In India, consumers want to have their cake and eat it too. Anyone who has run any business in India selling a mass product or service will vouch for it. Confused? Let me explain.
Have you ever been to Big Bazaar? They have created an organized retail supermarket out of thin air based on a single mantra – “sabse sasta” meaning “cheapest of them all”. They dont make any claims on quality of their products. Or the customer service ( or lack thereof) that they offer. On weekends, the sheer numbers in a store can suffocate you if you are not careful. Thats how popular it is.
Take another case. Major FMCG companies push a lot of their products based on “freemium” model. That is , you get 1+1 or you get 50% discount or you get something free or you get more for the same price. It is no wonder that premium products rarely do such promotions, they would rather position themselves on the promise of quality. If your kid dies after accidentally consuming a me-too shampoo from a local kirana shop, it is unlikely much will come out of Indian consumer courts in your lifetime.
Sure, you can blame the legal system or the companies in the way they segment the market or the low per capita income. But the truth is, if you are an average Indian consumer, no matter what your income strata, you will consume anything as long it is the cheapest. Or free. We just love the word “free”.
I see the same sensibility playing out in telecom space. Everyone complains about pathetic customer care of mobile operators. On how they never answer or always answer incorrectly. On how they get taken for a ride with stupid cricket alert packs. No one gives a thought on India having the lowest ARPU (average revenue per user) for mobile carriers. The consumer still wants 50 paise STD calls and free (!!) local calls. Who will tell her that quality customer service is not free?
We at mobikwik have a very clear vision vis-a-vis customer service. We want to be the best at delivering whatever service we offer . Sure , we will be cost efficient but we will focus more on the other 2 forgotten C’s – Comfort and Convenience.