He talks about the latest trends he wants to incorporate into his magazine-lined, gadget-studded passenger vehicle
He talks about the latest trends he wants to incorporate into his magazine-lined, gadget-studded passenger vehicle
A yellow colored auto passes in front of the streets of Adyar. On the back it is written in bold white letters: Work until you have to introduce yourself. This is a message that G. Annadurai, the owner of the auto, takes seriously; So not surprising, then, at 38 years old, she’s already a local celebrity with global appeal. A technology enthusiast, he recently attended Dubai Expo 2020 to learn about the latest developments in the field.
After class XII, Annadurai waited tables in a cafeteria before moving on to her current profession in December 2010. Despite not being able to pursue further studies, his inclination to learn persisted. His WiFi-enabled auto is lined with newspapers and magazines, and the passenger seat is equipped with a tablet, a laptop, and even a television. “Everything is complimentary for my customers. I want them to read and stay informed,” says Annadurai, who says he enjoys reading in his spare time and is currently studying 42 Monday,
G. Annadurai with his laptop. photo credit: pichumani ku
Talking about his visit to Dubai Expo, he said that since the needs of the customers keep changing, it is good to be updated on the technology that can help in meeting those needs. As an example, he pulls out a white futuristic-looking instrument, presenting it with an air of pretentiousness: “AWS Deep Lens … it helps with sign language understanding so I know that my hearing and What are speaking customers saying.”
Tech savvy
Annadurai strives to procure the latest gadgets for its customers, be it an iPad, a Samsung tablet or a solar powered headphone. He has just recently bought iPhone 13 from Dubai. “Technology is updating every year: if you don’t live, you’re old,” he smiles. However, he says that he gets the greatest pleasure when the children of the slums browse through his latest MacBook Pro.
Annadurai says that 50% of his customers reach for an iPad Pro, 15% use a Mac Book Pro, and 25% read magazines and newspapers. “I get six in the morning and two in the evening, and I have subscribed to 35-40 magazines. These period sections like Business, Travel, Lifestyle, Fashion and Current Affairs are in English and Tamil. Earlier I had newspapers and magazines in Bengali, Oriya, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu. But there weren’t too many takers.”
In addition, Annadurai also offers a book in the month. this month it is 42 Monday, In the past, featured book of the month rich Dad Poor Dad, a brief History of Time among others.
The auto also features a red mini fridge filled with chilled coconut water, as well as a snack rack filled with chocolates and biscuits for customers.
time up
Explaining why he puts so much work into making his autos, he says, “People are under a lot of stress these days. I want them to rest.” Holding two Rubik’s cubes, he smiles, “If you can solve these, you’ll get a prize.” He conducts a monthly quiz. He frames the questions himself. Sample this: Where is the headquarters of ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia) located? After the lucky draw, a winner gets a cash prize of ₹1,000.
Annadurai says that he spends ₹18,000 every month on these frills and subscriptions. Which brings us to the question: How much does he earn per month? “Before the pandemic it was above one lakh and now it has come down to ₹60,000-65,000 as most of my clients are working from home through the IT corridor and there have been no international tourists in the last two years,” he says. Saying that he sets the rates for the rent by the government.
Now, he manages 30 to 40 clients a day. But the business will bounce back, he says optimistically, “that’s when I have more plans to incorporate. Until then the goal is to stay afloat.” But despite the “business decline”, he continues to offer free services to teachers, doctors, nurses and sweepers.