I wanted to go for a hair cut yesterday, please believe me. I get it done once in a while, though nobody would notice any change in me before and after ! I dont feel any change either. Even then I went. To remain competitive among the "baldy" population. To my usual salon - Kreations salon (K aptly being shown as a pair of scissors in that sign-board).
As I entered the salon, I was extremely delighted. The environment has totally been changed. Nice fragrance welcomed me. All four of his staff are in uniform, including him so at least I know my "head" is in safe hands. Earlier I did not have any clue who was cutting my hair, it could have just been another customer trying my head to make a quick buck. As such I never bother who cuts my hair I dont care as who does that barbarian act. Do I really need to? - when I have only a few strands left on my head. New chairs. New mirrors. New shining and sparkling white floor. Brand new 1.5 ton AC fitted. In a nutshell, thousand times better than my living room. That fact I openly told Nagendra, owner cum hair dresser.
I started admiring Nagendra more. Earlier it was limited to his hair dressing skills. Now, one more dimension added to it - his eagerness to become more competitive and to grow. His salon had been fairly ok. Most of the customers who used to seek his services were like me, "chalthaa hey" types. Five minutes of job, least bothered whether hair is cut a few inches longer or shorter. Does not care whether AC is there or not. Does not care whether a mirror is there or not.
Nagendra could have continued the current fashion. He would have got same profit margins irrespective of modernizing his salon or not.
But, he decided to change.He decided to improve his salon. He invested huge amount of money to renovate his salon. Why?
He wanted to stay in competition. He wanted to improve his services and bring it to the same level as his competitors provide. By doing so, he could attract more, a different set of "hairy" customers ! He could charge a premium. He very well knew he could break even only after a few years down the line. But he knew equally well that if he does not invest now he may not scale up, for that matter he would not survive at all in the long run. He wanted to be current, relevant and more importantly competitive.
Oh yes, Nagendra charged me 40% more this time. I am fine even if he had charged 100% more, he has done so much improvement in the salon, anyways I go to him only once in 3 months, doesn't pinch me much !
This is long time back. I had gone to Bombay to attend a work shop in software quality. I had gone with one of the senior executives of the company. As we reached Bombay, it was late and senior executive decided to retire to his room after doing some REKHI practice. I was not getting sleep. I decided to watch "Sholay" that was screened in one of the TV channels. As Dharmendra was coaching Hemamalini how to use a gun aiming at those mangoes, the phone in the company guest house rang.
"Can I speak to Ram ?" I heard the voice on the other end. "There is no body by name Ram here", I was about to keep the phone down. "I came to know that Ram Murthy is staying there, is he around ?, I am so-and-so" I suddenly realized that first name of my senior executive friend is Ram, we used to call him BRM ( B Ram Murthy ) in short. And I didn't have to think much to say "yes he is here". I also realized that the person on the phone was the "Super Boss" (SB) of the company. SB replied in his heavy voice "Ram would have gone to sleep. Do not disturb him. Just ask him to call me tomorrow morning 5:00". It was 11:45 PM already ! I switched off TV immediately. Not worried any more to know what Dharam & Hema were up to, let them continue to have usual fun !. Set the alarm for 4:45 AM and went to sleep.
Yes, BRM called SB sharp at 5:00 AM. What SB wanted was this. He wanted BRM to listen closely to what another company was presenting that day. Not only the quality related details. But any important finacials/marketing/business strategy details on that company in those quality related discussions. Because SB wanted to get competitive information on that company. He had another business line same as what this particular company was in. He wanted to get some inside information through this channel as well which would help him in improving the other business.
( When the term inside information came across I remembered a news item that's heating up. To know more read : http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/gail-tredwell-amrithanandamayi-mutt-balu/1/345168.html Gail Tredwell is disclosing startling inside information on a spiritual organization. I am not competent enough to comment who is telling the truth and who is lying. All I can say is that lots of inside information is flowing outside. There is some muck - "daal mein kuch kaala hey".)
So be competitive to grow. Learn what competitor is doing. Try to collect as much information on competitor. Incorporate good things in what you are doing, if possible plan a few steps ahead.
But then, identify the right competitor of yours. Else both of you will remain non-competitive ! This need not be in any multi-million business initiative, it can be in any initiative in one's life itself.
"Number one, cash is king.... number two, communicate..... number three, competition - buy or bury the them" - Jack Welsh.
As I entered the salon, I was extremely delighted. The environment has totally been changed. Nice fragrance welcomed me. All four of his staff are in uniform, including him so at least I know my "head" is in safe hands. Earlier I did not have any clue who was cutting my hair, it could have just been another customer trying my head to make a quick buck. As such I never bother who cuts my hair I dont care as who does that barbarian act. Do I really need to? - when I have only a few strands left on my head. New chairs. New mirrors. New shining and sparkling white floor. Brand new 1.5 ton AC fitted. In a nutshell, thousand times better than my living room. That fact I openly told Nagendra, owner cum hair dresser.
I started admiring Nagendra more. Earlier it was limited to his hair dressing skills. Now, one more dimension added to it - his eagerness to become more competitive and to grow. His salon had been fairly ok. Most of the customers who used to seek his services were like me, "chalthaa hey" types. Five minutes of job, least bothered whether hair is cut a few inches longer or shorter. Does not care whether AC is there or not. Does not care whether a mirror is there or not.
Nagendra could have continued the current fashion. He would have got same profit margins irrespective of modernizing his salon or not.
But, he decided to change.He decided to improve his salon. He invested huge amount of money to renovate his salon. Why?
He wanted to stay in competition. He wanted to improve his services and bring it to the same level as his competitors provide. By doing so, he could attract more, a different set of "hairy" customers ! He could charge a premium. He very well knew he could break even only after a few years down the line. But he knew equally well that if he does not invest now he may not scale up, for that matter he would not survive at all in the long run. He wanted to be current, relevant and more importantly competitive.
Oh yes, Nagendra charged me 40% more this time. I am fine even if he had charged 100% more, he has done so much improvement in the salon, anyways I go to him only once in 3 months, doesn't pinch me much !
This is long time back. I had gone to Bombay to attend a work shop in software quality. I had gone with one of the senior executives of the company. As we reached Bombay, it was late and senior executive decided to retire to his room after doing some REKHI practice. I was not getting sleep. I decided to watch "Sholay" that was screened in one of the TV channels. As Dharmendra was coaching Hemamalini how to use a gun aiming at those mangoes, the phone in the company guest house rang.
"Can I speak to Ram ?" I heard the voice on the other end. "There is no body by name Ram here", I was about to keep the phone down. "I came to know that Ram Murthy is staying there, is he around ?, I am so-and-so" I suddenly realized that first name of my senior executive friend is Ram, we used to call him BRM ( B Ram Murthy ) in short. And I didn't have to think much to say "yes he is here". I also realized that the person on the phone was the "Super Boss" (SB) of the company. SB replied in his heavy voice "Ram would have gone to sleep. Do not disturb him. Just ask him to call me tomorrow morning 5:00". It was 11:45 PM already ! I switched off TV immediately. Not worried any more to know what Dharam & Hema were up to, let them continue to have usual fun !. Set the alarm for 4:45 AM and went to sleep.
Yes, BRM called SB sharp at 5:00 AM. What SB wanted was this. He wanted BRM to listen closely to what another company was presenting that day. Not only the quality related details. But any important finacials/marketing/business strategy details on that company in those quality related discussions. Because SB wanted to get competitive information on that company. He had another business line same as what this particular company was in. He wanted to get some inside information through this channel as well which would help him in improving the other business.
( When the term inside information came across I remembered a news item that's heating up. To know more read : http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/gail-tredwell-amrithanandamayi-mutt-balu/1/345168.html Gail Tredwell is disclosing startling inside information on a spiritual organization. I am not competent enough to comment who is telling the truth and who is lying. All I can say is that lots of inside information is flowing outside. There is some muck - "daal mein kuch kaala hey".)
So be competitive to grow. Learn what competitor is doing. Try to collect as much information on competitor. Incorporate good things in what you are doing, if possible plan a few steps ahead.
But then, identify the right competitor of yours. Else both of you will remain non-competitive ! This need not be in any multi-million business initiative, it can be in any initiative in one's life itself.
"Number one, cash is king.... number two, communicate..... number three, competition - buy or bury the them" - Jack Welsh.
No comments:
Post a Comment