Beverages market in India is made up of Brown and White. The white segment is estimated to be worth Rs. 1800 crore with Horlicks having 56% market share. Nestle has discontinued its brand Milo after poor volumes by the brand.
http://www.blonnet.com/2009/06/06/stories/2009060651771700.htm
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Customer Care. Do you really care?
Incident 1
Telecaller (yet another spam): "Sir you have a pre-paid connection. Would you like to switch to post-paid?"
Customer: "Yes. What are the various plans?"
Telecaller: "249, 349, 399, etc. You dont need to worry our customer care executive (CCE) will come and explain it to you. When should he come to your office?"
Customer: "I will let you know."
Next Day, Incident 2
Customer walks into an Airtel Customer Care center (located 5kms from home) just to get the same work done. Pre-Paid to Post-Paid.
Customer: "I need to convert Pre to Post paid. Hand me the forms."
CCE: "Sir, it cannot be done here. It can ONLY happen in the Begumpet City Main Office in Hyderabad."
Customer (pissed off): "WTF."
Next Day, Incident 3
Same Telecaller (TC): "Hello sir."
Customer: "Please send someone to my office and I'll fill up all the forms."
TC: "Sir, in Airtel you cannot convert from Pre-Paid to Post-Paid. We have withdrawn the scheme."
Customer's Ghost (as the customer is dead by now): "Will you please check with your manager. I went to your office yesterday and they said the conversion is possible. You only pestered me for 4 days for this."
TC: "I will get back to you Sir."
-----
Customer Care??
Save me!
Telecaller (yet another spam): "Sir you have a pre-paid connection. Would you like to switch to post-paid?"
Customer: "Yes. What are the various plans?"
Telecaller: "249, 349, 399, etc. You dont need to worry our customer care executive (CCE) will come and explain it to you. When should he come to your office?"
Customer: "I will let you know."
Next Day, Incident 2
Customer walks into an Airtel Customer Care center (located 5kms from home) just to get the same work done. Pre-Paid to Post-Paid.
Customer: "I need to convert Pre to Post paid. Hand me the forms."
CCE: "Sir, it cannot be done here. It can ONLY happen in the Begumpet City Main Office in Hyderabad."
Customer (pissed off): "WTF."
Next Day, Incident 3
Same Telecaller (TC): "Hello sir."
Customer: "Please send someone to my office and I'll fill up all the forms."
TC: "Sir, in Airtel you cannot convert from Pre-Paid to Post-Paid. We have withdrawn the scheme."
Customer's Ghost (as the customer is dead by now): "Will you please check with your manager. I went to your office yesterday and they said the conversion is possible. You only pestered me for 4 days for this."
TC: "I will get back to you Sir."
-----
Customer Care??
Save me!
Monday, March 02, 2009
Man's biggest strength
What is a man's biggest strength?
Hard work, sincerity, commitment, honesty...
It is that one thing which changes adversity into opportunity, its gives him a new life, a new perspective, a new found enthusiasm... It is 'Hope'.
You can also call it 'Optimism', but Hope summarizes the emotion better.
In bad times, when the future becomes unclear, when the path becomes foggy, it is hope within which keeps you going... clears the way... makes you feel happy... fills you with life.
Hope need not come to your rescue only in adversity. In the normal course of life, whenever you get disappointed, ask yourself "Is there nothing I can do? Is there no hope?" Then go ahead and do what is in your control... forget about all other things... they will all fall in place...
Continue to hope and you will continue to live...
Hard work, sincerity, commitment, honesty...
It is that one thing which changes adversity into opportunity, its gives him a new life, a new perspective, a new found enthusiasm... It is 'Hope'.
You can also call it 'Optimism', but Hope summarizes the emotion better.
In bad times, when the future becomes unclear, when the path becomes foggy, it is hope within which keeps you going... clears the way... makes you feel happy... fills you with life.
Hope need not come to your rescue only in adversity. In the normal course of life, whenever you get disappointed, ask yourself "Is there nothing I can do? Is there no hope?" Then go ahead and do what is in your control... forget about all other things... they will all fall in place...
Continue to hope and you will continue to live...
Saturday, February 28, 2009
How to become a 'Chatter-Box' in a GD?
Take sides.
If you are one who talks very less (no entry or max 2 entries) in a Group Discussion (GD) then this tip will work wonders for you. To start talking more right from the next GD, start taking sides.
Narrowing your focus, putting yourself in the shoes of a person who just wants to talk about one side of the arguments will get you more ideas, you will talk more.
This recommendation is based on observations in the GD training classes I take in Hyderabad. Take the case of a GD wherein the topic is "Nuclear families are better than Joint families." You can speak both for and against, but if you do take a side, then you can generate more content and passion to talk more. Enter more times. Do a better job.
Try this technique in your next GD and see a drastic change in the number of times you speak. Try it.
Taking sides does not mean a 'debate' situation wherein you disagree with all that's said against your point of view. You need not counter all the opposite argument. Taking sides only means, take a side, speak for / against and speak with more passion.
If you are one who talks very less (no entry or max 2 entries) in a Group Discussion (GD) then this tip will work wonders for you. To start talking more right from the next GD, start taking sides.
Narrowing your focus, putting yourself in the shoes of a person who just wants to talk about one side of the arguments will get you more ideas, you will talk more.
This recommendation is based on observations in the GD training classes I take in Hyderabad. Take the case of a GD wherein the topic is "Nuclear families are better than Joint families." You can speak both for and against, but if you do take a side, then you can generate more content and passion to talk more. Enter more times. Do a better job.
Try this technique in your next GD and see a drastic change in the number of times you speak. Try it.
Taking sides does not mean a 'debate' situation wherein you disagree with all that's said against your point of view. You need not counter all the opposite argument. Taking sides only means, take a side, speak for / against and speak with more passion.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Print Ad from AXE
Source: http://www.afaqs.com/perl/advertising/creative_showcase/index.html?id=10171&media=Print
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Big Bazar's Exchange Offer: Making You Spend More?
Big Bazaar is positioned as 'isse sasta aur accha kahin nahin' (nothing is cheaper and better than this). It has come up with another offer which is currently running across all its stores.
You can exchange your old clothes, newspapers, plastics, bottles and tyres, etc for eye-poppingly high prices. Newspapers for Rs.25/kg. Clothes Rs.200/kg.
That's awesome man! was first reaction to the newspaper ad. Later I started analysing and came to the conclusion that it's another good business strategy by Big Bazaar.
Let's do the maths.
Case 1: You take your 10 kgs newspaper and sell it in your neighbourhood. You get Rs.60 cash with which you can buy 3 kgs of rice and come home.
Case 2: You take your 10kgs newspaper and exchange it in Big Bazaar. They give you a coupon of Rs.250, but you need to buy goods worth Rs.1,000 to avail the offer. Purchase worth Rs.1,000!!!
Ok, what can you buy?
You can't buy anything and everything. You need to choose from the list Big Bazaar gives you. After having spent Rs.1,000 you come home tired. You also spend on travelling to and fro to Big Bazaar. Do you realise that you are Rs.1000 lighter on your pocket?
What does Big Bazaar gain out of it?
1. Customer acquition at a low cost (very smart)
2. Get rid of stocks they want to push
3. Word of mouth publicity
It does not hurt the customer who anyways comes every month to shop worth Rs.1,000 or more.
Why does Big Bazaar do this? Here is the math.
Big Bazaar's loss on reselling newspapers = Rs.250 (value of coupon) - Rs.100 (selling price of newspapers) = Rs.150
(assuming Big Bazaar can resell newspaper at a higher price of Rs.10/kg)
Big Bazaar's gain on selling merchandise worth Rs.1,000 = 30% of 1000 = Rs.300
(assuming a margin of 30%, as Big Bazaar would not let you exchange goods where they do not make money)
Big Bazaar's loss on the exchange coupon = 70% of 250 = Rs.175
(You get a coupon of 250 to buy goods. If 30% is profit margin, then BB pays 70% to the supplier of the goods)
Net loss to Big Bazaar = Rs. 25
We can look at this cost as the 'Cost of Acquiring New Customers'. Many people because of these offers will enter Big Bazaar for the very first time. That's also a reason they are running a 3 week long campaign. It's also a cost of 'Building Brand Awareness.'
By the way, if we assume a marging of 35%, then Big Bazaar actually makes a profit of Rs. 37.50 from every customer who walks in with 10 kgs of newspapers. This looks like a more probable case. At 40% margin, they would make Rs.100!
Conclusion:
If you mind spending the additional Rs.1,000 then stay away. When you are forced to spend Rs.1,000 you will end up with 50% impulse purchase items. I wonder what's happened to the the famous long queues at Big Bazaar. They must have gone even longer now-a-days.
What do you feel about this offer? Have you exchanged any of your old stuff at BB? Write to me and share your thoughts.
You can exchange your old clothes, newspapers, plastics, bottles and tyres, etc for eye-poppingly high prices. Newspapers for Rs.25/kg. Clothes Rs.200/kg.
That's awesome man! was first reaction to the newspaper ad. Later I started analysing and came to the conclusion that it's another good business strategy by Big Bazaar.
Let's do the maths.
Case 1: You take your 10 kgs newspaper and sell it in your neighbourhood. You get Rs.60 cash with which you can buy 3 kgs of rice and come home.
Case 2: You take your 10kgs newspaper and exchange it in Big Bazaar. They give you a coupon of Rs.250, but you need to buy goods worth Rs.1,000 to avail the offer. Purchase worth Rs.1,000!!!
Ok, what can you buy?
You can't buy anything and everything. You need to choose from the list Big Bazaar gives you. After having spent Rs.1,000 you come home tired. You also spend on travelling to and fro to Big Bazaar. Do you realise that you are Rs.1000 lighter on your pocket?
What does Big Bazaar gain out of it?
1. Customer acquition at a low cost (very smart)
2. Get rid of stocks they want to push
3. Word of mouth publicity
It does not hurt the customer who anyways comes every month to shop worth Rs.1,000 or more.
Why does Big Bazaar do this? Here is the math.
Big Bazaar's loss on reselling newspapers = Rs.250 (value of coupon) - Rs.100 (selling price of newspapers) = Rs.150
(assuming Big Bazaar can resell newspaper at a higher price of Rs.10/kg)
Big Bazaar's gain on selling merchandise worth Rs.1,000 = 30% of 1000 = Rs.300
(assuming a margin of 30%, as Big Bazaar would not let you exchange goods where they do not make money)
Big Bazaar's loss on the exchange coupon = 70% of 250 = Rs.175
(You get a coupon of 250 to buy goods. If 30% is profit margin, then BB pays 70% to the supplier of the goods)
Net loss to Big Bazaar = Rs. 25
We can look at this cost as the 'Cost of Acquiring New Customers'. Many people because of these offers will enter Big Bazaar for the very first time. That's also a reason they are running a 3 week long campaign. It's also a cost of 'Building Brand Awareness.'
By the way, if we assume a marging of 35%, then Big Bazaar actually makes a profit of Rs. 37.50 from every customer who walks in with 10 kgs of newspapers. This looks like a more probable case. At 40% margin, they would make Rs.100!
Conclusion:
If you mind spending the additional Rs.1,000 then stay away. When you are forced to spend Rs.1,000 you will end up with 50% impulse purchase items. I wonder what's happened to the the famous long queues at Big Bazaar. They must have gone even longer now-a-days.
What do you feel about this offer? Have you exchanged any of your old stuff at BB? Write to me and share your thoughts.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
GD: Do's and Dont's
To crack a GD, you should know what you have to do and what you have to avoid at any cost. This useful list of Do's and Dont's comes out from my personal experience of scores of GDs as a student and as an instructor:
Do's
1. Remain constantly involved in the GD (speaking + listening + body language)
2. Let others talk (GD is not one-way traffic)
3. Make a meaningful contribution to the GD (make 2/3 solid points)
4. Maintain good eye contact and body posture
5. Interact with other students prior to the GD (makes you comfortable during the GD)
6. Examples to explain your point (examples clarify your point well and also get remembered)
7. Talk at some length. Do not make a 15 sec point and disappear. It wont even get
noticed.
8. Be ready to make your point in 30 secs. No one would be ready to give you more time than that.
9. Keep listening, thinking and trying to generate new content even while the GD is on.
10. Try to bring in a new thought into the GD atleast once. A perspective.
Dont's
1. Look at the moderator
2. Let your hand over-shadow your neighbor
3. Try to boss around
4. Make points in isolation (GD is not a dart competition where you keep throwing in your points. You have to either go with the flow or give the group a new direction)
5. Go round and round. Say your main thing (core idea) at the start of the point and then explain it. Others will intercept you if they don't see substantial content.
6. Don't give up if others are not letting you talk. Persevere, keep trying to enter. Perseverance always wins.
7. Don't talk very fast. When you get an opportunity make the most of it. Talk slow, loud & clear. Ensure you are heard well by the moderator.
8. Don't switch off after you have made your point. Stay in the thick of things always. (Similar to point 1 of Do's)
9.Do not get over excited and point fingers at others. No one is an enemy in the GD. Keep your cool.
10. Don't talk in a fish market. Your point might get stolen and remade by someone else later.
Hope that helps!
If you need any clarification on any of the points, leave a comment.
Do's
1. Remain constantly involved in the GD (speaking + listening + body language)
2. Let others talk (GD is not one-way traffic)
3. Make a meaningful contribution to the GD (make 2/3 solid points)
4. Maintain good eye contact and body posture
5. Interact with other students prior to the GD (makes you comfortable during the GD)
6. Examples to explain your point (examples clarify your point well and also get remembered)
7. Talk at some length. Do not make a 15 sec point and disappear. It wont even get
noticed.
8. Be ready to make your point in 30 secs. No one would be ready to give you more time than that.
9. Keep listening, thinking and trying to generate new content even while the GD is on.
10. Try to bring in a new thought into the GD atleast once. A perspective.
Dont's
1. Look at the moderator
2. Let your hand over-shadow your neighbor
3. Try to boss around
4. Make points in isolation (GD is not a dart competition where you keep throwing in your points. You have to either go with the flow or give the group a new direction)
5. Go round and round. Say your main thing (core idea) at the start of the point and then explain it. Others will intercept you if they don't see substantial content.
6. Don't give up if others are not letting you talk. Persevere, keep trying to enter. Perseverance always wins.
7. Don't talk very fast. When you get an opportunity make the most of it. Talk slow, loud & clear. Ensure you are heard well by the moderator.
8. Don't switch off after you have made your point. Stay in the thick of things always. (Similar to point 1 of Do's)
9.Do not get over excited and point fingers at others. No one is an enemy in the GD. Keep your cool.
10. Don't talk in a fish market. Your point might get stolen and remade by someone else later.
Hope that helps!
If you need any clarification on any of the points, leave a comment.
How to Enter in a GD? Part II
How to enter a GD is perhaps the most common problem most of the students face. I offered one solution in my earlier post today:
Throw in a catchy phrase (an example).
That will make people curious, make them stop and listen to you.
Here is one more technique:
Say this to the person whom you want to intercept; "You have made a brilliant point, I would like to add to it by..."
Once you say, "you have made a brilliant point" the other speaker has to stop and let you have the way. I have seen it working in real life. However, know when you should say this. When (1) he actually has made a good point, and (2) he is nearing the end of his point.
Remember this Golden Rule:
You should never intercept when someone has just started to make a good point.
Throw in a catchy phrase (an example).
That will make people curious, make them stop and listen to you.
Here is one more technique:
Say this to the person whom you want to intercept; "You have made a brilliant point, I would like to add to it by..."
Once you say, "you have made a brilliant point" the other speaker has to stop and let you have the way. I have seen it working in real life. However, know when you should say this. When (1) he actually has made a good point, and (2) he is nearing the end of his point.
Remember this Golden Rule:
You should never intercept when someone has just started to make a good point.
Advani@Campus
LK Advani is doing what Obama did in the US; a blog, a website, google ad words campaign and social media networking (facebook etc). He has been doing this for 3/4 months now.
He has now taking the next step to targetting the youth of the country.
Brand Advani is now going to campuses. To spread Advani's thoughts BJP is sending speakers to more than 5000 campuses in India. Speakers people identify and relate with. A doctor to a medical college and so on.
I believe so much of smart strategy and initiative is a definite USP of BJP. They have always been ahead in this game. This time they are replicating Obama's successful model to Indian conditions. Marketers should keep a close watch. It never gets bigger than this. One man branding himself to appeal to the youth of a country as big and as diverse as India.
Mr. Advani the marketers are watching you!
He has now taking the next step to targetting the youth of the country.
Brand Advani is now going to campuses. To spread Advani's thoughts BJP is sending speakers to more than 5000 campuses in India. Speakers people identify and relate with. A doctor to a medical college and so on.
I believe so much of smart strategy and initiative is a definite USP of BJP. They have always been ahead in this game. This time they are replicating Obama's successful model to Indian conditions. Marketers should keep a close watch. It never gets bigger than this. One man branding himself to appeal to the youth of a country as big and as diverse as India.
Mr. Advani the marketers are watching you!
How to Enter in a GD?
After having conducted so many GD sessions for MBA entrance students and having gone through the grind myself, I realise that making an entry in a GD is perhaps the toughest problem a candidate faces.
You have points to make, you are a good communicator, you want to speak but you just can't enter. Every GD has 2 or 3 great guys who keep talking and talking. How do you make these villains stop and listen to you?
The answer surprisingly is simple. There are many proven ways to enter a GD. In this post, I will talk about what I like the most. My favorite method.
Thrown in a catchy phrase to begin with.
You are discussing a topic on "Managers are born not made." Everyone has points and people are talking all the time. Amidst all this, you chip in a name...
Rajiv Gandhi...
No one can restrict to know what you are going to say. Human minds are very curious and always wants to find out what it does not know. If you say, Dhirubhai Ambani, we know what you are going to talk about. He as a born manager. That's cliche. I know that. But Rajiv Gandhi?
Someone else says, "Friends let me tell you about Babur." Your mind fails you, "Babur" how did he come here? You are forced to listen. And if the point is good (remember, the content is king) the speaker has done his job.
The moral of the story is: Once in a while, start with a catchy phrase. Immediately after the catchy phrase you need to say your core message in not more than 20 seconds. Post which, if you are allowed air time you can substantiate your point.
Catchy Phrase (The bait) --> Core Message --> Description/ More Examples
You have points to make, you are a good communicator, you want to speak but you just can't enter. Every GD has 2 or 3 great guys who keep talking and talking. How do you make these villains stop and listen to you?
The answer surprisingly is simple. There are many proven ways to enter a GD. In this post, I will talk about what I like the most. My favorite method.
Thrown in a catchy phrase to begin with.
You are discussing a topic on "Managers are born not made." Everyone has points and people are talking all the time. Amidst all this, you chip in a name...
Rajiv Gandhi...
No one can restrict to know what you are going to say. Human minds are very curious and always wants to find out what it does not know. If you say, Dhirubhai Ambani, we know what you are going to talk about. He as a born manager. That's cliche. I know that. But Rajiv Gandhi?
Someone else says, "Friends let me tell you about Babur." Your mind fails you, "Babur" how did he come here? You are forced to listen. And if the point is good (remember, the content is king) the speaker has done his job.
The moral of the story is: Once in a while, start with a catchy phrase. Immediately after the catchy phrase you need to say your core message in not more than 20 seconds. Post which, if you are allowed air time you can substantiate your point.
Catchy Phrase (The bait) --> Core Message --> Description/ More Examples
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