The other day I was reading an article about Zilla Parishad elections being campaigned on social media. As far as the smartphone’s penetration by embracing platforms like social media is concerned, people in rural India appear to be adapting to it rapidly. We also have handsets which understand voice based instructions being sold by some brands in north India.Mobile manufacturers really need to think about what more can rural consumers do with the mobile phone. Entertainment services could be an option that addresses the needs of amusement-starved customers of the brand.
If one really analyses the psyche of a small town consumer, based on Accenture’s research, we find that she is interested in healthcare and education. A value added service that encompasses these two needs could be other opportunities for brands to entrench themselves in the minds of the target consumers. Targetting adults with local news would be another way of engaging them as they always want to keep themselves abreast with latest happenings.
Imagine farmers operating a water pump remotely, where they are able to switch it on and off at a particular time using their handsets. These remote tracking capabilities extended beyond phones to water pumps and two wheelers will help rural customers track their equipment. What is required is a shift in the mindset of the manufacturers where they start looking beyond selling just phones to selling solutions to meet rural consumer needs.
The needs of the small town consumer are fast converging with that of urban users but they are still unique enough to demand customised solutions. This gives the manufacturers an opportunity to understand the consumer better and provide handsets which are unique to their specific needs.
The stereotype of a quintessential rural customer — a poor man with basic needs represents only 40% of the rural population. There are 20% of aspirational climbers in rural areas working towards improving their quality of life. They don’t want to use local products and would rather go for something that gives them a social status. There are people who have amassed enough wealth in the recent years and may spend it to just show it off, to put it bluntly. Pride of ownership is important to them. Even if they are not fully conversant with the product usage they might still buy it to flaunt it. That could be one driver and this should be classified as a need. The vast majority, on the other hand, probably has more practical needs.
Marketers need to invest time to understand their consumers better and develop products that are not just stripped down, low priced versions of products from urban areas. It should carry appropriate features for daily use which will help the brand cut through the clutter. Until others catch up, such products can always command a premium over other brands.
Written By: Raghuram Devarakonda. The author is managing director, advanced customer strategy, Accenture Strategy