‘Amazing auto’ driver on what drives him

Vijay C Roy

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 16

G Annadurai, 34, is arguably Chennai’s most loved auto-rickshaw driver. A Class XII dropout, Anna’s passion for his profession and the desire to give the best amenities to his customers has brought him unprecedented success.

With over 10,000 followers on Facebook, 40 speeches at corporate offices and six TED talks to his credit, Anna is a sought-after speaker on “building customer loyalty”. TieCon 2019, held at Mohali on Saturday, was one such event where he delivered a lecture.

What began in 2010 as a means of livelihood has now attained cult status with Anna’s ‘Amazing Auto’ becoming famous globally. He has a website and an app too.

Customer is the king and God, believes Anna, as he transformed his auto into a state-of-the-art and luxurious vehicle equipped with many amenities and freebies. 

Ten dailies and 40 magazines are stacked inside the auto. “I have fixed Samsung Galaxy Notepad, iPad Pro, laptop, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, swipe machine, free WiFi, a fridge stocked with refreshing drinks, fruits, chocolates and a snack box in the auto. It also offers music in nine languages,” he says.

The ‘Amazing Auto’ has advance bookings, at times of four months. “It is the personal touch that matters as I work towards giving each customer a safe and smooth ride, any time of the day or night,” Anna says.

Word-of-mouth branding helped Anna and now he earns Rs 1.30 lakh a month. He donates a part of his income to fund poor students’ education. He also offers free or discounted rides on special days. Teachers are offered free rides daily, lovers on Valentine’s Day and women travelling with children on Mother’s Day.

“I now want to fix an air cooler.” How cool is that.