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Tag: Rathin Lahiri

  • While the app has much going for it, the debate remains focused on the readiness (or lack) of the market

    Is it time for brands and services to go app-only?

    By Amit Bapna

     

    The ongoing debate on the ‘right time’ for brands to go app-only does not seem even close to getting resolved. It’s however on the minds of several companies in a market that’s reportedly adding a staggering 5 million smart phones every month. Some brands have leapt aboard the app only bandwagon: Myntra, Ola and most recently food-brand Faasos on realising 97 per cent of its customers place orders via the app.

     

    In principle, while the app has much going for it, the debate remains focused on the readiness (or lack) of the market. The journey is also a function of category and target audience. For instance furniture, household electronics etc. lend themselves better to omni-channel.

     

    Rathin Lahiri, CMO, Meru Cabs claims an app-first strategy is better than app-only for many reasons. “Ecommerce is still under-penetrated. While the mobile is a more personal shopping device, the website is just easier to browse.” Adds Sabyasachi Mitter, managing director, ibs, “Going app-only is a bad idea at this stage. The market needs more users to experience the online ecosystem.” Once a user sees the benefit of a brand he will naturally look for its app.

     

    The world’s most valuable start-up Uber is apponly and that is not by coincidence. Taking a leaf, the Indian aggregator Ola has become app-only since August 1 this year. Its call centre is no longer a booking channel but acts purely as customer care. As per Anand Subramanian, senior director – marketing communications, Ola, “The choice was between the call centre and the mobile app since the desktop was never a large contributor.” To keep the experience inclusive, the app has been kept very simple which is the secret sauce is in his view.

     

    For Myntra, fashion is a very personal experience. Prasad Kompalli, head of eCommerce platform believes that mobile can truly deliver this experience as it captures user’s lifestyle and context in manner that the desktop cannot.

     

    On the other hand, flipkart has reportedly gone cold on its app-only plans for now, and as per the company spokesperson, “We are constantly experimenting with various aspects of our service to create the best shopping experience for users on our app. Meanwhile, we continue to offer both desktop as well as mobile options.”

     

    Points out Tushar Vyas, chief strategy officer, GroupM South Asia, “There are significantly more users getting added to mobile internet than PC internet and the battle has moved to owning real estate on the consumer’s phone and becoming a destination of choice.” The app-only approach, thus, is a bold move for the future. According to Milind Pathak, COO, Madhouse, the app gives the brand far more control. Also due to the handset native presence, even when the app is closed, it will pass signals making for personalised interactions.

     

    With access to location data, relevant push notifications could be bundled, deals, for instance. Adds Rahul Pandey, CEO and co-founder of mobile advertising agency Bonzai, “An app install on consumer’s device provides a higher chance of engagement, and the ability to collect user specific data, build engagement and do re-targeting.” Apps could well be the pillar leading to the maturity of analytics based marketing as against the currently prevalent acquisition driven model.

     

    According to Joono Simon, co-founder of Bengaluru-based Brave New World, “The marketing efforts to drive traffic to the site and the app are a resource drain. The websites in the current avatar won’t last long.” Agrees and adds Vivek Bhargava, CEO, iProspect-Communicate2, “A key advantage of this approach is that brands have to advertise less once the user starts to order through the app.” However common wisdom is pointing to the fact that shifting consumers desktop to mobile will require a more engaged and evolved ecosystem.

     

    Whether and when a company decides to go app only requires a careful calibration of how its core consumers are evolving. Flipkart backing down obviously had a lot to do with buyers in big ticket categories that require a lot of comparison and browsing before purchase — electronic goods and computer components for instance — threatening to shift en masse to the competition. While marketers often dream of leading the consumer, following her will perhaps be the best way to go, this time around.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Meru Cab's new campaign has been conceptualized, created and executed by Apostrophe Films Pvt. Ltd

    Meru Cabs unveils first nationwide ad campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Meru Cabs has launched its first nationwide thematic marketing campaign with the tagline ‘Ab Haath Na Hilao, Bas App Dabao’ highlighting how Meru continues to offer reliable travel experience now delivered via Meru Cabs App.

     

    The new ad campaign is based on the universal insight that the most common way commuter’s find a cab is by wildly flailing one’s hands which tends to be very stressful experience. The campaign brings to the fore how travelling by Meru Cabs reduces the physical and mental stress by giving commuters a comfortable ride and peace-of-mind. The new TVC will be seen across general entertainment and news channels.

     

    Meru Cab’s new campaign has been conceptualized, created and executed by Apostrophe Films Pvt. Ltd. The new ATL campaign will be supported with a radio, social media and outdoor campaign with ad creatives on 1300 Meru cabs across Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai & Jaipur.

     

    Commenting on the launch of Meru’s first ad campaign, Rathin Lahiri CMO, Meru Cabs said, “As pioneers in the radio cabs industry, Meru was the first player to address barriers in the category to providing consumers a reliable travel experience. Realizing the everyday challenges commuters face by having to haplessly waving their hands, Meru strives to own this universal insight by highlighting the stress free and reliable journey consumers can get through the Meru cabs app.”

     

    Commenting on the creative insight of the campaign, Ashish Khanzanchi, Managing Partner, Enormous said “Since the idea was a flapping the hand, we decided to give the commercial a strict economy of movement. Almost static frames with the protagonist staring at the camera, so the effect of waving the hand would be isolated and amplified. This in turn also gives the Meru Cabs commercial a quirky and memorable execution.”

     

  • AIMIA has started managing Taj Group's customer relationships and will soon include other consumer firms of the group to create a unified CRM programme

    Tata group firms to launch common loyalty plan

    By Sagar Malviya

     

    Tata Group’s consumer-centric firms including Taj Hotels, Croma and Westside will soon initiate cross-marketing activities such as promotions and campaigns by sharing customer database and insights.

     

    “What we plan to do is leverage different databases and provide more value to the customers,” says Akash Sahai, managing director, AIMIA India, a joint venture between Tata Capital and Canadian firm AIMIA (formerly Groupe Aeroplan) that will launch a common loyalty card for clients within and outside Tata Group.

     

    “For instance, we are using the database of Taj Hotels to give its customers additional promotions at Tata’s department store Westside,” he says. “Similarly, consumers could use Tata Capital card at Westside and Croma for added benefits and finance schemes.” Most Tata Group companies have been working together in legal, real estate sourcing and IT services among other administrative work, but the conglomerate so far did not have a common customer relationship management (CRM) programme for its half a dozen consumer-centric companies spanning retail, consumer goods, hospitality, financial services and telecom segments.

     

    AIMIA has started managing Taj Group’s customer relationships and will soon include other consumer firms of the group to create a unified CRM programme.

     

    Customer service is clearly emerging as a differentiator for consumer-centric companies as competition increases and consumers become more empowered.

     

    Several global multi-partner loyalty operators have set their sights on the Indian market, valued roughly around $1 billion.

     

    While Tatas roped in AIMIA last year, another Canadian firm, LoyaltyOne, has acquired a stake in local firm Directions. Kishore Biyani’s Future Group, the country’s largest retailer, is partnering German loyalty management firm Payback.

     

    Penetration of loyalty cards in India is just 42% of organized retail consumers with an average of 2.8 cards for each person compared to 74% penetration at an average of 3.8 cards for each consumer in the US.

     

    LoyaltyOne Chief Marketing Officer Rathin Lahiri says loyalty programmes will help marketers leverage consumer insights for developing customised programs. “That will not just impact the way that consumers respond to their brands, but also in the long term will shape their buying patterns,” he says.

     

    AIMIA will launch its multi-party loyalty card later this year. Apart from Tata Group firms, it is in talks with several non-competing brands in the aviation, petrol retailing and financial services space to launch a loyalty card to be used across companies.

     

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved