Message from Tata Nano
http://wap.business-standard.com/article/companies/exit-gears-for-nano-as-dealers-stop-lifting-cars-117112500617_1.html?utm_source=campaign_pn&utm_medium=push_notification&utm_campaign=browser_push&utm_content=&utm_term=
November 27, 2017
Message from Tata Nano
This refers to the report “End of the road for ‘cheapest car’: Dealers stop placing orders for Tata Nano” (Business Standard, November 27). During the last ten years, we have seen the exploitation of common man and consumers as a class being converted into political propaganda ideas by shrewd politicians and business propositions by intelligent politicians and businessmen.
I look at India Against Corruption(IAC) and the emergence of Air Deccan and Tata Nano from this angle and am convinced about the positive impact these had on the political scene and a radical change in manufacturers’ and consumers’ approach to costs and prices. All the three phenomena are bound to disappear, but the messages will linger on and influence future politics and pricing patterns.
Till IAC used social media in a big way to expose corruption, we were taking corruption for granted and were willing to live with it. Now, whatever be the perception of those who handled India’s governance Pre-Kejriwal and Pre-2014 elections, ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ have woken up and they raise voice against corrupt practices in governance with a confidence level unthinkable during 20th Century. Similarly, every ingredient in the price consumer pays is getting an online check.
Since the days Tata announced the proposal to sell a car at one lakh rupees, car buyers have started thinking about price as a factor in addition to ‘brand’ names, look and ‘size’. Through the affordability concept, what G R Gopinath signaled was a competitive pricing of air travel factoring in reasonable costs and margins, reducing chances of cartelization and monopoly in pricing.
Beyond losses and gains to the individuals/corporates which participated in these experiments, the messages they could sell to the Indian citizens are invaluable.
M G Warrier, Thiruvananthapuram
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