The News Education Expo 2013

The News is bringing on the "largest education expo" 2013 this June in Lahore. In partnership with its Platinum and Gold members which include big guns of Lahore's educational institutes. You may get a chance to locate future opportunities at the news education expo. Its bringing renown institutes at one place where you can get all relevant information you need. The highlight of the news education expo is its "Free Career Counselling" sessions with distinguished trainers. It is planned to be a two day education expo at Pearl Continental (PC) Hotel Lahore on 17th & 18th June, 2013. Entry is absolutely free without any pass or ticket. Career Counselling regarding different fields are planned on both days. Following is the list presenting the dates for different career counselling sessions:

June 17th, 2013

• Engineering
• Medical
• CV Writing and Interview Skills
• Ali Moeen Nawazish

June 18th, 2013

• Business and Economics
• Marketing and Branding
• Accounting and Finance 

So the news education expo is not going to provide you with opportunity to locate institutes but also to get help and counselling from experts to have insight of the field you may want to opt. By interacting with representatives from multiple institutes you would be able to compare and analyze the best suitable opportunity for you. The news education expo basically provides platform to both institutes and students to get to know each other in order to benefit both the parties. Career counselling sessions are attraction, those who may find themselves stuck in the middle of more then one option to choose can get the direction of their future. So you can be there to get something better.

The Institute of Business & Finance (IBF): NUML Fall Admissions 2013

IBF is business school affiliated with NUML, one of the renown HEC recognized universities with its main campus in Islamabad. IBF-NUML has announced its fall admission 2013 dates for its bachelors and masters courses in management sciences. It has invited applicants of intermediate and graduates even those who are waiting for their results can also apply. The application fee is Rs. 100/- and application forms can be obtained from campus. Following are the key dates announced regarding admissions:

July 13th, 2013: Last date for application submission
August 8th, 2013 and onward: Interviews would be held

Management sciences programs available at the institute are described as follows and they are offered in  morning and evening timings.

1. BS (Hons.) Accounting & Finance
• 4 years programme with 8 semesters
• Intermediate (FSC/ICS/ICom) with 45% marks and A-levels with 50% marks
2. B.Com 
•  2 Years programme with 4 semesters
• Intermediate (FSC/ICS/ICom) with 45% marks and A-levels with 50% marks
3. B.Com (Hons.)
• 4 years programme (8 semesters)
• Intermediate (FSC/ICS/ICom) with 45% marks and A-levels with 50% marks
4. B.B.A. (Hons.)
• 4 years programme (8 semesters)
• Intermediate (FSC/ICS/ICom) with 45% marks and A-levels with 50% marks
5. MBA
•  2 Years programme with 4 semesters
• BBA/B.Com with 2nd division
6. MBA (Regular) (Marketing & Finance)
• 3.5 years program (7 semesters)
• BBA/B.Com (2 years programme) with 2nd division & BA/BSC with 2nd division
7. MBA (Executive) (Marketing & Finance)
• 4 years programme (8 semesters)
• BBA/B.Com or BA/BSC with 2nd division OR 4 years managerial level job experience

They offering their programs in 4 canals purpose build campus with all latest technologies and facilities including spacious parking and separate common rooms facilities. There campuses are located in Garden Town.

Service Profit Chain: A Strategy for Service Firm

Services are different from those of tangible goods on the basis of nature and certain characteristics. That is why service firm tend to have a bit different strategic focus than those of firms involved in business of tangible goods. Service firms are more prone to immediate customer feedback, therefore requires expertise in providing the right service experiences. Therefore, the strategies to keep their marketing efforts and service provision going right, are needed to be including all aspects that could effect the service quality in any way. "Service Profit chain" is a strategy used by service providing firms  in order to provide value to customers and receive value in return.

   Service Profit Chain; source- Kotler (2011)

Service profit chain is a step-wise process that helps companies yield what is beneficial for both organization and customers. Its like a chain reaction, if the preceding step accomplished successively the next step would automatically go right. According to Kotler (2011), The first step this chain is "Internal Customer Service" which emphasizes on serving the inside customers right and internal customers of the company are its employees. Employees are the main asset of the company, and they are the ones involved in creation and provision of service. So first priority is to care for them so they may care for the company in return. When they are served right, they become satisfied and motivated to do their jobs efficiently and effectively which makes them productive employees. Here come the next step in the chain that is "Employee Productivity". If the first step is done right, it would automatically lead to increased employee productivity. Productive employees would ultimately be successful in providing right services to the customers and creating greater customer value. "Greater Customer Value" is the outcome of employee productivity. When customers receive the benefits that matches their expectations and fulfill their needs and wants, they feel satisfied and become loyal customers to the company. So "Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty" is achieved when they are provided with greater value. This attitude and behaviour of consumer helps companies earning greater values in terms of profit. Therefore, "Greater Profits" are the outcome of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.

Following this service-profit chain companies can keep their customers happy and make their interaction with customers successful. Because customer-service provider interaction is the situation which can make or break customers. So companies should initiate their focus from effectiveness of service provider who deals with customers directly or indirectly in order to earn greater revenues.

Degree Attestation by HEC: Facilities opened in Lahore and Peshawar

Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan is highest education authority in Pakistan. It not only regulates the education system and approves universities' charter after careful evaluation but also involved in degree attestation in order to confirm the validity of degrees. HEC attests the degrees/diplomas or certificates issued by HEC recognized universities only which may be private/public. Further neither does it recognize foreign degrees. For many years, HEC was providing attestation services only in Islamabad city. In order to facilitate people, it has opened two more facilities for attestation at its regional centers which started their working on 3rd June, 2013.

One facility is opened in Lahore and other in Peshawar. This action would make it easier for many residents of the particular city and nearby towns and cities to get their degrees attested. Following are the details of location of both offices:

HEC Regional Centre 

55-B/2, Gulberg III, Lahore 

Email: nhussain@hec.gov.pk

HEC Regional Centre

Phase-V, Hayatabad, Peshawar

Email: zahmad@hec.gov.pk 

Procedure of Attestation

There is a particular process for getting your degrees attested by HEC
. There are announced official timings for degree attestation from 8:00 am to 11:00 am. During this time period, token numbers are issued which help you wait for your turn. Total of 240 token are issued for a day, any number going beyond that is neither issued nor entertained. Further, they do not exceed their time limits in order to entertain the applicants. You can also apply online at HEC's official website for degree attestation.

First of all to begin with degree/diploma/certificate attestation process, you must have original certificates/degrees from Matric onwards along with transcripts/DMCs; Detailed list is as follows:

1. Original matric certificate
2. Original intermediate certificate
3. Original degree
4. Original transcripts/detail mark certificates (DMCs) showing date of admission and completion                           of program
5. Copy of Computerized Identity Card 
6. Authority letter duly attested by a Grade 17 officer for the authorized person 

Further there are few other important requirements of degree attestation by HEC such as;

1. The name of the candidate should be same on all documents provided, i.e. both on degrees and NIC.
2. The father name of the candidate should also be same on all the degrees and identity documents provided
3. Date of birth should also match on all documents provided
4. Both Degrees/ Transcripts issued on the same date, or overlapping semesters between an Undergraduate Degree and a Graduate Degree will not be recognized/ attested by HEC.

Note: If applicants are unable to fulfill any of the above requirement, HEC will not attest the degrees/diplomas/certificates. 

Attestation Fee

There is charged fee for per document attestation by HEC. It charges Rs. 800 for original document attestation and Rs. 500 for photocopied degree/diploma/certificate attestation. Those who go by themselves have to pay the fee on the counter but those applying online and does no go by themselves have to submit their charges to OCS which also provide shipment service for degree/diploma/ certificate attestation. OCS shipment service charges are Rs. 155 for Islamabad and Rs. 240 for the rest of the Pakistan (excluding attestation fee).

Why does Brands matter?

Whenever we go to market, we find ourselves surrounded with various brands. Even if we are thinking to make decision on buying something, we immediately get multiple brands in our minds, belonging to that particular product category. For instance, in an attempt to make decision regarding buying a smartphone, various brands like IPhone, Samsung, BlackBerry, Nokia, HTC etc would strike us. Why does it happen? Why don't we go for any product we find in the category? This happens because companies have differentiated their products by creating brands out of those. They have modified simple products into brands by offering distinct benefits and signing specific name, logo, symbols etc.

American Marketing Association defines brand as "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.". Therefore its not just name or logo of a brand that creates strong association in our minds, it more than that. It includes all those benefits and features that are important to consumers and not provided by competitors. For instance, Apple being the top most brands among many other successful one garbed this place because of its innovative experience it provides to its consumers which depends on the use of innovative technology, distinctive and user friendly features and more convenient and satisfying applications.

Through brands, companies create an overall experience for its consumers. An experience that leaves longer results and help building greater number of associations with brand. These associations can be function related or design related, price related or any other benefit related. If consumer experience has been successful, then more favorable  stronger and unique association would be formed that would link the brand into consumer's mind and help forming favorable attitudes and behaviors in the end. Bisially this is the association based mechanism that helps bringing brands on the top of the mind in any purchase decision. This is the reason that brand matters not only to companies but to consumers as well.