Now this is the height of socialism :) In communism-affected (had to use it like a derogatory word), housewives demand pay from the government for doing their house duties. And the reason is, it helps nation building... No doubt abt it, that theirs are one of the most important roles in mankind... but forming a union to demand pay... isn't it a shame and disgrace to their role actually?
For more, refer http://www.rediff.com/money/2009/mar/09kerala-housewives-demand-pay-from-govt.htm
Thursday, May 21, 2009
An interesting article on the AdClub Bombay website...It talks about Moments of Truth for a product or service...
_______________________________________________________
Moments of Truth are defined as those touch points in an organisation where the customer interacts directly with the firm. These are the moments when the customers come in direct contact with the company. The interaction can be with a man or a machine. The touch points are critical because these are when the customer decides whether to continue or terminate the relationship.
The concept of Moments of Truth has a wide application in the marketing of services. Since services involve close and frequent interaction between the consumer and the service provider, managing these moments acquires strategic importance. The moments when the salesperson visits the customer or the consumer visits the office are opportunities to create an impression and build a relationship.
Identify Moments of Truth
The first step in managing these critical touch points is to identify the points where the company comes in contact with the customer. Kingfisher Airlines had the wisdom to understand that one of the first interactions between the Airlines and the customer comes when the customer reaches the airport. This moment was often neglected by most airlines. Kingfisher capitalised on this Moment of Truth by introducing ushers to welcome travellers and direct them to the boarding counters. This small step had a huge positive impact on the customer service perception for Kingfisher Airlines.
Organisations often fail to identify these interaction points correctly which often results in a negative customer experience. Hence it is important for all firms to identify and map their customer touch points so that the points can be made an opportunity to make an impact on the consumer.
For example, most firms think that the first touch point for a customer who is visiting an office is the front office personnel. In reality however, the first touch point is the security personnel at the gate. One of my colleagues discontinued his relationship with his car service centre because of the raw deal given to him by the security staff.
While the front office personnel are trained, security staff are often outsourced and may or may not be trained in customer service. Smart companies train these personnel in effective customer service behaviour because they recognise that first impressions are critical.
Hence it is important for firms to have a service map which gives the marketer an idea of the instances where the consumer tries to interact with the firm. Once these instances have been mapped, the marketer will be able to come up with strategies to create an impact during these moments.
Create Moments of Truths
While service organisations have a constant interaction with their customers, product companies may not have any direct interaction. A soap marketer, for example, may not directly interact with the end consumer at all.
In the highly insightful book “The Game Changer”, the CEO of P&G - AG Lafley identifies two Moments of Truth for product consumers. The first Moment of Truth is when the consumer goes to the retail store to purchase the product and the second Moment of Truth is when the consumer uses the product. The product marketers should make sure that they make a positive impression on the consumer at both these critical points.
However, marketers should not refrain from creating new touch points with the consumer. Brands like Sunsilk have taken the initiative to make a direct connection with the consumer by building a community – Sunsilk Gang of Girls. TVS and Maruti Suzuki have tried to connect with the consumer by opening driving schools for their consumers. Fastrack is constantly communicating with its consumers through social networking platforms like Twitter.
The Internet has opened up a new platform for marketers to create and manage new Moments of Truth. Although Internet penetration is low in India, it nevertheless produces a platform for meeting consumers who are often the early adopters. Blogs, Twitter and social networking sites like Orkut and Facebook offer an opportunity for marketers to create a community and thus understand the pulse of the market.
People are the key
People are the key to managing Moments of Truth. Whether it be the front office personnel meeting the consumer who visits the office or the sales personnel visiting the customer, people form the most critical media through which the impression is made. It is important for people across different levels in the organisation to understand that they have a role to play in managing these interactions.
In his book on customer service entitled “Hug Your Customers”, author Jack Mitchell talks about the importance of involving every member of the organisation in meeting and interacting with the consumer. Jack Mitchell is the CEO of premium clothing company Mitchells & Richards which is well known for its extraordinary customer service. In Mitchells & Richards, every member of the firm from the CEO to the Accountant interacts with the consumers so that the concept of customer service excellence runs through the entire organisation.
Encourage interaction
"The customer (client) is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is a part of it. We are not doing him/her a favour by serving him/her. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so."
This famous quote is seen displayed in many offices but seldom have we undertaken the activities in the true spirit of this famous saying.
The critical questions that should be asked by firms in managing customer interactions are: -
_______________________________________________________
Moments of Truth are defined as those touch points in an organisation where the customer interacts directly with the firm. These are the moments when the customers come in direct contact with the company. The interaction can be with a man or a machine. The touch points are critical because these are when the customer decides whether to continue or terminate the relationship.
The concept of Moments of Truth has a wide application in the marketing of services. Since services involve close and frequent interaction between the consumer and the service provider, managing these moments acquires strategic importance. The moments when the salesperson visits the customer or the consumer visits the office are opportunities to create an impression and build a relationship.
Identify Moments of Truth
The first step in managing these critical touch points is to identify the points where the company comes in contact with the customer. Kingfisher Airlines had the wisdom to understand that one of the first interactions between the Airlines and the customer comes when the customer reaches the airport. This moment was often neglected by most airlines. Kingfisher capitalised on this Moment of Truth by introducing ushers to welcome travellers and direct them to the boarding counters. This small step had a huge positive impact on the customer service perception for Kingfisher Airlines.
Organisations often fail to identify these interaction points correctly which often results in a negative customer experience. Hence it is important for all firms to identify and map their customer touch points so that the points can be made an opportunity to make an impact on the consumer.
For example, most firms think that the first touch point for a customer who is visiting an office is the front office personnel. In reality however, the first touch point is the security personnel at the gate. One of my colleagues discontinued his relationship with his car service centre because of the raw deal given to him by the security staff.
While the front office personnel are trained, security staff are often outsourced and may or may not be trained in customer service. Smart companies train these personnel in effective customer service behaviour because they recognise that first impressions are critical.
Hence it is important for firms to have a service map which gives the marketer an idea of the instances where the consumer tries to interact with the firm. Once these instances have been mapped, the marketer will be able to come up with strategies to create an impact during these moments.
Create Moments of Truths
While service organisations have a constant interaction with their customers, product companies may not have any direct interaction. A soap marketer, for example, may not directly interact with the end consumer at all.
In the highly insightful book “The Game Changer”, the CEO of P&G - AG Lafley identifies two Moments of Truth for product consumers. The first Moment of Truth is when the consumer goes to the retail store to purchase the product and the second Moment of Truth is when the consumer uses the product. The product marketers should make sure that they make a positive impression on the consumer at both these critical points.
However, marketers should not refrain from creating new touch points with the consumer. Brands like Sunsilk have taken the initiative to make a direct connection with the consumer by building a community – Sunsilk Gang of Girls. TVS and Maruti Suzuki have tried to connect with the consumer by opening driving schools for their consumers. Fastrack is constantly communicating with its consumers through social networking platforms like Twitter.
The Internet has opened up a new platform for marketers to create and manage new Moments of Truth. Although Internet penetration is low in India, it nevertheless produces a platform for meeting consumers who are often the early adopters. Blogs, Twitter and social networking sites like Orkut and Facebook offer an opportunity for marketers to create a community and thus understand the pulse of the market.
People are the key
People are the key to managing Moments of Truth. Whether it be the front office personnel meeting the consumer who visits the office or the sales personnel visiting the customer, people form the most critical media through which the impression is made. It is important for people across different levels in the organisation to understand that they have a role to play in managing these interactions.
In his book on customer service entitled “Hug Your Customers”, author Jack Mitchell talks about the importance of involving every member of the organisation in meeting and interacting with the consumer. Jack Mitchell is the CEO of premium clothing company Mitchells & Richards which is well known for its extraordinary customer service. In Mitchells & Richards, every member of the firm from the CEO to the Accountant interacts with the consumers so that the concept of customer service excellence runs through the entire organisation.
Encourage interaction
"The customer (client) is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is a part of it. We are not doing him/her a favour by serving him/her. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so."
- Mahatma Gandhi
This famous quote is seen displayed in many offices but seldom have we undertaken the activities in the true spirit of this famous saying.
The critical questions that should be asked by firms in managing customer interactions are: -
- How easy is it for the customer to contact you?
- How fast will his query be answered?
- Is there a mechanism for measuring his satisfaction?
- Do we reach out to him or wait for him to contact us?
- Do we divide our customers into large and small or do we have a culture that treats customers as equal?
- We have a promotions budget, expenses budget etc. Do we have a consumer relationship budget?
- Are our staff given sufficient authority and responsibility to make customer interactions fruitful?
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Anger vs. Love - Interesting Take
Nice one... profound wala hai :)
________________________________________
A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?'
________________________________________
A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?'
Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.'
'But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint. 'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?' Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.
Finally he explained, 'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.'
Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...'
The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'
MORAL: When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Innovative Marketing - FORD
Just came across this article involving a very risky yet pretty interesting marketing strategy by Ford. To quote the article, it "tests the limits of social media branding".
To promote the new Fiesta, Ford will hand over new cars to 100 youngsters from various social & economical strata and they will document their experiences through various social media. Ford has taken a HUGE risk here since they will have no control over what the recipients post (for 6 months). Social media being soaked in so much and so fast, one of the biggest brands in the world faces a danger of becoming a social pariah. Moreover, the Fiesta as a model is well-accepted and well-entrenched in people's minds.
For 6 months, having no control over what consumers write about you and that being your only contact with your audience - is it stupidity? No, I don't think so. With GM facing inevitable bankruptcy, Toyota making its 1st quarterly loss in years and Ford itself in danger of becoming irrelevant in its own bastion, the US, this experiment could provide a fresh lease of life and build a connect with the youth. With people, who do not even consider the car or the brand. And, no car company is a clear favourite among the twenty-something-just-started-working population. PLUS, you build the brand globally. Social media knows no geographical scope and is the cheapest and most endearing form of communication. The step by Ford is extending to digital marketing by making the consumers the advertisers. Creatives, choice of media vehicle - everything is now upto the consumer... Empowerment at the greatest.
Seeding, as you can call this phenomenon, has been around for a while. Gadget companies do it with bloggers, FMCG companies or service providers have done it with opinion leaders in the past. And these days, it is these tech-savvy no-nonsense demographic that is the clear opinion leader, and globally influencing too.
The flip-side though is when the car itself is not that great. As the article points out, Chevy has suffered in the past. But I do not think Ford would have embarked on this journey if it wasn't sure of a winner. I also feel the responsibility given to the consumer will make sure no frivolity seeps into the whole idea.
So get ready to see videos, pictures, blogs, tweets and status updates about the new Ford Fiesta soon. It sure is a bold step and will open up newer frontiers and avenues. Kudos to Ford!
To promote the new Fiesta, Ford will hand over new cars to 100 youngsters from various social & economical strata and they will document their experiences through various social media. Ford has taken a HUGE risk here since they will have no control over what the recipients post (for 6 months). Social media being soaked in so much and so fast, one of the biggest brands in the world faces a danger of becoming a social pariah. Moreover, the Fiesta as a model is well-accepted and well-entrenched in people's minds.
For 6 months, having no control over what consumers write about you and that being your only contact with your audience - is it stupidity? No, I don't think so. With GM facing inevitable bankruptcy, Toyota making its 1st quarterly loss in years and Ford itself in danger of becoming irrelevant in its own bastion, the US, this experiment could provide a fresh lease of life and build a connect with the youth. With people, who do not even consider the car or the brand. And, no car company is a clear favourite among the twenty-something-just-started-working population. PLUS, you build the brand globally. Social media knows no geographical scope and is the cheapest and most endearing form of communication. The step by Ford is extending to digital marketing by making the consumers the advertisers. Creatives, choice of media vehicle - everything is now upto the consumer... Empowerment at the greatest.
Seeding, as you can call this phenomenon, has been around for a while. Gadget companies do it with bloggers, FMCG companies or service providers have done it with opinion leaders in the past. And these days, it is these tech-savvy no-nonsense demographic that is the clear opinion leader, and globally influencing too.
The flip-side though is when the car itself is not that great. As the article points out, Chevy has suffered in the past. But I do not think Ford would have embarked on this journey if it wasn't sure of a winner. I also feel the responsibility given to the consumer will make sure no frivolity seeps into the whole idea.
So get ready to see videos, pictures, blogs, tweets and status updates about the new Ford Fiesta soon. It sure is a bold step and will open up newer frontiers and avenues. Kudos to Ford!
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
The Linea
I am sure most guys love cars... Like a normal guy, was hoping to have a decent choice buying my next car. With a limited budget, always thought that Suzuki Swift would be the only option. And then, the Fiat Linea was launched.
Have always loved the Fiat Palio from day one. But its after-sales service, build quality, mileage etc. were issues which didn't make for intelligent buying. But I was in love with Fiat cars for sure. When the Linea was launched, the words for me were sexy, stunning, amazing, beautiful and WOW!
Moreover after seeing every publication, car enthusiast, critic, TV show going ga-ga and proving that finally Fiat had got it right, I am just tempted every day by the thought of buying one. Its over-budget for me for sure, but then the answer to that is wait for the 'Grande Punto' which will be competing with the likes of the Swift and the Fabia. It can't be bad at all after the Linea. Also, it just doesn't help that my neighbour has a shiny black Linea outside my door and I pass it every day :(
And the punchline - "Admiration Guaranteed..." is bang-on. Look at this video and I guarantee you'll fall in love with the car. The video is aptly titled "Fiat Linea fascination" ;)
Go droool...
More on the Linea at what it can make you do. Look at the ad below:
Fresh Ho Jaao
Am in love with this ad... Somehow all of Limca's and Liril's ads have stuck with the freshness theme but they do manage to get creative...
This ad also has a 2 min song (and video). Its simple, yet have to say FRESH :)
Something to do with the tune, the lyrics, the treatment... can't say. But the overall effect I get is refreshing.
The lyrics are also quite meaningful... exhorting you to break the rut in your life and break out once in a while...
“Fuhaarein, bochharein, nazaaare chura lo na, kuch boondein chura lo na; Thaki si zindagi se, ruki si zindagi se, kuch lamhe chura lo na…;
Kuch yaddein, aur sapne, apne chura lo na; Ruki si zindagi se, thaki si zindagi se, raftaarein chura lo na…”
This ad also has a 2 min song (and video). Its simple, yet have to say FRESH :)
Something to do with the tune, the lyrics, the treatment... can't say. But the overall effect I get is refreshing.
The lyrics are also quite meaningful... exhorting you to break the rut in your life and break out once in a while...
“Fuhaarein, bochharein, nazaaare chura lo na, kuch boondein chura lo na; Thaki si zindagi se, ruki si zindagi se, kuch lamhe chura lo na…;
Kuch yaddein, aur sapne, apne chura lo na; Ruki si zindagi se, thaki si zindagi se, raftaarein chura lo na…”
Monday, April 06, 2009
Nails in the fence...
A forward I keep forgetting to implement in my life...
NAILS IN THE FENCE
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, 'You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same.
When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.
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