Hair-cutting schools

Jawed Habib has opened a hair-styling academy in my home town, Vapi. Now, I would consider opening a saloon would be logical but opening a training school for hair-cutting? In Vapi? I didn't know there were so many budding barbers in this town! After 12th standard, forget engineering, MBA, MBBS. Give the HAT (Hair-cutting Aptitude Test) and join the academy. According to an ad of his, the world needs more Jawed Habibs. Wondering how many will he find in Vapi?

But consider the following statements:-
* Hairstyling is the career of the century.
* The beauty saloon industry is growing at a rate of 40% and is around Rs 1500 crore.

Here are some back of the envelope calculations I actually had the time and craziness to perform...











As I passed through the academy today, another thought crossed my mind. I wonder how do they give training to the students? I mean the theory would be straight-forward, but what about the lab sessions? Where do they get volunteers to try their hair-cutting skills on? I wonder which is more scary - going under a medical intern's scalpel or under a barber-trainee's scissors?

For me going to a hair-saloon as fancy as this is like visiting a fancy Italian restaurant - I never know what to order. I prefer the IIT Madras saloon kinds where there is no need of a menu. Medium or short. That is it. Someday I may have to go to such saloons if a particular some one insists. Well that'll be the day...

Anyway welcome to the city, Jawedbhai H.B.B.S. Your presence in the city means that my small town is expanding and I have a good business opportunity here.

Sales v/s after-sales service

It has been my general experience that there is a wide chasm between the budget allocated for sales and that for after-sales service. Most people would argue that after-sales service is a part of marketing and that according to marketing gurus, marketing starts well before the product is developed and continues well after the consumer buys the product. A standard textbook definition. But in real life, does a company really focus on that after-sales part diligently? Few companies do so.

Take the case of banks, for example. Private banks nowadays send a representative to your house when you tell them you want to open an account. They help you fill up the new account forms, they take the minimum account opening balance from you etc. But does the bank maintain that level of service once the account is active? When I want to change my address, I have to go to the nearest branch. To reset my ATM pin (when I've forgotten my old one) I have to visit the nearest branch.

The most obvious point of difference is the type of interaction itself. While opening an account, a 'representative' from the bank comes over to your house. While doing other transactions, you are forwarded to a call-centre where after you press (quite) a few buttons, you reach a human at the other end. And what happens then? Even for a simple request, the call-centre 'executive' tells me to visit the nearest branch!

The counter-argument would be that it is because of the security aspect. Banks would like to be sure that they are dealing with a genuine customer before they do a sensitive transaction like closing an account or changing ATM pin or issuing a new ATM card. But its not that personal interaction would get rid of all these problems. We still have news reports of people duping the bank branch by forging a signature while sitting in the bank itself. Investing in technology can be (if the bank wants) justified in terms of providing customer service.

Another major difference seen between these two services is that while one is an integral part of the organization, the other is generally outsourced. Would any company dare to outsource its sales division? No it won't. Yet companies do not hesitate while deciding whether to outsource the after-sales service division. It is less of a headache they say, dealing with irate customers and product returns.

Why can't organizations be more balanced in the level of both these kinds of services? If B-schools have a specialization for sales and marketing, why can't they have a specialization for after-sales service? Isn't that what is required in the service-oriented economy?

I'll wait for the day when the banks agrees to send a representative to my house to close my account. Until then providing a 24x7 customer care number is just another gimmick in order to attract and impress customers.

Random thoughts at the airport

The rise in global crude prices, and the rapid increase in inflation has hit the Indian consumer hard. More so for the airlines. There is no longer the kind of buzz that was seen in airports just a couple of months ago. Flying has been toppled from its pedestal as the most preferred way of traveling. People are starting to turn back to railways for a slower but cheaper way to travel. This is evident from the lack of queues for the security checks, the empty seats in the departure lounges and in the airplanes itself.
...
I can see a few passengers lazily strolling about the lounge, having coffee and chatting. They choose to ignore the PA system announcing the final boarding call for their flight. Only when the desperate airline officials start asking passengers individually whether they are traveling by that flight do they realize that the plane is waiting for them. They get up, grumbling at the half-wasted coffee (even though the coffee there is awful) and throw it away to make way to the bus.
...
Kingfisher Airlines still continues to pamper its 'guests' but bother other passengers (and possibly make them envious) through multiple pre-boarding calls. Their air-hostesses are still the best-looking.
...
While in the line, I think however much we may learn in MBA, we're still ill-equipped to deal with other cultures. While I'm standing in the line, a man (possibly Japanese) respectfully bows down, gestures with one hand wishing to cross the line to get to the other side. I wonder what would most of us have done in his place. Just shove and push? Or maybe spill out a perfunctory 'Excuse me?'
...
Once in the plane, through the window I can see something which makes me squirm. Airports boast of being technologically modern, with conveniences of all possible kinds. But I can still see a lady sitting in a wheelchair being pushed by an airport employee in the hot Chennai sun. Why such treatment? Aren't the buses supposed to be handicapped friendly? Why can't she board the air-conditioned buses which all the other passengers use?
...
The flight has ended. The airplane has stopped. Here goes everyone out of their seats fetching their baggage from the overhead storage. Why are you in such a hurry uncle? Let the doors open, let the ladder be positioned. Do you want to jump out and break your bones? Relax India.

The Three Mistakes of my Life - A review

I just finished reading Chetan Bhagat's newest book, The Three Mistakes of My Life (3MML). After reading One night at the call centre, I didn't have high hopes from this book. It seemed that he was trying too hard to come up with books one after the other, consequently his stories lacked the depth of research which would have been warranted. However 3MML is a better book, in terms of the story line and the credulity of the story.

This story is set in Ahmedabad at the turn of the millennium. It talks about three friends (with similar undertones to that of Hari, Alok, Ryan from 5 point someone), who having nothing better to do, start up a business. For those following Gujarat's history in the last decade, two major events shaped the history and the life of people living in Gujarat, the earthquake and the riots. The best part about this book is the way Chetan Bhagat weaves in these events into the story. This integration of fact and fiction is brilliant.

I could relate to the story and the events as I spent those years in Ahmedabad itself. I was there during the earthquake, during 9/11 and during the riots. The despair, the surprise and the tension, I have felt it all. Other references in the story to Law Garden (Love Garden), ATIRA and Navrangpura have obviously been influenced by the author's years in IIM-A. All these places are quite close to IIM-A's campus. And here lies a few glaring inconsistencies in the story. The story is mainly set in the pols of the old city of Ahmedabad. It would be prohibitively expensive for three 21-year olds (who we know are not too well off) to travel by rickshaw to the new city and back. Anyone in their position would take the city bus. I would give the benefit of doubt about the incessant use of mobiles and SMSes. Although those were quite expensive as well, I can safely assume that looking at the profits they were making Govind was able to afford the mobile.

SPOILERS BELOW

And my last peeve about the story, was the climax. For those who haven't read the book, there are a few spoilers ahead. So beware. The protagonist Govind mentions the third mistake of his life as being too late to save Ali's wrist from being slashed. As a result of this he couldn't play cricket the way he used to. But in the end his wrist gets better. So technically that is not his mistake. But the climax itself, with Mama killing Omi and getting bumped off himself was too contrived. This is how I would have ended the book. Govind's last mistake would be unable to save Ali, or in a moment of nervousness, stopping Ish from saving Ali. Mama would be successful in his killing spree. And Govind would live with the death of Ali constantly on his shoulder. That would be a convincing reason for him to pop some pills. Moreover his inability to save Ali would further strain his relation with Ish. But well, that's just me.

SPOILERS END

All in all, 3MML is a better effort by Chetan Bhagat than his previous book. I would recommend this book to anyone wishing to have a glance at how Ahmedabad got shaped in the last 8 years.

Previous posts about Ahmedabad:
ATIRA, A morning on the railway station