The ethics of business
Hi,
This time it is an eye-opening incident I experienced in Chennai, my home town.
Public transportation in Chennai has witnessed an innovation; it is the advent of the share auto. It is the auto-rickshaw (the japanese root is jirigishaw) - made big to accomodate several people. These share-autos wait at Chennai's bus-stops to ply passengers. Each vehicle has a prescribed route and diligently follow the main roads since the primary catchment market comprises passengers waiting for buses.
I drive a car, but as my beginnings are humble, I love taking the bus, whenever I can. This happened last Sunday (BTW, try taking the public transport on a holiday! You will have the place for yourself and have a chauffer-run bus exclusively for you and a very few others). Last Sunday, I had been waiting for the bus when I heard the call of a share-auto driver. His vehicle had a name tag of the destination point. I was interested in experiencing the service this mode of transport offered. Hence I boarded the vehicle.
These autos work with a critical mass in mind. Unless these drivers have at least a couple of passengers in their vehicle, they would not start the vehicle. I had another fellow-passenger in the vehicle. The driver was waiting for more to come in. He was shouting the name of the destination at the top of his voice. Though there were people at the bus stop none were interested in taking the share auto.
The driver noticed a bus arriving and realized that it can take us to the destination point. He promptly informed to us (the ones in the auto) that the bus has arrived. The other passenger immediately alighted and took the bus. I was surpised about the driver's suicidal attitude. He has lost business by informing us about the bus's arrival. I inquired about his behavior. His reply shocked to me. His reply went in the following lines:
"Sir, I can start the auto only after having a critical mass. But, few passengers might want to move in a hurry. I do not want to deprive them of a chance to use a transport that is readily available. Taking my auto needs patience from my passengers and I do not want them to regret for having missed a chance of boarding the bus. I have seen the type of people who would want to take the share auto and I do not achieve a win-win with the hurrisome type of passengers."
His business values left me in a state of shock. He did not have proper footwear. He had sweated profusely (Thanks to Chennai's hot climate) and it had left him with a wet shirt. But he held a belief so high that it can make many corporate captains appear short.
See you with more such experiences.
Vijay
This time it is an eye-opening incident I experienced in Chennai, my home town.
Public transportation in Chennai has witnessed an innovation; it is the advent of the share auto. It is the auto-rickshaw (the japanese root is jirigishaw) - made big to accomodate several people. These share-autos wait at Chennai's bus-stops to ply passengers. Each vehicle has a prescribed route and diligently follow the main roads since the primary catchment market comprises passengers waiting for buses.
I drive a car, but as my beginnings are humble, I love taking the bus, whenever I can. This happened last Sunday (BTW, try taking the public transport on a holiday! You will have the place for yourself and have a chauffer-run bus exclusively for you and a very few others). Last Sunday, I had been waiting for the bus when I heard the call of a share-auto driver. His vehicle had a name tag of the destination point. I was interested in experiencing the service this mode of transport offered. Hence I boarded the vehicle.
These autos work with a critical mass in mind. Unless these drivers have at least a couple of passengers in their vehicle, they would not start the vehicle. I had another fellow-passenger in the vehicle. The driver was waiting for more to come in. He was shouting the name of the destination at the top of his voice. Though there were people at the bus stop none were interested in taking the share auto.
The driver noticed a bus arriving and realized that it can take us to the destination point. He promptly informed to us (the ones in the auto) that the bus has arrived. The other passenger immediately alighted and took the bus. I was surpised about the driver's suicidal attitude. He has lost business by informing us about the bus's arrival. I inquired about his behavior. His reply shocked to me. His reply went in the following lines:
"Sir, I can start the auto only after having a critical mass. But, few passengers might want to move in a hurry. I do not want to deprive them of a chance to use a transport that is readily available. Taking my auto needs patience from my passengers and I do not want them to regret for having missed a chance of boarding the bus. I have seen the type of people who would want to take the share auto and I do not achieve a win-win with the hurrisome type of passengers."
His business values left me in a state of shock. He did not have proper footwear. He had sweated profusely (Thanks to Chennai's hot climate) and it had left him with a wet shirt. But he held a belief so high that it can make many corporate captains appear short.
See you with more such experiences.
Vijay
posted by Vijay at 9:10 PM
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