Transumers – an emergent consumer group

Did you know that Dubai may well be catering to the largest number of Transumers (literally, “consumers in transit”) in the Middle-East, thanks to the characteristic marketing operations of Dubai Duty Free?

The term “Transumers” was coined by Fitch, a global design and business consultancy, who coined this term to describe transiting consumers at airports. Fitch are experts in making these Transumers unload their cash during the average 15-60 minute one has to indulge himself, before boarding the flight in an Airport Duty Free area. (And one would agree DDF could well be an expert in Middle East!)

According to Trendwatching.com:
TRANSUMERS are consumers driven by experiences… who increasingly live a transient lifestyle, freeing themselves from the hassles of permanent ownership and possessions. The fixed is replaced by an obsession with the current, an ever-shorter satisfaction span, and a lust to collect as many experiences and stories as possible…

The full briefing on Transumers is available for pdf download here.

There’s a particular South-East Asian community in UAE who could be one of the best examples of Transumers residing here. Their behavior matches with most of the following characteristics of Transumers:

Pleasure / freedom loving
To most consumers, travel equates to temporary freedom: Detachment, fractional ownership or no ownership at all, trying out new things, escaping commitment and obligations, dropping formality, endless new experiences.

Adopts ‘leasing lifestyle’
Transumers are likely to make use of new rental options that go beyond rent-a-car or timeshares. The reasons:

• The more stuff they own, the more are worries about repairs, going out of style, theft and so on.
• With ever shorter product cycles, leasing ensures enjoyment of the latest and the greatest.
• Instead of owning one single expensive object, it seems better to maximize the number of experiences by renting, enjoying, and disposing of many different objects.
• Resorting to luxury fractional ownership seems to be the only easy way for social climbers to flaunt status symbols.

Encourages auction culture
It empowers well-off or just obsessed-with-the new Transumers to constantly sell products bought for temporary pleasure, on to the next member! Hence it will increasingly be used to acquire temporary ownership of luxury goods – sometimes as barter too!

Indulges in Surprises
Along with freedom, Transumers also want to be surprised, moving from one ephemeral experience to another, constantly trading in “the fading” for “the blossoming”. The age of abundance has ensured that the status derived from some goods is nearly nil. Hence the only thing that remains is consumption of the thrill, the experience, the new...

Spends time in “Being (or Brand) Spaces”
Originally termed as The Third Place^*, the proliferation of Being Space or Brand Space in the transit areas of Airports, Bus and taxi terminals, etc. is making it easier than ever to leave domestic or office hassles behind.
(^*sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term in 1990 to describe dependable places of refuge, where one can escape the demands of family and bosses, and thus temporarily forget about one's sorrows and shortcomings)

Eco-Leasing Lifestyle
Love of more services and less goods, more re-use by buying and selling 2^nd hand goods, more shared ownership, etc. For example, car sharing that help people get rid of their cars altogether. Research shows that every car-share vehicle replaces 7-8 owned vehicles, since people sell their cars or decide against buying a 2^nd / 3^rd vehicle. Other eco services include: Items available for rent, etc.

Indulges in the Online World
It offers them the most ephemeral of all worlds - where new content can be sampled by the gigabytes, identities can change in a second, casual encounters are arranged within minutes etc. Perhaps they are also likely to be the first to accept virtual goods: the more time they spend online, the less need they have for expensive, fixed, hardly ever used physical goods.

Technorati :Transumers. Dubai Duty Free. UAE. Marketing. Consumer Behaviour

Powerful Powerpoint Presentations

Often during our business / working lives we keep on doing the same old ways of presenting our thoughts / proposals on those 3 x 4 size screens of Powerpoint. In the process of cramming up our presentation, we tend to forget that after all we are supposed to communicate our thoughts – not just present them!

There’s a cool site which I came across through Rowan’s Blog which offers a novel way of sharing thoughts thru online slideshows.

This site has some exciting Powerpoint tips, e.g.:

How to get your slides noticed
Balance Hearts and Minds
Title Slide Makeover
Get your title right
Your Agenda Slide
Epigrammatical

The last one, a 34 slide presentation, is a collection of aphorisms, jokes and thoughts which its author Rowan Manahan usually presents as a looped slideshow before a presentation – when invitees are arriving and taking their seats. A few of these aphorisms are quite interesting:

• Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative (this is the best of the lot!)
  
• Generalizations are always false
• The problem with the rat-race is that even if you win, still you're a rat
• Mathematics and alcohol do not mix well - don't drink and derive
• Mud thrown is ground lost.
• Excellence makes people nervous.
• Instant gratification takes too long
• Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind
• To succeed in this life all you need are ignorance and confidence in equal measure

Technorati :Presentations. Aphorisms. Communication. Cool Sites. Powerpoint

Al Jazeera - best known Arab Brand?

Forbes Arabia has just published a report on The Top 40 Arab Brands, which puts Al Jazeera at #1. The complete list also appears here.

This survey:
- Started off with 80 Arab brands from various industries
- Included brands which have been created and owned by an Arab company
- Was done thru an exclusive online survey of 1,200 consumers in 19 Arab countries of GCC, Levant and N.Africa, including Yemen
- Utilised the services of YouGov plc, which has been lately presenting some interesting insights with Gulf News

A few points that struck me are as follows:
1) Quite mysteriously, the first 7-star hotel in the world - Burj Al Arab - appears at #7.
2) Airlines are the best-represented category, led by Emirates (2nd). All the carriers except Saudia are present in the list.
3) Jarir Bookstore - a Saudi books / stationery retailer appeared among first 10 - before Emaar!
4) Quite expectedly, all the major TV stations are in the list.
5) There are 5 brands from Juices / Milk /Beverages category (I was expecting some others too!)
6) Strangely, Ajmal - a quite reputed and recognised name among Oriental perfumes - didn't even manage to stay within the first 20 positions.

However, CampaignME's Richard Abbot feels that long term vision helped these brands to reach top-of-mind among Arab consumers. The publication feels that "... the list is genuine. It hasn't been made up by an editorial team and it hasn't been paid for by sponsors" unlike Superbrands, whose last-issue funnily did not include Emirates!

Technorati :Arab Brands. Al Jazeera. Trends. Marketing

Layman's Guide to dealing salary in Dubai

There are many of you who must have crossed the 2 most important barriers in your job search in Dubai – Getting an interview call and giving a satisfactory interview!

And then you are asked the tricky question: “How much do you expect?” This is a tricky question, especially since you’re coming to work here for the first time. On one hand you’re ready to take the ride, and on the other, you don’t wish to devalue yourself vis-à-vis your career till now. The employer, very well aware of this predicament, will try to squeeze you as much as possible! So how do you prepare for this?

Here are my 7 tried and tested suggestions:

Unlearn your past experiences / expectations
Salary in UAE are based to some extent to attract foreign talent, but are increasingly getting squeezed, as more Expats join in. Hence although converting your country’s salary into UAE may be a good start, it is better not to expect the same formula to work. One simple rule is as follows: See how much is price of a Big Mac burger in UAE equivalent to that in your country; e.g. if Big Mac costs 10 AED in UAE, it may be 25 in your country’s currency. Therefore if your expectation was 5K in your country, your base should be a minimum 2K in this country.

Calculate your basic minimum needs first
Before appearing in the interview, get a hang of your minimum house rent, transport and other fixed expenses in case you accept the offer. For example, you may need (per month) of 2K for an average one room studio, 1K for a 20 min cab ride to your office, 2.5K for Food, Water, Electricity, Internet and Cable. Therefore you need at least 5.5K to start a simple single-life in Dubai. Any offer below this value is not worth considering!

Adjust with your “lifestyle” expectations
Once you have the basic-need calculations, you may try to work out how you’d like to spend life in UAE. For example, you may need a better studio flat, or you need your own car to save on transportation, etc. Or you may just want to save at least (say) 2K per month! Add these criteria to the existing basic calculations.

Do some homework
Well, you may have your figures now – but is that realistic? Check with your peers, friends, consultants, etc. on their recommendations – don’t ask about their views on your calculations! If the feedback is little more than yours – then increase expected salary by 20%. If the feedback is less than yours then decrease expectations by 10%. If the feedback is too disproportionate – then re-look at your priorities / criteria.

Always ask for a little more
It is always wiser to ask at least 20% more than the market rate. This will allow a little room for your negotiation. If the interviewer reacts violently/ negatively, stay calm and ask for their views. Once you know this, don’t quote any value – but talk about the ways you intend to add value to the role, and offer to go down by 10% first. Chances are that they will hire you at your expected salary.

Always get to know the complete package (and more)
If the employer proposes you a salary figure instead, don’t say yes even if it is attractive and acceptable. Ask for the complete benefits and package - understand any hidden expenditures. Then say that you were expecting more (quote a 10% added figure); also add that you’re ready to start off with a promise of a review after 6 months.

Do not budge too lower than your expectations
First, it is not worth it! It will start affecting your self image, your finances and your outlook to life! It may also induce irritation and make you hum strung in the long run, esp. since salaries do not increase in UAE very much, while other costs spiral up frequently. One good way to handle such situations is to say: “I understand your position, but this (i.e. too low) salary would be a terrible compromise for me. I’m sure you won’t let your team member start a relationship on the premise of a compromise.”

Well that’s how I’ve been dealing not only in UAE – but everywhere! However, these are my personal criteria – for which I do not claim any originality or guarantee success whatsoever! Take this as a guide and work out your own calculations to your best advantage. Discussions / suggestions are welcome!

(Also cross-posted as a thread in this DiscussDubai Forum)
Technorati :Career. Job Hunting. Dubai. Salary negotiations

The First Kiss...

I've heard a lot of stories profiling the nervousness, predicaments and experiences regarding the first kiss. Recently I got a mass forwarded mail which is the best I've seen, read or heard in my entire life! I could not stop smiling about it, and hence wish to share the same with you...
I'm reproducing the contents of the mail in full:

So it's your first kiss and several questions might come to mind:

Is it the right time?

Does your partner really want it?

Is your / partner's breath fresh?

And the big question... "Should I use the tongue"

After a few moments, you lean in and decide to go for it!!!
...and get clicked by someone!!

Technorati :Behaviour. First Kiss