A typical lockdown day for Saugata Gupta, Managing Director of the ₹7,315 crore fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) major Marico, is a series of Zoom and Microsoft Teams meetings. Most of them are about dealing with the enormous challenge of supplying essentials like Saffola oil and Parachute hair oil to consumers across the country. As traditional distribution networks have ground to a halt, the FMCG major has been desperately inking deals with third-party distribution companies to quickly create bridges to reach consumers.
The quickest way, Marico realised, was to set up a tile ordering facility where call centre workers ring up retailers and take orders directly instead of going via distributors. Yet, in the midst of all the chaos, when Gupta looks at Marico’s Q4 results — with 7 per cent dip in sales and 3 per cent in volumes — he can’t help think what else he could have done to reinvent the business and reduce risks. His answer so far: think hard, think short, and do it quickly.
Across India, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown, businesses, big and small, are seriously rethinking about how to transform themselves to survive the crisis. While companies such as Hindustan Unilever (HUL), PVR and Pidilite are looking at conserving cash to save themselves, for retailers such as Arvind, Croma and Titan, it’s all about setting up a robust omnichannel business model. Mall owners such as DLF and Nexus Malls are preparing to go all out to reassure consumers that shopping with them is safe.
この記事は Business Today の May 31, 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Business Today の May 31, 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Pension Scheme - Safety Net
The move to introduce the UPS has evoked mixed reactions. Analysts believe its funding will have limited impact on the fiscal math
The Reit Choice?
Real Estate Investment Trusts (Reits) Are Gaining Traction As Interest Rates Stabilise. But Returns Could Be Affected By Adverse Economic Conditions And Market Volatility
CORPORATE - Calling to Account
The sudden exit of Byju's auditor BDO marks the latest in a long series of setbacks for the edtech firm
EMPLOYMENT: Skills Push
The skill development ministry plans to partner with the UGC to improve the employability of undergraduates
Building on a Vision
L&T'S CHAIRMAN EMERITUS A. M. NAIK HAS BUILT A MAMMOTH ENTERPRISE THAT IS BUILDING A NEW INDIA, FROM ITS METRO RAIL SYSTEMS TO THE RAM TEMPLE
"KYS more important than KYC"
Vijay Kedia is a renowned equity investor; the value of his listed portfolio stands at around ₹1,750 crore
ROXX STAR
THE THAR ROXX COMBINES LUXURY WITH PERFORMANCE TO MAKE A STRONG STATEMENT IN THE MID-SIZE SUV SEGMENT
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
Smartwatches have become indispensable tools for runners, offering real-time insights into pace, distance, heart rate, and more. Here are a few you can consider
TURNING THE TABLES
INDIA'S FURNITURE MARKET IS POISED FOR A GLOBAL TAKE-OFF. ALREADY, A HOST OF GLOBAL BRANDS HAVE MADE THE COUNTRY THEIR HOME, BUT INDIAN COMPANIES ARE NOT TOO FAR BEHIND
THE EVOLUTION OF ATHERA
IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES IN ADVANCE HAS STOOD THIS BENGALURU-BASED VC FUND IN GOOD STEAD. NOW, WITH A HEIGHTENED FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY, IT WANTS TO SUSTAIN THE SUCCESS