Happiness Sale – Call Out

Trivandrum Central

The ways of business is often an unclear path. Some business shines from day one, while others take time to find a strong footing. However, there’s no guarantee on how a business can last long.

Over the years we know how many popular brands has become obscure with the passing of time. Each one would have a list of names which they can recall – from the corner store of your neighborhood to the big names in the town.

Just as I write, I was thinking of one brand – Dasprakash ice cream. I remember having it when I came to Mysore on trip along with my uncle.

A shop and lodge called Pearl at Pattom. During school break, or when we leave school, we go tot this shop to buy sipup. These are just two examples.

I wonder if there’s a science to find or a scientific way to predict or bring back a struggling business to soaring profits. Or is the reason for loss or closure tied to a person’s decision or something that happened! This is not just business, it could be about the Club you went during college or a party that went out of favor or a library which remained the same.

Happiness Sale at Central Trivandrum

Yesterday, I visited Trivandrum Central to buy tee shirts and shots. Most of my tee shirts are loosing at the seems, and most of it look in a bad shape. Luckily, some money has come in and I thought this is the right time to get new dresses.

Trivandrum Central operates from a big glass building at Pattor junction. I’ve been there to their multi-plex theater on the top floor to watch Ishq.

It was Saturday evening on the day of Happiness Sale, but there was not much considerable crowd. Probably, there are sale at Max, Brand Factory, WestSide, etc. Whatever, It was not a good feeling to see a big clothing store with this crowd – should be better to make it profitable.

Imagine the cost of running this big building – salary to the staff, power to run the building ( I’m struggling to pay for my house) and all the string of taxes, maintenance, etc.

I’m no expert or a strategic person to suggest changes to the organization so that there’s more profit potential. However, here are few suggestions.

1. Food Court in a shopping mall is a good ideas
 While we finished shopping my wifey suggested that we go for a drink upstairs. On enquiry I found that there’s no tea or food stall, except for the one at Carnival Cinema.

What about opening a part of the place for quick bites ( KFC, Dosa, and other food counters) Having an outlet of Buhari, Ketal’s, Paragon, etc will be a hightlight. ( Just a suggestion)

2. Sports Arena for Kids and Biggies

  Sports facilites, such as play area where kids can win coupons, etc could be a good idea. I have been to Garuda Mall in Bangalore. They have a place for sports, where kids and seniors can spend some time. If space permits, even a Cricket Pitch, just like the one in 1MG Mall could be an idea. What about Mystery Rooms! Probably, the upcoming L Mall at Kazhakuttam will have space and option for these.

3. Booze Outlet ( First Beverages Outlet)

  This could be an idea to get footholds in a place. In Bangalore, I have seen some shopping centres at Koramangala having a outlet to buy booze. Question is will our family crowd like the proxmity of booze shop in a shopping place.

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4. Faster Checkout 
   This is very important, but how. Today when I went for exchange of two tee shirt, I had to wait around 20 minutes for a person to check out. With only one counter, it was taking too long. Is there a faster way to close the deal, collect the money. The Central Team has to think, brainstorm some hi-tech concepts where they can advertise that their checkout is only 2 minutes. I guess, there must be a smarter way to make it express checkout possible.

5. LABEL with SENSORS ( Instant Count of Label Price, Quantity)

  This is a serious time waster for customer as well as the sales person. I was checking for XL size for the Tee shirt. And, just like everyone, I went look hunting for the cloth tab to see the size and price. Just imagine the time spend by the customer! It’s the same with the case of a sales person. He or she can do it better, still there’s a time factor.

I was thinking of a sensor with each shirt/clothing material, with which the sales people and the customer will know the number of pieces of size available. How to make this work!
It would require the use of some smart sensor and the data should be displayed in some tablet in the close by shelf. BINGO! Time saved. No wastage of time rummaging the clothes, looking for yours size. On a instant, the display will show how many pieces of one cloth is available.

One way is that customer just has to show the label on the tablet or scanner, and it will display the price. Another benefit of having a scanner will be for oldies like me, who will find it easy to read the price of garment. Have you seen how people in their 50’s read the label? Without glasses, we have to pull the letter up and down to see the right figures.

( Probably this is the main thought I got from today’s visit. What do you think about it? Do you think, we are too early to adopt such a sensor?