Home and Dry …

In the last blog, it had been discussed how the ironing shop may be losing out on cashing in on consumer surplus. In this post, we discuss the reverse scenario, where we find how a dry-cleaning store handles its operations to churn out extra moolah based on situational factors and the dynamic willingness-to-pay of its customers.

The dry-cleaning shop in question located in my hometown is named “Delight”, but as was quite evident from my experience with them this time, they do not consider customer delight as the necessary paradigm to strive for. Instead, their mechanism of working is to generate the maximum possible contribution without causing perceptible inconvenience to the customers either service-wise or in monetary terms.

As in all other vacations, there are always some clothes which I take home for dry-cleaning, and it was no different this time round. The change was that unlike other times, I had delayed visiting the shop to drop off these items. As a result, when I finally went to the dry-cleaners, there were only 4 days left before my return to XLRI.

Since it was necessary that I get my clothes returned before leaving Kolkata, I asked the person at the counter whether I would be guaranteed return of my clothes within the next 3 days. When I told him that I had a train to catch, it was evident to him that the situation for me was pretty important, and this is when he started pitching to me how normally they return the clothes in 3 days time, but due to the rains it sometimes gets delayed.

At this point, he suggested that if I go in for “Urgent” wash, I would definitely get my clothes back in that period, at an extra cost of 8/- per piece, which is about 50% over and above the actual cost of dry-cleaning. While I could clearly see that he was playing with my situation, I did not consider it worthwhile to take the risk of going in with the normal procedure. After all, in case my clothes were not delivered in time, I would have to spend much more in procuring a new pair of jeans.

The fact remains that if it is possible for the shop to provide delivery with guarantee within 3 days for urgent washes, they could have easily gone the extra mile and got it done for me at the normal cost, had simply delighting the customer been their prerogative. However, the business is run in a slightly different way I realized, and the categories of “urgent” and “semi-urgent” have been kept with an eye for situations very much like this.

EXPECTATIONS PRIOR TO SERVICE ENCOUNTER:

From my past experiences, I had always received timely delivery from this shop. However, never before had the situation been so tightly linked to my departure date as this time. I was therefore a little worried about the assurance of delivery, which gave the service person a hint as to me being a probable customer for the “urgent” category.

SERVICE CLASSIFICATION

1) The service in terms of the dry-cleaning was tangible, and was consistent with earlier experiences. However, with the added constraint of deadline, the intangible service experience was slightly different.

2) This is another case of possession processing, since anybody else could have taken the clothes to the shop on my behalf.

OUTCOME: While initially I was a bit dissatisfied at being pushed to avail a costlier service, when the package was finally delivered on time, some of the erstwhile dissatisfaction abated to a large extent.

INTERACTION: While the interaction with the service person at the counter was trying to push his cause, it has to be noted that he was always extremely cautious in ensuring that he did not overstep the line – forever making it appear that the final decision would be mine (the customer’s), without leaving any alternatives in reality than to take up the offer.

SERVICE RATING

a) Reliability: 4

b) Assurance: 3

c) Tangibles: 4

d) Empathy: 2

e) Responsiveness: 4

Profits de-pressed?

The other day, I had gone to collect a few clothes I had given for pressing from the ironing shop back home. After collecting my clothes, I asked how much I was required to pay. One of the people in the shop, apparently one of the new recruits said that it would be Rs. 30/-, at the rate of 3 per piece. As I prepared to pay the money, one of the others at the shop, an old timer, asked me to wait for some time.

There was another customer at the shop, upon whose departure he repaid me Rs. 5/-. When I asked him what was happening, he said that since my father was an old timer, he was charging us lesser than others.

While like any other customer I was happy at the bargain made, no matter how small, as I left the shop there were a number of questions that I was left pondering over.

Firstly, is it really a feasible practice to carry out this sort of price discrimination between customer groups?

Next, it is not unusual to see people cribbing over delayed deliveries of their clothes at this very shop, arising from the very high load due to the shop enjoying a virtual monopoly in the area. Such being the scenario, is it really worthwhile to retain the so-called ‘old-timers’? This is especially relevant with the growth of new multi-storied apartments in our locality and their occupants whom the shop may be missing out on due to delayed deliveries.

Further, with the change of generations, the willingness to pay among customers is also changing – just as I would have not realized the difference had he charged me at 3/- per piece. In that case, is the shop not losing out on substantial consumer surplus, and how does it intend to tackle this handover of generations without losing out on the possible extra pie?

The more I thought about it, the more I had reason to believe that this press shop was actually de-pressing its profits by following this price discrimination exercise.

EXPECTATIONS PRIOR TO SERVICE ENCOUNTER:

The only expectation that I had prior to collecting the clothes was to get them in properly pressed condition, as long as the price was not unusually high to draw my notice. The clothes were pretty much neatly pressed as required, and in all probability I would not have noticed the price hike had it not been distinctly brought to my notice.

SERVICE CLASSIFICATION:

1) This is a tangible service in terms of the quality of ironing and the timeliness of delivery.

2) This is a case of possession processing. If required, anybody else from my family could have gone ahead and collected the delivery.

OUTCOME: I, the customer, returned home a happy man. However, the organization in the press shop may be losing out on sizeable profits in order to satisfy customer groups that they can do without.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE QUALITY: The shop is set up just like any other ironing shop in the city. However, this is one area that they can improve upon by taking simple measures such as moving the prime pressing activity to the background in order to provide a better interface to consumers without incurring too much of an extra cost.

SERVICE RATING

a) Reliability: 3

b) Assurance: 4

c) Tangibles: 2

d) Empathy: 4

e) Responsiveness: 3

The cutting edge …

In one of my past blogs, I had recounted my rather miserable hair-cutting experience with the Plaza saloon at Jamshedpur. This time, I am writing about my experiences with my tried-and-tested barber back home in Kolkata.

I had been surprised in my last visit to the saloon I have been going to since childhood and not being greeted by the friendly face of Vinod. Upon questioning, I came to know that he had quit the saloon a month back.

This time round, I was informed by my dad that Vinod has opened his own saloon at a place a bit further away. As I had sustained injuries to my forehead, extra care was required and I had been reluctant to get a hair-cut from the newbies at the original saloon. The knowledge of Vinod’s whereabouts was therefore great news and I set forth to get a hair-cut done.

What was touted as a saloon was nothing more than a crudely manufactured wooden seat set under a polythene cover next to the walls of a football ground, with stone slabs for the waiting customers. However, notwithstanding this plebian setting, I could find a lot of known faces among the people waiting for the hair-cut. These were erstwhile customers at the saloon in which Vinod used to work.

As usual, the man was quick to enquire about my studies and the like as I had always known him to do. Upon interrogation I found that he had left his work due to certain altercations with the management at the earlier saloon.

As I sat there and awaited my turn, I couldn’t help pondering how apt an example this was for the concept of real and pseudo-relationships we had dwelled upon in our Services Marketing sessions – the reason for my incorporating this in the blog. Gone were the plush interiors, the comfortable barber-chairs, the array of expensive colognes and shaving accessories and the like – and yet, strangely the customers were ready to put up with the current hardships and switch to this new setting. Such then was the power of the relationship this man had built with his clients over the years (not much different from an ace consultant or relationship manager leaving the organization discussed).

The hair-cut itself was consistent as ever, and as expected, he was extremely careful to avoid the wounded area of my head. However, in my opinion, in this case the relationship built by this man towers over his skill in his domain in ensuring that he has the final cutting edge …

EXPECTATIONS PRIOR TO SERVICE ENCOUNTER:

While I had not expected the settings to be as abject as they were in reality (quite obviously his earlier employers had over the years fleeced the poor guy), at the end of the day, my requirement was getting a proper hair-cut and without the fear of a steel scissor poking into my wounds. That was my expectation when I visited Vinod in his new setting, and in my book, he lived up to the promise.

SERVICE CLASSIFICATION

1) While the hair-cut in itself was tangible and markedly better than the one I had got in Jamshedpur, I feel that the intangible aspects of the encounter had a much greater bearing and will ensure that I revisit the saloon in future.

2) This again is a case of people processing.

OUTCOME: I got the desired hair-cut done, and my wound was unscathed at the end of it all. The care taken by the barber in the exercise ensured that it didn’t turn out to be a ‘close shave’.

INTERACTION: The interaction with the service provider reminded me of the old times when I used to visit the saloon with my dad. There is something personal in the way this man deals with his customers, and that is what drives them to be loyal to him.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE QUALITY: This is one aspect which he needs to do some serious thinking about soon, else his chances of acquiring new customers is sure to take a beating. Further, it being a one-man show at present, the long waiting times too can cause him to lose key customers, especially on busy days such as Sundays.

SERVICE RATING

a) Reliability: 5

b) Assurance: 4

c) Tangibles: 1

d) Empathy: 5

e) Responsiveness: 4

A stitch in time …

Around 14 million passengers travel by Indian railways each day. Now, when one of these trains is travelling at a speed of around 80-90 kmph, what is the probability of a pebble being pelted by some obscure kid in a village at the moving train manages evades the window rails to hit one of these passengers bang on the forehead? Well mathematics will put the figure as abysmally low, but unfortunately anything above zero probability may still happen, as the victim in me realized the hard way on my way back home after the fourth semester.

Within seconds of my feeling the dull thud, I had become a fountainhead spewing blood, becoming the cynosure of the eyes of fellow passengers – attention which I least desired. Amidst the commotion that prevailed, some wiser soul managed to find a travelling doctor (a physio with the TFA football team), who with one look at my wound affirmed that it was imperative that I get it stitched. The GRP was also called in, and conveyed that the nearest station at which the train could be stopped was Chakuliya, which had a Railway Hospital. Travelling all by myself, I had to think fast, finally deciding that I would wait till Kharagpur with the open wound.

The thought of going to a Railway hospital and getting stitches was bad enough; I did not want to get it done at some place I had barely heard of. After around 45 minutes, which seemed like ages, the train reached Kharagpur station. I was escorted by the GRP personnel to the office of the station-master, who after noting down the details, promptly called for an ambulance – which however took another half an hour or so. (It is amazing to note here that the station boasting of the longest platform in the world does not have a basic amenity such as an ambulance).

The Railway Hospital was much as I had expected it to be – wailing kids, makeshift rooms separated by old green curtains, et al. I was made to sit on a steel stool beside the emergency bed, as the compounder stitched another patient, whose howls sent a chill down my spine. Finally, it was my turn, and after a painstaking experience (during which I surprised myself by managing to remain silent; possible outcome of social behaviour primed by my upbringing – psychological musings which I shall not delve into in this blog), I was finally sewed up.

All I can hope for is that the conditional probability of being hit by a stone in a moving train having been hit already once being even lower, I do not fall victim yet again …

EXPECTATIONS PRIOR TO SERVICE ENCOUNTER:

I had never been to a Railway Hospital prior to this incident, but experiences of others, TV and newspaper viewings and the like had created an image in my mind, which was vindicated to a large extent. On retrospection, I consider it a prudent decision on my part not to have alighted at Chakuliya station. However, the experience of getting stitched itself was not as bad as I had expected – proper sterilization measures were taken, and the doctor was appeared rather skilful – possibly resulting from the fact that he has been repeatedly doing the same for 10 hours a day for the past 4 years as he put it.

SERVICE CLASSIFICATION

1) This was an intangible service, and I feel that considering the situation at hand and the alternatives available, my zone of tolerance had been expanded considerably for me to perceive the service quality level in this case as decent 2) This is a case of people processing (How I wish someone else could have gone and got stitched on my behalf!).

OUTCOME: I received the first-aid that was so necessary at that point. I later got my wound checked by our family physician, so asserted that the doctor in question had done a good job.

INTERACTION: While the doctor was not really forthcoming, I tried to engage him into a conversation primarily to overcome my fears. The general impression that I got, though, was that performing the same procedures day in and day out has hardened his emotions.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE QUALITY: Pathetic, to say the least. And yet, I feel I escaped worse by persisting on waiting till Kharagpur. The Railways sure have miles to go with respect to their medical facilities.

SERVICE RATING:

a) Reliability: 2

b) Assurance: 3

c) Tangibles: 1

d) Empathy: 2

e) Responsiveness: 3

Phone Repair or Despair?

It was last week when my second phone developed a snag and stopped working. Although it was my backup phone, I still wanted it to work properly just in case I needed it in case of an emergency. I went to the Nokia Priority Dealership in Bistupur with the hope they might have an in-house phone repair service. But to my disappointment, they didn't. The shop owner, in turn, gave me the address and contact details of the actual repair centre which was located in Sakchi. I went to the shop immediately from there. After reaching there, I could visibly see a stark difference between this store and Priority Dealership which I had just come from. While the Priority Dealership had the standardized look and feel of a typical Nokia Dealership, this repair centre looked like a run-down place. Although the Nokia logo was prominently visible, I was still feeling a little unsure because the physical environment within the shop left a lot to be desired. Nonetheless, I went into the shop. The shop had three adjacent rooms - one with a computer whereas the other two were the workshops. There was seating for five people but a couple of the chairs were broken. I went upto the person sitting with the computer and explained to him what the problem was with my phone. After listening to my complaint, he told me that his team would check the for problems that they were capable of handling. In case it was something beyond that, then the phone would have to be sent to Kolkata. He also added that it might take anything between 3 days to 2 weeks to get my phone back. Since I was already there and had no other option, I gave him my phone. The attendant asked me for my details and specific information about the phone (purchase). After entering all the data into the system, he said that he would call me in 3 days and let me know what the problem is. So I came back to XL.

Two days later, I got a call from the same person. He said that his team was unable to rectify the problem and that the phone would have to be sent to Kolkata. He quoted a total cost of Rs.800 for getting the phone repaired. The cost seemed a little steep to me but given that I had no other option, I asked him to send the phone to the Head Office in Kolkata. After about 10 days, I received a call from the repair centre saying that my phone was ready. I went there quickly, paid the money and came back. Three days into using the phone, the same problem again started to crop up. I didn't know what to think. Did I make a mistake? Should I have gone with my gut instincts and not gone there when I saw how shabby the place was? Was I a victim of a blatant act of cheating? As all these thoughts raced through my mind, I decided that I would not go back to the repair shop even to claim for a refund. I decided that I would only get my phone fixed in Delhi, which had shops which I could trust.

EXPECTATIONS PRIOR TO SERVICE ENCOUNTER

The Nokia brand is associated with trust and reliability. These associations are strongly ingrained in the minds of consumers such as me. As a result, there was a certain implicit level of trust in the repair centre I was going to. Though the shop never claimed to be an exclusive Nokia Repair Centre (although the Nokia Logos and billboards might suggest otherwise), I assumed this from that the shop was referred by a Nokia Priority Dealer. I was therefore expecting a hassle-free, reliable and trustworthy service experience from the repair centre

SERVICE CLASSIFICATION

1) This was clearly a tangible service where I could evaluate the quality of the service from how quickly they were able to rectify the problem and make sure that the phone was working properly

2) This is a case of possession processing. This is because this service encounter could have been recreated even if I wasn't present there personally. In other words, this service encounter could have been completed even if Sanmoy had gone to drop my phone instead of me.

OUTCOME: Phone was returned in working condition after 10 days. The phone ceased to work after three days of operation

INTERACTION: The interaction with the attendant was extremely pleasant. His replies were prompt and he called me on time to apprise me of the status of the phone repair

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE QUALITY: The repair centre had extremely low physical evidence quality. The interiors were shabby. The lighting was dim. The seating meant for customers was broken to say the least.

SERVICE RATING

a) Reliability: 1 (The phone stopped working three days after getting it back)

b) Assurance: 2 (The repair centre made no effort to assure me of a quality service. Their insistence on sending the phone to Kolkata only created more doubts)

c) Tangibles: 1 (The repair centre was in dilapitated condition. Seating was insufficient, the lighting was dim and the interiors were dank)

d) Empathy: 3 (The attendant was moderately empathic towards me)

e) Responsiveness: 3 (The repair shop was able to 'fix' my phone 5 days before the suggested) date

Laundry Service ...

The other day, I went down to the laundry room by the mess to get a couple of trousers and formal shirts pressed. As I fiddled with my wallet to find change to pay, I was asked: "Do you have a monthly account with us?". When I inquired about what that entailed, I was told that all I had to do was pay a sum of Rs. 300/- per month, and they would then be taking care of all the washing and ironing needs for me.
Being the lazy person that I am, I agreed to the offer after slight deliberation (notwithstanding the fact that we actually have a couple of washing machines in our hostel). In fact, a similar situation had occurred to me to me in the 1st year also, when I had agreed to a similar offer from the dhobi for a sum of 250 per month.
Later, I had started to regret my decision, blaming myself for being over-indulgent at a time when I am not earning a pence. However, today I got back my back the clothes from the first load of wash from the laundry room, and I have to agree that it looks much better than what my clothes used to look when it came back from the dhobi of my first year - no soiled collars, no dirt on the sleeves, no wrinkles inside the folds. Today, I can gladly say that for once I am happy with my decision to take up the bulk laundry service offer.

SERVICE RATINGS:

a> Reliability - 5 (Although I have given clothes to the laundry only once each for press and washing, on both occasions the delivery has been to my room and before the due date, which incidentally is two days post receipt )

b> Assurance - 4 (Since the laundry room is located just below our hostel, there is always that assurance that our clothes will not be lost, unlike in case of the other dhobis; further, with the delivery of the first load of clothes, I've started believing in their value proposition of 'impeccably clean clothes in two days' too)

c> Tangibles - 2 (Since they use the laundry room for drying purposes too, it does lead to a certain degree of 'visual pollution', with moist garments of all sorts hanging overhead causing distress in particular to taller people)

d> Empathy - 3

e> Responsiveness - 5 (Till date I have never had to face problems with the responsiveness of this service)


[ 1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Very Good, 5 = Excellent ]

Over the phone

I was supposed to get a recharge today. Around 1-30, I decided on going down to the grocery store outside college and getting my phone recharged. I was unsure of the time till when the shop was open. So I decided to call the owner of the shop and ask him when he was planning on shutting shop. Upon calling, he told me that he was just in the process of shutting his shop. I told him that I urgently needed to get the recharge and that I couldn't do without it. I had been a regular customer to his shop so he knew who I was. The moment I mentioned my problem, he promptly asked me for my number and the amount of the recharge. I was pleasantly surprised and gave him the details instantly. The next minute I got a confirmation of the phone recharge. I was delighted by the whole experience so I asked him about when I could pay up. Hearing that, all he said was, "Kya bhaiya? Yeh sab toh chalta rehta hai. Aapaaj nahi aayenge toh kal aayenge". [This is part of business, sir. If you don't come today, you will come tomorrow".]

SERVICE RATINGS

a) Reliability: 5 ( Every single time that I have gone to that store, I have been able to get my phone recharged )

b) Assurance: 5 (The shopkeeper was able to successfully assure me that there was nothing to worry about)

c) Tangibles: 4 (He didn't make me wait on the line and responded immediately. Also, he was capable of recharging my phone immediately)

d) Responsiveness: 5 (He offered to recharge my phone over the phone even before I mentioned the thought)

e) Empathy: 5 (He was quick to realise that I was in distress and offered to help immediately)

[ 1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Very Good, 5 = Excellent ]

You can bank on us!

Yesterday I went to the SBI XLRI Branch which is just down the road. I had an outstation cheque for Rs. 2000 which needed to be deposited into my bank account. This was not the first time that I had gone there to deposit a cheque so I basically knew how things worked there. Collect the pay-in slip. Fill it up in its entirety. Go to the teller. Get the pay-in slip stamped. Hand over the cheque. It was a rather simple process, not too taxing on the customer. The only variable in the whole system was the service time. The branch has only two tellers who are in charge of deposits and withdrawals. On a typical workday, the queue at any of these counters does not exceed 3. But yesterday, for some reason, both the counters had more than 10 people in queue. After filling out the pay-in slip, I went and stood in the line that was visibly shorter. And then the wait began. I was the 8th person in that queue and in the next 20 odd minutes, the teller was able to process the requests of 5 customers. He took another 20 minutes to process the next two customers because of a rather generous tea break that the teller treated himself to. Finally, after around 45 minutes spent inside the bank, my time had come. I handed over the slip and cheque to the teller. The teller looked at the cheque, read it carefully and gave it back to me. I was puzzled as to why he did what he did. I asked him what had happened and he said something that left me literally fuming. He told me that all outstation cheques needed to be deposited in a little blue box at the corner of the room. I didn't know how to react. Here I was, standing in a queue for 45 minutes, waiting for my turn. And finally when it was my turn, I was told that the last 45 minutes had been a waste. I told the teller that considering the fact that this branch existed to serve the students of XLRI and that a large proportion of the cheques would be outstation, it would make sense for the bank to put up a notice indicating the procedure. I told him how it would our time and effort and how it would improve the efficiency of the entire process. By the time I was done with my discourse, the teller had sadly moved onto the next customer.

SERVICE RATINGS

a) Reliableness: 3

b) Assurance: 3

c) Tangibles: 2

d) Responsiveness: 2

e) Empathy: 3

[1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Very good, 5 = Excellent]

Like. No other.

It is a well-known fact that people have scant respect for showrooms in Jamshedpur - be it apparels, footwear, consumer durables or the like. Further, it is not an uncommon sight to find students returning from Kolkata or Delhi or even Ranchi loaded with items one would consider to find in any decent city. I had always wondered why. I got my answer to this question yesterday.

My room mate from last year had during his internship managed to finally exterminate his computer beyond repair. While borrowing from friends (including me) and the occasional visit to the Computer Centre had sufficed till now, with the workload barometer rising, the need for a new system has become palpable.

However, my roomie's a stickler for details when it comes to the purchase of electronic goods (shares an inverse relationship with his care for them), and after a decent amount of information search (which I was not privy to), he decided to buy the Sony Vaio CS27 - in white. (Great Expectations?? We were soon to find out)

There is to our knowledge a single showroom of Sony in the city, housed in Barucha Mansion, adjacent to Novelty restaurant in our dear old Bistupur - and we headed for the same.

While asking for a specific model in a particular colour may be asking for a bit too much in even some of the showrooms in the metros, it was surprising to find that this shop had only two models in the CS-series, CS27 of course not being one of them.

What was even more irritating was that when we inquired about the model of our choice, the agent blatantly lied saying that production for the CS27 model had been stopped by the company. It was only when we affirmed that we had come to the showroom after considerable search on the internet did he accept the fact that the model was out of stock and would need to be sourced from Ranchi.

When asked about the time that such a transaction would take, his reply was: "Minimum ten days". As for the maximum, he said that it was impossible to give any assurance, as that was dependent on the company production. Further, he added, it would not be possible to order any specific colour for the model, and we would have to remain content with whatever was available. For a moment, I was perplexed as to whether we were the customers, or whether we were being obliged by being granted a computer for charity.

We tried to explain the gravity of our need saying that we are students of XLRI, as it generally does the trick, especially in Jamshedpur - but this man was unmoved. Finally, since my friend was persistent about getting a Sony CS27 and nothing else, we asked the person to kindly take down the specifications, so that the order could be placed.

The sheer lacklustre way in which the specs were taken down speaks volumes (with a negative connotation) about the services offered by the shop. A crumpled piece of paper is what came out from the dealer's pocket, on which he grudgingly took down the details. Since by now we had got a hang of the absolute unprofessionalism in their dealings, we asked him for the contact number of the shop - which he scribbled on the catalog itself and handed over to us.

Also, we asked him whether there was a chance of the model being sourced from Kolkata - to which the reply was that the jhanjhat (trouble) can be undertaken only for bulk orders, not for a one-off case.

We were told that they would contact us before nightfall with the status of our order, but not contrary to our expectations, a full day has passed without any such occurence. My friend is also finally convinced that it would probably be better to go for an e-order for a Dell laptop.

However, the entire episode just makes me wonder, if such is the sorry state of an authorized showroom of one of the world leaders in this sphere in a developed city, how much are the corporates losing out every day this way? Not only did Sony lose a prospective customer to a competitor, but also losses in terms of intangibles in every such service encounter need to be factored in. Maybe, its time for Sony to change its tagline for Tier-II cities from "Like. No Other." to " Like no other than what is available"!!!

SERVICE RATINGS

a> Reliability - 1

b> Assurance - 1 (Completely absent)

c> Tangibles - 4 (The get-up of the showroom is not much different from those in the metros, with LCD panels lining the walls et al, all of the exteriors turned out to be a mirage at the end though)

d> Empathy - 1 (If there was a '0' on this scale, this encounter would have attained it)

e> Responsiveness - 1 (No response from the showroom regarding the order till date)

[ 1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Very Good, 5 = Excellent ]

A 'cut' above the rest? Well, not really ...

I had been toying with the idea of keeping long hair for quite some time, not for the first time in my life. As always, as the hair started growing wiry, I started to grow wary - and finally came to the acceptance stage that it just doesn't suit my gaunt frame.

So, the other day, I finally headed to Bistupur to get a hair-cut done. Hair-cutting has never been a luxury for me per se, and I have not shied away from experimenting with experiences as far-fetched as the "Italian" saloons of Kolkata -roadside pavement saloons, with only a brick (eent in Hindi) to sit upon, leading to its moniker.

However, back home, I had finally zeroed in upon a particular value-for-money saloon which charges a total of Rs. 17/- for a hair-cut plus shaving. Out there, I also had a fixed barber, who was well apprised of my needs, and did not bother me with the numerous queries which others always manage to come up with.

I still remember how difficult it had been in the 1st year to locate a saloon in Jamshedpur in the first place. Saloons out here religiously follow agglomeration, and once one of us had managed to find one, we had found four for ourselves, all clustered around each other. Among these, "Plaza" was the one which was recommended by one and all, and post the Pigeon saloon (kabootar) incident, I did not dare take a chance with the others! Since then therefore, Plaza has been my staple hair-cutting destination.

Coming to the experience itself, last Friday I found myself needing certain items from Bistupur as well as a friend also requiring a hair-cut - two prerequisites for visiting the saloon, which comes considerably lower in priority order. The place has not changed much in the past year. (Except for the barbers of course as I never seem to recall any of them from previous visits)

To describe the saloon, it is air-conditioned (one aspect that I love about the place and hence accord first-mention) with two floors of cramped-up seating arrangement. I guess the saloon has the capacity to seat 20 customers at one go, and is sufficiently staffed for the same. What I really admire about the management of the place is in their capacity planning. Every time I have visited Plaza, the saloon has been full to near capacity, and yet, till date I have never been made to wait - something that amazes me (Unless its sheer coincidence!)

One of the things that I particularly dislike about the place though is the very low ceiling in their efforts to accommodate two floors to the place - a cause for considerable discomfiture to the vertically challenged as me (I guess I have bumped my head on the ceiling on more than a couple of occasions already). However, I appreciate that there are no cheap Bollywood posters 'adorning' the walls, nor indiscernible music glaring from dilapidated old FM radios as we are wont to hear from the aam saloons of the country. In fact the space jam has ensured that there is no place for either to make their presence felt - and so we have a reasonably priced saloon which for a welcome change is non-"barbaric" in ambiance.

The moment we entered the saloon, my friend was led to a seat on the ground floor itself, while I was escorted to the first floor. The chairs are reasonably comfortable at this place, and the neck-cloth was also spotless white (real sources of reassurance). As expected, the ubiquitous initial question cropped up : "How do you want it to be?", to which I replied with my standard answer "Short, but not very short, keep it medium". (Even I do not know what that is supposed to mean, but that's the best problem description I can come up with)

The hair-cut experience was relatively peaceful, although I cannot say the same about the shaving. (However, I do not blame the service of the saloon for that) What affected me was the rather hygienic way in which they go about things, be it from using antiseptics, to changing of the razor blades without being asked to do so - to me these small details matter a lot. Once done with the cutting and shaving operations, my barber offered to render additional services - such as dyeing my hair, or doing a face massage and what not! (I guess the scourge of the recent surge in metro-sexuality) I, for one, belong to the category of customers looking for the very basic product from a saloon, with a certain penchant for cleanliness and hygiene and thereby replied to all his offers in the negative.
The cost of hair-cutting came to Rs 30/- with an additional Rs. 20/- for shaving. Reasonable, one must say, considering a place where you are charged Rs. 30/- by auto from XLRI to Bistupur.

However, the sting was at the tail. As I got up to take leave, I glanced at the mirror to set the remains of my hair ... and lo and behold ... what was I staring at? Well, my friends have described it (read me) in, should I say technicolor? Let me keep my suffering short and simple by saying that it was one of the worst hair-cuts since I obtained the ability to comprehend and reason. Period.

SERVICE RATINGS

a> Reliability - 1 (I guess the last paragraph of my account sums it up)

b> Assurance - 3 (The hygiene and cleanliness factors helped the scores)

c> Tangibles - 2 (Again described in detail in the passage)

d> Empathy - 3 (While the comfort level with the barber comes nowhere close to the one I enjoy with the one in Kolkata, he did make an effort, an example being our conversation about my grey(ing) scalp)

e>Responsive - 3

[ 1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Very Good, 5 = Excellent ]

Hang 'em Up!

I had a rather intriguing service experience with our college carpenter. What makes this experience all-the-more intriguing was the fact that I did not pay for the service. This was not because I was dissatisfied with the service or anything but simply because this service was already paid for. The carpenter is employed by the college to tend to the carpenting needs of the students. But inspite of the fact that there was no "tangible" cost of the service, I still had certain minimum expectations from it.

Ever since I came back to college, I wanted to put up a set of 9 pictures on my wall. Being an avid photographer, I thought of this as the perfect opportunity to not only showcase my talent but also to liven up my room. So as I said, I wanted the carpenter to come down to my room and hammer in 9 nails in the form of a grid. I made a total of 4 visits to the carpenter's room near Dadu's but sadly I could never find him there. I was beginning to get very restless and impatient and even contemplated buying the nails and a hammer to finish the work myself. In a bout of restlessness, I went to the extent of marking 9 dots on my wall to represent the points where the carpenter was expected to hammer in the nails. Everything was in place. All I needed was the carpenter.

Finally, on my 5th visit to the carpenter's room, I was finally able to find him there.

Me: Bhaiya 232 mein keelay lagani hain. (I need some nails to be put up in 232)

Carpenter: Senior hostel mein? (In the senior hostel?)

Me: Haan (Yes)

Carpenter: Aaj nahi hoga (Not today)

Me: Arrey kyun bhaiya? Main ek hafte se yahaan ke chakkar laga raha hoon! (Why not? I have been trying to look for you for a week now!)

Carpenter: Aaj nahi hoga. Time nahin hain! (Not today. I don't have the time!)

Me: Theek hain. Mujhe aap phir 9 keel aur hathoda de dijiye. Main khud hi kaam kar loonga. (Fine. Give me 9 nails and a hammer and I won't bother you)

Carpenter: 10 minute se zyaada nahi de sakta. (I can't give more than 10 minutes)

Me: Arrey theek hain. Aap chalo to sahi! (Fine! Just come along with me now!)

I then escorted the carpenter back to my room. He seemed visibly fidgety as if he had some other work on his mind. I explained to him what I was looking for. I showed him the 9 dots and asked him to hammer the nails right where the holes were. The first few nails he put in properly but after about the 4th nail he started bickering about how this was going to take more than 10 minutes. I reasoned with him that now that he was here, he was better off finishing off the work at hand. I don't know whether it was to prove a point or to show that he was getting tired or something, but he completely messed up the job after that. The last 4 nails he hammered in were pitifully out of place and messed up the entire arrangement. I was livid by the time he was done and didn't know how to react. I felt the carpenter was accountable for the terrible service experience I had to endure. Or was he?

SERVICE RATING

Reliability: 1

Assurance: 1

Tangibles: 2

Responsiveness: 1

Empathy: 1

[ 1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Very Good, 5 = Excellent ]

Hair today, gone tomorrow!

When I woke up this morning, I told myself that it was high time I got a haircut. After being victim to a rather forgetful hair cutting experience during my internship at Thailand, I decided it was high time I got a "real" hair cut and literally make all ends meet. So in the afternoon, I hailed an auto and went to Habib's. This is a franchise of the popular Habib's hair salon chain which is typically the go-to place in most metros. Being part of that chain, this outlet charges a hefty premium for a normal hair-cut. While most other "low-end" hair salons charge not more than Rs. 50 for a hair cut, a typical hair cut at Habib's sets you back by Rs. 250. Here, being an XLer helps because all XLers automatically get a 20% discount. Including the service charges, the cost of a hair-cut works out to Rs. 225.

This was not the first time I was going to the salon. In fact, this is the only place in Jamshedpur where I have been going for a hair cut in the last year or so. I usually get my hair cut by the same stylist who has by now figured out exactly what I look for in a haircut. Even today, I was lucky to have found the same stylist again. After the rather traumatic experience in Thailand, I was actually a little paranoid and wanted to ensure that I got exactly what I wanted. After the initial shampooing was over, I started explaining to him how exactly I wanted him to cut my hair. In the process, we started discussing the ordeal I had to go through in Thailand. He immediately realised how paranoid I was and he set out to calm me down. He looked at my hair and tried to explain to me where the barber had gone wrong. He explained to me the common mistakes barbers make and the horrendous repurcussions that those mistakes entail. By the end of it, I was visibly calmer. After he was done with the haircut, he gave me a complimentary head message as well. By the time he was done, I felt that every rupee that I spent there was completely worth it. Even though I could have technically gotten a haircut for 150 rupees less, I don't think I would have had the same service experience. I walked out of the salon as a happy and satisfied customer.

SERVICE RATING

a) Reliable: This was not the first time I had visited the salon. Every single time, the stylist manages to cut my hair exactly the way I want it cut.

b) Assurance: The Habib's brand name gives the customers an assurance about the expected quality of the service experience.

c) Tangibles: The salon was immaculately clean and well organised. All the equipment were in working order. All the stylists and staff members wore proper uniforms.

d) Empathy: The stylist showed a great deal of empathy towards me. He made an effort to find out about my state of mind and tailored the service experience accordingly.

e) Responsive: I felt the entire experience was extremely responsive.

What's in a name ?

TGIF!! Well, at XL, its not too significant - neither does TGIF have its outlet in Jamshedpur, nor does a Friday mean two days of recess ahead. However, that does not stop our indomitable spirits. With workloads still reasonably low, and the unpalatable mess food a big deterrent (or should I say stimulant), we decided to step out and dine.

Coming to a consensus on where to eat is a big decision here. While junta wanted to have pizzas or continental, at Jamshedpur you're not exactly spoilt for choice. After a lot of deliberation, at long last we settled for our good old "Novelty".

When we reached the restaurant, we realized (ruefully) that a major chunk of the city's population had also zeroed in on the same haven, and to make matters worse, had reached just before us. (Did I hear Murphy's Law being muttered?) We had no choice but to wait.

Chairs had been laid out on the road to accommodate the guests who'd have to wait. The line of chairs was long; long enough to reach within smelling distance of "Cocktail", the liquor outlet. (while for us this isn't an issue, one must remember Novelty is after all a family restaurant) The security at the gate though was extremely friendly, as he noted our name and the number of seats beside it. Our turn arrived earlier than stated/expected, but we weren't complaining.

Having seen Novelty when it was still in its nascent stages, I can spot the differences in its interiors now. Seats have been cramped in to account for as many guests at one go as possible. (the logic: why not?even post-expansion, we are running the show full-house) There is also a distinct change in the decor; things having been made more articulate in recent years.

Novelty has in place a dual system, with waiters to clean tables and serve the food, while a maître d' is in charge of table allocation and taking orders, etc. We ordered soup and kebabs for starters. One of the orders, one "Hot and Sour Soup" was particularly insipid, while in general too, the quality of food seemed to be stooping. Is capacity expansion causing quality to take a hit - we wondered. The maître d' offered to change the soup upon being apprised of the same. What returned after ten minutes in the name of soup was just the diluted version of the earlier, mixed with chilly sauce.

The main course too was nothing to go ga-ga over - overall, the food was disappointing. This is specially so, since we have started to expect a certain quality from a place as Novelty, and when that is not delivered, customers go dissatisfied. Also, customer selection is one area which the management needs to look into. (It is not too pleasant for a family coming in for dinner to discover the seats squeezed next to them occupied by drunken louts)

The prices at the place are still reasonably economical, and the XLRI discount makes it better for us. However, stepping out of the doors of what is touted as one of the best restaurants in Jamshedpur, one cannot help ponder:
Has the success Novelty has achieved been deserving? Is there scope for a new player to give it a tug? How much of a a bearing does increased demand have in degradation of quality? And, above all, has "Novelty" been able to do justice to its name?

SERVICE RATINGS
a> Reliable - 2 (Thus far, no further)
b> Assurance - 4 (Inherently, the restaurant is perceived to be maintaining quality standards, the brand value propels assurance levels)
c> Tangible - 3 (Changes in decor and seating arrangement have ultimately led to greater clutter inside the restaurant. The restaurant has every probability of losing its sophisticated clientele. Also, augmented lighting is switched off prior to guests parting the restaurant, which should be consciously avoided)
d> Empathy - 3 (Difficult to judge in case of restaurants. However, the attitude of the waiter upon being complained to regarding food quality reflects politeness, and at some stage may be considered as empathy)
e> Responsiveness - 4 (Reasonably good. Staffing inside appear optimum)

[ 1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Very Good, 5 = Excellent ]

Have you lately felt loan-ly …..

I love being at ease with every situation. I hate it when anything makes me compromise on that. The result: I detest going to banks. Somehow, I have never been able to come to grasps with the working of these financial institutions, and when forced to enter one, I just crave to exit it.

But then, fate can be cruel at times; at the start of every trimester, I am left with no option but to trudge out of the XL gates to the SBI branch situated just outside, deposit the fees challan, fill out the disbursement form and submit it. Sounds simple? Well believe it or not, I still go through a mental rehearsal and checklist every single time before heading to the bank.

And so was the case yesterday; with the deadline for the fourth installment nearing, I was left with little choice but to set forth. This exercise I believe culminates so many evils - seeing six-digit deductions from your account balance, the constant fear of having forgotten something in the hostel room and the scare of committing some embarrassing mistake.

However, this time I had prepared well. The challan, fee schedule, pass book and pen all ready, and savings and loan account numbers carefully noted down, I was set to enter the battlefield.

I have done this too many times. I headed straight for the manager's cabin to ask for the disbursement slip. For once, as I filled up the form I felt a sense of elation - there were no nagging queries, no forgotten account numbers. Stapling the challan with the schedule and disbursement slip, I handed it confidently to the manager.

"Sanmoy Talukdar", came the voice of the manager just as I was preparing to make a move.

"Yes?"

"So, you are also from XLRI?"

"Yes sir, I am a 2nd year student."

"Good. I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure. Please go ahead."

"You people in business schools must be studying voluminous books on finance and costing and accounting and what not?"

"Yes. In the first year, the basic courses are compulsory" (Now, where was this leading to? Had I made some silly error again?)

"Nice. But then, can you tell me what's the use of these books if you cannot fill out a form properly in real life? Do you not think that management students lack in the practical aspects?"

My heart skipped a beat as he continued:

"I ask you these questions because you are the first student to have filled the entire form without needing to be prompted, without asking me which account number I should fill in where or what should be the amount disbursed. We designed this form to make it easy for you people, but till now it doesn't seems to serve its purpose - can you tell me where the problem lies?"

Other people face problems? Now that was news to me. I had well and truly found my voice back now. For the next half an hour, I explained to him how management studies have little to do with mere banking transactions, it's dependent more on practical experience - and with experience, I assured him that an XLer would definitely come to terms much quicker than others. Then we debated on the lucidity of the language used in the form. I reasoned with him that although getting the customer to fill out the slip is a good idea, if you require a dedicated person to clarify doubts, the very purpose is defeated. On the contrary, I suggested, the directions should be given from the angle of a layman.

I am not sure how much of an impact my arguments had on him, but personally I was impressed with the quality discussion we had. Maybe, hereafter, I won't mind dropping in beyond the portals of the bank once in a while .....

SERVICE RATINGS

a> Reliable - 4 (Pretty much so. In the past 3 trimesters, drafts have never been late in arrival. Neither have I heard complaints from any of my batch mates)

b> Assurance - 5 (The reputation of State Bank makes it high on assurance. Even if the bank defaults, the belief is there the Government will bail it out ...)

c> Tangibles - 3 (While the renovated interior decor looks much more professional, the staff still seem to be from the mid-seventies. Further, I feel a dearth of smiling faces as compared to a private bank like ICICI for example.)

d> Empathy - 4 (Definitely present, at least for XLRI students. The disbursement form, with the intent of making the loan process smooth for students stands testimony)

e> Responsiveness - 4 (Impressive. Definitely commendable when in comparison with contemporary institutions)

[ 1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Very Good, 5 = Excellent ]

Things ain’t so SIMple out here …..

One of our batch-mates had a rather sorry start to his 2nd year stint at XL. It had been barely a day since his return to campus, when one fine evening he misplaced his cell-phone during a casual game of cricket – the rest as they say is history. (both in terms of the event as well as the mobile)

After the initial search period, the logical course of action was to call up Airtel customer service to apprise them of the issue, block calls being made from the number and also to inquire about the procedure to obtain a duplicate Sim-card. (A duplicate Sim comes of great help in the sense that not only does it eliminate the need to call/message every contact to inform about a change in number, but also the entire balance at the time of blocking the card is credited to the duplicate Sim by the service provider)

From the customer care executive, it was learnt that the formalities for the duplicate Sim would have to be completed at the Airtel outlet at Bistupur. There is some truth in the Reliance TVC, which projects network as the next basic necessity after food, water and shelter – most of our generation cannot think of passing a day without access to one’s mobile. It was little wonder therefore that our friend set out that very evening for Bistupur, with me the Good Samaritan riding pillion (the first of many to come) to give him company.

At the Bistupur store, we were told that duplicate sim cards for XLRI would be available from the Sonari outlet of Airtel, and off we headed in that direction. However, the misery had just started for us. At Sonari (after waiting for close to half an hour), it was conveyed to us that the Sim cards allotted to XLRI students are unique, and were not available at that point of time. “9006- Series ka nahin hota to araam se aapko aaj hi duplicate Sim mil jaati” – said the man at a counter with a rather bemused face. It was only on further coaxing on our part that he divulged that there is another outlet at Bhalobasha on the Baridih route handled by a distributor, who could possibly stock the label-H3 sims. “Nahi to kal shaam tak aap ko yahin pe paake se mil jayegi” was his promise.

We decided to give the distributor outlet a try, before calling it a night. At the distributor outlet, worse news was waiting. “H3 sims are sourced from Calcutta, and hence have to be ordered. The earliest you can expect it is around ten days from now” – the owner had to say. He passed on his telephone number to us, asking us to call up and inquire, rather than coming down all the way. (Incidentally, in spite of our repeated requests, the Sonari outlet had refused to share their number with us, stating that on-phone service was not offered by them)

The next day, we headed for the Sonari outlet once again – and to our dismay, the card had not arrived. Thereafter, my friend and me made three more trips to the same outlet, each time being asked to return either the next day, or in a couple of days or the like. We finally got the duplicate Sim yesterday, not from the Sonari outlet, but after receiving a call from the Baridih distributor, true to his word and the time line stated.

I can’t help comparing the service here at Jamshedpur with the same situation in Bangalore where my colleague had lost his mobile, but was provided a duplicate Sim that very evening, after verification of the FIR report, from the Airtel showroom – no-frills. Call it consistency issues, call it small-town mentality or whatever, the conclusion that one can come to is that things definitely ain’t so SIMple out here …..

SERVICE RATINGS:

And now for the ratings (for the authorized Airtel outlet at Sonari):

a> Reliable - 1 (Definitely not. Beyond a point, we as customers had lost all faith in the assurances of the dealer)

b> Assurance - 2 (Yes, at the outset, which changed to a resounding NO with the passage of time)

c> Tangibles - 3

d> Empathy - 1 (Missing. Five trips to his shop in the sweltering heat, and still he bluntly refused to share his number)

e> Responsiveness - 3 (Except for the waiting time on the 1st day, the responsiveness was reasonably good)

[ 1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Very Good, 5 = Excellent ]

Home Delivery

I ordered lunch from Hong Kong yesterday. Their takeaway menu is identical to their normal service menu. For home delivery, they charge an additional service charge of Rs. 20. They deliver the food not to the room but to the main gate of the institute. So, any customer who avails of their home delivery service is informed by the delivery person upon his arrival and is then asked to collect the food from the gate.

I called Hong Kong around 1 o'clock in the afternoon and placed my order. The person I spoke to was very cordial. He noted my order patiently and repeated it at the end to make sure it was exactly what I wanted. He noted down my name and phone number which would act as a reference for all future communication. Around 1:20, I received a call from the delivery person that the food had arrived. I picked up my wallet and just as I was leaving the room, a group-mate from my MRS group stopped me. He wanted to know what we were doing about a MRS submission which was due in a week's time. I went to his room to discuss the MRS project details with the other group members completely forgetting the fact that the Hong Kong delivery person was waiting for me. 20 minutes into the discussion, I received a call from him again. It was then it suddenly struck me that I had told him that I was on my way. I rushed out of the room and reached the gate as fast as I could. Upon reaching the gate, I saw that the delivery person was standing next to his scooter. It was a rather hot and humid day and the delivery person was visibly tired and exhausted. I went up to him and apologized for having made him wait for 20 minutes in the sun. He smiled at me and said "No problem, sir." His disarming smile and the way he said what he said made me feel really guilty about what I had done. The bill had amounted to a total of Rs. 270 inclusive of the Rs. 20 service charge. I paid him Rs. 300 for the food. The delivery person reached into his wallet to return the balance. I don't know whether it was the guilt of having made him wait for so long or something else, but I asked him to keep the balance with him. On a subconscious level, I probably thought I could buy-back the guilt of having made him wait.

SERVICE RATINGS

a) Reliability: The home delivery service is very reliable

b) Assurance: The person who took my order asssured me that the food would be delivered on time.

c) Tangibles: The phone at Hong Kong was picked up immediately. The scooter used for delivery did not have a box to carry the food. The delivery person kept the food packet between his legs on the floor of the scooter.

d) Empathy: The delivery person displayed a high degree of empathy.

e) Responsiveness: The entire home delivery process was very responsive.

Auto-matic Tranmission

Yesterday, I took an auto to take me to the Tata Steel Guest House on B-Road. As soon as I sat in the auto, the driver told me that it would cost me Rs. 40. Like with almost every other auto ride within the city of Jamshedpur, the fare is decided through a systematic process of bargaining between the auto-driver and the passenger. After briefly haggling with the auto-driver, he agreed to charge me Rs. 30. The work I had at the guest house was not supposed to take me more than 10 minutes. Since it was difficult to get an auto while coming back, I decided to ask the auto-driver to wait for me outside the guest house. Our conversation is mentioned below:

Me: Bhaiya! Aap yahaan dus minute ruk sakte hain? Mujhe phir XL hi wapas jaana hain. (Can you wait here for 10 minutes? I need to go back to XL anyway.)

Auto: Bees rupaiya zyada lagega! (It'll cost you 20 rupees more)

Me: Par iske bad aapko wapas XL hi jaana hain na? (You would anyway be going back to XL after this, right?)

Auto: Haan (Yes)

Me: Toh phir aap mujhse zyada paise kyun maang rahein hain? Tees rupaiya toh main doonga hi wapas jaane ke liye. Aap uske upar 20 rupaiya kyun maang rahe hain? (Why are you asking me for more? I would anyway be paying you 30 bucks for the return trip. Why do you want 20 bucks on top of that?)

Auto: Wait karne ke liye (For waiting, that's why!)

Me: Arrey! Yeh toh main aapke faiyede ke liye kar raha tha. Theek hai! Aap jaiye. Main doosra auto dhoond loonga! (I was doing this for your benefit. Its ok. You can leave. I'll find another auto)

Auto driver ponders for a while...

Auto: Theek hai. Chalenge. Par dus minute se zyada nahin (Ok. I will go. But don't take more than 10 minutes)

Me: Arrey bhaiya! Aap chale hi jaiye. Aapko kuch zyaada hi tension le rahe hain! (Oh my God! You leave. You are getting hassled by the slightest of things!)

Auto: Achcha theek hai. Aap apna kaam kar ke aieye. Main yaheen hoon. (Its ok. You take your time. I will be waiting here only)

SERVICE RATINGS

a) Reliability: I wouldn't rate the auto service as being very reliable

b) Assurance: Low degree of service assurance for the customer

c) Tangibles: The auto seemed to be in decent working condition

d) Empathy: The auto-driver showed little or no empathy

e) Responsiveness: The auto-driver's response was sluggish and ill-timed

Wash Rinse Wash

This particular experience pertains to the laundry service that is available within the campus. It's been almost a year since I have been availing of this service but it is really the first time that I have actually spent time appraising it. The service the laundry-man (as I like to call him) provides is simple. He charges Rs. 50 for one washing machine load. Typically, one washing machine load is the equivalent of a full laundry basket. So he basically charges you Rs. 50 irrespective of whether the laundry basket is full or half empty. Besides washing the clothes, he charges an additional Rs. 3 for every clothing item that he irons. Normally, he makes it a point to return the clothes on the same day itself. Customers are expected to deliver and collect the laundry baskets from the laundry room themselves.

Today's experience was rather unique for me for two reasons. The first one, as I mentioned earlier, was that it was the first time I was consciously appraising the laundry service. And secondly, today's experience was distinctly different. I went to the laundry room around 10-30 to deliver my laundry basket. In this laundry basket, with my usual pile of clothes was a new red shirt which was going for its first wash. I knew there was a chance that it would give off colour and thereby ruin the "whites" I had along with it. So the first thing I did was to tell the laundry man that the T-shirt had to be washed separately. I assumed that he would charge me for the T-shirt separately as he probably had to wash it either by hand or use a separate washing machine. But when I told him about the T-shirt, he simply said "Kya bhaiya? Aap ke liye itna toh kar he sakte hain." (What are you saying? This is the least I can do for you.) That was really a nice thing to hear. I felt flattered and for that one moment, I felt that I was indeed a special customer. But that was not the end of it. The laundry man told me to collect the basket from him around 4. When I went there around that time, I was told that the laundry wasn't done yet. I had some work to do so I told him that I would be back in half an hour. It longer for me than expected so I could only get back by 5. But even then the laundry cycle wasn't over. Although I was not particularly annoyed, one could say that I was visibly unimpressed. The laundry man could probably make that out from my disposition and he immediately chose to respond. Before I could even say anything, he said "Bhaiya, aap tension mat lijiye! Mujhe apna room no. bata deejiye. Main aapke room me basket pahucha doonga." (Don't get tense about it! Tell me your room number. I will deliver the basket to your room once its done.) Whatever dissatisfaction or feelings of resentment that were slowly festering inside me dissolved in an instant. I walked back to my room feeling happy and satisfied at being treated as a special customer.

SERVICE RATING

a) Reliable: Although today was an exception, I regard the service as very reliable

b) Assurance: I am assured of the quality of the wash and promptness of delivery

c) Tangibles: The laundry room is organised. All washing machines seem to be in working order

d) Empathy: The laundry man was quick to gauge how I was feeling and quickly altered his offering to satisfy my needs

e) Responsiveness: The laundry man was quick in his response.