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Robotics, put simply, is the use of electrical components to move mechanical components. The key components of robots are their ability to perform repetitive tasks in a precise manner.

There are many example of robotics use today, in toys and industry. Their function determines their appearance. For example, a robot that was designed for wielding car parts would not need arms and legs. We can classify robots into two categories industrial and domestic.

Where are robots used? Another one of those robotics discussion questions.

Industrial robots

There are many robots in industry today doing jobs too repetitive or too dangerous for a human to do. These include continuous welding for steel pipes, welding car components in an assembly line, bomb disposal, and clearing of toxic waste to name a few.

Domestic robots

Many people want a robot that is bipedal, can walk and talk, as well as look human. We are rapidly advancing on this with the bipedal robots from Honda, Sony, and other Japanese companies with R&D in electronics. We arent quite at that stage yet, but here are a few robot toys that are showing us that with a bit more development, we can build our dream robot

Furby

Who can forget the fluffball of fun? When first released in 1998, it revolutionised toys with its ability to interact with its owners with speech and automated movement.

Aibo

Aibo is the robotic pet dog created by Sony Corp. While most people see Aibo as an interactive toy, it is in essence a robot, as it is controlled by a computer chip. Aibo is also used for research into artificial intelligence as it is cheaper than conventional research robots.

For more information, please visit www.roboticsdiscussionquestions.blogspot.com

Remember the 80:20 rule? You may not get everything perfectly right, but getting most right will be much, much better than the majority of your competition. These Top Ten Tips for Customer Service will get you well on the way.

1. Be Your Customer
   Live the life of your customer and experience what they do. Stand in line, call your call-centre, soak up feedback.
   
2. Give Memorable Service
   Make the life's mission of everyone (yes, everyone!) to be customer focused - even those seemingly out of direct line of fire.
   
3. Have Product Available
   Generally, you can't sell it if you haven't got it. Work your systems hard and focused to get product there on time.
   
4. Listen Hard to Complaints
   Complaints are a wonderful gift - it is feedback of the highest order. Enjoy them and learn fast.
   
5. Enable Your People
   Enable and encourage your people to give an immediate and generous customer response.
   
6. React Fast
   Make sure that you and your people work with pace and immediacy with customer issues.
   
7. Be Systems Focused
   Ask, 'What would my customer think of this - would it give brilliant service?' If not, reshape the system fast.
   
8. Be Curious
   Encourage everyone in your team to overhear, be nosy, ask questions and feed back information from your customers.
   
9. Research the Marketplace
   Do more in your own business from what you experience as a customer elsewhere. Encourage your people to do this too.
   
10. Have Fun
    Have fun with your customers. It builds relationships. Relationships are business.

Ten Tips to success, in an easy to use framework. Will you take up the challenge?

Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, coaching-businesses-to-success.com (Note to editors. This article may be edited for use in your publication or newsletter as long as a live link to the website is included)

...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...