Learning basic human relations from the bottom of the pyramid
It is becoming increasingly clear that the poor and the marginalized are suffering the most. There is indeed an economy of the poor, that helps them access goods and services at economic rates, and in installments too. However, all this is never an indication of the very poor state of economic affairs. Ninety percent of breadwinners of such households being habitual drunkards. Worse, these bad role models always beat their wives in the presence of their children.
Yet, there is something that stands out as unique among such classes. A few of them do take to petty crimes to make a living. Servant maids have been reported to have stolen properly from houses that provide them employment and food.
But these events are more of an exception than the rule. I have seen poor in Bihar, in Andhra Pradesh, In New Delhi and in Gujarat, and in my own State of Tamil Nadu. They positively, have something unique about them. They care for each other and are more open to trying out new ideas, which is contrary to what we think. They have a tremendous ability of managing uncertainty and living lives that are even difficult to fathom.
Nevertheless, the "bottom of the pyramid" a new phrase coined by the world-famous Strategic Management expert, the late Pro. C. K. Prahalad coined the term about them as a big class and that they have huge lessons to offer to the world, in basic human relations.
Firstly, innovation is the name of the game with this class. Small capitalists emerge from within this group. They do not care that they do not make more money or huge money. But they make money that keeps them happy, and also save for their future, and this is exactly what they need at any point in time.
Evidence of this can be seen in how they market small quantities of different items, in particular, food items. The so-called "mixture" as it is called in Tamil, is a evening time snack, The trick that the bottom of the pyramid has now put into operation, is to pack them and a huge number of similar snacks --- all made of palm oil supplied through Government-run ration shops -- in very small packets, priced at just one or two rupees apiece. Guess who are the huge consumers of this brand of small pack snacks?
Witness brisk sales --- often up to two thousand rupees on any single evening -- at some petty shop adjacent to a Government-run TASMAC shop, that sells liquor, literally everywhere in Tamil Nadu. Well, it is a very unique kind of public-private partnership!!!
The ladies who get the snacks done in their houses, run a small but thriving cottage industry, with monthly profits of around ten thousand rupees, all in cash, and far away from the eyes of the IT department! Similarly, there is another snack, the small "samosa", that is currently priced at rupees three apiece in all retail outlets, in Tamil Nadu and in the neighboring States as well. This gets done locally, transport cost is zero, marketing costs are zero, the retail guy gets his cut, and the manufacturer has an unwritten Memorandum of understanding with at least two hundred retail shops within a three kilometer radius, in most small towns.
Guess what? The small "samosa" manufacturer reportedly has a profit of at least one thousand rupees per day. He emerges as a medium capitalist with the least of investment, and the least of worries of big time marketing. Most distribution is done on cycles or the inevitable TVS mopeds.
Innovation at its best, to say the least; The poor consume them, and the owner also makes donations to the local temple festival, he even knows customers by name and so on. So much for Customer Relationship Management!
The poor also have their own version of small eateries, where the caring and sharing is huge. In fact, news about blood needed for any critical operation in the Government hospital or even private hospital is passed on quickly, in such places and donors line up the next minute.
When road accidents happen, it is always seen that it is the poor who offer immediate help and even take the injured to hospitals, in auto rickshaws, even when the rich zip around in their fancy imported cars!
In the smaller towns, the cinema halls have lost their charm. However the lower middle class gather at these places to just keep in touch, have three hours of what they call "no worry" experience. They exchange pleasantries, they gather information about any development in their friends circle and so on.
Secondly, the poor also have superb social lives. To imagine that they quarrel among themselves, is to miss the wood for the trees. They do quarrel at times. However, they do get together in times of need and they respect each other, far more than the rich or the upper middle classes do. To beat costs, they have their own methods.
In most villages and small towns, it is extremely common to find the entire family members sleeping in the open cots and in terraces. In summer, they pour a lot of water on terraces after 6 PM to make the surfaces a bit cool. They then relax and go to bed.
In fact, the traditional houses have a huge veranda, right in front of the house, that lets in natural breeze. Many people gather there to talk and share ideas in the evening.
Thirdly, they help each other to develop. It is a very common fact that most of casual and contract labor are drawn from villages. The industries in the suburbs of metro cities regularly employ them, and the employment is mostly through referrals. The men refer those who are seriously interested, and those who do not have bad habits. This helps them to get a good name with their employers, too.
Fourthly, in shared autos and in the mini buses that often to go places that the regular buses do not go, there is a huge amount of caring and sharing. The enormous amount of money that changes hands has to be seen to be believed.
I have seen many mini buses where the conductor keeps on asking personal questions, and tends to stop the bus very near residences of regular customers. Information on farm produce and the latest market rates get shared very quickly. The door to door sales of vegetables, at relatively cheaper prices gets sold, through the mini buses.
We can learn a lot from such exchange of information. The marketing experts need to understand down-to-earth marketing, only in mini buses.
At the Government hospitals, food brought from houses gets shared, even among strangers. Since their means are always limited, the food is not of a great variety. Yet, the bonding is perfect.
Life is not and will never be, only about money. In the wider scheme of things, if we learn human relations from the poor and the marginalized, we can pass on good lessons to our children. We can understand many facets of life in the process.
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