A Birthday "In the Field"
It's hard to believe that I have been in India for a week now. Time really does fly!
As I mentioned in my previous post, I had the opportunity to go out into what's known @ Nielsen as "The Field" with some of our data collectors. One of my projects here on the India HR Team will be to help support and empower women who work as data collectors in India. When my manager asked if I would like to go "into the field" (all over the city in shops, stores, and even homes) to see how we collect the data, I jumped at the opportunity.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with how Nielsen works I will explain it simply:
- Nielsen has two sides of its business: Watch and Buy
- In the US many people know about Nielsen through our TV Ratings (Watch)
- Our Buy business has huge footprint in India
When I say Buy, I am referring to insights that we provide to clients in the consumer packaged goods and retail industries. This is an over simplification, but it lays out the basics before I jump into my day in the field.
India as a country with huge growth potential for many of our clients. It's what is considered a developing market. Our teams are incredibly busy and there is high demand for understanding consumers in India. A key aspect of driving insights is our data itself. The collection of data can take place anywhere and in India that varies from "modern stores" (supermarkets) to cigarette stands on the side of the road.
Now that I have given you a bit of information about what exactly I was witnessing in the field I can share a bit about my experience!
On Wednesday, I was accompanied by a coworker to an area of downtown Mumbai called Bombay Center. We walked down a street filled with numerous shops along a crowded road and stopped at a small pharmacy. There, I met one of our female data collectors named Priyanka. We spent the morning collecting the data and she demonstrated to me how she works each day.What struck me was how proud she was to show me the process and how she does her work. She was eager to answer my questions and even taught me how to say yes in Hindi (haah + shaking your head side to side).By the late morning I was able to collect some data myself! It was truly an eyeopening experience.
Priyanka, the shop owner's son, and yours truly being caught off guard by a photo :)
After saying goodbye to Priyanka, my coworker took me to lunch at McDonald's. I rarely eat McDonald's, but his gesture of bringing me somewhere familiar was very thoughtful. I don't think fries and a Coke have ever tasted so good. The morning's work and hot sun had made me ravenous. I ate so quickly that my coworker suggested I order a second large fry (I promise I didn't...but I wanted to!).
McDonald's in Mumbai
The afternoon was just as rewarding and exhausting as the morning.We walked from shop to shop for an ad hoc study with male data collectors. I call this out because there is a difference in the way that women and men can work in India. Specifically, in the field. There are many cultural barriers and nuances that I am just beginning to learn. My manager encouraged me to step into the shoes of both a female and a male employee so that I could see the diverse experience.
Some street surveys
A cigarette shop
It was a wonderful way to spend my birthday in India. I was able to see parts of the city that I would have otherwise not traveled to, and I now have a more robust understanding of what the daily life of the data collectors is like here. I got home at 8pm and by the time 8:30 rolled around I was already in my pajamas falling asleep (I am not kidding about how tiring the field is!) when my doorbell rang. Patrick had arranged for cake and flowers to be delivered to me on my birthday. I had pushed my birthday out of my mind all day, so the gesture was truly special.
Thank you Patrick Matcof
My Thursday trip to the field was another great day collecting data! By the end of the day on Friday I was ready for some weekend R&R, which is just what I haven doing.
Cheers,
B