Dad completes 62 today :)

Two years ago when I shared this with you, I had prayed for his good health and for his songs to continue. Life has been kind, the last couple of years have just zoomed past - lot's of travel, fun and singing has kept us all engaged.

Please continue to send you good wishes and blessings for his good heath, lots of fun travel, and lots more songs. Music is his life and dad's been learning to play the harmonium for nearly a year now. He has many 'Very Good' and 'Very Very Good' remarks from his teacher, who raves about his technical understanding - the fingers are still coming to tune.

I recorded a short rendition of the "Gayatri Mantra" that he played this morning:

However, he was more keen to sing one of his favourite oldie numbers: "Ye hawa ye raat, ye chandani" from the movie 'Sangdil', originally rendered by Talat Mahmood.

Do leave your comments and may our parents always remain in good health. Amen.

In terms of learning, leading to quality of work and the value delivered to our clients; and in terms of longevity and level of engagement with the client.

The approach has been simple, as I fundamentally believe that:

1. Deep rivers usually run wide
2. Width alone is no guarantee for depth

Width is relatively easier to achieve, even water spilled on the floor runs wide, but it doesn't have depth; depth on the other hand is a function of time and rigour. We prefer the latter.

Our client engagements are deep; as is our focus on building our programmes. Starting with a deep understanding of the client's business and starting with a clear strategy usually mean that the programme doesn't run out of breath soon.

And, when clients see rigour and results...referrals and word-of-mouth take over. Very often, customers who work with us/ who have worked with us at any time (or even prospects who simply engaged with us) send more business our way. This works just fine for us :)

What do you think? Wide? Or deep and wide?

Keep writing.

Cheers

Picture courtesy: Khalil Sawant

Many of you have commented to me about the Triad - version 1.0 - mostly positive feedback.

Some have sought a more detailed explanation about the workings of the model - I am going to try and do that, even though from where I look at it, the figure is self-explanatory.

One friend wrote back suggesting a re-look at the name, given the military associations with it. I might consider a name change but have so far been driven by this definition of the term. But, that's for later - task at hand is to get the model right first.

In version 1.0 , I wasn't particularly satisfied with the inner hexagon. It seemed to me that in isolation, the triangles representing 'Ingredients' and 'Action Points' worked fine, but when seen together, the sequence wasn't correct. It was important that the sequence, as I have experienced in real-world scenarios, is not altered.

Another look and the answers seemed obvious. Here is version 1.1:

Trying a more detailed, yet simplified, explanation:

1. What do the sales and marketing teams want from any marketing activity? Simply put the desired outcomes are Buzz > Purchase > Retention
2. Conversational marketing and communication is based on the premise that it allows us to engage stakeholders in conversations;to influence; gather communities around interests/ social objects; draw insights; identify evangelists; co-create products and services/ offer value that consumers/ stakeholders really want from us
3. Broken down neatly, the flow works like this - Conversations > Engagement > Community > Insights > Evangelists > Co-creation
4. Further, I could say that Conversations > Community > Evangelists are the 'Enablers'
5. And that Engagement > Insights > Co-creation are the 'Out-take' of these.
6. Our work on the triangles/ hexagon, inside, should lead us to the desired outcomes showcased at the three corners of the big picture triangle.

The flow seems more organised to me now. Also each adjacent triangle should have a relationship with each-other was a thought. Please let me know what you think of the reworked model. Your inputs would allow me to clean this up further, if needed.

Cheers

I had just started working on a client presentation, around a SocNet community that we had discussed earlier in the day and was trying to integrate social media elements, from a sales and marketing perspective, in a cohesive grid.

This is what emerged.

We had a brief internal discussion around it and my colleague Manpreet who manages Content and Knowledge suggested we call it a Triad. It's work in progress and your inputs would be valuable.

You can see it outside-in, or, inside-out:

1. On the outside are the desired sales outcomes: buzz; purchase; retention


2. Second tier consists of action points: engagement;evangelists; co-creation


3. In the center lie the ingredients: conversations; community; insights

None of them can be separated, given their close relationship.

We are planning to use this extensively for explaining the working/ relationships to customers. What do you think about it? Please share your thoughts and insights.

I just got into the office after a lunch meeting and took an auto ride back as my car was stuck in a jam elsewhere. Got some interesting insights from the driver, a warm gentleman, aged 46.

Our cities are full of opportunities, for the ones who are willing to put in the effort. Money that some of our stereotyped blue collar workers earn sometime beats what our white color work force makes.

Some of these workers are clearly working towards ensuring better opportunities for their children; they are proud that they earn for themselves, and, clearly, don't want to be dependent upon income that their grown-up children bring home.

Some quick pointers. Please forgive any grammatical mistakes - I just wanted to quickly capture the conversation before I jump back into work.

1. My auto driver of this afternoon, works approximately 16 hours every day - throughout the year, other than days when the vehicle is broken etc.


2. After deducting running expenses, he earns an average Rs. 1000/ day - not a small amount by any standard


3. Just a 2 shift rental for his auto would fetch him Rs. 500/ day but he prefers to work (read ahead about the 'ownership' bit)


4. The older of his 2 sons is a graduate, and employed with a top 5 star hotel as a barman. Salary = Rs. 27,000/ month, all of which is his to keep


5. The younger son, studies in class 9; watches movies; already has a mobile phone but is now demanding one with a cam. For this he will have to wait for 2 years, as pa would like him to grow up and make educated choices. Pa himself made some mistakes growing up and is conscious that the younger one is at a vulnerable stage and sometimes uses the phone for wasteful engagements - like games - didn't explain further and I didn't probe


6. The younger son also knows how to work the computer and will get a device of his own, also in 2 years - when he reaches class 11


7. The gentleman recently bought a plot of land for constructing their home, but that will have to wait until the elder son's marriage, which is planned for next year


8. The family has stayed in their current, rented accommodation for 40 years and the monthly rent 'now' is Rs 100/ month


9. Son will likely wed someone from a similar work background (maybe a colleague), and given 'their' status, the wedding will be a costly affair. No dowry will be exchanged and no costs will be spared to see that the wedding is a grand affair

The Indian middle class dream is a reality!

However, this is what really got me intrigued. How much do you think an Auto Rickshaw costs?

I was told, it costs Rs. 1.25 lacs (now I didn't know that) but if I were to believe the gentleman, it actually costs most buyers Rs. 4.65 lacs ( that's more than a car!). "How is that?" I asked.

"It's the permit silly" came the reply. Seemingly, middlemen corner the permits and sell vehicles at a 'huge' premium. Funding is organized through smaller financiers, where the paperwork is avoided.

He bought his vehicle 2 years ago, for some 3.50 lacs (can't remember the exact amount), with 2 lacs as a loan from a private financier. He's already paid it back.

I need to do more lunch meetings.

(You might want to read this post too: Rural Enterprise.)

Update: Forgot to add, the gentleman confessed to his daily drinking ritual - every evening, post work.

I haven't yet gotten over the frenzy of last fall - when I got married - and the wedding season is upon us again.

Weddings, are a burgeoning industry in India, with its size estimated to be Rs. 1,90,000 crores according to this story.

Interestingly, even as more and more of our youth marry for love, the Wedding ceremony, and associated celebrations, clearly continue to remain an 'arranged' affair - with the bride/ bridegroom managing to influence very little in terms of:

1. Size of the wedding/ expenses
2. Guest list
3. Rituals - compounded in inter-caste and inter-religion weddings
4. Or even how much make-up/ jewelery the girl should wear

Most relent out of regard for respective families, or give up after early efforts to persuade family elders, frustrated at the sheer futility of it all. A few succeed (then too - mostly - not without experiencing guilt of having 'denied' their families the joy of wedding celebrations).

Societal and peer pressure on parents and family plays an important role as 'size' (big) gets associated with family status, which no one wants to compromise upon. Even if one side wants to keep it small, there is often resistance and sometimes friction.

The new urban bride too seems hugely pressured by peer behavior to follow the newly romanticized, exaggerated (and regressive) Indian bride's conduct, as celebrated in the 'Saas- Bahu' television soaps that have dominated TV screens for the last few years.

Given that family plays an integral role even for the most modern of Indian youth, the couple often end up in a role-play and heave a sigh of relief when the ceremonies are finally over.

The drama continues for someone else.

Are you getting married this year? Is your Indian wedding fat too? Or on a diet? Is austerity also the flavour of this wedding season ?

Keep writing.