Knowing Yourself

The solution to most of the business problems lies in understanding the way the business is done, just similar to knowing yourself. We can get it right only when we dig deep in. The simple questions that need to be asked are..

How do customers buy our product and how they don’t? How do each of the channel gets it’s customers. Some of the channels could do far different from its purpose & scope and can completely be misunderstood because it's delivering expected results. 

Why do customers buy our product and why they don’t?. The answer lies in our fundamental principle of listening to our customers, employees and other stakeholders which goes much beyond the customer intelligence platforms.

The Leader

“With the greatest leader above them,

People barely know one exists. Next comes

One whom they love and praise. Next

comes one whom they fear. Next comes

one whom they despise and defy. 

When a leader trusts no one,

No one trusts him.

 The great leader speaks little. He never speaks carelessly. 

He works without self-interest and leaves no trace. When all is finished the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.”

(The 17th verse of the Tao)

- Quoted from Magical phrase article of Anand Rangaswamy, CEO Latin America cluster, Godrej consumer products Ltd

Simple

The best thing about Michelle Thaller, Assistant Director for science communication at NASA is her passion for Astronomy and her ability to communicate complex things, simply. 

We see many a times, things made complex, first & foremost, how do we make simple things simple..

https://youtu.be/veQtF3_2tOE

In spite of

Marshall Goldsmith's popular words "in spite of" is very relevant for both Individuals and Organisations. We are successful because of .......... inspite of ......... Sometimes "the inspite of" parameters for established market leaders are shocking, since their current success is more of a factor of what they have done in the past and we all know what the future holds then..

Combo Offers

Combo offers are great since it gives opportunity to increase the diffusion of new products and provides great value for saturated products. Few things that need to be kept in mind are

1. Product compatability: How well the combo products are connected to each other for a given consumer, Do we give a coffee or a cool drinks combo with a burger, both can give better results but not the best.

2. Values: Are the values of the combo products complements or condradicts each other, is the unique selling point of one product is in line with the other one or not. If it's not in line, do we change the combo or change the values.

Diffusion of innnovation

This is a theory of 1960's which is still very relevant today. It's  surprising, lot of organisations are using the conventional methods of gaining the first 16% market share without understanding the fact that the rate of adoption on some segments will decide the future of their existence in that product category. 

The questions that need to be asked are..

What is the importance of this segment for my existence in that product?

How long it's going to take us to reach 16% market share with the current way of doing the business and what are the lost opportunities?

How quickly can I reach there and what are the unconventional ways & means? 

What are the ways to upgrade all our existing customers to this segment and what is the cost in short term  & opportunities in long term?

Can I create a niche and become a leader in that sub segment, is that sustainable?

Reset

Unlearn, Resetting to zero, easy words, how hard is to do that one, but not so tough when you are forced to do that.. Moving as an immigrant, your life is reset to zero, your education, experience is reset to zero, I mean literally zero. Then you really learn to unlearn because that becomes the necessity. Unlearn the way you look for a job, because you get rejected everywhere, Unlearn the way you value the money, even a 1$ food item for your kid becomes costly, Unlearn the way you travel, you cannot afford a car! Unlearn the way you live, accommodate yourself in a small condo, Unlearn the way you look, removed the moustache for the first time, Unlearn the way you think, because it doesn't work anymore, because your assumptions are wrong in this environment.

Wow! One small change can help us to unlearn and start afresh, such an unlearning would have taken a life time. So wish to unlearn or reset, don't do "what if" simulations, move on to a place or take up a project where all your assumptions can go wrong. You fail multiple times and then you will start afresh and learn the new ways of moving forward!!