International services experts available for interview tomorrow

The legendary Jim Spohrer of IBM’s Almadeen Research Centre in the US will present his groundbreaking new paradigm for service development tomorrow in Brisbane.

The opening speaker at the international Frontiers in Service conference being hosted by University of Queensland Business School, Mr Spohrer said his presentation would introduce a new way of thinking about services development.

“The services sciences, management, and engineering approach is the next frontier in education, innovation, and economic growth,” Mr Spohrer said.

Mr Spohrer will be available for phone interviews between 10.30 and 11.00am.

Next up on the program is Brisbane’s very own franchising success story Rod Wakefield.

CEO of the hugely successful Coffee Club, Mr Wakefield will present what he sees as a revolution in franchising.

Mr Wakefield said most successful franchises to date had worked to a hierarchical model with high degrees of compliance demanded of franchisees.

“In recent years, the hierarchical model has slowly been replaced by a more consultative model where the franchisor and franchisee enjoy a symbiotic relationship characterised by brand alignment through good will,” Mr Wakefield said.

He will be available for phone interviews between 12.30 and 1.30pm.

The afternoon program kicks off with Gaurav Bhalla, Executive Vice President TNS USA, and Heida Hew, Head, Branding and Customer Management, AmBank Group, Malaysia.

Mr Bhalla said the presentation would introduce a framework for systematically applying Customer Experience Management (CEM) to strengthen and improve customer and business outcomes.

“The framework is data based, can be used to connect with customers at every touch point, and can be implemented in a wide variety of industries,” Mr Bhalla said.

Mr Bhalla and Ms Hew will be available for phone interviews between 3.00 and 3.30pm.

The final presentation of the day will be delivered by Professor Derek Hart, Foundation Director of the Mater Medical Research Institute Australia.

Professor Hart said fundamental advances in cell biology had provided data on the human genome.

“As we understand, the process and problems the focus of medical research and medical information shifts to prevention and intervention,” Professor Hart said.

“The practice of medicine has yet to develop the means to assimilate and apply the new knowledge base in a fully effective manner.”

Professor Hart will be available for phone interviews between 5.00 and 5.30pm.

For more information on the conference visit www.business.uq.edu.au/frontiers/index.phtml.

Media: To arrange an interview, contact Cathy Stacey on (07) 3365 6179 or 0434 074 372 or UQ Business School Downtown on (07) 3346 7111.