Understanding Consumer Behaviour

To understand the customer better than anyone in the market will be the primary goal of every firm. The behaviour of every consumer changes drastically every second in this fast moving world. Companies have to act in pace with their changing expectations day by day. The hardest thing is that, every time their behaviour could not be tracked and comprehended manually.

            The in-store observers responsible for studying customer’s shopping activity could not facilitate the smooth happening of their study round the clock. After all, they are not programmed machines. There are few technologies opted by those consumer behaviour analyst and researchers. These technologies help them to gain insight about the happening in the store that leads to understand the behaviour of each and every customer shopping in their store.

            In-store video cameras through video intelligence, offer general route data , shopping points and help them to improve work force management. But the main drawback of using in-store cameras is, the overwhelming volume of information that are needed to be screened all the time.

            The wireless transmitters are used in tracking the shopping activity of the customers. When the wireless transmitters are inserted into a shopping cart, the sensors provide data about the cart’s movement where they move and where they halt. But the main drawback is that, the sensors track the cart and definitely not the shoppers. 

            The RFID cards, eye-tracking and the motion-tracking devices helps this study a lot. Accurate information could be obtained through them but for bringing in customer’s collaboration and co-operation is a hectic job for the researchers. Behavioural data collection from eye-trackers, motion sensors, wireless  hand-held devices or shopping cart sensors are no longer enough for the complete understanding of consumers. Above all, a true consumer behaviour tracker is putting yourself in the shoes of theirs. The real time visible information without the customer’s collaboration must be obtained for the study of their behaviour.

- Gurusheela Palanichamy

Listening

                                                                  

                                                                   Listening is one of the most important parts of Oral communication. When you listen, you must get meaning from what's being said before you can respond.It is one of the mandatory social traits for a good communicator.Listening is a major learning tool and plays a vital role in human relation. listening not only means not speaking or just hearing, but involves reacting through,

• Eye Contact
• Posture
• Gesture
• Using of Paraphrase     

                                                                   Research says that a manager spends 45% of his work time in listening. The remaining 30%,16% and 9% in speaking, reading and writing respectively. Generally people have the desire to be heard, to be appreciated and to be accepted. The purpose of listening  may vary such as for gathering information, for problem solving or for maintaining human relationship.
                                                                   Content listening is choosen when your need is only to understand and retain the speaker's message even if you don't agree or disapprove. Critical listening is done when we stick to the logic of the argument or when we need a validity of the conclusion. Empathic listening is done to understand speaker's feeling and to help them solve the problem. Active listening is done to show concern over other's views and feelings, whether you agree or not.
Really good listeners are rare. Most people have one of these bad listening habits.

• Faking listening
• Over listening
• Limited attention span
• Criticizing delivery or appearance
• Avoiding subjects as uninteresting
• Avoiding difficult listening

                                                                   These bad habits are reflected in the attitude of the listeners. When the listener does not understand the speakers message, it is only the listener's blame because, most of the bad listening habits are the listener's fault and definetly not the speaker's fault or either the subject of the message.

When the speaker delivers a message the listener should be empathic into the speaker's situation and try to understand him. This could be developed only through practice . Trying not to interrupt the speaker and encouraging him through signs such as nodding of head, a smile or even paraphrasing makes a good listener.





                                                                                            - Gurusheela Palanichamy
                                          

Communication Mistakes

 

                                                       

 

                                                     Communication is the activity whereby any individual transmits information to another individual or group. Generally, communication can be done through verbal or non-verbal that is through the signs and signals. In a workplace or group organization, anybody needs to communicate with people in and around . The accuracy of the information delivered is probably low when it is not so effective. Any human being is sensitive to communication. The so called zero-defect is very hard to achieve while communicating.

 

                                                      One biggest mistake done is, Using inappropriate form of communication to convey your thoughts and ideas. This in turn reduces the essence of your communication. Nevertheless, a computer presentation is needed to deliver your idea to a layman.

 

                                                    

                                              Most of the time, communication is rendered in a sender oriented view rather a receiver oriented view. Our usual misconception is that sending a message alone, makes the communication a success. But it is definitely not so. The purpose of the communication is to make the other end understand what we try to deliver.  

                                                   

 

                                                Some communication fails due to the lack of listening. When a conversation is done between two, one gets preoccupied with his/her own perception resulting in the improper intake of the other's message. The first step of effectiveness in communication is achieved through listening others. Although, communication cannot solve all the problem, we can see to that there is no problem due to miscommunication. A break in communication occurs when we are not ready to accept the contradictory ideas or criticism from others. Eliminating these mistakes in communication leads us to unforeseen smooth relation maintenance with other.

                                                        

 

 

                                                         Underestimating your audience's intelligence and misunderstanding their understanding level are biggest mistakes. The focus on the message that is to be communicated in the audience's or receiver's understandable format is needed.

 

      The rules for better understanding in communication are:

• Expect to be misunderstood by at least some of our listeners or readers.
• Expect to misunderstand others.

 

                                                        

Mistakes are hard to uncover. Too much of communication is ineffective.

We can strive to reduce the degree of such misunderstanding, but can never totally eliminate it.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

 

 

                                                          Stress is the feeling that is created when we subject any difficult situations where reactions are not easy. The management of stress is very important for a person for having his/her life balanced and healthy. It is usually occurred in a situation where people find it challenging. The change of any environment and the practices (new to follow) are also factors of stress.

                                                           Sometimes, stress drives you to more action that in turn leads you to reach the desired  aim or goal.Sometimes, it drives you to the negative side that in turn results in the improper balance of mind and health. These stresses are to be managed in order to have a good balance in life anywhere at anytime. When it becomes too much to handle, you lose your control and your thoughts get blocked with fear. The neurotransmitter called Norepinephrine (NE) is secreated in our body as a response to stress thus decreasing our efficiency at work.

                                                            Managing stress includes, finding out the reasons and situations that causes  stress, watching the signs of developing stress at a particular place or situation and working on how to react at stressed time.

                                                            Many a times, the uncomfortability at a particular place and environment causes stress to the peak. In such cases first identifying the reason for the stress is important. When it could be sorted out,we should try practicing to react for that kind of situations. When not, the alternative is chosen to avoid the situation most of the time.

                                                             It is highly impossible to remove all the stress from us. But controlling stress helps us to stay relaxed. Managing time helps students to get rid of stress at school and college. It helps people in work places too. Involving into favourite activities is one Relaxing technique that helps us to get rid of stress. When over commitment to work prevail leading to stress, Prioritizing the work and finishing from the top reduces stress. Before stress kills the mental and physical health of a person, sorting a technique that is apt for an individual to overcome it, is highly needed. Above all, the willingness to accept change and the confidence to face any situation boldly is highly needed to avoid stress.

 

                                                                                                      Gurusheela Palanichamy

Money Money Money

                                          

                          

                                            "I knew its on how to run a business!", was my answer when I was enquired about what do I study in my MBA. That might be my perception about this discipline of studies. But its not only on how to run but also on how to manage. Though early, not my passion was to run a business (but in oscillatory thoughts after attending my Financial accounting classes), I was interested in knowing how does a business functions and how could I understand it. The truth or the fact to be known is, THE WORLD RUNS AFTER MONEY.In managing a business, the first priority should be the Financial management.Since it is the key to take any financial decision.

                                           The initial start of the business comes from capital(a financial value). Running a business, we need Revenue(a financial value). Goal of the business is Profit(a financial value). The answers for the question where do I get money? where to invest money? are most important for any business.The importance of the financial management was to such an extent that  the other areas of marketing, economics, production, etc. are also fully based on generating money or focus on money(also values but money to a greater extent).I understood, Money is the King in the business rather, the customers.Because the customers approaches only money making companies.

                                           A business may be small or large, managing daily finance and maintaining good record of the business financially is needed.If there is no importance given for a financial management in a business be in small level, the company will struggle to grow. Keeping in track of the assets, liabilities, capital, profitability(to me,all are new financial terms) are a must for even a small company. With the glad of knowing atleast a percent less than the meager, I'm trying to know more on how to manage a business financially. And staying at a place which is an apt for that, I'm impending for the knowledge that I would gain.

                                                         
                                                                                                   Gurusheela Palanichamy

 

Why 'Here! There! Everywhere!'?

                                      

                                       'Management' holds a lot of latent meaning. The perception on the study , on whole is individualistic most of the time. How could one not be judgemental about what its really is if it is a ocean to discover? But understanding this giant needs not a little-more but a more-more study than the text. With a hand on joining a management school to pursue my post graduate studies, I'm trying to sift the Management to a category of not my perception but what it is really in conjunction with its behaviour.Simply, Understanding Management.

                                        On the lane, I created this blog to pen down all my views, understandings and realisations on management. Just naming it 'Here! There! Everywhere!', I indirectly recorded my first observation. It (Management) is Here! There! Everywhere!

 
                                                                               Gurusheela Palanichamy