Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Guide: New Pulse

Final Fantasy: The Shadow Pact

[OPEN] In the age of New Pulse, worlds will collide as new would-be heroes face their destinies. Can they stop a new wave of destruction?

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
After the evacuation of Cocoon, and its subsequent fall, the citizens of Cocoon were forced to relocate to Gran Pulse, and form towns and cities. Many of the towns reflected the former glory of Cocoon's previous settlements, however, the savage creatures native to the land still posed a major threat. Within 10 years, the Academy founded the construction of border defences, encircling all of the towns and cities, creating a colossal dome.

Despite the Academy's will to separate Human technology from the that of the Fal'Cie, the two races worked in harmony to build the necessary defences - after all, the Sanctum Fal'Cie were the bad ones, right? By 26AF, construction work was finished, and people could live in relative safety, control the local fauna and flora as required, and without fear of previous disasters.

The Academy declared the project a success, naming this nation of sorts, "New Pulse", a fitting name, reminiscent of a new life and a fresh start. It was agreed that the Pulse Fal'Cie could be trusted to help humanity's growth in this new world of opportunity and resources, and so it became that Fal'Cie supported the very existence of mankind, once again.


Over the years, New Pulse has changed relatively little, besides the expansion of most towns and cities, and colonisation of the mysterious island, Odyssia. There have been very few conflicts between towns, and the Academy seems to be running things conservatively. The monster population outwith the towns has definitely increased in recent decades, however, no-one is sure why.


Locations

Academia - Effectively the Capital city of New Pulse, it has shown echoes of Eden's former glory, even if it is purely grounded. Serves as host to the Academy's Headquarters.

New Bodhum - A Seaside City on the Southern reaches of the land, trying its hardest to retain the traditions and tranquillity of its predecessor on Cocoon. A popular holiday destination, and very accessible.

Hope's Reach - An industrial region to the West of Academia, playing host to the vast majority of New Pulse's industrial plants and research centres. Contains a large population, mostly consisting of researchers and machine operators, however wealthy families have begun to move into the rural areas nearby. It is in a way a fitting tribute to Palumpolum, and named in honour of an Academy researcher and warrior, Hope Estheim.

Odyssia - A fair-sized island off the Southern shore, discovered a few decades back, and since has been colonised with a number of townships despite the naturally vicious creatures found there. No-one is sure what lies deeper inland, as no-one ever returns safely. It is believed to play home to a great power, sleeping beneath the surface.

Ferrao Valley - A long winding valley stretching from the tundra wastes of the north, through mountain ranges, and culminating in a vast lake which supplies Academia. The valley itself is used to host power facilities, supplying the outer reaches of New Pulse.

Aquila - "The Carnival City" is reborn. A bustling city, focused on entertaining the masses, and well connected to all other cityscapes in New Pulse.

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Get Free Store Credit from Target with a Strange Return Loophole

Get Free Store Credit from Target with a Strange Return LoopholeTarget runs a lot of stores, and few stores offer the same promotions and pricing?even if they're only miles away. As a result, if you find an item cheaper at one store you can easily return it at another for a higher price if you "lose" your receipt.

I bought a pair of pajamas and exercise pants in a hurry at Target a few weeks ago and the pants turned out to be too small. I actually lost my receipt, but happened to be at a different target a few weeks later and brought the pants back anyway. I was going to buy more stuff at the store anyway, so I didn't mind receiving store credit. I only paid about $10 for each pair of pants but when I got my store credit I received an extra $15 back because the pants weren't on sale at that Target. I told the employee that I didn't pay that much, but because I didn't have a receipt he said that's how much he had to give me.

After researching Target's pricing a little further, I found that a lot of deals vary from store to store. If you buy something on discount and try to return it after the sale or at another store without a receipt, the store has to go by the current price. Target's policies for no receipt returns also come with a small deduction from that current price, but in my case I still ended up with more money than I spent. While this isn't something I recommend taking advantage of, as you're basically taking Target's money, if you lose your receipt on a sale item you should either wait for that sale to pass or return the items to a different store. That way you should at least get what you paid for them instead of incurring a deduction.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/v2qdlv6X_No/get-free-store-credit-from-target-with-a-strange-return-loophole

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Tuesday, December 4, 2012

This Crazy Sea of Packages Is Santa's Real Warehouse

Madness. That's what Amazon's warehouses are during the holiday shopping season. Take a look at these images. While I've seen others in the past, this angle of one of their warehouses is particularly striking. Endless sea of packages never ends! More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/7CUEePYTdZY/

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Apple iMac review (2012)

Apple iMac review 2012

Better, faster, stronger. The new iMac claims to be better in all the ways you'd expect a refreshed product to be better: it steps up to Ivy Bridge, and packs NVIDIA Kepler chips for stronger graphics performance. It sports an improved display that cuts down on glare by 75 percent.

But thinner? For the first time in the product's history, the iMac is missing a built-in optical drive, which allows it to measure just 5mm thick around the edges. We can't say we've been waiting for a desktop quite that skinny, but if the new iMac delivers substantive improvements over the last-gen model, we won't begrudge Apple a little eye candy. So, does the iMac do more than just sit pretty? Are the performance and display as good as we've been led to believe? In a word, yes. Here's why.

Continue reading Apple iMac review (2012)

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/03/apple-imac-review-2012/

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Competitive Anxiety: "Redpoint Anxiety" | Eva L?pez. Personal ...


Imagine that you are working or onsighting a route that will be your new maximum grade:
How do you manage those attempts?
Have you ever felt that you fell because you couldn't control your anxiety?
Reversely, have you sent a route because you managed to stay focused and motivated and performed at your 100%?
How significant is that particular try or redpoint to you?
Are there any thougts or external factors that make you more tense? Do you know how to identify them when they appear?
What consequences does anxiety have over your performance?
Do you have any strategies to mitigate or take advantage of that tension?
The society we live in defines success as realizing a concrete result or obtaining certain status or tangible goods: earning the right kind of money, getting some job position, buying a house or driving certain car...
In sports this translates into winning/losing terms, an this way victory is demanded for fulfilling some political, financial, social or even emotional agenda for those who seek social recognition. Failing that, scholarships are withdrawn, coaches are fired, and, even worse, the word failure is brought up. Soccer and olympic athletes are obvious examples.

Training for the sake of self-improvement does not have the same appeal. For example, a climber can feel compelled to climb certain grade, achieving some result in competition or doing some renowned testpiece.
The problem is that all this pressure leads many athletes to -mistakenly- believe that they need to prepare their mind for maximum performance. In fact, what is really needed more often than not, is keeping at bay that pressure and anxiety.

A certain degree of acitvation is good for performance, but the key is determining what our right level of activation is, because an imbalance in this factor often becomes a problem. Actually, one of the more frequent causes that athletes report for not being able to reach their full potential is the difficulty of coping with competitive anxiety.
Assuming this approach, what we really need many times is to prepare our minds to avoid instability.

There are climbers who get to the crux and blank out, or get too tense and miss, that get distracted, or picture themselves failing and fall after reaching without conviction for the next hold. They often send the route when they feel very tired, or just want to "clean the route" or "train" in the route. They have unconsciously used an strategy for climbing with less pressure, and it has worked for them.

During the next entries we will talk about the perception and correct channeling of anxiety, the most common sources of stress, effective methods when facing a challenging route or a competition, and how all of this is linked to self-confidence and performance.

NEXT ENTRIES

Competitive Anxiety: Making sense of your Stage Fright - Interpretation of anxiety symptoms
Competitive Anxiety: What does stress you? (I)
Competitive Anxiety: What does stress you? (II)
Competitive Anxiety: Coping Strategies (I)
Competitive Anxiety: Coping Strategies (II)
Competitive Anxiety: Coping Strategies (III)

Source: http://en-eva-lopez.blogspot.com/2012/12/competitive-anxiety-redpoint-anxiety.html

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Project Portfolio | Northstar Publishing

Hollywood Aquatic Center ? ? ? ? ?

Hollywood Aquatic Center

Submitted by Aquatic Design Group

City, State: Las Vegas, Nev.

Cost of Project: $14 million

Type of Facility: Public Recreational and Competitive Aquatic Center

Architectural Firm: Domingo Cambeiro Corporation (DCC) Architects

Aquatic Architect: Aquatic Design Group

Status: Spring 2012

Square Footage: 7,300

Number of Floors: 1

Developed as the county?s second aquatic center, the facility was designed to provide residents a fun and relaxing environment. A huge emphasis was placed on swim instruction programming and competitive swim instruction as well as environmental conservation.

Features include a glass-enclosed, 10-lane competition pool with an instructional pool and party room. An outdoor activity pool features two water slides, a beach-style entry, a lazy river, and interactive water play equipment. The center was also built with the environment in mind using recycled materials.

Las Cruces Regional Aquatic Center

Las Cruces Regional Aquatic Center

Submitted by Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture

City, State: Las Cruces, N.M.

Cost of Project: $11 million (Phase 1A)

Type of Facility: Recreation and Aquatic Center

Architectural Firm: Barker Rinker Seacat in association with Steve Newby Architects

Status: Phase 1 completed in 2010; Phases 1B and 2 pending funding

Square Footage: 35,000

Number of Floors: 2

Phase 1 of this facility included the lobby, leisure pool, lockers, and core and shell for a fitness center. The tenant subsequently outfitted the fitness center, which is now fully functional. A two-story gallery space anchors the building and is the signature form for the center. Central gathering and circulation space organizes the building and frames spectacular views of adjacent parks and distant mountains while providing convenient access to the building?s numerous functions.

Phase 1B will see the build-out of the gymnasium and community meeting rooms, while construction of a competitive lap pool Phase 2 will round out the aquatic venue. The design brings a contemporary interpretation to New Mexico?s rich architectural vernacular. The project is seeking LEED certification.

Ganesha Park

?

Ganesha Park

Submitted by BCI Burke

City, State: Pomona, Calif.

Type of Facility: Park

Architectural Firm: Michael Evans Associates

Status: Completed August 2012

Square Footage: 10,000

Sun Country Systems began the design stage with the city for the project more than 2 years ago. The city was determined to create an all-inclusive playground packed with tons of activities. It was important to them to utilize tons of climbers so the playground equipment had several entry and exit points so all children would be able to interact. Not only did they want an ADAAG ramped system, but they wanted ramps to connect to create a triangular ramp to provide route choices. They wanted a fun, challenging playground and a place for all children to use their imagination and to be able to experience the joy of playing on playground equipment.

Oregon State University?Whyte Track & Field Center

Oregon State University?Whyte Track & Field Center

Submitted by Beynon Sports

City, State: Corvallis, Ore.

Cost of Project: $7.5 million

Type of Facility: Sports Track

Architectural Firm: DLR Group

Status: Completed August 2012

Square Yardage: 10,972

Nine-lane BSS 2000 all-weather, full-pour polyurethane running track with field event areas. BSS 200 is the same surface that the last two U.S. Olympic trials have been completed on.

Wings & Waves Waterpark

Wings & Waves Waterpark

Submitted by Counsilman-Hunsaker

City, State: McMinnville, Ore.

Type of Facility: Waterpark

Architectural Firm: Group Mackenzie

Project Aquatic Designer: Counsilman-Hunsaker

Status: Completed June 2011

Square Footage: 71,000

Inspired by the Evergreen Air and Space Museums that are located on the campus, Wings & Waves Waterpark is the first of its kind to incorporate an indoor waterpark into an existing children?s ?power of water? museum. The aviation and space water-themed venue features nearly 70,000 square feet of educational fun. The pinnacle of the facility is a massive Boeing 747-100 aircraft that has permanently landed on top of the building. Among attractions such as an indoor wave pool, leisure pool with spa, and a tot splash pad, guests find created to-scale-models of the Discovery Space Shuttle with a waterslide in its base, a miniature Messerschmitt Bf-109 and North American P-51World War II fighter aircraft waterslides, and a helicopter that dumps a large bucket of water onto a Pacific Northwest wildfire.

Enchanted Forest Play Structure ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??

Enchanted Forest Play Structure

Submitted by Cre8Play

City, State: El Paso, Texas

Type of Facility: Hospital

Architectural Firm: Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz (KMD) Architects

Status: Completed

Square Footage: 1,000 indoors; 1,000 outdoors

Number of Floors: 1

The El Paso Children?s Hospital and KMD architects challenged playground designer and builder Cre8Play to make their most immersive and captivating play environment to date. What they came up with gives a whole new meaning to the word playground. It?s as though Cre8Play took the traditional playground, flipped it upside down and turned it inside out. More than just a structure to play on, the Enchanted Forest transports kids into an alternate universe where light changes from sunrise to nighttime complete with twinkling stars and the sounds of the forest.

From chirping birds in the morning, to crickets and howls in the evening, this play environment has it all. Play continues onto the outside where kids discover the hobbits? secret homes in a village that lies on the edge of the forest. Secret crawl spaces complete the custom immersive playground.

Illinois State University?Student Fitness Center and McCormick Hall ? ? ? ? ? ? ??

Illinois State University?Student Fitness Center and McCormick Hall

Submitted by Dewberry

City, State: Normal, Ill.

Cost of Project: $43 million

Type of Facility: Campus Recreation Center

Architectural Firm/Lead Architect: Dewberry

Status: Completed in 2011

Square Footage: 176,890

Number of Floors: 3

This facility not only meets the fitness and recreation needs of the student population, but provides an associated academic venue for its nationally recognized and growing School of Kinesiology and Recreation. The combination of these two functions into one building allows capital costs for one to be leveraged to the benefit of the other through shared spaces or close proximity.

The 133,440-square-foot area dedicated to the student recreation center includes a three-story climbing wall, lap pool/whirlpool/spa and space for aerobics/spinning/dance, weight training/fitness, racquetball/wallyball courts, jogging track, gymnasium and MAC courts, lockers, food-service/lounge areas and administrative support areas for recreation staff.

The 43,450-square-foot School of Kinesiology has an instructional area with classrooms, seminar rooms, anatomy computer lab and teaching analysis lab. Laboratory spaces accommodate bio-mechanics research, athletics training clinical instruction, psychology of sport and physical activity, exercise physiology. An instructional gymnasium is also included along with administrative support/faculty office areas.

Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area

Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area

Submitted by Easi-Set Worldwide

City, State: Gorman, Calif.

Cost of Project: $43,000

Type of Facility: Two Easi-Set ?Carson? precast concrete restroom facilities

Engineering Firm: Civiltec Engineering, Inc.

Status: Completed June 2012

Square footage: 181.25 (each)

ADA-compliant dry-vault restroom facilities built by StructureCast of Bakersfield, Calif., an Easi-Set Worldwide licensed building producer, for the California State Park & Recreation Department. The Carson Double Dry Model is a double vault restroom building ideal for remote locations. Measuring 12 feet 6 inches by 14 feet 6 inches, this model comes standard with stainless-steel fixtures and the FAN (fresh air naturally) ventilation technology, which uses the wind and sun to vent the restroom?s air. The design team used a wide variety of aesthetic choices, enabling it to easily blend with the natural surroundings.

W. John Gallivan Plaza Ice Rink And Support Facility

W. John Gallivan Plaza Ice Rink And Support Facility

Submitted by EDA Architects

City, State: Salt Lake City, Utah

Cost of Project: $5 million

Type of Facility: Parks and Entertainment

Architectural Firm: EDA Architects

Status: July 2011

Square Footage: 10,000

Number of Floors: 2

Located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, this unique state-of-the-art events venue supports ongoing programming opportunities and events. The thinking behind the design of this facility was to maximize flexibility of spaces, minimize the impact of the building on the plaza and maintain the connection between.

The facility is registered to receive LEED Silver Certification and it features many sustainable materials and design features. Among others, it features a ?green? roof consisting of drought-tolerant sedums, native grasses and wildflowers, which significantly reduces the urban heat island effect associated with buildings. Bamboo, a rapidly renewable material, is extensively used throughout the building in casework, wall paneling and flooring.

Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve?Boulder Island

Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve?Boulder Island

Submitted by Everlast Climbing

City, State: Santee, Calif.

Cost of Project: $115,000 (including a $23,000 grant)

Type of Facility: Nature Play Area

Architectural Firm: Neri Landscape Architects

Status: Completed Summer 2012

Square Footage: 4,313

Part of a large renovation project to remove invasive species and replace with native plants and trees, Boulder Island is a publicly accessible playground for all ages. It provides trails, interpretive signage, benches, and four large climbing boulders for eager climbers.

Connected to a larger island with a floating trail, the perimeter pathways are dotted with interpretive signage while the benches beckon onlookers to sit and relax and watch climbers tackle the oversized boulders. Fencing protects habitats from curious playground visitors.

River Legacy Park

River Legacy Park

Submitted by Gametime

City, State: Arlington, Texas

Type of Facility: Park/Playground

Architectural Firm: DFL Group, LLC and Landscape Alliance

Status: Completed August 2012

Square Footage: Approx. 6,800 to 7,000

Imagined by John Fain (DFL Group) and Gary Kutilek (Landscape Alliance), this project extends play beyond the playground, integrates the indigenous elements of the park and reconnects children and families with nature. The centerpiece of the playscape is a series of enclosed, non-climbable nets that bridge the play structure to surrounding natural elements and give children the feeling of climbing among trees. Custom-designed play structures, including a giant tree with themed slides and ladders and custom rock and vine climbers complement the natural landscape of the park.

Stafford Drive Park

Stafford Drive Park

Submitted by Gordon

City, State: Fairfax City, Va.

Cost of Project: $2 million

Type of Facility: Community Park

Architectural Firm: Gordon Landscape Architecture

Status: Completed 2008

Features include a restroom, boundless playground, parking, bio-retention garden, trails, and a full-size multi-purpose synthetic turf field.

Brentwood City Park

Brentwood City Park

Submitted by LPA, Inc.

City, State: Brentwood, Calif.

Cost of Project: $1.4 million

Type of Facility: City Park

Architectural Firm: LPA, Inc.

Status: Completed

The city park offers an integral connection between the downtown Brentwood area and the new civic center. A history walk meanders through the park highlighting the local narrative. The redeveloped 1.6-acre park features an event plaza, picnic area, children?s garden, playground, water play area, and a rose garden. Sustainable site measures include bio-swales, vine screen, pervious paving, green roof, and underground detention and infiltration planters for water-quality management.

Dolores Park with Helen Diller Playground

Dolores Park with Helen Diller Playground

Submitted by PlayCore

City, State: San Francisco, Calif.

Cost of Project: $3 million

Type of Facility: City Park and Playground

Architectural Firm: Koch Landscape Architecture with TotTurf/Robertson Recreational Surfacing, A PlayCore Company

Status: Completed

Square Footage: playground 1 acre; park size 13.5 acres

Nestled in the fabled hills of the San Francisco cityscape is Dolores Park with the new Helen Diller Playground. Facility highlights include a destination playground park with custom designed sculptural play elements, vibrantly colorful cushioned TotTurf surfacing creating slopes and climbing elements for added play value, nautical-themed play areas; a hillside featuring a 40-foot-long custom curving super slide, staircases, a telescope to see the city skyline, seating, natural boulders; an isolated mound featuring a 6-foot-wide slide, a small amphitheater, and climbing elements; a 60-foot-long pedestrian bridge that spans between a hillside and the top of a mound to enable access for people using assistive devices; a terraced grassy hillside for sunbathing, dog walking, and kite flying; planting areas brimming with hardy plant species.

Alpine Amphitheater

Alpine Amphitheater

Submitted by Poligon

City, State: Sherman, Texas

Status: Completed

Square Footage: 73 feet by 32 feet

One of Poligon?s new amphitheater designs, a clerestory half hexagon, can be found in Sherman Texas. It is 73 feet by 32 feet with column surrounds provided by others. The frame is powder coated in poli-5000 powder coat. The tongue-and-groove roof complements the frame color and custom lighting has been added to fit the needs of the facility.

Temescal Valley; Deleo Regional Sports Park

Temescal Valley; Deleo Regional Sports Park

Submitted by Public Restroom Company

City, State: Riverside County, Calif.

Cost of Project: $800,000

Type of Facility: Concession, Multi-Purpose Facility, Multi-User Restroom (separate building)

Architectural Firm: Public Restroom Company

Status: Completed December 2011

Square Footage: Concession/Multi-Purpose?1,420; Restroom?698

The concession/multi-purpose facility includes a garage, storage, and concession pantry. The multi-user restroom can accommodate up to 540 users per hour and include an ADA drinking fountain. Installed in a 25-acre park.

Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park

Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park

Submitted by Sun Ports

City, State: Lewisville, Texas

Cost of Project: $700,000

Type of Facility: Multi-Use Sports Park

Design/Build Firm: Sun Ports

Architectural Firms: Dunkin Sims Stoffels

Custom Bleacher Structure Architect: Magee Architects L.P.

Status: Completed

Square Footage: 274-acre facility

The 274-acre Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park features numerous fabric shade structures provided by Sun Ports. Each sporting area has its own identifiable color; the soccer fields have green structures, the football fields have blue and so on. Wrap-arounds were incorporated for baseball dug outs, cantilevers for the skate parks, hip structures for the soccer and football fields and a custom structure for the championship field. The park is expected to draw between 500,000 and 1 million visitors annually for youth leagues, sports tournaments, special events, and recreational use.

Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower

Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower

Submitted by Waterplay Solutions

City, State: Berne, Ind.

Cost of Project: $3.5 million

Type of Facility: Community Plaza

Architectural Firm: Prince Alexander Architects Inc.

Status: Completed

Square Footage: 2.5 acres

Waterplay Solutions lights up Muensterberg Plaza with a truly multi-functional play space. Designed to serve as a communal gathering place for events and functions, the focal point for families is the aquatic play pad featuring an exciting and splashy assortment of ground sprays complete with integrated LED lights. Fun continues when the sun goes down and this play pad is transformed into a stunning fountain show, making it an ideal place for all ages to enjoy.

Features include an aquatic play pad, ground sprays, and luminary sprays.

Andy Romano Beachfront Park

Andy Romano Beachfront Park

Submitted by Zev Cohen & Associates

City, State: Ormond Beach, Fla.

Cost of Project: $2.7 million

Type of Facility: Public Beachfront Park

Architectural Firm: Zev Cohen & Associates

Status: Under Construction; Completion January 2013

Square Footage: 4.5-acre park

The park design captures, enhances, and preserves the features of the beach through the incorporation of lookout platforms, pavilions, and dune restoration areas. ZCA incorporated a splash park, playground, ADA-accessible beach access and picnic areas creating a variety of program opportunities for all ages.

Related posts:

  1. GagaBallPits?Project Portfolio
  2. Waterplay Solutions?Project Portfolio
  3. BCI Burke?Project Portfolio
  4. Aquatic Design Group?Project Portfolio
  5. Beynon?Project Portfolio

Source: http://www.northstarpubs.com/articles/prb/project-portfolio

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Monday, December 3, 2012

MINI, Lexus get top marks in sales satisfaction

The results are in, and once again, Lexus and MINI have proven masters of the sales process and making customers happy, according to J.D. Power and Associates. Why are Lexus and MINI so successful on this front?

By Richard Read,?Guest blogger / December 1, 2012

This commercial file photo courtesy of BMW Group shows the 2012 MINI Cooper SD Coupe. MINI gets high marks in customer sales satisfaction, getting the top spot in J.D. Power and Associates' rankings for the third year in a row.

BMW Group/AP/File

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Earlier,?we discussed?how a range of factors affect customer satisfaction with new automobiles. Included in that mix is the sales process, which begins with shoppers researching possible purchases, and ends with buyers driving their new?cars?home.

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J.D. Power's?2012 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index Study reveals that,?once again, Lexus and MINI are masters of the sales process and of making customers happy.

Methodology

To rank automakers for its latest Sales Satisfaction Index, J.D. Power surveyed 31,386 consumers who bought or leased a new vehicle in May 2012. Power polled those consumers between August and October.

As in previous years, Power divided dealerships into two groups: those where customers shopped but didn't buy, and those where customers ultimately bought or leased their new vehicles.

The former were evaluated on five criteria, each of which carried a slightly different weight in Power's final score: "salesperson (20%); fairness of price (12%); facility (6%); inventory (6%); and experience negotiating (5%)". The latter were evaluated on four criteria: "working out the deal (17%); salesperson (13%); delivery process (11%); and facility (10%)".

On each criteria, dealers were assigned scores ranging from 0 to 1,000.?

Luxury rankings

For the second year in a row, Lexus landed at the top of J.D. Power's Sales Satisfaction Index for?luxury?brands. The automaker received an average score of 737 -- up from 715 last year.?

Lexus was followed by Infiniti, Cadillac, Lincoln, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz, all of which scored above the luxury average of 716. For reference, Infiniti and Lincoln landed?below?that line in 2011, which implies that both have invested time and energy in improving the sales process.

Faring not so well: BMW, Land Rover, Acura, and Audi. Like last year,?Volvo?finished at the back of the pack, with a score of 678. Still, that's an improvement over 2011, when Volvo received an average score of 666.

(Note:?Jaguar?wasn't included in J.D. Power's rankings because its sample size was too small.)

Mass-market rankings

In the mass-market segment, MINI maintained its spot at the top of the Sales Satisfaction Index for the third year running. The brand known for pint-sized rides earned a not-so-pint-sized score of 712. That is, however, down from 723,?MINI's?score last year.

Buick held onto the #2 rung with a score of 706 -- far better than last year's 682. Also faring well were GMC, Fiat, Chevrolet, Subaru, Ford, Honda, and Volkswagen, all of which scored higher than the industry average of 657.

In the below-average group, we find Toyota, Hyundai, Scion,?Mazda, Nissan,?Chrysler, Kia, Ram, Mitsubishi, and Dodge. For the second year in a row, Jeep had the dubious distinction of coming in at the bottom of Power's list -- though the brand's score of 618 was an improvement over last year's 606.

Other key findings

During the course of its survey, J.D. Power uncovered quite a few trends. Among the most interesting:

  • In choosing a dealer, more shoppers use third-party ratings sites than social networks like Facebook. Men are especially prone to rely on third-party sites, while women marginally prefer social networks.
  • That said, those who?do?select a dealer using social sites are significantly more satisfied with their purchasing experience than those who rely solely on third-party sites.?
  • Among dealerships where customers actually purchased or leased their vehicles, satisfaction has improved from 771 in 2011 to 776 this year.
  • Among dealerships that customers?visited but from which they didn't buy or lease, satisfaction is up even more significantly:?from 525 in 2011 to 553 in 2012.
  • On the whole, satisfaction with all dealers improved four points, from an average of 648 in 2011 to 664 this year.

Our take

Today's?auto?market is a crowded one, with many vehicles and brands clamoring for attention. Customer loyalty has fallen largely by the wayside, and Americans' predisposition toward U.S. brands has dissipated. Competing models are so similar that often the only thing separating them is the dealership experience. Making customers feel happy and welcome can make or break a sale.

For us, the biggest takeaway of J.D. Power's 2012 Sales Satisfaction Index is that dealers are increasingly aware of these facts, and many are going the extra distance to improve the shopping experience.

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best auto bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger,?click here.?To add or view a comment on a guest blog, please go to the blogger's own site by clicking on the link in the blog description box above.

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