Random Business Ideas for Starting business in Trivandrum

~ bjcharles ~ 1 Comment
Off late, I’m oozing out stupid biz ideas of all kinds…some are crappy, some deserve a second look. Since I’m only good with spawning new business ideas, and not implementing it, I have to share it to you for execution.

This week, I landed in the garbage filled Trivandrum. I can’t help at the state of affairs of my sweet land… road side strewed with plastic garbage bags, long queue in front of liquor outlets and union propaganda posters everywhere and unwarranted government rules. Something is amiss is this green paradise, something better could be done or achieved.

And away from the stench, corruption  and nepotism prevailing in Kerala, there’s a slow and real revolution, but is exploding. It’s the rise of small startups or home based business.

So, what are the best business to start in Kerala? One reigning business is Gold retail, thanks to our dowry system. But the lust for gold is going down, and will become unpopular in Kerala in a decades time. So, what else can you do to earn a decent living in Trivandrum. Here’re few options I can think of.

1) Start a Plant Nursery.

( If you love gardening, or you have spare time after your day job, then this is a big money earner.

Pros: Low budget. You can start with contribution from your friends or relatives.
Cons: Should have sufficient space, good sunlight, cover from heavy tropical rain,

How to begin: Start by specializing in one category of plant. Don’t take everything, you’ll end up now where.  For instance, Orchid, Anthorium or indoor plant specialist, Adenium, etc. Also, sell dried cow dung, or do lawn maintenance or try out supplying gardeners.

Or better still, become a gardener during weekends. I’ve been hunting for a gardener for quite long and the person who used to come from Kattakada is too busy to visit and repot my pots.

2) Start a home nursing centre ( With an online portal)

With no one to take care of elders, parents are living alone in big houses. There’re many home nursing centers, but they don’t have a organized portal to cater to our elders.

Pros: Be the first to start a unique Kerala based portal. Share stories, tips, and articles. Monetize it with the right plan.

3) Start a Homestay

Do you have a spare room in your house or can you take a house for rent? If yes, you can convert these places into a homestay facility.

You have the potential to earn above 30K if you’re able to get steady booking. Become proactive by suggesting local attractions or take them for a local tour.

4) Start a evening take-away counter

I have seen couple of take-away counter running successfully in Trivandrum. You can start from your house. Utilize your culinary skills to make great delicacies at affordable price. Folks in Trivandrum are big time foodies. So, all you need is clean, neat and tasty food. Can you?

Pros: Less investment ( Start with one specialty ) Fish preferred ( Why not start a sardine specialty) Just my suggestion. Or have pork in the mix. I haven’t seen places where you get pork vindaloo or pepper pork.

Word of advice: Labour is expensive and unreliable in Trivandrum. Don’t depend on a external chef. Train yourself in cooking and do the most work by yourself.

5) Start Medical Tourism Facility
Kerala has one of the most advanced medical hospitals for cancer, heart, and other specialties  Try to market such services in countries like Canada, USA or other places where treatment is expensive. Give top-class medical service and give them value for money. Add vacation to the medical package.

6) Start Aquarium business

 

How to Stay Forever Young

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Are you still wild?

Today while sprinting and walking at the park behind ESI hospital, I had an epiphany …. I just observed people of all ages in this park, and I thought of their younger side..

Some were gregarious, some quiet, some blabbering over their mobile and so serious about fitness buffs. And all these has some young spots remaining despite in their 50’s and 60’s.

This took me through the thought of how many of still retain youthful spirit, despite crossing 20’s, 30’s or 40’s…So, where is your youth factor? Is it in your voice, your body, your biceps, or your youthful bum….

So, the million dollar question, is here…How Do you Stay Forever Young… How to withstand your little child like behavior or beauty despite going through marriage, or just passing age? Do you still continue your youthful kinkiness? Or you are just as adventurous as you were in your 20’s?

What killed your daring spirit? Who killed the little tiger in you? Why do we get mellowed with time? Are we meant to be sober with age? How maintain timeless body and spirit?

If you have some suggestions to these questions, then share it in comments or just shout out!

While thinking of this topic, this song “Forever Young” from Bob Dylan came to my mind…

May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

….watch Foreover Young in Youtube, sung by two of all time favorite singers – Bob Dylan & Bruce Springsteen.

Cheers to the youth in you…

What KSRTC Needs to Learn From KSTRC

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Here’s a comparison between Kerala Road Transport Corporation and Karnataka Road Transport Corporation services. I found it worthwhile to bench-marking their service levels and take cues to improve services .

I’m advocating Kerala Transport corporation officials to see how well their counterpart Karnataka Transport is making profits by cashing on the fixed assets ( land & property). Also how KSRC has better facilities for passengers  and how they have adopting social media (Facebook) to connect with commuters.

Here’re two good practices from Karnataka Road Transport Corporation

1) KSRTC has utilized it’s land and property very productivity. It has converted it’s small bus depot to multi-stored buildings that includes bus stands, multi-level vehicle parking facility, cafe, and upper stories for offices. Imagine how this low value asset is now yielding KSRTC thousands of money from rent

2) KSRTC is using social media ( Facebook) to connect with commuters. It has already won numerous awards for its proactive participation in social channels.

Apart from this, I feel almost all KSRTC (Kerala) depot or station is cluttered with union flags and posters. If this defacement of public property to the singular publicity of unions is totally unwarranted. Instead look at KSRTC stations in Karnataka. I haven’t seen union poster all around the place. Let our Kerala unions like CITU, INTUC and other unions learn about civic sense and think of commuters first before them flag the repetitive slogans.

Finally, both KSRTC should focus on improving the cleanliness of public toilets in various bus stands. I often find most of KSRTC loos too unclean for use.

Why can’t kerala revolt for clean toilets? Why don’t political parties have strike or hartal to force Govt to maintain clean public toilets? Let’s have a different excuse to have a hartal..not the usual petrol hike or inflation or some god damn reason to hold a useless strike.

So, here I conclude my first part series on KSRTC. I hope someone will spot, relevant points from this post and use it to improve service.

Sleep With a Stranger – Themed Cafe

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Another Japanese invention or rather call it weirdness. We all know that Japs take weirdness to a all new level, but I never thought of this idea… “Why did I not think of this possibility”?

Anyways, I’m sharing the concept from Soneya’s (themed cafe) website. I wonder how a similar theme would work in India. What do you think? Will it work in our great democracy where every little freedom is curbed? Or you’ve to bribe officials to implement it in some hideouts?

Rate card – Right to Admission Reserved

As per my understanding on this cafe theme, this cafe offers you blissful sleep, yes, with their patrons. Service level starts from cuddling, talking, patting or just simple peaceful sleep.And this an’t a brothel and there’s no sex. It’s just plain innocent sleep with a a girl.

As Sonieya’s website says—you are being offered the “simple and ultimate comfort of sleeping together with someone.” Uh…just don’t mind that bulge under your pjs.

I think it’s an great idea, especially in a world where there’s no time for anyone to spare a second or so. Let such ideas come to India, and I’ll be the first one to visit.

Post Secret Cards

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Secret to tell you

Sharing embarrassing moments

Thanks to PostSecret, many have the chance to vent out their little secrets or embarrassing moments. I visit this site get a peek on their secret cards. If you haven’t seen this site, it’s time you visit a: postsecret.com

So, what little or big secret lies inside you? Do you take it along with you to the grave, or will you share to a trusted friend or partner?

Marketing Ideas For Hair Saloons

~ bjcharles ~ 1 Comment
Today, Saturday, October 13th, 2012, I peddled my way to the closest hair saloon for a hair cut. It’s my second trip to this unisex saloon, which has just started few meters from my house ( Domlur BDA road).

Earlier, I used to spend only fifty bucks of  a hair cut, but off-late I’m spending extra shelling for grooming. Thanks to recent pay hike.

Here’re other reason why I like visiting these swanky unisex saloons:

1) Get soothing head wash before hair cut
2) Chance to meet posh customers and eye them
3) Finally, ladies service is better than men

So, for an price of 99 rupees, I sat on the well upholstered chair. And  as usual , this fellow started chirping my salt and peeper hair. With nothing to do in this saloon chair, I glazed at the large mirror, looking at my forty year old sagging face and looked gloomily at the impending signs of old age.

After a while I got bored looking at my face, and I decided to come with my usual antics of probing this small business entrepreneur.

I casually asked him this question…how do you market your saloon business. He paused for a second and then looked at me and said…”Pamphlets”. What else I asked, he said, ‘nothing’.

Next I harpooned my marketing ideas on this poor, innocent looking saloon owner cum worker. Here’re few facts I shared with him. I hope it works for most business.

1) Task one: Start collecting customers name, mobile #, email address in one book ( Customer database)
2) But before you collect information of customers, explain to customers the reason
3) Tell them that they will receive SMS alerts about special offers, discount, etc
3) Finally, in the same process, ask suggestion or comments on the service

How is customer data going to help him generate more business?

#1. He can use contact information to personalize his interaction with the customer. He can call them by their name, instead of using impersonal words like Boss, Sir or Madam
#2 He can send mid week offers ( For eg: Facial 10% off, discount on combo packages) by SMS
#3 If he is tech savvy, he can even design email campaigns and send to his customers, en masse. But right now, this is a fetched idea for him, right now.

Well, this is just a start for him to publicize his saloon business.

If you’re a small business owner or a brick and mortar business person , you can use these fundamental marketing ideas to improve your reach. Moreover, it help you to cost-effectively help them to reach more people, remind them of your services, and improve your brand image.

Finally, my hope is that this fellow ( Mr Krishna) takes effort to build a customer database and use it to market his services. I would love to see his grooming business start getting more customers.

If you’ve running any business, I can help you with free advice, digital marketing suggestion or social media marketing idea. Apart from this, I you have a website, I can give free comments on how you can improve your brand by improving your website marketing.

Hallelujah to Digital Marketing

Optimizing ATM Machines

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
I stay at Cambridge Layout, Bangalore, where there are X number of ATM machines from different banks. With so many ATMs in this neighborhood, I get a feeling that I’m staying in a cash rich area or ATM’s are cheap.

Whatever it is, it made me think of how well banks can make use of this space.

Before I go with my plan, here’re the list of ATM machines at Cambridge Layout. ( just in 1 km Stretch)

  1. Citi Bank  ATM, close to Bata Show Room ( Never been to this one)
  2. Karur Vysya Bank ( Un-kept ATM with spider web, adjacent to old Annapurni Restaurant) now Dominos Pizza 
  3. HDFC ATM – Next to Wildcraft show room ( Sai Baba Temple road) 
  4. ICICI ATM ( Opposite side of Cambridge Hospital )
  5. SBI ( Anonymous one with dull setting…sleeping next to ICICI ) 
  6. Canara Bank ( Another poor cousin’s ATM)
  7. Kotak Mahindra ( Next to Frank Antony School)
  8. Vijaya Bank ( Outside Vijaya bank) 
  9. IDBI ( Close to ESI hospital) lonely & deserted – this one hardly works
Questions to bankers?
What is the point of having your ATM in this crowded space. If you’re so flushed with funds, then there are more things you could do.Next how well are you using this space? 
Here’re my questions to you bankers:
1) Is your bank utilizing 100 sq feet of rented space?
2) Is ATM menu options used in the ATM facilitating memorable experience or confusing users?
3) How well do you test ATM instructions? – Bad Font, confusing menu, bad instruction, etc.
4) Does ATM machine cross-sell other functions – loan request, cheque book, etc

I like ICICI’s  ATM instruction, they are fast to the point. But they are not cross-selling. Whereas, HDFC ATMs has credit card repayment options. What about others like Canara bank or SBI? Do they have to act like Sarkari banks? 

Security Men at ATM Machines
Almost all ATM machines has security staff? But sadly I haven’t seen then doing anything apart from manning or sleeping next to this box?

  1. Are they trained to answer customer queries or complaints at these ATM counters? 
  2. Can they do more than what they are doing now? 
  3. Why can’t be trained to become more productive to your bank and to themselves?
  4. Why should they waste their life at these small cubicles?
  5. Can they promote any new service to ATM users? 

Give them a tablet PC with eLearning training modules loaded in it.Give them training on basic banking aspects or sorting card issues or train them to sport a SMILE 🙂 

Even the bored security men will find it interesting to provide value, and banks get’s its share of value. Think about it bankers.

Hope these suggestions are of value. 

Wine Pleasure: Four Seasons Wine Tasting in Bangalore

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
My first ever wine tasting adventure…. Four Seasons Wine

Living Daylights With Four Seasons Wine

Master Chef – Thai Food demo
Four Seasons Magic
Captivating the Motely Group of  food bloggers: Former Miss India Earth Shamita Singha 

Master Chef  & Shamita at Thai cooking demo

 Barrique Reserve Shiraz  – Still Red Wine 

Click – Click – Starlet 

Decked to Get all attention

Demo from Master Chef

Ingredients for Thai Cooking

Cheers to Four Seasons, for inviting bloggers from Bangalore to taste their range of wines. This event organized by GingerClaps, at Royal Orchid Hotels, Bangalore.

This wine tasting and food paring event started on a good note by a Four Seasons brand ambassador Miss Earth Shamita Singha. Most of us (bloggers) were new to the wine tasting. She gave a good intro on winery, how to taste wine, matching food for the wine, etc. Overall she lifted us from the world of wine anonymity  to foot hills of wine enlightenment.Cheers to Shamita.

Next we had a excellent demonstration on Thai dish by Master Chef. While chef explained the ingredients for making Thai green curry, I had an abundance of all three wine,  Blush, Barrique Reserve Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc. And the heady mix of these exotic wines lightened by nerves…..

This wine tasting event came with other social benefits… met other bloggers, food aficionados, and folks united by food and words.

Finally, we bid adieu with a killer dessert, exchanging  pleasantries, smiles and plenty of handshakes.

Cheeiro Four Seasons Wine