Know you customers – need & usage

A disappointed salesman of Coca Cola returns from his Middle East assignment.

A friend asked, “Why weren’t you successful with the Arabs?”

The salesman explained, “When I got posted in the Middle East , I was very confident that I would make a good sales pitch as Cola is virtually unknown there. But, I had a problem I didn’t know to speak Arabic. So, I planned to convey the message through three posters…

click on the image for a large view

First poster- Aman lying in the hot desert sand…totally exhausted and fainting.

Second poster – man is drinking our Cola.

Third poster – Our man is now totally refreshed.

Then these posters were pasted all over the place

“That should have worked,” said the friend.

The salesman replied “I also didn’t realize that Arabs go from right to left”

Kindly note: this was a forward mail, I liked it, so I am sharing with you all.

Making of an unproductive Indian

These days I have been traveling by local train, the MRTS in chennai, While I was returning home the other day, it was 7:30 PM. I saw a juvenile girl singing some weird language song, While her younger brother been collecting money in the compartment where my friend and myself being present. I was so pissed of with this activity of sending this girl to do the beggar job. I started scolding their parents and was telling my friend. So my friend asked me on an average day how much money will they be making. My friend has been traveling for years, I just started accompanying him for the last few months.

Can any one guess? The train had 9 compartments running time 45 Minutes. And frequency of this train on an average would be 10-15 Minutes during peak hours.

So I replied my friend saying a 100 Rupees a day. He just laughed at me and explained that they would have already obtained 100 or more Rupees on this trip alone. He went on explaining that an average Indian would give a 1 Rupee to these beggars. The regular travelers know these beggars. So they don’t give them money. It is floating population which falls for these people. Take a single compartment at least 10 to 15 people flick a one Rupee coin and by that 9 compartment of this train they make an average of over 100 Rupees. Imagine if they make around 8 or more trips a day.

I said to my friend, that I was not making that much money being a software professional after all the bloody useless taxes which I have been paying for the Indian Government.

He went on and said, that he had no clues on what happens to that money. But he said, that is one reason we see the parents encouraging their children to beg for money. So for generation they are in the Beggar Business. So now you known why Indians are being considered as Beggars by foreign nationals.

So what is the solution for an unproductive Indian?
While the middle class has been loaded with more and more taxes and the top class has been evading from tax and while the poor has no idea about What taxes were meant to be.

One possible thing which stuck my mind was that these beggars have to be in prison and asked to work on different trades, some thing like the co-operative societies do and be paid really less. It is some thing like saying if you beg you will make 10 Rupees a day. While you work outside you could earn more, So the choice is theirs. Well some one could make Indian roads to every place clean.

Next time you see any one begging on public places please don’t serve that Rupee you are in the process of making an unproductive Indian. Think twice please.

If you have any more ways to make them work do comment.

Technorati Tags: productive, Indian, Chennai, train, MRTS, Child labour, juvenile, taxes, India, Rupee

Do Freebies players actually worry about the market?

The answer is simply No.

Freebies players actually don’t worry about the market value, they just want their share.

This brings to an interesting note.

A store like Walmart or Saravana Stores (Chennai, India) wants to acquire a million copies of a product and shares it willingness with its distributors and their offering price being half the selling price, and their selling price to consumers being 40 percent off on the product. Remember the distributor gets huge monitory benefit from this deal.

If you being the distributor will you sell the product to them?

If you say YES, you end up as slave to Walmart or Saravana stores, as consumers are going to flood their stores and killing the entire availability of that product in small stores. You being a distributor, the willingness to buy the product from you by small vendors is going to be nil.

If you say NO, what will be your conditions?
The condition has to be. Walmart/ Saravana Stores can sell the same product at 10-20% less than the MRP (maximum retail price) and if they want they can offer any freebies as their wish to promote sales.

In that way the value of the product is still not lost. If you remember the popular tamil magazine Kunkumam their intial offer was with lots of other products as freebies and still maintaining the MRP.

Technorati Tags: sales, distributor, small stores, marketing, freebies, free, chennai, India

How Commercial Software, can fight against the Free Softwares?

Before you jumping in to making of a software you looked in to the market and realized there is enough market share. Now you made it, wanted to test them. You made it free as a beta Phase, you now started making commercial version of the same and by retaining the free version with limited features for people to try.

Guess what? A new player comes and provides a me too version of the software for free, only revenue channel being advertisement inside the product.

How do you fight the free version?

Now let us look at same problem solved by the big software companies, I am just taking 2 examples.

1. Microsoft Windows VS Linux
2. Camtasia snagit VS Firefox addons Screen Grab VS WINK (Free)

Microsoft Windows – People continue to make fun of the “Blue screen of Death” in Windows, but funny bone people continue to run their machines with the same Microsoft Windows OS at least the majority of them.

When the threat came from Linux for Windows, I remember every media said that it was death of Windows and even now people say that web will be the new OS, that is still speculative.

What did Microsoft Windows do?
If I am not wrong, they came with lot of advertisements to educate users about the benefits of using Windows. They came with Windows XP SP1, SP2 & SP3 and fixed as much as they could. They executed it well.

I believe the marketing spend on Microsoft XP could have been almost or significantly nil when XP sales was at its peak. Word of mouth still holds good in business. Techies still continue to say XP is stable compared to Vista and there is no major innovation in Vista, that people have upgrade to Vista.

To say, we are still dependent on Microsoft for most of our office productivity. Aren’t we?

The second story is the most significant one. Their product is easy to create and it requires less effort and they still continue to be leaders in their USP. I am taking about TechSmith the makers of Camtasia Snagit.

They did face the similar issue of free software from the open source community.

The popularity of Firefox add ons created a market slow down for Camtasia Snagit and on top of that was the Freeware software called WINK, it did almost the same functionality of Snagit and it was free and forums was available for support.

How did TechSmith Camtasia Snagit fight?
Camtasia Snagit 7.2.5 the earlier commercial version of the software was given free.

Do you want to know why they made it free?
The story goes like this in the Indian shop vendors or Medical Shops, If you ask for a medicine and if it is currently out of stock, they will send one of their members to collect the same medicine from the medical store just opposite their store or even few streets away to procure the same and give it to their customers. It is that the customer gets a feeling that any medicine he needs can be obtained. And that he will come back to the same medical store if he needed one.

TechSmith didn’t want end users to try free software instead allowed users to try the previous commercial version for free.

I use Camtasia Snagit free edition as I experience the reliable, proven and easy to use screen capturing/recording software. BTW, I have already tried the software and its features, and even know each and every interface. It is just that it is easy to use, Comfortable. The only feeling being left out, that I am unable to use the advanced features, which are available in the current commercial version.

For the extra mileage they have contributed few projects called Jing Project and ScreenCast
That takes care of community etc etc

Final Notes: Winning over Free is difficult, but not impossible. If you believe in Free, you can’t win over Free. Undo the learning and fight against Free. If you wish to.

Technorati Tags: software, free, commercial, fight, microsoft, Linux, techsmith, camtasia, Snagit, Jing, Screencast, story, advertisement, revenue, marketshare

What it takes to win in Marketing?

You must have had this aptitude test questions asked by some marketing guys or hot sexy ladies during interviews or during a casual talks.

“Suppose you are the conductor, and there are 2 tracks, on one track 5 kids are playing which is the usual path for the train the track 1 and on the track 2 has one kid playing, Now which track will you allow the train to pass through“

What would be your choice?
I choose the track 2 with the one kid, because I didn’t want all of them to die.

Here comes the Smart marketing guy’s answer. Hey, the 5 kids on the track 1 know that it is the usual path for the train. They expect the train to cross on this track, so they will move away. So don’t kill the single kid who doesn’t expect the train to pass on track 2.

Wow, a smart answer isn’t it.

Is there any one in the crowd wants to fight with this Smart Marketing ass.

Well I do, Did you ever notice the missing pieces of text from the above question.

Suppose you are the conductor, and there are 2 tracks, on one track 5 kids are playing which is the usual path for the train the track 1 and on the track 2 has one kid playing, Now which track will you allow the train to pass through. Well the 5 kids do know that the train passes through this track 1 apart from that, the kid on the track 2 also know that the train passes through track 1.

So ask the above question to a close friend to find the answer?, You will get the answers.

The trick comes by concealing vital information, Like saying it is obvious or known fact or even by jumbling words to make it look like it conveys the meaning.

So be careful, when you have conversation with a marketing guys and sexy marketing women too . Mostly they win by their words, it’s Ok to loose, but gain the experience.

That is marketing – all marketers are lairs. I didn’t say that, “Seth Godin ” said that.

Well I  just pulling my close marketing friends in to debate.

Tested on animals – Mahindra Renault Logan

Event: Mahindra Renault Logan Drivathon
Date: 25-12-2007 (Christmas Day)
Venue: YMCA, Nanadhanam, Chennai
Contact: S.Kumar
Mobile:98409 47464

It is supposed to be fun rally organized by Mahindra Renault Logan to test the mileage of your Mahindra Renault Logan.

• Do you want to know who where the animals?
• and Who tested on them?
• and Who benefited out of this Mahindra Renault Logan Drivathon?

Before we start, Let us understand on how to test Mileage

1. Fill up petrol- full tank
2. check the odometer reading
3. If you have trip meter, set it Zero
4. take a long drive say about 100 and odd KMS, never switch off your car in between your drive (to get good readings)
5. Follow the speed limit (45-55 KMS/hour)
6. Once you reach 100 and odd KMS, go to next fuel station
7. Top up the fuel, to full tank.
8. Note the KMS traveled from your odometer, check the trip meter reading
9. Note check how much of fuel was needed to have it full tank
10. trip meter reading/ top up fuel needed to full tank will give you = Mileage i.e KM per Litre

So what happened at Mahindra Renault Logan Drivathon – car rally
I was there for the event at 8:30 AM at the venue. The event is supposed to start at 9:00AM which didn’t happen, because of the lack of management skills. Flag off happened, after few apologies made by the announcer.

I started to take the drive at 12:09 PM, went to the Fuel station at Venkanarayana Road.

A gentleman approached and said “Sir we will fill the tank full, out of which 5 litres of fuel price will be waived off and the rest you have to pay, Is that fine with you”.

I accepted, this is how they filled the fuel

My odometer readings were noted down and written on the card. My trip meter was made zero. And I started of to the rally.

Most cars had ladies and kids in the car – the best part was that, some car drivers took a break on the road side to take a leak. “What about the ladies and the kids?” What a shame?, Even if they had arranged for some nice place to take a short break for 2 hour long drive, it would have been nice. Well, my family did take a break at the Petrol Pump station at Venkatnarayana road, before the rally started. I realized, so was happy for my family too.

So my trip meter reading said 103 KMS when I was back from Mahabalipuram to Venkatanaraya road Bharat petrol pump station. I was doing between 50 and 60 KMS/hour. I was driving like a monkey as ordered, to execute things as said.

Now the top up started at the pumping station which recorded about 4.155 litres of petrol. So that means 103/4.155 should be my mileage. Which is actually wrong, because the Car fuel indicator says that my petrol tank is still not full. (Check the video)

My mileage is 24.789 KM per litre, WOW, I could believe it. The same car was doing last week, having a mileage of 9 KM per litre

Here is one more catch my fuel indicator was not saying that it is full tank, see the video to believe it. See other photos to know what was my readings.

Click on the image for a larger view

Did you notice the time, which I referred while I entered the pump station 12:09 PM and at what time did I start 12:35 PM and at what time I reached the pump station again 2:59 PM
You want to why the delay

Click on the image for a larger view
Do you see the Mahindra Renault Logan on the opposite side of the road in a queue.

What is explained in the video?
If you noticed the video, I had taken at the time when I reached the YMCA ground, still wondering WHY the fuel indicator is not showing the fuel tank full. So it means that there is enough space to fill up some more fuel to make it full tank. Which most of them didn’t realize.

Now to answer the questions

Do you want to know who where the animals?
there were 100 and odd drivers with their family, driving their cars, following orders and not not having fun on the gracious day Christmas

and Who tested on us?
Mahindra Renault Logan Marketing team

A surprise did happen during the prize distribution ceremony. A owner of Mahindra Renault Logan was agitated and trying to claim for the prize as his car did a 40KM per litre mileage (Diesel version owner)

and Who benefited out of this Mahindra Renault Logan Drivathon?
Can you imagine 100 and odd drivers spending their money to filling up the fuel tank full and driving their own cars and following orders at the mercy of Mahindra Renault Logan team for only one reason to prove that Mahindra Renault can do 33KMs per litre for the petrol version and 37KMs per litre on the Diesel version.
I should say that the marketing guys made little spend by gaining more

1. breakfast (bread sandwich and water, if you like it eat it else leave it. That was stance. Hospitality ZERO)
2. 5 litres of fuel waived off during full tank session
3. lunch (Saravana bhavan – Mini meals)
4. and another 4-5 litres of fuel for top up total of 8-9 litres of fuel while including the 5 litre of fuel which was waived off during the full tank session (Petrol or Diesel)
5. Spend on venue
6. And of course the event management team.

Who are the loser?

1. Fuel to fill up the tank
2. quality family time on the Christmas day
3. apart from that those god damn sponsor stickers from JK tyre and those numbers sticked all over the car. Who is gonna pay to remove that, With out spending money.

Mahindra Renault Logan owners are the ultimate losers to gain new customers

Who were the gainers?
Mahindra Renault Logan Marketing team – to make fake mileage result. It is pretty simple I say, you have around 100 odd drivers at your disposal feed them you have the results.

Do you want to know how this Viral Marketing is supposed to work?
Let’s say 100 and odd Mahindra Renault Logan happy customers, who had good mileage experience is about to unfold the secret to all their friends and relatives, well sort of boasting off that their car did give an ultimate mileage.

If you care for fellow car owners please digg this or post a link on your blogs. Atleast the new car owners can be spared.

some related posts regarding Mahindra Renault Logan

Some more post which are in continuation with Mahindra Renault Logan

1. How I bought my new Mahindra Renault Logan – space, value for Money- Review
2. Why Mahindra Logan, Renault Logan, Dacia Logan?
3. Mahindra Logan – Usability Explored
4. Is your Mahindra Logan in safe hands – After sales, What service
5. Mahindra Logan – Look out for the new version
6. Mahindra Renault Logan free service – unveiled
7. The Devil in my Mahindra Renault Logan

Technorati Tags: Renault, Logan, Mahindra Renault Logan, Review, safety, kids, usability, car, chennai, dealer, howto, best, petrol, diesel, fear, marketing, sales, savings, automobiles

The Devil in my Mahindra Renault Logan

Meet the Devil right here. After I took my car from my first free service, I returned home and went to buy fruits along with my family. After shopping, we got in to the car, my wife and my son did enter the right side back door as the opposite doors was no were possible to open because I had parked next to wall close to the door. Usually they get in to the companion front seat.

So we drove back home and I had completely switched off my car, so did the central locking system open the safety latches, so as to open the door. But the right side rear door was not opening, she was pulling the lever for sometime, She screamed at me to help her unlock the door, sitting in the driver seat, I turned back and pulled the lever, the door didn’t open. The opposite side door was already facing the wall this time too, as I had done the parking next to a wall.

I unlocked my door, that was possible. Then I felt “Shit man, I asked them to fix the rattling noise at the left side front door, Why did they touch the back door? I thought they screwed the back door” I reached to the back door and pull the lever to unlock the back door. I was crazy, how come it works from outside and not inside.

Took the car this morning “Monday” to the service station.
Don’t you want to meet the devil in my Mahindra Renault Logan. Here it is…

Latch or manual lever in ON position top

Latch or manual lever in OFF position top

Some one at the service station had turned the lever to “ON” State.

The best part is that this small lever works manually, and is called the child safety lock for the rear doors.

How does this work?
If you are going to make sure that kids alone are traveling with you, you switch on the lever and then lock the rear doors.

What ever the damn situation may be. Let it be accident or fire or hell freezes over your car. Your kids can’t unlock the back side car doors.
You must noticed in the Cops cars. They put the criminals back at the rear seats and lock it. No matter what, they can’t unlock from inside. Some one needs to unlock the door from outside, even when central door locking unlocks the safety latch.

Why would I choose to have my kid in the back seats while leaving the car in the off state.

What a moron usability on the Mahindra Renault Logan?
Why can’t the child door lock feature be part of central locking system. If the central locking system disables the safety latch, even the door should be made to open from inside.

Update:
I heard from a close friend, all rear door child lock performs the same way as the Mahindra Logan. Just to note, I have updgraded from Maruti 800, so I am totally unaware of the rear child safety lock. Still I would like all cars to posesses intelligent system. So control for the driver to have more control on the doors or atleast the dashboard to have controls so that any passenger can disable the rear door child lock.

Some more post which are in continuation with Mahindra Renault Logan

1. Why Mahindra Logan, Renault Logan, Dacia Logan?
2. Mahindra Logan – Usability Explored
3. Is your Mahindra Logan in safe hands – After sales, What service
4. Mahindra Logan – Look out for the new version
5. Mahindra Renault Logan free service – unveiled
6. The Devil in my Mahindra Renault Logan
7. Tested on animals – Mahindra Renault Logan

Technorati Tags: Renault, Logan, Mahindra Renault Logan, Review, safety, kids, usability, car, chennai, dealer, howto, best, petrol, diesel, fear, marketing, sales, savings, automobiles

Mahindra Renault Logan free service – unveiled

My First Mahindra Renault Logan 1.4 GLX service explained and here is the userexperience. Comparison with Maruti Service explained

First things first: I had a loyal Maruti 800 for 4 long years 2003-2007 untill I replaced it with a Mahindra Renault Logan 1.4 GLX 2007.

My first experience with GMS motors | Sahil motors in terms of service.
I had been to the service station personally to drop my Mahindra Renault Logan last Friday the 21st of December 2007, so a gentleman supervisor assisted me, early morning at 9:10 A.M, took careful notes.

My requests were:

1. Front left door rattling noise
2. Remove the plastic covers for the back seats
3. Replace new headlamps black dot stickers
4. Remove the reverse horn and not the reverse horn which comes with my remote lock.
5. Scratch on the left side doors (check and give me the quote)

Apart from the above list, His suggestions were:

1. Anti corrosion coating under the car body ( I stopped him. When he suggested that, as I know that the rubber coating is not gonna do anything good for the car)
2. Fully powder coating of the body of car with a scratch resistant formula (comes with a 3 year warranty) cost a mere 3700 and odd Rupees. Item 5 of the above wish list is covered.
3. Labour charge of 150 Rupees + tax for just removing the reverse horn. That would be Item no 4 of my wish list.

As far I know there is no oil change in this service and I was not charged for that.
What things got fixed and what not?

1. Front door rattling noise not fixed, and the safety latch of the left door got buried. Any ways that safety latch was not of any use, you could still open the door with the safety latch down.
2. Our supervisor was holistic, he felt that it was better if I not remove the back seat covers for quiet some time as it is still a new car, his explanations went more like “have it for some more months, kids would tear for you”. What a shame? tell me either you forgot it or your technicians were lazy enough to unlock the rear seats to remove the plastic cover.
3. One thing rightly done was to replace the black dots on my headlamps
4. The second thing, reverse horn removed and placed in the boot.
5. Before doing the scratch painting fix. It was supposed to be tested, after the testing was done, the call said the scratch can fixed. Meanwhile a friend suggested with sticker which would work out cheaper. So I asked them not to fix the scratch.

There happened one evil incident on my Mahindra Renault Logan, While We returned home from shopping the same after service. My wife and son at the back seats. My right side back door could not be opened from inside. So what did happen? know it right here.

Now let us look in to the comparison of Mahindra Renault Logan and Maruti Service centers

My experience at Maruti service center
A profile or service history of my Maruti 800 was already available with the service advisor
A job sheet, which will note the requirements for the service to be done for my car

This job sheet comprises of

1. history of previously done KMS
2. history of parts changed previously
3. Things to do list
4. Dents and body parts marked when I leave my car for service ( a diagram of car top view and side view detailed diagram to mark the scratches and dents)
5. Accessories contained in my car, which include how many floor mats, Air refresher, dolls, body cover (the plastic one) and what ever minute details which belong to the owner.
6. Apart from that the costing proposal, date and time of delivery
7. after delivery a customer feedback form to be posted after driving the car (postage will be paid by the addressee)

Now on the Mahindra Renault Logan service center
Job sheet contains

1. to do list of service
2. date and time of delivery
3. ofcourse the customer feedback form before even you pay the service bills and before even you touch the car.
4. once nice badge which is attached to the mirror which talks about the names service adviser, technician and the quality inspector. Apart from that I have the mobile number.

At the time of delivery, My experience with the Maruti’s was best when compared with the Mahindra’s.

The first free service was charged 75 Rupees for replacement of odd stuffs + labour charges + tax. Did I say free service.

Some more post which are in continuation with Mahindra Renault Logan

1. Why Mahindra Logan, Renault Logan, Dacia Logan?
2. Mahindra Logan – Usability Explored
3. Is your Mahindra Logan in safe hands – After sales, What service
4. Mahindra Logan – Look out for the new version
5. Mahindra Renault Logan free service – unveiled
6. The Devil in my Mahindra Renault Logan
7. Tested on animals – Mahindra Renault Logan

Technorati Tags: Renault, Logan, Mahindra Renault Logan, Review, safety, kids, usability, car, chennai, dealer, howto, best, petrol, diesel, fear, marketing, sales, savings, automobiles

Why Mahindra Renault Logan, Renault Logan, Dacia Logan?

Dacia Logan

Renault Logan

Mahindra Logan

Did you notice the contents of the links, Yes it is the same car. So ultimately it is Dacia Logan under the rebranded name of Renault and marketed in India under the name of Mahindra and Renault.

So why choose a Logan?
I just fell for the price and the boot space.

1. Price: A entry level sedan at the price of premium hatch back.
2. Boot space: more than, Honda City WOW. I travel to my native place. All the time I had baggages placed inside the cabin of my Maruti 800. Didn’t want things around me any more.
3. Lots of Space: Room/ head space.
4. Of course the tubeless tires

Just like Maruti 800 is the entry level for hatch back, I would say Mahindra Renault Logan is an entry level for a Sedan. Don’t expect too much…

Here is my test drive experience on Mahindra Renault Logan

Some more post on Mahindra Renault Logan

1. How I bought my new Mahindra Renault Logan – space, value for Money- Review
2. Mahindra Logan – Usability Explored
3. Is your Mahindra Logan in safe hands – After sales, What service
4. Mahindra Logan – Look out for the new version
5. Mahindra Renault Logan free service – unveiled
6. The Devil in my Mahindra Renault Logan

Technorati Tags: Renault, Logan, Mahindra Renault Logan, Review, safety, kids, usability, car, chennai, dealer, howto, best, petrol, diesel, fear, marketing, sales, savings, automobiles

Is your Mahindra Renault Logan in safe hands – After sales, What service- Review

After buying the brand new Mahindra Logan 1.4 GLX, How do you expect your car to be delivered on the delivery date?
Brand new. Well I didn’t.

This is how I received my car.
With stains all over in patches here and there.

The wrapper was intentionally made in order to cover the stain in the gear box, Damn thing was sticky after I removed the wrapper.

When other customers receive the Mahindra Logan as brand new, Why choose me to have a stained one.

Well now to the RC book, I had to call up after 3 weeks and I receive them like this.

Click on the image for a larger version.



Above are the floor mat and the stain under the floor mat.
Well What is the mistake on the above RC book. Did you find my 1.4 GLX and it is mentioned diesel version. How come the petrol version be diesel.

I am yet to receive my RC book, let me see. whether I have to call or will I ever receive it corrected.

Here is one more customer experience:

A friend of mine had bought the Mahindra Logan 1.6 GLS petrol version. Here is the problem which he faced on the second day ( he was able to notice the problem the next day after filling the petrol tank full on the day of the purchase).

Above Mahindra Logan 1.6 Petrol cable punctured. Click on the image for a detailed view.

What was answer from the Service professional for the above?
“Sir, it is rat bite, You will need to replace the cable, that would cost you”, At last after few talks with the sales guy the cost of the cable is supposed to be adjusted during the first service (reimbursement).

What happened to the pre delivery Inspection?

So how do you trust Mahindra Logan Service center dealers. It is almost 2000 KM, it is time for my 1st service. I am worried on the service looking upon the quality of response from Mahindra dealers.

Some more post on Mahindra Renault Logan

1. How I bought my new Mahindra Logan – space, value for money
2. Why Mahindra Logan, Renault Logan, Dacia Logan?
3. Mahindra Logan – Usability Explored
4. Mahindra Logan – Look out for the new version

Technorati Tags: Renault, Logan, Mahindra Renault Logan, Review, safety, kids, usability, car, chennai, dealer, howto, best, petrol, diesel, fear, marketing, sales, savings, automobiles