Opinion Why gimmickry won’t fly

Be original: Styling himself and his brand shamelessly after Richard Branson and Virgin may have seemed a clever trick for the then-unaware Indian traveller. But it’s only a matter of time before the blatant rip-off is discovered and the brand ends up being a joke. Close on the heels of Bappi Da,this effort has been no less of a silly wannabe,while degrading oneself and Indian sensibilities. And Branson continues to LOL.

Confused existence: After making,perhaps,a good start by catering to the business traveller,Kingfisher spread its wings too far,into the budget segments. A small bird trying to be a condor got it off-balance. Consolidation is important before new experiments. And until one business is brought onto a sound footing,starting another will jeopardise both. The inconsistency and unpredictability of Kingfisher Red made other budget airlines more attractive. And no,Mallya is mistaken if he thinks all of India can be wooed by his “guest at my home” speech in Yana Gupta-accented Hindi.

Mirror image brands are risky business: When a brand creator disregards the consumer for whom he created it in the first place,but clones it to his own self,it often spells doom. Kingfisher has become one with its creator. A nice philosophy otherwise in life,in this case,its flamboyance permeated all aspects.

From the thoughtlessly designed uniforms to the silly add-on service of escorting guests,these aspects overshadowed the real needs of the business traveller. Gradually,its focus shifted away completely from its reason for existence. A brand must first deliver on its basic promise before it delights with frills. I wonder if I would ever buy a soap glazed with gold if it does not wash the dirt off me. KF’s lack of respect for time has also had many business travellers discard the glory of business class for reliable airlines like Indigo. A brand and creator personality fit will work only if it also caters to similar consumers and does not aim to become mass.

The last mile error: So critical,but sadly disregarded by many. Kingfisher adds further agony to travellers by doling out feedback forms but with no mechanism to reverse-connect with them. I know for a fact that,fed up with this,many take the form and return it unfilled. But what’s worse is when your consumer redressal system goes totally awry. Let me cite a personal experience with Kingfisher. Upon a fiery written complaint on consistently being given below-par treatment,compared to that received by male travellers,on every Kingfisher business class flight,I had a relationship manager visit me. Profusely apologetic. Assuring me that KF did not follow such a discriminatory policy. And a Platinum member like me would never be treated this way. Of course,I was totally convinced,specially when he left me a thoughtful gift of a Kingfisher tie with a gigantic Swarovski crystal Kingfisher logo. But to this day,Kingfisher continues to rush to assist self-important men out of the aircraft to the terminal,as they make irrelevant small talk and carry mini laptops and iPads. They barely notice me lugging my large bags.

Lasting values vs luring tactics: Kingfisher should have worked harder at establishing enduring values,rather than constantly introducing unusual gimmicks. It would have cost them less and earned them more. A long-term view of the brand seems to have got lost somewhere along the way.

So does this mean that the endangered Kingfisher faces the threat of extinction? Perhaps not. The airline did make the other complacent ones sit up and attempt to get better. It did raise standards and make the traveller realise what they should be demanding and not merely accepting.

But,at a crossroads now,Kingfisher will have to make some sensible choices. A complete relaunch. Bring core values back to the forefront. Focus on 100 per cent delivery and performance. But before it takes off on its next flight,it would be a good idea to stay on ground zero and do a good amount of thought. And who would be the right person to give it wings again? This will need some hard thinking.

The writer is CEO,Product of the Year India