An Open Letter To Royal Enfield

Hello RE,

Apple and Netflix are two brands I admire and vouch for.

When I say vouch for, I mean I will never shy away from promoting them across different platforms. 

I have been using an iPhone 7 since 2019 and as a content creator. It has been one of the smartest investments of my life. I still remember I maxed out both my credit cards to get my hands on my first iPhone, a desire I was nurturing for quite some time.

People keep saying that the iPhone is hyped but my experience was so amazing that I got a Macbook for myself in 2020. 

In marketing, there is a term called upselling, and Apple could upsell Macbook to me because they gave me a great experience with iPhone 7. I started by spending 40000 rs and spent another 93000rs to be a part of the Apple ecosystem.

Such is the power of great customer experience. 

I have been an active subscriber of Netflix for the past four years and must say no other streaming platform comes close to how awesome Netflix is.

A library of world-class content! 

The kind of movies and series I have watched in the past four years, I can clearly say spending 649 rs every month is worth every penny.  

You must be wondering why I am saying all this? 

Well, I have been following Royal Enfield the brand for the past five years. I have dreamed of riding a cruiser since I was a kid but when I got into college, there weren't too many reliable cruisers in the market. In 2009, 

I got my first bike and it was a Hero Honda Passion Pro. An incredible bike but the only flaw it had was, it was not a cruiser. I rode it all through my college life and have some fond memories attached to it. 

As I left my hometown to pursue my career in Delhi, bike riding was left behind as public transport became my mode of conveyance. It is during this phase that I saw my friends riding their RE's enjoying the "Thump therapy". 

That's where my love for cruisers reignited. 

But I didn't get an RE yet, because I felt something was missing. I have been in Bangalore for the past two years and must say it's a beautiful city blessed by weather worth cruising.  

Long distances and not too efficient public transport amplified my desire to get a bike. Royal Enfield Thunderbird was what I was looking forward to. While doing my research, I realized that Thunderbird is replaced by Meteor 350.  

When I saw Meteor for the first time, I instantly fell in love with the bike. As if the bike was made for me, and that missing feel in RE was gone. It felt like a complete bike!

I did a test drive in June 2021 and booked my Meteor on 25-06-2021. I didn't just book it, I customized it as per my needs and desires. The waiting period was 3 months, I didn't complain, in fact, I waited patiently without bothering any of your officials. 

The tentative date of delivery has gone past by a week. I called the showroom officials, and their reply after ignoring my calls is- Once the bike is ready, we will let you know. What kind of nonchalant response is that? If I am asking something, I want to know what is happening. 

When I look at RE's branding, you talk a lot about community, and how you treat your prospects and customers forms an integral part of building a community. At least that is what I have learned practicing marketing.

I am a writer and have been writing columns for different online portals over the past few years. I consume a lot of content, and before booking my bike, I did my research. And to be honest, I saw a lot of unhappy RE customers online.

Try to put your ears to the ground, and you will know how many of them are unhappy with the quality of your bikes and the kind of service they receive. 

I went ahead with Meteor 350 because I fell in love at first sight with it, and it was accompanied by some rave reviews. Think about a person who is booking a bike after almost six years, and you are keeping him in the dark. I can become your best customer and become an RE brand ambassador for life. For that, I need to get my hands on the bike and take it on a ride. Please make it happen, Royal Enfield. 

Also one question I have- I booked my bike in June, over the course of four months, you have hiked the prices, why would I pay when I did my booking in June? Increased prices should be applicable to new bookings. Here I am spending 10000 rs out of my pocket to book a bike, and you keep me waiting.

As a customer, I am not asking for any interest on that amount. Also without a bike, I am the one spending money on Uber and Rapido, wasting time walking for even the most minute things. Isn't it a bit harsh that while I sit here waiting for my two-wheeler, I keep getting news of its prices getting hiked?

Sometimes I feel like getting a Bajaj Avenger, but then I am keeping patience. Don't play with it, please! 

After Apple and Netflix, I believe you would be the third brand I can definitely vouch for, please don't shatter my notions. Get me a bike that will stay by my side, and with whom I could cruise through life. I promise I will advocate RE's brand through my blogs, videos, and social media channels. 

Regarding unhappy customers, let me tell you something: Customer retention is the new customer acquisition. Treat your existing customers well. There is the fourth stage in the buyer's journey called delight. Practice that, and delight your customers with great after-service.