It was around 9:00 pm in the night of December, when the chill of the cold winter was running through my spine when I was heading back home. Like a common habit or the natural human behavior I couldn’t help but observe things around me and read every billboard, every sign and every person. Sometimes I wonder while waiting at the junctions thinking what the other person who is waiting next to me is thinking at that moment. I know its sounds a little crazy or you might think I might be just bored and jobless that I am thinking such random stuff but if you’ve come so far reading what I have written you might as well read what I intend to squeeze out of my observation. This random observation or noticing things inspired me to write this next post.
Like everyone, once while traveling I was waiting at the red light of a junction waiting for the light to go green. It was a tiring day at college listening to all the management & business related lectures and the never ending list of pending assignments. With a long sigh I just stood there at the junction. Slowly from the corner of my eye I noticed an old man with unwashed grey hair and dirty torn clothes with the expression of misery and hunger on his face approach me. Like most of us I tried not to notice and play cold to him but he just wouldn't go away until I gave him some money. I couldn’t help but wonder whether the beggar was the true MBA. Right from the STP analysis to branding himself as icon of hunger & misery, from consumer perception to meeting targets by the end of the day, he does it with planning, control and leads by example among his fellow colleagues. Their school begins at the footpath and they gain their practical experience on the road. Their men, women, half naked children, women with sleeping babies wrapped around them, the old men with sticks and shivering hands, handicapped, amputated arms and legs, there is every product for every customer.
At first he picks up the target customer at the junction, then analyzes by which vehicle he is traveling then comes with the approach strategy for it all this in just few seconds and end of it meeting the targets of having enough money from every red light. I feel that the best branding strategies can be learned from these beggars- the people in financial trouble.
Whole thing is well narrated although it is a common thing which happens every day, but your observation and thinking is good. But i didn't understand the branding thing
ReplyDeletemoji...even though my english is better than urs , wish i could write as well as u!! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou maybe right about the whole beggar brand. But think of the negative vibe you get from the beggar brand. How many of us (you apart, i know how dildaaar you are, especially if you see a beggar without a limb), actually transact with beggars?
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking of transaction, is it even a transaction to begin with? What functional benefit do you get out of the it?
Products have benefits. Theyre useful. When I invest in something as a consumer, I indirectly contribute to the economy. When I contribute to the Beggar Brand, in my opinion, I contribute to corruption.
@ Srikanth - I added a line about the branding part hope it clears the doubt you had.
ReplyDeleteThank you Anusha, there is lots to learn & learn from you too
ReplyDelete@ Meha - Well I did address beggar as a brand and how he sells himself but I never said that anything about what benefits we get from giving money to them.
ReplyDeleteI talked about how we can learn from the streets.
Can you be more clear about, how is giving to beggars contributing to the corruption?
really liked the concept....its nice to see how major concepts evolve from the most common of occurrences. sort of proves that those management geniuses were just people with observation skills and logical sense.
ReplyDeleteIt is really wonderful to see that you have an eye to all the things going around you and then correlating with the MBA subjects which you are studying. This is what is really required and expected by all the students in MBA atleast. Your post is the best example of real learning of the concept and theory in the class. Good keep it up.
ReplyDeleteCheers !!!
Davis John
Expect the Unexpected