Its almost a year since this happened. To mark first anniv am posting this ( 15/12/2010)
12/15/2009 09:49 AM
Current status:
Colgate has contacted me.
They are sending me replacement tooth brush ( !) + a few more ........
also they are collecting the ' Hero Brush' from me for further investigation.
So my prediction of Colgate a 'weight reducing tooth brush' is progressing !
How to claim the patent for the idea is the issue now for me !
Am getting better ..............
===================================================================================
I have been suffering from upset stomach and diarrhea for almost 3 weeks. ( lost 5 Kgs!)
Initially for a week I ignored it and finally I approached my doctor.
He could not really identify anything but said it looks like 'non infectious diarrhea similar to IBS'.
Suggested Naturolax power basically to' harden things'!.
It did the ' work' and passing motion became difficult. But my problems continued and I stopped the medicine for a day.
Immediately I went back to my ' old ways' of diarrhea, headache and abdominal pain and weakness.
Ever since these started , I stopped eating from outside and still I continued to have the problems and no one else at home have any issue including my kids.
I still could not understand the cause............ Mystery !
All these issues were happening parallel to another thing I did.
I bought a new tooth brush ( Colgate) about 3/4 weeks back which has soft ( Rubber?) padding so that the hard parts do not hurt the gum. ( I guess)
Almost for last 2/3 weeks, I have noticed some black/ brown spots on the soft padding of the brush and I just washed ( brushed aside!) it and continued to use it.
All thro my stomach trouble I have been using this brush & only I have such a brush at home. ( only I use my brush !!)
Finally it dawned on me that the brush and those spots could be a cause of my problems.
I stopped using that brush ( still brush !) for last 3/ 4 days and am almost back to normal - this time the normal I was a month back !
I think there was/is some fungal growth on the soft padding of the brush and it has been getting into my food/ stomach causing the mess I have been in.
I doubt if any doctor can ever investigate on these lines and cure be suggested.
I am writing this to bring the issue out in open for doctors and patients and the tooth brush manufacture's to correct this.
This is my story , I have no scientific proof other than my experience, I hope am not concluding too early !!
Am glad ( !) that I lost 5 Kg and more close to my BMI !
Why go to gym or play and VLCC may go out of business when you can have brushes like this !
But its been horrible 2/3 weeks. Don't ever use such brushes.
I have written to Colgate, lets see if they have something to say/ do.
They may 'utilise/improve' this and come out with a " weight reduction Brush" !!
Thanks
Regds,
Tony Augustine
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The Thrill, pain and hopeful Deliverance of Tata nano
Am sharing a few communication I had with top mgt of Tatamotos at different times in the past 2 yrs. Context the current slump in the sales of Nano - from 8000 nos to 300 in Nov 20101.
From: tony@tkm.co.in
Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:10:28 +0530
Subject: Many Congrats - nano can be a KAR
To: Mr. Ravi Kant, MD Tata Motors
Dear Respected Sir,
Many many congrats to you and your team for making 'nano' a reality.
As an Indian and more as a former employee of Tata Motors , I feel
extremely proud of this unparalleled achievement.
I saw nano, sat in it, and it felt great.
It should be a KAR not a just a CAR.
Its time that India/ Indians own and offer a product category to the
world in automobiles.I feel Tata Motors, thro' nano can do that for India.
Marketing nano as a KAR will help India and Tata Motors to create and
own a product category which will be different from a conventional car.
This need to done especially in developed and other foreign countries.
This may not have much relevance to us India as a good percentage of nano
buyers will be looking for a car, nothing else.
Kar is just a name - it can be any other appropriate name - but need to
identify as a new category.
Thank you sir for your time .
With Kind Regards,
Daer Ramki, ( 4 Dec 2010)
KAR is parallel to Scooty - not a scooter, not a bike.
KAR as a category will help attract customers fron 2 wheeler
who in my mind sees nano as a poor man's car to which he is not aspiring.
Car is an aspirational product and that can come thro' a new category creation with
a new postioning.
Tahnks again.
best reagrds
tony
Subject: RE: Nano - way forward - an outsiders' comments.
Thanks a lot Tony, for the ideas and the concern. Really appreciate it. Regards, Ramki On 12/02/10 10:48 PM, Tony Augustine wrote: -------------------- Dear Ramki, Greetings. I am reading too many things about Nano and am offering some unsolicited comments. Please don't mistake me, am not advising. Just some observations which may help. Just delete if its of no use . Am a Nano owner and my parents use it and are very happy. Am a curiosity buyer and there are many who bought like that. That market is getting over and that may explain the current drop in numbers and for some reason the real customers have not come into play from semi urban and rural areas. To my mind Semi urban and rural customers ape what happens in the city if its affordable to them. Therefore, to capture rural market , some good visibility in cities is a must. Now how can we make that happen. Curiosity buyers in cities are almost over. Therefore , we have to find a segment that sees merit in this product, but runs in cities. At the risk of displeasing many at TM, may I suggest that you target the autorickshaw segment as a premium auto. ( am sure this would have been atleast discussed and dropped for a variety of reasons. That is natural but breaking that mind set is the key for numbers) I heard that Gurgoan have started 'call auto ' similar to call taxi. You may explore. This will give the much needed visibility which is key to tap rural/ semi urban market where we should be getting real retail customers. I suggest, to kick start, buy out 50 autos from each mkt and replace them with Nano in 6/8 key cities and them support that from background. ( RTO appvls?) Shift focus to 30/40 key semi urban areas after one month of putting these nanos in city roads. TM dealers may tie up with a few 2 wheeler dealers in these areas if TM lacks distribution. Ramki, it may sound stupid and silly of me to write, but I just had to. I hope it helps. Thanks for your time for reading it. Best wishes Tony Augustine
From: tony@tkm.co.in
Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:10:28 +0530
Subject: Many Congrats - nano can be a KAR
To: Mr. Ravi Kant, MD Tata Motors
Dear Respected Sir,
Many many congrats to you and your team for making 'nano' a reality.
As an Indian and more as a former employee of Tata Motors , I feel
extremely proud of this unparalleled achievement.
I saw nano, sat in it, and it felt great.
It should be a KAR not a just a CAR.
Its time that India/ Indians own and offer a product category to the
world in automobiles.I feel Tata Motors, thro' nano can do that for India.
Marketing nano as a KAR will help India and Tata Motors to create and
own a product category which will be different from a conventional car.
This need to done especially in developed and other foreign countries.
This may not have much relevance to us India as a good percentage of nano
buyers will be looking for a car, nothing else.
Kar is just a name - it can be any other appropriate name - but need to
identify as a new category.
Thank you sir for your time .
With Kind Regards,
Daer Ramki, ( 4 Dec 2010)
KAR is parallel to Scooty - not a scooter, not a bike.
KAR as a category will help attract customers fron 2 wheeler
who in my mind sees nano as a poor man's car to which he is not aspiring.
Car is an aspirational product and that can come thro' a new category creation with
a new postioning.
Tahnks again.
best reagrds
tony
Subject: RE: Nano - way forward - an outsiders' comments.
Thanks a lot Tony, for the ideas and the concern. Really appreciate it. Regards, Ramki On 12/02/10 10:48 PM, Tony Augustine wrote: -------------------- Dear Ramki, Greetings. I am reading too many things about Nano and am offering some unsolicited comments. Please don't mistake me, am not advising. Just some observations which may help. Just delete if its of no use . Am a Nano owner and my parents use it and are very happy. Am a curiosity buyer and there are many who bought like that. That market is getting over and that may explain the current drop in numbers and for some reason the real customers have not come into play from semi urban and rural areas. To my mind Semi urban and rural customers ape what happens in the city if its affordable to them. Therefore, to capture rural market , some good visibility in cities is a must. Now how can we make that happen. Curiosity buyers in cities are almost over. Therefore , we have to find a segment that sees merit in this product, but runs in cities. At the risk of displeasing many at TM, may I suggest that you target the autorickshaw segment as a premium auto. ( am sure this would have been atleast discussed and dropped for a variety of reasons. That is natural but breaking that mind set is the key for numbers) I heard that Gurgoan have started 'call auto ' similar to call taxi. You may explore. This will give the much needed visibility which is key to tap rural/ semi urban market where we should be getting real retail customers. I suggest, to kick start, buy out 50 autos from each mkt and replace them with Nano in 6/8 key cities and them support that from background. ( RTO appvls?) Shift focus to 30/40 key semi urban areas after one month of putting these nanos in city roads. TM dealers may tie up with a few 2 wheeler dealers in these areas if TM lacks distribution. Ramki, it may sound stupid and silly of me to write, but I just had to. I hope it helps. Thanks for your time for reading it. Best wishes Tony Augustine
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