Trust me, this is not an article on ad campaign. This is the way I felt the change associated with de-regulation of country’s economy. I hope, like me, many would have experienced this in last few decades.
I have grown up in the regulated economy. I bet – not many of you would have seen a license for a transistor radio. I have seen my father paying the fees for having a radio. I was told that there were even surprise inspections to catch a defaulter.
To me, Bajaj Scooter is an epitome of that era. I have discussed this with many of my friends – it was a perfect example of what one should avoid while designing a two-wheeler. Just to brush up your memory – it was a carbon copy of an Italian design with poor seating and even worse handle bar position. One-sided engine and smaller wheel was a perfect recipe for disaster. Funny was the hand operated gear – how people managed that without wrist pain! Raw power was left unutilized. No one ever heard about efficiency figures those days. And the best part is – prospective buyers used to pay premium and wait for months together to get one of those!
My interaction with one of those machines was very brief – in my high school days, I was riding my friend’s Bajaj scooter. I toppled badly – the culprit was a pothole at the turn. I fell, damaging my elbow and knee. The scooter fell on its side, skidded and hit a tree. I still remember the face of my friend who was walking behind me. I promised not to touch the machine in future.
The same company, in recent times, has changed the country’s biking experience. This is what opening of economy does with the product and consumer. Do you remember the launch of its first bike? It has been a trendsetter since then.
Opening of economy brings competition in the market place forcing the manufacturers (or service providers) to improve their product performance. The net result is a better product at a very competitive price. The winner is the customer. Is it not the right thing to do?
Looking back, I feel sorry for those consumers who suffered their entire lifetime from poor product/service quality in those decades of regulation. I do not know what took us so long to open up the economy. My judgment tells me, our country is progressing at a faster pace since then.
I have grown up in the regulated economy. I bet – not many of you would have seen a license for a transistor radio. I have seen my father paying the fees for having a radio. I was told that there were even surprise inspections to catch a defaulter.
To me, Bajaj Scooter is an epitome of that era. I have discussed this with many of my friends – it was a perfect example of what one should avoid while designing a two-wheeler. Just to brush up your memory – it was a carbon copy of an Italian design with poor seating and even worse handle bar position. One-sided engine and smaller wheel was a perfect recipe for disaster. Funny was the hand operated gear – how people managed that without wrist pain! Raw power was left unutilized. No one ever heard about efficiency figures those days. And the best part is – prospective buyers used to pay premium and wait for months together to get one of those!
My interaction with one of those machines was very brief – in my high school days, I was riding my friend’s Bajaj scooter. I toppled badly – the culprit was a pothole at the turn. I fell, damaging my elbow and knee. The scooter fell on its side, skidded and hit a tree. I still remember the face of my friend who was walking behind me. I promised not to touch the machine in future.
The same company, in recent times, has changed the country’s biking experience. This is what opening of economy does with the product and consumer. Do you remember the launch of its first bike? It has been a trendsetter since then.
Opening of economy brings competition in the market place forcing the manufacturers (or service providers) to improve their product performance. The net result is a better product at a very competitive price. The winner is the customer. Is it not the right thing to do?
Looking back, I feel sorry for those consumers who suffered their entire lifetime from poor product/service quality in those decades of regulation. I do not know what took us so long to open up the economy. My judgment tells me, our country is progressing at a faster pace since then.
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