The STP of Travelling in Mumbai locals

I don't believe that strategies come into use only when your sitting at the desk in your office. After traveling by train for more than 3 months now, I have learned that the most common strategy of marketing can be applied here too - Segmenting, Targeting, Positioning.

Step 1: Segmenting

Having arrived on the station platform, the crowd needs to be surveyed. You need to look around at the crowd and determine where the first class ladies compartment is. Head for the large group of women hurdled around each other. Upon reaching there, determine the class that the women will be entering into. There is a clear distinction between those traveling first class as compared to those traveling second class. As with many strategies, this involves prior research and is merely a one-time action, carried out only at each new station.

Step 2: Targeting

The second step involves carefully planning and targeting to catch the right train. Taking trains after those which eat up all the crowd is a smart idea, but always be careful and be aware of the destination of the next train coming into the station.

Step 3: Positioning

After you have climbed onto the train, positioning is the most tactful of all steps, since it differs from train to train. You can enter an empty train and only stand in the queue right when you enter your destination station. You can enter a completely packed train and have to find your way towards the correct exit. Or you can enter a train and cleverly position yourself in such a place where you are comfortable and not at the push and shove of all the passengers.

Of course, no strategy is complete without “evaluation”. I believe that the evaluation phase should be carried out to ensure that you are getting off at the right station without being pushed out of the train beforehand. Successful implementation of the above strategy can be evaluated by inquiring with the passenger ahead of you of their destination – if you are behind someone getting off at the same station, your STP is successful! Be sure to get off the train at the right stop, in one piece and in case of perfect implementation, you could even be looking forward to your next eventful train journey.