Business is dull - How to react?

Right now business everywhere is dull. Whether it is real estate, white goods and so on. But there is a common lesson we have to learn.

Yesterday, my daughter and son-in-law wanted to see some of the upcoming
villa projects in Chennai for possible purchase.

Day-before yesterday, I planned for the outing.

The first company I rang up, they said I could go and see and that they would
send a representative. They did not follow up the next morning giving the person's name and phone number which I wanted. I again rang them up. They said I could go there. No representative was found at site and the security guard said: "I will show you the villas". No issues. Excellent construction. But the surroundings of the project was found very shabby. From the OMR main road, we had to travel for about a kilometer in a small lane of about 23 feet to reach the gated community. While returning a lorry came ahead of us and we had to reverse our car for 300 metres to give way for the lorry. Will you think of purchasing that villa?? I leave it to you.

The second company had two projects, one in Thazambur and the other in Perumbakkam. They said they would give a contact person name and phone number in both places. They did not. The next day, I had to ring up several times between 9.30 am and 10.30 am. No body picked up the landline. Every time I received a nice SMS saying.. Thank you for calling, etc. It looked stupid. Finally they came on line and gave a cell number. He too did not pick up the phone and I got similar message.

When we reached the place, the representative was not pro-active. He could not answer most of the questions and also gave wrong information. He said Villas have piped gas connection. When we reached home and checked the pamphlet it was mentioned piping done to connect cylinders!! Pathetic considering that the buyers are coming back from US after staying there for ten years!!

What is the lesson we learn from above experience?

(1) When business is roaring ten customers will come and two will just pay the money and go. You will not know the quality of your delivery.

(2) When business is dull, you should completely focus on the customer and give all your efforts to get business.

It could be villas, it could be air-conditioners, it could even be potatoes!!

Noise in window air-conditioners.

I am talking of a period some two decades back.

Window air-conditioners with reciprocating compressors used to be mounted
on springs and rubber bushes.

During transit the legs of the compressor would be screwed down to avoid
shaking and damage in transit.

Before the air-conditioner is switched-on these screws were to be removed.

At times the technician would forget to do this.

Result: Whenever the thermostat cuts in and out there will be a huge noise.

AC not an on-line product...

An air-conditioner is not an on-line product!!

Well you will all agree that an air-conditioner is not a product to be bought on-line.

Companies have started to warn prospective customers through their websites the perils of on-line purchase of air-conditioners even going to the extent of naming the companies......

This augurs well for the air-conditioning industry....

Humane approach vs avariciousness

Yesterday when I bought my newspaper and gave a tenner, I was given back a five rupee cu-ni regular coin of 2002.

I took that coin today to get my newspaper today, keeping in mind the vendor's difficulty in giving back coins.

But then, I noticed a girl asking for the Times of India newspaper with a five rupee commemorative coin in her hand!

I changed my mind (or did my mind change me?) and gave a ten rupee note and got a 5 Rs. MVD Shrine Board coin.

I wonder: Did I do the right thing?

Assorted air-conditioner??

A lady rang up and wanted to buy an air-conditioner which would be energy efficient.

She asked me if we can give buy-back offer.

I said: Yes.

I have an assorted air-conditioner which is working well but consumes lot of current.

Assorted? Oh, she meant assembled air-conditioner!!

I asked her how much current it consumes.

She says she is not sure. But she says it is cleaned once in every six months and gas charged...

I tried to explain her that she is being taken for a ride. How much you are charged for gas charging - it is not all necessary to periodically gas charge.

No she says. He brought a meter and checked and charged gas. He usually charges Rs.300 but when gas is charged it is Rs.400.

I wanted to help her and gave her a good price explaining the break-up.
AC so much, stabilizer so much and installation so much.

Why do you charge for installation. Can't you make it free?

I spoke to her for 15 minutes and explained A to Z.

She said she will come back............

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Three common things - but better be sure!!

While selling an air-conditioner, better you make sure in the beginning of the discussions, that:

(1) Your customer is looking for a split or a window air-conditioner.

(2) Your customer knows that an inverter type air-conditioner will not work when there is no AC supply (will not work during power cut).

(3) A Slimline (tower) type air-conditioner is not a stand-alone type unit but is just like any other split and you have to run tubes connecting the indoor and outdoor units!!

Happy selling for hot summer just ahead of us!!!

Change? Even rupee notes not available!!!

I went to my office by bus yesterday.

On the way to my office, I had coins to the tune of about Rs.15. When the bus was nearing my office there was not much crowd in the bus. I gave Rs.10 worth of coins to the conductor and asked him to give me two five rupee coins. I got a 1992 Cu-NI and a 2013 Ni-Br coin.

I thought I will first go to Landmark first thing in the morning. I reached Spencer Plaza by 9.35 am only to find that the shop opens at 10 am.

I was not prepared to waste 25 mins. (almost all the shops were yet to open). Rang up my office for someone to come in a two-wheeler and pick me up.

I was waiting in the kerb when an auto stopped near me. Two girls in blue T-Shirt with the words LANDMARK written on their shirts got down. One girl gave a hundred rupee note. The driver said: No change.They tried frantically. The driver said: Is this the place for you to change your hundred rupee note? By then another auto pulled up. Do you have two 50 rupee notes asked the driver to his counterpart. No. I took out a 50 rupee note and gave it to the auto-driver and took back Rs.20 from him. I asked the girl her name and told her that later in the day I would be coming to Landmark when she can return the Rs.30. She was all smiles and thanking me disappeared informing me that I can find her in the books section.

While coming back in the evening, the bus conductor was in utmost difficulty not having enough change. He said: If the ticket value is Rs.7 or Rs.8, I can give change. But for a Rs.11 or Rs.12 how can I give back the balance? I gave him coins worth Rs.10 and took a ten-rupee note from him!

Coin collector? No, not at all. I am a Coin-giver !!!!