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SBA Calls Federal ‘Exemptions’ Illegal – $640 Billion in Contracts Diverted from Small Businesses

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SBA Legal Opinion Inspires Small Business Crusader to File Petitions to Rescind Regulations He Calls on the Bush Administration to Prohibit Biased Rules and Practices

Saint Augustine, FL (PRWEB) September 14, 2007 — Small Business Advocate, Raul Espinosa, Founder of the Fairness in Procurement Alliance (FPA), representing the procurement interests of 10 million small businesses, announced a long overdue, but historic legal ruling by the Small Business Administration (SBA) benefiting thousands of small and minority businesses contracting with the federal government.

Espinosa's legal filing caused the SBA to rule that the General Services Administration (GSA) must adhere to the statutory set aside rules for contracts between $3,000 and $100,000. GSA had claimed, for years, that under the "exemptions," it could ignore the set aside rules in its schedule program, where more than $44 Billion of purchases are made. Specifically, the SBA confirmed that the Small Business Act protects small businesses from being forced to unfairly compete against large businesses under the GSA Federal Supply Schedules.

http://www.fitnet.net/FPA/Press/SBA%20Opinion.pdf

Following this September 4, 2007 SBA opinion, Espinosa initiated two important actions designed to force government regulators to make regulatory changes respecting the SBA opinion and the mandate of Congress.

Espinosa said, "FPA has petitioned Paul Denett, Administrator of the White House Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), using a whistleblower statute, and The Office of Advocacy, through their new 'Regulatory Review and Reform Initiative' to rescind the exemptions." Espinosa concluded, "We will accept nothing short of their complete elimination from the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)."

http://www.fitnet.net/FPA/Press/FPA%20PETITION%20TO%20ADVOCACY.PDF
http://www.fitnet.net/FPA/Press/FPA%20PETITION%20TO%20OFPP.pdf

Espinosa's Congressman, John Mica, in support of his actions, has written letters to Jim Nussle, Director of The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), "asking for OMB to investigate the specific problems sighted by FPA and Mr. Espinosa" and to Congressman Thomas Davis III, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, "requesting for the Committee to conduct a review of the OMB procurement policies."

According to Espinosa, "The 'exemptions' are directly responsible for having excluded, illegally, $640 Billion in Federal contracts – over the last decade – from small and minority businesses."

Espinosa added, "These illegal regulations have done more damage to public confidence in government contracting and to the economic viability of small business than 9/11 and Katrina combined and FPA is determined to stop their influence on the procurement community."

Espinosa's attacks against the illegal regulations resulted in this historic SBA Legal Opinion issued in response to his GAO Protest (B-309911) which challenged the 'exemption authority' and statutory standing of those regulations.

http://www.fitnet.net/FPA/Press/FitNet%20Protest%20B-309911.pdf

The SBA Legal Opinion states, "As it stands now, agencies believe that the Small Business Act's programs do not apply to either the GSA Schedule contracts or orders issued off the contracts. This is clearly contrary to statute and Congressional intend. Small business set asides are mandatory for acquisitions valued from $3,000 to $100,000 and take priority over GSA Schedule contracts."

In summary, SBA states "the (set-aside) statutory provision creates a mandatory small business reservation for acquisitions valued below $100,000" (and in some instances up to $250,000) and further confirmed that "there is nothing in statute or GAO ruling indicating that a GSA Schedule contract should or can take priority over this statutory mandated small business reservation requirement." SBA also affirmed that, "this (set-aside) statute does not exempt GSA Schedule awards or orders issued pursuant to the Schedule contract from the Small Business Act."

Small business community leaders and fair competition advocates have uniformly endorsed the SBA's views in their commentaries on this momentous legal opinion.

http://www.fitnet.net/FPA/Press/VIP%20QUOTES%20IN%20SUPPORT%20OF%20ELIMINATING%20EXEMPTIONS.pdf

Max Kidalov, former Republican Counsel of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, said, "This SBA decision is a huge win for the small business community and fair competition." He added, "SBA has confirmed what Congress has been saying all along: the so-called 'set-aside exemptions from the Small Business Act have no legal justification. Now, it is time for the GAO to hold bureaucrats accountable for ignoring Congressional policy on fair treatment of small businesses."

Since 2001, Congress has been strongly pressing Federal agencies to comply with the Small Business Act to all Federal contracts. For instance, the Senate Small Business Committee had targeted attempts to exempt from the Small Business Act, contracts by GSA, the Postal Service, the Department of Energy, the Transportation Security Administration and overseas contracts by State and Defense Department. In a letter dated January 15th, 2005, to Department of State Secretary Powell, Senator John Kerry and Sen. Olympia Snowe, Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship stated, "Executive Departments do not have the discretion to interpret the law in a matter inconsistent with its plain language. The unambiguous Congressional intent (is) that the Act governs all procurements."

Roger Campos, President and CEO of the Minority RoundTable (MBRT) and Member of the SBA National Advisory Board commented, "this Legal Opinion, freeing in excess of $60 Billion in annual contracts for small businesses, opens the way for the Senate to support the House Bill (H.R. 1783) calling for an increase in the set-aside ceiling from 23 to 30 percent."

Hank Wilfong, President of the National Association of Small and Disadvantaged Businesses (NASDB) said, "OFPP must now re-train the entire government procurement workforce with rules favorable to small businesses." He added, "SBA must now also instruct its field staff to begin assisting small businesses who challenge procurements under $100,000 which are either restricted to GSA Schedule Holders Only or are considered Foreign and exclude small and minority businesses."

Anthony Robinson, President of MBELDEF said, "This SBA Legal Opinion is extraordinary because it verifies that the 'set-aside exemptions' are and have always been illegal and discriminatory towards small and minority businesses."

Lloyd Chapman, President of the American Small Business League (ASBL) said, "This historic SBA legal opinion confirms that the exemptions are responsible for having diverted more than $600 billion in federal contracts away from small businesses over the last ten years."

Dr. Henry Thomas, Director of the FPA Think Tank at UNF concluded by saying, "FPA should now be given a say on any decision which would re-align the procurement landscape the way Congress intended."

Espinosa's success, as an advocate for small and minority businesses, is well known. In 2005 he initiated and carried through the court, a major size-protest test case (SIZ-2005-05-09-22) just to demonstrate that the current 'size protest system' did not deliver justice when a small business won the case and the system needed to be overhauled. "Overcoming adversity while growing up," Espinosa said, "made me determined and effective, as an advocate, with an affinity to fight injustices. I've been privileged to have had great public servants as mentors who taught me how to negotiate and deal with the government bureaucracy. I am now thankful for that experience and for the opportunity to make a difference."

The Fairness in Procurement Alliance (FPA) represents the procurement priorities of all the groups for whom Congress created the set-aside program, a constituency of 10 million businesses. The mission of FPA is to bring fairness to public procurements so that small and minority businesses can both compete and prosper at the federal, state and local levels.

http://www.fitnet.net/FPA/Press/WHAT%20IS%20FAIRNESS%20IN%20PROCUREMENT%20ALLIANCE.pdf

Chromac Launches Full Line of Colorful Aluminum Cases for Apple’s iMac

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Chromac (www.Chromac.com), the nation's leading manufacturer of luxury aluminum cases for Apple's line of iMac computers, proudly announces its full range of "iColors": colorful enclosures that powerfully transform the iMac into a sculpted piece of art. The cases with precious metal finishes continues to generate critical acclaim nationwide and retails for $499.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 14, 2007 — Chromac (www.Chromac.com), the nation's leading manufacturer of luxury aluminum cases for Apple's line of iMac computers, proudly announces its full range of "iColors": colorful enclosures that powerfully transform the iMac into a sculpted piece of art. The cases with precious metal finishes continues to generate critical acclaim nationwide and retails for $499.

"Chromac enables Mac enthusiasts to finally customize their computers with high end finishes and materials commonly found in a Gulfstream jet or Rolls Royce. Our expert craftsmen are true artists in the field of precious metal plating, sculpting each case to ignite a person's artistic sense of style and passion for computing. Our goal has always been to free the consumer from the prison of gray metal or just the plain boring black or white plastic. Apple consumers are artists and they need a proper canvas." said Sebastian Apodaca, CEO and Founder of Chromac. "Our cases offer consumers unparalleled choice, something other companies reject or ignore. We simply strive to enhance Apple's reputation for excellence and superb design."

Chromac's competitive advantage also rests within the field of color. Consumers can select from a menu of 11 colors that energize their iMac: Stealth Black Chrome, Chrome ,Black Chrome, Liquid Charcoal, Black Coal, 24K Gold, Antique 24K Gold, Platinum, Gun Metal Gray, Cool Blue and Lime Green.

 

"We have applied finishes that can be found in fine jewelry and whether you like it or not your iMac will immediately generate attention and instantly become a conversational piece. Chromac is the singular choice for people who crave a designer upgrade for the elite brand of desktop computers," stated Mr. Apodaca.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Chromac produces a colorful variety of customized aluminum cases for Apple's suite of iMac computers. The company's select group of trained artisans oversees the design and production of each case and sundry accessories. Chromac's products are available at authorized retailers and online at www.Chromac.com

Free ITIL V3 Design Guidelines for Service Operation and Service Transition Now Available

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Two leading proponents of the value of ITIL and IT Service Management (ITSM) have made available for free download the first two (of five) guides covering all of the new ITIL V3 Service Lifecycle books.

(Bluehost/PRWEB ) September 13, 2007 — Two leading proponents of the value of ITIL and IT Service Management (ITSM) have made available for free download the first two (of five) guides covering all of the new ITIL V3 Service Lifecycle books.

This first guide will cover design guidelines for ITIL V3 Service Operation. IT professionals interested in receiving this complementary download can click on the following link to access it: http://www.itilversion3.com

ITIL V3 Service Operation Design Guidelines was assembled by Randy Steinberg, and Robin Yearsley, principals in ITSM with over 25 years of practical ITSM consulting experience.

The ITIL V3 Service Operation guide is 55 pages and contains example guidelines taken from real world experiences. It should prove extremely valuable to any IT Service Manager or ITIL practitioner planning, implementing or enhancing their ITIL processes. (See a list FAQ's about the guide below).

Randy Steinberg has written three ITSM books, the most recent being Servicing ITIL, which was written with the benefit of the recently released ITIL V3.

Robin Yearsley has created a number of valuable ITIL websites, including the IT Service Blog and IT Service Podcasts. They now regularly collaborate with over 7,000 global ITSM professionals providing advice, guidance and new ideas for best practices.

Steinberg and Yearsley are dedicated to putting ITIL theory into practice in real world business scenarios. They will soon be launching a brand new membership portal that will be quite unique. This will provide actual tools, templates, 'how to guides' and even presentations that IT professionals around the world can use immediately to implement or enhance their ITIL best practices.

Everyone downloading the Service Operation guide will receive a special introductory offer to become a charter member of this exciting new IT Service initiative.

The remaining three guides, covering ITIL V3 Service Strategy, Service Design and Continual Service Improvement will also be made available in the coming weeks.

FAQ's about Service Operation – Design Guidelines:

When would an ITSM professional actually use these guidelines?

An early activity in any IT Service Management implementation effort involves identifying key guidelines for how ITSM solutions will operate. Guidelines are broad statements of design direction that will guide key design decisions. For example, should Event Management activities all be centralized or decentralized?

Without a set of guidelines, designers may implement ITIL solutions in varying ways. It will be unclear why a solution was designed one way versus another. They force ITSM professionals to consider the implications that their design decisions will have on their own IT and business organization. They also provide a rationale for key design decisions so there will be no questions later on in the implementation effort as to why a solution was built one way versus another.

ITIL V3 Design guidelines can also serve to answer questions an ITSM professional may have such as, "What needs to be considered when designing a Change Management solution?"

These guidelines are not meant to cover every possibility, but should give ITSM professionals a starting point for identifying the key factors they have to consider when building their ITIL Version 3 solutions.

How would ITSM professionals actually use the ITIL V3 Guidelines?

These would be used as a first step in designing their ITIL Version 3 solutions. They can add, change or 'not use' these guidelines as required. They also provide a starting point for considerations for their own designs.

What value and benefits should the guides help realise?

They provide a starting point for considerations for their own designs. They may also identify considerations that they may not have previously thought about. They provide early warning as to impact of decisions on the IT and business organization. They also prevent questions later on in the implementation effort as to why certain design directions were taken.

To get started with ITIL V3 Service Operation – download the free report: http://www.ITILVersion3.com

ISA Hardware and AMD Launch Campaign to Promote AMD Solutions

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IT distributor ISA Hardware and AMD have launched "Good – Better – Best" campaign aimed at providing channel partners in Central and Eastern Europe with complete platform solutions based on AMD products.

Limassol, Cyprus (PRWEB) September 13, 2007 — ISA Hardware, a dynamic international computer components distributor operating in the markets of Eastern Europe, Middle East, and North Africa, has announced the launch of "Good – Better – Best" campaign aimed at providing channel partners with complete platform solutions based on AMD products.

The campaign will focus on the markets of Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and the CIS. ISA Hardware will offer dealers, resellers, small system integrators, as well as end-users buying via ISA's online shop at www.isahardware.com an optimal solution based on AMD products – AMD CPU, AMD Chipset and ATI Graphics.

Channel partners and individual online shoppers will now be able to choose the right platform for their various needs: Gaming, Multimedia, and Everyday performance. The offered platform bundles will be subdivided into three packages in line with the "Good – Better – Best" campaign motto.

Gaming:
Delivering the best gaming performance and ready for the next-generation of multi-threaded games

Multimedia:
The best solution for high-end multimedia and digital applications

Productivity:
High-end Windows Vista or XP Office solution for use with up to four displays. The highest office productivity with better multitasking and quick switching between applications

Channel partners will receive sales and marketing support over the whole course of the campaign. In addition, ISA Hardware and AMD will support the best partners with various incentives.

For a detailed description of the "Good – Better – Best" campaign please visit: http://www.isahardware.com/info/AMD_Platform_Solution.jsp

Holonyx Launches Partner Program for Linux and Open Source Software Support

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Holonyx Inc. has launched its Partner Program to provide Linux support and open source software support to Value Added Resellers and System Integrators.

Loveland, CO (PRWEB) September 13, 2007 — Holonyx Inc. announced its Partner Program to provide Linux support and open source software support to Value Added Resellers and System Integrators. This program will allow Holonyx Partners to expand the technology solutions they offer to their customers by implementing fully supported open source solutions in their customer accounts.

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Linux and open source is a booming technology trend that is here to stay, and this Partner Program allows VARs and system integrators to increase their business opportunities with fully supported technologies. Partners can now immediately differentiate from their competitors, expand their core competencies and address new customer needs with Linux and open source solutions.

Holonyx President Garret Acott said, "Linux and open source is a booming technology trend that is here to stay, and this Partner Program allows VARs and system integrators to increase their business opportunities with fully supported technologies. Partners can now immediately differentiate from their competitors, expand their core competencies and address new customer needs with Linux and open source solutions."

Holonyx is solving a major need for the VAR and system integrator community by providing a single point of contact for Linux support and open source technologies support. Holonyx will support all major Linux distributions as well as key open source technologies including MySQL, Apache web server, PHP, Perl and Ruby on Rails.

The Program will offer per incident support via phone or ticketing system to Partners, and system and networking consulting services are also available. Holonyx is also offering fully supported open source IT software solutions which Partners can resell to their customers. These applications include SME Server for small to medium business server functionality and pfSense for firewall protection.

Holonyx Ruffdogs technology division has long been a major player in the open source community and has contributed to numerous open source projects including SME Server, guilinux and MyPHPNuke.

The Holonyx Partner Program is open to all Value Added Resellers and System Integrators; there is no charge to join the Program.

For more information on the Holonyx Partner Program, visit www.holonyx.com/partner

Moovera Bridges Outdoor Wi-Fi with 3G and WiMAX Networks

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New Moovbox F Series gateway delivers Wi-Fi Internet access over carrier-class cellular backhaul.

Sittingbourne, UK (PRWEB) September 13, 2007 – Moovera Networks, a leading developer of fixed and mobile wireless broadband technology, has announced the availability of an outdoor access point and router that combines Wi-Fi access with cellular backhaul including 3G UMTS/HSPA and WiMAX. The Moovbox F Series Fixed Broadband Gateway is a compact, weatherproof device that leverages carrier-class wide area networks (WANs) for connectivity rather than wireline services such as DSL or cable. The Moovbox F Series supports a wide range of plug-and-play mobile data cards enabling quick deployment of outdoor Wi-Fi zones wherever there is high-speed carrier network coverage.

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"The Moovbox F Series takes advantage of next-generation cellular networks to deliver a truly innovative and modular Wi-Fi solution," said Jim Baker, CEO and founder of Moovera Networks. "Technologies such as HSUPA and 802.16e can deliver speeds approaching landline broadband, and the Moovbox F Series bridges these with Wi-Fi for a wide range of commercial, corporate and public sector applications."

The Moovbox F Series Fixed Broadband Gateway features a ruggedized IP-67 rated aluminum chassis that can be mounted to walls or street furniture such as lamp posts. In addition to the on-board Wi-Fi® Certified 802.11 a/b/g radio, the Moovbox accepts a single PCMCIA/CardBus or ExpressCard WAN radio from a variety of manufacturers including Option, Sierra Wireless, Huawei, IP Wireless, Kyocera, Zyxel, ZTE and Novatel. The open slot architecture ensures that the Moovbox is ready to support future wireless broadband technologies such as LTE (Long Term Evolution).

Due to its backhaul-agnostic approach, Moovera expects the Moovbox F Series to be popular in a wide variety of markets including municipal Wi-Fi and public safety. "The F Series is highly complementary to muni wireless, removing a lot of the complexity of designing mesh networks by providing dedicated backhaul to each access point," continued Baker. "As mobile providers such as Vodafone in Europe and Sprint in the US improve base station capacity and speed, flexible cellular-driven Wi-Fi access points like the Moovbox will become increasingly popular. With the installed base of Wi-Fi-enabled devices expected to exceed 250 million units by 2011 (source: ABI Research), a successful network will be a converged one that embraces Wi-Fi, 3G and WiMAX and that's exactly what the Moovbox delivers."

The Moovbox F Series F100 has a suggest list price starting at £599 (US$1,190) and is available via a network of distributors and resellers worldwide. The F Series complements the Moovbox M Series of mobile broadband routers designed for public transport and other vehicular applications. Further details can be found at http://www.moovera.com

About Moovera Networks:
Based in the United Kingdom, Moovera Networks is a privately-held manufacturer of industrial-grade fixed, mobile and portable wireless communications products that bridge Wi-Fi access with carrier-class networks including WiMAX, TD-CDMA, HC-SDMA and 3G UMTS/HSPA. Applications include commercial hotspots, municipal wireless, public safety, IP-based security and telematics, and secure corporate communications.

 

 

damaka Enables Seamless Handoff of SIP Sessions Between WiFi Networks

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damaka users while in transit can now maintain network connectivity without having to tear down and re-establish new session.

Richardson, TX (PRWEB) September 12, 2007 — damaka®, a fast-growing communications and collaboration software company, enables users to maintain P2P SIP session continuity as the user changes network from one WiFi to another WiFi network while in motion. "Maintaining un-interrupted peer-to-peer established communication connection within a company campus or educational institution has been increasingly difficult due to different WLAN network connections," states Satish Gundabathula, CTO of damaka. "damaka has taken the lead in developing an innovative patent pending solution whereby all the sessions within a damaka client will maintain its connections while the network switch happens automatically as the user transits multiple networks." Hence, the user need not worry about re-login into the client and continue the current session un-interrupted. This provides a better user experience.

As part of the continued efforts to enable seamless connectivity especially for users in motion, damaka would shortly be introducing "true mobility" functionality wherein the application would automatically handoff communication sessions irrespective of network — 3G Data, WiFi and WiMax — based on service availability to the user.

About damaka, Inc.:
damaka® (www.damaka.com) is peer-to-peer, standards-based communication & collaboration software. damaka provides voice, video, IM, file transfer, desktop sharing, IPTV, & other features in an easy-to-use, real-time environment on both desktop/laptop and wireless devices (such as smartphones). A technology pioneer in distributed softswitching, damaka offers its white-label solution to Operators and Enterprises. The damaka platform is based on industry standards and uses patent pending technology to provide a very secure peer-to-peer environment for Internet users worldwide.

MoreBusiness.com Releases Free Sample Proposals for Small Businesses

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Entrepreneurs and small business owners can now download and edit actual sample proposals instead of writing them from scratch, making submitting proposals to potential customers fast and easy.

Rockville, MD (PRWEB) September 12, 2007 — MoreBusiness.com, a popular small business web site, introduced a free proposal resource center complete with boilerplate text of actual proposals and step-by-step recommendations to help companies write winning proposals and respond to RFP's (request for proposals). Visitors can view the sample proposals in their web browser or download a PDF or Word document that is ready for editing. MoreBusiness.com's initial release features technology-related proposals. Sample proposals for different industries will be released in the near future.

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The free library of sample proposals and related material is available at the Sample Proposal Resource Center.

It is often easier to modify an existing document than to write something new. With MoreBusiness.com's examples, visitors can integrate the language and style of successful proposals so they no longer have to start from scratch. "There are a few proposal outlines available online, but they are usually expensive and very sparse. Our goal was to provide real professional sample proposals that people can tweak quickly and easily to submit bids to potential customers," notes CEO Raj Khera.

This idea to add free sample proposals to the site came about by a staffer's futile attempts to find quality proposal examples on the web. Unable to locate anything but generic outlines, he looked through some of Khera's old business proposals and was quickly able to draft a new proposal with the detailed text he needed to include. "Looking through completed professional proposals saves a lot of time. Small businesses can really benefit from getting a jump-start by reviewing examples," commented MoreBusiness.com Senior Software Developer Kevin Kamel.

This new proposal resource center caters to the needs of the growing population of entrepreneurs looking for free resources online to help build their business. It also compliments the wealth of material already available on MoreBusiness.com, including hundreds of business plans, sample business agreements and informative "how to" articles on marketing and managing a small business.

About MoreBusiness.com:
MoreBusiness.com, an award-winning website filled with sample business plans, marketing plans, templates, sample contracts and business agreements to help entrepreneurs start and grow a small business. MoreBusiness.com is part of a series of sites run by Khera Communications, which includes email marketing service, MailerMailer, and discussion group management tool, DiscussThis.

 

New PC Research Findings Redefine Customer Loyalty Measurement

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Study initiated by Dr. Bob Hayes and powered by GMI develops new customer loyalty metrics designed to predict revenue growth from new and existing customers

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) September 12, 2007 — Customer satisfaction measurement expert Dr. Bob Hayes of consulting firm Business Over Broadway today released the findings of a new study on consumer attitudes toward personal computer manufacturers. The study, powered by global market intelligence solutions provider GMI (Global Market Insite, Inc.), revealed that advocacy loyalty (recommending products or services to friends) was substantially higher than purchasing loyalty (purchasing more products from the same company), thus redefining the one-dimensional measurement of customer loyalty as a leading growth indicator as we know it today. The survey polled 1,058 U.S. consumers aged 18 and older in August 2007.

"Customer loyalty is the most important predictor of future revenue growth, but the industry is using an incomplete model," explains Hayes. "Current methods predict new customer growth, while completely ignoring existing customers. By measuring advocacy loyalty and purchasing loyalty simultaneously, companies have a complete picture of the strengths and weaknesses of their CRM strategy, allowing management to maximize potential revenue opportunities on all fronts."

Within the PC manufacturing industry, clear leaders emerge when using customer loyalty as a predictor of future revenue growth. In the research, Apple scored the highest loyalty, and is expected to experience the highest growth with both new and existing customers. HP came in second. Dell and Compaq tied for 3rd place. Dell is expected to have more new customers, but Compaq should have more repeat customers. Next came e-Machines, then Toshiba. Gateway is expected to show the slowest growth of all PC manufacturers studied.

"Leveraging online surveys and consumer panels to conduct a loyalty measurement study is a great way for a company to see how it stacks up against the competition, but that's just the first step," says Mark Houston, chief marketing officer for GMI. "The real power in this study is its ability to identify the areas most important to increasing each type of customer loyalty, so a business can allocate its resources where they will be most effective."

Other study findings include:

  • The key driver of customer loyalty for the PC manufacturing industry as a whole is technical support quality (responsiveness, availability, knowledge, and understanding customer needs). Improving these key areas of technical support is likely to have a substantial impact on improving customer loyalty for PC manufacturers. Key drivers differed by PC manufacturer.
  • Customers are more willing to sell their friends on the merits of their PC manufacturer than they are to spend more of their own money on their PC manufacturer.
  • 88 percent of current PC owners are satisfied with their PC, with no difference between laptop owners vs. desktop owners.

Click here to download a complimentary executive summary of the study findings, and visit www.businessoverbroadway.com to learn more about the research behind Customer Loyalty 2.0.

Killer Spam: Hitman Scams on the Rise and Getting Scarier

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An alleged "Hitman" offers to cancel his attempt on your life in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars. The extortion attempt is real. But is the death threat?

Boone, NC (PRWEB) September 12, 2007 — "The Hitman Scam email, which is perhaps the scariest of all email scams, is now making the rounds again," warns Dr. Audri G. Lanford, Co-Director of ScamBusters.org, a public service website that has been helping people protect themselves from Internet scams since 1994.

"Although the extortion attempt is real, fortunately the threat on your life is a scam," says Dr. Lanford. "Your life isn't in danger, but your wallet may be if you respond to the email."

  According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Hitman email made its debut in U.S. email boxes in December of 2006. The scammer claims to have been hired to kill you — but is willing to betray his employer if you pay him tens of thousands of dollars (or more) to go away. The scammer hopes that you'll be too frightened to notice the broken, misspelled English, or to ponder the odds that a Hitman would really be hired to "take you out."

The email threatens: "Do not contact the police or FBI." Why? Because both the FBI and your local police will tell you the same thing: it's a scam email, sent out in bulk. In fact, the emails typically don't contain any personal information about the recipient. So the only way scammers will find out anything about you is if you tell them.

"This is a hoax, so do yourself a favor and don't respond," says special agent John Hambrick, head of the F.B.I.'s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

ScamBusters.org urges Internet users to protect themselves with these easy steps:

Don't panic. Hitman scam emails can be very scary — these scammers definitely know how to frighten you. Don't ever reveal personal information (name, Social Security number, bank account routing numbers, credit card account numbers) to a complete stranger. Use common sense. In the unlikely event that you receive an email threat that contains personal information about you or a family member, go to the police and FBI immediately.

Consumers can learn more about how to protect themselves from the Hitman scam by visiting ScamBusters.org.