I live in Bangalore, this statement is enough for anybody to forecast my monthly expenditure. Out of my total income, 1/6th of it goes to house rent, 1/3rd goes on the food (reasonable...taking into account my bad food habits) and lets say another 1/3rd goes on shopping clothes and other daily needs, most of you must have came to conclusion right now that I may be saving 30% of my income.( Frankly speaking I respect those of you who did all the above calculations in mind, I had to open the calculator to get the remainder of the distribution), but you have misunderstood it completely. If there would have been any RFIDs infused on the paper money of this last distribution and if you could monitor them on GPS kind of screen, you won't find them static in the lock room of some bank, they will be found on the streets of bangalore. I know, nothing of the above statement makes any sense. In short and simple way, the Bangalore Autowalas are all eating all my money.
I have been to many big cities, including Pune, Mumbai, Hydrabad, Nagpur but the way autowalas charge in those places seems much decent amount as compared to what happens in bangalore. The people with their own vehicles cry for the petrol prices but they dont know our pain. Atleast their money goes for petrol in their own vehicles. The only way to protect your money from these Dementorous creatures is by improvising a quality within yourself called Negatiation.
Now don't get me wrong but being negotiator is not that easy job. Lets go through the alogorithm of negotiation with the autowala. Remember this is some risky business, the moment you take out your negotiation weapon, so does he. Its like in those sci-fi movies where the villain gets as much power as hero has.
Step 1: Spot him.
This statement looks plain but has many hidden meanings. Your pray is mostly the ones which are going on the same way as you has to go. Mostly avoid the parked autowalas. The only reason they are parked is because they were stubborn with their negotiating terms with previous customers.
Step 2:Hide your needyness
This is very crucial moment, don't show your needyness to the enemy. Ask him casually. It should feel like you are not that desperate to reach the destination. If you miss this chance, he gets the advantage and later it becomes very hard to score the game point. Ask him whether he is free or not? Best practice suggests not to ask for the destination in the first question. This lights up the curiosity in his mind.
Step 3:"Which route SAAB?"
Be careful. This is one of the evaluation question from Autowala point of view. He will ask you that from which route you want to go? The main motive is to know whether the passengers are regular or foreigner to that area? Don't fall for it. Mostly he will give you two options for the route. Take any one with atmost confidence.
Step 4:"Kitna loge?"
Don't just step into the vehicle. If you get in without asking this question, you have lost the battle. Ask him first. There are some crooked autowalas who will counterask, "Aap kitna doge?", but never ever answer it, it his way of judging your negotiation skills.
Step 5:"Are humko kya bahargaon ka samza hai?"
These autowalas (especially bangalorian) will tell you stupidly large amount of money. Just boil up and throw this dialogue. I remember, once I opted auto and asked him to take me to some place 4 and half kms away, he told me 400. I actually liked his frankness, but I was about to say F word to him cause just few months ago, i went from Chennai to my hometown in Rs.396(it was general boggie, terrible journey, lets talk about it later someday). Anyway 400 is such a ridiculous figure for autowala to ask. But remember, this is bangalore. They have no shame.
Step 6: After reaching the destination
So far you have negotiated properly and both of you agreed on some decent figure, you hop in, auto goes on and you are about to reach destination. But this is not the end of war. When you get down, you take out some money and give him a note. He says frantically, "Change nahi hai...", you know you don't have it either. Then he fake-check his pockets. Finally gives you lesser money back and starts auto casually, when you count it, you are shocked and you make him notice about the remaining money, he replies curtly, "Change nahi hai...", same words different ascents and before you know what is happening, auto gets into the smokes of his own exhaust.
You realize that all above cautions are in vain. It was all in the destiny. The RFID trackers moves smoothly over bangalorian roads....
I have been to many big cities, including Pune, Mumbai, Hydrabad, Nagpur but the way autowalas charge in those places seems much decent amount as compared to what happens in bangalore. The people with their own vehicles cry for the petrol prices but they dont know our pain. Atleast their money goes for petrol in their own vehicles. The only way to protect your money from these Dementorous creatures is by improvising a quality within yourself called Negatiation.
Now don't get me wrong but being negotiator is not that easy job. Lets go through the alogorithm of negotiation with the autowala. Remember this is some risky business, the moment you take out your negotiation weapon, so does he. Its like in those sci-fi movies where the villain gets as much power as hero has.
Step 1: Spot him.
This statement looks plain but has many hidden meanings. Your pray is mostly the ones which are going on the same way as you has to go. Mostly avoid the parked autowalas. The only reason they are parked is because they were stubborn with their negotiating terms with previous customers.
Step 2:Hide your needyness
This is very crucial moment, don't show your needyness to the enemy. Ask him casually. It should feel like you are not that desperate to reach the destination. If you miss this chance, he gets the advantage and later it becomes very hard to score the game point. Ask him whether he is free or not? Best practice suggests not to ask for the destination in the first question. This lights up the curiosity in his mind.
Step 3:"Which route SAAB?"
Be careful. This is one of the evaluation question from Autowala point of view. He will ask you that from which route you want to go? The main motive is to know whether the passengers are regular or foreigner to that area? Don't fall for it. Mostly he will give you two options for the route. Take any one with atmost confidence.
Step 4:"Kitna loge?"
Don't just step into the vehicle. If you get in without asking this question, you have lost the battle. Ask him first. There are some crooked autowalas who will counterask, "Aap kitna doge?", but never ever answer it, it his way of judging your negotiation skills.
Step 5:"Are humko kya bahargaon ka samza hai?"
These autowalas (especially bangalorian) will tell you stupidly large amount of money. Just boil up and throw this dialogue. I remember, once I opted auto and asked him to take me to some place 4 and half kms away, he told me 400. I actually liked his frankness, but I was about to say F word to him cause just few months ago, i went from Chennai to my hometown in Rs.396(it was general boggie, terrible journey, lets talk about it later someday). Anyway 400 is such a ridiculous figure for autowala to ask. But remember, this is bangalore. They have no shame.
Step 6: After reaching the destination
So far you have negotiated properly and both of you agreed on some decent figure, you hop in, auto goes on and you are about to reach destination. But this is not the end of war. When you get down, you take out some money and give him a note. He says frantically, "Change nahi hai...", you know you don't have it either. Then he fake-check his pockets. Finally gives you lesser money back and starts auto casually, when you count it, you are shocked and you make him notice about the remaining money, he replies curtly, "Change nahi hai...", same words different ascents and before you know what is happening, auto gets into the smokes of his own exhaust.
You realize that all above cautions are in vain. It was all in the destiny. The RFID trackers moves smoothly over bangalorian roads....
