It was in the days post 26/11
terror attacks when my boss and I brainstormed on what security solutions we
could offer to the country at large given that there was heightened interest
among the armed forces, security agencies, private companies and others.
Amongst a suite of solutions that we did come up with one stood out for its
possibilities and to my mind is relevant even today. However our archaic laws
prevent such cost saving, service enhancing solutions. But the main purpose of this blog is to share
what turned out to be the most hilarious meeting in my life. Words will fail to
do justice to it since the actual incident was accompanied by action, voice,
expressions, and reactions in a conference room. The reader needs to imagine the situation.
My Boss had indefatigable
energy, enthusiasm that could put a teenager to shame, an ability to think out
of the box that was incredible and an unlimited imagination. Sometimes the last
named ran away and this meeting was one such.
The solution we had planned
was simple. Access to banking services
was still a dream to the millions of rural populace who continued to depend
upon money lenders and such middlemen at high cost. Setting up bank branches in
each village was impractical in every which way you can. Barring for public
sector banks that under political pressure did some token service, the private
sector was no where present. The answer was a mobile banking solution inspired
by the Anand/ AMUL pattern veterinary medical solution where every village gets
high quality healthcare access for cows/buffaloes which even humans don’t get.
The solution we came up with
was an armoured vehicle that was designed to carry cash, have say 2 officers in
it and an ex-serviceman as driver. The vehicle would be designed so that it was
tracked by GPS in real time by a central control room, would have automatic
distress signalling capabilities if attacked and being armoured would have
reasonably good protection. The vehicle would be designed such as to open a window on one side like a counter using which customers could transact with the mobile
bank. The vehicle would have computers linked to the internet so that
transactions were uploaded in real time. Over time the bank could encourage/educate
customers to switch to smart cards/ credit cards so that the amount of cash
carried was reduced. This vehicle would
run designated routes over certain villages every day and thus a certain area would get this mobile banking system say once a week.
The idea excited us; we put
together a plan, potential support partners to provide required solutions and
then tried to get potential customers interested. Like I said before archaic
laws & a depressed investment mood made it difficult but we found one
interested customer who sought a detailed presentation and meeting with his
board.
The presentation started well
and was received well and the board excited to know more. The armoured vehicle and its support services would entail substantial capital cost even if mobile and require many changes to traditional thinking/working which again cost money in the Indian system. The brainstorming
started. As it often happens with boards,
commercials and revenue models came into picture and that is when my Boss’s
imagination took over.
Each of my Boss’s ideas
required him to excitedly sketch out the scenario in detail since there was no
official presentation and he did this with aplomb, gestures and all. The board
reacted & asked questions.
My Boss started off by saying
that the outside of the van could be printed with advertisements by companies
who would pay for this sustained exposure across rural markets. Consumer
companies would gladly pay a premium rate for such advertising. The board
beamed in appreciation.
Encouraged, my Boss was now in
his elements.
He then said that a slightly
larger vehicle at negligible cost could then mean that a healthcare worker could
also travel and using telemedicine solutions the rural populace could get
healthcare access. This way the support services cost of internet access,
infotech could be shared by healthcare companies thus distributing operating
cost. The board nodded with Hmm and Ahhhs.
He further said that a small
space could be created for carrying vaccines so that the capital
cost could be distributed with the healthcare ministry for ensuring vaccination
of the rural populace. Such social
service would mean that the banking service provider got free goodwill. The
board now listened with wariness.
Nextly he said that the system
could be used to educate people and run social service campaigns on various
issues. The other side of the van could
be fitted with a screen and using a projector we could show social service
messages/ films and the government agencies could communicate with the rural
population in a focussed manner. That was the period when the silence of the
then PM and the government was beginning to be felt. We could even show
advertisements from fertiliser companies. He said that agriculture/
information/ rural development/ fertiliser ministries could contribute to the
cost since they got captive audience every day and they had huge funds
available at their disposal. The board
was now silent. We now had created
involvement of more than half a dozen ministries apart from private sector
companies in our solution!!!!!.
Did we notice the drop in
temperature in the conference room? Nyah, we didn’t.
He then went on to say that
educating the people using various medium was critical. The van had a
roof that could double up as a stage and we could depute motivational speakers
and teachers who could then travel with the vehicle, stand atop the van and
speak to the captive audience. Imagining
this scenario we were now giggling. Then someone
said that given the rural lifestyles it might require after hours services too.
By this time mobile banking
was no longer on the table.
Of course he had a solution
for that too. We could fix spot lights
to the sides of the van and even in the dark the service offering could
continue to be delivered. Infact this
idea was so good that these lights could be used to show off the advertisements
on the outside of the vehicle. So as it travelled in the dark on the roads,
people could still see them. Companies would probably pay an even higher
premium for such innovation.
And now that we had a vehicle
with lights, stage and all we needed to say was Sound, Camera, Action and
that is exactly what my Boss did. He said that with this we could now arrange
for a skit/dance/ street drama kind of stuff on the roof of the bus with lights
and social service messages conveyed very effectively that would hold the
audience interest.
We had now spent close to 3
hours on this meeting. Imagining a Malaika Arora from Munni Badnaam hui my colleague said “Chalo we can even arrange
for an item number on top of the bank for entertainment & collect money”. Someone else woke up and asked “Are we planning mobile
banking or mobile entertainment?”
That is when the meeting collapsed
into uncontrolled laughter. I suspect that even now the Chairman and his board
smile when they think of that day.
Needless to say the idea never took off though I still believe that idea
is worthwhile even today – without the entertainment.
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