The Car That Was Allergic To Vanilla Ice Cream
January 31, 2008 by krisdhingra
Filed under Random Events
The “Customer Is King“, so goes the famous adage. This mantra is the premise that any product’s design, production, distribution and marketing should have, after all it is always the end user who can make or break the success story of a product. Following this mantra is however, a slightly complicated task and it is certainly a case of “easier said than done“. The following real life incident highlights this fact:
Once a complaint was received by the Pontiac Division of General Motors:
“This is the second time I have written to you, and I don’t blame you for not answering me, because I sounded crazy, but it is a fact that we have a tradition in our family of Ice-Cream for dessert after dinner each night, but the kind of ice cream varies so, every night, after we’ve eaten, the whole family votes on which kind of ice cream we should have and I drive down to the store to get it. It’s also a fact that I recently purchased a new Pontiac and since then my trips to the store have created a problem.. ”
“You see, every time I buy a vanilla ice-cream, when I start back from the store my car won’t start. If I get any other kind of ice cream, the car starts just fine. I want you to know I’m serious about this question, no matter how silly it sounds. What is there about a Pontiac that makes it not start when I get vanilla ice cream, and easy to start whenever I get any other kind?”. The Pontiac President was understandably skeptical about the letter, but sent an Engineer to check it out anyway.
The latter was surprised to be greeted by a successful, obviously well educated man in a fine neighborhood. He had arranged to meet the man just after dinner time, so the two hopped into the car and drove to the ice cream store. It was vanilla ice cream that night and, sure enough, after they came back to the car, it wouldn’t start.
The Engineer returned for three more nights. The first night, they got chocolate. The car started. The second night, he got strawberry. The car started. The third night he ordered vanilla. The car failed to start. Now the engineer, being a logical man, refused to believe that this man’s car was allergic to vanilla ice cream. He arranged, therefore, to continue his visits for as long as it took to solve the problem. And toward this end he began to take notes: He jotted down all sorts of data: time of day, type of gas uses, time to drive back and forth etc.
In a short time, he had a clue: the man took less time to buy vanilla than any other flavor. Why? The answer was in the layout of the store. Vanilla, being the most popular flavor, was in a separate case at the front of the store for quick pickup. All the other flavors were kept in the back of the store at a different counter where it took considerably longer to check out the flavor.
Now, the question for the Engineer was why the car wouldn’t start when it took less time. Eureka – Time was now the problem – not the vanilla ice cream!! . The engineer quickly came up with the answer : “vapor lock“. It was happening every night; but the extra time taken to get the other flavors allowed the engine to cool down sufficiently to start. When the man got vanilla, the engine was still too hot for the vapor lock to dissipate.
The above story shows that in the service business: “Attitude Is Everything“. The story shows how much the Pontiac President cared for the customer and how committed the engineer was towards his work. It was his intellect and patience that enabled him to solve such a fine issue.
Well, we couldn’t find any official confirmation of this incident from General Motors but even if it’s just a story it still has a great moral.
Tags: moral, pontiac, ice, cream , family, car, vanilla, chocolate, attitude
DP Money Watch – Laffan Petro, A Probable Safe Bet At These Uncertain Times
January 28, 2008 by Ashok
Filed under Financial Markets
Laffan Petrochemicals, LPL (an ISO 9001-2000 Company) was set up in 1994 to manufacture ethylene oxide (EO) derivatives such as Ethoxylates, Propoxylates, Glycol Ethers, Acetates, Ethanol Amine, and Brake fluids is located in Ankleshwar, Gujarat and has a technical collaboration with Akzo Nobel.
The plant set up under technical assistance from Reliance Industries is in proximity to EO supply from Reliance, Hazira. This ensures uninterrupted supply of its basic feedstock which cannot be imported due to its hazardous nature. LPL maintains its own fleet of specially fabricated EO tankers, and is currently the largest buyer of Ethylene Oxide in the Country. The unit has commissioned India’s largest loop reactor with state of the art controlled system from Rose Mount for its consistent quality, This multipurpose unit is geared to produce Polyethylene Glycols and EO condensates of Alkyl Phenols, Fatty Alcohols, Fatty Acids and Natural Oils. Some of its products are :
- Ethoxylates
- Glycol Ethers
- Agrochemical Emulsifiers
- Phenoxy Ethanol
- Styrenated Phenol
- Poly Ethylene Glycol
- Brake Fluid
- Textile Chemicals
- Ethanol Amines
- Propoxylates
- Spin Finish
- Mixed Ethers
On the Financial front, so far the margins were not consistent, as the Raw material prices fluctuate and the increased product prices can not be passed on to the consumer, because of the long term rate contracts. However with increased capacity and rise in domestic demand, margins are expected to stabilise and rise significantly.
Scrip Code : 524522 Company Name : Laffans Petrochemicals Ltd
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Financials reproduced from BSEINDIA
LPL’s equity is Rs. 8 crores and at CMP of Rs. 20, market capitalisation is only Rs. 16 crores. With a top line of Rs.160 crores, and expected EBIDTA of Rs.8 crores for FY08 and Rs.16 crores for FY 09, share is highly underpriced and is a screaming BUY. Expect an EPS of Rs.4.5 for FY08 and Rs.9 for FY 09 .The share is available at P/E of less than 5.
BUY at CMP of Rs. 20 with 2 years HOLD is recommended to see a price of Rs. 100
This report has been prepared solely for information purposes and the information contained herein may not be deemed to be an investment advice. Such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. The information contained herein is not a complete analysis of every material fact representing any company, industry or security. The views expressed may change. While the information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, no responsibility (or liability) is accepted for the accuracy of its contents. Investors are advised to satisfy themselves before making any investments and should consult with and rely upon their own advisors whether and how to use such information in making any investment decision.
Tags: chemicals, petrochemicals, reliance, dividend, profit, stocks, equity, buy
SeaCode – Shipping Software From A Ship
January 25, 2008 by krisdhingra
Filed under Tech
Have you ever heard of the phrases “Let’s Ship This Code” or “Let’s Ship This Release“. If you work for the Software Industry then these terms would certainly be a part of your daily lingo. The terms mentioned here are basically software parlance for saying “Let’s Deliver Whatever The Customer Wanted“. Seacode however is an organization which seems to have taken the above terms literally.
SeaCode presents Hybrid-Sourcing an innovative engineering service which creates high-end software engineering jobs in the U.S. while still providing lower overall costs for its clients. So how exactly does SeaCode go about doing this. Well, as the name suggests the company actually operates from a cruise ship moored three miles off the California coast thus undercutting U.S. wage rates and circumventing local labor rules. The ship’s location just outside the three-mile limit exempts it from California labor and environmental regulations, but not international maritime labor rules or federal regulations forbidding the dumping of fuel, trash and sewage. Because the ship is registered under the Bahamian flag or another foreign registry, the workers don’t need H-1B visas, unlike foreign employees housed temporarily on U.S. territory.
SeaCode was founded in the year 2005 by Roger Green and David Cook who were harsh crtics of the outsourcing trend which was and still is a strong trend among American Software Companies. Apparently they didn’t quite like the idea of work being outsourced to companies in other low cost countries especially India and so they decided to do something about it. So how exactly is SeaCode doing today. After 3 years of it’s announced launch not much is known about the company, something which is quite evident from it’s single page website.
However, it must be said that the ambitions of Mr.Green and Mr. Cook were very noble and very much in the interest of the american people, and it was probably the implementation of their idea which proved to be the major stumbling block. Well guys, you would be delighted to know that many Indian companies are now opening their development centers at cost-effective near shore locations like Mexico, so that american clients can get direct supervision of the projects and no one has to work at odd hours to compensate for the time difference.
Tags: mexico, america, C , sea, code, coding, software, ships, engineering
Give India – Because True Happiness Comes From Giving
January 22, 2008 by krisdhingra
Filed under Specials
87,86,85 ahh, another 84 seconds more before the traffic light turns green. While I’m waiting for the light to change colors, a women walks up to my car and knocks on the window. Her hands are mutilated and her clothes are tattered as she begs for some money. I start thinking to myself, “is she geniunely in trouble or is she a professional beggar“. I assume the latter and move on but deep inside of me, I’m disturbed “shouldn’t I do something about this, how can I help make a difference to society“.
Too often we pass up opportunities to make a difference to the world around us because of one simple reason: we don’t know how. The will is there. The compassion is genuine. The only thing missing? The right medium.
If you too, have ever been in a similar predicament then you are probably not giving as much as you should. And if it’s the right medium that you are looking for then we suggest that you try out Give India. GiveIndia—is a funding organization that channels money towards deserving projects that you choose, and monitors the way funds are utilized. GiveIndia provides an unbiased, on-line platform for individuals to donate to any cause of their choice from among 100 accountable NGOs in the country. Each of these 100 NGOs have been scrutinized for transparency and credibility.
Furthermore, they also provide a feedback report so that you know how each rupee of your contribution is making a difference in the lives of the less privileged you pledge to support—whether it is educating a child, helping a blind person see or providing a wheelchair to a disabled person. Conceived by Venkat Krishnan, an IIM-A graduate in December 1999, GiveIndia is managed by a team of professionals who have earlier worked with various corporates and now have dedicated their careers to making a difference.
Give India states that it’s mission is to create A strong “giving” culture where Indians donate 2% of their income every year to give the poor a chance. It aims to create a vibrant “philanthropy marketplace” (an operating model that works on the principle that the donor is an investor looking for returns of some kind which is most commonly the satisfaction of knowing that their money made a difference to someone else’s life ) to ensure that the most efficient and effective nonprofits get access to the most resources.
Most of the developed countries of the world and the United States in particular have a strong giving culture where big organizations and normal citizens tend to donate some part of their earnings on a regular basis. Warren Buffet one of the world’s richest men promised to donate an astonishing $37 bn in charity (read here) last year, while Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates regularly donates millions of dollars to various charitable causes. India on the other hand does not have such a giving culture and that is something which Give India aims to promote. As various Indian companies such as Tata, Anil and Mukesh Ambanis Reliance etc move towards becoming global giants it is essential that India begins to adopt a strong giving culture, which would eventually lead to a society with low poverty and illiteracy rates.
So if you want to experience real joy and happiness and do your bit for society then do spend a few minutes on the GiveIndia website – www.giveindia.org to find out more about it.
Tags: give, india, charity, donation, philanthropy, culture, warren, gates, poverty
The Wild Dogs Have Been “Tamed”
As I was walking past the stands, someone tapped me on the shoulder and said, This is Karma – Ravi Shastri
From the second test at Sydney to the third at ghostly Perth, India has taken re-birth. For Australia it was a day where India said “Take That and Shut-Up“. Bringing a 16 match winning streak to an end, India once again proved that if the nightmare on SCG had not happened, they would be leading this series and doing what no other visting teams in Australia have been able to do, dominate Australia in Australia.
It was a test match which re-affirmed the faith in Test Cricket. Sure the Slam-Bang 20-20′s, the 50 over versions and others are enjoyable as well but nothing is as pure as test cricket where the thrills associated with every ball are higher than those you would witness watching other reality shows.At Perth, India produced an all-round team performance. No batsmen scored a 100, no bowler had a 5 wicket haul. Yet India won. Now that’s a team performance. Just goes to show, as a team you can accomplish the unthinkable, Team Work Works .
Recapping on the highlights of the test, Ishant Sharma’s dismissal of Ricky Ponting was undoubtedly a big breakthrough. Ishant bowled like a man inspired. Before the 4th day started I had a feeling that if India were to win, one between Sehwag, Ganguly and Tendulkar will have to roll their arm over and scalp a few wickets, much like what Symonds and Clarke have done earlier. Sehwag bowling Gilchrist round his legs was simply magical. They say umpiring decisions for and against a cricketer balance out in the career of a cricketer. It was only good that the balancing act was performed while the memories of the horrendous umpiring decisions against India were still fresh.
In the end I would say it could not have been a more opportune test victory for any side. Slammed with racist charges, buried with idiotic umpiring decisions, almost thinking of leaving the series mid-way, facing ignominy on the pacy Perth track, they scripted a memorable victory, a win which has been rated by the legendary Sunil Gavaskar as the best Test Victory by an Indian Team since 1970.
Congratulations to Kumble and his Men of Honor, you have done the nation proud. Whatever be the result at Adelaide, you will be victorious!!
Tags: cricket, india, men,shastri, ghostly, perth, karma
India & Pakistan – Beyond The Media Hype
January 16, 2008 by krisdhingra
Filed under Facts
Q. These two neighbouring countries were once part of the same country. They have in the past fought 3 wars with each other all of which have been initiated by one side and won by the other. Both of them are in constant competition with regards to their military might and political relations have always been tense between the 2 sides. Name these countries ?
Well that’s surely a very easy question to answer if you have even some idea of the Asian sub-continent. India and Pakistan have always been potrayed to be one of the most hostile neighbours in the world and any competition involving the 2 sides be it Hockey, Cricket or any other sport always results in intense media speculation and viewer interest.
They might be quite unfriendly at the political level which is evident from the fact that as an Indian Citizen it is harder to get a Visa to go to Pakistan than to get one to go to Europe, US or Australia(given that you do not know any native). It is also a highly suprising fact that a Pakistani coming to India on a tourist/business visa can only visit the cities mentioned on the visa. But then the political relations between two countries can never give one the right picture of the relations between their people. The true fact is that Indians and Pakistanis are very warm and friendly with each other and have utmost respect for each others cultures and religions.
Recently a member of the DelhiPlanet team met a Pakistani Contingent and they gave us quite a few facts about Pakistan and it’s people. Since India and Pakistan were a part of the same nation prior to 1947, there are a lot of families in India whose ancestors belonged to pakistan and vice versa. Thus there is a lot of love and warmth between the people and an Indian visiting pakistan is sure to be treated in the most royal manner possible. The Terrorists and Extremists form a very small propotion of the pakistani population who have unfortunately given a bad name to the whole of pakistan.
So if you’re an Indian who always dreamt of visiting his ancestral land someday, then we suggest that you go ahead and do it because at the ground level the situation is quite different from what you think.
Tags: india, pakistan, neighbours, friends, wars, hostile
Hot Wheels Come To Town At The Auto Expo 2008
January 13, 2008 by krisdhingra
Filed under Exclusive Events
The 10th Auto Expo 2008
Begins: Thu, 10 Jan 2008 at 3:00 PM
Ends: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 at 7:00 PM
Location:
Pragati Maidan
New Delhi, Delhi(NCR)
India
Link: The AutoExpo Official Site
Delhi Planet Exclusive Coverage Of The Auto Expo 2008
Women And Cars, together at one place continuously for 7 days right here in Delhi. You surely don’t want to miss it, so make sure to catch all the action at the 9th Auto Expo, 2008.
Well, it wasn’t really put up like this but it would have surely been a different way to attract the crowds to India’s largest Auto Exhibition fair. This year promised to be much bigger and better than it’s previous editions and so far it has surely proved to be a big hit. So while the major draw at the 8th Auto Expo in 2006 was the ultra luxurious Rs 5 Crore( In excess of $1mn) Mercedes Maybach, this time it was the ulta compact Rs 1 Lakh($2500 ) Tata Nano. The Nano has been the talking point ever since it was launched on 10th January not only in India but all over the world. This year’s show attracted unprecedented interest from foreign media houses which was evident from the large number of international journalists who were present at the event on 10th.
The Tata Nano (see above) has been termed as a “miracle” and no matter what the critics might say the fact is that it is surely a great achievement and could have been achieved only in a country like India. The Car has the power to empower the citizens of the country and is targetted at the common middle class families which form a large portion of the Indian urban population. There is already talk of replacing the 3 wheeled auto rickshaws with the Nano as the rickshaw suprisingly costs much more. If Tata can launch CNG variants of the Tata Nano, it would certainly become a very common mode of public transport. The Nano has proved that India will very soon become a top manufacturer of cars and a hot market for small sized cars.
Some of the major auto manufacturers who displayed their cars this time included Maruti Suzuki( Splash, A-Star and Kizashi being the must watch models ), BMW, Tata, Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz, Honda( The FCX Concept and Jazz Concept being the major attractions), Skoda, Mitsubishi, Mahindra-Renault and Fiat(which boasts of the best model in the show, catch her next to the Linea ). Cars addressing the concern of climate change and global warming were a rare sight this time with only Honda planning to launch a hybrid variant of the Civic. It is however expected that future shows would showcase quite a few eco-friendly cars that people would actually be able to purchase. After the 1 lakh car the next target should be to develop a cost-effective clean fuel car.
While the Tata Nano grabbed all the headlines, other innovative concepts like the eye-catching Maruti Suzuki A-Star which is the first car to be completely developed in India and would sell between Rs. 3-4 Lakh and the ultra-fuel efficient Honda Jazz got sidelined. These 2 models are expected to hit the Indian Roads by early next year and are highly recommended buys as they are both stylish and fuel efficient.
Well, you must have surely read a lot about the Auto Expo by now, so we won’t bore you too much with words. Instead we present our exclusive coverage of the show in pictures below.
DP Money Watch – Get 2008 Into Motion With Clutch Auto
January 10, 2008 by Ashok
Filed under Financial Markets
Clutch Auto is a 36 year young manufacturer of 500 different types of clutch discs and assemblies ranging from sizes of 160-420 mm and currently controls 60 % of the Indian clutch market. It is an OEM supplier to Maruti, M&M,Tata Motors, Eicher, Mazda, PTL, Bajaj, Escorts, BEML and to ordinance factories for Military tanks. Clutch Auto produces over 20 lakh clutches every year. It is an R & D driven organisation with 16 patents as of date in India and USA to its credit. Clutch Auto also acquired the clutch divison of Pioneer Inc in the US to strengthen its position in the US market. It is a QS 9000 certified company with factories in Delhi and Haridwar. In Delhi the factory is located in the NCR region on Mathura Road on a plot of 30,000 sq. meters. The Company’s Financials on YOY basis are showing more than 50 % growth in both top and bottom lines.
Scrip Code : 505052Company Name : Clutch Auto Ltd
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Financials reproduced from BSEINDIA
Clutch Auto has reported a 11% rise in net sales for Q2FY08, over Q1FY08 supported mainly by rising sales from the domestic market. It has achieved net sales of Rs 50.4 crore, with domestic sales contributing Rs 40 crores (up 14 %) and export sales of Rs 10 crore (up 2 %). Net profit growth was restricted to 7.7% due to higher interest outgo. The company reported net profit of about Rs.4 crore, translating into an EPS of Rs 2.5 for Q2 on diluted equity of Rs 16.3 crore. During the last quarter Q1FY08 , 800,000 equity shares were allotted on conversion of warrants on preferential basis, increasing equity capital to Rs16.3 crore. The company is trying to enter into A and B segment vehicles. It also plans to focus on exports especially to US and this is expected to pick up in coming months.
At a CMP of Rs.115 the company’s market capitalisation is less than Rs.190 crores. With a new factory at Haridwar getting commissioned, there is a distinct possibility that the company may sell its factory land on the periphery of New Delhi and get compensation in excess of its present market cap. By relocating the entire factory to Haridwar the company will avail of tax benefits in addition to nil interest outgo .This will improve the bottomline atleast two fold. One can expect an EPS of Rs.25 in the next 2 years and a share price of Rs. 250 in LT.
Buy at CMP of Rs. 115 with 2 years HOLD is recommended.
This report has been prepared solely for information purposes and the information contained herein may not be deemed to be an investment advice. Such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. The information contained herein is not a complete analysis of every material fact representing any company, industry or security. The views expressed may change. While the information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, no responsibility (or liability) is accepted for the accuracy of its contents. Investors are advised to satisfy themselves before making any investments and should consult with and rely upon their own advisors whether and how to use such information in making any investment decision.
Tags: clutch, auto, delhi, dividend, profit, stocks, equity, buy
Ponting And Team : Professional Cricketers or Wild Dogs
“In the past few days Ponting has presided over a performance that dragged the game into the pits. He turned a group of professional cricketers into a pack of wild dogs. As much can be told from the conduct of his closest allies in the team.”
- Peter Roebuck in the Sydney Morning Herald
Cricket was once known as the Gentleman’s Game. Those were the days when, if you nicked the ball, you walked. When the umpires on the field were in doubt they asked the fielding captain and trusted his word.
I am not writing this post to add to the rage carried by hordes of Indian fans who are deeply hurt at the way Cricket was played at the SCG on Sunday. I am writing here because I want to pour my heart out at the utter helplessness of the Indian Cricket Team, who for once were victorious in defeat.
Ricky Ponting is certainly a bad bad leader and a very bad influence on the younger players in the team. In his hunger to equal the record of 16 consecutive test victories, he crossed all boundaries of fairness, sportsmanship and appropriate code of conduct with a visiting side. What’s more, he even accused Harbhajan Singh of racism. Harbhajan Singh had made Ponting his bunny, by getting him out in both the innings, so now you see the reason. I can totally understand the predicament of Muralitharan, Dravid, Ntini, Panesar and now Harbhajan, who have been subject to racist comments at the hands of the Aussies and not once have the Aussies been punished for their racist overtones.
Looking at the appalling behavior of the Australians in the match on Sunday, it seemed like they were a bunch of school children fighting over a lollipop. I would even go to the extent of saying that probably, just probably, in the hunger and madness to have a 16th consecutive victory, Ponting may have fixed the match too, by buying out the umpires, because it’s hard to imagine so many decisions(see the video below) going against India in one match. I always thought the third umpire would be hard to buy or may be overlooked when fixing a match, but I think Ponting has outdone the punters by even buying out the third umpire.
It’s not a game being played out there, it is war, and since all is fair in love and war, probably what Ponting and his team of Wild Dogs did on Sunday was only fair.
The current poll results on whether the Indian team should come back from Australia has an overwhelming percentage of 94% saying “Yes”. I however do not agree. I believe it is the time now to rise to the occasion and show the Kangaroos that they are sour losers and more slimy than rat poison.
Uptill now I used to find India-Pakistan matches as enthralling and do-or-die for India. Well my perspective has changed now. It’s now India-Australia which would evoke the same feelings and sensibilities in me. I don’t care whatever happens to the India tour of Australia now, I am just waiting for Australia to come to India and then be given a taste of their own medicine.
Until then however, all India matches with Australia will be one-sided affairs, because sour losers don’t win, even if they may be on the winning side. If you’re still wondering on what the fuss is all about, then do check out the video below although I would like to warn you that your temper will soar after watching this even if you are an Australian.
Tags: ponting, dogs, cricketers, professional, wild, allies, conduct, australian
