Responsible Bad Shah?

Mr. Shahrukh Khan was interrogated at Airport in USA in a closed chamber for about an hour and a half, breaking news of all the news channels in India.  A same thing appears in the next day news papers on front page.  Independence Day celebration, Hon. Prime Minister’s speech is on page 2.  The Badshah gives it a communal color by quoting: “ they detained me because of  my name is Khan”. This I think is ridiculous and very impulsive reaction from a responsible individual who calls himself the king of bollywood.  There were similar events in the past and people like Hon.  Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Mr. George Fernandis, Mr. Neil Nitin Mukesh, Mr. Amir Khan and many more were questioned in USA.  People having surname Patel do not get USA visa easily. But I do not remember any body in the above mentioned list has ever given such an impulsive reaction and made it a sensitive communal issue even if it is one.  I do condemn the interrogation but on the other side we also need to understand that the irresponsible comments and blowing the issue out of proportion could make the matter worst and toxic for the secular fabric of our great nation. We already have it too many problems to solve.

We also can not forget that after 9/11 America did not even have a single incident of terror attack whereas we celebrate when do not have such major incident for 100 days. The difference is the security checks that are in place there and lapses in India. There no one is VIP and we have too many to handle.  We need be more rational rather than just making it an emotional issue and branding everything communal.  As a nation we must protest such act by USA or any other nation. No one has a right to insult our respected citizens but just associating these things with communalism should be stopped. We will only suffer from this.

Few days before Mr. Mahesh Bhat and Mr. Imran Hasmi had made allegation about an apartment in Mumbai and branded it as communal. Two days later, the members of the same apartment filed complaints about these two, after that no news from these celebrities and self proclaimed victims.

One needs to be very careful and responsible before making any public statements. We definitely have freedom of expression but while exercising these rights we also need to remember out duties and responsibilities. The news channels seem to be forgetting basics of journalism and after TRP’s and catching eyeballs. Controversies have become new mantra of publicity.

Sensationalizing the Information

Since last four days all the news channels are behind a breaking news that is of Mr. Shiney Ahuja alleged raped his maid. For next few days they will show all the drama unfolding, creating breaking news every now and then and one fine day will forget and will be behind something else. The journalist on national channels debating the laws related to rape cases, asking experts in the field of law about fate of Mr. Ahuja. This is all beyond imagination. Few days before one idiot from bollywood created a scene on ramp (same person gets Padmashree Award) that became a breaking news and we found people defending the ugly act on national news channels. Lot of things happening around deserve simple condemnation are made complicated, discussed, debated and sometimes supported. I wonder: is this meaning of journalism? Not a single media is unbiased and just restricts itself as a medium of information. Last week I read a news in one of the highest selling local news paper about the owner of rival news paper alleged threatening someone without naming him, but they made it so obvious that everyone understands it and finally passed expert comments about the persons character. While doing that somehow I felt they also forgot the ethics their profession. The same media few months back had declared Arushi’s father, Dr. Rajesh Talwar (if you remember the case of honor killing according to the news channels) a killer even before the investigation was over by police. Same thing is happening in all the cases, the media has become a judge and passing a judgment about all that is happening around.

The media today has not remained only a medium of information but they have become moral police (forgetting their own morality). They do not have independent opinion about the issues but full of bias. Of course this bias is understandable as they all are revenue models and doing it for profit.

We had years of state owned television channel telling us pro government news and information and now we have 100 odd independent news channel (it has become oxymoron now a days) sensationalizing the information to market their channel.

Can Indian ever get the matured and truly independent version of the news? This is the question that remains unanswered.

Ethics and Politics

“The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions gives beauty and dignity to life” (Albert Einstein).

The question is raised time and time again, whether morality should not be the life-artery of good organization. Nevertheless, world-wide crime and white collar crime in particular seem to be at the order of the day. It would appear that morality is considered in theory only.

When we look at the political outfits in our country I doubt whether these people even are familiar with the terms like morality or ethics.  The party manifestoes have becomes just one more documents. I think we do not need the manifestoes we need report cards. No alliance is based on ideologies. Mr. Amar Singh talking about some sting operations carried out by Mr. Sanjay Dutta on one of the union minister. He does not make it public so that he can bargain with Congress for criminal cases against his party chief. On the top of that he also admits the same on national TV. Mr. Varun alleged made provocative statements, he is put behind the bars and booked under (IPC 307) attempt to murder case and NSA is used against him. May be this was right thing to do in given situation. But when Mr. Lalu talks about running a roller on Varun, Mr. Vaiko threatens bloodshed if anything happens to LTTE chief, Mr. D. Shriniwas says same thing what Varun has alleged said, no action is taken against these three gentlemen. The question is : If the law is same for all then why is this discrimination? That means something is wrong somewhere. Like this and many incidents are happing every day. That is why the question whether morality is considered only in theory.

This could be very pessimistic view of Indian political scenario but the solution does not lie in not voting. The real solution is voting responsibly.  

Politics of Reliefs

Today was the last day of 14^thLok Sabha. It is may be just a week before notification for general election by CEC. Mr. Finance Minister cum Mr. External Affair minister cum Mr. Proxy Prime Minister (Mr. Pranab Mukharjee) announced Rs. 30,000 Cr . tax relief, Mr. Home Minister announced 6% hike in DA (on the same day when the inflation recorded at the lowest level in the last 12 months), Mr. Petroleum Minister is hinting one more price cut and Mr. Commerce Minister announced some relief for exporters by announcing a duty cut. All this could have and should have been done earlier and not on single day. Now that the elections are near, we may see another round of these popular announcements happening. Though these steps are necessary there is a grey side to this as well. Fiscal deficit is going to be really something to be seriously worried about.

It is very difficult to understand why you need to hike DA of central government employees; when 30% to 40 % salary hike was given to them (6^th pay commission) not long back. When the price of crude oil has stabilized at around $40 since last two months and already prices have been reduced twice in the last month, was one more price cut required? Of course I am happy personally with the price cut but may be it is not good for the country’s financial health.

The question is how long our governments are going to politicize the reliefs given to common man without rationale behind it. The bigger question is how long we, the people of this great nation being fooled by our governments.

 

Youth and Poverty

The whole world today is fighting the recession. The impact of this unprecedented situation can be seen on the Indian youth as well. When see the young generation, they give me an impression that most of them have not done shopping for a long now. Some people I find them wearing younger sister’s top and jeans which is either very tight and most of the times short. Poor kids have to either wear it as low waist or short. The case is not different as far as boys are concerned. They also have content with shirts of father or younger brother so either it is too loose or a short for them.  If somebody gets new shirt stitched he makes it sure that it is not too long in fact it is about 6” less. Girls whenever a Kudata is stitched make sure that it is as short as possible.  When I see them, I am reminded of an old movie Golmal. The protagonist in the films when asked by the boss: “why do you always wear short kudata?”  He gives the boss a philosophical answer: “If all men start wearing the kudata which is short by 6” it can solve the clothing problem of millions of people in the country”.

I think the youth today is inspired by similar kind of thought and have taken up the task of fighting against the recession and poverty. Indeed a noble cause. But as all the wars ask for sacrifice this one is also tough on these kids. They are not getting a right fit dress or something that suit them and end up being wardrobe tsunamis. I pray for the success of the mission that these people have undertaken. 

Technology Enabled Efficiencies for Retail

“Technology can not root transformation but definitely accelerate the process of transformation”. The sea change in the way the retail business is carried out in the past from the days of barter to traditional retail formats till now when we see established format, one may notice the role of technology and how technology has speed up the process transformation the last decade. In future a retailer needs to accelerate the change process and one sure ways of success is adoption of right technology. Technology has enabled businesses and consumer to build efficiencies on the basis of the ability to receive and transmit data at a faster speed. This information has today become critical for achieving efficiencies in all aspects of retailing. Inventions in various fields have created numerous opportunities for retailer to make that as a part of innovation process that is profitable proposition for customer as well as the firm. Technology will encourage the smart shopping. This paper discusses various technology driven applications and processes that are used by the retailing and some insight into the technology for the future.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)                                                    

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. The technology requires some extent of cooperation of an RFID reader and an RFID tag. By the year 2010, RFID tags will be attached to most of the consumer products, turning ordinary products into smart products, the most important concept of the store of the future. RFID not only help retailer manage inventory, but also help increase sales. e.g. At Prada’s, Newyork store, the RFID tags on the clothing is scanned at the doorway. The scan activates a video screen in the changing room that displays other clothing and accessories that are complementary to the item the customer chooses.  This feature resulted in an increase in complementary sales at the Prada Store.

Microsoft Tag

Microsoft Tag creates unlimited possibilities for making interactive communications an instant, entertaining part of life. This application transforms physical media (print advertising, billboards, product packages, information signs, in-store merchandising, or even video images)—into live links for accessing information and entertainment online. With the Microsoft Tag application, just aim your camera phone at a Tag and instantly access mobile content, videos, music, contact information, maps, social networks, promotions, and more. It is designed from the ground up for maximum performance with the limited cameras on most mobile phones. Advanced image-processing techniques decode even out-of-focus barcode images, which means Microsoft Tag works with the fixed-focus camera lenses common in most mobile devices. The possibilities are endless for retailers, consider following scenarios:

You go to a store and check out a bathing soap, you see Microsoft tag on the box, you use your Mobile phone Microsoft Tag Reader and you could be shown promotion around the box, you can compare prices with other brand bathing soap with content analysis and of course benefits of each of these.

You go to a store and check out Godrej processed packaged Green Peas and using Microsoft Tag Reader application on your phone you are taken to the Sanjeev Kapoors website and are shown Recipes around the product. You are also shown the nutrition information about the product. This will ensure that you buy other ingredients along with the product for the recipe you

You buy a Laptop from Electronics and see a Microsoft Tag on the backside of Laptop. You click it using Microsoft Tag Reader app on your mobile and voila, you just registered your Laptop. You may also be shown the accessories you can buy for your laptop.

Point of Sale Automation

On it’s packaging, each product carries a barcode, which uniquely identifies it and distinguishes it from all others in a shopping basket. At the checkout, an automatic scanner (slot scanner or handheld reader) reads each barcode on the product. The barcode is decoded to reveal the Article number it represents. This number is passed to a computer, which matches it against a file and retrieves the price to be charged along with a description of the product and related details. Both price and description (and other relevant data) are then printed on the billing receipt.

With the help of barcode technology, retailer can record the identity of every item sold. They can re-order more quickly, reduce their stocks and have financial and marketing information at their fingertips with unbelievable speed, accuracy, and detail. For consumers, it means accurate billing, faster checkouts (and a happy shopping experience).

 With increase in consumer footfalls, retailers are now progressing to use mobile-POS systems. Mobile devices enable shopping clerks to carry these handheld computers in rush time for on-the-spot transactions. Mobile POS devices feature an integrated reader (to scan individual items), MSR (for credit card authorization), and wireless-connected portable mobile printer (to generate bills).

 Digital Signage

Digital signage refers to a variety of technologies used to replace traditional retail signs. Instead of static print signs and billboards, digital signage is composed of electronic signs dispersing content and messages in the most targeted, interactive way.

Liquid crystal displays, plasma display panels and scrolling message boards are a few of the more common in-store devices used to project full-motion video, sound and text. Digital signage enables a retailer to control and display their messages quickly and effectively.

The Digital Sign Network:Creating a digital signage system involves building a network of electronic devices that are controlled remotely from a central location. These devices present information via digital signage software to a targeted audience. Digital signage devices in the network may be plasma or LCD monitors, kiosks, projection displays, HDTVs or other electronic devices.

Using digital signs in a retail environment has many features and benefits not offered by static displays and signage. Dynamic digital signage can grab a customer's attention and influence their purchasing decision right at the point of purchase. It also eliminates the high cost of creating and distributing print ad campaigns. Digital signage is instant and offers the ability to change promotions immediately for various products or particular customers. Another advantage of digital displays over static is that retailers can earn money with their digital signage network by selling advertising space to their suppliers.

Whether it is intended to build a brand, influence customer behavior or simply provide information, the dynamic visual experience created by digital signage should ultimately increase sales. In order to achieve that goal, retailers will need to design the appropriate system.

Soft Safety Tags

This technology is being used by most of the retailer for garment merchandising today. This technology reduces labor time for retailers and reduces the damage caused to clothing by hard tags. The new soft tags are paper thin, flexible, and attach to an inconspicuous area on a garment, or can be embedded into the fabric.

While the product protection attributes of the soft security tags are similar to traditional hard security tags, the process of handling them at the point-of-sale (POS) is different. With hard tags, a device at the POS alerts the associate to remove the tag; with the soft tags, however, that same device automatically deactivates the soft tag, which remains in the garment, eliminating a step.

Soft tags are mostly attached in the sewing operation and withstand processes like garment dyeing and acid washing. The tags must also stand up to processes after the garment reaches the consumer's hands, such as machine washing and dry cleaning, without breaking apart and possibly damaging the merchandise.

Benefits

• Less damaging to garments that traditional tags
• Provide increased security
• Discourage black market sales of designer merchandise
• Require less sales associate labor

 Multi media Kiosk

Multi media kiosks are a versatile way to extend customer service and marketing efforts. A multi-media kiosk that provides customers with access to information needed to plan an entire party. Using touch screen technology, customers can compile a list of items, including prices, which need to be purchased. They can also receive information on where to find the items in the stores where these kiosks are located.

Further advances in kiosk technology allow for access to the company's web site and other specially selected sites. In addition, large flat screen kiosks can double as in store signage for special promotions, price updates (if connected to a corporate host), and new products.

Benefits

• Can be a point of differentiation for store
• Increased promotional/marketing opportunities
• Increased customer service

Virtual Showroom

Instead of walking around a showroom floor, customers will be able to view computerized images of room interiors and furnishings. The technology has the potential to offer thousands of home-decorating items that cannot be displayed on the retail floor.

The system replicates the exact dimensions of rooms, as specified by customers, and incorporates images of products the customer is considering. It provides a computer generated, three-dimensional, image of how the room would look with the planned additions. Customers can mix-and-match different colors, styles of wood, and patterns for the kitchen, bath, bedroom and great room.

With the aid of this new technology, to provide an environment where a store can truly collaborate with its customers. It makes buying accessories and furnishings much easier because it eliminates a great deal of the guesswork. If customers do not know the dimensions of their rooms, one can have some typical room layouts that can be used to give the customer a general feel for how a new cabinet or fixture would look. Furthermore, the technology offers the opportunity for other exciting retail applications. It could be used to put together a digital outfit, allowing the customer to experiment with different shoes and accessories.

Benefits

• Can display more options that on an actual show floor
• Eliminates need for customer guesswork
• Fewer customer returns
• Increase in customer satisfaction
• Creates increased sales opportunities (a customer interested furniture may become interested in window treatments)

Neural Networks

A neural network is an information system that recognizes objects or patterns based on examples that have been used to train it. Each training example is described in terms of a set of characteristics and a result. Neural networks often do well with identification and discrimination tasks even when some information is missing because they operate by applying numerical weights to many different characteristics. In its learning phase the neural network uses statistical methods to optimize a set of internal weights that relate each inputs to each of the possible results. This is a numerical attempt to mimic the typical human ability to recognize and relate various variables and its impact on the output.

In this case neural marketing is used to evaluate consumer expectations and simulate a response to those expectations by adjusting components of the marketing mix. Data available for each store includes:

• Selling square feet
• Inventory
• Unit sales volume
• Sales personnel information
• Competition factor
• Local advertising expenditures
• Promotions

Using these variables a network can be trained and then used for sales forecasting. Clearly neural networks have an ability to understand relationships in a data set. This can be made use of in numerous ways. Prerequisite for accurate results is efficient Management Information Systems (MIS).

Personal Shopping Assistance (PSA)

The Personal Shopping Assistances (PSA), which are small tablet computers clipped to shopping cart, are activated with a loyalty card. A customer can simply find the products that he/she needs by typing out the words on the touch screen. He would be then directed to the correct aisle – floor plan included. Regular purchases show up on a favorite list, with price and location. Special offers are flagged up as the customer moves from one section to another. This technology also enables the customer to write out the shopping list online – at home or work – and soon it will be automatically downloaded to the PSA. The integrated scanner provides a running total of the shopping and fast track treatment at the checkout. This is future store initiative of METRO Group. This initiative is a cooperation project between METRO Group, SAP, Intel, IBM and T systems.

Conclusion

Technology will no doubt play a key role in creating future successes. Using the technology to collaborate with suppliers to make supply chain more agile in response and more efficient. Use technology to empower customer may be the new business reality for retailer. There is a need to understand the requirement and adopt appropriate technology solution to create sustainable efficiencies.

Wheel of Marketing

Understanding of the terms core competency, competitive advantage, unique selling proposition (USP) and unique consumer perception (UCP) and the relationship between them is very vital for the marketer. Let us understand the terms and marketing cycle with reference to these core concepts

Core Competency

An area of specialized expertise that is the result of harmonizing complex streams of technology and work activity. e.g. Innovation, R&D, Mass production usage of technology, reliable process. The core competency of Reliance Group is building the record capacities in record time. Organizations need to understand what they are good at or the exceptional skills that they possess. That becomes core competency of the organization. It is not enough to be best in this area of specialization to consider that as core competency, one should be excellent at the same.

Competitive Advantage

Competitive advantage is a position a firm occupies against its competitors. A firm possesses a sustainable competitive advantage when its value-creating processes and position have not been able to be duplicated or imitated by other firms. Basic Competitive Advantage is cost leadership, product differentiation and focus.

Core competency creates competitive advantage for organizations. As mentioned earlier core competency of Reliance group (Capacity building) gives then cost leadership advantage to them. Similarly reliable process has given competitive (Product/service Differentiation) edge to the Mumbai Dabbawala’s over its competitors

Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer. It must be unique either a uniqueness of the brand or a claim not otherwise made. e.g. Head and Shoulders – Dandruff remover, Volvo – safe drive, Armani’s – Status and design, Fedex – Overnight delivery of parcel. USP is elaborate form of competitive advantage to create distinct image in the minds of the consumer (positioning) which is easy for consumers to understand. Strong USP would ensure brand recognition and brand recall.

Unique Consumer Perception (UCP)

Our perception is an approximation of reality. It is based on stimuli to which we are exposed to. Marketers try to create a positive perception about the brand or company through USP. Unless the UCP is created brand awareness and brand recall is not possible to achieve. In case of Mumbai Dabbawala’s UCP is reliable service.

Consumer expectations are based on unique perception about the brand or the company. After availing the service or buying the goods consumer compares the expectation with performance and that decides whether consumer is satisfied with the same.

Hence any flaw in the process of understanding core competency, creating competitive advantage, communicating USP and in turn creating UCP may lead to failure of the marketing system