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May 25, 2010

Smart Selling Commandments 9 and 10 (Final Part)

9. Smart Irani café selling or See for yourself selling : This particular commandment is very true for the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. In the Irani cafes, which are the lifelines of the twin cities, one can notice the quaint way of making rotis outside the kitchen or in front of the customers. Sometimes even outside the café itself. Why only the rotis and not anything else like the biryani if the argument that the smell and the sight of the making of the rotis induces the customers to order more is logical and correct. The same practice in not seen in the Andhra hotels, Udipi hotels etc.

The answer is very simple. In the mid 70's there was a big rumor that the as the number of rotis consumed in Irani cafes were very high, these cafes were making rotis kneading the dough with the feet of the workers and not with hands as it is very difficult for anybody to kneed the dough with the hands. Once the rumour was out no amount of rallying around or explanations seemed to work. The damage was done. The customers were deserting the Irani cafes. So the concept of outside kneading and preparation of rotis in Irani cafes has come about. Like they say seeing is believing.

In the same Irani cafes of Hyderabad there is a custom of flexi-ordering. Unlike in any other eatery where you have to consume what you have ordered or pay for it even-though you haven't touched a morsel, in an Irani café you only pay for what you eat and what is not eaten is taken back. This is what is flexi-ordering. It works like a double edged weapon. If the customer does not feel like eating the entire dish it is taken back. If the customer is new to the Irani café he will eat the entire dish and will pay for it. This is what the managers would call a win-win situation.

10. Mobile Selling or if Ali doesn't go to the mountain, the mountain will go to the Ali – Selling: In the earlier days people would venture out and search for the items that they wish to procure. That generation had the time, inclination and the patience to do the above. The present jet setting generation wants literally fast food- ready and available the minute the desire arises. They can't wait for things. This change in behaviour is best exploited by mobile selling. Now a days a mind-boggling variety of things are sold on the move. Right from chats, backpack noodles and libraries only the bottom of the opportunity has been scratched. For the innovative thinker or the entrepreneur sky is literally the limit. Like in the U.S.A one of the biggest business opportunities is in offering services that the household can't take care off. One example that immediately comes to mind is that of designing and maintaining of gardens for the people for whom time is at a premium.

As a conclusion it can be said that there is no teacher like real life experiences. When one clubs experience with observation and develop a bent of mind that continuously keeps asking questions and analyses the answers, there is no reason why we cant be best salesmen in the world.

Afterall all of us are born salesmen starting from the illiterate Auto or scooter mechanic who will deftly dismantle at least 4-5 vehicles at the same time and will attend to the repairs in turns thus ensuring that no one leaves before the repairs are carried out to the 15-day-old baby grinning bashfully at its mother and selling her the idea that she should smile back at it.

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