Simple things.. Are they Really Simple ?

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

My Current Thought


I live in Chennai. I visit 'Landmark' for almost twice or thrice a week Mainly I go there to look for new books, magazines, journals, cassettes, CDs and not for looking at good chics (hope you believed).
During my recent visit, I came across a book "The greatness guide" by robinsharma. I not a very good reader. Usually it takes quite a lot of time for me to complete half a book. But to my surprise, I have finished half the book in two days. The book has 101 chapters and each chapter hardly covers 1-2 page(s). He has talked about everthing that comes under business and personal mastery umberalla. I liked the book in general and loved few chapters. It gave me the feeling of reading bunch of blogs to my interest.

When I closed the book my mind opened asusual :) The life today is so very different compared to the one before ten years. It is getting tougher. When the going gets tougher, one needs to get more tougher. The thing is now-a-days, we have lot tools & techniques in the form of thoughts. We read and listen to those thoughts, we appreciate and at the end, we happily go back to our own regulars forgetting to follow what we learnt. For few it has become a entertainment activity. Like watching a telelserial, they read the wisdom for life. Is it the right way ?

Unless when practised, much of this stuff goes literally waste. It equals to NOTHING. We have the responsibility to lead by example. By doing so, we may inspire others and inturn and if couple of people follow us, It would be a great victory.

So what you say on this? Am I making sense !!!

Monday, April 17, 2006

My Business Card - A Tale

'Business Cards' - never been in my agenda to carry one. Rather never brushed with situations where I felt the need to exchange cards. Few well wishers of me use to say that I need to have it and dont know when we would need one.And yes, I too felt the need on the day before 'Pongal' this year in a sweet shop called 'Adayar Ananda Bhavan'.

That was during the evening I was having a snack item and also was in a hurry to catch the train that night. A person entered the shop and he was also in a hurry, went through all the sweets displayed. For me he was a familiar VIP, that too in a business circle in Chennai. Hardly no one recognised him as a VIP and finally one person came to help him. It took me some time to arrive at who he is and confirm myself. He was Mr.Pandiarajan of Mafoi.

I was pretty much anxious to say 'Hai' to him. I was particular that it must be natural and waiting for a proper space. Accidently I was over with my snack and approaching the cash counter and he also by that time over with his purchase was nearing the same place. We were standing near each other and finally I broke the silence and said , 'Mr. Pandiarajan ?...' and he said 'Yes' with a smile. Thats enough for a little introductory conversation. I have read few columns he wrote in 'Anadha Vikatan'. I enquired about that and he asked about my whereabouts. But he was in a extreme hurry. We both came out of the shop and he was speaking to somebody on his phone and at the end when I about to take my bike, I said 'Happy Pongal'. He smiled and wished me. He left then.

If I had a 'Business Card' with me at that time, that would have been a different professional scenario. We would have exchanged our cards and that could have led me in developing a very good contact in a real good Business world.I was truely sad.

Subsequently I faced with situations where I should have given my cards. Last week my parents were planning a visit here and I was suppose to accompany them and there I need a card for SURE. Otherwise the problem is I can't face my father. He insist on these matters strictly. Also he is very much particular about how to carry oneself professionally.

So why this story on 'Business Cards'.

Yes, today I have received 'Business Cards' for me for the first time.

This is just to mark this day.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Happy Tamil New Year 2006

Let me wish all Tamilians - Iniya Tamil Pudhu Varusha Nal Vazhuthukkal.

In todays highly english adultrated metropolitan corporate scenario, I wish I need to convey my wishes in Tamil only.

As a Tamilian I do this... I feel it is the responsible of each and every citizen to use their respective language(s) in full without any single word english. Even though it is not possible in todays scenario...........

Why dont we do atleast to wish each other on a special day.

Let us be proud that we are Indians and let us feel passionate about our own sweet Mother Tongue.

Monday, April 10, 2006

The Art of Reinventing..

Re-invention - a buzz word from the mouth of all business gurus and thought leaders. I am really able to understand what is reinvention from the text book. The term looks really glamorous sitting along with other powerful words in the articles and theories, But I am not able to feel that. When asked for real time case, I get loads of US examples. Amazon did in that way and Dell did in this way. But please I want a localised one. Got really fed up hearing and reading about US cases.

Recently in a B-School convocation function Mr. Sunil Mittal of Bharti said that his B-School were on the streets. It is true that when we look around the streets we can learn lot of business concept applications. With the 'Re-invention' term bugging me I was just looking around the roads while riding my bike and yes I got few real time examples :

1. Petrol Bunks : The petrol bunks we see today is the real case of reinvention. Just think of the petrol bunks some 5 to 6 years before. It was least cared one and nobody never thought of the utilising the space a petrol bunk. You can find a shade only on the top of the petrol pumps.

Cut....


Today, petrol bunks is no more a place just to fill fuel for the vehicle. This has now become a place for shopping that too in a decent super market. There is a ATM center and to go few steps further, I could see a petrol bunk having 'Sri Krishna Sweets'.

In the core business of Petrol, they have now come out with different versions of petrol. It shows very well that they have invested a good amout in R&D. Without R&D Re-invention cant be taken forward in the true sense.

I now get a very good understanding of Re-invention. Few years back we never would have thought about this and would have laughed loudly if somebody told about this in the idea form.But now it has been implemented successfuly.

2: Satyam Ciniplex

I work in Chennai and movie goers cant ignore Satyam cineplex. They have just redefined the movie going experience. Same old cinema thetre business, but they did it all. There is no thetre specific ticket counters. Just peep in any of the couters and get the ticket for the movie you want to go. Once you enter the internal premises, it looks totally different. You have friendly people around you inside the theatre to help you to find your seats. Their parking area is larger than the theatre area.

Once when I came out of a cinema hall in Satyam I found a decentl looking guy with tie and file in his hand redirecting the crowd to a different exit path.Such neatly dressed executives were never seen in the places like theatres. Even now many theatres are working in totally unorganised way.

3: Fruit Shop on Greams Road:

Juice shops are the places where they use third quality ice and the quality unknown water. But these are the places where they are suppose to provide clean substances. To my knowledge Fruit Shop on Greams Road is one good example where they provide a real good ambience with array of juice varieties and above all, good water and safe ice.


So the above cases are my understanding of 'Reinvention'. Reinvention involves lot of product, process and people transformations. But once it is put in place, and the business keeps reinventing itself, there is no way of becoming a company of world class.

If you have a different meaning of reinvention and if you feel my interpretation is not correct, please share with me !!