In an age of AI and radical geopolitical shifts, what will be their impact on marketing and innovation of products and services?
AI will reshape how products are designed, marketed, and personalised, making innovation faster and more data-driven. The focus will shift to customer-centric innovation. The next wave of disruptive innovations like Airbnb or Uber will likely come from user-first, tech-enabled models built around everyday needs.
India will continue to lead in frugal innovation, which focuses on creating high-value solutions, making products more affordable and accessible.
In today’s geoeconomic world, the Indian government is emphasising on “swadeshi” products and services. We also need to attract foreign investment. How should companies manage this seemingly contradictory position?
The Indian government’s emphasis on “Swadeshi” products and services while also trying to attract foreign investment aren’t contradictory positions. These two can complement each other by Indian companies collaborating with global partners. The goal should be to develop locally, compete globally. Another priority is attracting global corporations to India through partnerships that offer local market access and insights.
Despite a mature Indian economy attracting world class products and services, customer service is poor. Why is this happening and how should companies overcome this hurdle?
Companies should link employee evaluation directly to customer satisfaction, and based on the nature of customer feedback, take appropriate actions. Making employees accountable for service delivery is a must.
The Indian hospitality industry, in particular Indian premier hotels, is a great example of service excellence. This industry is very focused on delivering excellent customer service. Therefore, Indian hotels can serve as a useful benchmark for other industries.
What can Indian and Chinese companies learn from each other?
China mastered making quality products for the masses—affordable yet reliable. The government worked hard to change the perception that “cheap means low quality.” India excelled in building a strong service economy by focusing on developing human talent in IT and hospitality. Chinese firms can learn from India’s service mindset, and Indian firms from China’s manufacturing discipline and scale.
Together, they represent a promising blend: China’s Efficiency + Indian Talent’s Effectiveness = Cutting-Edge Business Model.
