For those of is in Chennai, who are used to waking up to alarm clocks or mobile phone ringtone cacophony, mother nature had a pleasant surprise :) She sent her winged bards, the kuyils or the Asian koel, to wake us up and keep us happy through the day. You might have already noticed that the Asian Koel population on the rise in Chennai (http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article537078.ece?homepage=true). Our Fix-All office, in mylapore, is right next to a nice big tree and there are many of these koels perched up there. So, when we need to take a break from our daily routine, we just need to tune into this "kuyil Koncert" channel and you bet , it’s refreshing :)
Last week, we had a slew of calls for A/C repair. We learnt a few things from our visits that would be interesting to share. When you install a split A/C, ensure that the hole that is made for the copper tubes is well plugged. If that job is not well done, birds often make nests in the nesting season, in these holes. Slowly, it starts jamming the vent and then the cooling unit starts developing issues. This might eventually lead the A/C to break down. Also, many of us leave our window A/C's unused when we go on long tours. Its’ a good idea to seal the front grill with a metal or wooden sheet. The front grill in window A/C is made of plastic and is vulnerable to rats. So, if you are not at home for prolonged periods, rats/rodents might nibble through the front grill and damage the internal wiring. Small things, if taken care of, can help the A/C's work better.
Moving on, we like to get e-mails from our customers and well wishers :) Pressing that "send and receive" in outlook has become a second nature. It gives us immense joy when we see the Fix-All folder in outlook emboldened with a number in brackets (indicating new mail for Fix-All). So, what is interesting is that we are getting bunch of e-mails from college kids, mainly from electrical engineering, for jobs :) Not sure, if they understand what they are apping for :) but a mail is a mail, and we love e-mails to Fix-All :) We are also getting trade enquiries from suppliers to supply plumbing and electrical materials. This is interesting because, we can ensure quality of products and enforce better service for our customers.
We are also working on a product portfolio using POLLI bricks. So, what are POLLI bricks? These are recycled polymer architecture blocks made from disposed PET bottles. Apart from all the usual marketing jargon on going green and good for nature, we think there are some real use case scenarios in India. The bricks are translucent and hence, can create strong and well lit partitions. Check out Taipei Eco park (http://inhabitat.com/2010/04/14/ecoark-pavilion-made-from-1-5-million-plastic-bottles/) and this interesting video from CES 2010 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH5rp5FpT2o). So, when combined with LED lighting, we can create interesting products such as self-lit book shelves, centre tables and exciting furniture for children. We are working on this and will keep you posted :)
So, as we eagerly wait for Shankar's Enthiran's music launch :), Hope you all get a good dose of music from nature and A R Rahman :)
Take care,
Fix-All team
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Should the cheque have both the names?
“Saar, why have you sent 2 names? Should I have the cheque in the name of Venkatesh or Sankararaman? These people say that they cannot issue a cheque for Venkatesh AND Sankararaman”, said our technician on the other end of the phone. Sounds straight out of Suppandi comic strip, but we seem to be encountering this more often now. There is a recent spurt of requests from small businesses who want our services. Many of these people issue cheques and it’s a tough thing to get the name written without mistakes on these cheques and then it’s a perfect comedy of errors. With names like Venkatesh Sankararaman or Vaidyanathan Ramachandran, what do you expect? There are never enough of those boxes to fill them in many application forms :) No wonder Russell Peters take a dig on them (no offence meant to long namers), gives us something to laugh about :)
Last week both electrical and plumbing service picked up, though it was not as hectic. We had a few of this “full-day” work and hence, it was slightly easy on travel :) So, we decided to do a review of ICE Mega Consumer Products expo 2010, at YMCA grounds (near Express Avenue Mall). Neatly segmented exhibition setup, starting with the biggies in consumer electrical goods, meandering towards furniture, garments, kitchen equipment, interior decoration, health and wellness and finally FOOD court :) The consumer electronics segment was not very well represented. The only notable brands were IFB, LG and Samsung with a limited product preview. Videocon displayed its new inverter products, which were competitively priced, but not sure about the quality. Tower fans were new at this exhibition. Powerful fans and a decent alternative to table fans but a little pricey at ~Rs. 2500. There was a neat foldable shoe rack product. It solves the problem of cluttered footwear in our homes in a neat and compact way. Furniture section was well stocked. There was an interesting banner which read “Italian design, Chinese price” The health care section displayed new products in the area of diabetic care. Of course, the kitchen section, with those fancy cutters and tortilla/roti makers made their presence. Well, to summarize, the exhibition was worth it and priced rightly at Rs. 45 for entry fee.
And finally, can’t stop without mentioning Inception. Man, this Chistopher Nolan guy seems to have figured it all for now :) People are raving about it. Its’ right up there on our to-do list!! And it looks like “3 Idiots” is also on TV this weekend.
Hope you guy have your fun-filled weekend all planned out. Have a great one !
Thanks,
Fix-All team
Last week both electrical and plumbing service picked up, though it was not as hectic. We had a few of this “full-day” work and hence, it was slightly easy on travel :) So, we decided to do a review of ICE Mega Consumer Products expo 2010, at YMCA grounds (near Express Avenue Mall). Neatly segmented exhibition setup, starting with the biggies in consumer electrical goods, meandering towards furniture, garments, kitchen equipment, interior decoration, health and wellness and finally FOOD court :) The consumer electronics segment was not very well represented. The only notable brands were IFB, LG and Samsung with a limited product preview. Videocon displayed its new inverter products, which were competitively priced, but not sure about the quality. Tower fans were new at this exhibition. Powerful fans and a decent alternative to table fans but a little pricey at ~Rs. 2500. There was a neat foldable shoe rack product. It solves the problem of cluttered footwear in our homes in a neat and compact way. Furniture section was well stocked. There was an interesting banner which read “Italian design, Chinese price” The health care section displayed new products in the area of diabetic care. Of course, the kitchen section, with those fancy cutters and tortilla/roti makers made their presence. Well, to summarize, the exhibition was worth it and priced rightly at Rs. 45 for entry fee.
And finally, can’t stop without mentioning Inception. Man, this Chistopher Nolan guy seems to have figured it all for now :) People are raving about it. Its’ right up there on our to-do list!! And it looks like “3 Idiots” is also on TV this weekend.
Hope you guy have your fun-filled weekend all planned out. Have a great one !
Thanks,
Fix-All team
Friday, July 16, 2010
Inspired by King Khan
As the vuvuzela blared at its loudest, and Iniesta was scripting football history, we @ Fix-All were working on our piece of art, our brochure. Believe me, creativity, design and colours are not our cup of tea. We have tried it, and it just does not work. What colour matches, how should our Fix-All character look etc., is too much for people like us to handle. We got in experts to figure that part out and finally our brochure has a decent look and feel (judging by the response). We are functional people, for whom Van Gogh and Velayudham are just people and we cannot tell them apart.
The week started with frenzy, plumbing frenzy, to be precise. Twitter power users can relate to how it was.
The week started with frenzy, plumbing frenzy, to be precise. Twitter power users can relate to how it was.
Yes, that would be the closest representation to our situation. We were just inundated with plumbing requests. We regret the inconvenience caused to our valued customers. We are working on this and things should be back to normal by Monday. Last week was Adyar week, with a good number of our requests originating from Adyar :)
So, the usual process is that once the request is serviced, we talk to our customers to get their feedback. We got a customer who was really hassled trying to get some electrical repair done at his residence. After our service, he was so happy with our service that he did not wait for our feedback call. He took the estimate book (yes, we first give the estimate before work, and a bill after work) and wrote his comments there. Now, that was our “wow” moment of the week :)
Someone flicked our plumber’s tool bag right in the middle of Chennai traffic. Poor guy, works hard to earn an honest living. Yeh Duniya seems to create all kinds of hurdles, but we've got the “unnal mudiyum thambi” (you can do it) spirit :)
Finally, we had “close encounters of the CM kind” :) We bumped into his convoy from very close quarters. To be fair, people were not hassled too much. Was a 2 minute affair and traffic was back to normal.
Ok .. ok I hear you are saying, “ Dude, what is the link between King Khan and Fix-All?” Well, the picture below is a small representation of our ambition.
Well, we @ Fix-All aspire to “repair almost anything” that is not working inside your home :) So, keep smiling and have a fantastic weekend.
Thanks – Fix-All team
So, the usual process is that once the request is serviced, we talk to our customers to get their feedback. We got a customer who was really hassled trying to get some electrical repair done at his residence. After our service, he was so happy with our service that he did not wait for our feedback call. He took the estimate book (yes, we first give the estimate before work, and a bill after work) and wrote his comments there. Now, that was our “wow” moment of the week :)
Someone flicked our plumber’s tool bag right in the middle of Chennai traffic. Poor guy, works hard to earn an honest living. Yeh Duniya seems to create all kinds of hurdles, but we've got the “unnal mudiyum thambi” (you can do it) spirit :)
Finally, we had “close encounters of the CM kind” :) We bumped into his convoy from very close quarters. To be fair, people were not hassled too much. Was a 2 minute affair and traffic was back to normal.
Ok .. ok I hear you are saying, “ Dude, what is the link between King Khan and Fix-All?” Well, the picture below is a small representation of our ambition.
Well, we @ Fix-All aspire to “repair almost anything” that is not working inside your home :) So, keep smiling and have a fantastic weekend.
Thanks – Fix-All team
Saturday, July 10, 2010
One day @ the Fix-All call center
Many of us would have heard the recordings of interactions between call center agents and customers. Hilarious :) So, What is it like to be on the receiving side in the Fix-All call center? – First hand narration.
What is the objective of 95660 58885? Customers reach us on this number to register their service request. We take the customer details including the address, phone number and preferred time of visit by out technician. We work with our technicians to service the request. We have serviced customer calls at 5:00AM (yes you heard it right!) and 11:30PM (that is early morning for people like me who sleep at 9:30PM). We ensure that the technicians reach our customers on the agreed upon time. Once the request is serviced, we call up customers to get feedback. Feedback plays a very important role in our process. We take feedback in 100% of service requests. This helps us fine tune our services towards the goal of “customer delight”. Over the last few weeks of operations, one thing has become clear. Our customers and potential customers are storing our number, once they get it, and calling us back when required. This is really encouraging.
Last week was interesting, first time we offered our service to a temple in Vadapalani :) Auspicious! We received calls from customers requesting for people who can provide with cloth ironing services :)Shows people are thinking about us and what we offer, though at times, imagination runs wild. Mylapore and Ashok Nagar seem to have taken a liking to our services. We are working on a complete makeover of our website, and brochures are ready. We are also launching new subscription services that will add value to our customers. We look forward to sharing with you all soon and getting your feedback.
Last but not the least, may the best team win the soccer world cup and may the best team be Netherlands :) Have a great weekend.
Thanks,
Fix-All team
What is the objective of 95660 58885? Customers reach us on this number to register their service request. We take the customer details including the address, phone number and preferred time of visit by out technician. We work with our technicians to service the request. We have serviced customer calls at 5:00AM (yes you heard it right!) and 11:30PM (that is early morning for people like me who sleep at 9:30PM). We ensure that the technicians reach our customers on the agreed upon time. Once the request is serviced, we call up customers to get feedback. Feedback plays a very important role in our process. We take feedback in 100% of service requests. This helps us fine tune our services towards the goal of “customer delight”. Over the last few weeks of operations, one thing has become clear. Our customers and potential customers are storing our number, once they get it, and calling us back when required. This is really encouraging.
Last week was interesting, first time we offered our service to a temple in Vadapalani :) Auspicious! We received calls from customers requesting for people who can provide with cloth ironing services :)Shows people are thinking about us and what we offer, though at times, imagination runs wild. Mylapore and Ashok Nagar seem to have taken a liking to our services. We are working on a complete makeover of our website, and brochures are ready. We are also launching new subscription services that will add value to our customers. We look forward to sharing with you all soon and getting your feedback.
Last but not the least, may the best team win the soccer world cup and may the best team be Netherlands :) Have a great weekend.
Thanks,
Fix-All team
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Selecting and installating an A/C at home
Installing an A/C
This is a very important issue in the minds of consumers, especially in the hot summer months. A/C is no longer the luxury item that it once was- It is very much affordable with the rising standard of living and also with the rising belief that summers are hotter every year compared to all previous years (we could potentially blame this on global warming :)). Given this, more and more people are opting to install the A/C in their homes. This process however, is not very clear and straightforward and in turn causes a lot of heartburn for those who expect it to be very smooth. The following attempts to explain one potential way in which consumers can go about this issue.
The first step is to identify the type of A/C to go for. Nowawadays most people go for split A/C where the machine (along with the compressor) sits outside the home (usually on the sunshade on top of the window) and there is a fan or vent that is installed inside the room. This fan/vent houses all the controls and is connected to the machine through pipes. It is better to go for copper pipes (as opposed to Aluminum or other types of pipes) since the copper pipes last longer, especially when exposed to the humid and salty chennai air. The other type of A/C is the window A/C which is slowly losing its place in the sun primarily because of security concerns (need to cut the window grills to install it) and also due to the cumbersome installation process. Split A/C on the other hand is reasonably simple to install for trained technicians and the fact that prices have dropped significantly make it a good alternative to window A/Cs.
The second step is to decide on the tonnage (power of the A/C) based on the dimensions of the room. For most bedrooms (~150 sq ft or so) 1-1.5 tons would work. If it is a fairly large room, then 2 tons might be needed. Expert advice on the tonnage can be obtained from the dealer also when buying the A/C.
The third step is to decide on the shop to purchase the A/C. It is better to go for multi-branded outlets (e.g. Viveks, Rathna Fan House or other local outlets) where one can compare multiple A/Cs and their features and then make up his/her mind. It is recommeded that consumers visit a couple of shops and ask for price quotes (for the same model) before purchasing. Prices can vary by as much as Rs. 1000 between shops for the same model. In addition, some shops may throw in freebies such as free installations, free gifts etc when purchasing. Some things to be kept in mind while selecting the A/C
- Star rating of the A/C - the dealer will always push for the consumer to buy a higher star rating A/C, claiming that it saves energy. For normal usage (3-4 hrs a day), this may not be a big saving if one carefully looks at the power rating of the A/Cs
- Remote and a digital display are very important in an A/C. Remote - for obvious reasons and Digital display to show the temperature and the start/stop timer setting etc.
- Once the A/C is selected and paid for, the installation comes into play. Most of the A/C brands offer installation services and it is generally a good idea to go with the company installation - typically it costs about Rs. 1000 for installation. This includes installing both the machine and the fan/vent and connecting them. The following need to be kept in mind for installation:
- If there is no sunshade to seat the A/C, then clamps need to be installed on the outside wall to house the machine. This will be extra and may cost anywhere between Rs. 500-Rs. 700. The consumer should check with the A/C shop while signing up because sometimes the technician will arrive without the clamps and it will be an irritant if they are needed.
- Along with the A/C purchase, a pre-specified length of the pipe (~5m) and a stabilizer is included. If the machine is to be installed quite some distance away from the room, then more piping may be required and the customer will be charged extra. In most of the cases, this will not be necessary, though.
- If the consumer arranges for installing the A/C through a private mechanic, then the A/C vendor will typically caution that the consumer will not receive the free services from the A/C company (It is not clear if this is actually the case, but it is better to be safe here than deal with service problems later)
- It is better to check if the power line for connecting the A/C is available within the bedroom, close to where the A/C needs to be installed. This is usually not in the scope of the A/C install technician and it may cause problems if it is not available. It is better for the consumer to check with an electrician regarding the power supply for the A/C before going in for the purchase.
The final step in the process is to ensure that the installation of the A/C is complete and the A/C is working properly :)
Have a happy and cool summer :)
This is a very important issue in the minds of consumers, especially in the hot summer months. A/C is no longer the luxury item that it once was- It is very much affordable with the rising standard of living and also with the rising belief that summers are hotter every year compared to all previous years (we could potentially blame this on global warming :)). Given this, more and more people are opting to install the A/C in their homes. This process however, is not very clear and straightforward and in turn causes a lot of heartburn for those who expect it to be very smooth. The following attempts to explain one potential way in which consumers can go about this issue.
The first step is to identify the type of A/C to go for. Nowawadays most people go for split A/C where the machine (along with the compressor) sits outside the home (usually on the sunshade on top of the window) and there is a fan or vent that is installed inside the room. This fan/vent houses all the controls and is connected to the machine through pipes. It is better to go for copper pipes (as opposed to Aluminum or other types of pipes) since the copper pipes last longer, especially when exposed to the humid and salty chennai air. The other type of A/C is the window A/C which is slowly losing its place in the sun primarily because of security concerns (need to cut the window grills to install it) and also due to the cumbersome installation process. Split A/C on the other hand is reasonably simple to install for trained technicians and the fact that prices have dropped significantly make it a good alternative to window A/Cs.
The second step is to decide on the tonnage (power of the A/C) based on the dimensions of the room. For most bedrooms (~150 sq ft or so) 1-1.5 tons would work. If it is a fairly large room, then 2 tons might be needed. Expert advice on the tonnage can be obtained from the dealer also when buying the A/C.
The third step is to decide on the shop to purchase the A/C. It is better to go for multi-branded outlets (e.g. Viveks, Rathna Fan House or other local outlets) where one can compare multiple A/Cs and their features and then make up his/her mind. It is recommeded that consumers visit a couple of shops and ask for price quotes (for the same model) before purchasing. Prices can vary by as much as Rs. 1000 between shops for the same model. In addition, some shops may throw in freebies such as free installations, free gifts etc when purchasing. Some things to be kept in mind while selecting the A/C
- Star rating of the A/C - the dealer will always push for the consumer to buy a higher star rating A/C, claiming that it saves energy. For normal usage (3-4 hrs a day), this may not be a big saving if one carefully looks at the power rating of the A/Cs
- Remote and a digital display are very important in an A/C. Remote - for obvious reasons and Digital display to show the temperature and the start/stop timer setting etc.
- Once the A/C is selected and paid for, the installation comes into play. Most of the A/C brands offer installation services and it is generally a good idea to go with the company installation - typically it costs about Rs. 1000 for installation. This includes installing both the machine and the fan/vent and connecting them. The following need to be kept in mind for installation:
- If there is no sunshade to seat the A/C, then clamps need to be installed on the outside wall to house the machine. This will be extra and may cost anywhere between Rs. 500-Rs. 700. The consumer should check with the A/C shop while signing up because sometimes the technician will arrive without the clamps and it will be an irritant if they are needed.
- Along with the A/C purchase, a pre-specified length of the pipe (~5m) and a stabilizer is included. If the machine is to be installed quite some distance away from the room, then more piping may be required and the customer will be charged extra. In most of the cases, this will not be necessary, though.
- If the consumer arranges for installing the A/C through a private mechanic, then the A/C vendor will typically caution that the consumer will not receive the free services from the A/C company (It is not clear if this is actually the case, but it is better to be safe here than deal with service problems later)
- It is better to check if the power line for connecting the A/C is available within the bedroom, close to where the A/C needs to be installed. This is usually not in the scope of the A/C install technician and it may cause problems if it is not available. It is better for the consumer to check with an electrician regarding the power supply for the A/C before going in for the purchase.
The final step in the process is to ensure that the installation of the A/C is complete and the A/C is working properly :)
Have a happy and cool summer :)
Yes...- We have a plumber now :) along with electrical, A/C, inverter and fridge ..
So, what's happening at Fix-All ?
We have noticed this .. Just as people acquire different names/nick names, Fix-All seems to be getting different names as well. Fix-It-All, Fix-It :) understandable :) but we know that our christened name will become popular as people get to know us better and we deliver superior service :)
We are getting one feedback for sure, Our website need BIG improvement :) its barely functional :) So, we are working on that. It's been just over a month and a half. We are now convinced that our customers are receptive to the idea of professional home improvement services and that we can consistently deliver them. Our technicians now have rate cards that will explain how we are pricing the services, removing any scope for ambiguity.
Last week was special :) "It's a plumber" :) yes, that is what we have been waiting for (touch-wood) :) ...getting a reliable plumber on our rolls. And what business it has been for him :) One of the most important links in our umbrella seems to be firming up well. Last week was one of the top grossing weeks, thanks to our plumber. 3 customers last week used up 3 out of 5 services - A/C, electrical, and inverter and that too on big projects on home renovation. Clear boost to our repeat customer list. Now, our portfolio of services seem to be taking shape, with Electrical, plumbing, A/C, fridge, inverter and laptop hardware services, all under one brand. As a company, we want to serve any and every need inside our customer's home.
We have also signed up with an international computer hardware vendor to offer refurbished computers to our customers. Why computers ? It comes from our personal experience. We got our laptop drenched in the sudden rain that chennai is experiencing these days. Our laptop's display went for a toss. We went to the "official vendor" and he quoted Rs. 16,000 for changing the display. That was atrocious, we thought. We did some research and found out that there were reliable vendors, who could do this for Rs 6,000 with warranty. Around 60% savings, with assured quality of service... Clearly a distinct value proposition for our Fix-All customers. We worked the back end and are almost ready to officially launch this service to our customers. Once this is ready, we plan to pick up laptops for servicing, fix them and deliver at our customer's doorstep... seamless service.
So, hope you all are having a great weekend. We look forward to your continued patronage.
Thanks
Fix-All
We have noticed this .. Just as people acquire different names/nick names, Fix-All seems to be getting different names as well. Fix-It-All, Fix-It :) understandable :) but we know that our christened name will become popular as people get to know us better and we deliver superior service :)
We are getting one feedback for sure, Our website need BIG improvement :) its barely functional :) So, we are working on that. It's been just over a month and a half. We are now convinced that our customers are receptive to the idea of professional home improvement services and that we can consistently deliver them. Our technicians now have rate cards that will explain how we are pricing the services, removing any scope for ambiguity.
Last week was special :) "It's a plumber" :) yes, that is what we have been waiting for (touch-wood) :) ...getting a reliable plumber on our rolls. And what business it has been for him :) One of the most important links in our umbrella seems to be firming up well. Last week was one of the top grossing weeks, thanks to our plumber. 3 customers last week used up 3 out of 5 services - A/C, electrical, and inverter and that too on big projects on home renovation. Clear boost to our repeat customer list. Now, our portfolio of services seem to be taking shape, with Electrical, plumbing, A/C, fridge, inverter and laptop hardware services, all under one brand. As a company, we want to serve any and every need inside our customer's home.
We have also signed up with an international computer hardware vendor to offer refurbished computers to our customers. Why computers ? It comes from our personal experience. We got our laptop drenched in the sudden rain that chennai is experiencing these days. Our laptop's display went for a toss. We went to the "official vendor" and he quoted Rs. 16,000 for changing the display. That was atrocious, we thought. We did some research and found out that there were reliable vendors, who could do this for Rs 6,000 with warranty. Around 60% savings, with assured quality of service... Clearly a distinct value proposition for our Fix-All customers. We worked the back end and are almost ready to officially launch this service to our customers. Once this is ready, we plan to pick up laptops for servicing, fix them and deliver at our customer's doorstep... seamless service.
So, hope you all are having a great weekend. We look forward to your continued patronage.
Thanks
Fix-All
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