went back to study Colour and Design, and founded her interior design consultancy Bateman Brown earlier this year. ?Her aesthetic combines rustic and industrial elements with?unexpected colour, inspired by the natural environment. ?Fiona now works on a variety of design projects including events styling, colour consulting, ?and residential renovations.

Massive thanks to Fiona and family for sharing their home with us today!

Suzani from I & B Perryman Oriental Carpets, Woollahra.?Table from?Original Finish, Newtown. Chairs by Tolix at?Thonet,?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Kids corner in the kitchen / pantry area! ?Stools by Anne Claire Petit. ?Photo ? Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files. ?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Painting by Lydia Balbal at Short St. Gallery.?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Freya and Edward?s room ? painting by Weaver Jack at Short St. Gallery, Broome. ?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

All clothing by Mamapapa, locker from Ici et la. ?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Freya and Edwards room ? Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

George?s room / playroom. Painting by Donald Moko. ?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Restored 18th Century chair from Howell & Howell, Woollahra, cushion from Koskela. ?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Beautiful classic Victorian bathroom, woodblock by Belinda Bateman. ?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Master Bedroom, painting by Madigan Thomas at Short St Gallery, Broome. Pillowcases by Rachel Castle. ?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Master Bedroom. ?Cherrywood bench from Original Finish, Print by David Rose. ?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Looking through from kids? room to hallway and master bedroom beyond. ?I love the colour of that front door! ?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Hallway looking through front door -?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Front exterior details. ?Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Exterior. ?SO cute! Photo -?Rachel Kara, Production ? Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Source: http://thedesignfiles.net/2012/08/sydney-home-fiona-bateman-and-family/

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No Open WebOS support for existing WebOS devices, no soup for you

Another day, another major blow to the webOS cimmunity. The Open webOS project announced today in its blog that the fledgling OS won't support any of the existing hardware -- like HP's Pre 3 and TouchPad. While not completely surprising, this is disappointing for those who were hoping to wring a little more life out of their current webOS devices. Open webOS is targeting SoCs that support the Linux 3.3+ kernel and components with open source drivers. The blog post blames the existing hardware's "many proprietary components, including graphics, networking and lack of drivers for a modern kernel". Despite having access to these proprietary drivers, it appears HP isn't willing to make them available to the Open webOS project -- proof that sometimes you can have your cake, as long as you forego eating it.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs, Software

No Open WebOS support for existing WebOS devices, no soup for you originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 21:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink webOS Nation  |  The Open webOS Project Blog  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/31/no-open-webos-support-for-existing-webos-devices-no-soup-for-yo/

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Home Improvement | The Steam Shower the Best Buy of the Twenty ...

?Use Technological Advancements to Enhance your Bathroom
We are constantly looking for solutions to enhance our homes and this has taken precedence ever more so towards the bathroom. Fixtures and fittings are what make or break our bathrooms and over recent years we have had the pleasure of seeing some amazing and revolutionary products hit the market place. Appliances such as the luxury steam showers, steam shower baths and whirlpool bathing systems are just some of the wonderful concepts that are now readily available for our bathrooms. It...

?Join the Steam Shower Revolution
The steam shower is a wonderful concept for enjoyment and necessity all encompassed within a self-enclosed cubicle. Previously the steam shower unit was an appliance only found within local gyms, hotels, spa retreats and wealthy establishments. Usually the majority of us will have experienced the sensation of the steam room within your local gym; however you will have found that your time is limited. And because your time is limited you will have not had the time to truly experience the...

?Maintaining and Taking Care of your Steam Shower is a Priority
Many people are now turning to the latest offers produced by bathroom suppliers for enhancing their home. This has resulted in a high demand for the steam shower, all due to its cutting edge designs and the many wonderful features fitted within the self-enclosed unit. However just like many other electronic appliances, the steam shower can succumb to a variety of technical problems if we are not careful. This is why it is paramount that we take in maintaining this amazing system, especially...

?Experience the Marvels of Having a Steam Shower Room
Water is truly the essence of life! Our bodies are made mostly of water and as such water is one of the more necessary substances for refreshment and overall health. Water not only acts as a drink to quench and relinquish our thirst, it also acts as a method of cleaning and removing ground in dirt and grime from our bodies. Furthermore we refresh our souls by bathing and showering our bodies in water, usually each and every day. In short it is not simply a function; it is part and parcel of...

?Improve Your Lifestyle Health and Home with a Steam Shower Room
Tired of the same old, mundane shower or bathtub? If so then consider the latest bathroom innovation, the steam shower. Times are constantly changing and the days when such luxuries were only marvelled at in expensive hotels or spa retreats are now becoming commonplace within the confines of our own homes. Development in technology and ingenuity has enabled the steam shower and steam shower bath to become an affordable feature we can all enjoy within our home. These true marvels of...

?Buy a Steam Shower within the Confines of your Own Home
The overall importance of the bathroom?s interior has increased immensely over the last couple of years and this is all down to the introduction of the steam shower and steam shower bath. These remarkable feats of technology are simply a cross between a shower cubicle and a steam room with a whole host of remote gadgets thrown in to the equation to enhance the user?s experience. As such these showering systems can do anything the shower cubicle and steam room can do alongside so much more....

?Add A Little Spice to Your Bathroom with a New Shower or Steam Shower Enclosure
The cold and the dull duration of winter can be a long and tiresome affair. One of the best ways to keep yourself occupied throughout this time is by upgrading your bathroom. There are many unique and diverse ways in which you can enhance the bathroom, but one of the more popular options starts with the shower. Upgrading the shower is not as simple as it may first appear. The choice of shower takes more than just deciding on the best colour. A whole re-style is usually required, especially...

?Health and Property Value Increased with a Steam Shower Room
Our health is extremely important and what better way to increase your health than with one of the latest wonders to hit the market, the steam shower. More and more people are finding themselves too stressed to go on with their daily lives. In this fast paced society, eating does not help much and sleeping takes too much time. A quick energy boost will certainly go a long way and this is exactly what a steam session offers. For those who are not familiar with this device, it is a...

?Technology and Innovation all in one with the Steam Shower Room
Revolution in industry, technology and innovation has led to the development of the steam shower, steam shower baths and whirlpool baths. These amazing cutting edge bathroom accessories provide a fantastic range of remote gadgets combined with a mass of therapeutic benefits to the body. There has been a tremendous influx in the number of websites and independent manufacturers producing and stocking a wide array and assortment of steam showers and affiliated products for the domestic market...

?Perfect the Interior of your Bathroom with a Stylish Shower Enclosure
As elements go for the home the shower enclosure has to be one of the most functional necessities featured within our bathroom. This remarkable appliance provides with the ability to cleanse our bodies in a fast efficient manor, instantly adding refreshment and revitalising to our bodies whilst adding elegance and sophistication to the interior. The shower is the must-have accessory to the home, especially as more and more people are living hectic and stressful lifestyles, with the shower...

Source: http://www.bharatbhasha.net/home_improvement.php/380998

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Derbyshire Business Help: The top 100 Quotes on Customer Service!

1. Learn from your mistakes, only work with people who share your vision and culture and most importantly, focus on your customer. - ?Lord Alan Sugar


2. The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best but legendary. - ?Sam Walton, Founder of Wal-Mart?


3. Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. - ?Bill Gates?


4. If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful.- ?Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon.com?


5. In the end, the customer doesn?t know, or care, if you are small or large as an organisation. She or he only focuses on the garment hanging on the rail in the store. - ?Giorgio Armani?


6. The customer experience is the next competitive battleground. - ?Jerry Gregoire, CIO, Dell Computers


7. Customer satisfaction is worthless. Customer loyalty is priceless. - ?Jeffrey Gitomer?


8. Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it. - ?Peter Drucker?


9. To understand the man, you must first walk a mile in his moccasin. - ?North American Indian Proverb?


10. Customers don?t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong. - ?Donald Porter, V.P. British Airways?


11. It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.- ?Charles Darwin?


12. It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages. - ?Henry Ford?


13. Well done is better than well said. - ?Benjamin Franklin


14. Spend a lot of time talking to customers face to face. You?d be amazed how many companies don?t listen to their customers. - ?Ross Perot?


15. Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echos are truly endless. - ?Mother Teresa?


16. In the world of Internet Customer Service, it?s important to remember your competitor is only one mouse click away. - ?Doug Warner?


17. Know what your customers want most and what your company does best. Focus on where those two meet. - ?Kevin Stirtz ?


18. Loyal customers, they don?t just come back, they don?t simply recommend you, they insist that their friends do business with you. - ?Chip Bell, Founder Chip Bell Group?


19. Make a customer, not a sale. - ?Katherine Barchetti?


20. If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful. - ?Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon.com?


21. Customer service is not a department, it?s everyone?s job. - ?Anonymous

22. Dealing with people is probably the biggest problem you face, especially if you are in business. Yes, and that is also true if you are a housewife, architect or engineer. - ?Dale Carnegie?


23. Make your product easier to buy than your competition, or you will find your customers buying from them, not you. ?- ?Mark Cuban?


24. If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful. - ?Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon.com?


25. The interesting thing is when we design and architect a server, we don?t design it for Windows or Linux, we design it for both. We don?t really care, as long as we?re selling the one the customer wants. - ?Michael Dell?


26. A customer is the most important visitor on our premises, he is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so. - ?Mahatma Gandhi?


27. When people talk about successful retailers and those that are not so successful, the customer determines at the end of the day who is successful and for what reason. - ?Jerry Harvey?


28. It?s a very, very tough market. So unless you do a really good job, you buy the right products from the manufacturers, you service the customer, they keep coming back, they bring their friends in, it?s all about numbers, numbers, numbers. - ?John Ilhan?


29. A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets. - ?Steve Jobs?


30. If you work just for money, you?ll never make it, but if you love what you?re doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours. - ?Ray Krock?


31. For us, our most important stakeholder is not our stockholders, it is our customers. We?re in business to serve the needs and desires of our core customer base. - ?John Mackey?


32. The nature of any human being, certainly anyone on Wall Street, is ?the better deal you give the customer, the worse deal it is for you?. - ?Bernie Madoff??


33. We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It?s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better. - ?Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon.com?


34. You?ve got to look for a gap, where competitors in a market have grown lazy and lost contact with the readers or the viewers. - ?Rupert Murdoch!


35. In our way of working, we attach a great deal of importance to humility and honesty; With respect for human values, we promise to serve our customers with integrity. - ?Azim Premji?


36. Customers don?t always know what they want. The decline in coffee-drinking was due to the fact that most of the coffee people bought was stale and they weren?t enjoying it. Once they tasted ours and experienced what we call ?the third place?.. a gathering place between home and work where they were treated with respect.. they found we were filling a need they didn?t know they had. - ?Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO Starbucks?


37. Don?t try to tell the customer what he wants. If you want to be smart, be smart in the shower. Then get out, go to work and serve the customer! ?Gene Buckley, President Sikorsky Aircraft?


38. The most important adage and the only adage is, the customer comes first, whatever the business, the customer comes first. - ?Kerry Stokes?


39. I won?t complain. I just won?t come back - ?Brown & Williamson Tobacco Ad?


40. Customer service is just a day in, day out ongoing, never ending, unremitting, persevering, compassionate, type of activity. - ?Leon Gorman, CEO L.L.Bean?


41. Every company?s greatest assets are its customers, because without customers there is no company. - ?Michael LeBoeuf, Author of: How to Win Customers and Keep Them for Life?


42. Excellent firms don?t believe in excellence ? only in constant improvement and constant change. - ?Tom Peters?


43. Friendly makes sales ? and friendly generates repeat business. - ?Jeffrey Gitomer?


44. Service, in short, is not what you do, but who you are. It is a way of living that you need to bring to everything you do, if you are to bring it to your customer interactions - ?Betsy Sanders?


45. Every contact we have with a customer influences whether or not they?ll come back. We have to be great every time or we?ll lose them. - ?Kevin Stirtz?


46. Here is a simple but powerful rule: always give people more than what they expect to get. - ?Nelson Boswell?


47. Customers today want the very most and the very best for the very least amount of money, and on the best terms. Only the individuals and companies that provide absolutely excellent products and services at absolutely excellent prices will survive. - ?Brian Tracy?


48. It helps a ton when you learn people?s names and don?t butcher them when trying to pronounce them. - ?Jerry Yang?


49. Statistics suggest that when customers complain, business owners and managers ought to get excited about it. The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business. - ?Zig Ziglar?


50. I don?t do business with those who don?t make a profit because they can?t give the best service. - ?Richard Bach?


51. If you don?t genuinely like your customers, chances are they won?t buy. - ?Thomas Watson, former CEO IBM?

52. Merely satisfying customers will not be enough to earn their loyalty. Instead, they must experience exceptional service worthy of their repeat business and referral. Understand the factors that drive this customer revolution. - ?Rick Tate?


53. Men are rich only as they give. He who gives great service gets great rewards. - ?Elbert Hubbard?


54. Our mission statement about treating people with respect and dignity is not just words but a creed we live by every day. You can?t expect your employees to exceed the expectations of your customers if you don?t exceed the employees? expectations of management. - ?Howard Schultz, CEO Starbucks Coffee?


55. People expect good service but few are willing to give it. - ?Robert Gateley


56. Revolve your world around the customer and more customers will revolve around you. - ?Heather Williams?


57. The customer?s perception is your reality. - ?Kate Zabriskie, Author of: Customer Service Excellence: How to Deliver Value to Today?s Busy Customer?


58. Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends. - ?Walt Disney?


59. He profits, most who serves best. - ?Arthur F. Sheldon?


60. The longer you wait, the harder it is to produce outstanding customer service. - ?William H. Davidow?


61. The single most important thing to remember about any enterprise is that there are no results inside its walls. The result of a business is a satisfied customer. - ?Peter Drucker?


62. When the customer comes first, the customer will last. - ?Robert Half?


63. Right or wrong, the customer is always right. - ?Marshall Field


64. Under promise and over deliver. - ?Toby Bloomberg?


65. Profit in business comes from repeat customers; customers that boat about your product and service, and that bring friends with them. - ?W. Edwards Deming?


66. Your customer doesn?t care how much you know until they know how much you care. - ?Damon Richards?


67. Every client you keep, is one less that you need to find. - ?Nigel Sanders

68. If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends - ?Jeff Bezos?


69. The purpose of a business is to create a customer who creates customers - ?Shiv Singh?


70. It?s much harder to provide a great customer service than I would have ever realised. It?s much more art than science in some of these other areas and not just about the facts but about how you are conveying them. - ?David Yu, Chief Operating Officer, Betfair?


71. Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm. - ?Samuel Taylor Coleridge?


72. Only a life lived in the service to others is worth living. - ?Albert Einstein


73. Good customer service costs less than bad customer service. - ?Sally Gronow, Welsh Water?


74. Whether you are big or small, you cannot give good customer service if your employees don?t feel good about coming to work. - ?Martin Oliver, MD Kwik-Fit Financial Services?


75. If we keep doing what we?re doing, we?re going to keep getting what we?re getting. - ?Stephen Covey


76. Everyone in an organisation should be involved with customer service, not only are they feeling the customer but they are getting a feeling for what?s not working. - ?Penny Handscomb?


77. There are no traffic jams along the extra mile. - ?Roger Staubach?


78. Good leaders must first become good servants. - ?Robert Greenleaf?


79. We don?t want to push our ideas on to customers, we simply want to make what they want. - ?Laura Ashley?


80. A shoe without sex appeal is like a tree without leaves. Service without emotion is like a shoe without sex appeal. - ?Anonymous?


81. A little experience often upsets a lot of theory. - ?S. Parkes Cadman

82. Whatever your business is, talk to your customers and provide them with what they want. It makes sense. - ?Robert Bowman, CEO Major League Baseball Advanced Media?


83. You are serving a customer, not a life sentence. Learn how to enjoy your work. - ?Laurie McIntosh?


84. Your best customers leave quite an impression. Do the same, and they won?t leave at all. - ?SAP Ad?


85. Unless you have 100% customer satisfaction?you must improve. - ?Horst Schulz?


86. It starts with respect. If you respect the customer as a human being, and truly honor their right to be treated fairly and honestly, everything else is much easier. - ?Doug Smith?


87. An ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness. - ?Elbert Hubbard?


88. Customer service is not a department, it?s everyone?s job. - ?Anonymous

89. There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else. - ?Sam Walton, Founder of Wal-Mart?


90. Good service is good business. - ?Siebel Ad?


91. There is a spiritual aspect to our lives ? when we give we receive ? when a business does something good for somebody, that somebody feels good about them! - ?Ben Cohen, Ben & Jerry?s?


92. The more you engage with customers the clearer things become and the easier it is to determine what you should be doing. - John Russell, President, Harley Davidson?

93. One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others. - ?Lewis Carol?


94. Being on par in terms of price and quality only gets you into the game. Service wins the game. - Tony Allesandra?


95. You?ll never have a product or price advantage again. They can be easily duplicated, but a strong customer service culture can?t be copied. - ?Jerry Fritz

96. Every great business is built on friendship. - ?JC Penney?


97. If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind whom should we serve? - ?John Adams?


98. Rule 1: The customer is always right. Rule 2: If the customer is ever wrong, re-read Rule 1. - ?Stew Leonard, CEO Stew Leonard?s

99. If you?re not serving the customer, your job is to be serving someone who is. - Jan Carlzon, ex-CEO SAP Group?


100. If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. - Booker T. Washington ?


Which is your favourite?
Which do you think is just too cheesy?
Which do you live by?


If you need help with your customer service skills go to either?
www.derbyshirebusinesshelp.co.uk ? or
www.derbyshireretailhelp.co.uk?Thank you.

Source: http://derbyshirebusinesshelp.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-top-100-quotes-on-customer-service.html

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