I wonder if Tata Motors had undertaken a detail market research for Nano before deciding to set up a plant for it or it was totally unilateral initiative, decision or wish of Ratan Tata as expressed by him publicly that was carried out by the technocrats and managers of the company as was the practice in good old days. Even I myself experienced similar imposition of the CEOs or the private owner.
All along I have been expecting and promoting for the generation of a big volume for this car to become a globally accepted entry car.Nano sales in this July are just dismal. The number slipped to 3,260 units from 9,000 units in the corresponding month last year.
Tata Motors, as reported, have planned to set up plants in Latin America, Africa as well as South=East Asia. It has plans to promote and sell Nanos to the employees of the companies of Tata Group. Can it keep the production of Nanos growing and reaching the scale expected by the company?
Rural India could have provided a good market for it. But as all the roads that its rural owners are to use in course of their routine outings are not good enough, its large scale rural penetration will take time.
However, perhaps there are other sectors with good potentials where Tata Motors could have targeted to sell Nanos.
In every family that is having one or bigger cars must have one Nano too. It can be used for taking kids to the schools, coaching classes or tutors or to send the driver to buy few loafs of bread or vegetables. It can always be a kitty car unless the owner needs to show off her status through a huge car.
For the Gen Y entering job market with many with financial constraints, Nano can be made an attractive buy as the first car.
For, old men like me, living in a quiet little town or NCR with gradually reducing outside engagements, Nano can certainly be a choice. Unfortunately, I have not found any one to approach me or any of my friends to sell Nano. Tata Motors missed on marketing Nano initially with a hope of automatic queuing up of its dealers by its buyers. It must go for marketing now to generate a consistently growing volume.
Nano’s launch created a wave of India’s arrival in product design. The product was born out of a dream of Ratan Tata.
Will Tata Motors make his dream coming true, and realized?
Can the professors of IIMs and other top management schools of India and abroad make this a case study or a subject of a research project?
दृष्टिकोण - Indra's Viewpoint 