Strategem Samosa - Cracking the code on innovation. Chiwda Lives.

Why do humans participate in human interaction in business. Because they have a give an take. They give their time and they take back value.

So how to create value.

• Understand the requirement and identify different ways of creating value.
• Understand the other person and find new ways of appealing to his/her senses. 
• Find Gaps between what the person already gets and deliver the missing.
• Giving back again the same old, same old but at a lower price.

As we saw in the last post  the process of Market Research can be time consuming and requires a lot of discipline.

So the basic simplified version of any research is to set a certain amount of rules and follow it through to get a solution to the problem.

If you refer to one of my earlier posts innovation station. What I missed out in that post was the fact that innovation station needs to be built, just like the Chiwda needs to be positioned as a product in a multiplex.

So to help understand this lets use Chiwda for some more time. (Chiwda is a metaphor, use your core product!)

So we have the objective. - To sell Chiwda.

To sell Chiwda in a Multiplex is an innovation as it has never been done before.  But its not a innovation when others do it as well.

So innovation has to be continuous and consistent. 

So the group selling Chiwda in the multiplex has to have a feedback group (external) which would be reporting them about the delivery, quantity and quality of Chiwda and the audience reaction to it. 

(this works out like VRP's - Value Rating points- for the product).

Also they need to be on a look out for other growth opportunities without diluting the main core. - A good quality Chiwda.

Also dont be myopic and say I am in Chiwda Sales - say I am in Lifestyle food sales.

So to create innovation station there are 2 methods.

1. Internal - Setting time for employees to ideate and take their suggestions. Acknowledge workable suggestions timely and reward them .

Groom the people who can ideate or have the raw material to ideate. Yes 100 ideas will be bad but 2 good ideas mean more profit.

Resources to start something new will always be scarce but I will let you know on a little secret, its not the resources or experince which make ideas work but its the execution and dedication. If you have a team which can do that for you, let them. They may fail. But mostly they wont. If a group of people with a fairly good idea tries honestly, they will do well.

2. External- Setting social media , traditional platforms where people can reach out to you with feedback or suggestions. If you can set up a system where the consumer can give you new ideas or help you promote your product, you can achieve a lot. (see Bazooka Bubblegum).

So set up an innovation Station.

Make mistakes. Have success. Test your waters.

Do comment on this post.

By Ninad Tatke. 

Stratagem Samosa- Market Research Basics part 2

Continued from part 1
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Lets understand it to the core – systematic – with a structure. Gathering, recording and analyzing of data about problems- (that’s the objective of any research) related to the marketing of goods and services.

To better understand how research works- lets take the product Chiwda. The Manager wants to find out if Chiwda can be marketed in multiplexes.

So here are the steps for any basic level of Market Research.

1. Defining the Problem / Identifying the opportunity.

Simplified: Chiwda needs to increase its market share / sales. He thinks that it can be achieved my making Chiwda available in the multiplexes. Does it have a potential. Why would anyone eat Chiwda while watching a movie. 


Manager must ask the following questions to devise effective marketing strategies:

• Who are my customers and potential customers?
•  What kind of people are they?
•   Where do they live? 
• Can and will they buy?
•  Am I offering the kinds of goods or services they want - at the best place, at the best time and in the right amounts?
•  Are my prices consistent with what buyers view as the product's value?
•  Are my promotional programs working?
•  What do customers think of my business?
• How does my business compare with my competitors?

     These questions can be included by a simple questionnaire or one can take a help of a professional market research firm/person to do so.

     The market research process begins with identifying and defining the problems and opportunities that exist for your business, such as:

•         Launching a new product or service.
•         Low awareness of your company and its products or services.
•         Low utilization of your company's products or services. (The market is familiar with your company, but still is not doing business with you.)
•           A poor company image and reputation.
•           Problems with distribution, your goods and services are not reaching the buying public in a timely manner.

2. Setting up the Objective Budgets and plans. 

Simplified: objective - its setting a goal - for finding out the possibility to launching Chiwda in multiplexes.
Money - What is the budget the Chiwda company can spend on this activity.

Thus we decide on research method. (more on that in the next point)

Timetable  - Setting up time frames.

Mr. Sodhi. " Plan your work, work your plan".

3. Select Research types Methods and Techniques.

• Primary - a first hand research.

There are a lot of methods and ways to carry out this research.

Simplified: Chiwda needs to understand its competition, its current goodwill/image and also the possible /ways of re positioning it can carry out.

This can be done through -

•  focus group (calling 10/15 people and having them discuss about the matter)
• Interview - One to one questions.
• phone surveys
• web surveys

 

• Secondary- using  existing research material to gain knowledge.

4. Design the research instrument

The most common research method is questionnaire.

The following are key points to have a effective survey.

• keep it simple
• have general questions and then move on to specific questions.ie.ask do they like movies before asking them if they buy stuff in the multiplex at intervals 
• pretest the questionnaire
• mixed structure for questionnaire helps. ie. open ended question followed by a question on rating something on a scale of 1-10.

5. Collect data
Stick to the objectives and methods /rules you have set as per point 2 and 3 and try to be as objective as possible.

6. Analyze data.

Try to make sense of the data.

read between the lines. If people are saying that it feels odd to pay Rs.70 for a Samosa which they get for Rs.10 outside, they are saying that they find a gap between value and service. See if Chiwda can fill in that gap. if yes why . if no why.

7. Presenting and Using the findings.

The result should be readily available to the decision makers and that too with reasoning as it helps them to make informed choices.

This is work your plan stage.

So now you know if you should be launching chiwda in Multiplex. Go ahead. Test for Waters.

Do comment on this post.

By Ninad Tatke.

Stratagem Samosa - Market Research basics part 1

So planning to carry out an activity for a Brand, product or service. Do you know for sure if there is any demand for it. How should you price it. What do you know about your consumer. What is the value that I am offering. How is my product, service or Brand in comparison with the competitors. 

According to the American Marketing Association, marketing research is the systematic gathering, recording, and analyzing of data about problems relating to the marketing of goods and services.

Lets understand it to the core – systematic – with a structure. Gathering, recording and analyzing of data about problems- (that’s the objective of any research) related to the marketing of goods and services.

Every Manager thus should ask certain questions periodically. Even though Market Research is not a perfect science as it deals with people and constantly changing feelings, it certainly can help to take informed decisions and can contribute to growth.


To better understand how research works- lets take the product Chiwda. The Manager wants to find out if Chiwda can be marketed in multiplexes.

So here are the steps for any basic level of Market Research.

1. Defining the Problem / Identifying the opportunity.

2. Setting up the Objective Budgets and plans. 

3. Select Research types Methods and Techniques.

4. Design the research instrument

5. Collect data

6. Analyze data.


7. Presenting and Using the findings.


(Part 2 will carry out the break up of a research in steps... so do read it and comment freely)


By Ninad Tatke.

4 liners

This one is a poem minor
as it only a 4 liner
A leader is a dealer in hope.
As the team climbs a difficult slope.


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Below my office lies a stall
Road side food attracts all
Some prefer a parcel some eat in hot
Some are quite while some talk
Its a meeting, nay... a melting pot.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Say something sweet but keep it short
Dont bore us with nostalgia and old tales of fart
We like you when you are friendly and we are smart
When everything falls in place, its time to depart.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A goodbye message from a friend
 you will cherish till the end
Was kept in your wallet /mobile phone for last 8 years.
A thief stole your wallet/phone and you lost all cards and cash/contacts
People said that it was just a wallet/phone but you lost something dear.
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By Ninad Tatke

Stephen Hawkings.Story retold. (Poem)

Living life strongly
Living life with dignity

At 21 he had lost his body.
Yet he wasnt someone
Who would give up
He has made it through last 49 years

Through tubes pipes and wheel chair
Its a struggle of epic proportions when you consider that he survived.
But its not amazing that he lived, its amazing what he did in his life.

He is a brilliant author and a physicist.
 and he has a strange sense of humour.
Strong intellect and knowledge
But never crazy for glamour.

And  he is a people's person,
A smiling icon

Resting upon the laurels of his work is not his cup of tea


He is living his life strongly
Living life with dignity.

what power can a mind hold
What more can now unfold.

Dont know, but felt today to sing out for him

Spread his story retold.

He is 70 today

(Jan 8 actually)

Still exploring still writing theories hard to get
and still keeping it light.


He is someone who inspires me with the grace of his life.

silver medal 4- burn to earn, opportunity.

Saraswati the Goddess of knowledge and Laxmi the Goddess of wealth will both have to agree that they depend upon sandhi the opportunity.

Now it may be true that one creates his/her own luck but opportunity is indeed a funny phenomenom. It seems close to the extent and when it presents itself you may find yourself harshly unprepared.

What does one do when does not even get a silver medal, they are remembered as once have been. not to mention they are judged by the truth viewed in an unfair manner. There are people who acquire skills slowly and exhibit them gradually. If you do find yourself in such a situation remember that everyone cant be the choosen one. Some people have to burn more to earn the respect.

So what exactly is the burning.

Its not just the desire to get it but a madness to achieve it. Burning is the desire to have it and to work repeatedly until one has it.

It may been ironical but the most "out of the routine" work happens when a person has set a work ethic or "routine" to himself. It does not matter whether this is an time intensive or not but what matters is the consistent amount of time one puts in his/her project.

So even if time and tide waits for no man as opportunity goes past you, you can and you must prepare yourself regularly and steadily that the next time something comes up, you are prepared and ready and there is nothing which can stop you now.

By Ninad Tatke.

why pappu cant dance salla is a good thing.

Imagine pappu
 he is your perinial over achiver,
 he is muscular, popular,
 spectacular and he is a bachelor.
he wears a rado watch and gucci perfume

he has an MBA
he holidays in France


 but no what do we cherish and cheer on is that fact that this pappu cant dance.

What does this tell you,

we dont like success stories. we like fall of the house of usher.

People have greed, jealously and hatred over others.

And people like me who are well, story tellers have to think of these elements as well.


So its great that while pappu has everything expect the ability to gig. Who likes Mr. Perfect? Wasnt F1 a boring sport when Micheal (God) won everything or doesnt Sachin struggling at 99 centuries make a better story than if he had cracked 5 since the world cup and was smiling with 104 now.

Imperfection sometimes does make good story. That is if you are an observer. For Pappu though it can mean drifting along like a log in embarrassing way until the music stops.

 

Go Bananas

When hunger strikes
 and price hikes,

Go Bananas!

When on a move at lunch
and no time to munch,

Go Bananas!

 When age is no bar
 and and eating is ONLY thought,

Go Bananas!

When calories dont bother
Its a  Fast Food unlike any other.

Go Bananas!

8 o 5.

Used to catch a 8.05 from here.
 Used to meet Vaibhav every day.

 Vaibhav,  was a nice man.
 He use get me seat and i would do the same.
One day vaibhav got engaged and he distributed mitais in the compartment

Used to chat with Mishra, Kadam and Shastri here.
Loved pulling each others leg
Loved it when rains delayed the 8:05 but still caught it.
Rush and hurry were never a worry as with 8.05 my routine was steady

 Used to love the bhajans from the next compartment
Used to debate discuss share so many things.

 Used to catch a 8.05 from here
 Then one day while boarding the train,
 My leg slipped and I fell out of the running train.
People gathered around me and stared.
One good man was there.
 took me to a hospital, called my family stayed till my people came,
 and then this person disappered.

Used to catch 8:05 from here.
 Now i catch another,
its now the same rush and hurry but its not the same anymore.

Photo by Purvesh Janee

Moments

Moments that made me wonder

What next

Occurred suddenly, unplanned and unexpected

Firstly the day came when  traveling from the hilltop

Traveling Back to my home I felt sadness,

Life would never be the same again.

Moments that made me wonder

What next

Occurred suddenly, unplanned and unexpected

The second on top of the world

Felt like emperor, unbound and free

Had climbed the peak and soared up high

In my hands was the sky.

 moments.

Moments that made me wonder

What next

Occurred suddenly, unplanned and unexpected

The third was a bus stand,

I dont know the place

I dont even know the name

But it was calm and it was clean

And in perfect order it seemed.

Moment I saw it

The bus stand was liked

But all it ever got from me was a goodbye.

Moments

 Smile on little girl's face

was little and shyness was more

Her eyes were curious and so wanted to know

When I looked again she was gone / or stood no more

Moments

What Next.

The train I shared that day had a dude from Delhi.

He liked films and had come for Mami.

Films he saw made me remember of my 

film festival days

We both shared our contacts and went separate ways.

Moments.

What next.

Doodle fashion

To doodle is fun and instinctive
But to doodle in class, can bring out art.

And suddenly one fine day the classroom days were over
Yet in that one small lane the ghost of doodle hover

 doodling on the train on a small notepad
 doodling while on the phone
doodling during an chat
doodling on a touch screen
or  i tab

or tablet



keep doodling.


Doodle in the conference room
Doodle as the plan evolve
Doodle when brain storms or when brain stops.

keep doodling.

Losing doodles can hurt
You lose a part of yourself

Finding old doodles brings joy
Brings out old memories
You recall the mood and context for that doodle.
You find yourself smile.

So keep doodling
and bring out the smile.