I have been working in our Bangalore office this week.  It has been an exciting week so far – my first trip to India, and what more could I ask for than to be spending time in their own “silicon valley”?  I must say that the employees here have been so hospitable, the hotel we are staying in is amazing, and there is no shortage of foods to fit all tastes!

Bangalore is certainly the epitome of growth.  Just next door to where I sit, a large building is under construction, complete with jackhammers, cement mixers, and a large staff of workers hauling dirt and breaking down old tree stumps!  It is the same up and down the main streets here.  Construction of the metro transit system is underway, and though still probably a couple of years from completion, it is desperately needed.  Traffic is intense, and drivers use their horns far more than in the U.S. – yet with no road rage!  Unfortunately, people also pretty much drive anywhere they’d like on the road, and lane lines are merely a recommendation, it seems.

Coincidentally, The Washington Post published an article yesterday on India’s Young Spenders.  Based on the relevance given my location this week, I had to take a peek.  What I read simply reminds me that consumers are everywhere, and the demand for “stuff” – things like flat screen TV’s, washing machines, iPods, sunglasses, and cell phones – continues to increase.

Two weeks ago, a colleague and I had the good fortune to meet with the CEO of GS1 Pakistan.  We learned that the organization was formed about a year ago at the request of global retailer Metro, who recently entered the Pakistani marketplace.  Metro requires that their suppliers use the GTIN system for product identification and barcode all products.  They would also like to see data synchronization and electronic data interchange implemented in order to achieve the supply chain efficiencies such technologies have netted elsewhere.  Since Pakistan didn’t have a GS1 member organization, one was formed in order to manage GTIN prefix assignment and to assist in moving e-commerce adoption forward.  They are now in the throes of educating themselves on the world of B2B integration and bringing the Pakistani consumer goods industry into the future.  All this because consumers are looking for the most modern, the most diverse, and the most readily available products to buy.

Global reach is truly achievable.  Consumers throughout the world are ready for the latest gadgets that manufacturers have to offer.  The young generation is clamoring for “toys” and “stuff”.  And the need for B2B solutions to help trading partners collaborate and continue to tap into the eager consumer market has never been greater.