Mumbai: Most Mumbai commuters may not necessarily agree with 37-year-old Chennai resident Annadurai who believes that Mumbai auto drivers are best at maintaining customer relationships. In a city like Mumbai where people are always in a rush, this is the only place in the country where auto drivers follow the metre said the man who is popularly known Auto Anna.
“Every other city in the country has auto drivers either asking for extra fare or forcing passengers to bargain before hiring an auto. Maintaining customer loyalty is important for any business to take off. All well-known industrialists in our country have developed their brand by starting with the basics. Their focus was always on the customers and making them happy, step by step they developed themselves and build an empire,” said Annadurai, an auto-rickshaw driver in Chennai, who is popular for providing varied facilities in his vehicle.
“I have unknowingly followed the same principle, in the beginning my only focus was making my customers happy and I noticed that my income is also increasing with this,” Annaurai said. A ride in his three-wheeler offers the passenger newspapers and magazines, an iPad Pro to surf the internet (yes, he provides the wi-fi too), a mini television and even a mini fridge filled with chocolates. The latest addition is a hand sanitizer. All these services are free of charge.
Annadurai was in Mumbai on Thursday to conduct a motivational talk to real estate developers in the city. Before heading to the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (CREDAI MCHI) property expo held at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Annadurai met a few auto drivers in the city.
“I only know to talk in Tamil and English, no Hindi and Marathi, all I know is to say ‘ata majhi satakli [I have lost my mind]’,” and this is how Durai broke the ice with his colleagues in Mumbai.
Annadurai, who has studied till class 12, shared his learnings with the crowd in broken English. But his fame has spread far and wide. In a tweet, industrialist Anand Mahindra called him a “Professor of Management”. “If MBA students spent a day with him, it would be a compressed course in Customer Experience Management. This man’s not only an auto driver but a professor of management too,” Mahindra had tweeted about Annadurai in January.
Annadurai said he follows the principle, Athithi Devo Bhava and is always on the lookout for how he can bring a smile on the face of his passengers or customers. “Most auto drivers only think short term their only focus is to get the fare for their journey. They are yet to start thinking long term,” he added.
“It is important to be mindful for all auto drivers to understand that only customer feedback will help. A disciplined approach is very important. Thinking long term and providing added luxurious facilities or features in your auto will help increase customer base,” he said.