As part of the Spark India project I’m going to be taking a closer look at some of the ventures we encounter on the program. To begin the series, here is a brief and incredibly limited overview of the project I’m going to be working on whilst I’m out here. If you want to find out more (you should!) check out their brand spanking new website at awaaz.de.
In Hindi, awaaz literally means ‘voice’, and in a country with over 1500 recognised languages, voice can be a pretty powerful tool. Illiteracy, or at least illiteracy in a common language, is widespread, making vocal communication a key part of life. Awaaz.de works by taking the same technology you will have been annoyed by when you ring up your bank or a call centre (“press 1 to be put on hold for 3 hours”) and engineering it into communication tools for SME’s, individuals and communities. For example a shopkeeper could notify all of his regular customers that he has some new stock in, or ask them whether he should invest in a new product. This business focus alone is limited in its social impact, but it pays the bills and allows Awaaz.de to offer its product for free to less affluent user groups, such as its “Farmer’s friend” service. Farmer’s friend works with the rural farming community, providing a platform for them to share advice and market prices, and connect with farming experts, by taking part in a daily call-in and answering a set question. Approximately 70% of Farmer’s friend subscribers listen everyday, and any ‘priority’ messages receive over 90% penetration. Other community projects currently running include an “iTunes for the villages” that plays music from local bands, or a stream of “Indie Hindi Poetry”.
On top of this, Awaaz.de is committed to providing the best possible experience to end users of its products. It will never cost you to ring an Awaaz.de number, as when your call connects, it will hang up and then automatically ring you back with the service you require. When Vodaphone asked Awaaz.de to provide a cold-call marketing service designed to reach 50,000 new customers, they said no, even though the revenue generated could have secured the financial status of the company for the foreseeable future. If you take a trip to the Awaaz.de offices, you will see the walls resplendent with motivational quotes from their first ever customer – the Gandhi Ashram, and hanging in pride of place is a statement of the company’s core values. At the heart of all of this, it is apparent that one notion binds together everything that Awaaz.de does, the notion of community. According to Awaaz.de:
Enterprise that does not include the community as its primary customer cannot deliver much value, whether economic or social.
Awaaz.de
Awaaz.de is committed to providing new and exciting ways to utilise its service, and part of my challenge will involve working with youth in Ahmedabad in an attempt to create a community of young app developers. With community at the centre of everything they do, it will be an honour to work for Awaaz.de for the next month.
Gone With The Windia 