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Every car can benefit from modifications, whether the benefit is improved performance or aesthetics; mods can do wonders for your car. The million dollar question is where do you start? There are thousands of different things you can add to your car, but that doesn’t mean you should go out and overkill your new car.

We have compiled a list of the top 7 modifications you can get started with, adding them to your ride without worrying about going over the top, also we have kept in mind that modifying cars is expensive so each mod in this list can be purchased for $1000 or less.

1.Lowering springs.

Slamming a car to the ground can make for some good looks. Not only will the car benefit from its improved looks as a tarmac scraper but nose dive under hard breaking will be greatly reduced, as well as body roll in fast corners. There are three typical options to choose from with regard to upgrading springs to lower a car: lowering springs, coil overs, and shock kits, the choice is yours and will most likely be based on budget.

Expected Cost: $100+

2. Tires and Rims

The mod that could have taken No. 1, rims and tires are one of the most essential car mods out there. Every year you will catch kids in boosted 4 bangers who forgot to buy the most essential mod to compliment such dramatic performance gains… BETTER RIMS AND TIRES. Good rubber and lightweight rims will do wonders to your car as it will help put your power to the pavement as well as significantly improve cornering. You can buy pre-assembled packages online with relative ease, just visit tirerack enter your vehicle specifications and all the rim sizes for your car will populate the screen.

Expected Cost: $800+

3. Aftermarket deck

Stock radio decks are usually not very good, and would not be able to handle quality aftermarket speakers and subs. When it comes to aftermarket decks your choices are endless, with so many different companies delivering quality products your choices really are endless. It comes down to what features are important to you, once you decide between touch screen or conventional, the number of aux/usb inputs, iPod functionality… the list goes on but once you’ve decided on these features your rolling.

Expected Cost: $80+

4. Amp, Speakers, Sub

Now that you’ve got your new feature rich deck you’re going to need some quality speakers, and a decent sub to deliver the premier music experience. When it comes to speakers you are basically going to be shopping for size, and whether or not they have built in tweeters. Once you have your speakers picked out you’re going to need a decent size subwoofer, one 10 inch will usually do good in giving you all that much needed bass… And don’t forget an amp to power it all.

Expected Cost: $350+

5. Steering Wheel

A nice aftermarket steering wheel can really add to the look of an interior. Picking out a steering wheel is pretty simple, just go for a style that you like and away you go. Just keep in mind that cars with airbags will need to have the airbags removed in order to throw in an aftermarket wheel, also certain municipalities may have some things to say about cars with standard safety features (airbags) removed, so make it your due diligence to check before you pick one up.

Expected Cost: $120+

6. Shift Knob

Reasons for changing your shift knob are shared with why you’ve decided to add a new steering wheel… its cool? Just unscrew your old shift knob and find a new one that you like, screw it in and off you go.

Expected Cost: $25+

7. Cold air intake

More airflow in your engine does many things small things for your car. First adding an intake will give you improved throttle response, that you will definitely feel coming off the line. Second, more cold air in your motor means more power (gains will not be huge, expect anywhere from 8hp to as low as 1 or 2hp gains). Lastly an intake will give your car an appealing ‘sucking’ sound as you put on the gas, sound of your engine sucking in a lot more air than with the stock air filter.

Expected Cost: $100+

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Source by Michael Nardi

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Are bad credit motorcycle loans possible? This is a question I am asked over and over again, whether it is just meeting a person on the street or though e-mail from a person that found my motorcycle financing website. Well the short answer is yes bad credit motorcycle loans are totally possible even if you have a bankruptcy on your credit report. However, there are certain things you need to consider before looking for a bad credit cycle loans because you can be taken advantage of just because you have poor credit.

First off understand that over and over again in the world of motorcycle loans, I see cycle buyers with bad credit tend to focus more on desperation for getting approved for motorcycle financing rather than making a good decision for there financial future. As a result, when the typical motorcycle buyer with poor credit is approved they are often stuck with hefty fees, and backend products that leave them paying much more for their motorcycle than they should.

If you have bad credit and need a motorcycle loan, the best advice I can give you is do not let someone tell you that you have to pay document fees, extended protection, Gap insurance or other add on products to get approved. Sure you may have to sacrifice for a higher interest rate on your bad credit motorcycle loan, but you do not have to get taken to the cleaners with a bunch of other fees.

It is the above reasons that it is important to try to sometimes go straight to the lender and find a lender that will finance bad credit motorcycle loans I am not going to tell you that it is easy to get approved like if you had good credit but if you work a bit you can find motorcycle lenders specializing in bad credit. Here are some options you may want to consider.

1. Online Motorcycle Lenders: The nice thing about working with online motorcycle lenders is that you are going directly to the lender and there is no middle man involved with placing you in a loan that may put you in a bad situation. Going directly to the lender for bad credit motorcycle loans is always better in my opinion because the lender does not want to place you in a loan you will default on. On the other hand, going through a middle man you will find the middle man will want to place you in a situation where they will make the most money which could be a very bad loan for you.

2. Credit Union: Your local credit union may buy bad credit motorcycle loan more often than the average loan at a dealer because the credit union only has a small percentage of its overall loan portfolio in bad credit motorcycle loans. This allows them to control losses a bit better than a dealer because they have other thinks finance not just motorcycles. So they may approve bad credit motorcycle loans a dealer will not touch.

3. Personal Loans: Many people with poor credit tend to many times go for personal loans. I only recommend this option as a last resort, but I would much rather a bad credit applicant get the credit straight before getting a personal loan. The reason being is personal loans typically have very negative terms for motorcycle buyers and they can sometimes have interest rates in the 30% range. This is not a good situation for a motorcycle buyer.

4. Local Banks: Sometimes local banks can be an option for finding bad credit motorcycle loans, but typically they are stricter than Credit Unions. So check with your online motorcycle lender or credit union before going to a local bank. But similar to a credit union, local banks probably do not have a ton of their loans in motorcycles so this helps you chances of getting approved sometimes. Many times the less experience a bank has with motorcycle loans the better for you because they can sometimes evaluate bad credit motorcycle loans the same way as a car loan which typically is much more lenient.

So in a nutshell, if you are looking for bad credit motorcycle financing it is totally possible. It will require you to do a little more research than the typical person with good credit, but your efforts will be well worth it when you are riding your new motorcycle. The best thing for you to consider is not getting frustrated if one lender turns you down, because there is definitely a bad credit motorcycle loan out there waiting for you. You just have to start online or at your local credit union to get going in the right direction to financing your motorcycle.

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Source by Jay Fran

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10) Too Nice- Yes the obvious one starts it off because by definition a nice guy is “nice” and nice guys don’t succeed sexually with women because quite frankly they’re nice guys.

9) Too Honest- A nice guy will let a girl know how deeply he cares for her and this leads to a few problems. The first problem is this might scare her away because she never looked at you in that way. Another problem is this kills off any sense of mystery you can convey with her. If she already knows how you feel about her, then what is there for her to fantasize about?

8) Lie too much- This isn’t a contradiction to the last reason it’s another typical nice guy trait. A nice guy will lie to himself and women about his sexual attraction to her because one of the biggest myths being perpetuated is women don’t want sex. Consequently he will pretend he only wants friendship in the beginning too “appear” different from all of the other guys who just want to bed her. This propensity for lying leads to the honesty previously mentioned which just comes out of nowhere and completely scares of women. Try being honest upfront. There is no need to hide your sexual feelings towards her in the beginning. You’d be surprised how much more action you’ll get that way.

7) Too needy- If you get a woman’s number or if by some miracle you actually got her into bed doesn’t give you free reign to call and pester her 24/7. Women want men they have to chase down not men who are all over them all the time calling “just to talk”. Come on, man you gotta stop being so needy with women.

Try this: Ask a women seriously which man would she be more drawn to, a man who calls 5 times a day or a man who calls 5 times a month.

6) Too predictable- Women love drama and adventure. They’re attracted to men who have an aura of excitement and danger. If you want to keep a woman you have to set her on an emotional roller coaster. Why do you think they spend so much time and money reading Romance Novels?

5) Too cautious- This is an extension of the last reason. You have to be bold and show women you’re a real man. Instead of just thinking about approaching a girl you want, make your move and walk up to her to initiate a conversation. You may surprise yourself and separate yourself from the majority of men who are “nice guys”.

4) Too gullible/people pleaser- Nice guys typically don’t have much street smarts. They can easily be hustled because one of the laws of human nature is “we like people who are like us”. Imagine for instance you’re in a club and a woman is talking to you smiling and you’re smiling right back at her and she asks you to buy her drink, what are you going to do? My guess is you’ll be her a drink. My 2nd guess is right after you buy her a drink she’ll be on the dance floor bumping and grinding with the guy who didn’t buy her a drink. My 3rd guess is she’ll be leaving with that same guy while you’re left paying for her cocktail.

Women will always respond negatively to men who are gullible people-pleasers. She needs to know from the jump that you can handle yourself, are tough-minded, and difficult to win over. It’s not in a man’s nature to be a pleaser of other people.

3) Too sweet/sensitive- You got yourself a 1st date and show up to her doorstep with candy & roses and you know what will happen? She’ll already feel she’s conquered you and the game is over so after the date don’t expect any kind of sexual pleasure. You’ll be lucky to get a goodbye kiss, but my guess is it’ll probably be a goodnight kiss right on the cheek. There’s no reason to be sweet all the time. A bad boy can get away with bringing flowers because it goes against what he normally does and as mentioned earlier women want an unpredictable man. When a bad boy does it it’s usually later in the relationship just to show her he can be sweet at times.

2) Too smiley- You want to be taken seriously then you have to look serious. If you approach a girl with a big smile on your face she’ll probably think you’re a wuss and not give you the time of day. Attracting women is serious business, boys and you have to put your game-face on at all times. This brings out that “mystery” thing I spoke about earlier. Women are experts at body language and love to imagine what’s going on inside your head. That’s why many women love astrology and psychology. If you’re always smiling like a used car salesman you’ve taken away all of her fun and firmly placed yourself in the “low-status individual” category aka “just friends”.

1) Evolution: Unfortunately for nice guys evolution has burned you. When we were all still living in very dangerous conditions men had to hunt, fight and protect their families/tribe. The men who proved capable of doing this were valued because women naturally knew they and their children will be safe under his watch.

Think about that for a moment. A man is supposed to be a leader not a follower. He is supposed to be a man of action not caution and he is supposed to be a protector. Nature has dictated this arrangement.

Nice guys are followers, men of caution and if they can’t protect themselves, how are they supposed to protect their women and children. This is why evolution is the number 1 reason why nice guy syndrome leads to failure with women.

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Source by Marquise Valmont

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Using subliminal messages is easy and they can have a profound impact on your life. Although many people only hear about how these type of subconscious commands are used in advertising i.e. subliminal messages advertisements, they can be used very successfully for self improvement purposes.

Below are 5 tips you can follow to make your own subliminal messages that are tailored specifically to you and your unique situation and personal goals. Although you can use subliminal messages software this is a cheap alternative that you can put to work immediately.

Just follow the five steps blow:

1. Set a goal.

Before you attempt to use any tool, tactic or resource you must know what you are using it for and what you intend it to do. This may sound elementary and slightly patronizing but the reason for failure using any self improvement tool is a lack of directed focus and having no concrete definite objective.

Know what you want to achieve and then make it a goal. As an example we will use a new car.

2. A picture paints a thousand words.

In subliminal messages advertising videos on YouTube you can clearly see that pictures are used to “sell” to a prospective customer a product and connect it to a certain emotion or desire. When you make your subliminal messages you should do the same.

Create a desirable picture. Cut the car you want from a magazine and paste a photo of yourself over it. Make a few small copies and stick them in places you don’t usually look but pass every day. Like the side of the fridge or below a mirror.

Keep a large one – you’ll find out why later.

3. Hidden commands.

A subliminal message is a hidden command used to direct your subconscious mind. So somewhere on the large picture you put aside in step 2 write down a statement of intent like “my car” in our example. You will use a sentence that sums up your goal.

You should also write out small affirmations like “I own a…….(your goal)”. In our example it may be “I own a 2010 GTI White Golf Hatchback, with 17 inch alloy wheels, and a top of the range stereo system.”

4. Make a movie.

Use windows movie maker to create a short collage of images with affirmations stating that you already own the car of your dreams. Watch this movie for approximately 10 minutes every day to reinforce your other work.

5. Flash it into existence.

Get yourself a small push button flash light and place it beside your bed within arm’s reach.

On a wall opposite from where you sleep but a wall that you face put your picture with the affirmation on it that you made in step 3.

Set your alarm clock to wake you in the middle if the night. When the alarm sounds sit up quickly in the bed and point the flashlight at the picture turning it on only briefly. That is push the button on and off quickly while pointing the flashlight at the picture.

Do this twice. Then return to sleep.

Follow this simple plan and you will condition your subconscious mind to bring you your goal quickly.

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Source by Michael McGrath

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Car seat covers are utilized by many car owners. They come in many various colors and fabrics. Car owners use them mainly to preserve the wear and tear on seats. Each and every time you enter your car you are causing wear to the seats.

Weather you have leather seats, vinyl or fabric they will eventually wear out. In order to assure that you get the most out of your car seats, covers are a terrific idea. In addition, for resale value the condition of the interior of your car is just as important as preserving the exterior.

If you have small children and pets many feel that seat covers are definitely a must. When transporting either of these, you can expect wear and tear. Small children often have accidents with drinks, snacks or their little shoes have mud, snow or dirt. You are not able to clean their shoes each time they are placed in car seats and sitting in car seats or booster seats puts their small shoes directly on the car seat. Animals are just as rough for a car interior. Instead of 2 feet you have four feet and dog hair or cat hair.

Many recommend sheepskin car seat covers. Sheepskin car seat covers have several benefits. They are comfortable and great insulators. The will keep your seats warm throughout the winter months and cooler during the summer heat. Even the driver gets an additional layer of support that some drivers need. However, there are disadvantages.

Sheepskin covers can be fairly expensive compared to other forms of car seat covers. If you decide to bypass a uniform type of cover and go for covers manufactured specifically for your car you can expect to pay quite a bit. Looking at two bucket seats in the front and a bench seat cover in the back, universal covers usually cost a reasonable amount for all of the seats in the car. If you can afford custom made covers, you can expect to pay exceptionally more.

If you are driving certain vehicles that have side airbags that are not standard, you may not be able to have standard sheepskin covers. There are several manufacturers that need to modify the covers to allow for the side airbags.

Dirt can be difficult to remove from sheepskin covers. You can spot clean the covers but if you need an overallscrubbing, it can be problematic. Washing sheepskin covers the wrong way can wreck the covers.

Most car owners choose cloth covers for seats if you plan on washing repeatedly. They are available at many retailers and online rather inexpensively. If these are ruined for whatever reason, replacing them is less than a tank of gas in most cases.

Car seat covers are excellent for retaining the interior of your car. A small financial investment that you will find returned when you sell your car or to extend the life of the vehicle. Investments ultimately worth your car’s longevity in the long run.

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Source by Kayla Jeong

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“Your vehicle is a Total Loss.” These words, more often than not, spark immediate controversy between an insured and their insurance company. The main cause of controversy between an insurance company and an insured as it relates to total loss is that most people feel their vehicle is worth more than it really is.

A vehicle, though historically not a good investment, is very personal to us. Many of us spend a great deal of time in our vehicles each day and grow attached to our car. Many others ”trick out” their cars and inherently feel that their modifications enhance the value of the car.

I thought it might help some folks if they heard exactly how an insurance company views this and how they go about compensating you for your car should it be determined to be a totaled. There are typically two main things involved in understanding this process: What exactly is a Total Loss and how is the value of a car determined. In this article I am going to discuss and define a Total Loss from an insurance companies perspective.

So, what exactly does it mean when your insurance company deems your vehicle a total loss? In general, there are two types or measurements if you will when it comes to making this determination: Financial or Economic Total Loss and an Obvious Total Loss.

Financial or Economic Total Loss

A vehicle is often declared an Economic Total Loss when the cost of repairs exceeds the value of the vehicle, plus sales tax, less your deductible. I am sure you have heard that there is a percentage used to determine if a car is an Economic Total Loss. You have probably heard numbers from 50% to 70%, or more. This is true, however, it is important to know that not all states set an actual percentage and that for the states that do not set percentages, it is up to the insurance company to determine what that will be.

Although all insurance companies that are free to set this number themselves are all different, a common number you will hear is 70%. What exactly does that mean? I thought a quick illustration might help:

Market Value $15,000

Plus tax $ 1,050 (7% used as example)

Sub-total $16,050

Less Deductible $ 500

Total Loss Value $15,550

Cost of Repairs $11,662

Repairs are 75% of the value

In the example above, your insurance company would likely determine your vehicle to be an Economic Total Loss. One thing to remember is that if you are paid the value of your vehicle, the insurance company will retain the salvage or damaged vehicle and then sell it to a vendor. Most insurance companies have negotiated contracts with salvage buyers and will use that avenue to recoup some of the money paid out for the total loss. In the example above, your insurance provider would know that your car had a salvage value of $3,000 (example). So, when making their total loss decision, they would factor in this amount and subtract it from the total amount paid of $15,550, bringing their net cost to $12,550.

One other brief point to make that is worth noting is that your insurance carrier will also factor in estimated supplemental damages were your car to be repaired. From my experience as an adjuster and claims manager, there are often supplemental or additional damages/repairs identified once a car begins the repair process. These damages are often discovered on “tear down” or after parts of the vehicle are removed and additional damages are more visible. In many cases it is almost certain that there will be additional damages based on the visible damages, however, an adjuster will only write for what they can see and note that additional damages are likely.

Obvious Total Loss

An Obvious Total Loss or OTL is in which the damages to a vehicle are so extensive in terms of repair and/or putting the structural integrity of the vehicle at risk with a repair, that the car is determined to be an OTL. Some examples of an OTL are:

• Fire Damage
• Rollover
• A theft
• Extensive Water Damage
• High impact front-end collision
• T-Bone or hard hit to the side of a vehicle at the center-point

In most cases, a claims adjuster will not have the direct authority to determine a vehicle to be an OTL. The two insurance companies I worked for required a manager approval to make this call. With today’s technology, that can be done easily in the field by simply sending some detailed photos to a Claims Manager or Property Damage Manager. In this case, there isn’t a cost of repairs necessarily but the valuation process is the same.

Hopefully this helps you understand what is meant when you are told that your car is a total loss. Your insurance claims adjuster should explain all of this to you, however, having a basis understanding will certainly help should you find yourself in this situation.

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Source by Marc R Berry

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Springtime lends itself to appreciating all that nature has to offer. Celebrating Arbor Day is just one of the many ways we can do that.

As you sow, seed, plant and lift your eyes to enjoy the vibrant beauty of all things green, it would be ridiculous to ignore the other side to it: namely, the possibility of severe damages incurred to property as a result of weather induced tree-falling.

The other side of the story, in fact, is precisely where your standard homeowner’s insurance policy comes in. You see, home insurance is designed to include protection from trees that fall and hit your home or other structure included within your plan. This includes property such as:

• Your detached garage

• Your gazebo

• Your storage shed

Your home policy will come up to bat by providing coverage for losses incurred when a tree – even a tree that does not belong to you – strikes your home or property as a result of a:

• Hailstorm

• Thunderstorm

• Windstorm

• Hurricane

• Lightening

Bear in mind, however, that not all natural disasters and occurrences warrant protection under your standard house plan. For instance, if an earthquake or flood causes a tree to fall and wreak havoc on your home, you will not be covered unless you have separate coverage for the devastating event.

And while the weather may be directly responsible for a tree falling and subsequent damage, it is not necessarily always the case. Notwithstanding meteorological conditions, your standard policy should cover damage incurred from the following as well:

• A fire

• An explosion

• A burglary or theft

• Airplane or aircraft movement

• Car, truck, motorcycle, ATV, or any other motor vehicle that does not belong to you

• Vandalism or malicious mischief

• A riot and civil commotion

Policyholders must remember that coverage reflects the related limits and prerequisite deductibles. Nonetheless, should a neighbor’s tree fall and damage your property, the insurance company representing your interests may investigate to see if the tree was in poor health or in need of better maintenance. Should either of these conditions be met, your company is likely to try to collect compensation from the neighbor’s policy. In that case, your deductible costs may be reimbursed.

So much for the structure damage! Now, what about removal of the fallen tree? Does the typical home insurance policy cover this? If the tree removal is in regard to property damage, most insurance policies will include tree removal. Not so for a tree that has fallen without incurring damage. There are companies, though, that cover a scenario in which the tree blocks a driveway or ramp that is specifically created for handicapped access.

Of course, it’s best to review your homeowners or landlord’s policy with an experienced independent agency to ensure there is coverage for all your specific needs!

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Source by M Wyzanski

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Before you decide to close the door on the idea of your teen driving a Jeep, let’s explore some of the arguments, and some would say myths, about the safety of a Jeep. The biggest concern seems to be with rollover accidents. Jeeps, like most SUV’s, have a high center of gravity and oftentimes a narrower bottom half, making them more “tippy” than other vehicles. While vans, trucks and cars get a much better rap than SUV’s typically do, there are several factors that need to be considered when determining the safety of driving a Jeep.

Jeeps come off the assembly line in a form called “stock”. This essentially means “as is”. A stock Jeep is a Jeep that has not been altered in any way from the the design of the maufacturer. Many people add extra wide or tall tires, lifts and other alterations to their Jeep. This adds to the fun of off-roading, which is also a main reason for purchasing a Jeep. But here seems to be the crux of the matter; every vehicle has it’s own capacities and it’s own limitations. These need to be respected if we expect them to be safe. Keep in mind that a Jeep will not drive the same way a sports car drives or even a 4 door sedan. Jeeps are not meant to be driven at 50 miles per hour around a corner and they don’t zip in and out of traffic. The way you can drive a sports car would not be safe in a Jeep under any circumstances. The driver of the vehicle has the ultimate power in how safe a vehicle is. Most adults have the driving experience and common sense to know not to drive an SUV like a sports car.

Many concerned parents have said the roll bars on a Jeep don’t do much for protecting the occupants if that is all that surrounds them in a crash. When a vehicle goes through the safety crash test, generally this is done by ramming the vehicle into a concrete wall. How many accidents happen this way? Small cars that are hit head on or that are side-swiped tend to be totaled. If you were in a small car, or even a van or truck and were in a rollover accident there would likely be major damage to your vehicle. If you were in the same accident in a Jeep, those roll bars are in place for just that scenario.

In the end, Jeeps are not more dangerous than any other vehicle, as long as they are driven with respect to the purposes they were intended for. If you want to drive like a race car driver, than a Jeep is not the vehicle for you.

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Source by Samuel Crasnick

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In life, everything must have a beginning and ending and this holds true in the business world. Each company starts as a small business at some point and throughout time they will either succeed, be forced to change a business model or fail. Therefore, being flexible is essential to meeting the needs of consumers, along with conducting necessary changes to the market conditions. According to Kotler and Keller (2012), “Companies can’t win by standing still” (p. 622). In any market condition, there are four mainstays businesses must adopt to sustain or eventually become market leaders in their respective industries: innovation, service quality, continuous improvement and knowing the competition.

Innovation of technology has greatly changed the world, especially in all categories of business and our personal lives. Looking back over the last decade, technological updates to the cellular phone has changed the way we communicate, entertain, and retain information throughout our daily lives. Electronic messaging has become the norm of society rather than communicating through phone conversations. This idea of nonverbal exchange between two or more parties has increased efficiencies for everyone. For example, Apple is the market leader for electronic technology and through their mobile division they strive to increase productivity of their consumers from business acquisitions to groundbreaking applications. As Steve Jobs the co-founder of Apple states, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower” (Griggs, 2016). Apples’ business model remains innovative as the company stays ahead of competition by creating modern technology while finding solutions to problems, as seen through their product launches.

Service quality is crucial for every business no matter their strategy or rank from the leader, challenger or follower. As Kotler and Keller (2012) state, “Product and service quality, customer satisfaction, and company profitability are intimately connected” (p.131). Therefore, it is imperative for service quality to be the backbone of a company’s strategy in creating and retaining business relationships with their clients. The ability to deliver products and/or services on a consistent basis can and will cause challenges, however learning from mistakes that occur will make the business stronger. Acquiring and maintaining this element in business must be adopted from the top of the organization and delivered to all employees. Looking at the Toyota Corporation, they have hit highs and lows, from the multi-billion-dollar accelerator recall to maintaining a status of best-selling cars in the world. Reliability has been the primary driver of this company-although their vehicles are not the most stylish, they continue to have a large returning customer base that keeps them on the top of the automotive industry.

Continuous improvement is required for all businesses to create uniqueness from their competition to prevent being looked over. Kotler and Keller (2012) state, “Continuously improving the product can produce high returns and market share; failing to do so can have negative consequences” (p. 329). Subsequently, to grow this component, consumer feedback is critical, whether it be positive or negative. However, feedback can sometime be difficult to extract out of consumers, therefore a sense of trust must be formed with their consumer. Building trust can be hard between two strangers but finding common grounds will allow for the wall to be removed. The ideology of continuing to improve can easily be seen at the fast food market leader Chick Fila. Through their receipt survey program, they give customers food vouchers for their feedback, unlike competitors who give discounts on future purchases. The atmosphere of their restaurants invites customers to feel free and open to give feedback which allows for them to continually improve their service and food selections. Chick Fila has adopted the serving approach towards their customers, instead of asking “how may I help you?” their employees greet their customer with “how may I serve you?” this attitude along with cleanliness of their restaurants allows for an open door for communication and feedback.

Knowing your competition is vital when you are the market leader. Beginning with the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis as well as up to date business intelligence is also important. SWOT analysis is a necessity to evaluate the market when pursuing a business opportunity, however this process should never cease. Remaining in sequence with business intelligence is significant to maintaining market share leadership. This intelligence can originate from both satisfied and disgruntled consumers, financial statements and former employees. For example, Kotler and Keller (2012) state, “To maintain a market focus, salespeople should know how to analyze sales data, measure market potential, gather market intelligence, and develop marketing strategies and plans” (p. 554). Halliburton displays this example by utilizing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as their primary tool to maintaining its market leadership status in the Oil and Gas Services sector for US Land. Through won and lost bids as well as sharing intelligence between its sales teams, permits the organization to not only know the market but also dictate pricing moving forward.

In conclusion, to compete and sustain a leadership status, market leaders must operate as a palm tree that bend but do not break. A palm tree can be rooted in sand near the beach or in nutrient soil inland. It can sustain high winds that can cause its limbs to touch the ground, but it maintains a flexible trunk that allows for itself to spring back in place when the atmosphere is still, with no traces of damage. This expression is a primary example of how a business should plan in a competitive market. The four essential strategies presented will develop a small business into a massive organization, which will direct followers in the right direction.

References

Griggs, B. (2016, January 4). 10 great quotes from Steve Jobs. Retrieved from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/04/tech/innovation/steve-jobs-quotes/

Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2012). Marketing Management (14th Edition ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

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Source by David Rosby

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Are you in need of a great new radio for your semi truck or farm tractor? There are many options and many features available. A new radio can be as simple as AM/FM with clock display, or it can include features such as Bluetooth for hands-free cellular communication, SiriusXM satellite radio, and even weather-band for those who’s work day is affected by the weather.

When it’s time to replace a semi truck radio many people often worry about the wiring. This is an important first step of course. The critical part however is you do not cut the wires. There is no need to cut into factory wiring in any big rig just to replace the radio. What most drivers and or maintenance personnel will quickly realize is that unlike a car stereo, all of the wiring behind the radio in a semi truck are white or gray, or a combination of both colors. This type of wiring is not very intuitive, meaning that it is impossible to identify which wires are speaker wires and which are power wires without using a special tool called a multimeter. Even with this tool it is still not recommended to cut and splice wires.

The next and maybe most important aspect to consider is quality. What’s the point in replacing the radio with an aftermarket radio which performs poorly and is most likely sure to fail in a short period of time? Conditions in a semi truck are not the same as those in cars and other passenger vehicles so using an off the shelf super store aftermarket radio is absolutely not recommended. We’ve all learned that doing a job right the first time means you won’t have to do it a second time.

The best radios for semi trucks are of the heavy-duty variety manufactured by Delphi and Panasonic. Many times these stereos will accept the wiring connector placed in model year 2005 and newer semis by the manufacturer whether it be Freightliner, International, Kenworth, Mack, Peterbilt, Volvo or Western Star. Trucks and tractors who’s model year is 2004 and earlier will likely require a wiring adapter, but still no cutting and splicing will be required. Simply connect the adapter to the truck wire connector and plug the adapter into the new radio. When you purchase one of these heavy-duty Delphi or Panasonic radios it will include a tool to easily remove the existing radio. This tool should be kept in a safe place for future use.

When purchasing one of these Delphi or Panasonic radios from your dealership the cost will be significant. While shopping online means that you won’t have the new radio in your hands today, it also means huge savings on the exact same equipment. There are a few online shops that do a lot with Delphi and Panasonic truck radios so they can save you a pile of cash and can guarantee a proper fit, as well as retention of steering wheel and sleeper controls.

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Source by JJ Martin