how to run a batch file (windows environment)

Hi,
I think i am getting a hang of Penatho ETL (Community version) and i like it so far..
one hick up while working on it is: how to run a batch file (windows environment) using transformation/job?

I have searched on the internet and Pentaho Wiki and i quite didn't understand how to do it though. Had gone through Execute a process (link below) and couldn't figure how to run a batch file using this. Not sure if this is even right direction for it..

http://wiki.pentaho.com/display/EAI/Execute+a+process

Why do i want to run a batch file? Two things:
1. I do not know if this is my system that MAIL utility does not work in community version or something else; so want to use a command line utility to send email after transformation is done. Tested mail on my system through telnet and it works with same smtp domain and port.
2. Before loading a flat file; want to change the encoding version through a command line utility and then load it.

Thanks