8 customer service tips every retail employee should have

8 customer service tips every retail employee should have Dealing with sometimes demanding, sometimes ornery, sometimes outright hostile customers may be the biggest challenge any retail employee must face. Retail places all employees in a veritable public relations position because the way employees handle customers reflects on the business as a whole. That’s why management is generally adamant about all employees possessing ace interpersonal skills- even if those employees don’t spend their days behind the customer service desk. So no matter if you’re a stock clerk, cashier, or floor manager, you may learn a thing or 8 by perusing these customer service skills every retail employee needs to know to succeed. 1. Be patientThis one is Customer Service 101. Simply being patient may also be tougher than it sounds. A customer, especially an agitated one, can really try your patience with demands or complaints. Just remember that your customer’s needs and emotions come before your own. Take the time to listen to your customer’s problems without allowing him or her to dominate the conversation or distract you from your duties. When you figure out the problem and how you can solve it, politely wrap up the conversation so you can take care of your customer’s request. Most customers will appreciate a swift end to their ranting if they think their needs are about to be met.2. Remain positive- no matter whatDon’t wait for the customer to set the tone of a discussion, because a disgruntled one probably won’t be gearing up for the most pleasant exchange in the world. Greet all comers with a smile and a cheerful, â€Å"How may I help you?† Hopefully your positivity will rub off on the customer so that the tone of the conversation doesn’t go south.3. Be ready for anythingOne thing any retail worker learns quickly is that the workday is unpredictable. Things can be going smoothly for hours, but all it takes is for one sourpuss to bust through the door for the workd ay to take a wrong turn. So always be ready for any eventualities. Remember that you are at work, and you must deliver quality customer service on a dime regardless of your own state of mind.4. Know your businessFew things will frustrate customers in need more than the notion that they are talking to someone who cannot help them. What’s more, few things are more frustrating or bewildering for retail employees than feeling as though they don’t know what a customer wants. Prevent those situations by knowing the ins and outs of all aspects of your business. For example, you may not work in layaway, but you should still know what it is in the event a customer wants to pay for an item at a later date. Having an answer to any question will set the customer at ease and keep you in control of all situations.5. Hone your communication skillsAnother key to staying in control is communicating well. This does not just mean speaking audibly, confidently, and properly. It also requi res you to be aware of your own body language. Maintain eye contact with the customer. Uncross your arms. Stand up straight. These traits convey the air of confidence that will make your customers feel as though they are in good hands.6. Find the problemWhile it is your duty to always communicate well, you cannot always expect the same from your customers. Yet it is still your job to help them. So you may have to sift through some irrelevant or confused talk to figure out what exactly your customer wants. That should be your goal, no matter how angry or garbled the language that’s coming your way.7. Read between the lines if necessaryUsually, you don’t have to be a body language expert to read your customers effectively, as customers tend express their moods clearly. Some may be tricky though. For example, a customer may ask for help with a particular work-related issue, but the real agenda is that he or she is lonely and just wants to talk to someone. In such cases, b e polite, be sensitive, but bring the conversation to as quick of an end as possible so you can get on with your duties. In other cases, customers might just be looking for a fight. Never take the bait. Bring the confrontation to as quick and polite a conclusion as possible, and if necessary, just walk away and allow security to step in before things get out of hand.8. Stay coolNo matter what the customer’s tone or problem may be, you must always greet them with professionalism. Don’t let them rattle you. Keep your cool. Get into character as if you are playing the role of the world’s greatest customer service representative- even if your main job is to stock shelves or work the register.Always remember that you are an important member of the organization and it is your job to represent the company positively, competently, and calmly whenever dealing with its customers.

Body Essay Preparation

Mind/Body Essay Preparation Mind/Body Essay Preparation Some students may believe that writing an essay is relatively simple and doesn’t require much effort. This assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Writing requires a lot of time and energy. Like most activities that require effort (exercise, working, cooking), writing an essay requires some preparation for both mind and body. Here are some tips to mentally and physically prepare yourself to write: Get organized Gather research materials and organize them before buckling down to write. When it comes to gathering sources from different publications, write each of them on a piece of paper and summarize the key points you wish to include in your essay. This helps save time and prevent clutter on your workspace. Minimize distractions If you are working in a public library and prefer to listen to music to concentrate, use a pair of earphones and lower the volume of your device to prevent distracting others. If you enjoy working in silence, use a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to block out distractions. Clear your mind of lingering issues or concerns; plan to deal with them after you finish. Eat in advance Avoid eating unhealthy snacks before writing and switch to brain-boosting foods like eggs, nuts, or yogurt to aid your concentration and focus. Remember to drink enough water. Inspiration/Dedication What motivates you to write this essay? Is it to earn a good grade? If so, focus on what you want to achieve and remember to set deadlines for yourself. Motivate yourself to begin, but forge on with discipline. If you’re not well-rested or fed, writing an essay can be more time-consuming than it needs to be. Take time for yourself and the writing will flow more easily. understands the importance of writing essays and other academic papers on a deadline. Whether you are in a high school, undergraduate, masters, or doctoral program, we offer academic writing services to help you achieve your goals. Our team of accredited writers can provide quality and original writing and use anti-plagiarism tools and resources.

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 65

Assignment - Essay Example Moreover, in such cases any sort of negative complications of pets relating to death or illness, may distorts the sentimental balance of the attached persons. At that moment, the written descriptions made by such emotionally hurt individuals often termed as lossography. People suffering from such pain and misery often tend towards expressing their emotions for loosening up the excessive level of mental stress to which they are subjected. In this respect, an individual presenting emotion in writing is an effective way of understanding psychological distress. Presenting emotional distress in writing is considered as a form of psychological treatment. Thus, lossography is an effective measure based on which pain and sufferings of an individual can be analyzed at the time of loss (Sheridan 20-50). Considering the above aspects, it can be stated that human beings have different ways of expressing their feelings and emotions. One of such techniques is the lossography that can be considered effective enough under such circumstances. This technique also helps in describing the behavioral and emotional attachment trends of an individual. Sheridan, Thomas. A complete Dictionary of the English Language, Both with Regard to Sound and Meaning; to which is Prefixed a Prosodial Grammar. The 2. Ed. Corr. and Enlarged. - London, Dilly 1789. North America: Dilly, 1789.

Analyse the change process during the takeover of Cadbury by Kraft and Essay

Analyse the change process during the takeover of Cadbury by Kraft and critically evaluate the management of that change process - Essay Example When Kraft took over Cadbury, this was a major change that was disruptive to the Cadbury organisation, which had implications for the all the stakeholders involved. Included in the stakeholders was the UK government, which rebuked the organisation for shuttering a plant that it promised to keep open. The workers felt job insecurity. However, the change was not all bad, as both companies gained market share throughout the world. This essay will examine the changes that were made, including the mistakes that Kraft made, and how the change affected all the stakeholders involved. Cadbury Nature of Change The triggers for change The triggers and forces promoting the change was that Kraft, in September of 2009, offered a takeover for Cadbury, valuing it at the time at ?10.2 billion (Wearden, 2010). This offer was initially rejected. Kraft eventually went hostile without a change in terms, despite the fact that Cadbury upped its sales and profit margins, along with a warning that the firm, Cadbury, would lose its unique culture if Kraft took it over. In the end, despite Cadbury's resistance to the takeover, Cadbury's board recommended that the firm be sold to Kraft for ?12 billion (Wearden, 2010). The triggers for change, in this case, was that Kraft wanted to expand its brand, and Cadbury was struggling in the marketplace. In applying the models of change, one of the pertinent models is that of Lewin’s Force Field Model. In this model, an organisation is beset by driving forces on one side and resisting forces on the other. Change upsets the equilibrium of the company, and the driving forces for change are opportunities and threats (Lewin, 1951). The driving force in this case was Kraft’s will to obtain the company, by any means, because it wanted to expand its market share. The resisting forces came when Cadbury repeatedly rejected Kraft’s offers, and, finally, Kraft had to take the company in a hostile takeover (Wearden, 2010). The opportunity that was represented by change was that both companies could gain market share. The threats was that Kraft’s takeover would threaten jobs, and would make workers, and the UK government, feel insecure about the future of the Cadbury company. Another model that is applicable is Lewin’s Ice Cube model. This assumes that there must be a transition state, that is the unfreezing of people’s beliefs – beliefs are frozen, and they must unfreeze for there to be change. The present state is the frozen belief system, while the desired state is what occurs after the beliefs are unfrozen, change takes place, and there is a new desired state that takes the place of the old belief system (Lewin, 1951). This is applicable in the Kraft case, as people in the Cadbury firm had a certain corporate culture and belief system, which is explained below, and they had to learn to adopt a new culture which was imposed by Kraft.

Aggressive in behaviour Essay Example for Free

Aggressive in behaviour Essay I will use this as my title for the purposes of planning. In 1998, 47% of female prisoners had dependent children (Flynn, 1998:75). In 1999 this was estimated to be more like 55% based on those with children sixteen or under. With the female prison population numbering around 3,250, the number of women estimated to have young children is 1788 (Harris, 2000:iv). So I feel it would be useful to try and locate around 10% of this number and ask for permission to interview and study their children. This figure would still mean a lot of work for the researchers and there would need to be several as not all of those approached would give permission for the research to involve their children. As a result, I have determined that the best methods of research will be interviews and observations. The reason I have chosen these methodologies is because they are more informal, and when working with children, it is more likely to yield results than questionnaires. Questionnaires are problematical for younger children, who may be unable to write and face to face techniques are more likely to obtain information questionnaires are not always filled in or returned to the researchers (Bell, 1999:130). The benefits of interviewing and observation preclude the use of questionnaires, in part because they allow a certain flexibility for the researcher to further investigate any new ideas which may become apparent (Browne, 1997:406, 414). Observation is beneficial to the researcher because it can allow for additional details to be noted which the child might be unable or unwilling to express. Interviews permit a degree of familiarity between the researcher and the subject, and in turn may present opportunity to further discuss any points which the researcher feel are relevant. In questioning children, the ethics are complex. Permission to interview the child has to be obtained, and it might be unclear from whom it should be procured. The British Psychological Society in 1996 set down a code of ethics and conduct in which it was stipulated that if the research affects someone not able to give valid consent, i.e. a child under the age of eighteen, then it needs to be obtained from whomever has legal authority to give it (Lindsay, 2000:14-15). The first people deemed to be those with parental responsibility are the natural parents. Exceptions to this include a carer who has a resident order under the 1989 Children Act, anyone holding a temporary emergency protection order or the local authority if the child is in care (Masson, 2000:37). If the mother is in prison, as is necessary for his research, obtaining information regarding their children might be a contentious point. It will involve the co-operation of the prison management in addition to the parents, children, and the childs place of education. There being only sixteen prisons in England and Wales which house female prisoners (Flynn, 1998:57), I feel it would be easier to gain the information from a women-only establishment as the administration may be more familiar with the inmates and perhaps will be in a position to assist the research. This would require asking the prison to identify those prisoners with children, which I believe is a detail which would perhaps already be on a database. If this is not the case, it would then involve asking the women in the prison to come forward. This would undoubtedly cause difficulties, as they may not wish to do so, perhaps through disinterest in the research or an unwillingness to be set part from the others as a result of it. Women who have been separated from their children, for whatever reason, may be emotional as a result, and therefore sensitivity is an absolute necessity. The disruption to the prison is also something which needs to be taken into consideration, but:  most prisoners find it a welcome change to talk to outsiders  (King, 2000:303). Once women with children between the ages of two and seventeen years have been identified and approached, their permission to interview their children must be obtained. Authorisation should also be secured from the person caring for the child away from the prison, as it is actually ethically wrong to ask permission for such things from the parent not currently the full-time carer (Masson, 2000:38). I do not know the ethics on continuing on the sole permission of the carer rather than the mother. This is the only clear means of getting access to the information required, as it would be too difficult to poll schools for the information. They would not be able to divulge the data on the children without parental permission anyway. If permission is not given by the mother or the carer, the child will not be contacted in any way. It might be interesting, however, to ask why the parents did not want to take part. Once permission has been gained, the next step is to decide where would be best for the child to hold the interviews. The parents may have suggestions themselves, as they may prefer to have the interview conducted in their presence. This is something which will have to be taken into consideration in the conduct of the project, as it may have a bearing on the behaviour of the child. The presence of a parent, teacher or carer may influence the way the child acts, albeit perhaps indirectly, so affecting their responses to the questions. It would undoubtedly be better to interview all the children under the same conditions, but this might not be possible so it would be advisable to be prepared to be flexible. The best place would be somewhere neutral to the child perhaps a local community centre, preferably interviewing the child twice once with a parent, carer or teacher in the room, then once without them there. I believe this might show a variance in the childs attitude and behaviour towards the researcher and their questions, as they will have an audience to play to when someone they know well is in the room. It is essential, however, to interview the child in a setting in which they are comfortable. If the parents feel it would be best to interview at their home, then places such as the garden or even the stairs may provide a sense of security for the child (Masson, 2000:43). Otherwise another place to carry out an interview might be the childs school. If the child is hostile to their school-life however, this may introduce elements of bias into their interview compared to other children who may have been interviewed at home or at a community centre. The practicality of eliciting reliable information from a child (under eighteen years of age), is a point which quickly becomes clouded with other issues. The words of an adult may be too complex or the sentence structure poorly formed, so that a child become confused. This has been proven to be the case by several authors (Walker, 1994, Dockrell, Lewis Lindsay, 2000), and includes children up to the age of eighteen. Minors, even those nearly eighteen, are not always proficient in language skills, and may have difficulty understanding the wording of questions or in formulating their own answers (Walker, 1994:4). There is a need to be sure of how a child is answering a question put to them, as they could be responding to a part of a question rather than the whole question.

The Young Offenders Act Essay examples -- Young Offenders Act Canada C

The Young Offenders Act The federal government of Canada fifteen years ago, in 1984, the Liberal party changed the Juvenile Delinquents Acts to the Youth Offenders Act to have a â€Å"More human approach to the rights of young people before the law†(Leschild and Jaffe, 8:1991). In the present such as Premier, Mike Harris, of Ontario wants the federal government of Canada to scrap the Young Offenders Act. In 1999, the same party that came up with the act is making majors changes to the act. This report will look at the young offenders act at the present time, look at why kids commit crime, what is being done to improve the act, what has the province done towards teenagers and also a look at the United Sates youth system. WHAT IS YOA The YOA the Young Offenders Act, which replaced the 75 years old Juvenile Delinquents Act in 1984, came into effect because since the courts where acting in the best interest of the children, little attention was paid to the rights of the children (Dickinson et al, 1996: 403). This had to be changed because of the new Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom which was passed in 1982 stated that in section 15 that â€Å"equality before the law without discrimination based on age †(Dickinson and others, 1996:744). The changes that were made to the YOA were that age that a child under the age of 11 could not be held criminal responsible. While between the age of 12-17 he or she could be held partial criminal responsible. Once you reached the age of 18, an adult you were full criminally responsible (Dickinson, 404:1996). If a young offender is sent to court the detail of the crime may be published, but the young person’s name or a young witness’ name could not be identified. The reason for this was for young people to have another chance in life if they screw up and also to protect a young person’s identity especially a witness (Justice Canada, 19:1988). WHY DO KIDS COMMIT CRIME: Why do kids commit crime, they are many answers but are there any correct answers to that question. Andree Ruffo is a youth court judge in Pointe-Claire, Quebec. She believes that kids commit crime and have to appear in court because of expressing themselves or trying to tell someone that their something wrong with their life, or their needs are not being met. She also feels that parents have a lot of problems on their own as she stated that â€Å"M... ...en cutting the number of new crimes committed by teenagers as much as 70%. The provincial government is now using this program. This program is known as MultiSystemic Therapy or MST, which is working the problem with the troubled kid. You are in the kids home almost every second day and Kelly McDonnell, a clinical supervisor for Peel area said, â€Å"You are in there. You are getting to the bottom of the problem†(Tyler, 1998: Internet). CONCLUSION: The Youth Offenders Act is a hot issue. On any given day you can not open up a newspaper or turn on a T.V and not find an article or a broadcast about the Young Offenders Act. The government has started to make changes, but could more changes be done or even faster? . The question will these changes make it better or turn it into a worst system then it is at the present, only the future will tell. Who is to blame for the youth offenders of this country could it be the parents who sometime do not have too much control of them or who do not care or known what their kids are doing are could we blame the media for influencing their minds. Let put a stop to youth crime and help these children before they get into trouble with the law.

Explain the Influence of Management Style on the Nature of the Employment Relationship Essay

It always a great deal for management to perform effectively in an organization, it is because they are the ones that are always look into by the people within the company. With the policies and guidelines that they give for the employees in order for them to achieve their goal effectively is the main reflection on the management style they implement and want to follow in the company. That is why in order for a company to succeed, management is always one of the main key, because it provides a better deal on addressing the main issue of relationship as well as policies. What is important for the management is that, no matter what and how they provide their management style in an organization, it should have positive output for both its people and also the stakeholders. Or always find a way to â€Å"strike the balance† between the two, because if people in the organization will not be given the right attention, it will be hard for company to survive, since these people are called as the â€Å"front liners† and the reflection of these performance will surely be reflected on the service they provide for the customer. On the other hand for the stakeholders, they maybe people that do not want to know more about how people or staff deals with their work, but more focus on the stability of the company, or simply â€Å"bottom line†. But, in order to achieve this there should be leader that must stand in front which will lead all these into reality. They say that a good leader is a good coach as well as moderator; these people are some of the very few people that knows how to encourage and provide hope for people and convert them to be an asset in the company and instead of a threat. Because there are other managers who thinks of efficient and effective people as threat, threat because they can overthrown the manager, because some managers are not that highly motivated and do not want to challenge themselves, that is why most companies development or progress are hardly achieve by these â€Å"power tripping: managers who would not want to see potential leaders to be what they deserve they can be, and inte4ad they be given challenge, they are either being ignored or left behind. For most effective managers or leaders who really provide great influence in an organization, they see company as business, not finance. This is the problem with some appointed managers or managers that are just being assigned without really understanding the position well. Actually managers are not financial comptroller, where the latter works more on how to control expenses but look into prioritizing how to increase sales and revenues. Managers forget the fact that they must lead and not always focus on the financials, because if they focus on the financials they should not be manager anymore, instead they should be working in the accounting or finance department. Another is that, managers are in the company to provide action and not just lesson. They must also provide community action, an action that would really help the company to go to its greatest potential and always dwell on how to prioritizing the important activities that needs to be done. For being an action man or woman in the company, it is also easy to find respect from the organization, since there is always hard work shown, and all of these provides great influence and eventually will result to success in the employment relationship within the organization. (Heller, R, 2007, pars. 4 and 9). Employee relations and theoretical interpretation In employment relation to employment relation, there are different types of theory that is applied in an organization. These are: (1) Unitary Theory, (2) Pluralist Theory, System, (4) Marxist, (5) Feminist, (6) Comparative, and (7) Postmodernism. For unitary theory, it is the existence of a single policy or authority that is being practice within the organization. This type of management theory is known in the very early years, where leaders form their own rule in the basis of what they think is right and people are mostly not given the rights to contradict or over rule the policy or guideline that was implemented. Classical Pluralism, is however is considered as the form of management is greatly influence by an electorate political group or any group that holds power over the society. Their main power is strengthen by the ideology that come from the community or societal group and this form of management style is well supported since it is perceived as for the good of many and not just from the group. System theory focuses is focusing on the inter-disciplinary representation of field science, which is complex nature of science, nature and science are the main basic on this theory. This also means that in every decision there is always a scientific explanation which needs to be followed or adhered. For Marxist theory, its philosophy mainly focuses on the diverse theory that Karl Marx which is mainly in the light of communism, this theory mainly involves such diverse fields like, aesthetics, ethics, ontology, epistemology and the philosophy of science as well. This is made popularize in the early strict and communistic era in Russia. On the theory about Feminism, it also provides a wide variety of discipline which mainly focuses on the common ideology of women’s role in politics, and these include: anthropology, sociology, economics, women as well as gender studies. This form of management looks after on the main concern of the greater women in the community which can be effectively being applied in the form of management within the organization. Lastly, for the theory about Postmodernism, which only shows that most of the people here are great fun of opportunities, like on and off the job training, like in the case of a project that will be eventually be started since the government has allocated some ideas in the organization. These theories have provided different impact in the organization since every theory is applied appropriately in the companies. It also provides a clear guideline as to how people can be managed effectively. Like take for instance a company that lies on the service that they provide, for example a company of systems development, which has given the authority to let users to participate in forming and firming the management standards and practices that the company must used. For the last two theories for management practices, comparative and post-modernism, for the first theory, Cooperative theory, this form of management, shows big importance to the greater majority of the people and these is brought out by the well collaborative effort shown from the employee and the management as well. This also shows that management must play big attention in their respective stores in a typical â€Å"look and feel† of the organization. (Hollinshead, Nicholls, and Tailby, 2003, pp. 9-41). The Importance of Collective Bargaining in an Organization For some companies accepting the presence of a Union is not that well accepted, because for some management it is just a source of employees of pushing other request that might even defeat the main vision or mission of the company. In fact the main objective of it is to provide a better deal of the needs of the staffs and not just raising some wants, which may lead to negative result. Companies or staffs must not always look into having an agreement that focuses not only for employee compensation or benefits but it should also focus on some other concerns like safety and help provision. This is because most industry, most especially manufacturing companies, automatically has a union and it provides a clear directive on what the policy that must be followed and this process must be strictly be send and follow up users. Collective bargaining has it own process which helps the management and the employees union to follow for better understanding of its agreement. In Ireland, this process is formed in a way that corresponds also to the company guidelines which is important to have it more appreciative and well respected by the stakeholder. (How Has Collective Bargaining Happen in Ireland, 2007).

The Final Five Minutes

Here I am lying in my hospital bed and I've just been told, this is it, I'm not sure how I feel, maybe relieved. This Illness has gone on too long and I have lost any energy I may have had for the fight. When the doctor told me, a very nice girl, she had tears down her cheeks and I ended up telling her that it was all right. I think this is the first time since it began I have been able to feel relaxed and calm. Sitting round the bed is my wife and two children watching me and talking about all the things that had happened today. I do not know if I am interested but I must look like I am for them, they are upset as it is and they will not believe I am content about the news I was given this morning. So far my life has been full and happy with my wife and children growing up around me. Although I am sad to be leaving them behind I know they will be OK and supported by my own family and friends and also theirs ass well when they are called upon. I know my family are close and will stick together through thick and thin to cope with the good and bad times together. I am holding my sons hands and telling him that things will carry on without me as normal and he must help his sister to get by being strong and helping his mum when she needs it and act as the man of the house. The nurse is putting something in my arm and saying it is for the pain and it feels like I am on drugs, it feels good and soothes the pain that has overcome my body for so long. I hope they give me enough drugs to help me through and make me leave this world looking ok and so everything is ok when the times comes to say goodbye, I'll be on the right track. Everything seems to be becoming distant and blurred, I wonder if this is the time? I don't know if I am ready yet, I want to say goodbye before I go anywhere. I'm thinking of my own parents and my past like a picture album remembering the good things when I was young. I seem to be going further away and every body is shouting, I wish they would be quiet and let me rest. All of a sudden everything is clear and I can see my family this makes me feel very happy and I am ready to go. Things are getting dark and I think this might be it, I don't care as long as it happens straight away and I do not look to silly. Everything is extremely quite and this is where I find out what really happens at the end.

Top Drives Essays - Petroleum Engineering, Petroleum Geology

Top Drives Essays - Petroleum Engineering, Petroleum Geology Top Drives April 2, 2013 Lance Lee Top Drives The Top Drive Drilling System is recognized as one of the most significant advancements in drilling technology since the introduction of the rotary table. When comparing them to regular drilling rigs, Top Drive Systems consistently drill faster and safer, with less chance of drill pipes being stuck. Top Drives also allow operators to reach areas and types of formations that would not be accessible with conventional rotary drilling. Horizontal drilling and extended reach have brought about drastic increases in production rates, and these wells can only be drilled with Top Drives. Along with improved well control and better hole conditioning, these benefits contribute to the unquestionable financial justification for the Top Drive. In 1981, Duke Zinkgraf of Sedco (now Transocean) sought out a way to drill from the top down from the drillstring and adding complete strand of pipe, which would end the need for the kelly drilling process. He searched for a company that was willing to embrace and develop his new concept. Duke found a partner with Varco (now National Oilwell Varco). George Boyadjieff, Varco?s president, assembled a team of engineers and dedicated it solely to this project. Their initial prototypes were first installed in the Middle East, they then made their way to the U.S. At first, the road to acceptance was bumpy. Many companies did not want the hassle of integrating the top drive drilling systems into the existing drilling processes. Once alterations were made to the top drives to make them easier to incorporate and more reliable, companies took notice. Once the industry began to realize the practical drilling capabilities of the top drive methods, new and radical well programs were being designe d around them. More and more advances in top drive equipment and operation are rapidly changing the way drilling is done. More than 60 percent of all drilling rigs are now incorporating top drives. The main reasons are increased safety and efficiency. A Top Drive is a motor that is suspended from the derrick, or mast, of the rig. This motor can be either electrical or hydraulic. These motors produce at least 1,000 horsepower. It is connected to a short section of pipe called the quill. From there, the quill is either screwed into a saver sub or the drillstring itself. Because the Top Drive is suspended, it is free to move up and down the derrick. Top Drives average around 15 feet in length and about 4 feet in width, which make it convenient to transfer due to its slender build. The average weight is somewhere around 10,000 lbs. A Top Drive has many advantages. It is capable of drilling with three joints stands, instead of just one pipe at a time. Top Drives typically decrease the frequency of stuck pipe, which contributes to cost savings. They also allow for quicker pump engagement and disengagement or the rotary while removing or restringing the pipe. Top Drives are also preferable for challenging extended reach and directional wells. A major advantage is safety related. Top Drives reduce risks and increase safety during the drilling process because they remove much of the manual labor that was previously required to drill wells. They are often completely automated, offering rotational control and maximum torque, as well as control over the weight on the bit. Top Drives have only a few disadvantages. The initial cost of installation and purchase are high. This initial cost would eventually be offset by increase production though. Also, the weight of the Top Drive is top heavy and the rig will have to be adjusted to counteract it. While initial costs and installation are high, the advantages greatly outweigh the disadvantages. To utilize Top Drives, the Top Drive must be appropriately sized to fit into the rigs which do this work. Their load rating and torque capacities must fit the characteristics of the wells to be drilled. Either the rig must have the additional power available for the Top Drive or a separate power unit must be supplied. Finally the contractual terms necessary to obtain the top drive must match the business needs of the end user Top Drives can be used in all environments and on all types of rigs, from truck-mounted

Introduction to the Internet of Things

Introduction to the Internet of Things The Internet of Things, or IoT, isnt as esoteric as it sounds. It simply refers to the interconnection of physical objects, computing devices and encompasses a wide range of emerging technologies such as virtual power plants, intelligent transportation systems and smart cars. One a smaller scale, IoT includes any smart (internet-connected) household item, from lighting to thermostats to televisions.   Broadly speaking, IoT can be thought of as a far-reaching expansion of  internet technology through an ever widening network of products, devices and systems embedded with sensors, software, and other electronic systems. Belonging to an interconnected ecosystem enables them to both generate and exchange data to make them more useful.   History and Origins In 1990, British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee  had just completed work on the critical pieces of technology that formed the foundation of the world wide web: HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) 0.9, HyperText Markup Language (HTML) as well as the first Web browser, editor, server, and pages. At the time, the internet existed as a closed network of computers limited to mostly government agencies and research institutions. However, by the early 21st century, the internet had expanded globally and has become one of the most influential technologies in the world. By 2015, more than three billion people have used it to communicate, share content, stream video, purchase goods and services and more. The Internet of Things is poised to be the next big leap in the evolution of the internet with the potential to transform how we work, play and live.   The Business World Some of the most obvious benefits are in the business world. Consumer goods, for example, stand to benefit from IoT throughout the entire supply chain. Factories that utilize automation will be able to connect various systems to eliminate inefficiencies while the cost of transporting and delivering goods can be reduced as real-time data helps to determine the ideal routes. On the retail end, products embedded with sensors will be able to relay performance details and customer feedback to the shops and manufacturers. This information can then be used to streamline the repair process as well as to refine future versions and develop new products.   The use of IoT is industry-specific. Agriculture companies, for example, have already made use of sensors to monitor crops and environmental changes such as soil quality, rainfall, and temperature. This real-time data is then sent to automated farm equipment, which interprets the information to determine how much fertilizer and water to distribute. Meanwhile, the same sensor technologies can be applied in healthcare to enable providers to automatically monitor patients’ vitals.   The Consumer Experience The Internet of Things is poised to shape consumers experiences with technology for years to come. Many standard household devices are available in smart versions, intended to increase convenience and efficiency while lowering cost. Smart  thermostats, for example, integrate user data and ambient data to intelligently control  indoor climate.   As consumers have begun to acquire a growing number of smart devices, a new need has arisen:   technology that can manage and control all IoT devices from a central hub.  These sophisticated program, often called virtual assistants, represent a form of artificial intelligence with a strong reliance on machine learning. Virtual assistants can operate as the control center of an IoT-based  home. The Impact on Public Spaces One of IoTs most significant challenges is large-scale implementation. Integrating IoT devices in a single-family home or multi-story office space is relatively simple, but integrating the technology into an entire community or city is more complex. Many cities have existing infrastructure that would need to be upgraded or entirely revamped in order to implement IoT technology. Nevertheless, there are some success stories. A sensor system in Santander, Spain enables residents to  locate free parking spaces using the citys smartphone app. In South Korea, the smart city of Songdo was built from scratch in 2015. Another smart city - Knowledge City, in Guangzhou, China - is in the works.   The Future of IoT Despite the rapid development  of the Internet of Things, major  barriers remain. Any device that connects to a network, from a laptop to a pacemaker, can be hacked. Consumers, business, and governments alike share concerns about the risk of security breaches if IoT were to become more  widespread. The more personal data our devices generate, the greater the risk of identity fraud and data breaches. IoT also intensifies concerns about cyber warfare. Still, the Internet of Things continues to grow.  From something as simple as a lightbulb that can be turned on and off with an app, to something as complex as network of cameras that sends traffic information to municipal systems to better coordinate emergency response, IoT presents a variety of intriguing possibilities for the future of technology.

Management of Chronic Pain for Patients With Breast Cancer Essay

Management of Chronic Pain for Patients With Breast Cancer - Essay Example The International Association for the Study of Pain defines it as: "An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage." Subjectively it could denote any form of unpleasant sensation with varying degrees of intensity. Pain is distinguished based on two basic types identified as acute and chronic. Acute pain results from a disease process whereby there is inflammation or injury to tissues occurring rather suddenly after trauma or surgery and may be accompanied by anxiety or emotional distress. Usually certain medications serve to diminish the intensity of Acute Pain. Chronic Pain however, persists over a longer period than acute pain and is resistant to most medical treatments. Several factors may serve to heighten its perception and frequency thereby causing discomfort to patients in varying degrees. Pain follows a certain train of events before it is detected and proclaimed by a patient. Luckmann and Sorensen traced it to "the nerve receptors, named as nociceptors which differs from the complex receptors of vision and other senses". These nociceptors are simply free nerve endings in almost all types of tissues which react to change and require a high level of stimulation to elicit a response. However once their threshold is exceeded they communicate the presence of the painful stimulus. At times they become so over sensitized that long after the stimulus is removed, pain still persists. Once these nociceptors are stimulated, they discharge an impulse that travels in the form of an electrical activity to the spinal cord and on to the brain. The spinal cord is informed on the activity of the body through nerve fibers carrying somatosensory information. The spinothalamic tract then carries the painful information to the brain via the thalamus by passing through the somatosensory cortex which serves to localize and identify the quality of pain before it is diffused to the many areas of the brain including the reticular formation, medulla, hypothalamus and limbic structures. As a response, the brain sends to the receptors a complex response to the painful stimuli. It dictates the receptors to identify the degree, the character and intensity of the pain; its location and how to behave to reduce or avoid it in the future. "Pain can be inhibited if its pathways are blocked", as presented in the Gate-Control Theory of Melzack and Wall. The "gate" in their report is controlled by a dynamic function of cells that can facilitate or inhibit the transmission of pain signals. The fibers bringing pain information from the tissues are found in layers known as laminae. A certain Laminae II which is different from the rest of the layers and also called the Substantia Gelatinosa(SG) is proposed as the location of the "gate". This serves as the convergence point of all pain information, whether stimulus coming in from the tissues or identification from the brain. A spinal cord transmission cell also known as the t-cell either opens the gate thereby facilitating pain transmission or closing the gate. A variety of sources may close or open the gate but only the brain can manipulate the "gate" to inhibit or