MxMIndia

Category: Digital

  • There is no doubt that even if TikTok suffers a setback, it will recover faster than traditional media, writes Indrani Sen

    Indrani Sen: TikTok Ticks Fast in India during Lockdown

    By Indrani Sen

     

    Sensor Tower, a US-based app analytics firm has estimated that between March 25 and April 10, 2020, Zoom, TikTok and Aarogya Setu topped the list of apps downloaded by the Indians during the first two weeks of lockdown. The statistics was published in ThePrint in their article on India’s favourite apps in Lockdown (https://theprint.in/tech/indias-favourite-apps-in-lockdown-zoom-tiktok-and-aarogya-setu/406709/) on April 22, 2020.

    As corporate India was suddenly forced to work from home, it is not surprising that Zoom, the video conferencing app became India’s most downloaded app during March 25 to April 10, 2020. It is also understandable that Aarogya Setu, the mobile app developed and promoted heavily by the Government of India, connecting people with the healthcare facilities as well as Government advisories in the fight against COVID 19, was the third most downloaded app. TikTok, which was a close second to Zoom, reaffirmed the addiction which Indians have developed for the app ever since its launch in 2017.

    TikTok by definition is just an app where users post their short videos, but in practice it has turned the small screen to a stage for mini reality shows where people compete and crave for attention, for instant celebrity status, for a different life than their mundane existence or simply for emotional release from day to day monotony in social media. It has taken the imagination of Indians fed by song and dance sequences and fantasy of Bollywood movies by storm. For Indian youth TikTok is not just a time pass, it offers them an outlet for their hidden creativity combined with a career option and scope of financial success.

    TikTok was launched in 2017 by its parent company, the Chinese media business ByteDance for iOS and Android operating systems in markets outside China. ByteDance acquired Musical.ly, a social-media platform for sharing music videos, for $1 billion and merged it with TikTok on August 2, 2018 and TikTok downloads started surging ahead from that time.

    Some parents and politicians in India think the content of TikTok is inappropriate for children. On April3, 2019, the Madras High Court after hearing an IPL asked the Government of India to ban the app. Accordingly, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology ordered Google and Apple app stores to remove the TikTok app. However, the ban was reversed by court order in a subsequent court case on April 24, 2019 and the TikTok app returned on app stores.

    A year back in May 2019, India was already topping the list of top ten countries using TikTok apps in the world (http://routenote.com/blog/top-10-countries-with-the-largest-number-of-tiktok-users/) showing three times more number of users than USA.

    Top 10 TikTok Users as on May, 2019

    Rank Country TikTok Users (mn)
    1 India 119.3
    2  USA 39.6
    3 Turkey 28.4
    4 Russia 24.3
    5 Mexico 19.7
    6 Brazil 18.4
    7 Pakistan 11.8
    8 Saudi Arabia 9.7
    9 France 9.1
    10  Germany 8.8

    Source: http://routenote.com

     

    By the end of 2019, TikTok shocked even the Netizens when it achieved the number one position in terms of worldwide downloads hitting 1.5 billion downloads and beating Facebook. India had almost 44 per cent share of the 1.5 billion downloads and again topped the list. It is estimated that at the end of 2019 there were more than 200 million TikTok users in India making India TikTok’s biggest global market.

    On January 28, 2020, www.thehindubusinessline.com carried a story “TikTok targeting INR100 crore revenue in India by September 2020” (https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/tiktok-targeting-100-crore-revenue-in-india-by-september-2020/article30673050.ece). The TikTok management was hoping to ride on their new ad formats for brands, including in-feed videos, branded effects such as AR filers and branded lens, hashtag challenges, etc. for realising their business target.

    It would be interesting to see if TikTok still manages to achieve its business target in 2020 when all traditional and non-traditional media are anticipating loss of ad revenue due to the prolonged lockdown to fight Covid-19 19 in India. There is no doubt that even if TikTok suffers a setback, it will recover faster than traditional media.

  • Artificial Intelligence: The Road Ahead

    Artificial Intelligence: The Road Ahead

    Kunal SinhaInvestor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence (AI) soared to unprecedented heights last week, fuelled by remarkable performance from chipmaker Nvidia, which propelled stockmarkets across three continents to historic highs. The surge, commencing on Thursday and extending through Friday, saw Nvidia surpass Google’s parent company, Alphabet, to claim the coveted position of the third most valuable company in the US, boasting a market capitalization of $2 trillion, second only to tech giants Microsoft and Apple.

    Nvidia’s significance in the AI landscape cannot be overstated.

    The company produces chips essential for training and operating AI systems, facilitating rapid data processing crucial for applications like chatbots. As demand for such infrastructure skyrockets with major tech players entering the AI arena, and with consumer interest in AI-driven products like ChatGPT and Midjourney surging, Nvidia’s robust performance underscores the thriving demand for AI technology, inevitably attracting the attention of investors.

    The artificial intelligence (AI) boom has raised many questions, not least over safety and the impact on jobs, but there are also concerns that it might be driving unsustainable market exuberance.

     

    What do consumers think of AI?

    Consumers are still in a wait-and-watch mode with respect to AI, with feelings
of both awe and distrust.

    This is driven by the concern that it could replace
a human they can connect with. The desire for human connection reflects in their channel preferences, too – with most still preferring to interact with human channels over digital, especially for high-stakes tasks like resolving an issue with a bill, and switching to digital for simpler, transactional activities like checking an order status. Human interaction remains a top choice when considering aspects of decision-making, customer support, and returns or cancellations.

    There is also enthusiasm. Around 57% Indian consumers would prefer using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools rather than to engage in human interaction while looking for products and services online, findings of a recent Adobe survey reveal. Recent research by Qualtrics tells us that 73% of consumers are fine interacting with AI is getting status updates on an order placed; and 48% of people are comfortable interacting with an organisation/ brand’s AI.

     

    Where are businesses with AI adoption?

    While shoppers try to work out exactly what to think of these technologies, the businesses that move quickly to incorporate AI and new data strategies into their operations will be best poised for success. In the early days of gen AI, it feels a lot like giving a toolbox to every employee and allowing them to experiment with what they could build, and possible gains in productivity and cost. As business use cases become clearer, we should be able to see how brands discover opportunities to drive innovation.

    Offering a consistent and accurate customer support experience is one of the main challenges which businesses face.
This is where businesses in India are still in the early stages of AI deployment.

    Only 15% Indian brands are leveraging generative AI to enhance customer experience (CX) initiatives compared to 18% globally.

    41% of Indian brands are seeing CX as a business priority today.

    87% of Indian brands are prioritizing CX enhancements over other business goals.

    76% of brands already have or will pilot GenAI solutions to support CX.

    Overall, 53% of Indian brands want to improve GenAI capabilities in the next 12 months.

     

    Bridging the gap between intent and action is going to be a priority in 2024.

    As consumers go from making a purchase to resolving an issue online, the customer journey often breaks down –
with satisfaction 22 % points lower compared 
to making a purchase.

    AI and Customer support

    For companies that get digital support right,
there are significant rewards. One study found customers are 2.7X more likely to return after a positive digital support experience — the highest of any channel and journey studied.

    Marketers must look to AI to empower their frontline teams with the tools, time, and insights to build stronger connections with customers and make that a better experience, too.

    While AI will undoubtedly help businesses make simple, repeatable tasks more efficient – something consumers welcome -
an effective AI strategy is not simply deploying more chatbots and automating tasks.

    Blinkit, the quick commerce platform of Zomato has introduced a new feature called ‘Recipe Rover’ driven by the most popular AI models ChatGPT and Midjourney. Recipe Rover displays multiple recipes related to the food items which the customer searches for in the app. The company also plans to integrate generative AI into product photography, customer support, etc. Zomato’s massive customer database can be effectively deployed to create more customer-friendly features in the future.

    Using data to predict customer needs

    Data will dictate how to best use gen AI – for both customer and business needs. While businesses are still in
the experimental phase, the push to monetize gen AI investments and quantify their value is becoming stronger. Leading that charge are decisions around how to use valuable internal data to maximize the value that generative AI is creating.

    AI’s predictive power enables brands to get ahead of customer needs through analytics of behaviours, interactions and preferences. It identifies subtle shifts that human analysis alone could miss, such as churn risk, service issues, up-sell opportunities or optimal times for engagement.

    These insights allow brands to engage contextually at just the right moments. Inevitably, while booking a flight ticket, the AI nudges me to book travel insurance as well. It makes excellent recommendations for hotels at the destination, often offering up significant discounts.

    Identifying customer needs through prediction is just the first step, though.

    Leading insurance tech company Policybazaar has been using AI tools for fraud detection using an AI-based risk framework that checks for liveliness and avoids deep fakes. It also uses AI tools for motor vehicles inspection where the customer can make a video of the vehicle and upload it while the AI does the damage assessment.

    The company has also developed predictive AI for voice to text conversion which can be used to gather consumer data and be used to assess consumer behaviour.

    Firing up Contextual Personalisation

    Companies that grow faster drive 40% more of their revenue from personalisation, according to a report by McKinsey & Company. But tailoring engagement across channels and customers is enormously difficult. AI systems can take individual customer insights and orchestrate relevant cross-channel personalisation at scale. The result is a tailored, proactive experience for every customer.

    When you think of your best customer experience, you realise that the brand seemed to truly understand and cater to you – personalised engagement is the magic behind this experience. It’s impactful, and it matters. It not only elevates the customer experience but also results in better business growth, because they return and keep ordering.

    An e-commerce platform can use real-time behavioural analysis to recommend products to a user based on their current browsing pattern. When a user looks at sports shoes, the platform can immediately recommend relevant products, such as sports socks or training equipment. This immediate, relevant personalisation improves the user experience, leading to greater engagement and potential conversion.

    With 62% of consumers comfortable booking an airline ticket through AI,

    MakeMyTrip, one of India’s leading travel booking companies has collaborated with Microsoft to use generative AI to introduce voice-assisted booking in Indian languages. It helps users by offering personalized travel recommendations based on their preferences, curating holiday packages and booking them.

    Being mindful of privacy

    While AI offers immense potential, it also brings significant risks if ethics and consumer privacy are neglected. Around 59% Indians do not feel positive about buying from a brand that isn’t transparent about the use of their personal data.

    To maintain ethical integrity, brands must establish clear guidelines for unbiased, transparent and privacy-focused use of customer data. Rigorous testing is essential to eliminate bias in predictive algorithms.

    There are three essential steps that companies can take to find the sweet spot between personalisation and data privacy.

    • Only collect data that’s essential to creating a better customer experience. Begin with the experience you want to deliver and then define the data required to deliver it.
    • Allow your customers to customize their experience. Let them choose how much personalisation they want and how much of their data they are happy sharing.
    • Be transparent about how their data will be used. Once they understand that, they will be more likely to share their data willingly.

    In a nutshell, think of AI as the neighbourhood chacha (uncle) at the kirana (mom- and-pop) store. They have all your weekly transaction data. They know everything about you and your family. And they use that information to give you personalised, unmatched customer service, while maximizing their profit.

    Pretty basic, right?

     

    Kunal Sinha is a senior strategy and foresights executive based in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is the author of several books including The Future of India’s Rural Markets and Raw – Pervasive Creativity in Asia. He writes for MxMIndia every other Monday. His views here are personal.

  • OTT, not communication, tops internet use in India

    OTT, not communication, tops internet use in India

    As high as 86% of internet users in India, that is 707 Mn people, enjoy OTT audio and video services, making it the top use-case for internet in the country. These numbers were revealed by the ‘Internet in India Report 2023’, jointly prepared by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Kantar, the leading marketing data and analytics company.

    The report was released by Harsh Jain, Chairman, IAMAI, and CEO and Co-founder Dream Sports, at the inaugural session of the two-day India Digital Summit 2024, being held in Mumbai (Feb 27 and 28). “‘Internet in India’, which is based on the ICUBE 2023 study, covering over 90,000 households across all states and Union Territories of India (barring Lakshadweep), is the most comprehensive survey of internet usage in the country,” he said.

    Puneet Awasthi, Director, Specialist Businesses, Insights, South Asia – Business Development, Kantar, India, presented the key figures of the report.

    The rise of digital entertainment services is also bolstered by the rise of non-traditional devices (smart TV, smart speakers, Firesticks, Chromecasts, Blue-Ray etc) that has witnessed a growth of 58% between 2021-23 at all India level. The adoption is driven by the new generation ‘cordcutters’ as for the first time, there are more people accessing video content over internet only devices (208Mn) than over conventional linear TV (181Mn).

    Other top use-cases of internet in the country are communications, with 621Mn users, and social media with 575Mn users. These are the second and third most popular services availed by Indian internet users. OTT refers to audio/video streaming either from subscribed or user-generated content UGC platforms while Communication refers to text/ voice/ video chat or used email, video conferencing, etc. using an online website or app in the last one year.

    The report points out that users from rural India are driving all these use-cases, accounting for more than 50% of the user base for each use case.

    The growing internet penetration in India surpassed a new milestone of 800Mn as total Active Internet Users reached 820MN in 2023, meaning more than 55% of Indians have used internet last year. Internet penetration grew across the nation at a modest 8% YoY. Rural India (442 Mn) is a clear majority accounting for over ~53% of the total user base.

    From a Male:Female ratio of 71:29 in 2015 we have reached 54:46 in recent times, which is almost at par with the overall sex ratio of the addressable population in the country.

    Reading between the lines the report reveals that the growth has decelerated in both urban and rural areas. Rural India, which has been driving internet growth rates for the last many years has been witnessing a slowdown lately (11% YoY), effectively in the post pandemic period, that is lowering overall growth rates (8% YoY). However, while the growth rate has slowed down, in terms of actual numbers it is still phenomenal, since 8 per cent and 11 percent in a base of over 800 million are huge numbers.

    One of the ways to accelerate the growth may be to focus on Indic languages which shows a healthy sign of growth in some states. The report finds that 57% users prefer to access content in Indic languages, with languages such as Tamil, Telegu and Malayalam having the strongest language preference for content.

    Finally, it is also a matter of great optimism that states with the lowest internet user base is also showing signs of highest growth rates. States such as Jharkhand (46% penetration) and Bihar (37% penetration) are showing above average growth rates of 12% and 17% respectively.

    For a copy of the full report please visit: thought-leadership | India Digital Summit.

  • He has set up India’s first ISEC reporting panel

    Yashwant Deshmukh highlights ISEC role in digital world

    At the IAMAI’s India Digital Summit 2024 held earlier this week in Mumbai, the Indian Socio-Economic Classification (ISEC) was much discussed. Central to this initiative is the COTN survey by senior researcher and founder-CEO/Editor of CVoter, Yashwant Deshmukh who is CEO, Dataeye Asia aimed at tracking consumer sentiments across the nation especially in digital consumption. To be conducted year-round in 11 Indian languages and commissioned by a leading media house.

    The survey helps CMOs with two essential batteries: the COTN Economic Battery and the COTN Product Battery. The first COTN survey report is scheduled to be released this month (March 2024). Additionally, this will be the first ISEC-aligned initiative, the survey will introduce a media consumption tracker. More details on what COTN is all about is awaited, and this report will be updated thereafter.

    The conversation led by Yashwant underscored the imperative for CMOs to embrace the transformative power of data analytics and new segmentation in navigating India’s dynamic media landscape. As evidenced by the early adoption of digital media in regions like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, traditional media consumption patterns are in the midst of transformation.  Deciphering and understanding India’s growth in the digital space requires advanced survey methods due to the complexity and dynamism of the Indian consumer landscape.

    The summit highlighted ISEC’s potential with the debut of this study.

  • To Elevate Indian esports

    Nodwin Gaming & JSW Sports announce partnership

    Nodwin Gaming, the gaming and esports media company, has announced a partnership with JSW Sports to monetise and market its gaming, esports and cultural intellectual properties (IPs).

    Commenting on this strategic partnership, Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of Nodwin Gaming said: “We at Nodwin Gaming are thrilled to announce our partnership with JSW Sports, a momentous milestone in the esports ecosystem. Nodwin Gaming’s technical knowhow and leadership in the esports and gaming domain, combined with JSW Sports’ commercial expertise, positions us to unlock unprecedented opportunities in the distribution and monetisation of esports content. Our shared goal is not only to empower the esports ecosystem but also to establish new benchmarks for the future. While there’s much work ahead, the excitement and possibilities are boundless!”

    Speaking on the partnership, Divyanshu Singh, COO, JSW Sports, added: “India has one of the largest esports viewing audiences in the world, estimated at roughly 150 million viewers. That number swells up to 290 million when you combine it with both, esports playing titles and fans. Talking more numbers, In 2024, the revenue in the esports market is forecasted to reach US$124.8m, and that number will only grow exponentially in the years to come. In JSW Sports and Nodwin, we see two market leaders with the kind of synergies to capitalize on these trends, and change the game when it comes to distributing and monetizing esports content.”

  • To "redefine" the streaming landscape

    OTTplay Premium, RunnTV Join Forces

    OTTplay Premium, the AI-powered streaming, recommendation, and content discovery platform, , has announced the strategic onboarding of RunnTV, a digital platform.

    Said Avinash Mudaliar, CEO and Co-founder of OTTplay: “This synergistic alliance with RunnTV signifies a remarkable stride for OTTplay Premium. We are thrilled to unite with RunnTV to create a personalized streaming experience for our users. The fusion of our AI-based recommendation engine with RunnTV’s thematic channels is set to offer a refined and valuable entertainment landscape.”

    Added Manish Sinha, Founder & CEO of RunnTV: “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with OTTPlay as we continue to expand our reach and bring RunnTV to more and more Indian audiences. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our growth journey, allowing us to leverage OTTPlay’s extensive and innovative discovery and distribution platform to connect with more users. Together, we look forward to delivering unparalleled value and experiences to our shared audiences.”

  • Former Prasar Bharati CEO the role of Artificial Intelligence in marketing

    Trust is paramount, especially in the age of AI and deepfakes: Vempati

    “Trust is paramount, especially in the age of AI and deepfakes,” said Shashi Shekhar Vempati at the Branding and Marketing Summit, hosted by ASSOCHAM last week. The former CEO of Prasar Bharati spoke on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation on the marketing landscape. Vempati highlighted the critical significance of data privacy and ethical considerations amidst the proliferation of AI and deepfakes.

    “The future of marketing lies in embracing AI and automation while upholding the values of data privacy and ethical practices,” he said, adding: “Innovative technologies such as generative AI not only break language barriers but also offer invaluable insights for crafting exceptional customer experiences.”

    Reflecting on his tenure at Prasar Bharati, Vempati shared insights into the challenges faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in combating misinformation. “Our experience during the pandemic highlighted the critical role of media in dispelling misinformation and fostering trust.”

  • In the second edition of its marquee travel event, #NationOnVacation

    Cleartrip urges travellers to book in advance in new campaign

    Cleartrip, now a Flipkart Company, has launched a campaign urging travellers to book in advance.

    This is the second edition of its marquee travel event, #NationOnVacation. In its latest proposition, Cleartrip urges travellers to plan their dream vacation right now before the prices skyrocket.

    Talking about #NationOnVacation, Kunal Dubey, Chief Marketing Officer, Cleartrip said: “Summer is always a period of excitement for travellers across the country. #NationOnVacation was curated and created last year to make travel more accessible, easy and convenient for anyone considering a vacation. This year, we at Cleartrip are set to elevate the travel experience for users across the board. Be it Srinagar, Goa, Jaipur, Bagdogra, Kochi, Bangkok, Singapore, Denpasar, Toronto or London, Cleartrip is committed to providing travellers unparalleled offerings to make their dream summer vacation memorable.”

  • Content Innovation: AI and Beyond

    Content Innovation: AI and Beyond

    Shailesh KapoorIt’s hard to have a business discussion these days without a mention of AI very early into the conversation. Since the emergence of ChatGPT, artificial intelligence has been a buzzword that everyone wants to use. And not for the wrong reasons entirely. In the digital age, the role technology can play in businesses across the spectrum, including media and entertainment, is undeniable. And we have not seen it all. Not just as yet, anyway.

    Innovation is at the heart of many businesses, often featuring in core values of many companies, including some of the most traditional, brick-and-mortar ones. Technology is at the center of this innovation, and AI is expected to lead the way towards innovative creation and transformation of businesses.

    But there’s an irony in this idea too. I asked ChatGPT to define innovation in a business context. I got: “Innovation in the context of business refers to the process of creating new ideas, products, services, processes, or business models that add value to customers, improve efficiency, drive growth, or create competitive advantage. It involves transforming creative ideas into tangible outcomes that meet market needs or solve existing problems in new and better ways”.

    If we look at the keywords in this suitably verbose definition, the creative abilities of the human mind seem central to many of them. The deep linkage of innovation with technology can, hence, be a limiting thought. Especially because it can make those in “innovator” roles think only in one way. Yes, that’s the irony, right there.

    Tech-led innovation is great, but it will be heartbreaking if innovation begins to lose the human touch. In technology companies, this is a non-issue, because the innovators are also the technology guys. But if we look at something like entertainment, innovators are essentially writers, producers, directors, actors, marketers, salespersons, etc. The nature of the product relies on giving the audiences something compelling yet fresh. Self-learning technologies could simply be at cross-purposes with this idea.

    Suggestions that Generative AI can be used to write movie scripts is preposterous, for example. Think of the three most memorable movie dialogue lines of all time, across any language, and ask yourself: Can a “human-like” bot create the same human-like magic? We all know the answer.

    It is therefore crucial that entertainment businesses carefully craft the dos and don’ts of how to use technology for innovation. Technology, and AI within it, can be a content creator and distributor’s best friend. But like with all friendships, expectations must be set right. And the entertainment business worldwide runs the risk of erring on the wrong side here.

  • What business are the aggregator apps in?

    What business are the aggregator apps in?

    With apologies to none at all

    By Vikas Mehta

    Vikas MehtaA few weeks back I had written on the decline in the services of aggregator apps and related my personal experiences with a few apps. You can find the article here.

    Some of you readers wrote back and asked me for the reasons of this decline. As one put it, usually new offerings with new technology get ironed out over a period of time. So, why should the aggregator apps be an exception to this? Fair question and it set me thinking.

    Before I continue, I would like to convey my thanks to Hamsini Shivkumar, Brand Consultant and Semiotician par excellence. It was she who nudged me into thinking deeper and we had a fair exchange of ideas. Much of what I write today is the result of her thoughts.

    Let’s look at this decline in quality, first by looking at the Indian consumer.

    Most of the aggregator apps like Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Oyo; when they came on to the scene, they offered a new service, promising higher standards of delivery at cheap rates. I am using the word cheap deliberately. The transport aggregators offered cabs at your doorsteps within minutes and their rates were lesser than a traditional ‘kaali-peeli cab’. They offered not only the convenience of quick service but also avoided the hassle of looking for a cab and the cabbie declining to take you to your destination.

    Food service apps suddenly provided one with the comfort of home delivery from various restaurants at no extra cost.

    Oyo provided cheap hotels with a minimum quality assurance.

    Make My Trip offered everything one needed to travel including air schedules and bookings across airlines, railways and gradually also bus service. Hotels, cab pick-up and drop-offs and even guides for tourist places were gradually added on. And there was hardly any extra charge in the beginning.

    And almost all of them started peddling discount coupons and more offers to make the deal even sweeter.

    That’s why I used the word cheap. New services, new comforts and new conveniences were available cheaply.

    All these were targeted at the Indian middle class. And the Indian middle class still confuses value with cheap. Typically, value could be defined as same for less. Or more for same. Or more for more. Or even less for less.

    Same for less means cheaper, discounts. More for same means you add some more benefits. Buy one get one free or 200 gms extra in a pack of 500 gms at the same price of 500 gms. More for more would be pay only Rs 500 extra for buffet breakfast with a room. Less for less would be a star hotel giving you a room but not allowing you the facilities of a gym or a swimming pool.

    The Indian middle class as a generalisation picks up more for same or same for less. Give them a room at a discounted price and they are happy. Free airport drop and pickup is accepted. But adding buffet breakfast at a marginal cost may not be appealing. No extra money shelling out. Period.

    This is not to say that the middle class is not quality seeker. But they want best quality at low prices. They are not even looking at more for more. That’s why howls of protest arose throughout the country as transport aggregators started charging peak hour or rush hour or traffic surge surcharge. So much so, that public opinion forced some states to ban these surcharges by law! The typical middle class consumer has no problems accepting discounts but when charged extra due to high demand it demurs!

    More for more works for the luxury good or premium service seekers. These may not be the typical middle class. So, a Vistara charges you higher fare as they give wider seats, more leg space and free food and it has its premium users. Or these are people who will not want an anonymous biryani but a biryani from Paradise or Shah Ghouse in Hyderabad. The premium- or luxury-seekers are fine with these.

    And such people are few in numbers compared to the vast middle class who mostly is looking for more for same or same for less. The focus is solely on the price.

    Therefore, when the aggregator apps were launched and everything was same for less or more for same, these were lapped up. Cabs available at your location without any extra fees and maybe even cheaper than metered kali-peeli cabs were a hit. Food delivered in fast time without any delivery charge was a success. Hotel rooms available at much cheaper price with a promise of cleanliness and sanitation were lapped up.

    Now let’s see this picture from the viewpoint of the aggregator. Understanding the propensity of the middle class, they offered value but focussed on price. For the aggregator, it was hot food offered at the comfort of home at no extra cost but for the consumer it was about food at some discount too. It was not about cabs available quickly at your location without the fear of being declined by the cabbie but about great rates. It was not about an alternative available between 3-star and hole-in-the-wall shady hotels but about shady hotels available cheaper. To be honest, for both the cab aggregators and hotel aggregators, the story about cabs without declining and hotels with a standardised hygiene version were played up but these advantages were soon frittered away.

    Their partner service providers had been acquired also on the lure of substantial earnings. Hotels and restaurants were promised big incremental revenues. The delivery riders were promised lucrative, per ride fees. Transport aggregators too were giving the drivers big monies. And as word spread about easy money, more partners accrued.

    Discounts and price-cuts and subsidising of partners lasted for some time. And soon the aggregators were under pressure to improve margins. Move towards profitability. VCs wanted IPOs to cash out.

    The partners became disenchanted when aggregators cut the big incentives, subsidising of vehicles and even helping spruce up the hotel property. Rider fees were slashed. And delivery charges crept in. Travel aggregators included convenience fees. The situation became piquant as the consumer suddenly realised that the free or discounted does not make sense as extra charges were levied. So, s/he demanded more accountability. The brunt of this was faced by the partners such as delivery riders, hotels, cab drivers, airlines etc. In turn, these partners resorted to all sorts of jugaad. This led to service standards declining.

    And the jugaad mindset led to ingenuity of the partners. Cabbies, not wanting to travel short distances, would deliberately arrive late. Forcing the customer to call them. And on enquiring the destination, they would cancel the booking or say that they did not find the customer. Thus, not only causing major unhappiness but also destroying the advantage of ‘no declining’ as in traditional cabs. Restaurants realised that they could, in their own areas, do their own delivery. Hotels started asking regular visitors to book directly and gave them equal if not more discounts.

    The aggregators tried to control the partners with technology. OTPs, rating points, incentives based on ratings were introduced. But service is an interesting concept. It can be aided with technology but it cannot replace the human touch. The aggregators, under cost and margin pressure did not accentuate the human touch. Nor did they expand technology to aid the human touch. In fact, the reverse happened. It used to be difficult to get through customer service numbers. Now the customer service numbers just disappeared. Bots supported by AI came in. Social media sites were flooded with complaints. This spooked the investors who put more pressure on the aggregators. Things just went downhill.

    Another thing about service is that it becomes increasingly difficult to deliver consistent service online. In offline, service expectations differ according to customer segment and their location. Someone with a premium service mindset in Gurugram cannot be treated in the same way as a discount-oriented customer in Saharanpur. But in online, we have a single set of guidelines. We have one operating SOP. And this fails to deliver. No attempt has been made into moving into customisation of service.

    And because most aggregator apps have not defined their target group but want to engage all possible users, they are dealing with different set of users. This results in trying to keep all segments happy without aiming at anyone in particular. To use a mathematical analogy, this results in service systems which cater to the lowest common denominator, LCD. And not HCF, the highest common factor.

    Offline service standards are tweaked depending upon the location and your target customer. That’s why service companies do attain good standards, offline. But online, heavy investments are required to make it reach the customized HCF level. A luxury which the under-pressure aggregators cannot afford.

    And that’s why, all these aggregator apps, while realising that they are in different business must also realise that by being an aggregator, their core is about service. Transportation, food delivery, rooms, travel is the second level of tangible benefit. The most important tangible benefit is service.

    I think Amazon is the only aggregator which has focused on service. It openly declared that it isn’t in the business of ecommerce or entertainment. But it is in the service business. This has helped it achieve higher customer satisfaction and loyalty than other aggregators. And Flipkart which had the first-mover advantage in India, is today owned by Walmart, a discount store brand. Maybe therein lies a tale.

  • Shows 72% voter engagement with digital campaigns

    Digital Media’s decisive role in elections: iCubesWire Survey

    A survey by iCubesWire,  ad technology platform, reveals the unprecedented impact of digital media on voter engagement and decision-making in the lead-up to the General Elections. With an astounding 72% of voters engaging with digital campaigns, the survey underscores the pivotal role of digital platforms in modern electoral processes.

    The survey, involving 1,000 participants, highlights the transformative power of digital media in shaping political opinions and behaviors. A remarkable 89% of respondents expressed their intention to vote, indicating a highly motivated electorate. Digital platforms emerged as the primary source of election-related information for 43% of participants, with social media leading the way in influencing voter perceptions and engagement.

    Said Sahil Chopra, CEO and Founder of iCubesWire: “These findings illustrate a clear shift in the electoral landscape, with digital media playing a central role in engaging and informing voters. Our survey highlights the critical importance of digital strategies in reaching and influencing the electorate, marking a new era in political campaigning.”

    Survey Insights Summary:

    Voter Turnout Intentions: A robust 89% of respondents indicated their plans to vote in the upcoming General Elections, demonstrating a high level of electoral engagement among the populace.

    Research on Candidates: Over half of the electorate, with 52% stating they are ‘very likely’ to research candidates’ positions and backgrounds before voting, showcases a proactive approach to making informed voting decisions.

    Primary Information Platforms: Social media is the predominant source for gathering information about election candidates for 43% of survey participants, emphasizing the central role of platforms like Facebook and Twitter in political communication.

    Influence of Digital Ads: 41% of respondents consider digital advertisements ‘very influential’ in shaping their opinions about candidates, highlighting the significant impact of digital marketing strategies on voter perceptions.

    Engagement with Digital Campaigns: A substantial majority, 72%, have engaged with a candidate’s digital marketing campaign (e.g., liked, shared, commented on posts), indicating active participation and interest in digital political content.

    Impact of Digital Marketing on Elections: A notable 42% ‘strongly agree’ that digital marketing strategies have a significant impact on election outcomes, reflecting the perceived effectiveness of digital campaigns in influencing electoral results.

    Digital Engagement and Voter Preference: An overwhelming 75% of participants would be more likely to vote for a candidate who actively engages with constituents through digital platforms, underscoring the importance of digital presence and interaction in contemporary political campaigns.

    Credibility of Political Information: Nearly half of the respondents, 48%, find political information shared on social media more credible or equally credible as compared to traditional news sources, indicating a shift in perceptions of information credibility in the digital age.

  • Close to 70 series and movies across languages and genres

    Prime Video upcoming slate features a diverse range of new series

    Prime Video unveiled close to 70 series and movies, with most of them premiering on the service over the next two years at its second Prime Video Presents India showcase on Tuesday. Notes a communique: “With 40 Original series and movies, and 29 of some of India’s biggest and most anticipated movies, the new slate promises to bring the best of Indian entertainment to delight and engage customers.”

    Said Sushant Sreeram, Country Director, Prime Video, India: “At Prime Video, it has been our focus to super-serve Indian customers with the best of entertainment across formats. From clutter-breaking Original series and movies, direct-to-service premieres to post-theatrical launches of some of the biggest hits across languages, our goal is to be the first choice of entertainment for every customer. Our content broke new grounds in 2023, helping India remain a front runner, across international locales, in new customer adoption and Prime member engagement. We are humbled by the love we have received from our customers, and want every story on our service to be someone’s favourite show or movie. In sync with this, we are thrilled to unveil our biggest, most diverse slate till date, and are certain that our upcoming series and movies will continue to enthrall audiences, not just in India but around the world.”

    Added Aparna Purohit, Head of Originals, India and Southeast Asia, Prime Video: “At Prime Video, it has been our ongoing mission to be a global showcase for diverse, authentic and rooted Indian stories, that can transcend linguistic and geographical borders,” “In just 2023, our content was watched in over 210 countries and territories, in any given week, and trended in the top 10 on Prime Video worldwide for 43 of the last 52 weeks. It has been gratifying to witness the national and global impact of our shows and movies, and this fuels us to further champion Indian content on the global stage. As the home for storytellers and talent, we are also excited to partner with some of the most prolific names in Indian entertainment, and empower dynamic, new voices, to create stories that are fresh, powerful, inspiring and entertaining. We are confident that our upcoming slate of series and movies will pave the way for even more compelling narratives from India to emerge.”