The 4 Horsemen of Relationship Apocalypse

Since my own separation and divorce, I have always been amazed when people who have suffered a marital breakdown have not been able to see themselves as part of the problem. It almost always takes two people to fail in a marriage, although one may initiate separation or divorce and the other may be surprised. I think it would be a rare case if only one party was guilty of destroying a marriage, although in aberrant abuse situations, it is usually one person who destroys the marriage. Many more marriages fail through neglect or “silent” emotional abuse.

And when we consider this important emotional realm in marriage, it helps us identify and attend to the Four Horsemen of Relationship Apocalypse.

There are four clearly destructive forces involved in marriage: criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and the wall. These four factors, identified by John Gottman, are the watchdog points for our marriages and our relationships in general.

THE FOUR HORSEMEN AND THEIR ANTIDOTES

The first horseman of the relationship apocalypse is criticism. There is a severe tone of personal attack manifest in the criticism. It would be better to complain using the formula “when you / I feel / would rather that … from now on”. At least by complaining we separate our partner from the source of the problem. We must discuss the problem and not personalize it by attacking the person the 3 word formula.

The second rider is the defensive attitude, which is a couple or both who refuse to take personal responsibility for the problems in their marriage. It would be better for both partners to accept responsibility for their thoughts, feelings, and actions. When both partners are mature enough to own their thoughts, feelings, words, and actions, much more marital satisfaction is experienced.

The third horseman is contempt, and there is hardly a more vociferous and despicable barb against the relationship. We see contempt through name calling, hostile humor, and name calling. Contempt is countered by a culture within the marriage of appreciation. It is a strange irony that those who are most devoted to contempt are transferring their inner feelings of self-loathing to their partners. When we appreciate ourselves, we appreciate others more.

The fourth horseman is a stone wall. Nothing would be more stifling for a marriage than the deliberate blocking of progress within the conflict. Would something infuriate the other partner so much? This type of passive aggressiveness should be called for what it is. Obstacle perpetrators need to be aware of what they do, when they do it, and most importantly why they do it.


Criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and tapping are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Relationship. It would be better to complain than criticize, accept personal responsibility than defend ourselves, appreciate the good and not insult our partners and commit to addressing our partners’ frustrations rather than actively frustrating them.

Online Fax – How It Can Save You Time And Money

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For any individual or business owner, any program or service that can save you time and money is a no-brainer. You just can’t afford not to use it if you want to keep up with your competition. Online faxing is such a program or service, you must have it if you really want to compete in these uncertain economic times.

How do you save time using an online fax service?

Actually, in many ways. First, it has been estimated that sending a traditional fax through the old fax machine takes about 10 minutes. This is considering the time it takes to walk to and from the machine, set up the machine, prepare the cover letter, and send the fax. We will ignore any socializing with co-workers on the way to the fax machine or while you are there sending your fax.

Compare this conventional method to Internet or online faxing where sending your fax is very similar to sending an email. How long does it take to send an email? Of course, you may need to take the time to write a cover letter, but using online fax is quick and simple. Perhaps most importantly, you don’t have to go anywhere, as you can send your fax right from your desktop. Access is immediate and at your fingertips, and you can send your fax through your current email system.

This is just the most obvious way that web faxing can save you time, but in actual use, online faxing can save you or your business much more valuable time. How? Mainly, it has to do with the handling, classification, filing and storage of your faxes online, which are in digital format. All your faxes can be easily archived and stored on your computer and / or online on your account. Whenever you want to retrieve a fax, it is only a matter of a few mouse clicks, regardless of whether you received this fax yesterday or six months ago. This can be a huge time saver for anyone, all your faxes are available anywhere, anytime. Plus, with online faxing, you can simply import your contact lists and broadcast your fax to thousands of clients at once. This will definitely save you more time.

How does using an online fax service save money?

Online faxing is much cheaper than conventional faxing for many reasons. First of all, you don’t need to buy or have a fax machine running 24/7, which consumes energy and money. Since everything is done through your email system and your web connection, this is a paperless fax. You don’t need to buy papers, inks, toner, and you don’t need to have a dedicated fax phone line, which can definitely save you money.

Plus, web fax service are very inexpensive – you can even get a “pay-as-you-go” plan, so your costs will be minimal. You can even get a yearly plan and save more money. On average, these services cost between $ 8 and $ 10 per month, but there are some good, reliable fax providers that charge a lot less, so it’s worth comparing prices.

Those are the obvious money-saving features, but using Internet fax can also save you money in other indirect ways. As you probably know, junk faxes can immobilize your machine and waste valuable resources in the process. However, with online faxing, since it is an email process, you can easily block junk faxes from reaching you or your business. This will save you time and money.

Finally, you should also realize that using an Internet fax service will mean that your company or business will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. No more lost faxes due to busy signals or paper jams – you or your business can be contacted at any time. So no more transactions or lost revenue because a vital transaction failed to arrive on time. All of this, as you can clearly see, will save you or your business both money and time. So are you using an online fax service?

Save Time And Money With A Healthy Food Delivery Service

When many people hear of a food delivery service, they think of the usual fast food. This is not the case as there are many food delivery services that provide fresh, organic and healthy food.

Benefits of a healthy food delivery service

Healthy Foods – This is an obvious benefit. Since the food delivery service will provide you with healthy food, you will eat healthy food and thus live a healthy life. In addition to being more productive in life, eating healthy foods also results in weight loss. This increases your self-confidence and your life expectancy.

Convenience – With a food delivery service you don’t have to go to the kitchen to prepare food. In fact, you don’t need to get up from your seat. All you need to do is make a phone call or order online and the healthy food will be delivered to your doorstep. It doesn’t matter if you are in the office or at home, they will deliver the food to you.

Save money – let’s be honest, healthy food doesn’t come cheap. Many people believe that they will save money when preparing their meals, but this is not the case. Since you will buy small units of the food, you will end up spending a lot of money. Since they buy the food in large quantities, they usually attract big discounts and therefore get the food at low prices. Consequently, they provide you the food at lower prices.

More options: Delivery companies offer you many types of food to choose from. You should choose the food you want based on your needs and budget. If you have a special condition, such as diabetes, most companies will provide you with the special meals.

Tasty Food – Since delivery companies are in business and want to have you as a regular, they prepare their meals professionally, ensuring that meals are not only nutritious, but also tasty and pleasing to the eye. Restaurant Style Chicken Korma , Chicken Korma Recipe

Who should opt for healthy food delivery services?

Delivery companies are ideal for all those looking to enjoy healthy and tasty food. Singles, professionals, and women with young children are the most common people who should consider it as they have little time to find and prepare meals. If you are a career person, most of the time you get delayed at the office. With the food delivery service, you have the convenience of having the food delivered to the desired location at the desired time.

Guide to Choosing a Food Delivery Service

There are many healthy food delivery services, but few are right for you. To make it easy for you, you should consider a number of factors before deciding on a particular company. One of the factors is the ease of use of the company’s platform. As a general rule of thumb, go for a company with an easy-to-use platform. You must also consider the reputation of the company. For your peace of mind, choose a company with a great reputation.

Keeping Your Healthy Food Lifestyle, And Your Dignity, In Challenging Social Situations

Sharing food is one of the most basic ways that human beings bond with one another.

We celebrate our religious holidays with food.

Family get-togethers center around food.

We get to know potential romantic partners by going to a restaurant to eat food.

When we have an office party: food.

When we have a block party: food.

Rites of passage are brought to a close by gathering around food.

Our first bond with another human being is developed through food: the mother breastfeeding her infant.

But food can also be a basis of social conflict, especially when you start saying “no” to unhealthy food, partly because of our strong attachments to each other.

There’s the family conflict, such as, “Why aren’t you eating my chocolate cake, I made it just for you?”

There’s the unspoken friendship conflict: “If you don’t want to make me uncomfortable, you will keep eating the same food we are used to eating with each other.”

And there’s the silent vampy conflict. “I don’t like her thinking she’s better than me with all those healthy food choices she’s making.”

Because food is so social, it can be hard to make choices that are different from the choices of people around us.

Some people might be supportive when you make that important shift from unhealthy to healthy eating habits. Some might even be inspired by your choices and decide to follow suit.

Other people might take your choices as personal to them. They react as if your healthier food choices are a negative reflection on the choices they are making.

The “dark side” to food as a medium for social bonding is that it is loaded with social judgements. People judge themselves and each other for what they eat. Red Kidney Beans Recipe , Lal Lobia Recipe

And it’s not just “healthy versus unhealthy” kinds of judgements.

If you say “no” to a food that to symbolizes love or friendship to the person offering it, they might not think you are saying no to the effects of the food on your body. They might assume you are saying no to what the food symbolizes to them.

Complicated stuff to deal with, especially given the fact that making the transition to a healthy food lifestyle is already hard enough.

But dealing with the social complications around food doesn’t have to do you in. You don’t have to cave to social pressure, and you don’t have to isolate yourself from people who have unhealthy eating habits.

You just need to remember how loaded the topic of food is to some people, and prepare for it in advance.

Usually all it takes is having a few prepared explanations for your food choices.

By having a prepared explanation for your consistent “no” to certain foods, you can safely make your way through a social minefield by presenting your explanation in a way that minimizes some people’s tendency to interpret your choices as personal to them.

For instance, let’s say you are visiting your parents, who think refined sugar is one of the great inventions of the modern world, and Dad is pushing pie.

Dad: “You don’t want a piece of your mother’s pie? She spent all afternoon making it!”

You: “I know, it looks so good. I ate so much of her delicious dinner, though. I’m so full!” (Slight lie – it wasn’t that delicious, and you’re not that full.)

Dad: “Well, here, just a small piece.”

You: “Well, I want to eat it when I can appreciate it, so not right now, or it won’t taste as good as I know it is. I better take some home with me instead. So anyway, dad, I heard that you got a new… !”

If you’re not comfortable with a polite lie, then find your sliver of truth to present. Just frame it in a way so that it makes people feel safe, and they’ll be less likely to think your choice is a reflection on them.

Of course, they shouldn’t take it personally. But reality isn’t what it “should” be. It’s what it is.

People are the way they are. To keep their emotions out of your personal eating choices, it’s good to have a strategy for every social situation.

If you are sticking to the carrots and hummus at the office party because everything else is loaded with sugar and chemicals, you could briefly explain to anyone who asks you why you aren’t trying the amazing hydrogynated-oil-high-fructose-corn-syrup delight, that you’ve noticed sugar makes you feel tired, and you want to see if you start feeling better if you cut back on it.

This explanation keeps the problem and solution all about you. Not about weight. Not about will power. Not about “good food” and “bad food.” Not, “Are you crazy, do you know what’s in that stuff?”

Especially nowadays – when junk food abounds, and people everywhere are struggling with their weight – food can be a very emotionally loaded topic.

Unless you want to engage with people about your “strange” healthy food choices, just come prepared with a brief, impersonal explanation for your refusal of certain foods, one that both honors your choices and deflects intrusive reactions.

When you prepare in advance, dealing with the complicated social dynamics around food can be sort of like bringing

Circus Tents

Circus performance rings go a long way down the paths of the entertainment industry. Previously, circus organizers used to build temporary wooden spaces for their performances while traveling from city to city. Thus, they naturally had to endure the restricted mobility of their act until the 19th century, when canvas tents finally made their way into the colorful, psychedelic world of the circus. Now they could act in more cities and on a much larger scale. Today, we even have the three track circuses that allow viewers to watch three different acts simultaneously.

Some shows use more than one tent temporary tent buildings . The smaller tents are of the push pole type and can be easily set up, while the larger ones require professional skill to set up and generally use bullet rings for this purpose. Circus tents are available in a variety of colors, designs and sizes, the most common size being 44m by 44m. There are Hippodrome, one-ring and three-ring tents or permanent and temporary tents. Tents serve to cover a large space and, at the same time, add atmosphere and pomp. Often times, circus tents have a seating system with a certain capacity, extendable sections, ventilation systems and some other necessary modifications and additional decorations.

A circus can buy its own tent or it can opt for a rented tent. Very often, the event organizing companies can also rent the tent. Even though, to this day, many circuses are moving indoors, a large part of the traveling circuses still display the colors of the fun and impressive acts just below the marquee. Today, most circus tents are available with built-in facilities and amenities, designed to cater for as large a group of spectators as the circus can keep them delighted.

A Guide to Hiring an SEO Provider

How To Become An SEO Expert In 2021 (Step-By-Step Guide)

If your business has any online components (such as a website), then SEO is critical to the continued success of your business. You may have the most expensive website in your industry, but without the web traffic (visitors) of that website, it is basically useless. You need not only traffic, but also target traffic. A high-quality SEO service can provide your website with relevant and consistent web traffic. This guide will allow you as a non-expert to distinguish between good and bad SEO providers. There are many of these two, and this guide should help you find a good one.

SEO needs to be implemented in an effective way to achieve your SEO goals and provide all the important and meaningful presence on the World Wide Web.

In formulating a successful expansion and growth strategy, high-quality SEO is a vital investment.

Ineffective Hong Kong seo implementation makes your pittsburgh seo work completely ineffective and wastes your money.

6 things you need to know and understand before hiring an SEO provider:

1) Hiring an SEO provider should be regarded as an investment in your business. You should not think of it as a business expense, but as a business strategy and an effective way to increase business influence in your business unit. Try not to start a search for the purpose of “buying some SEO”. Hiring an SEO provider should be seen as hiring employees who understand and care about your business and its online goals.

2) The first page of Google (or any search engine) is everything. Few people go to the second page of search results anymore. Google is so good at being a search engine that people blindly believe in Google’s ability to provide the most relevant results on the first page. Think about how often you click to go to the second page. This means that if your business is not on the first page, then it is almost nowhere to be found. The top position of the first page gets the most clicks, and as you move down the page, the number of clicks decreases.

3) “Big” keywords are not everything. It’s better to put a few smaller keywords on the first page instead of trying to rank for larger keywords without being on the first page at all. For example, an accounting business in Preston may not rank the highly competitive keyword “accountants” (unless they have a large SEO budget and wait time to rank); but you can imagine that the same business is on the keyword ” “Chartered Accountant Preston” ranked high. A good SEO provider should study the keywords that your business can actually rank on the first page, as well as keywords with sufficient search volume, it is worth your business to try ranking.

4) SEO is about defeating your competitors. If you perform certain actions, search engines cannot guarantee that you will appear on the first page of Google. In short, SEO works like this:

Search engines have their conventions; websites that meet the requirements by providing search engines with what they want will find themselves in better search engine rankings. The only factor between you and the top search rankings is your competitors. Not your actual business competitors, but your online competitors. The websites that currently rank top in search engines for the keywords you want are your online competitors, and you need to beat them from these top positions. Some keywords are easy to rank for, others are more difficult. Only your online competition determines the situation of each keyword. A good SEO provider will study the competition for each of your keywords. Then, after determining the most effective keywords for your business unit, you should implement them according to the third point above.

5) On-page and off-page search engine optimization.

Search engine optimization is a complex and evolving science, but in order to skillfully interview potential SEO providers, you need to understand that there are two main types of SEO.

On-page SEO is related to the factors that affect SEO on your website (keywords, availability, page title, outbound links, internal links, etc.).

Off-page SEO is the factors directly related to matters outside of your website that affect website SEO, such as backlinks, citations, social sharing, etc.

SEO Services

Professional services can promote your website above your competitors. According to SEO experts, they help business owners provide their websites to top search engines. They ensure that the site has unique settings that appeal to Internet users. Search engine optimization experts use the latest analysis services, which have a positive impact on the website. SEO companies face fierce competition in the SEO field. However, they introduced guaranteed SEO services to deal with the competition.

These search engine optimization companies have a strategy that requires customers to pay monthly website maintenance fees to major search engines (including Google and Yahoo). However, the company guarantees to provide SEO services, and customers do not need to pay the maintenance fees for the month.

Google has always maintained a leading position because they have accurate methods and algorithms that can provide searchers with reliable results. However, Google makes it difficult for Web developers to use optimization techniques to manipulate search engines. This is why SEO companies have guaranteed SEO refunds.

The SEO company ensures that the guaranteed seo Hong Kong service includes Google’s webmaster guidelines. Webmaster guidelines can improve website ranking and search activity. The service customers get from SEO experts is like a marathon. However, customers should be aware that SEO techniques can have a huge impact on the site and cause damage to it-this is why they must use a legitimate SEO strategy to get impressive results.

Although people may read a lot of information about search engine rankings, no search engine optimization company can ensure that its website will get the first page in Google or Yahoo search engine results. Nevertheless, SEO companies have guaranteed SEO services, which is great when one signs up with Google. The fact remains that SEO services assure customers that even if the site will not be among the top search engines, money will not be wasted due to refunds.

Many webmasters are confused when they hire search engine optimization SEO experts. Although SEO experts are believed to save time and improve webmaster websites through SEO strategies, they can also frustrate webmasters. Therefore, webmasters must investigate the pros and cons of SEO services. The main tasks of SEO experts are:

-Ensure that the website is well reviewed in terms of content or structure

-Provide search engine optimization SEO recommendations for website development, such as using JavaScript and web hosting

-Use SEO services to develop website content

-Provide online business improvement activities

-Target keyword research

-Provide SEO training

However, the webmaster can master search engine optimization SEO through the website. They will understand the benefits of hiring an SEO expert and what to expect from an expert.

Obviously, when webmasters hire search engine optimization SEO experts, they have a better chance to maximize their SEO services. When they want to create a new site, it is best to look for Web developers with a flair for Web design. Web developers will ensure that the webmaster’s site reaches top search engine rankings such as Google or Yahoo. Web developers also assist in improving existing sites.

However, webmasters must ask several questions about search engine optimization SEO, including:

1. Do they have examples and testimonies from past customers?

2. Do they follow the Google webmaster guidelines?

3. Do they implement SEO online marketing services to improve online business?

4. Do they have experience in the webmaster industry?

5. Do they know the country/city where the webmaster is located?

6. Do they have experience in developing websites for international companies?

7. What are the best SEO techniques implemented on the webmaster’s website?

8. How long have SEO experts been engaged in web design?

9. Does the SEO expert have good communication skills when making changes on the client’s website?

Although SEO experts provide excellent SEO services to their clients, there are still some who disrupt the web design industry through their greed in their marketing efforts and manipulation of search engine rankings. If SEO does not involve ethical practices, the site’s visibility on Google may be low, and it may even be removed from the Google index.

SEO and social media marketing ensure that one’s website has the best SEO network marketing, which means that their company can remain competitive in the online market. All individuals have to do is transition to their online business.

The main component of SEO network marketing is to develop website traffic and top search engine rankings. However, webmasters should know that these components are not easy to obtain. They must apply formulas and SEO strategies to produce effective results. There are many websites that provide relevant information about SEO and online marketing, and you can learn from them.

How To Get A Quality Targeted Email List

One of the best ways to get a great targeted email subscriber list is by starting your own website or blog. When visitors come to your sites, they learn about you, what kind of content you offer, and what you will offer if they join your subscription mailing list.

You’ll want to get the most out of the engagement strategies on your website and blog. Here are some ideas you can implement to attract subscribers.

Place your registration box on each and every page of your website and blog. Include a great headline and a compelling reason to subscribe.

Offer an incentive for your visitors to sign up for your newsletter. It could be an e-course, a free report, and of course a content update on your sites.

Try a pop-up window or exit window to invite people to subscribe to your list. Sure, pop-ups can be annoying, but they’re also very effective.

Create a special website to promote your newsletter subscription ONLY. This is a highly focused website that shows the benefits of subscribing, the content to be covered, and that’s it. Because there are no distractions, you will find that you can get a quality  Targeted Email List with this direct approach.

The fifth method is often called the subscription page, which is a type of mini-site.  A mini-site is basically a site that has only one purpose, be it to get people to buy a product, sign up for the list, or request more information.

Another way is simply Buy Targeted Email Lists from professional available online to save your time.

Best Men’s Shaving Products

Best grooming practices remain a mystery to many men. Preparation does not have to be difficult. In fact, with the right men’s shaving products, you’ll be amazed at how easy it can be.

  1. Mustache lifter
    Mustache lifters may look dated, but there’s a reason professionals use them – they are effective! Mustache lifters do exactly what the name suggests they do, that is, they lift beard hair from your face, making it easy to shave close and without irritation.
  2. Razor
    And not just any razor. You will always want to shave with a clean, sharp razor. If your razor is dull, it is probably doing more harm than good to your skin. Dull razors cause irritation how to use beard balm, drag, and ultimately unsightly scale and razor burn. Do yourself a huge favor and replace razors or shaving cartridges whenever they start to get dirty or wear out.
  3. Shaving cream
    A quality shaving cream is essential to protect your skin from the razor you are going to apply. It is very important to lubricate the beard and facial skin before shaving. Doing so will help the razor glide smoothly across your skin. Good shaving creams are also effective in moisturizing, which is an important part of keeping baby’s skin soft and preventing premature aging.
  4. After the soothing shave
    To avoid shaving-related grievances such as shave burns, ingrown hairs, redness, and inflammation, end your routine with a soothing aftershave product. A good aftershave balm will be effective in reducing irritation and will also provide an immediate cooling and soothing sensation.

How to Choose an Exceptional Plumbing Service

Getting a plumbing services contractor can be simple, but hiring a plumbing specialist isn’t really easy. To avoid making the most common mistakes when choosing a poor plumbing service company, you may want to keep a few things in mind.

Above all, a great plumber must be willing to provide exceptional plumbing services. In addition to making sure all of your plumbing structures are in good working order ΥΔΡΑΥΛΙΚΟΙ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΘΗΝΑ 24 GR, an amazing plumber must be ready with the necessary tools and must respond quickly to any plumbing emergencies, such as leaking pipes or blocked sewers, in the most competent manner possible.

Additionally, outstanding plumbing services must have the ability to deal with not only simple plumbing and drainage problems, but must also restore and reinstall even the most complex plumbing problems out there.

Also, before hiring a plumber, make sure they are already insured and a passenger on the State Contractors Licensing Board (CSLB). This can make you feel more at peace because you are hiring a registered plumber to handle your home plumbing difficulties, and you could trust him to check your home fixtures.

Also, remember that hiring an unlicensed, untrained plumber might seem less expensive to you, but the fact is, you may end up shelling out more cash as their incompetence can make unresolved plumbing problems worse and harder to deal with. sort out. And ultimately this could require you to pay a lot more just to have your existing plumbing problem completely fixed.

In addition, a fantastic plumbing service provider company also offers plumbing restoration and clogged drain cleaning 24/7. It provides availability even in the early hours of the morning just to be able to provide you with excellent plumbing service. Regardless of whether or not you have plumbing problems within your home or within your corporate building, an exceptional plumbing service can solve them at any time.

So even if you are not anticipating any plumbing problems in the future or if you have been suffering from a pipe leak for some time, maybe you already need the assistance of a competent plumbing service to avoid worrying about all the unnecessary stuff. trouble. However, keep in mind that you shouldn’t ignore any existing plumbing problems or simply wait for them to become uncontrollable before finally deciding to hire an exceptionally competent plumber.

Business Strategies in a Recession – How to Add Consumer Value to Your Business

What Does CVS Stand For

CVS stands for Consumer Value Stores. 1964 — The chain grows to 17 stores. The original CVS logo is developed (CVS banner inside a shield, with the words “Consumer Value Stores” below) and displayed on store exteriors for the first time.

Questions prior to the article:

  1. What percentage of the population buys your product or service for its price?
  2. Before someone called your organization, walked through your door or visited your website … What level of service, on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the best of the best) do you think? is your consumer? waiting?
  3. How do your consumers measure the value of your product or service? How can you use this to build a better value proposition than your competition?

Answers from my perspective:

What percentage of the population buys your product or service by price?

I find that most companies think the number is higher than it actually is what does cvs stand for. Even gas stations shouldn’t be so focused on their price, but they are because they’re content to be commodities when they should be thinking about value (more on that later). I think price is more like 3 or 4 on the top 10 criteria list that even the lowest income consumers take into consideration. Take hotel rooms as an example. If price were the main concern of the hotel consumer, then they would stay with a relative, in his car or at the “Bob’s Bargain Motel” next to the railroad tracks with all the graffiti. People will pay a little more to get what they perceive to be a lot more … even minimum wage consumers make these kinds of decisions. “For $ 1.50 more, this hair dryer has multiple speeds, looks cooler, and is more durable … I’ll spend the $ 1.50 to get the extras.”

What level of service, on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best of the best) do you think your consumer expects?

Most of you were thinking 8-9-10 and the answer is much less. Why? I’ve asked 800 audiences if service levels in America are getting better or worse. 99.99999% of them say it is getting worse. And, when talking to international people, I get similar responses. Most companies hope to get a 10. Consumers dream and pray for a 10 … but most expect to get a 5. Why? Because first-time consumers always group companies into the group of bad suppliers that exist. I have asked many people to stand up and tell me the last time a restaurant, shoe shine store, cable company, or AutoZone store surprised them with exceptional service. Most take a long time to say something … and when they say something, they tell stories about how water was served to their table, the food was hot, the waitress is friendly, and the check arrives on time. Folks, this is what we’re S U P P O S E D to achieve! For what we pay! It is amazing that we are impressed with the good feelings because we got what we paid for. But here’s the deciding factor: If companies DO TRY to deliver more than people expect … they will be impressed. Just for the simple fact that they are trying. That’s how bad the service is collectively in America today.

How do your consumers measure the value of your product or service? How can you use this to build a better value proposition than your competition?

Value is calculated in the mind of the consumer starting with an expectation (E) and seeing, feeling, smelling and hearing how your organization delivers (D). My value formula reads like this: V = D / E. If a consumer has never used your services before and expects their business service level to be 5 (E), but then delivers a 9 (D) … then the delivered value is maximized. It is a mutual benefit for you and the consumer. Now when they use you the second time … what will they be waiting for? Right, a 9. And although it is much, much more difficult to impress people a 2nd, 3rd, 4th time, etc … that’s what companies should do. Low prices? Give away free stuff? NO. deliver more than the consumer expects. Never stop adding value to the consumer experience.

Let me offer some real-world examples of business and consumer value:

AutoZone advertised in a big way on billboards, radio and television that if you walked into their stores to buy a new battery, they would first test your old battery to make sure that was the problem before exploring any further. The same goes for other parts of the car. The problem was … the stores, in Memphis, TN (where AutoZone is based), rarely did. I thought this was a great marketing idea when it came out, but it wasn’t supported with training and reinforcement. As a consumer, I had an expectation of No. 7 and they turned in a no. 2. I would have been surprised if your stores had taken the time to actually test customer batteries and other important parts while they were under

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