And you thought that pamphlet distribution was a piece of cake :) Well, think again. So, we had this new experience of distributing our newly minted Fix-All brochures at Kapaleeshwar Temple and Sai Baba Temple in Mylapore. Believe me, in hindsight, it was a strategic exercise. So, as diligent practitioners of management craft, this is how we applied the famed "Porter's 5 forces model" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_five_forces_analysis) or the extended 6 forces model (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Forces_Model) to pamphlet distributions :)
So, now, the setting is Sai Baba temple entrance, and the target audience in the bunch of devotees, who are either shopping or fighting their way to the temple on thursdaysThursdays. Anyone who has seen this scene will be convinced that this can be really close simulation of perfectly competitive market (for pamphlet distribution). Now, dissecting this scenario based on aforesaid model,
The threat of the entry of new competitors
---------------------------------------------------------
Entry barrier is low, as people do not really think too much before accepting pamphlets. After all, these can be used for making planes, imaginary cricket balls, or as tissue papers for prasadam. So, customer loyalty is low, and people accept pamphlets from almost anyone :) The intensity of competitive rivalry
---------------------------------------------------------
Super intense.. Anyone who saw the potential of marketing their products and services in Mylapore and surrounding areas, cannot ignore these locations for marketing. Good brands put up temporary kiosks, others put up colourful umbrellas to attract customer. Also, the nature of competition is diverse. People distribute all kinds of pamphlets ranging from "Earn Rs. 10000/month minimal labor" to "how to lose weight" :) Also, as there is a bazaar right there, people have their hands full. Again, as in any temple, you will have to compete with these long term micro charity recipients (a.k.a beggars) who will scatter any attention that you might want to garner.
The threat of substitute products or services
---------------------------------------------------------
Not much. Pamphlet distribution is the most effective person to person medium under such market conditions around the temple. So, there is little threat of substitutes or services.
The bargaining power of customers (buyers)
---------------------------------------------------------
Huge. As you want to be nice and polite, because of the brand that you represent, you really cannot say no to customers who want multiple pamphlets. We, as a race, are very resource conscious and are adept at making god use of any seemingly unimportant resource. So, people don't really mind carrying a few pamphlets as they will find some way to use it.
The bargaining power of suppliers
---------------------------------------------------------
Not much. This is a commodity and so, not really an issue.
Role of government/regulation
---------------------------------------------------------
Pretty important. The police officer is omnipresent and makes sure that the strategic positions for vendors are only for the "licensed" people :)
Based on, the above model, we chose to be a niche player in the pamphlet distribution model. We first profile the customer for signs of capability and willingness to pay. Formally dressed, branded ID cards around the neck, laptop back slinging and fancy mobile phone ... tell tale signs of our customer. If he/she is with spouse, then he/she is a high potential customer. And we jump into action, handing over the pamphlet. Now, the next few seconds are really tense. What do they do with the pamphlet? Our eyes follow our receivers till they blend in the ocean of humanity. If, till then, they have not discarded the pamphlet, chances are, "We just met a future Fix-All customer" :)
Well, Madras week celebrations are to start in Full Swing, with the Times Chennai Festival. With the likes of Pandit Jasraj, Vikku Vinayakram, Mandolin Srinivasan performing in Chennai, weekends promise a lot of fun :) Wishing you happy independence day!!
Thanks.
Fix-All team
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Aadi Thallubadi ... you mean.. like ... Dancing Sale ?
Well, if you think about it, quite literally, Aadi - also means dancing in Tamil, thalllubadi means discount. So, this is month when all cine-stars and TV soap celebs actually sing and dance to sell you anything from mobile phone to gold. If you are not shopping during Aadi sale in Chennai, then something is seriously wrong. So, what is the deal about this Aadi Sale? Legend has it that, Aadi month is considered INAUSPICIOUS for any new purchase/activity .. yes.. you read it right. However, it turns out that Pothys and some other vendors, in and around Tirunelveli, came up with this fantastic idea, a la Kotler style, of creating a theme sale to improve their revenue in these sagging months. And lo and behold, you have Aadi sale. It spread like wild fire and now, its’ quite a rage in Chennai :)
Well, how has Fix-All done through the Aadi month. We have seen renewed interest in refurbished computer sales. Its’ quite expected. Small startups, schools and educational institutes prefer to get these PC's ranging from Rs. 6000 to Rs. 10,000 for their businesses. There seems to be a steady increase in the demand as people know that they can source refurbished PC's with warranty. What customers seem to miss earlier is the warranty and support. Once, we tell them that we can support them with warranty and support, the value proposition is clear.
We are evaluating a new plumbing product, Multilayer composite (MLC) pipes, an alternative to concealed PVC. This new product is competitively priced and can be used for airconditioning and water heater systems. The best part is that these pipes are flexible and hence can be bent around corners without using joints. This reduces wastage, material cost and labour cost. So, when you work on your house plumbing, make sure you check with your plumber if he tries out this option for piping.
Last week had some good news for us Chennai-vasis. South Asia's largest sea water desalination plant was inaugurated and it will supply hundred million litres of drinking water every day to Chennaiites. Still a long way to go, but itis a start :) Another reminder, we had the first hike in electricity rates in 7 years. So, for every unit after 600 units, the charge will be Rs. 4.05/ units (up from Rs. 3.05/unit). So, we need to be more prudent in using our electricity :)
So, India asserts its supremacy in the test against Sri Lanka, this weekend promises fun :) so,make sure you celebrate this win with a shopping trip to Ranganathan Street, T.Nagar and top it up with a visit to GRT Thangamaaligai, the holy grail of shopping :)
Thanks,
Fix-All team
Well, how has Fix-All done through the Aadi month. We have seen renewed interest in refurbished computer sales. Its’ quite expected. Small startups, schools and educational institutes prefer to get these PC's ranging from Rs. 6000 to Rs. 10,000 for their businesses. There seems to be a steady increase in the demand as people know that they can source refurbished PC's with warranty. What customers seem to miss earlier is the warranty and support. Once, we tell them that we can support them with warranty and support, the value proposition is clear.
We are evaluating a new plumbing product, Multilayer composite (MLC) pipes, an alternative to concealed PVC. This new product is competitively priced and can be used for airconditioning and water heater systems. The best part is that these pipes are flexible and hence can be bent around corners without using joints. This reduces wastage, material cost and labour cost. So, when you work on your house plumbing, make sure you check with your plumber if he tries out this option for piping.
Last week had some good news for us Chennai-vasis. South Asia's largest sea water desalination plant was inaugurated and it will supply hundred million litres of drinking water every day to Chennaiites. Still a long way to go, but itis a start :) Another reminder, we had the first hike in electricity rates in 7 years. So, for every unit after 600 units, the charge will be Rs. 4.05/ units (up from Rs. 3.05/unit). So, we need to be more prudent in using our electricity :)
So, India asserts its supremacy in the test against Sri Lanka, this weekend promises fun :) so,make sure you celebrate this win with a shopping trip to Ranganathan Street, T.Nagar and top it up with a visit to GRT Thangamaaligai, the holy grail of shopping :)
Thanks,
Fix-All team
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Koel Koncert
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
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
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 :)
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