Action Replay

Finally Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited tried to prove the point that that it is easier to get an audience with their managerial hierarchy than getting an audience with Pope. After CEO nudged someone, people woke up from slumber and a meeting was hastily arranged on 30^TH October 2010. The meeting turned out to be Action Replay of earlier meeting with CEO on 30^th July 2010.

Action Replay in terms of some more braying and baying, buck passing, false promises, new set of deadlines, same faces from Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited except Mr Siddesh Ghoshalkar who quietly left the company for greener pastures.

However, at the end of the meeting there was offer of “Gardan”(neck), if promised deadlines is not met. Only time will tell whether deadline remains intact and Gardan remains proudly up and firmly in place or the project managers will have their gardans down in shame.

Minutes of the meeting circulated by management of mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited, as below:

1.     Complaint Closure time

Tina Singh Area Manager explained the complaint execution & tracking procedure being followed by KF and assured the residents that there will be a visible improvement in this area within next 15 days leading to considerable reduction in  Complaint Closure time.

2.     Fixing of concave mirrors

Concave mirrors will be installed as follows:-

a. Entrance at stilt level.

b. Near substation.

c. At podium level

d. Spare.

Additional speed breaker at ramp

Two additional speed breakers will be provided at appropriate locations by 15th Nov 2010

3.     Foul smell in kitchen area

Investigation along with consultant is in progress.

4.     Re-Painting of plumbing shafts

Work will be initiated from 15th Nov 2010.

5.     Lighting arrangement in approach roads

Halogen lights  will be installed.

6.     BMC water connection for car wash in stilt.

Water point for each wing in stilt will be provided by 30th Nov 10.

7.     Operations of OTIS elevators and VDP

Meeting with reps organized: OTIS 15th Nov 10 & VDP 20th Nov 10.

8.     Stray dogs

KF to arrange BMC dog van and give at-least 3 days notice to all residents before BMC  visit.

9.     Update Rectification Works

Mosquito Nets

WIP, 68 flats completed, Works being undertaken on availability of Keys to the apartment.

Bird Mesh

WIP, 101 flats completed, Works being undertaken on availability of Keys to the apartment.

Shaft Stabilization

WIP, B2: 48 of 62 flats completed  & B1: 43 of 62 flats completed.

Vermiculate concrete in shafts

52 of 82 flats completed

Leakage in Stilt

WIP on Ty Ramp and 4 column Junction Work completion by 30th Nov 10

Drainage Arrangement in MB Shaft

Investigation along with Consultant in progress.

Intercom at the main gate

Main gate will be connected to stilt security by 25th Nov 10.

Landline numbers of main gate displayed on the notice board.

Works over podium

Tile grouting WIP, completion 15th Dec.

Loose tiles over podium WIP, completion 15th Dec.

Slope correction at identified locations WIP, completion 15th Dec.

10.  Resident's Interior works in the flat

Works will be restricted between 0900 hrs  to 1900 hrs with a break from 1400 hrs to 1600 hrs.

Labours will not be allowed after 1900 hrs.

Residents are requested to ensure that site is made safe before the labour depart for the day,

no fire hazards material are left lying around, water taps are closed etc.

11.  Numbering of flats  for ASPEN

ASPEN Flat Agreement mentions as ASPEN Tower A and not WING A.

To avoid any confusion name of the building is clearly mentioned in the agreement .

12.  Orientation of ASPEN

It was explained that ASPEN orientation was decided to create architectural asymmetry and

to maintain privacy and it is within municipal norms.

13.  Water body

  

The entire residential complex has been developed with the water body as its focus and it is central to the Architectural Concept, therefore its removal will be detrimental to the aesthetics and will adversely affect the visual impact of the complex.

The residents were shown the slides of the Water Body and explained the pros & con of having or  its removal.

Some of the members were in consonance with the Water Body concept whilst the others had reservation primarily because of lack of playing area for adolescent children. While addressing the concern of some members, reducing the size of WB  was also discussed as an option which had its limitations in respect of having to puncture the water proofing which could lead to leakage in the stilt, it was also highlighted that once the club house is functional additional space would be created for recreational activities.

 After detailed discussions the   residents decided to conduct an internal survey on efficacy of the Water Body and intimate to MLDL.

It  was also decided to run the WB and the cascade by end Nov 2010.

14.  Club House

The residents were explained the genuine reasons for delay in completion of the Club House which was primarily due to the severe shortage sand, due to the ban imposed by the State.

Strong reservations were expressed by the residents on regular slippage in set deadline and wanted a firm assurance.

The residents were assured that all out efforts are being made to complete the club house at the earliest but a deadline of 31st Jan 2011will be adhered to.

15.  Customers agreed to form a three member committee to represent common issues

Residents were unable to give a decision on short-listed members.

Also, you may like to read following blogposts:

a) "Gardan" on the block

b) Nudge Baliye

c) Powwow with CEO of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited.

d) Deadline is dead again.

Shubh Diwali

“Gardan”- On the block

As has happened many times in the past, this time now even CEO of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited could not keep her promise and deadline given by her for completion of club house, has gone dead. We were very very optimistic before meeting CEO of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited on 30^th July 2010, but all those hopes and optimism are seriously eroded.  By not doing any effort towards making sure that CEO’s  reputation is not sullied by broken promises, we now have really come to know that concepts of OPERATIONAL SPEED and STRATEGIC SPEED do not appeal to the management of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited.  

Forget about speed, the recurrent demonstration of insensitivity, uncaring attitude towards erosion of MAHINDRA brand value has percolated soo deep down in the nerves of the management that when confronted by residents during meeting with site team on 30^th October 2010, they again extended the deadline of completion of club house by another two months. This kind of work culture on display from MAHINDRA brand name!!. Sooo DISGUSTING and FRUSTRATING!!! Isn’t it ?

When questioned by residents- what if deadline of 30^th January is not met? – we got an unbelievable response from representative of management of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited. And that response was – “Meri gardan le lena” (Take my neck).  What a response!!!!  Instead of feeling apologetic about recurring delays to customers and residents of MAHINDRA EMINENTE complex, someone offers “gardan”!!!! Is it not another example of monumental naivety? Obviously this response infuriated everyone present in the meeting.

We have paid through our nose for buying our dream homes and associated infrastructure within promised time frame. We are not interested in anybody’s gardan, what we care about is value for money.   If CEO had demanded someone’s gardan everytime deadline went dead, by now we would not have reached this stage that CEO has to feel embarrassed about monumental lapses of her team. Now when offer of gardan is still valid, CEO must make it very clear that if 30^th January deadline is flouted- heads and gardans will roll. Time for CEO to send serious message across.

Uff!! We are at loss to understand the enterprise model and operating philosophy of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited.

On one hand Mahindra Group proudly states that some of the core values which drives MAHINDRA group, are:

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Customer First

We exist and prosper only because of the customer. We will respond to the changing needs and expectations of our customers speedily, courteously and effectively.

Quality Focus

Quality is the key to delivering value for money to our customers. We will make quality a driving value in our work, in our products and in our interactions with others. We will do it 'First Time Right'.

…………… Through our actions, we will nurture fairness, trust and transparency.

These values are the compass that will guide our actions, both personal and corporate.

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Yes right- you are obviously going to prosper if you give promises to customers, show rosy dream extract money and then don’t deliver on those promises. Please give one example where Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited has responded speedily, effectively. Courteously yes upto certain extent.

Anybody reading the posts in this blog and seeing the pictures, can easily make out that how miserably the project managers have deviated from core values of MAHINDRA group. One of the statements caught my attention – “We will do it ’First Time Right’” – really?!! So many times my bathroom has been repaired, so many times full commode has been changed, so many times shower panels have been changed, so many times….not in one house but in many.

Wasteful expenditure on Water body with no water inside and on the contrary water logging everywhere else on the podium, water leaking through podium concrete to stilt parking area, are few such examples of not doing it right first time. There are many such examples.

Anybody who has bought the apartment in MAHINDRA EMINENTE project by MAHINDRA LIFESPACES DEVELOPERS LIMITED, can tell you how far cry from reality are these lofty values so proudly displayed by MAHINDRA group.

Are the mission statement and core values only noble-sounding phrases engraved on a plaque to hang in the company lobby? Surely, Anand Mahindra and CEO must be talking a lot about mission and values, but the end result is more of hot air than real action. The company will reach nowhere near its full potential if all that is guiding it is a list of pleasant platitudes hanging on the lobby wall.

How many these bhaus and Ninnis have ever read those mission statements or values and feel connected with that, or these lofty sounding statements are meant to adorn the walls to impress the corporate auditor.

Take the time.

Spend the energy.

Make those mission statements and core values real.

Also, you may like to read following blogposts

1.     Nudge Baliye

2.     Powwow with CEO of MahindraLifespaces Developers Limited.

3.     Duds behind Deadlines.

      4.   Deadline is dead again

Nudge Baliye

Almost three months have passed by since July 2010, but there has been no progress on almost all the issues discussed during powwow with CEO. Prominent among them is - Whimsical alteration of the project layout giving it a completely different look from what was originally shown to customers.

Remember that glass show case in Mahindra Eminente sales office enclosing –

- colourful fancy looking towers with lush greenery and water bodies,

- birds fluttering their wings around bird bath,

- high-end SUVs standing in parking lot with Mahindra logo proudly on display.

It was not a marketing campaign but marketing pornography, which excited every customer so much that they hardly thought before parting with hard earned money.

What that beautiful show case didn’t display was :

- water leaking through the podium in stilt parking area on top of high-end SUVs,

- stray dogs raising the leg over shiny alloy wheels of fancy cars of residents,

- pet dogs watering the plants and pet owners proudly holding on to the leash and waiting while pedigree  pet  pees, poos and farts on the walking track.

- water leaking from the pipes in pipe ducts,

- untraceable stink all around in various pipe ducts.

- Water-logging every where in the podium all because of improper slope, which makes it impossible to walk on that jogging track/ walking track whatever you call it,

- Wiper guy wiping away the water to nearest hole in the podium concrete, every time after it has rained kittens and puppies,

- Water body full of dirty water and nobody having a clue about maintaining it.

- Mosquitoes with salivary glands on the overdrive rushing to relish their blood meal. By the time mosquito decides to burp and fly off it has already injected enough of dengue or malarial parasites in the blood stream of unsuspecting health conscious walker/jogger. Instead of hoping to shed some cholesterol at the end of his/her walk, jogger lands up in nearest Kapadia Hospital battling with dengue or malarial parasite.

- Withering plants

- Snoring security men.

- Rats hogging ladoos.

- Cats guarding the cars from onslaught of rats.

- Incomplete club house.

- Firefighting equipments in disarray.

And after much frustration with local managers of the project, residents demanded meeting with CEO of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited, expecting some clarity of thoughts true to the position. But what we got to hear were usual parroting , buck passing and some half-hearted promises. Three months thereafter when residents wrote to management of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited, demanding an audience to thrash out the issues and monitor the progress , nobody cares to respond for full two days. Then CEO demonstrated the courtesy by sending a reminder to Commodore to “do the needful”. 

Dear Madame CEO, It seems so strange that for two days nobody from Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited cares to respond to emails from residents and finally CEO has to give a nudge, poke, tickle, or prod someone to get up and do the needful. Till that time nobody feels the need to do the full, leave aside everyone doing the fullest automatically without any intervention from CEO’s office. Getting an audience with CEO or Mahindra Eminente project team seems more difficult than getting an audience with the Pope.

Believe it or not, but during one of the follow up meetings at project site, after residents' much touted meeting with CEO, so called crisis handlers, or floor managers as they are called in lobbying parlance, made a big O from their mouth and said- Awwwwe, we forgot to follow up about the fate of the water body with our phoren designer of Bhaucha Dhakka (water body) inside Mahindra-Eminente Complex.

Isn't it unbelievable that CEO promises something to the customers and then the staff down below FORGETS !!!!! to follow up? Unless CEO wants us to believe that project managers have her blessings to go deliberately slow?

Is it not the time that leader and visionary within CEO takes the cue from seasonal festive spirit and tickles the nose of this giant kumbhkaran team , so that they stop producing the crap , get up from the commode, open the door, come out of the confines of air conditioned cabins, let the whiff of fresh air find its way to nose cave, and reboot their cognitive machinery to produce some awe inspiring results instead of just opening the big mouth and saying AWWWWE! we made gaffe! and then burst into guffaw.

May we respectfully request for CEO’s more serious intervention, than just a simple nudge to commodore.

With the kind of monumental naivety on display in every piece of work, Mahindra Eminente is no longer a simple residential project but Residential Monument by Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited.

We are aghast to see that this kind of shoddy work culture is the molecular ingredient which constitutes the DNA of Mahindra Group genome.

I was reading a quote from Google CEO Eric Schmidt – “Ubiquity first, revenues later – If you can build a sustainable eyeball business, you can always find clever ways to monetize them”.

But, looks like, the brief from CEO of MAHINDRA Lifespaces Developers Limited to marketing department is – “Revenues first Ubiquity later. If you can find clever ways of monetizing , you can sustain your position within the company”. No wonder Mahindra Eminente monument catches the eyeballs, but the eyeballs dilated in disbelief about the anesthetic apathy of the project team towards the aesthetics of the complex.

Grievances and outburst by customers must not be brushed aside as juvenile spat. Redressal of these outbursts require much serious level of intervention from CEO than just a simple nudge to commodore.

Lets hope we don’t have to see anymore the amusing spectacle of “Nudge Baliye”- where CEO nudges commodore, commodore nudges Karkhanis, Karkhanis nudges Vivek, Vivek nudges Nilesh, Nilesh nudges Pataole, Pataole nudges Laxmi Singh and Laxmi Singh nudges NINNI, and now I am wondering whom Ninni will nudge? Anybody with answer……..?

By the way, we don’t care whom Ninni will nudge. We just hope that some shubh-muhurat comes and CEO succeeds in making this monumental team to budge so that CEO can proudly showcase this project as another feather in her cap not a blot on the glorious past.

Enough of “Nudge Baliye” lets watch KBC.

Also, you may like to read:

Powwow with CEO of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited.

Waterbody or water khadda? – Take your pick!

Monsoon Nuisance

Attack is the best form of defence

This is classic animal instinct. The moment you are cornered, just go ahead and attack! This principle is being religiously followed by the MLDL folks. Instead of focusing on their own internal shortcomings, they choose to highlight things which are nowhere related to the core concern and deflect the attention.

For e.g. the moment we talk about leakage, plumbing, clubhouse, podium cleanliness and other issues they point out the changes residents have made to the flats. In principle there is nothing wrong about this stance, especially if some structural damage has been done. But they choose to highlight issues which are in fact design flaws from their end and which residents have tried to rectify at their own cost, as being changes to the original plan! The shaft area was a complete disaster in terms of design. If someone has filled it up for ease of cleaning, MLDL is prompt to point it out and use that as a reason to absolve itself of all wrongdoings. Very slimy indeed!

On the eve of the progress meeting tomorrow, letters have promptly gone to residents reminding them of their 'wrongdoings'. But please be warned MLDL that we are aware of your tactics. And this is just not going to deflect attention from the core issues.

Obsession with parrots

In previous article we had expressed the fear -

“We hope that CEO also doesn’t take the leaf out of the book of her project team, who seem to have attained mastery in constantly repeating like a parrot that miseries faced by residents are due to unauthorised and shoddy structural modification by some of the residents. “

Our apprehensions came true and during the meeting, CEO of Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited, started parroting the same language as her project team. It is an inherent Indian nature that we are so shy of admitting mistakes and instead indulge in mudslinging and counter-offensive to divert the course of discussion. That sullen argument is so assuredly enshrined in the mindset that everybody right from CEO to local project heads keep repeating same thing like parrot. No wonder globally we are being branded as Typical Argumentative Indian (TAI). Stop getting tied up in TAI and instead start taking pride in the job.

When will these guys from Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited stop cutting corners, and start cutting the crap?

When will these guys from Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited stop giving that famous dog-ate-my-homework kindda dodge?

When will these guys stop watering the waterbody and start oiling the cognitive machinery? What about chewing on MENTOS, to switch ON Dimaag ki batti, unless there is some short circuit or overload in Dimaag that it refuses to switch ON , in same way as podium lights in night time. Every night you can see watchman struggling to switch ON the lights. No sooner he switches ON, that circuit breaker trips and podium is gripped in darkness giving much needed privacy to stray dogs for some romanticism.

All homes in Mahindra Eminente, seem to follow the First and the Second of Murphy’s Laws: if something can go wrong, it will; and if something can’t go wrong, it still will.

Every third day following amusing rigmarole goes on in my house –

‘I can hear the water dripping in pipe duct; call Patole, Call Umesh”, my wife yells out to me.

“I’m calling him; I’m calling him”, I yell back, punching in Patole’s mobile number with the practiced ease of long familiarity.

I get to hear- “this number is not reachable” – Patole hiding in some unreachable place. Then I punch the cell number of Umesh and give him my piece of mind and that gentle fellow promises to get all sorted out quickly.

Thank God these DOKOMO guys reduced the call rates , otherwise I would have got major hole in my pocket calling Patoles and Umesh and Viveks and Siddheshs and now another name has got added in the list – Commodore. Anybody knows his telephone number?

Favourite pass time of hierarchy of Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited is passing the buck and busy doing buk-buk on cell phone wasting company’s money- “company ka maal water-body mein daal”.

What kind of checks and balances have been enforced since last meeting on 13^th June. Instead it tilted more towards cheques and imbalances. For a moment even if we presume that system of checks and balances exist by the virtue of MLDL belonging to one of the most respected brands, being a corporate body with sizable amount of public holding, pretending to practice high standards of corporate governance, whose board members are handpicked luminaries of business world, company complies with ISO standards, but at the very next moment when we look around at the work culture on display at Mahindra Eminente we tend to get impression that all those checks and balances have lead not towards improving value quotient but towards a gridlock, worse than what we see everyday on S.V.Road, right outside the poverty stricken gates of Mahindra Eminente.

If they can’t make a simple slope and cause water logging everywhere on the podium garden area, how they will take up major infrastructure projects. – Roads will constantly be waterlogged because improper gradient will not allow water to drainage. – thus turning the laws of the gravity and fluid dynamics upside down. We better not whisper Mahindra’s pioneering concept of anti-gravity and fluid dynamics to Newtons and Bernoullis, otherwise those poor guys will start turning into their graves.

Sometimes we tend to think that even the civilisation in Harappa and Mohenjodaro times had more engineering knowledge than what Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited has at its disposal. We tend to wonder if project leaders of MLDL, passed out summa cum laude from awe inspiring institutions of modern times or what they hold is Munnabhai degree.

Subah Ho gayi Mamu….!!!! Wake up!!! Smell the coffee!!!

If coffee is not strong enough to wake you up, then come and stand under the various leakages in the stilt parking area from overhead podium.

What kind of neo engineering is this, that there is a leakage all throughout the concrete expansion joints?

Lets see when the project team decides to lunge ahead and stops parroting.

WOW!! “Minute by hour” account of powwow.

Many days after the much hyped meeting with CEO of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers limited, official minute takers of Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited, could manage to rustle up the minutes of the meeting after strenuously stressing their neurotic cells to recollect the discussion points and produce minutes of the meeting.

Reading through the minutes it looks like these minute-takers were stealing forty winks, while CEO and her army of commodore (Nayar) and captain (Vivek) of the project team were busy dodging verbal and powerpoint attack from residents.

By the time these minute- takers got out of their Jhapki (don’t get confused with Jhappi), minute had turned into an hour. No wonder they missed out on recording some of the important issues which residents had cried hoarse about. So instead of saying minute by minute account, I choose to say “minute by hour” account of powwow.

Read On-

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At the outset Ms Anita Arjundas welcomed all the representatives of residents of Mahindra Eminente wing A & B.

Most of the residents expressed their views on the general state of maintenance of Wings A & B.

The salient points were as follows:-

There has been a change in the layout plan compared to what was shown during selling of the units, new buildings are very close to existing buildings

Children play area is very small and once other building are commissioned it will be further cramped

Water body is non-productive, occupies huge space, consumes lot of water & is maintenance intensive and therefore should be converted into hard or soft scape.

Need to hasten Club House which has already been delayed far too long, when commissioned swimming pool should have a covering to avoid debris

As handing over of flats was delayed considerably hence customers need to be compensated

Knight Frank is not up to the mark

MLDL should send notices to all occupants doing illegal modifications

Leakages in shafts, stilt , water stagnation at podium

Service camp for shower panel, CP fitting, door locks, video phones etc

Foul smell in kitchen outlet

Plant tall trees on the periphery of the podium & plot boundary

Arrest pigeon menace by providing nets

Rodents creating a huge problem

Better lighting at podium

Anita reassured the customers that all maintenance issues will be resolved and no efforts or money will spared on part of MLDL to ensure speedy completion. Whilst addressing the substantive issues she emphasised that most of leakage problem in the shafts and flats have been caused by illegal

modification undertaken by the customer despite clear instructions to the contrary from MLDL. Accordingly, MLDL has issued notices to all erring customers. Whilst responding to a query on compensation for late delivery she stated unambiguously that no such policy exist in the Company, further she said that those customers who have already paid for the club house will be compensated in their maintenance dues. In respect of water body she stated before taking a decision we will discuss the feasibility, pros & cons from a short and long term perspective with the landscape architect in Singapore, relevant authorities and residents/customers.

Whilst addressing the individual points raised by the customer adequately, they were also informed of the plan for defect rectification & maintenance important issues being:-

Customers were once again assured that all the issued raised by them will be sorted out with a sense of urgency. They were requested to kindly write their complaints in the complaint book provided with the Security in each Wing and if required they could contact Mr Umesh Pawar

There being no further points meeting was adjourned.

The issues conspicuous by their absence are:

1. New completion date of Club house is now October 2010. Why another delay? Bhaus have gone for Ganpati vacation, is it?

2. To show the commitment and seriousness , CEO had promised that monthly meeting will take stock of progress and first monthly meeting will be attended by her too, to review the progress made by commodore. (By the way, where is Karkhanis?)

3. Water supply management issues.