Levi's Square

I think there are 3 Levi's squares in India. One each in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. A few days back I just happened to chance into one of the stores during a rather prolonged shopping trip with my sister. I have been to the Levi's Store often, during the time that I used to do shopper research and therefore was quite aware of the structure of the store.

Upon entering this store, the ground floor generally has the 'Red Loop' line of products, which is the higher end of the price line at Rs. 3000 and above. The second floor has the 'Sykes' line which is priced between Rs. 1500 and Rs. 3000. The top floor has the 'Levi's Red Tag', the lower end of the price line with products in the Rs 1000 range. I used to think that it was a good means of ensuring that the high priced Red Loop range got some hits.

When we went into the store to shop, my sister had a look at the Red Loop line and got rather put off and was at the verge of leaving the store. Were it not for the fact that I was aware of the lower priced range being available on the upper floors, they would have lost a customer. Is it prudent to make the shopper go through the most expensive offerings that you have before they can get to the not so expensive ones, I have my doubts.

An apparel store has only so much time to capture the attention of the shopper, when the shopper enters the store. If at first the best value is not offered, most often, shoppers would go look elsewhere. Besides, in this case their premium segment of clothing would be shopped by the high end crowd, would they not want certain degree of privacy, rather than a floor that is being used as a thoroughfare?

Nano-Technology - The Paradigm Breaker

When the internet was taking its baby steps, people would have never thought that once day having an office without internet is going to be impossible. Today, living without internet would be the equivalent of trying to do business without an office in the 1980's.

Internet has changed the way business is done and the way many think about business. It has also given ubiquitous, a new meaning altogether. In effect, the world is no longer the same, because internet has been able to pervade every aspect of our lives. In a similar manner, the next thing that is going to change the paradigms that we live in is; Nano-Technology.



The above video is but, one of the applications of nano-technology, and I am sure that you would find it very impressive. Imagine tomorrow's world, where every thing that is around you is able to communicate with you. The wall of your house is a fluid display and also an input device through which you can track each and every thing in the house. When the shoe rack can know which shoe of yours required polishing and your wardrobe knows when your clothes need to go for washing. Imagine the boundless possibilities once such technology pervades our lives just the way internet has.

Now, imagine what this does to the way we do business and industries?

If clothing can be made with nano-technology... and if the cloth could take any shape and form that I desire for it to, I would just need one set which can take the shape that suites the situation, the environment and the need. It can take its bath as I take mine. What will happen to the clothing manufacturers and retailers. This is certainly going to be the next game changer.

It is going to cause the next paradigm shift, watch out for it!

Central Park

Think of New York and one of the first things that come to mind is the central park in the center of the city. Ok, now think Bangalore ('Garden City' supposedly), most would picture M.G. Road in their minds. What is our problem with protecting heritages and glorifying them? I never seem to be able to understand...

Bangalore over the past years was known as the 'Garden City', till IT came to the city and the city became highly commercial. But does that mean that the city has to forget what it was known for. These large green belts in the city are the biggest source of oxygen and they can also serve as a great means for people to relax and spend their evenings. Although the entire city is being modernised, no efforts are being directed to ensure that, these spaces are beautified, given a better structure and brought back to their former glory. All of Bangalore hangs out at malls and pubs which by the way are closed at 11 P.M. Parks are such great places to spend time, hang out, engage in various activities and most important of all it makes the place more lively.

I think this truth applies to almost all of the cities of India. The biggest hangouts in the city need not necessarily be the a place where you need to end up shelling out cash for fun. Fun can be free as well! There are several people who can help make a difference to the situation at hand, but there is no initiative from the governments end. Also, most of these efforts are turned down and shooed away. How can this heritage be made to live on?

Luxury Trains

India has been known for the luxury, that its kings and rulers have lived in. All of them left behind signs of their luxury, in the form of palaces, forts and even clothes in some cases. Many of these properties today are being managed by some of the top hotels in the world. There are so many luxury destinations in India. 2 of Oberoi group's hotels figure in the top 10 hotels in the world (both in India).

Barring Rajasthan, no other state of India has really seen the potential that this form of tourism brings to the state; or have made attempts to capitalise on the same. Rajasthan introduced the 'Palace on Wheels' which is amongst the most talked about railway experiences in the world. They created this experience through the understanding of the heritage and the inherent need for people to connect with that heritage of the place. The government of Maharshtra and Karnataka recently launched their versions of their own, and I guess in due course of time, if there is proper effort that has been put into creating a connection with the history and heritage of the place, these trains will also be successful.

There is such great potential that exists in the Indian Railways and so many opportunities going begging and it never fails to surprise me. I think that every state in this country should have a luxury train that brings out the best of that state. They say a lifetime is not enough to see France; in that case several lifetimes would not be enough to see India. India with its vastness and its beauty has so much to offer to the tourists who visit the place.

The Indian Railways is excellently positioned to cater well to there tourists and to give them the very best that India has to offer. The airplane does not do justice to all that is India and all that can be seen in India. I feel that the time has come when the Indian Railways and the states, start taking themselves more seriously and do something about creating remarkable experiences. Stop investing in useless ads and start putting together mind-blowing experiences for the people who visit the land, so that they can go back and talk about these wonderful trips that they had. Word of mouth is the strongest form of marketing!

Have you ever seen an Ad promoting tourism in Switzerland?