Godrej Appliances enables offline retailers to drive business online

As consumer behavior is changing across the country amidst the pandemic we are going through, it is important that the entire ecosystem undergoes a transformation to be able to meet consumer’s increased needs for safety and health, across the purchase process.

Small shop owners form a vital part of this ecosystem. By making them self-reliant when it comes to online business, Godrej intends to make it a win-win situation for consumer, trade partner and companies. The trade partners are company's key interface with the customers and helping them to gain business online also is crucial for consumer safety, trade safety and improved business overall.

Apart from assisting the trade partners to come aboard on Google My Business, the brand is enabling offline retailers build a digital presence by creating a Facebook Business Page for each of them. The brand targets each of its 25000 offline retailers’ network to have a Facebook Business Page by end of June, with 2300 already on board and counting. For customers, this will help them access product information and allow them to purchase a Godrej appliance from their familiar local retailers.

All the Godrej Exclusive brand outlets and bulk of the preferred retailer partners and Godrej Green AC Hubs have already been made live on Facebook with their shop pages. This allows them to link up with consumers through WhatsApp also to discuss, negotiate and conclude the sale.

Godrej Appliances has made arrangements to help consumers buy appliances without having to step out of the comfort of their homes through the new video-assisted remote selling initiative.

The initiative is already seeing signs of acceptance. Under this initiative, customers are being provided the option of a scheduled live demo via video call by the brand’s store-based advisors followed by flexible payment options as per the customer’s preference.

Godrej is also undertaking extensive online trade engagement program. It has already covered 5000 trade partners explaining to them the changing dynamics of industry, rapidly evolving consumer behavior and how they need to prepare themselves, underscoring the need and ways for digital transformation.

The brand has tied up with the new age merchant platform, Pine Labs’ ePOS - facilitating multiple modes to payment for customers and disruptive payment & EMI technology platform Benow, which acts as an easy digital payment medium for customers and retailers alike.

The Brand has also been registering its exclusive outlets on e-com platform like Amazon, leveraging the digital wave and creating a synergy on both sides – with Amazon being able to reach customers in tier 3 – 4 cities and EBOs getting more business from online space.

Kamal Nandi, Business Head and Executive Vice President – Godrej Appliances, said, “The trade partners are an important spoke of our ecosystem. We believe digital will be the way forward and that through these initiatives we will empower them to step up in the new normal. The brand is partnering with the key online players and foresees more integration of offline & online channel in the coming times. This will establish a new way of selling and will also drive more efficiencies in the entire ecosystem in the long run.”

Another important pillar amongst Godrej Appliances’ initiatives, has been to reach out to the large network and use this lockdown effectively by training them on the product front.

The brand has been training the entire sales staff, store promoter staff and its trade partner and their staff actively during the lockdown and the initiative has received tremendous feedback.