Freecharge: It was not the end.

Who took Freecharge to Rs.2400 Crores and who brought it down to Rs. 365 Crores in less than two years? It is theory v/s practical misunderstanding. Short cycle companies need to learn a lot from the legacy brands that have sustained growth much before pre-digital & the current times of digital evolution.

Theory reads, “What strategies should companies use to regain market share they have lost?” & finds the answer in three key ways that help companies to regain market share: 1. pricing changes 2. promotional changes and 3. product changes. But, in the real world, companies have proven all theories wrong & still failed to survive. Because, instead of products, they have followed brand lifecycle approach.

Now, let us understand, how in current situation Freecharge sold to Axis Bank can use its current brand value/assets to regain its share while following a legacy approach.

Current Status:

Freecharge has currently 10 Million+ mobile downloads & is readily available on the desktop. They have been sending messages/emails & gifting free recharges to sustain active accounts ratio. Let’s assume they currently have 5 Million active users. Enough to start something new & surprise the media, you & me.

Legacy brands, during turbulent times, tend to work on a Flotilla Concept – Save the Master Brand- Create New Concepts & Kill them to Survive, while retaining users stick to the master brand e.g. The Times of India, 150+ years old company with so many product lines (newspapers, events, apps etc.) put to use for numerous applications (uses), resulting in high brand visibility while a few products fail or fetch a little profit, but TOI- The Master Brand remains. Therefore, instead of products, companies should focus on brand value to grow like legacy brands. Sell units, retain brands.

HOW CAN FREECHARGE USE LEGACY APPROACH TO REGAIN, SUSTAIN & GROW?

Step 1: Be the first to launch a Crypto Currency (e.g. Bitcoin) Platform, while this will help you with more traffic & KYC data, due to established credibility, one can see hell lot of money flowing into Freecharge Exchange – To ensure the legalities, split the Freecharge Brand to Freecharge Exchange & Freecharge Wallet, while taking the advantage of the existing user base. It’s the same practical approach followed by Paytm & Paytm Mall

Step 2: Launch a tax-free food couponing platform - Freecharge Food Wallet to help company employees avail tax benefits e.g. currently they get Sodexo Coupons that can be replaced with a digital wallet. This will open gates to enter into Corporate World based on long-term tie-ups and that is sustainable income.

Step 3: Launch Freecharge Assure Service Platform; with an annual subscription of Rs. 499/599/899, one can avail all their online deliveries for free for specific periods. Run this like a Partner Network Program. Delivery is made by the respective brands itself, but, this particular unit will work like a loyalty coalition program.

Step 4: Freecharge Checkup: Tie-up with all the major hospitals/labs/clinics in the city and let people book an appointment on the app itself & pay via Freecharge Wallet, while all their medical records will be maintained within the app & in case of accident/emergency, doctors just need to know patients mobile number and everything will be auto-fetched. (Heavy apps, make it lighter with auto-scaling technology)

There are a lot many things what practical’s can teach us to survive & grow in this cruel world. What matters is, are we ready for a challenge to stop challenging & start doing?

Pixel Marketing

Some people mix branding with marketing, marketing with sales, sales with targets, targets with numbers, numbers with achievements, achievements with appraisals, appraisals with growth, growth with position, the position with power & the power with arrogance & so on...

So, how to solve this habit of mixing? It's time, we all should abandon the old timers like Kotler marketing theories & bring in new age practical examples to create our ''Concept of Identity Marketing".

135 Cr. people = 135 Cr. marketing concepts

Considering everyone has a different identity & can act mischievously different in similar situations, building one standard theory can only increase the boredom e.g. targeting the same person, with the same concept again & again can make the person feel bored. So, how to create a ''Pixel marketing concept'' i.e. a marketing concept for every individual on earth, after all, we only work for humans - to serve to please to earn to share to spend.

PIXEL MARKETING - Let's think of individuality & create ''nano-pixels of marketing''. As, now the era is of ''Create as per Need", so, it's time to go wise & build products on advice.

Let's not go wrong, because, we have an onus to build humanity -a little more wiser & stronger.

Share your views at tarshantjain@gmail.com

Is a ban on 500 & 1000 Rs. denominations a first step towards Connected Economy?

Rs.500 & Rs.1000 Note(s) are no longer a legal tender. And, this has lead to newspapers, media houses & individuals share their grief & unrealistic comments. e.g. poor farmers will die, A woman died outside a bank, abolishing currency notes will leave poor people to suffer more, even news cover people burning their hoarded money in bulk etc.

Now, the reality is...The Govt. has made a provision to deposit any amount of money in one's bank account till 30th of December, there is only a limit on withdrawal.

If a poor man is worried, that what will happen to his/her crore of rupees stacked up in cash. We should rather focus on redefining the term "Poor".

Govt. has assured, that no person will be penalized, if they can justify their reason of hoarding up the cash they are depositing in banks.

How will this help all of us?

A lot of money will go off the shelf, demand for luxury goods will reduce & therefore a larger impact on demand & supply difference will prevail (possibly for the short term).

As, everyone is forced to open a bank account - even for the deposit/exchange of Rs. 500, banks can counter check on KYC validations- therefore closing down hoax/dead accounts- the ones with no claimants.

If handled judiciously, the next phase of "BAN ON GOLD" - "RARE METALS" can be expected, which limits any trade of jewellery with cash. It will be a valid step, because, by that time, most of the Indians will have active bank accounts- linked to their aadhar cards & systems would have been in place to track down any mismatches. Insight was driven from the fact that Govt. has limit the individual cash levels to up to 3 lakhs only.

Now, poor people can genuinely use Rs. 100 denomination notes- for small purchases without having any major impact on inflation. Whereas, anything exceeding their basic requirement will require a card swipe/ net banking etc., modes of payments etc.

A great boost, to ensure, that the currency is in circulation, secure, tracked & in genuine hands.

In long-run, this will reduce the burden of taxes & bring in simpler forms of Tax Regime. Every govt. or private project will be accounted wisely. Imagine a worker getting his daily wages, directly deposited in his/her account. Whereas, today, he/she might not be exploited by various middle-men to release daily wages in cash form.

Adding further, the next phase will also tighten its knot on Religious Institutions, NGO's with high volume cash spends with no valid tracks. Therefore, reducing high-value offerings & mismanagement by the Committee Members.

However, the impact of Rs. 2000 note is not to be ignored. It is one note, which can create a huge impact on reducing the poor-rich gap.

Let's hope for the best to come our way.

It will be a foolishness to say that social organisations are No Profit, No Loss entities. They are in fact the most cost heavy units running to sell services at cheaper rates while their profit comes from buyers who invest in their ideas.

Here is an explanation: 
Taxation ImpactAn ordinary company manufactures goods/ services & sell it at a price which includes tax components & markup price. Now, goods are sold, taxes are collected & are spent again to the benefit of the nation. On the other side, imagine if the same manufacturer gives away goods to the NGO & deducts the same from its balance sheet & also NGO gives away these goods tax-free. What impact does these practice have on the nation?

Because the country needs the tax system to keep the system running, it will start imposing more taxes & make the good costlier. More the free service, more taxes, more the need for NGO's.

Work Impact

Many people are drawing huge salaries working at NGO's & any strategic partnership with the corporates is all about optimum utilisation of free funds. NGO's are not investing on R&D or developing new avenues of revenue generation at least on the records, rather they lease technology & pays the least price for the acquisition. Again devaluing the technology & leading to lesser investment in R&D - Lesser profits, lesser investment, lesser jobs, lesser upgrades. That is why many countries with a high number of NGO's always end up begging more.

Solution:

We need a change in an NGO model. Every NGO should have R&D department & linked with a consolidation of direct interest companies that ensure it works efficiently. Any losses should be compensated from profits. e.g. Every NGO should be a part of industry, giving best quality products or services & a part of the profits should be disbursed for the expansion plans. The logic is we don't need small, tiny NGO's with a unscattered approach, rather we need a bigger approach with Product & Service oriented NGO's.

e.g.

Food Problem: Hire an entire region, work with farmers, develop roads, establish a unit & best practices, engage the locals in jobs & earn.

Girl Child Education: Lease an entire region, engage the parents in a profession, give them a steady earning, meanwhile open a day care education centres & incentivise parents by giving a small amount extra if their child attends school.

For more ideas, just ask your heart. Be Smart

THE POWER OF YOUR TURN

When the whole world turns you down,

But, you believe in what you believe.

When you pile up everything you have ever earned,And ready for a risk.
When why is not longer a question & No has no meaning,
And you are ready to start from the beginning, if you fail.

When even your friends stop supporting your idea,
And everyone seems to have advised you not to do.

When world has stopped believing in you,
And played their role to turn you down.

Stand up, look into their eyes,
And say, HOLD ON.
Because, you have yet to play your turn.

WHY INVEST IN HYDERABAD?

In a multi-speed world, growth defines its own parameters. Despite the recent headwinds Hyderabad has faced, its fundamentals remain solid and it continues to attain higher rank in business competitiveness. Government is actively working to improve the city’s business environment, and investors are beginning to benefit from improved efficiency and reaping the benefits of lower costs.

In a competitive world, any investment decision is influenced by sustainable growth with consistent prospect for return. The agglomeration effect — i.e. the tendency of firms to settle near other economic units because of benefits such as knowledge spillover, the presence of a specialized labor market and a developed supplier network — and the large service & manufacturing base has been an important factor for business leaders in deciding their investment decisions. With Prime Minister of India’s vision to strengthen the flow of investments in the country, Hyderabad is actively embracing the opportunity to emerge as a model of growth. The government is actively engaged in holistic up gradation of current state and unleashing opportunities for many emerging sectors.

Companies need to understand that volatility is an inherent characteristic of an emerging economy. Opportunities exist. But companies can gain, when they act in time and returns shall sustain. This calls for an integrated effort in unravelling the opportunities which exist in Hyderabad.

As Indian government officially opened up the defence industry to foreign investors, the domestic industry seems poised for another period of rapid growth. Hyderabad has the potential to become an attractive destination for governments and companies around the world that need defence & aerospace engineering services and components. The government has been proactive by ensuring that policies focus on developing good infrastructure and attracting global corporations to set up their base in Hyderabad. The real estate sector will continue to get a boost from government policies. The rapid work in developing an Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) will further create massive opportunities in spreading of IT & ITes sector. As more companies come to the city, demand for office, retail and residential space will rise drastically, with Hyderabad offering the cheapest office space in the country can go a long way in reducing the operational expenses for the companies. 

To know more...write to me at tarshantjain@gmail.com

FLY ASH

CAN PROPER UTILIZATION OF FLY ASH ADD TO OUR GDP?

India’s power consumption is on the rise so as its production. As thermal power stations are increasingly consuming coal to produce energy, the fly ash generated in the process needs better and innovative ways of utilization or disposal.

Burning of coal to meet the energy needs of the country is piling up the fly ash which has reached about 100 million tonnes per year. All out efforts are needed to utilize this fly ash not only from environmental considerations, but also to avoid land usage for fly ash dumping. Though there has been a steady progress in fly ash utilization since the last decade, there is still a long way to go to reach the target of 100 per cent fly ash utilization. It is reported that the fly ash use in agricultural can increase the production of grains by 15 per cent, green vegetables by 35 percent and root vegetables by an astounding 50 per cent. Toxicity tests have proved that fly ash not only reduces toxic elements in the soil but nourishes it with iron and calcium. Optimum utilization of fly-ash with business prowess has the potential to change the discourse of many businesses. It can become a wealth generator by making use of it for producing ‘green building’ materials, roads, agriculture etc. Full utilization of the generating stock has the potential to provide employment to three hundred thousand people and can result in a business volume of over Rs.4000 Cr approximately.

So the question is how to embrace the opportunity and take a step towards cleaner environment by utilizing Fly Ash in our respective industries?

On the basis of studies carried out on fly ash utilization, it is sighted that use of fly ash in building construction possesses great gains. Either fly ash used in brick manufacturing or in concrete mixes, it gives very good results in almost every aspect including product strength, economical viability and environmental friendly. Previously Fly Ash was looked upon as an industrial waste and a pollutant. The perception has undergone considerable change over the past few years. Now Fly Ash has attained the status of a resource material. However, there is a greater need for awareness on implementation ideologies of Fly Ash utilization and disposal. The guidelines for all thermal power stations as regards disposal techniques/ strategies should ensure minimum adverse impact on the flora & fauna of a particular place. The attempt should be to consciously reduce environmental damage to ensure more effective management of fly ash which India needs. 

It's time to think GAINFUL UTILISATION TECHNOLOGIES AND TAKE A STEP TOWARDS CLEANER ENVIRONMENT & 100% UTILISATION OF FLY ASH

BE YOU : Sometimes it's good to break the Emotional Intelligence Territory

Great power comes with great responsibility. Responsible hearts are not affectionate but decisive in nature, as they help in defining right choices for a common good. Love can be joyous, but it can never come with equality. One has to make strong choices.

You don't take the road to home..you drive on it , just to reach to your loved ones. Decisions are individual choices, so as the love & friendship. Love may lead your way, but friends make that way for you.

Choices are many. Responsible is you. Be you.

Be wise. Surprises & shocks have a very thin line. Advisors of love seldom enjoy the company of their loved ones. Because, they advise to give you happiness, but they hardly know the meaning of spreading love.

Half monkeys have advanced the stage to become today's men. Few realize, there is a family who needs to be cared. No one is an exception as we are happy in our own little world. But as the darkness arrives, only dark souls survives. So, stand against the evil thoughts. Fight for that light. Wisdom is in finding your own reflection. Not in following sorrowful actions.

Let Mahabartha not tussle our hearts & make us walking dead. God is in that selfless smile. With those who nurture your 100 years of wishful life.

Call your friends today. Say you love them. They will understand. Because, they are also just the ones like you.

Decisions are what we want to be. So, be you.

HAPPY EXECUTIVES are FROGS who can LEAPFROG in a CORPORATE CORPSE

Size of the ladder matters. Because not every company has the strength to grow.

It is an inevitable truth when it comes to Indian Companies, Application of 'Leadership' skills is just a stick and carrot story.

I wonder, if you are an employee and their exists your boss. Where actually we can apply leadership skills. Their is certainly a need of 360 degree feedback system and owners of the 'Lala' or 'MNC's' can later go by their future insights. 

Why I used the word CORPSE? 

It's easy, when we are working in a non-methodical company, all we do is adjust the way 'LIVING LEGENDS - LEADERS' want to mould us. Corpse here represents insensitive nature and high level of ego prevailing in the work-groups.

So, what is the solution?

The simple way is : Leave the company ..but the condition is ' Do you have another job? and then ' Do you really know how to perform your job?'.

Here the real question is : SELF ASSESSMENT.

It's seen, people who have knowledge can always find their way up. But, sometimes, due to lack of SIZE OF THE LADDER..They simply can't explore beyond that.

Understand your skills, Act beyond being Corpse, Hunt for companies who want to use your skills and then Just Rise.

Bcos, whatsapp was also a dream...Sold to a dreamer.

But, you dont have to be entrepreneur. 

You just have to innovate and exit at the right time to enter the bigger pond.

So, Happy Executives are FROGS who can leapfrog.

BRAND MODI v/s BRAND BJP

Today BJP is known by MODI’s sarkar. Well, any party worker would like to achieve that level. But, when it comes to BJP, it's so amazing to know, how Modi has redefined the aspirational level of BJP.

Certainly, there is a clear difference. One is backed by Performance : His achievements in Gujarat. And second (BJP) had desperate need to hire a performer. Afterall, every company wants to hire a verified leader(s) to take their sales a notch higher. Don't we all scan resume’s before we hire anyone. Otherwise, everyone walking in is a Leader.

In nutshell, BJP lacked leadership whereas, Modi lacked a party backing ( though he had leadership skills).

BRAND is all about right mix. So, we should merge with only those brands, which work complimentary and capture the right essence of offering bucket.

So, now it’s time for Congress to find it’s loosened parts and rework on their strategies of brand association and brand mergers. 

Brand MODI exists because, BJP has nurtured it by brand building exercises. Because, without a good exercise, you cant build a good body.