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Showing newest posts with label Awry Interactions. Show older posts
Showing newest posts with label Awry Interactions. Show older posts

Kill expenses and not experience

Last month, I went to an organized retailer, Spencer's Express to buy my weekly groceries. It was four in afternoon and temperature outside was 45 degrees which seemed like way more than 50 degrees. I entered inside the store thinking that there will be some respite from this simmering heat. But I was wrong.

AC inside the store was not working and I felt as if I am standing in a furnace. I inquired from staff about non-functioning of AC. "We switch-off AC during non-peak hours" came the reply. I asked "What are your non-peak hours". "11 to 5 during the day are our non-peak hours" replied the staff.

"Great" I told to myself. When the temperature is highest and AC is required most, retailer has switched-off the AC and saved some cost but killed the customer experience. 

Cost cutting or managing costs is the order of the day. Every service organizations has taken certain steps - some harsh, some comical and some genuine to control their costs. Some Indian organizations have saved some important bucks by cutting their travelling cost and shifting to video conferencing.

Some software and real estate companies have saved money by cutting on toiletries, saving on AC costs by increasing temperatures, cutting back on tea bags and tea cups, newspapers and magazines and by not giving increments to their staff.

Hotels have also cut their costs. But they have done it in a way that is not noticeable to customers. They have reduced number of towels from bathrooms, reduced the number of flowers, reduced the number of pages in notepads and are making wiping cloths from discarded sheets. Hotels have not touched the amenities which directly impacts customer experience.

Hotels have not cut their staff strength as this will mean impacting customer service directly. Virgin Airlines have also not laid off as much staff (in proportion to other airlines) as it will help them in maintaining higher service levels and standards.  

Managing costs is good for the business but it should not be visible to customers. Kill expenses where you can but without killing customer experience.

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Indian Babus Rock


It is official now.
Indian bureaucracy is worst in Asia. 
India's "suffocating bureaucracy" was ranked the least-efficient by the survey, which said working with the country's civil servants was a "slow and painful" process.

Indian babus have worked hard for last fifty years to achieve this prestigious result.  This has not been an easy journey. They have imbibed certain qualities which have become a part of the DNA the of Indian bureaucracy. They have mastered certain skills and qualities which have helped them in achieving this glorious feat. 

They are taught not to cooperate with their colleagues and customers. The word 'trust' is absent from their dictionary. They are ready to sacrifice work for their daily dose of gossip, household chores and chai-pani. Because of all these qualities their productivity is zero, their engagement with official work is low and they are against any kind of innovation. Lethargy, lack of ownership and speed with which they do their work will put  even a snail to shame. 

Three cheers for the Indian babus who have achieved this shameful feat for our country.  I strongly feel that number of Indians who will be proud of this result should be zero. Sifr. Shunaya. 

At least I am not.

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Awry Interctions #2 - Subway asking customers to leave

Joe found above message written in Subway. It seems Subway is doing well in these times and can afford to lose few customers.

All organizations is trying to focus on customer retention and Subway is willing to let go them. They sure have guts!

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