The e-commerce landscape is rapidly changing in India & there has been an interesting set of companies built around Design, Portfolio Development, Logistics etc. The next wave after e-commerce is definitely “Food-Commerce” or “Food-Tech” & many startups have evolved in that category. Today, we have a chat with Sandeep Ghoshal, Co-Founder of Grubbr.in which aims to be the one-stop destination for “Food Discovery” for consumers!!

Let’s have a Q&A with Sandeep on Grubbr, Entrepreneurship & other aspects related to tech….

Can you give a small background about you, your start-up and its founders ?

We are three partners – two of us co-founded the company. My co-founder and I come with rich experience in Sales & Business Development & Communications. We are first time entrepreneurs. Our third partner however is a seasoned entrepreneur, having founded two companies already. He brings immense expertise of starting a business and running it successfully.

Every idea is born out of a problem/inspiration, what was the trigger of starting Grubbr.in ?

There were a few light bulb moments that brought us to the idea of Grubbr.  We love eating out and we’ve used all kinds of apps and websites to hunt for good food.

However, there were multiple occasions where we felt that these apps pointed us to a list of restaurants but were of little help when it came to deciding what to order, which happens to be the most universal eat-out question. Yes, there are helpful user reviews, but one needs to sift through a long list of reviews to get to the dish recommendations! When you’re hungry, that’s a big ask!

Besides, most reviews touch upon aspects like service, ambiance, price and other factors – not to say these are not important – but the dish recommendation tends to get buried under all this.

Grubbr cuts through all the bells and whistles and goes straight to the food. The app gives you a list of solid dish recommendations. As the user base grows and ratings increase, making a sound dish selection will become quick and easy!

Food Tech startups are the next wave after e-commerce wave, your comments on the same ?

2015 is all set to be the year of the food tech start-ups – several gurus and trend analysts have stated this. Right here in Bengaluru, we can see prime shopping streets slowly transform into ‘food streets’. As the restaurant business burgeons, ancillary services including food tech start-ups will also witness an upswing.

Presently the action is centered around restaurant recommendation and food delivery. The future, we believe, will be about food discovery.

Can you please elaborate on the Revenue Model of Grubbr ?

Grubbr doesn’t have a revenue model yet. For now, we are focusing on getting users and giving them the best possible dish recommendations – which means acquiring credible information and increasing coverage. We do have a few ideas on how to monetize, but at the moment all eyes are trained on gaining critical mass in information and user base.

How does Grubbr stack up against the other competitor’s that are also in the Food Tech space ?

Grubbr is in a very differentiated space of ‘dish’ recommendations. Till now the food space has seen players who recommend restaurants – Zomato, Burrp, Times city and such-like or deliver food; however, one space that is still largely unexplored is the food discovery space – a space that is relevant to both sets of ‘eat out’ consumers – the ones looking to go eat at a restaurant as well as those who want to order in. We believe Grubbr as a product, is ahead of the curve.

What are some of the issues [especially logistics] faced by food-tech startups ?

This really depends on the sub category of food tech that the company operates in – for companies that deliver food, the obvious pain points are delivery of the food, on time, to the users and ensuring a smooth financial transaction. For companies that operate purely in the information services space, like Grubbr, the issue is having enough feet on the street and getting credible information for our users. One thing common to all startups though is finding the right, committed manpower.

What are some of the USP’s of Grubbr ?

Grubbr is only focused on dishes, unlike other sites or app. Since users rate each dish on Grubbr, our dish and cuisine-based search is far more accurate. As a product, we are the first app to show dish photos, as they are served at the restaurant, helping users “see” the dish before they order

While food discovery is big in the US, Grubbr has bettered the model by combining crowd sourced information and collecting primary information on our own – this way we control data and quality of food images. Because we’ve invested in data collection, we are able to offer a comprehensive database of dishes and restaurants. In the past six months, we’ve covered over 900 top restaurants in Bangalore with over 3500 dishes. We still think this is a tiny number, but we’ve had several teething issues to address. Things are smoother now and we hope to scale fast.

Our hybrid model ensures that we collect primary data and at the same time allow Grubbr users to recommend dishes. This gives us far greater coverage and better recommendations.

Grubbr

What are the major changes that you experienced when you moved from an Employee to an Employer [or Entrepreneur] ?

While, as an employee you are [our rather should be] completely invested in your work and company, the level of ownership you feel for your own venture is something you never experience as an employee.

As an entrepreneur, I have personally learnt a lot more in the last 1 year, than I may have in the last 10 years of working.

What are your key advice(s) to people who want to start-up ?

Since we are “new entrepreneurs” ourselves, it’s perhaps a little premature to offer advice to other budding entrepreneurs. However, one basic truth is that the perceived threat of failure is larger than the actual. Today, you are as much at risk in your job as you are as an entrepreneur.

Also, the vibrant startup system today allows you more confidence to trade your well paying jobs for the excitement of doing something on your own…this wasn’t as easy back in 2008.

What are your views about the start-up landscape in India ?

Answered above.

How important it is for startups especially web, mobile & Food-tech to follow the “Lean Approach” ?

We are big believers in the ‘Lean approach’.  For instance, while the Grubbr app today serves the purpose of recommending dishes far better than anyone else in the market, this is still version 1 of the product. As we go along, we will adapt and improve, and add features that create more magic. It’s prudent to launch a basic product and then build on it, rather than wait endlessly for the perfect product and miss the boat completely! Besides, only once you launch the product can you infer the best use case.

The beauty of being a start up is that founders have their ears closer to the ground than CEOs of big companies…therefore you should be able to adapt more quickly.

As per you, when should a startup [especially in consumer business] plan a pan-India expansion ?

As soon as you have the requisite funds.

Which are some of the books which you would recommend for wanna-be entrepreneurs ?

There are some useful titles – such as The Outliers, The Lean Start-up etc. That said, a lot of learning happens on the ‘battlefield’, as you work through all the problems and glitches. Of course, you can also learn from other entrepreneurs, their success & mistakes.

One thing you need to bear in mind is the ability to keep things simple and focus on a few, important things.

Any parting words from you for budding entrepreneurs ?

Each entrepreneur finds their mantra in their own way. For us, it is about being passionate about what we do. Even when we are worried for our survival, we keep reminding ourselves of the reasons why we started Grubbr. That always cheers us up!

If you wake up feeling bored and tired with your project then it’s pretty much the end of the road. But if you’re excited, even when facing tough challenges, then you will find the courage to push on. The fear of failure is also strong and effective motivating factor that drive people, as long as you don’t let it bog you down. And finally, keep it simple and focus on doing a few things right.

We don’t know if Grubbr will be a hit or miss. We just love what we do, and we want to have lots of fun along the way. And yes, eat delicious food any chance we get !!

Do give Grubbr [iOS App & Android App] a shot & share your experience with us. If you have any questions for Sandeep or about Grubbr, please let them in the comments section !!

Intel Security has announced its second phase of advancements to the Intel Security Partner Program to improve profitability and efficiency for distributors and re-sellers. The first phase of the roll-out was announced in October 2014 to create a flexible framework for future enhancements to the program, as distributors and resellers evolve their business models and adapt to the changing customer landscape.

Intel_SecurityThe second phase of the Intel Security Partner Program initiative seeks to innovate and invest in driving differentiation and profitability. Improvements initiated with the second phase include:

  • Removal of Tiered Pricing – Eliminating tiered pricing allows Intel Security to reallocate funds to more profitable offerings that improve retained margin.
  • Improved Deal Registration – Rewards members based upon their Intel Security Partner Program level, by limiting deal registration to one partner per each approved partner-found sales opportunity. This also simplifies the Deal Registration process by consolidating to one registration form.
  • New Teaming Plan – Investment in resellers that have committed to building an Intel Security practice and are engaged in adding value to Intel Security found deals. The plan is intended to increase profitability and deal protection for the partner, streamlining the approval process.
  • Improved Incumbency Advantage – Provides additional incentives based on the program level by increasing the discount for resellers as the partner level rises, and automatically rewarding resellers for renewals.
  • Partner level name changes – New Platinum, Gold and Silver partnership levels reflect industry standard terms for classifying tiered offerings

Speaking about it, Deb Gannaway, president, DG Technologies said

Our customers are changing the way they make security-related decisions and purchases. As solutions providers, we look for a flexible program that aligns with our needs and allows us to deliver robust technology solutions to help protect our customers. Through our relationship with Intel Security, we can outfit customers with excellent protection to help offensively secure their company data and grow our business as a result.

Lisa Matherly, head of Worldwide Partner Programs, Marketing and Operations, Intel Security said

Our goal is to be the number-one security partner for our customers, and to reach this goal we need to provide flexible and profitable programs that will sustain as customer needs and partner business models evolve. Together, we have the opportunity to redefine the industry and provide better security outcomes for our mutual customers.

Intel Security has also rolled out its new sales and partner rules of engagement to improve satisfaction and brand loyalty for its distributors and resellers.

Intel is continuously improving the Intel Security Partner Program in a way that is mutually beneficial and helps distributors and resellers grow. The series of enhancements are part of an 18 month multi-phased evolution program intended to simplify the Program, provide additional revenue streams like support and services, and increase profitability. The final phase of enhancements will launch in January 2016 and will be centered upon reducing the cost of doing business with Intel Security, thereby providing higher net margins for Intel Security distributors and resellers.

Learn more about the Intel Security Partner Program here

ClearTax, India’s largest income tax returns e-filing platform, has partnered with IDBI Bank to offer free online income tax filing services to its existing and new customers.  IDBI Bank customers can now avail the benefits of e-filing through ClearTax’s easy-to-use and secure platform to file their tax returns.

As part of this strategic partnership, ClearTax will also offer special discounts on its Chartered Accountant assisted e-filing plans. This service has been extended to all IDBI customers, including defense personnel, government employees, salaried account holders, HNIs and NRIs.

ClearTax_IDBI

Tax filing historically is an intimidating process for many people. Taxpayers often face issues dealing with changes to tax forms or get stuck when they have a question. With ClearTax, IDBI Bank customers get a much simpler experience for e-Filing. Benefits include Live chat and support agents who handle queries customers may have. With Form-16 upload feature, salaried customers can just upload Form-16s and their tax forms get filled out with relevant information automatically on ClearTax.

Speaking about the strategic partnership, Archit Gupta, CEO of ClearTax, said

ClearTax was born out of the need to simplify the process of e-filing. We do this by focusing on the user experience and technology. We have proven track record of lakhs of satisfied customers who have used our platform to file their returns within minutes. Partnering with IDBI, will help more taxpayers and provide them with an easy way to file their ITR.

ClearTax makes tax return filing extremely easy by automatically preparing tax returns from Form-16.  Users upload their Form-16 and the information is read automatically & filled in to the tax form.

Additionally, customers can also file their returns on-the-go by downloading the Android App from Google Play Store

About ClearTax

Founded in the year 2011, ClearTax is the largest third-party tax website in India and is run by a close-knit group of 35 people coming from reputed institutions like IIT, BITS Pilani, The Kellogg School of Management, Harvard Business School and many others. It was established by Raja Ram Gupta, a professional Chartered Accountant, and his son Archit Gupta who is an entrepreneur with a Bachelors of Technology degree in Computer Science from IIT Guwahati and a Masters in Computer Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison, along with Srivatsan Chari and Ankit Solanki. In FY 2014-15 ClearTax emerged as the platform that 1% of India, with its population of more than 1.25 billion, uses to file its IT returns. For more information, please refer ClearTax

Android has a stranglehold on the smartphone market worldwide. According to Strategy Analytics, Android dominated the global smartphone market again last year with 1 billion units shipped worldwide. It accounted for 81 percent of all smartphones shipped last year, followed by Apple with 15 percent market share and Microsoft with 3 percent at third. Without a doubt, Android is the most popular mobile operating system in the world.

trend-micro-logo

Commenting on Android, Paul Oliveria, researcher of Trend Micro said

Many users choose Android over other OS-based devices because first, the devices can be relatively cheap; second, it’s known for fast and efficient data storage and third, it’s available across different form factors, brands, and price points. Moreover, Android is popular among mobile developers and manufacturers for its capacity to house innovative app development without licensing fees and its simple, yet powerful Software Development Kit [SDK].

Because the mobile landscape is ever-changing, securing mobile device can be tedious. In the virtual world where hackers and cyber-criminals are hard to trace, you are the only one who can make sure your device and the data in it is well protected.

As Google wants to empower users and developers as much as possible, the very freedom makes Android a viable platform cyber-criminals and hackers want to exploit. Android users can expect to run into a few problems from time to time and their device and the data in it can be stolen, spied on, and used by cyber-criminals if they aren’t careful.

Following are some of the tips proposed by Trend Micro that can help to keep your devices secure:

Lock the screen – Enabling a screen unlock code will prevent a device thief from accessing your mobile data.

Protect your data – Android virtually comes with pre-installed security measures that can be easily accessed and enabled from the security sub-menu. The Android security screen also includes an option to encrypt the device. Enabling this option will help protect sensitive information stored in the device.

Strengthen passwords and app permissions – Google does a fine job at synching their updates with Android devices. However, some manufacturers take a little more time to update. Remember to check the features that you allow the app to access, and don’t forget to use strong and unique passwords. If you re-use your passwords, hackers can effortlessly guess the passwords on your other accounts.

Install a security app – It’s always a good idea to make use of security apps. An app that offers anti-theft features like remote wipe-out, tracking, and locking, as well as malware scanning and detection can help mitigate potential threats. For example, Trend Micro Mobile Security is a security app for Android phone and Android tablet, which blocks malicious apps from Google Play before they are installed; guards against identity theft and viruses; blocks dangerous and fraudulent websites; protects your privacy on Facebook; protects kids online; and even extends battery life and optimizes device performance and memory.

Connect to secure networks – Whenever you go online using a network you don’t know, such as public Wi-Fi, you should be more careful because unsecured Wi-Fi networks can be used to stage man-in-the-middle attacks where data can be intercepted by a third party. Avoid online banking, financials, and purchasing over public networks. If you use Wi-Fi at home, please make sure you use a password to secure your router.

Avoid rooting your device – Before rooting your Android device, consider the pros and cons first. While it allows you more control over your device, it could also allow unsigned apps, including malicious ones, access to your data. This also makes it difficult to patch and update your OS and apps, which could leave your device vulnerable.

Download from official app stores – Downloading from third-party sites or app stores is one of the easiest ways for any mobile device to get infected with malware. Limiting your apps to those from official or trusted app stores (like the Google Play app store) can lower the risks.

For more information on Mobile Security for Android Smartphones and Tablets, visit the following link.

[Image Credit* : Trend Micro]

The e-commerce landscape is rapidly changing in India & there has been an interesting set of companies built around Design, Portfolio Development, Logistics etc. Today we have a Q&A with Akash Kalra, co-founder of a startup Pungraffiti based out of Pune which has a single mantra – “Spread Happiness via T-Shirts”. We discussed with him about Pungraffiti, Startup & e-commerce landscape in India & many aspects of Entrepreneurship.

PunGraffiti

Can you give a small background about you, your start-up and it’s founders ?

Some may call us as a T-Shirt selling startup. However, we do not just sell T-Shirts, we spread happiness with it. The idea is to bring smiles all around using our creative ideas on the T-Shirts 🙂

We are 3 of us, namely, Akash, Gagan and Varun. We are all school friends. I am Akash. I am an economist by education and Gagan & Varun are engineers.

Apart from us, we have another couple of friends, Meetali and Vivek, who have invested and entrusted upon us to do the job.

Every idea is born out of a problem/inspiration, what was the trigger of starting Pungraffiti ?

Well, in our case, there was not any problem as such but there was a realization, a common realization I would say. I had quit my job with KPMG in Pune and had joined a startup in Delhi. Gagan and Varun were here in Delhi. Gagan was working with Mitsubishi that time and Varun with a shipping company.

While discussing about the fun times we have had in school and discussing about how our careers have progressed after that, we realized that the only thing that all of us are actually good at is to make people happy, and that in turn gave us happiness and satisfaction ourselves. We then discussed that making a career out of this would be great. And thus, came the idea.

Pungraffiti looks a very peppy name, how did your team zero in on this name ?

Thank you. That’s how we wanted it to be. 🙂

It took us quite a lot of time to come up with it. It is more to do with the designs on our T-Shirts. We have tried to present a certain thing in a different, creative way. It takes you a couple of seconds to think over it and when you realize it, you smile or laugh about it. That’s where pun came from. Graffiti stands for the designs.

Thus, PunGraffiti

Does your startup have in-house designers, if so do you plan to move to a “crowd-sourced designer model” ?

Yes. Varun designs these for us. Me and Gagan sit down and think of ideas to put on the T-Shirts. The next very important step is determining how to present those ideas on T-Shirts and then, Varun takes over from there. He starts working on the designing software and we assist him in whatever we can.

While, crowd sourced designer model is an interesting model, we do not have any immediate plan to get into it. We trust our creativity to be able to relate to our target audience. 🙂

How does Pungraffiti stack up against the other competitor’s that are also in the same space ?

Our value proposition will have to be the designs. Now, the reason we believe that we stack up against the competitors is the creativity we use on these T-Shirts, the way we present what we intend to.

To be comparing ourselves to the competitors, it is important to understand our target audience and the business model. These T-Shirts creatively derive emotions from people and if those people would want to show these emotions, again creatively, to others, they will wear it.

I can explain this with the following example from our collection:

We have a Rahul Dravid T-Shirt for his fans. Now, we could have just written Rahul Dravid or made his picture on the T-Shirt as our competitors would do, but we instead presented this in a different/creative way. We made a wall with his name on it and wrote “Not just another brick in the wall”. This is where we differ from our competitors.

Somebody who would want to show his/ her love for Rahul Dravid and show it smartly/ creatively will buy this T-Shirt.

What are some of the issues [still] faced by e-commerce startups ?

While e-commerce has given businesses the luxury to cater to the entire world as their market, there are challenges that come alongside. I think the major challenge that this e-commerce boom has got is that it has made getting recognized amongst your target audience a little slower and expensive. Even though I personally believe, if a certain business has the commercial potential, it will be successful eventually.

With almost every merchandise business now being online and already existent businesses investing heavily on online marketing, a deserving e-commerce startup could face a lot of problems to be recognized initially.

I think what is important in this market scenario is patience, a lot of it. If you have the business confidence, you would be able meet your goals, sooner or later.

How according to you, should a startup deal with a disgruntled customer ?

I think the kind of competitive market we are into, a startup cannot afford to have a disgruntled customer. I will try expressing my views on how to deal with one from one of our experiences. Recently, one of customers bought a T-Shirt with us. However, due to some bug on the server, he did not get the order confirmation on the e-mail. He then wrote us a mail complaining about this.

First thing that we did in this case was quickly reply to his mail, addressing his concern. Secondly, I personally called him to explain him the issue and ensured my personal attention in his order.

Thirdly, what we did was apart from the T-Shirt, we sent him a cake at his address in Bangalore with “Sorry :)” written on it. And he gave us a nice feedback to us not just for the T-Shirt but also for the kind of attention we gave him for his order.

We cannot afford to have any unhappy customer, especially when we say we spread happiness with the T-Shirt.

What are the major changes that you experienced when you moved from an Employee to an Entrepreneur ?

I think the biggest change that I have experienced is that as an employee I used to actually work for around 5 hours a day and as an entrepreneur, that is how much I sleep. 🙂

Working as an entrepreneur keeps you on your toes. You are responsible for anything and everything that goes wrong. Your hard work can be seen getting converted into results. And the happiness and excitement that you experience when something works out is just incomparable.

What are your key advice(s) to people who want to start-up ?

I think it is very important to understand the business potential of your idea. While there are many creative ideas that one can come up with, having an audience for that idea is equally important to really sustain.

I also think that the market for startups has become very challenging. The big players are into everything these days. Thus, it is very important to have a USP. A USP that is efficient enough to derive enough audience towards your product/service.

How much does social media channels [Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.] contribute to marketing in startup ?

Immense. We can say that from our own experience. It has not even been a month that we have started and just through social media publicity, and that too unpaid, we have sold over 100 T-Shirts all over India, starting from Jammu-Punjab-Delhi-Gujarat-Mumbai-Pune-Hyderabad-Bangalore-Odisha & even Siliguri.

We have over 1700 followers on Facebook and we have got a very encouraging response on Instagram as well. The number of site visits is another encouraging reason we can really say that.

Any parting words from you for budding entrepreneurs ?

According to me, believing in your idea, having the courage to execute it and having enough patience are the 3 key things in this startup market.

It is certainly not a comfortable and an easy ride but it has enough thrill and joy to make your life exciting and happening.  🙂

If you have any questions for Akash or about Pungraffiti, please let them in the comments section !!

We all have lost a key at one point or another and in some cases we might have had a spare but sometimes we just end up being stranded. When you have nowhere else to turn to, a locksmith is the only solution to the problem. A locksmith is a trained professional who has the skill to deal with all lock related problems from installing a new lock, removing, breaking, or repairing a lock. Before we hire this professional there are some factors that we should consider so that we do not end up spending money on a problem that we can solve on our own. When you lose your house’s keys or lock yourself in somewhere, only a locksmith can save you. Best local locksmith services are available across various cities. One can even find details of local locksmiths online or in the yellow pages or from trusted references. Local-locksmith services include upgrading old locks, changing them, installing special locks. This emergency locksmith service helps you out in getting your lock and key problems fixed in no time.

Here are some of the things regarding locksmiths and their services:

  • To tackle problems with complicated modern as well as traditional locks, trained and certified locksmiths can be availed.
  • Locksmiths save us from burglars and thefts. During emergency situations like broken locks or key losses, locks must be replaced or mended at the earliest. In such cases, an emergency locksmith is the only person who can restore security.
  • Our services are diverse. Installations of new locks and changing or repairing of locks are other works for which locksmiths are employed.
  • Further, locksmiths are also skilled key-makers. Other locksmith services include upgrading old locks, changing them, installing special locks, security and alarm systems, security cameras and installing vehicle locks.
  • Commercial local locksmith services mostly in demand are installation of access control systems, alarm systems, file cabinet locks, making of copy key, master re-keying, install of high security locks and other security equipments.
  • Locksmiths are skilled workmen. Locksmiths, who are certified, licensed and experienced, possess the know-how to tackle problems with all sorts of locks available today.
  • We are relied upon for timely advice on lock and key security problems, such as, how a jammed key can be taken out from a particular lock or how a faulty lock can be mended easily.
  • Locksmiths can also give genuine suggestions on the kind of security systems which should be installed.
  • We are easy to find in the country. Popular local locksmith services are available across various cities. One can even find details of local locksmiths online or in the yellow pages or from trusted references.

For a person, the safety of his family, property, belongings and business are serious concerns. To ensure that everything is in place and all is secure, one cannot do without the services of a skilful locksmith. By professionalism locksmith services are available 24×7 today. Be it day or night, wherever you are, you can easily find and appoint local locksmiths, skilled locksmiths to safely solve your lock and security problems.

Locksmiths offer a highly demanded service, which generally relates to maintaining and installing the various types of lock systems, from the standard key locks to the complex electronic or biometric locks. The most common types of locksmith professions consist of the emergency, industrial, commercial, and residential, which each of the specific fields requiring different skills and abilities.

Residential

Residential work is likely to be the most common of the services provided by a locksmith. A domestic property owner looks at personal security and safety as a key reason when it comes to making sure a home is fully secured against a would-be intruder. A locksmith has gained the experience and knowledge to suggest the most effective locks for a properties doors and windows. Beyond the ability to install new locking systems, the locksmith is also able to repair or replace the locks on the older styled properties. Extra services offered by a local locksmith include the ability to offer security advice, a key cutting service, installing locks on a garage or similar outbuilding, and installing at-home safes or vaults.

Commercial

A commercial or business locksmith is involved with working on larger sized security systems, which might include the security needs for office buildings, retail establishments, or schools. Installing a security system in a commercial property is likely to be a highly complex practice with a need to overcome issues such as having multiple access points, offering different access levels for staff members, using key, fingerprint or biometric based locks and providing effective security after-hours.

Automobile

An automobile locksmith is highly knowledgeable in working with all-types of locks and keys to fit the different models of vehicles. Auto locksmithing is a very difficult trade due to having to work with a range of vehicle models, which usually come with complex lock mechanisms. If requiring the services of an auto locksmith, it benefits to contact a dedicated locksmith working in the automobile field as they are more likely to give a quality service.

Emergency

Many of the high-quality locksmith companies are able to provide a 24/7 call out service which is an essential service for any person that is unfortunate enough to find themselves locked out of a car, home or office in the early hours of the morning. Emergency services are also perfect if a property home owner is a victim of a theft or burglary, and require the looks replaced at short notice.

Eagle’s Lock & Security Cincinnati makes it easy to find convenient and reliable locksmiths for everyone in the general area. Check out Safe Locksmith Cincinnati to find a professional locksmith you can trust.

Shoppers Stop, India’s leading fashion retailer has announced its tie-up with Hybris software, an SAP company & the world’s fastest growing commerce platform provider. This liaison will enable Shoppers Stop to provide a seamless and unified shopping experience to customers across its multiple channels i.e. Physical stores, Web, Social, TV and Marketplaces.

Shoppers Stop plans to invest 60 crores over the next 3 years in its omni-channel technology, supply chain & talent to strengthen its omni-channel play. Over the next 3 years, it will extend its omni-channel strategy to its group companies HomeStop, Hypercity & Crossword. By 2020, the Company targets to achieve 15% revenue through digital-touch points.

Penske-omni-channel-image

Shoppers Stop will leverage the hybris commerce platform and its state-of-the-art data management technology which has a successful track-record in providing omni-channel solutions to the world’s leading retail organizations. BORN will be the system integration partner for the SAP hybris setup.

Hybris will enable Shoppers Stop to deliver a real-time, impactful, and relevant customer experience across every touch point, channel & device. In essence, hybris software will enable Shoppers Stop to have a single view of the customer by linking multiple identifiers [Mobile number, First Citizen number, Facebook, email, etc.] to one single identity. Conversely, hybris technology will allow shoppers to have one-view of the Shoppers Stop brand experience across multiple channels and devices.

Speaking on the occasion, Govind Shrikhande, Customer Care Associate & Managing Director, Shoppers Stop Ltd. said

Amongst the top global retailers, 9 out of 10 are brick & mortar players who have evolved into omni-channel entities. In India, Shoppers Stop was one of the first department stores to launch a multi-channel play through our e-store www.shoppersstop.com. Now, we are embarking on our omni-channel journey by linking our multiple channels to give customers a unified brand experience. We are proud to partner with SAP in our omni-channel journey and look forward to their support in establishing ourselves as India’s leading omni-channel retailer. We plan to invest approximately 60 crores in our omni-channel efforts.

Through the hybris technology, Shoppers Stop will have a one-view of customer, one-view of order and one-view of inventory. This will allow us to provide our customers with a contextual, targeted, personalized and integrated shopping experience. As part of the roadmap ahead, we will introduce new features such as ‘Click & Collect’, ‘Ship from Store’, ‘Endless Aisles, and much more.

Speaking about the association, Deb Deep Sengupta, Managing Director, SAP Indian Subcontinent said

Today’s customers are digitally empowered and in control. Shoppers Stop has built its reputation on the quality of its service and understands the value its customers place on exceptional experiences.Hybris’s ability to equip major brands with robust and flexible commerce technology positions us as one of the world’s leading e-commerce technology providers. We are thrilled to partner with one of the most reputable retail brands in India to help them meet customers’ expectations, deliver the best customer experience, support their business strategy and be part of their business transformation.

Mr. Vinay Bhatia, Customer Care Associate & Executive Vice-President, Marketing, Loyalty & Analytics, Shoppers Stop Ltd. said

We have a hugely successful First Citizen loyalty programme of more than 3.7 million customers. We also have one of the largest Facebook fan bases among retailers in India. We have a huge repository of data which we will leverage to personalize our customers’ shopping journey across channels.

Shoppers Stop aims to redefine its signature shopping experience by introducing features such as Access Anywhere, Buy Anytime, Pay Anyhow, Deliver Everywhere and Return At Your Convenience.

In fact, Kishore Biyani owned Future Group has also tied-up with Hybris for their omni-channel strategy [More here]

About Shoppers Stop Ltd

Shoppers Stop Ltd. is one of the pioneers in setting up large format department stores in India. The flagship department store business, Shoppers Stop, is now one of India’s largest retail chains of large format department stores in the country. It is a one-stop shop for products across multiple categories including apparel, cosmetics, fragrances, artificial and fine jewellery, footwear, personal accessories such as watches, sunglasses, handbags, wallets and belts, kids wear, toys, home decor and much more. Shoppers Stop offers more than 400 of the finest international and national brands across categories.  It is the only Indian member of IGDS [Intercontinental Group of Departmental stores] along with 29 other experienced retailers from all over the world.

[Image Source* – Whsystems]

Puretech Digital along with group company Credencys Solutions announced it’s vision to help business organizations succeed in the fast emerging mobile-first and mobile only economy. Mobile is significantly impacting how organizations approach customer engagement and experiences and has the power to transform professions and industries.

Credencys Solutions which was started in the United States by Indian IT entrepreneurs Sandeep Agarwal & Sagar Sharma boasts of a global client base from the US to Singapore, Europe to India. In 2013 they opened their India office in Ahmedabad after they saw a surge in India based clients for their cutting edge applications and developmental solutions in the area of enterprise mobility, augmented reality, wearable solutions, for enterprises.

Credencys

The group aims to redefine the way work will get done, address key industry mobility challenges and spark true mobile-led business changes. With their industry expertise, they offer to create apps and solutions that can transform specific aspects of how businesses and employees work, allowing companies to achieve new levels of efficiency, effectiveness and customer satisfaction—faster and easier than ever before. Today the mobile device is used from content consumption, to content search, to customer engagement, customer experiences, etc. Puretech Digital & Credencys together bring this compelling bouquet of offerings from mobile solutions to digital marketing.

Mobility combined with the phenomena of data and cloud is all set to transform business and industries in historic ways, allowing people to re-imagine work, industries and professions. Credencys Solutions aims on bringing these innovations to the clients globally, and leveraging leadership in analytics, cloud, software and services. Credencys Solutions offers a new class of “made-for-business apps” targeting specific industry issues or opportunities in retail, healthcare, banking, travel and transportation, telecommunications and insurance, among others.

Commenting on this development, Prashant Deorah, Director, Credencys, says

Mobility is increasingly emerging a top priority for business enterprises as they continue to drive innovation and streamline operational efficiency. However, this situation is also creating demand for quicker and constant development cycles that challenge traditional IT infrastructure and development methodologies.

To become mobile-centric, speed and agility must be prioritized without forsaking the stability of core IT. Credencys Solutions complements Puretech’s expertise in digital marketing with exciting new capabilities in mobile and augmented reality. Our vision is to help enterprises evolve in a digital world and provide them with an open and flexible architecture and the technologies that accelerate this transition. From technology to marketing, brand to customer engagement.

Targeting key opportunities and priorities within industries, apps designed by Credencys Solutions take enterprise mobility a level deeper. The apps help employees access their company’s full capabilities wherever they interact with clients—faster, easier and more securely than before.

Sagar Sharma, Chief Technology Officer, Credencys Solutions says

What we’re delivering aims directly at the new quest of business—smart technologies that unlock new value at the intersection of big data and individual engagement. Mobile innovations are driving profound impact on how companies deliver superior client experiences, particularly those that extend the enterprise expertise all the way to the point of customer contact. Approximately 51% of organizations recently surveyed are further increasing their mobile budgets this year. Mobility is increasingly becoming a top priority for business as a means to drive innovation and streamline operational efficiency.

Since accelerating into the enterprise mobile market in 2013, Credencys Solutions has achieved several notable milestones in its mobile journey working with leading enterprises.

About Credencys Solutions

Credencys Solutions is an Enterprise Mobility Solutions & Augmented Reality company creating innovative world-class solutions for complex business enterprises. Started in 2013 in India by Sandeep Agarwal and Sagar Sharma, Credencys Solutions looks past expensive traditional mediums and focuses on mobile technology to overcome various operational hurdles for business establishments.

[Image Credit* : Credencys Solutions]