Kaati Zone brings the concept of beta to food joints

Prateek,

Maybe their beta is successful - who knows if their product will mimic the beta experience ? In that case, the beta has done its job (in the sense that a failed test case is as successful as a passed test case). And in case their beta bombs, and if they decide to take the valuable user feedback to improve the final product, even then they are successful.

Also, I think people are just going overboard with this beta stuff. In the documented history (and I am sure it was true even during the undocumented history), manufacturers and marketers have given truck loads of ’samples’ of just about everything - soaps, medicines (I guess that’s what most Medical reps do for a living), magazine subscriptions and product purchase with a 30-day no-questions-asked 100%-moneyback guarantee(ok, may not be so prevalent in India, but definitely in US and many other countries)…nowadays, most lifestyle magazines offer satchets or soaps, shampoos or perfume stick to its readers to try it out. Computer magazines like PC Quest have been giving free demo (or time-limited) software since donkey’s years (first on floppy and more recently on DVDs) in its every single monthly edition. On a lighter note, I could even argue that a live-in relationship is a Marriage 1.0 Beta !!! In HR, there is a term known as RJP or the Relistic Job Preview where the effort is to sensetize a prospective job holder of everything (positive and negative) that the job entails so that there are no hidden surprises and he can make the right call to join or not.

In fact, I think the world of software developers is the slowest (if not the last) in embracing this whole concept of beta (and we think it is cool to do a beta !).

Tathagat

Very true Prateek. Even i share the same experiences with Kati %^%%. The other day i had some sh^& at the Kati Zone in Koramangala and the very next day i was down with a terrible stomach…i m just too scared to go thr again.

Prateek,
I am the founder of Kaati Zone. I am pained to read about your experience at our Banashankari restaurant. You are right in terming it a Beta launch. We have done only a soft launch of the outlet, and have not yet undertaken local activities to drive traffic. In other words, we are serving only walk-in customers. However, there can be no excuse for poor customer service. I am disturbed by the lapse on our part and wish to speak with you to get specific details for further investigation. It is best we do this offline. May I request you to leave your contact details (phone no. or e-mail id) with my colleague, Ms. Soni, at 4112-2100? I appreciate your help in improving our services.
While on the subject, I want to write about our concept. We launched Kaati Zone to build a brand in Indian quick service foods that can reach customers both in India and abroad. Our choice of products and packaging is based on our research on current trends in quick service foods industry. We believe we have a unique positioning in the market as the only branded Indian food for customers who are in a rush or for those who want a to-go meal. As a result, we have been selected by BIAL to offer food at the new international airport in Bangalore, and by BPCL to introduce to-go counters at their petrol stations. We have also been backed by venture capital investors.
Having said this, I must confess we are still a young company facing the pangs of growth. I am sure, as someone involved with a start-up, you will appreciate this statement. We are introducing innovation in the marketplace and trying to grow, but will falter on few occasions. I am not offering this as an excuse for the lapse on our part, but only to seek continued patronage from you.

@Tathagat,

Sample != Beta

With a sample or a demo you’re getting a small piece of a fully-functional product.

With a beta, you’re getting the full experience of a being-built product.

@Kiran, I’ve never seen a soft-launch of a retail outlet so far :). Also, I noticed this Kaati Zone has been there for a few weeks right?

I would have thought at least exhaust fans would be mandatory - it was quite difficult to sit there. I’m sure the staff there must be having it much worse by now! At the very least, I thought they’d keep the doors open.

Also, while the decor ‘looks’ nice, there is very little by way of sound-absorptive material - so everyone’s voice echoes to eternity, making us quiet folk sound like a group of school kids. Look into some false-ceiling, or perhaps wall-paneling to reduce the noise.

Another thing - the food was not quick in any sense of the word. Subway is a lot faster - or at least feels so. There’s no comparison to any roadside shop in Mumbai ;-). Have you guys done any process measurements to see if your service is actually quick?

The location rocks though - lots of eateries around, so a very compelling place to come to. Will try again, but certainly a bad first experience.

Prasanna,

No disagreement on the bookish definition of what is Sample and what is Beta. However, looking at the way it is practiced in Web x.0 world, I hardly see (a) the ‘beta’ label being taken off the site, and (b) even if it is taken off, no changes are made from the in-Beta to the post-Beta stage which essentially makes a mockery of what Beta was originally meant to be and do. My response was more metaphorical looking at how the word ‘Beta’ is being abused.

Kiran,

I don’t know what you mean by “grab-and-go”. A “sit-down service” just doesn’t make sense to qualify as a grab-and-go. In ‘96 I saw real grab and go for the first time in Netherlands and I have not seen them in India yet. You essentially have one full wall of the eatery as a block above block of glass windows (difficult to describe with words - imagine a wall made of glass blocks intead of bricks, and each glass block can be opened from both inside and outside). There is a ready-to-eat freshly-put not-made-to-order food item in each such glass window that you can see. To pick up something, you put a coin in the coin slot of that window, twist the knob, the window opens and there you go. Inside the eatery, the guy sees that food item has been taken, he promptly replenishes it. The wait time is ZERO. That is real grab and go, and not something where you make people sit down and order the food (not to mention, take 15-30 minutes to deliver the food). Now, there is enough scope for all types of eatery ideas, I certainly think the supply chain for a Mac will differ from that of a xxxSagar to that of a Taj to a Katizone and finally to a real grab and go. The (a) ease and flexibility of made to order vs. made to demand, and (b) lead time will vary across such spectrum of eatary models. I have not been to Katizone yet, so can’t comment on it, but it doesn’t seem to qualify as grab and go, especially when I have to take my next flight from BIAL and all I need is a realy quick grab.