Modi & Medu Vada - The connection sounds weird? To the typical IT guy standing beside me at the Breakfast stall, it didn't.
Thanks to America, Indian vendors, and theaters in the IT hubs like Pune & Bangalore have started following the weekend pricing policy these days. For watching a movie over a weekend, we need to shed at least 50% extra bucks as compared to a regular weekday. Well, to many of us in the corporate world that might seem okay. As far as the theater owners are concerned, people are ready to pay, so why not.
Even though one would think that this wouldn't be the case with the small streetside vendors, things have changed. Besides the 3 times price raise in every commodity including food in the last 4 years, I also noticed a change in the financial quotient. The prices seem growing inversely proportional to the financial quotient of buyers. Comparing to smaller cities and less commercialized areas of big cities we all are paying a bigger price. The reason - because we can! The thought process has turned to service and people wouldn't mind paying extra bucks for a better price, even if those extra bucks might not be worth it.
One lazy Sunday one of my best friends and I went to the nearest stalls where small vendors sell breakfast in the morning. There was a huge rush on one of the stalls which had recently opened. There was this gentleman who had opened a sandwich stall. Because of the rush, we thought of giving it a try, if there are so many people waiting, it must be good. After 15 minutes of wait and ordering a veggie samosa sandwich, what we got is a vegetable samosa stuffed between 2 slices of bread. Not grilled, just with some ketchup and mayonnaise. Price? Rs. 80!! Gulp! Comparing that with the very popular Desi Rs.10/- Wada Pav, can you imagine what was so different? The vendor was speaking in English. He had a target audience in mind, which was the typical service-oriented IT crowd, and he was doing quite well communicating with them. People were paying extra for the smile and English. Did people complain? Nope!
People have been very surprised when I used to tell them that I have never been to a CCD, Barista, or Mocha. Is your tiny size coffee worth the Rs 120/- that you are paying? Maybe not. I believe, their business is not coffee, they are selling a place for you to sit and chat with your friends or have an official conversation. Do people complain? Nope!
In the above 2 cases, people did not, and I don't think they would complain. They are buying into the service, class, and communication.
Now coming to the Medu Wada story, there is this vendor at the nearby chowk selling Idlis and Medu Wadas. The typical corporate guy came and asked how much he should pay for the delicious, succulent plate of big Medu Wadas that he just finished. The vendor asked for Rs. 30/-.
People won't reason, won't bargain, and won't object the prices. They all are hoping that with Modi's leadership, everything is and will be alright. This was just a small instance, compare that with the price of larger commodities, the biggest example being real estate. Is that 2 BHK flat worth the 70 Lakh you are ready to spend, just because everyone else is?
Well, there is nothing a Modi or a Gandhi can do for you if you can't do anything for yourself. We all would be part of that typical sheepwalk. Get an engineering degree, get into an IT company, go onsite, buy a flat, keep paying for it rest of your life, raise kids, bored to death in the old age, because the kids are somewhere else far away from you. I consider myself part of that same sheep walk so far. I wish the steps I have taken and want to take, would materialize and I come back to the human race.
Unless you take those steps to get away from this sheep walk.....Keep waiting for that "Modi Medu Wada Yojna", it is never going to come!!!
Thanks to America, Indian vendors, and theaters in the IT hubs like Pune & Bangalore have started following the weekend pricing policy these days. For watching a movie over a weekend, we need to shed at least 50% extra bucks as compared to a regular weekday. Well, to many of us in the corporate world that might seem okay. As far as the theater owners are concerned, people are ready to pay, so why not.
Even though one would think that this wouldn't be the case with the small streetside vendors, things have changed. Besides the 3 times price raise in every commodity including food in the last 4 years, I also noticed a change in the financial quotient. The prices seem growing inversely proportional to the financial quotient of buyers. Comparing to smaller cities and less commercialized areas of big cities we all are paying a bigger price. The reason - because we can! The thought process has turned to service and people wouldn't mind paying extra bucks for a better price, even if those extra bucks might not be worth it.
One lazy Sunday one of my best friends and I went to the nearest stalls where small vendors sell breakfast in the morning. There was a huge rush on one of the stalls which had recently opened. There was this gentleman who had opened a sandwich stall. Because of the rush, we thought of giving it a try, if there are so many people waiting, it must be good. After 15 minutes of wait and ordering a veggie samosa sandwich, what we got is a vegetable samosa stuffed between 2 slices of bread. Not grilled, just with some ketchup and mayonnaise. Price? Rs. 80!! Gulp! Comparing that with the very popular Desi Rs.10/- Wada Pav, can you imagine what was so different? The vendor was speaking in English. He had a target audience in mind, which was the typical service-oriented IT crowd, and he was doing quite well communicating with them. People were paying extra for the smile and English. Did people complain? Nope!
People have been very surprised when I used to tell them that I have never been to a CCD, Barista, or Mocha. Is your tiny size coffee worth the Rs 120/- that you are paying? Maybe not. I believe, their business is not coffee, they are selling a place for you to sit and chat with your friends or have an official conversation. Do people complain? Nope!
In the above 2 cases, people did not, and I don't think they would complain. They are buying into the service, class, and communication.
Now coming to the Medu Wada story, there is this vendor at the nearby chowk selling Idlis and Medu Wadas. The typical corporate guy came and asked how much he should pay for the delicious, succulent plate of big Medu Wadas that he just finished. The vendor asked for Rs. 30/-.
IT Guy - "बाकी दिन तो 20 रुपए ही लेते हो। दाम बढ़ गए क्या?" Vendor - "आज Sunday है, आज का rate 30 है। "IT Guy - "अरे यार, अब तो मोदी आ गया, फिर भी ऐसे रेट ?? "Unwillingly he took out 3 Rs.10/- bills from his huge wallet and gave it to the vendor. While the vendor was just implementing the "high-rate-because-you-can-pay-for-it" policy, the buyer wasn't so happy giving the money to the vendor. Reason? He had nothing more to offer. Not even a smile or a casual conversation.
People won't reason, won't bargain, and won't object the prices. They all are hoping that with Modi's leadership, everything is and will be alright. This was just a small instance, compare that with the price of larger commodities, the biggest example being real estate. Is that 2 BHK flat worth the 70 Lakh you are ready to spend, just because everyone else is?
Well, there is nothing a Modi or a Gandhi can do for you if you can't do anything for yourself. We all would be part of that typical sheepwalk. Get an engineering degree, get into an IT company, go onsite, buy a flat, keep paying for it rest of your life, raise kids, bored to death in the old age, because the kids are somewhere else far away from you. I consider myself part of that same sheep walk so far. I wish the steps I have taken and want to take, would materialize and I come back to the human race.
Unless you take those steps to get away from this sheep walk.....Keep waiting for that "Modi Medu Wada Yojna", it is never going to come!!!
