It is not uncommon in India to see many products (or services) priced a rupee shy to a round number. The first company that could probably come to anyone's mind is Bata (for a long time they had the privilege of only this distinction, until of course the retail boom). 999/- or 99/- or worse still 399/- and the like are some of the common price labels I've come across. Funny that these numbers' do play a psychological effect in marketing a product towards purchase!
So what if I ask you if this one rupee left in the lurch has any significance at all in any of the product/service life-cycle. What if I say this one rupee, let off, to woo the customer is significantly denting the image of a company? What if I tell you only one rupee is required to understand the foundation of ethics and integrity that a company stands on?
There have been innumerable (I could not be exaggerating if I say almost all) instances where for a price of 99/- I pay 100/- and never receive the one rupee back. Sometimes I ask (especially if it is a big company with whom I'm dealing as a customer) and the usual reply is that they do not have the change, but many times I let go (other people's face staring me pressure). So what's the big deal about this? Well, out of inquisitiveness to understand if I was being a miser or if there is something more to it, I started a tactic, wherein after paying the sum of rupees (if the price was 99/- on paying a 100/- rupees note) I could receive the receipt for purchase and then nothing. So I used to just stand there and not ask or remind the cashier for the rupee. The first day I must admit that I had a feeling of embarrassment with so many people waiting on me to move from the counter. But a strange fact started to emerge. After some good seconds gone by and the cashier or service representative pretending to be busy, looking here and there or working few strokes on the key board wondering all the time, could automatically hand me over one rupee change. Voila! It was kind of an amazing discovery for me. Before, I used to ask and not get and now I'm not asking him, just by standing there in front of him makes him/her pay up every time.
This homes in a point on integrity of the individual to the ethical standards set by a organization to a value system accepted by a whole nation. Probably one rupee may not be a big dent for the customer who is the rightful owner of it but does not receive it, but it definitely portrays what are the ethical standards that the employees of the organization are trained and what values are inculcated to them.
Is it fault of the customer to ask? Is it corruption by the employee? Or is it a ethical lacunae too insignificant to be addressed by a organization to it's employees?
So what if I ask you if this one rupee left in the lurch has any significance at all in any of the product/service life-cycle. What if I say this one rupee, let off, to woo the customer is significantly denting the image of a company? What if I tell you only one rupee is required to understand the foundation of ethics and integrity that a company stands on?
There have been innumerable (I could not be exaggerating if I say almost all) instances where for a price of 99/- I pay 100/- and never receive the one rupee back. Sometimes I ask (especially if it is a big company with whom I'm dealing as a customer) and the usual reply is that they do not have the change, but many times I let go (other people's face staring me pressure). So what's the big deal about this? Well, out of inquisitiveness to understand if I was being a miser or if there is something more to it, I started a tactic, wherein after paying the sum of rupees (if the price was 99/- on paying a 100/- rupees note) I could receive the receipt for purchase and then nothing. So I used to just stand there and not ask or remind the cashier for the rupee. The first day I must admit that I had a feeling of embarrassment with so many people waiting on me to move from the counter. But a strange fact started to emerge. After some good seconds gone by and the cashier or service representative pretending to be busy, looking here and there or working few strokes on the key board wondering all the time, could automatically hand me over one rupee change. Voila! It was kind of an amazing discovery for me. Before, I used to ask and not get and now I'm not asking him, just by standing there in front of him makes him/her pay up every time.
This homes in a point on integrity of the individual to the ethical standards set by a organization to a value system accepted by a whole nation. Probably one rupee may not be a big dent for the customer who is the rightful owner of it but does not receive it, but it definitely portrays what are the ethical standards that the employees of the organization are trained and what values are inculcated to them.
Is it fault of the customer to ask? Is it corruption by the employee? Or is it a ethical lacunae too insignificant to be addressed by a organization to it's employees?
Its the "chalta hai" attitude/system of Indians where the person highlighting fault is at fault!! - Gaurav Sharma (SIBM)
ReplyDeleteNice Article Nikz..
ReplyDeleteThe old adage 'Boond Boond Se banta hai saagar' seems to have been forgotten by the general population. After all, it is the time where people spend at least Rs. 2000 on a decent meal at a mid sized restaurant :D
Suresh more,Very well written Nikhil.Fault lies with us,we always think that it is below our dignity to insist for paltry Re1.In an organisation like Bata,it is employee who benefits from the largesse shown by customer either out of helplessness or prestige issue.Else where it is nothing but day light robbery or corrupt practice.Best way to avoid this is to insist or pay by card.Issue is one rupee and hence no one makes it a issue,but you have raised a pertinent point to make it a debatable issue.Keep blogging.
ReplyDelete