Life as I find it

If you live and work in Mumbai, you have heard of Vichare couriers, and most likely, used them. You may have sent couriers, received them, whatever. You just can’t remain in Mumbai and untouched by them. They are like cockroaches - everywhere - but in a nice way.

I had always thought of Vichare couriers in a certain way. I had this mental image - middle class Maharashtrian. The surname for one, the tendency to have tiny, dingy offices in literally any place possible to put a table and a chair or two, unsophisticated, vernacular staff, an overall image of lack of polish. It is true. They are like that.

However, like many Maharashtrian “greats” these humble impressions hide a greatness many of us can’t begin to imagine.

Now that I am thinking of their greatness angle, I think of the famous dabbawallas of Mumbai - illiterate, low paid bunch of people making a living delivering lunches. But together, they may not provide style, but a blinding efficiency management colleges study.

Vichare couriers are like that in some ways. Their service is the cheapest around. Their offices are outnumbered perhaps only by local paan walas. Literally every area has an office, and no matter where you are, picking up a package is something they will happily hop across to do.

Their offices may be dingy, but you rarely need to go to them - their people come and make pickups easily. Their people may not speak English well, they may not wear really smart uniforms, and look westernized, but really, do they need to, as long as the courier reaches on time? And it does. They deliver. They are incredibly efficient for people who seem so “dumb”.

I came across their website today, and discovered a new side to Vichare couriers. Their website is “posh” - “polished” and as always, efficient. The typical middle class humility shines through all that even then. Service first - and you have an array of services, idiot-proof and really easy “nearest office locator” and also a way to simply book a pick up online.

After “service first” comes “responsibilities first” - there is a lovely section - totally unprofessionally personal - if we speak of polished images, but touching none the less. We have activities of employees, their sports teams, investment improvements, swelling numbers, praise, pictures from felicitations….. The feeling of involvement is so strong, that I felt tempted to be one of them.

And guess what? There was a section on”investment opportunities” if you have some space to spare - enough for a table and couple of chairs for a “point of contact” to be developed. It would be a tiny investment, and I’m willing to bet that it would be one of the most secure places to put your money. These guys aren’t ever planning to sink.

Uh, after that comes…….? I know as a matter of fact that these guys have won some major awards, achieved phenomenal growth over a very short time, and so on. If there is any very justified bragging, I couldn’t find it easily. That “middle-class Maharashtrian” humility to the point of invisibility is also present.

So there, folks, here is a lesson in presentation - do your job, and the impression follows. Another lesson in being inclusive - roam around on the site, and I bet you want to go back for its utility, information and sheer inclusive “feeling of belonging”. And another huge lesson in being yourself - your staff is mainly vernacular, so what. You can do your job, and you do it so well, you beat all competition hands down.

Way to go folks!

NCERT text books can now be found online

I came across this site and thought it was a must have for here. How many times have I wished that I had access to old books I studied from…… as said before, I’m information hungry. I like to have references to everything I have studied handy to refer back to.

Now, on a professional level, I need them too, to design training programmes for children. Thanks to this link, it is now possible. I really wasn’t looking forward to collecting physical copies of those books - they take up major space - remember school days? Now multiply it with all those years…….

Anyway, that train of thought is now redundant. We can refer to these whenever we like. I can imagine kids not having any excuses of lost books for not doing homework…..

Enjoy!

I read an article where Amrit Lalji was sacked for wearing a nose stud by Eurest. This is ridiculous! What in the world is offensive about a nose stud? Or are employees not supposed to have any individuality at all?

Are people fired about earrings? Or high heels? Or folding their kerchiefs in a certain way? I can understand how a person could be offensive if she was supposed to be part of the service to VIP customers and dissolve into the background and suddenly coloured her hair purple and kind of defeated the entire purpose of unobtrusive service.

But a tiny nose stud? I mean, her face already has to be noticed for anyone to see that its there. Or should she be removing her face as well if she is stunningly beautiful? This is total nonsense and a prime example of how too much of “uniformization” can make an organization totally blind to any objectivity or sense of proportion in their actions.

I can understand bad service being an issue, or if a customer complains about how the nose stud is offensive, if it is really that noticeable, though I would ask the customer to quit staring at the staff and use the services. Are people in big positions in big organizations really all that idle to be creating issues out of personal presentation to such extents, where it is not even about aesthetics, but simple nitpicking? Who cares if a service staff wears a small nose stud because she likes it?

Just create clones for people. They should walk, talk look the same. And then, speak with pride how your organization appreciates individuality (but of course, not on the job). I wonder what comes next - firing left-handed people?

On the flip side, I find it really bizarre that the woman defends her nose stud with her religious beliefs. I think making a statement out of religion is fashion. Particularly if it breaks rules. But if that’s how the way things are, I would have fired the woman, not for wearing a nose stud, but for bringing a religious connotation into her professional image, considering that she is interacting on behalf of the company.

Honestly, I don’t even have anything about the religious image, but if that is the significance of the nose ring and such an immediate consideration rather than her right to wear what she wants, she’s probably going to explain the religious significance to any customer who comments on it too, which in my opinion gets personal, and emphasizes the difference between the organization and their clients, which could be perceived as a gap by a client and be harmful for PR.

So, coming full circle, I’m happy that she got fired, but I don’t agree with the reasons.

Indian worker sacked for wearing nose stud at Heathrow Airport-Indians Abroad-The Times of India