Nostalgia. and Pain

Big spacious, our own car
with  'hindustan' in its company name
Sturdy, strong  capable
of packing in an entire
joint family in its fold!

Many Indians remember it
as the first car in which
they ever travelled
the car for the Indian conditions..
the Ambassador car!
Many memories, most of them very old
associated with this car..

Yet in the recent memory
hardly a place, in the mind & heart
having lost ground
to new, smart, agile players
ever since the loss of monopoly status...

we finally saw on  24th May,
the last car roll out
of the  Kolkata plant
The factory will never again
reverberate with the sounds
of the men and machines
no more sirens or transport plying
to and from the auto town...

yet, was this so sudden,unexpected?
nay,the writing was very much on the wall
sickness & death was inevitable
given the complacency that had set in...

while the whole world
was making  steady progress
no changes,improvements attempted
by the Ambassador
content with just changing numbers
mark 2, mark 3,  mark 4
with no marked improvement
in quality or service!

Is there a learning here
for all of us- in all organizations ..
Whether manufacturing  or service?
to be on the toes to delight customers
for if he disappears, so do you!

Let us then  keep  complacency at bay
constantly serve, improve & innovate
to please the customer, the king
for whom & by whom
we all exist!