Sep 20, 2006 12:57 PM
6341 Views
Imagine if Coffee board (ref the great old coffee board on M.G.Road Bangalore) getting into business like Cafe Coffee day or Barista? They will be crsuhed by the sheer brand pressure and also the indian mentality of clinging to something "foreign style". Thats what happens around, we need brand protection and brand backup.
On one side we have SBI, must admit with their huge network of ATM's for easy money anytime, but mind you thats good when you have a debit card. Credit card it does not really matter as one is bound by time and interest.
The other side is Railways, also with a huge network with improve infrastructure (still improving) and a good slow online system which is not still a trusted source of booking tickets for some :) cause we have seen being billed for some others travel :) And remember the Railway ministry is being lead by none other than our own man of the MASSES :) Now with research being done on the facelift of the rialway we may have a chapter on credit card systems in railways a success or failure)
OK Just imagine what you really want to do with a credit card? For some its instant money access (even if its not there), for some its just an escape of reality. And a credit card specifically to buy train tickets for the grand old indian railways so that you earn those gold points and once in a life time get a free ticket :)
The question arises do we really need a credit card to buy railway tcikets, if yes then for what limit? For what class? and how many times are you gonna use it? Will it remain as just another credit card? What is the security for the transaction?
Also with a population going in millions and billions imagine your chances of getting free train tickets and added to this is our Indian travel plans. Who really travels in a planned manner? Well yes if you have to go to Bombay office or in Chennai, but does this card let you buy your passes and then enrole you for bonus points and free tickets? Think.
Also look at the catch you need to have a membership for Shub yatra to avail 10% discount, why not flat for all members.
What falls out of all this is just the cream that the transaction is waived and beneath that is just a normal credit card with all those un-used insurance cover, point systems which are used to retain memberships when you scream on your phone :)
Apart from this I do not think there are anything benifitial, has some one seen the "Whose line is it anyway" series, the guy just keeps giving points just for the heck of it. Something what you may end up getting :)
Well as we see in the US you buy a camera you can opt for a credit card to repay, buy a car you can get one more, but a house you get one more, an airticket we have one more and I guess this is what is being opted in India with credit card for railways, credit card specific to petrol bunks, may be some day we may have some Bank Beer Credit card to buy beer and and some points to get free beer :)
Pros: Managed by SBI, Indian brand,
Cons: Unsecure transactions, No use of points in reality, need to take up Shub Yatra, and one point for 125Rs
If I was to choose, I would still love to stand in the long queue, meet people, scrible on some four five reservation sheets so that you need not go back again to the back of the line :) and get your tickets by paying cash or call my travel agent :). Your journey starts there :) Cards will still be cards.
If you do not have any credit card then go for it, else hold on and think :)
