BY SASWATA DAS
Managing Director, WOW Design
During one of my recent visits to the Mumbai Airport, I realized that I was amongst the very few who walked up to the self check-in kiosks. Despite the long queue at the manual checkin, I saw several people preferring the counter over the self check-in. Why do they opt for a manual check-in, when there is a smart, time-saving option? While we have embraced ATMs, there is this marked reluctance to walk up to a self check-in kiosk.
Our country has never fallen short of people for its workforce. Probably due to that fact, we aren’t completely used to automatic ticket-vending machines on buses and trains. We find it hard to rely on these machines. Amul, one of the largest milk-based product manufacturers in India, was testing a milk pouch vending machine next to its headquarters based in Anand, Gujarat. I was quite impressed by the concept as consumers could buy milk easily at the tap of a button. However, we learnt that the pick-ups from kiosks were lower than Amul’s expectations. What stopped consumers from using this smart trick? I think the answer lies in our cultural background.
The latest TVC for the Idea Cellular app says, “India, ab apna kaam karo apne aap”. This depicts a vital consumer insight that we are sometimes too lazy to try even an easy medium if it involves a ‘Do-It-Yourself’ (DIY) element.
My wife and I had a really tough time when we planned for a ‘feature wall’ for our drawing room. Both of us have creative bent of mind, and thought of different options like typography integrated with photo frames and shelves, etc. Since it was just one wall, we decided to paint it ourselves. Choosing the right shade was easy, but when it came to buying the basic tools, the dealer advised us to send in a painter in order to finalize the right products. We come across TVCs which depict Shah Rukh Khan or Deepika painting their homes all by themselves. But in reality, very few in India actually do it.
In India, we take a lavish lifestyle for granted. We always find people ready to help with any sort of manual work. To simplify this further, we have mobile apps like Urbanclap, which give us quicker access to professional skilled services at the tap of a button.
Earlier, it was only the rich who used to have servants. But with the rise of the middle class, we have reached a stage where Indians are used to having servants. It’s rooted in our culture that manual labour is demeaning. No one wants to be seen cleaning his own car or maintaining the garden. Very rarely do you see bosses getting their own cup of tea from the cafeteria. Usually, it’s their peons who run these errands for them. Why can’t they carry it themselves?
Most young entrepreneurs like doing such things by themselves. I am overwhelmed by the fact that there is a growing start-up culture which potentially leads to DIY in India.However, the culture and social stigma prevents many of us from doing these so-called ‘menial tasks’. Till such time as realization dawns, DIY in India will be restricted to a bunch of enthusiastic artistes who are passionate to create and use the Internet to their benefit to share their creativity.
@FEEDBACK
saswata@wowdesign.in
