Consumer durables over the decades
I was reading an article about Viveks, the organization with a large consumer dealership network in South India now. Viveks which now has a turnover of Rs 400 crores per annum had a humble beginning in 1965. Viveks started the unique discounted sale on New Year from 1977. The owners of Viveks recollect that the only item which was retailed in good numbers was radios in initial years with even Sumeet mixie having a waiting period of two weeks. It was sellers market then. Everything was in short supply. Customers used to conduct pooja in their house after taking delivery of the consumer goods those days!
Viveks have revolutionized consumer product sales by getting into after sales service thereby providing all encompassing sales and after sales service under one umbrella.This earned an excellent brand loyalty for Viveks on its own besides the brands of products they hawk.
Viveks experience over the years has a parallel with my family’s possession. It was lack of ability to pay rather than lack of availability which our family faced in 70s and 80s. Despite my parents staying in hot Chennai from 1957, we bought the first ceiling fan in 1973 followed by a gas connection in 1974. An unknown brand of battery operated transistor radio made its way into the household in 1976. Then there was hiatus of four years before I bought a Casio calculator for use in engineering college. Sumeet mixie was bought in 1983 followed by a black and white TV in 1985. A refrigerator was bought in somewhere in late 80s.
Things changed at a rapid pace from 90s onwards. We have changed our refrigerators, TVs , cars and washing machines. We have a lot of consumer durables like microwave oven and hairdrier at home these days. Unlike in the past, the consumer goods dealers sell the products off the shelf.
The only aspect which has lagged behind compared to the past is after sales service. Although there are toll free numbers and the call taker asks a lot of (irritating ) questions with the stated objective of providing a wholesome experience, the action part of repairing and replacing parts is very slow and unreliable. The biggest problem is when the mechanic says that he would return with spares and does the vanishing trick. The response from call centre on follow up calls for such truant behaviour is tepid. They seem to have a measure only for quick response to an original complaint and not for follow up visits to complete the repair work.
This is where dealers like Viveks add value with their after sales service network compared to company operated after sales network operated through toll free numbers.
Viveks have revolutionized consumer product sales by getting into after sales service thereby providing all encompassing sales and after sales service under one umbrella.This earned an excellent brand loyalty for Viveks on its own besides the brands of products they hawk.
Viveks experience over the years has a parallel with my family’s possession. It was lack of ability to pay rather than lack of availability which our family faced in 70s and 80s. Despite my parents staying in hot Chennai from 1957, we bought the first ceiling fan in 1973 followed by a gas connection in 1974. An unknown brand of battery operated transistor radio made its way into the household in 1976. Then there was hiatus of four years before I bought a Casio calculator for use in engineering college. Sumeet mixie was bought in 1983 followed by a black and white TV in 1985. A refrigerator was bought in somewhere in late 80s.
Things changed at a rapid pace from 90s onwards. We have changed our refrigerators, TVs , cars and washing machines. We have a lot of consumer durables like microwave oven and hairdrier at home these days. Unlike in the past, the consumer goods dealers sell the products off the shelf.
The only aspect which has lagged behind compared to the past is after sales service. Although there are toll free numbers and the call taker asks a lot of (irritating ) questions with the stated objective of providing a wholesome experience, the action part of repairing and replacing parts is very slow and unreliable. The biggest problem is when the mechanic says that he would return with spares and does the vanishing trick. The response from call centre on follow up calls for such truant behaviour is tepid. They seem to have a measure only for quick response to an original complaint and not for follow up visits to complete the repair work.
This is where dealers like Viveks add value with their after sales service network compared to company operated after sales network operated through toll free numbers.
Speaking of after sales service, most products these days come with a guarantee for abt. a year. However, as luck would have it, most of these products would break down just days after the guarantee lapses.Sometimes I wonder if this is a delibrate product design.
ReplyDeletePerfect design fora full life cycle and Perfect timing ! What else can one say ?
ReplyDelete