Lafarge has appointed Ujjwal Batria as the India CEO effective from 22 June 2015. He will take over the responsibility from Martin Kriegner, earlier the country CEO of Lafarge India who has been appointed future Area Manager Central Europe of LafargeHolcim.Batria has been with Lafarge for the past 16 years. He joined Lafarge in 1999 and since and has held different positions across functions. Prior to his appointment as the Country CEO, Lafarge India, he was the Managing Director of Lafarge India Private Limited and was managing the cement business of the company.Batria brings with him rich and diverse experience in the construction material industry.
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The last date for applying is 31 July 2015 and the winners will be announced on 3 December, 2015 in New Delhi, writes Haider Ali KhanVodafone in collaboration with Nasscom launched their fifth edition of Mobile for Good Awards for 2015 in Mumbai on Thursday (25 June). This award is given to support emerging talent and innovative mobile solutions for NGOs and NFPs. It consists of Rs 60 lakh and guidance by experts. The main focus areas of this award are health, education, agriculture, government solutions and women empowerment. Nasscom foundation CEO Shrikant Sinha shared his expertise and said, "We are glad to be working with Vodafone to enable the most powerful tool, mobile. It will help in improving their living standards. And this award will bring breakthrough innovations in mobile technology across the country to fuel social development in India." Speaking at the event, Ishmeet Singh, business head of Mumbai circle for Vodafone said, "We are working on government's vision of making Digital India. We will provide platform for innovators and support them by funding and giving guidance like m-pesa and Kisanmitra initiative which got acknowledged by government and people. We and Nasscom will provide mobile number innovations across India." The last date for applying is 31 July 2015 and the winners will be announced on 3 December, 2015 in New Delhi.
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As makers of light commercial vehicles remain upbeat about sales this year, competetion among top players is set to grow, reports K Chandra Mohan Venkatramana Korukonda is a farmer in Chinthamadaka, Medhak district of Telangana. The village is popular for commercial crops such as beans, potato and capsicum - the vegetables that are in demand in cities. Venkatramana carries 450 kg worth of produce in his light commercial vehicle to deliver to the local mandi, situated 60 kilometres. He earns Rs 5 lakhs a year from the sale of vegetables. "The vehicle is my lifeline, if I paid for a logistics provider, my margins would go down by 30 per cent because of the wastage," he says. This is the story of farmers in prosperous agricultural areas, which have now become the primary source of revenue for the commercial vehicle industry. The sector is poised to grow at 5 per cent this year. Bank sources predict that the down payments made by farmers for these vehicles, which were 40 per cent in the previous financial year, could come down to 30 per cent this year because of the expectations of a favorable monsoon. Mahindra &Mahindra has taken the first gambit by investing Rs 250 crore for producing its new light commercial vehicle Jeeto. M&M has literally taken the fight to the market leader Tata Motors with this small truck whose payload capacity is 600 kg. The Jeeto will focus on India's growing agriculture and e-commerce (retail) growth. The move follows the disappointing sales of M&M's light commercial vehicles (LCVs) Maxximo and Gio over the last three years. The company has termed the Jeeto as a small commercial vehicle (SCV) and will be pitted against the Tata Zip in semi-urban centres. The numbers are promising although the last two years saw a drop in sales. The total market size of sub one-ton vehicles in the financial year 2014-15, according to SIAM, was 13,1455 units. This represented a 21 per cent drop in sales when compared to the financial year 2013-14. This was because of the fall in agriculture incomes and high bank interest rates. The estimated market opportunity is worth 200,000 units per year, according to analysts. "The rural economy has grown slowly, due to crop damage and unseasonal rains in the early part of the year," says Bharat Gianani, analyst at Angel Research. He adds that in the same period lower mandi prices had also impacted income. Automobile companies remain positive and believe that the economy is on an upswing. Tata Motors leads the industry with a 83 per cent share. The Jeeto is the first Indian small commercial vehicle to offer a range of 8 variants with a price starting at Rs. 2.40 lakh. Company executives claim that the product was the best in its class in terms of performance, economy and convenience, which enable faster delivery. It apparently gives a mileage ranging from 27.8 kilometres per litre to 37.6 depending on the variant. "The product is suitable for last-mile connectivity. It can be used in the e-commerce or retail industry and can help farmers transport produce to the mandi," says Jyothi Malhotra, Vice President Sales, Automotive Division. Its 307 dealerships will sell the vehicle across the country and will compete with Tata Motors. Sources add that M&M aims to take a 42 per cent share of the small commercial vehicle segment by the end of this financial year. The Tata Zip dominates the market because of its powerful engines. Which is why M&M wants to redefine its engines. "The Ace is continuing to grow because of its resale value and unit economics. Low service costs are everything for a farmer to buy an LCV," said Ravi Pisharody, Executive Director, Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors, in an earlier interview with BW.
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If talks fructify, this will be one of the bigger deals in this sector, writes Paramita ChatterjeeCarlyle, one of the world's largest private equity groups, is in advanced talks to invest a significant amount in Anupam Rasayan, a Gujarat-based manufacturer of specialty chemicals with products catering to a host of segments including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and dyestuff, said two persons familiar with the transaction. The exact quantum of stake could not be ascertained. However, if talks fructify, this will be one of the bigger deals in this sector, said one of persons mentioned above. Carlyle, which operates out of two funds in India - Carlyle Asia Partners, the buyout fund and Carlyle Asia Growth Partners, the growth fund – is known for significant transactions. It was recently in news for committing to invest up to $500 million in Magna Energy Ltd, an India-focused upstream oil and gas company. When contacted, Carlyle spokesperson declined to comment on the story, while an email sent to an executive in Anupam Rasayan did not elicit any response. Anupam Rasayan primarily undertakes contract manufacturing of specialty chemicals for reputed international clients. It has two manufacturing units in the chemical zone of a government-notified industrial area in Gujarat. In 2013-14 fiscal, the revenue of the company stood at Rs 228.49 crore. The specialty chemicals segment in India is hotting up with action with investor interest increasing in the sector. Demand for specialty chemicals is increasingly going up with a host of multinational companies considering India as the sourcing and manufacturing hub due to its cost advantages. Also, with the government’s and industry’s focus towards manufacturing, this sector is likely to boom in the years to come, said industry experts. Recently, Germany-based specialty chemicals group Evonik Industries AG was in news for its decision to acquire Mumbai-based Monarch Catalyst Pvt Ltd, which manufactures nickel catalyst for oils & oleochemicals. Globally, Carlyle has over $193 billion of assets under management. It forayed in India in 2000 and since then, it has invested around $1.1 billion across various verticals such as consumer & retail, financial services, healthcare, industrial, real estate, and technology & business services.
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Martin Sorrell says the likes of Google and Facebook cannot be dubbed as technology companies, writes Noor Fathima Warsia“If you bully consumers, you will create problems for yourself,” remarked Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP. In a world where technology is becoming an intrinsic aspect of all communication, Sorrell’s advice is to ensure transparency with consumers as issues of privacy and data sharing rise. “People have the right to be concerned. The industry has to solve privacy issue. It has to simplify decisions and give consumers the time to understand it. Consumers want transparency – they want to know what they are getting into and how that data is being used,” Sorrell pointed out. Sorrell asserted that especially in times such as these, long-term relationship between brands and consumers, and between agencies and clients, is critical. “We develop strategy for our clients that help them in long term brand building, engaging consumers and establishing a relationship. Everything we do is integrated and has a coherent purpose,” he noted. Commenting on the technology led media owners, Sorrell reiterated that the likes of Google and Facebook cannot be dubbed as technology companies. He said, “These are media companies masquerading as technology companies. They are trying to monetise their inventory in much the same way that a media company would even though these are new age media companies that bring vibrancy to our business. Twitter’s new leadership should be interesting to watch out for. Yahoo is aggressive again. Facebook has built momentum and is also very aggressive. We are seeing a softer side of Google now, which could be because of the competition it is facing but the business is very alive right now with these companies.” Sorrell further said that the world is as much about the math men and women, as it is about mad men and women. However, the conventional definition of mad men has changed and become much broader to include the changing role of data in creativity. He said, “The inclusion of Creative Data Lions in the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival of Creativity is an indication of the role that technology is playing in creativity. The canvas, and the required skillset for the demands of communication today, is changing for something much more dynamic.”
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TripAdvisors' airport page has the provision of allowing the users to rate the hotel, says Manish Kumar PathakThere have been times at the airport, when the travellers have no other options but to wander around aimlessly at the airports, looking for some place to eat, while waiting for the flight, or waiting for someone to arrive, or in many cases just as a way of passing the time. TripAdvisor, has finally found a way of helping you overcome these challenges. They have dedicated pages that underlines the many attractions in the 200 major airports the world over. This move is a way of helping over 3.1 billion travellers who visit airports, as they can now just surf the site and quickly get to know about the airport hotel, or any place they are willing to stay in. Also, the company says, that this airport page has the provision of allowing the users to rate the hotels, various attractions, boutiques, lounges and restaurants. Also, the site can compare the costs and provide the best and cheapest flights to and from the airport.
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The strategy of the businesses is to keep the customer engaged beyond the first transaction, says Ravi KumarThe increasing traffic on your way to office every morning is adirect indicator of rising pollution & an indirect indicator of the increasing competition within the automotive industry. There are newer players entering every year and with opening up of global economy new cars continues to emerge in the market every year. Car sales increased by 2 per cent year over year in April this years, lead by 6 per cent hike in European markets. In India, car sales increased by 16 per cent, becoming one the largest automobile market of the world. In 2013 to 2014, Indian Auto Industry produced 21.48 million vehicles. The industry accounts for 22 per cent of Manufacturing GDP of the country.Records from Society of Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) indicated that India is going through a hike in sale of commercial vehicles. In January 2015, there was an increase of 5.3 per cent in commercial vehicle sales. In the same way, car sales grew by 3.14 per cent this year from the previous. All of this is eventually resulting in cutthroat competition in the automotive sector. The margins have dried up and at the same time, the cost of production is going all time high. In these circumstances, for an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to make business sense with a customer in one transaction is generally not feasible. Thus as an increasing trend the automobile OEMs are now focusing on a long terms relationship with the customer.The strategy of the businesses is to keep the customer engaged beyond the first transaction. For instance, companies will have to pitch a customer to select the same car while buying for the second car. To achieve this objective, dealers and car vendors will have to move beyond the traditional methods of customer relationships. As to choose an automobile for self is an important decision that involves considerable capital; people go for advice from friends and family. Social media is one of the most common platforms that people turns into, while looking for opinions and advice. The tables have turned and the OEM’s are now on-toes when it comes to customer relationship.Car vendors, to stand ahead in the competition, will have to leverage a 360 view of the customer. This is possible through integration of comprehensive set of customer information in a single window for easy accessibility. A CRM is the only system that can offer this integration. Choosing the correct CRM solution for their enterprise contributes to almost 80 per cent of the success and the balance 20 per cent is the execution of the various modules within the solution.The objective of a CRM, in most cases is getting a single view of all customer data, right from the first contact history, vehicle and service history, communication and marketing contact history by dealer or OEM. Managing this massive amount of information and integrating the aspects of 360 view of a customer all in one system, which makes CRM the eventual truth, which is customer facing and supersedes all other internal applications. It becomes the interface between the customer and the organization.Thus,these applications should be with enhanced capability, which has facilitates covering the vast aspects operational possibilities in Automobile OEM landscape.Scaling up traditional CRMs is not easy due to their rigid structure. However, the setbacksand complexities of traditional CRMs can be addressed via innovative use of technology platform such as Siebel. Out of many options available in the market, Siebel CRM solution for automotive industry is one of the most comprehensive solutions available until date. Siebel CRMs Improves demand forecasting, planning, logistics management, and inventory management. It reducesquality-related costs due to faster product performance feedback. Improved workflow and escalation of customer grievances for faster resolutionis ensured through Siebel based CRMs. Reportedly; Siebel CRM has resulted in increased revenue growth from both higher vehicle sales and a rise in the company’s after-sales parts business.In context of Automobile industry, Siebel undoubtedlyis the most complete customer relationship management (CRM). Right fromfield force automation to socially enabled business intelligence;it offers the broadest and deepest portfolio of CRM solutions. These platforms address all customer touch-points and provide rich functionality to support the specific business needs for organisations of every size. These CRMs enable to deliver a superior customer experience. It is an end-to-end integrated application, which comes with embedded real time business intelligence. This seems to be a fair reason why as high as 9 OEM’s in India are already managing their customer service requirements using Siebel.The automobile sector can grow with better use of CRMs connecting with customers. Enabling CRMs with social capability will integrate the business venture customer and help to build a trust factor. Automobiles involvea series of services that are related and, in fact, they start with the buying of the vehicle. Servicing of Cars, repairs, replacing any machinery and other such requirements of buyers can be brought under the ambit of a single service provider through more pervasive use of CRM technologies.The author is director Customer relationship management (CRM) at Cubastion Consulting
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IT firm Tech Mahindra Ltd is setting up a new unit to sharpen its focus on winning contracts in the healthcare industry, one of the fast-growing segments for the outsourcing services providers, a senior executive said on Wednesday. The unit, to be called nth dimension, has won an IT services project worth about 60 million pounds ($94.48 million) from Britain-based healthcare company CircleHealth, Tech Mahindra's Rajib Bhattacharya, who will lead the new subsidiary, told Reuters. "I think with this, in a few years' time we will be able to leverage opportunities globally," he said. Rivals like Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp and Infosys Ltd have also sharpened focus on the healthcare sector on hopes the implementation of the U.S. Affordable Care Act would boost outsourcing opportunities. Cognizant bought healthcare IT services provider TriZetto Corp for $2.7 billion in September. "Yes, we are actively seeking deals in the U.S. as well," Bhattacharya said. Under the new deal, Tech Mahindra, which gets about 10 percent of its sales from healthcare clients now, will develop technologies for patient care and operational delivery, and reduce costs for the U.K. firm, CircleHealth CEO Steve Melton said. CircleHealth runs private hospitals and services for the UK's National Healthcare Service. (Reuters)
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