Cutting Edge Technology by Wipro Technologies

Wipro Technologies is the world leader in providing integrated technology, business and process solutions that meet its clients’ strategic objectives. The company’s 40+ “Center of Excellence” creates solution to specific needs of diverse industries. Through a combination of delivery innovation, quality frameworks and process excellence, the value the company offers is unmatched. Wipro is the first software services company to be CMMi Level 5 certified and the first to receive the IEEE Software Process Award outside the US. Wipro boasts of a wide range of IT related services that deal with both business and technology needs so that organizations can enjoy a leverage in cutting edge technologies that improve business. Its products take care of an entire enterprise, from the less complicated enterprise application services like supply chain management (SCM), e-Procurement, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and customer relationship management (CRM) to the more complex e-Business solutions. Wipro has been instrumental in keeping its clients in the finance, energy and utilities, media and entertainment, and telecom to be on the leading edge of technology. Wipro established the Technology Infrastructure Services (TIS) which is now the biggest IT infra service provider in India in terms of clients, people and revenue, with over 200 customers in Japan, Europe and the US and 650 customers in India. TIS is manned by 6500 technically skilled personnel and BS 15000 certified infra that supports the operations. Wipro BPO, another segment of Wipro Technologies, provides customer relationship services, back office transaction processing, and solutions that are specific to the customer’s industry. The services rendered are integrated so that the value of the client increases. Wipro combines strategy and technology as it faces the challenges of the future. For Wipro, the true value is the result of an in-depth appreciation of business strategies. The company has mastered cross-industry consulting to help the clients develop specific and practical business frameworks.

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Group: Providing Sustainable Banking and Financial Services Around the World

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Group is a banking and financial services firm operating worldwide. Its headquarters is located at Edinburgh. Its client base around the world is reported at 30 million, 26 million of which are from the UK markets. Aside from the UK, the RBS Group is also located in Asia, the Americas, Middle East, and Europe. The Group provides jobs to 145,000 workers worldwide; more than 90,000 of which are in the UK. The RBS Group has two major subsidiaries, the National Westminster Bank Plc and The Royal Bank of Scotland, that provide a wide array of product lines to diverse groups of clients which includes institutional, corporate, commercial and personal customers. Some of the other brands owned by the RBS Group include Direct Line, Coutts, Ulster Bank, Charter One and Citizens. As of March 31, 2012, the RBS Group has shown why it is one of the largest in the world, with reported customer deposit of £410 billion, loan to deposit ratio of 106%, liquidity portfolio of £153 billion, core tier 1 capital ratio of 10.8%, and total funded assets of £950 billion.

A Long Drive Towards a Good Cause

The executives at the forefront of their industry generally possess a deep savvy for their field, a forward-thinking attitude, and an acuity for financial management that sets the stage for future profits. While these factors may prove integral in business supervision, they may not speak directly to relations with clients. How does a company, offering products or services similar to its competitors, become the go-to Perry Mandera, the founder and director of The Custom Companies, Inc, found a solution to that early on.

Founded in 1986, Perry Mandera’s The Custom Companies, Inc now stands one of the leading transportation ventures in the country and holds recognition for its commitment to charity. In addition to maintaining thriving services in less than truckload, truckload, local and contract cartage, and domestic and international airfreight, the firm forwards a portion of its profit towards philanthropic causes. By doing so, it attracts customers who know a portion of their patronage will go towards people in need. Perry Mandera presents financial support to non-profits including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Save Our Seniors Foundation, The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, The Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation, and the Special Olympics Foundation. Additionally, Mandera offers his comprehensive fleet of trucks during times of need. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, The Custom Companies carried upwards of 40 truckloads of food and supplies to people coping with the natural disaster in Louisiana and Mississippi. The company also oversees a subsidiary 501(c) non-profit, Custom Cares Charities. Through these engagements and the consistent development of efficient services including 24-hour real time vehicle tracking, Perry Mandera and The Custom Companies, Inc remain the trusted source for small businesses and Fortune 500 companies alike. 

Toyota Motor Company is Moving Forward

Toyota Motor Company is one of the largest producers of automobiles in the world. In 2010, Toyota ranked first in the world for the most number of automobiles produced worldwide with 8.6 million units. The company has diversified in recent years and has created the Toyota Financial Services to take care of the business of financial services. The company is also into robotics.

The company started as a segment of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works in 1933. The segment was established to produce automobiles under the command of Kiichiro Toyoda, the founder’s son. The segment was created as an independent company in 1937 and was known as Toyota Motor Company.

Initially, the automobiles produced by the company carried the brand name “Toyoda” which literally means “fertile rice paddies”. In September 1936, a contest was launched for a new company logo design. The winning entry was composed of three Japanese katanaka letters which represented “Toyoda” in circles. But Risaburō Toyoda who married a member of the Toyoda family preferred “Toyota” because it is simpler to write in Japanese (Toyota looks like number “8,” a lucky number for the Japanese). The new named was trademarked and the company was incorporated as Toyota Motor Company in August 1937.

Toyota received its first Japanese Quality Control Award in the early 80s. This was due in part to the effect of the 1973 oil crisis. The US market started to look for small cars to save on fuel.

In 1984, Toyota and General Motors forged a joint venture known as NUMMI or New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. A plant owned by General Motors in Fremont, California that had been out of operations for two years. New brands were later established by Toyota by the end of the 80s, including their luxury line Lexus in 1989.

As the company entered the 90s, Toyota started producing cars bigger and more luxurious than their compact cars. Added to Toyota’s product portfolio were the full-sized pick-up truck T100 (later known as Tundra); several models of SUVs; Camry Solara, which the sport version of Camry; Scion; and other high-quality but affordable lines of cars that targeted the young adults. Prius the company’s hybrid car was also produced in 1997.

Toyota is also the recipient of several awards, including “Truck of the Year Award” for Tundra and “Car of the Year Award” for Camry in 2007 which was awarded by Motor Trend.

Telefónica: Leading Integrated Telecom Service Provider in Latin America

Telefónica is one of the leading providers of integrated telecom services. It has a felt presence in information, communications and entertainment sectors in Latin America and Europe. Over 72% of Telefónica’s businesses are found in Portuguese and Spanish speaking markets which makes it one with the most international profiles in the industry.

The company has widely covered the major Latin America markets as of March 2012. Its customer base is reported at 205.4 million in Latin America making it the telecom leader in Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. It substantially covers the other countries in Latin America. The other 103.2 million clients are from European markets which include the UK, Germany, Ireland, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

As of March 31, 2012, Telefónica has glued its position in the telecom in the world. The company is ranked sixth in the world in terms of capitalization, first in Europe as an integrated telecom service provider, and eleventh in the Eurostoxx 50. The company’s stocks are listed on all the major Spanish and foreign stock exchanges.

Across States, Individual Attention

In the business landscape, the companies that thrive are most often those that, first, appeal to a wide variety of customers, and second, prove attractive over a period of time. To achieve this multi-tiered goal, companies must wield a keen understanding of their demographic and then design policies to suit them. Hank’s Fine Furniture, a flourishing operation since the mid-seventies, embodies this credo to the fullest.

Hank’s oversees 14 locations in Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Alabama, and Texas. At the stores, customers may browse a comprehensive collection of pieces from popular furniture lines including Lexington, Paula Deen Home, Hooker Furniture, Bernhardt, and Thomasville. Guests enjoy a tour of many aesthetic leanings. The Thomasville Vintage Chateau line, for instance, accommodates those with a retro taste with classic, compelling pieces featuring detailed craftsmanship. The Bernhardt Villa Hermosa delights with distressed pines and hand carvings to create an air of upscale coastal living. Those hoping to bring their home to life with a country feel may turn to Paula Deen’s Down Home collection, a series complete with cozy touches and warm colors.

Outside of harnessing a wide group of customers through a various inventory, Hanks Fine Furniture continues to command a strong reputation in the field for the manner in which they serve their customer’s futures. The company provides a host of warranties that cater to defects in frames, imperfections upon delivery, purchased mattress comfort, and accidental damage. The group also continues to enjoy a high rate of returning customers due to its financial approach, which allows consumers attractive and affordable payment methods for up to 24 months and no-credit check plans made possible through affiliation with Progressive Financial.

Tesco: Presenting an Innovative Way of Doing Retailing

Tesco is a multinational company engaged in grocery and general merchandise retailing. The company is based in Cheshunt, UK. It is ranked as the third biggest retailer in the world in terms of revenues and second in terms of profits.

Tesco’s increasing market share is the result of the company’s emphasis on their core business policies of more choices at cheaper prices thereby providing better value of the convenience of customers. With its 702 stores, Tesco is the biggest food retailer in UK.

The company is also into non-food merchandise. Its non-food business offers home entertainment, electrical, cookshop, homeshop, white goods and furniture. Some of these non-food items are found only in large stores but Tesco is developing a brand that would carry all these non-food stuff in all Tesco stores.

To glue its position in the retail industry, Tesco has launched Tesco.com to become the leader in internet grocery retailing. The site is able to reach over 90% of UK’s population. The results are overwhelming: up to 70,000 deliveries each week. The coverage of Tesco.com is growing as the service is also introduced in South Korea and Ireland.

New growth markets are emerging for Tesco in other parts of the world. Stores in Malaysia, Ireland, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary were opened between 2000 and 2002. These international stores sum up to 923 stores in 10 countries.

Tesco has been in partnership with manufacturers. Tesco International Sourcing works directly with manufacturers to ensure competitive prices and wide differentiated product lines with maintaining their highest quality standards. The Tesco International Sourcing has helped broaden Tesco’s portfolio of food and non-food products.

Tesco shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange. Its market capitalization is reported at £24.4 billion on January 15, 2012. Tesco is ranked as the 15^th largest company listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Statoil: Norway’s Pride in the Petroleum Industry

As the Norwegian petroleum industry started to grow in the late 1960s, along with it emerged Statoil. Today, Statoil is one of the biggest suppliers of petroleum products in the world.

The Norwegian State Oil Company or Statoil started in 1972, just two years before the Statfjord oil field was discovered in the North Sea. Statfjord started producing petroleum in 1979. Statoil is the first Norwegian petroleum company to operate for Statfjord in 1981.

Statoil forged a merger with Norsk Hydro on October 1, 2007 and birthed StatoilHydro. The merger had the size and strength of a company that is positioned for international expansion. On November 1, 2009, the company’s name was officially changed to Statoil.

Statoil had a wonderful contribution to Norway’s petroleum industry, making Norway a strong industrial nation that it is today. Norway is one of the most petroleum-rich nations and has functioned as a laboratory for a number of technological advancements.

MetroWest Medical Center and Noted Neurosurgeon Sagan Tuli

At certain points in our lives, the people or companies we admire most are not those touting the next big thing in popular commerce areas such as automobiles, technology, or clothing. Sometimes our circumstances call for marked skills, long records of performance, and tireless devotion in the face of unforeseen events. Doctors stand a strong example of this: individuals proven to make the right decision at just the right time. When evaluating a hospital, it serves us well to evaluate the staff as individuals to form a stronger collective portrait.

MetroWest Medical Center, which operates two locations in Massachusetts, accommodates a wide variety of patients with a team of doctors deeply practiced in their niches. Sagan Tuli, who acts as a Surgeon with the Center for Advanced Brain and Spine Center, exercises more than a decade of expertise her field and remains the only board-certified female spine surgeon to serve the Harvard system. Sagan Tuli commands an MD from the University of Toronto, a MSc from the Harvard School of Public Health, and formerly acted as Associate Surgeon of Neurosurgery and Spine with Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Tuli joins a team of other accomplished physicians in fields of orthopedics, pediatrics, rehabilitation, gastroenterology, maternity, oncology, behavioral health, and other areas.

Staffed by experts, the venture oversees three locations in Massachusetts: Framingham Union Hospital and the Wellness Center in Framingham and Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick. MetroWest Medical Center plays an active role in its community through a variety of outreach programs including blood donor programs, cancer support groups, and fitness initiatives that encourage participation through personalized platforms and reward incentives.

Handelsbanken Remains Decentralized in an Era of Centralized Commoditization

Handelsbanken is just an ordinary retail bank at first glance. This Swedish bank offers consumer and corporate banking, investments, trading and life insurance. It keeps its ‘old fashioned’ banking styles while providing first-rate banking service. By global standards, Handelsbanken is a relatively small company. It operates 457 offices in Sweden, 162 branches in the UK and Nordic countries, and 17 in other countries. It employs over 11,000 employees and its assets are estimated at SEK2 billion.

In an era of centralized commoditization, Handelsbanken’s business model is found to be very effective despite its simplicity. Its business philosophy is embedded in its corporate slogan: “Banking is global. Business is local.” The bank has maintained personalized services as decision making is decentralized. Each Handelsbanken branch operates as an independent profit and cost center and is responsible for its own fiscal management.

Management in Handelsbanken is ‘bottom up’. Performance evaluation is focused on the monthly income statement. Some key financial ratios are benchmarked. Each local manager is required to produce his own business plan. He makes the decision on staff hiring, retention and firing, product packaging and pricing, and marketing. Most importantly, the local manager is empowered to choose the bank’s customers, shifting the business strategy from product profitability to customer profitability.

Decentralized operations resulted in 98% of credit decisions made at the local level. As branch managers carefully scrutinize their clients, the resulting high credit score has helped Handelsbanken in its total operations.

The bank’s simple business model is also carried over into the bank’s online banking. Each Handelsbanken branch maintains its own website and email. Handelsbanken’s internet banking has penetrated 40% of the consumer market and 70% of the corporate market. Online banking has tremendously reduced the workload while significantly increasing the bank’s overall efficiency.

Since 1973, Handelsbanken has exceeded the weighted average of similar banks each year. The bank’s goals of customer service at the lowest cost possible seem incompatible, but Handelsbanken has the most satisfied clients. Its cost-to-income ratio is very high at 40.5%.