We have often heard of organizations professing on the go green campaign but today we have a bunch of management students practicing this in order to support this cause of promoting cycling as an eco-friendly means for commuting.
As a part of this initiative, which these young to-be-managers call “Whee’ll Meet”, the management along with the students intend to incorporate management training by having a blend with eco-friendly efforts. Whee’ll Meet is not just an interface, but it also has a social message. The event believes that the corporates have responsibility towards the environment.
The event would start with the flag off by the Director of Christ University of Management at 8 am on 4th Dec, 2011 from the Koramangala campus. They would be accompanied by the chief guest of the event, speaker Mr. Dwarkanand C., Marketing Manager of Hathway, who is also an avid cyclist. The students would be cycling a distance of 70 km and reaching Christ’s Kengeri Campus and participating in the corporate interface.
Cycling is a passion. It is real joy and the most efficient way to move around the busy streets of a big city. The Marketing Club students at Christ University Institute of Management have been known to come up with exciting events in the past and ‘Whee’ll Meet’ the cycling extravaganza, is the latest addition to the list. It is an event where eminent industrialists and entrepreneurs come and share their thoughts and experiences not only with the students but also with their counterparts and colleagues from the corporate world.
The Inaugural session of Whee’ll Meet will be witnessing the presence a charismatic speaker Mr. Dwarkanand C. He will share his thoughts and experiences with the students and other industrialists on networking and socializing and the need for these skills is much required in today’s competitive environment.
The meet will enrich the students and will aim at bringing them on par with the corporate world. Whee’ll Meet is a sustainable initiative which would be held quarterly with many astounding speakers to come and would also explore new horizons in future.
Stand up. Take a deep breath.... annnnd.... exhale.
What did you see?
Was your stomach pulled in or pushed out when you inhaled?
When you’ve got the basics wrong, how can you create a success out of it?
Such was the essence of the astounding talk by Mr. John Kuruvilla, at the corporate Interface of Marketing club on Saturday, 20th Nov 2011. A moment of peace to catch our breath, before we begin looking back on what was a roller coaster ride of John Kuruvilla’s interaction with students.
3.... 2.... 1..... OK. Let’s begin!
Out of the box thinker,Innovator and Turnaround specialist, John Kuruvilla has been associated with big names like Air deccan, Oberoi Group of hotels, J Walter Thomson and Lintas (Lowe). He’s been instrumental in launch of successful brands in the country and was part of the team behind memorable campaigns like Humara Bajaj, Maruti Omni, Toyota Qualis, Air Deccan to name a few. A survier, Mr. Kuruvilla battled Steven Johnson’s syndrome in 2008 and came out winning. He’s the founder and chief adviser to Taggle.com. Taggle is the culmination of 24years of experience of marketing, sales, brand building, customer relations, Revenue management and Pricing.
The three and half hour session with John Kuruvilla was packed with real life, real time lessons for every marketing aspirant. Here are a few:
·India – is the most complex market. It is a marketer’s nightmare. From Nanded to Chennai, Calcutta to Guwahati – what works in one market, will not work in another place. You cannot reach everyone in India through a TOI. And.. India is suddenly gaining the rightful place in the world. There’s serious business here, which throws up challenge for change. With an appetite of a giant, It is resplendent for luxury market... but with a limited budget. How will you make it work?
Monopolies will collapse. In the complex market like India, there are same brands, same products, but consumption patterns are different everywhere. They need to figure out, how to reach SMEs, and small town.
Therefore, sink your teeth in India. It is the place to be in... Forget the big American dream.
A bunch of enthusiasts with a penchant for innovative strategies came up with the big idea of selling Rs.500 tickets in an airline... giving wings to the small-town-India-dream. Result: Air Deccan’s server crashed with number of hits, front page story for every newspaper in country, became the 2nd largest airline in 3years.. and the bunch of enthusiasts were rockstars!!
So “if you succeed in India, you’ll succeed anywhere”
·Innovate or just exist. The difference between success and SUCCESS is in the details. Look beyond.
A challenge from Kawasaki Bikes can lead to making of an advertising campaign focusing on pan Indian appeal, intead of the technical expertise of a falling brand, and result in the most love Indian Commercial of all time – Humara Bajaj!!
·Marketing is NOT a magic wand. It’s hell lot of hard work, costumer insight and making sure all the nuts and bolts are in place. So, numbers speak. Ask questions.
Taggle separated its target buying customers from registered ones to focus on revenue by serious number crunching research along with innovative ideas like shop for Rs.199 to get a chance to buy an iPad at Rs.9990!!
·Reach customers directly. Customers are your research teams. Gain insights from them.
The Oberoi group gave an Indian luxury package with an Indian with the know-how of operating things!!
Air Deccan reached the customers directly, facing boycott by travel agents. And succeded!!
·Distribution is very necessary. A happy customer will get you 5 more. A happy network will get you new customers.
·Survival instinct is a killer. Be as mad as you can. You’ll never know what can sell.
Setting up a pizza parlour in HP petrol pumps and selling Air Deccan tickets through them! In the economy when both pizza parlours and airlines were luxury items. Result – We have all seen it!!
Decide to get Indian Railways to sell Air Deccan tickets! And it did work!!
·Revenue management is the difference between success and failure today. Learn your fixed costs and marginal costs, for incremental profit. Ask if you can measure the impact of it. And don’t take no for an answer.
Surat Diamonds can be sold online to generate new market and revenue!!
·CRM is dead. It’s CEM (Customer Expectation Management) today. Understand customer behaviour and deliver on them. Relationships are win-win only when expectations are met or exceeded.
Air Deccan customers never complained of Bad Coffee, because they were told Air Deccan does not provide any!!
The realistic approach to customer expectations is a winner.
It is not always that a personality comes in amongst us whose entire life can be seen back as a management course. We at CUIM Marketing club are deeply thankful TO John Kuruvilla for sharing his time with us, giving us precious insights. The ability to mesmerize 120 people for 3and half hours on a Saturday afternoon, and leave them wanting for more – is the mark of a real hero. His informal, casual and personal approach won us all. We’ll look forward to having him with us again, for a lager audience. Till then Marketing Club, CUIM says – Thank you, John.
Top 5 learnings from John Kuruvilla:
·Work backwards. Look at where you want to be in xx years, and gain the knowledge of your path accordingly. DO a SWOT on YOURSELF.
·When you keep hitting against a wall, pull out. Walk around it, you will find a solution. Think Simple.
·Do not jump jobs in less than two years. You’ll never learn the basics of the trade. Take time.
·Marketing is not a magic wand – it’s a lot of hard work and knowing the pulse. So – Insight, Innovate, Implement. Keep a tab of those
John Kuruvilla being thanked from marketing club
·Dream big for your company first, then for yourself. It’ll grow -> your ideas work - > you’ll grow.
We have often heard of organizations professing on the go green campaign but today we have a bunch of management students practicing this in order to support this cause of promoting cycling as an eco-friendly means for commuting. 
