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Why companies need the expert
A marketing consultant is an asset to brands, I am told. Do you agree? If you do, why?
Rajiv, what do you expect me to say on this? I am one of those animals who runs one such practice. This gives me my bread, butter, jam and caviar as well.
The answer, therefore, is a resounding yes. A very biased, but resounding, yes.
Why do brands need good consultants? The accent and underline and highlight, please remember, is on good . Many reasons, but here are only six.
1. Brands tend to become inward-looking. You need a guy from outside to get you looking outward. Get that guy.
2. Brands are about outside people: Consumers. Your consumer-facing may need to be corrected. Aligned. Modified. Get an outsider to do that.
3. Brands need outsiders more than insiders. There is a certain degree of insider-incest that needs to get ventilated and aired, more often than not. Bring them in.
4. Brands get jaded by being continually handled by insiders. Get the outsider in. For a while, before he starts behaving like an insider. And that’s the time to let him go.
5. Brands get pompous. You need a good consultant to get you off the pedestal of pomposity.
6. Brands need devil's advocacy periodically. Get a consultant who is a devil.
With this reply I have earned my bread for people of my ilk!
What’s your macro take on the BPO industry and India?
Neeraj, such a broad question deserves a macro answer. Here is a bumper-sticker answer. You asked for it.
The services outsourcing industry has been a definition point for modern India. It has defined the tipping point moment for the country in terms of prosperity and progress. A big part of the new workforce of young India has depended on the outsourcing business to create lives and prosperity moments for themselves.
End of bumper-sticker reply.
You are an ideas man. Give me a quick idea to help reduce noise pollution on our city roads. Let’s see.
Mani, you are testing me? Let me think. Even as I think, here is a quick one.
Idea: Let truck and car and motorcycle manufacturers bring in horns that cost. A horn with a life-cycle of 500 honks must cost ₹500. This means that if you honk once, you have spent ₹1. Our cities and towns are becoming noisier by the day, as road frustration increases. Noise pollution on the streets is at a peak. People are venting their frustration of every kind, honking against one another. A priced honk will hopefully make people think before honking the next time.
Harish Bijoor is a brand strategy expert and CEO of Harish Bijoor Consults Inc. Mail your queries to cat.a.lyst@thehindu.co.in
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