BETTER LATE…
Corporate Citizen Award
odrej as corporate citizen has at long last received recognition by the
conferment this year of The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence.
The tradition of trusteeship, which has been an essential part of the Godrej philosophy, was launched way back in 1921 when the pioneer-founder Ardeshir Burjorji Godrej donated Rs. 3 lakhs for Harijan uplift to the Tilak Swaraj Fund. Mahatma Gandhi acknowledged this as the biggest donation he had received and was fulsome in his praise not only of Ardeshir, but of Parsis generally for their philanthropy. Ardeshir’s no doubt were spontaneous gestures, but his younger brother, Pirojsha, codified philanthropy into a principle. The industrial garden township, Pirojshanagar, became in his hands a shining symbol of industry creating wealth for the nation. In this township as much attention was paid to the design of the residential workers’ quarters as to the spacious airy manufacturing plants. Large open spaces were provided and thousands of trees planted and flowerbeds laid to make the environment a healthy and happy one for the multitude of workers.
Not only the workers, the future of their children is provided for by educating them in the fullest sense of character-building and all-round development at the Udayachal School, considered a model school in the metropolis. Wives too were looked after at the Pragati Kendra (founded in 1953), which ran adult education and hobby classes and an improvised dispensary. Workers’ wives were given inputs on the medical, social and psychological problems they might face. They were also taught handicrafts to add to family earnings.
Brought up in an atmosphere of the social contract, Pirojsha’s youngest son, Naval, initiated the Foundation for Research in Community Health to provide meaningful health care to people living in slums and villages. He went on to fulfil another national imperative with the establishment, along with his friend Vasant Sheth of Great Eastern Shipping, of the Foundation for Medical Research to find a cure for leprosy.
The 25 per cent of Godrej profits which are devoted to philanthropy are channeled through various Trusts of which the Pirojsha Godrej Foundation founded in 1972 is the biggest. It is open to the public at large and to all communities of people. The Pirojsha Godrej National Conservation Centre, inaugurated by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, in 1989 and funded by Godrej, is a fitting memorial to the man who cared deeply for the environment. A worthy and fitting monument to Sohrab Godrej’s younger brother, Burjor, was the creation of the B.P. Godrej Students Centre and Research Centre on Oils, Fats and Waxes Technology at the University Department of Chemical Technology. For the Godrej Centenary Year 1997, the Godrej Memorial Trust ran clinics in Delhi and plans are under way to develop a self-contained residential township at Vikhroli, with a hospital, a gymkhana and other facilities.
The manifold Godrej charities include: the Godrej Charitable Wing of the Breach Candy Hospital, the World Wide Fund for Nature — India and its headquarters — the Pirojsha Godrej National Conservation Centre — in Delhi, the Godrej Technical Institute at Bordi, Pirojsha Godrej Research Laboratory, Soonabai Godrej Dance Academy Theatre, Naoroji Pirojsha Godrej Memorial Boating Station, and others too numerous to mention. Concerned as Godrej were with environmental and ecological problems, the Company contributed appropriately towards the management of the ecology of the Ganga Basin — another example of the Godrej endeavour to link business activities with ecological problems. Like the Tatas, Birlas, Ambuja Cement and Bajajs, Godrej too adopted the village Shingari near the soap factory in Gwalior.
In consonance with the international campaign to protect wetlands, including the mangrove eco-system, a large tract of land in Pirojshanagar, originally under mangrove forest, has been assiduously preserved for posterity. For the highly industrialised and polluted megapolis that Bombay is, these mangrove forests are essential for our very survival.
ther directions in which Godrej took the lead was to preserve Mumbai’s
architectural heritage by active participation in the Indian Heritage
Society (IHS), the Godrej contribution of an ambulance to the Bombay Heart
Brigade, the Pirojsha Godrej Scouts and Guide Pavilion for scout meetings,
jumborees, etc.
A more recent, notable example of corporate citizenship was the donation by Godrej of 6 acres of land at Pirojshanagar, valued at over Rs. 30 crores, to the Indian Red cross for the purpose of a much-needed Disaster Centre. Shocked by the horrifying conditions in a dilapidated incinerator at the Bombay Veterinary College, Godrej sponsored an electronic crematorium at the Bai Sakerbai Dinshaw Hospital for Animals at Parel. This was the first non-polluting crematorium of its kind in Asia.
With a view to encourage the spirit of adventure and further promote Indo-British relations, Godrej sponsored the Indian British Kinnaur Expedition in 1994 as well as the Indian British Panch Chuli Expedition in the Himalayas.
B.K.
Hearty Congratulations!
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or the first time in the history of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd. two
employees have become Wholetime Directors of the Company with effect from 1
October, 2003: P.D. Lam and K.A. Palia. Lam joined the Company on 1 October,
1975 and Palia on 2 February, 1970. Both have come up the hard way. Their
designations continue to be Executive Director and President and Executive
Director (Finance), respectively. CHANGE wishes them all the very
best in their future endeavours.
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Surprise! |
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 hat’s an anniversary withouta surprise? |
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As a token of appreciation, CHANGE gives her a surprise gift voucher of Rs. 500. Keep up the good work. |
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Editor |
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On its second anniversary,
CHANGE
acknowledges the efforts put in by Senior Officer Dean Noronha, Plant
18, Locks Division, Marketing Department. The Division has been a
consistent contributor to the magazine. Dean has played a crucial and
efficient role as coordinator; liaising with the Division’s Regional
Managers, Assistant Sales Managers, Personnel Head and others in
giving constant reminders, collecting and compiling information,
selecting photographs, taking approvals from seniors and sending the
material for publication well in time. CHANGE has found her to be both
systematic and time-conscious.
Godrej Has A Mechanical Wizard
e are working on a project of Drive Units for Nuclear Power Corporation of
India Ltd. We manufacture complicated and difficult “jobs”, which are rather
time-consuming for measurements. Some of the parts such as Dashpot Housing
Cover (SR1002), Bearing Housing (SR421), Mechanism Housing Cover (SR501),
Worm Gear Housing (SR301), have certain parameters, which are extremely
complicated and difficult to manufacture. To measure these parameters on the
machine itself (as part of stage inspection), I have tried my best to make
two measuring instruments.
Prakash Bhosle demonstrates Groove Length from Face instrument.
To measure the depth of the groove on the face of Dashpot Housing Cover (SR1002), which is in the range of 2.56 mm to 2.74 mm, I have made an instrument known as Depth Checking Instrument. The instrument is designed by using our regular dial gauge, its base, screw and plotting lever. Even the problems of measuring depth on the face (SR501) are solved. Similarly, to measure the height of the groove from the face within an internal bore, I have designed an instrument called Groove Length From Face. It contains a regular dial of 15 mm stroke, puppet, base, etc. Almost all parts are manufactured here and are properly aligned and assembled.
Now measurements are simplified and quicker due to these instruments. They have improved productivity and simplicity in checking jobs on the machine, thereby reducing the operator’s burden and duplication of work.
I wish to acknowledge that this would not have been possible without the encouragement of my superiors, Sunil Lohana, Asst. Manager (Manufacturing) and Uday Naik, Sr. Manager (Manufacturing). Even some of my colleagues have very kindly cooperated with me towards the success of this project.
Prakash Bhosle
Machine Shop
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ogesh Waghmare, son of G.K.
Waghmare (XA-181), Tooling Division, Press Tool Assembly Department,
has been awarded a scholarship by Louisiana State University, U.S.A. Yogesh will pursue his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering.
Yogesh, who
left for his studies on 7 August, 2003, is an alumni of Udayachal
High School (Marathi Medium). He had secured first rank in his S.S.C.
examination. Later, he acquired his degree in Chemical Engineering
with 70 per cent marks from the prestigious University Department of
Chemical Technology, Mumbai.
Retailing — The New Business Division
ith the distinct objective
of converting all the 31 existing Showrooms of Godrej spread across the
country in prime localities into retailing outlets in the true sense, a new
Division, the Retailing Division, has been formed, headed by B.N. Doongaji.
Retailing has been a traditional industry and we are aware of the services of the neighbourhood kiraanawala, paanwala, etc. India has over 5 million retail outlets. The market size of this industry is Rs. 4,00,000 crores poised to double by 2005. But organised retailing is the latest trend. This industry, with a size of Rs. 15,000 crores annually, is growing at the rate of 20 per cent and major corporates are jumping on the bandwagon to have a larger share of the pie. The major activities are in Apparels, Groceries, Garments, Fashion items, Food and in Furniture. It is expected that the strong middle class of India, estimated to be around 250 million, will bring a sea change in organised retailing through its newly learnt spending habits.
To assess our competencies and capabilities, an external agency, KSA Technopak (a well-known name in retailing consultancy), was engaged to do a survey and study. The activities that are being rolled out are based on their report and recommendations.
Subsequent to the formation of this new Division, many activities have been triggered off. Staffing for all the 31 locations is already complete and four Regional Heads have also been positioned. The entire Showroom staff have been imparted training in selling skills conducted by an external professional trainer, followed by product acclimatisation sessions of the Furniture and Interiors Group (Home and Institution), Security Equipment, Locks and Appliance Divisions, with the active support of the respective Divisions.
Glimpses of the renovated Thane Showroom.
Another priority area for the Division is giving a facelift to the existing Showrooms. Work has already started in this direction and 12 Showrooms have been identified for renovation in this marketing year. The entire exercise is being carried out with the help of visual merchandiser Manu Mansheet, who is trained at Ikea, a leading global brand associated with retailing in home furnishing products present in 22 countries. Our Construction Department and Electrical & Electronic Division are also actively extending their expertise in the renovation exercise.
The first Showroom renovated is at Thane, which now bears an entirely new and contemporary look. The merchandise for the Showroom has been selected and displayed taking into account the walk-in customers’ profile. Mr. Jamshyd N. Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., has already paid a visit to our Thane Showroom and appreciated its new, trendy interior looks. P.D. Lam, Executive Director and President, has also visited the Showroom and praised the efforts put in by all to give it a new look. The Division has worked towards giving the exterior of Thane Showroom the required facelift to match with industry standards. Plans have already been drawn to renovate the other Showroom along similar lines.
After the inauguration. (L-R): F.K. Khapoliwalla, General Manager (West),
Manu Mansheet, Visual Merhandiser, J.N. Godrej, Chairman and Managing
Director, Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., V. Pratap, In-Charge, Thane
Showroom, B.N. Doongaji, Vice President, Retailing Division, Atul Natu,
Operations Manager, Retailing Division and P.V.B. Varier, Ex-employee of
Retailing Division.
Another key area is IT back-up at all the Showrooms. The Division is working with KSA Technopak to make BaaN solutions compatible with the retailing industry requirements. All the Showrooms will be provided with the necessary hardware and BaaN connectivity.
Plans are afoot to increase the retail outlets as well. At Pirojshanagar, Plant 10, a new retail outlet is coming up to cater to the demographic area of Vikhroli, Mulund, Bhandup and Ghatkopar.
To start with, all the Showrooms will carry only Godrej products. As part of the long-term plan, Godrej Showrooms may also offer other consumer products. Our personnel manning the Godrej Showrooms in the country are enthused about the new initiatives the Company is undertaking. They have taken it as a challenge to live up to the expectations of customers, to extend to them a wonderful shopping experience, which will culminate in higher turnover. Plans are on to treble sales in the next three years from our Retail outlets.
P.V.B. Varier
Retailing Division
(Ex-Employee)
Godrej Bhavan Showroom Inaugurated
he ambience was refreshingly new. The smell of fresh paint still lingering
in the air. The occasion was the inauguration of the renovated Godrej Bhavan
Showroom in Mumbai on 30 September, 2003 by Pheroza J. Godrej. After the
cutting of the ribbon, there was the traditional ceremony of lighting the
lamp by Mrs. Godrej along with Fali Sarkari, Director, Godrej & Boyce Mfg.
Co. Ltd., K.A. Palia, Executive Director (Finance) and B.N. Doongaji, Vice
President, Retailing Division. Mrs. Godrej was shown around the Showroom by
Doongaji and Manu Mansheet, Visual Merchandiser. Impressed by its elegant
look, she remarked in the Visitors Book: “It’s been a refreshing experience
to see the Godrej Bhavan Showroom transform itself with imagination into a
sparkling 21st century showpiece!! I congratulate the team on undertaking
this exercise and to the innovation of Manu Mansheet. Good Luck!!”
Pheroza J. Godrej lights the lamp. Surrounding her are (clockwise): P.D.
Lam, Executive Director and President, B.K. Karanjia, Editor, CHANGE, Manu
Mansheet, Visual Merchandiser, Anil Sain Mathur, Chief Operating Officer,
FIG, B.N. Doongaji, Vice President, Retailing Division and Y.H. Malu, Deputy
Manager, FIG (Home).
Hilla Doongaji, Khursheed Lam, P.D. Lam, Executive Director and President, Anil Sain Mathur, Chief Operating Officer, Furniture and Interiors Group (FIG) were among the few distinguished guests to grace the occasion. The FPC1, FPC2 Moulded Chairs, Connoisseur Suite, Variata, Esca and Cetina Beds, Dressing Table with Glass Top Side Units are some of the new products displayed. The old window display of Godrej soaps has given way to a new one with a couple of FIG products. The new CSL lights consume less energy and illuminate the Showroom better. The white and red walls give both simplicity and warmth to the Showroom — a sure-fire to attract customers. The well-dressed windows with colourful curtains and paintings of different artists give the Showroom a stylish look.
The renovated Godrej Bhavan Showroom.
K.A. Palia, Executive Director (Finance) writes his impressions of the
Showroom in the Visitors Book, while Atul Natu, Operations Manager,
Retailing Division, looks on.
There were no speeches and no media briefings. A simple, dignified inauguration.
R.A.
New Knowledge Centre
he Design
Centre in Plant 5 Basement was recently renovated and inaugurated as
Knowledge Centre and Design Office by Sunil Mendis, Chief Executive Officer
and Managing Director, Hayley’s Group, Sri Lanka and his wife Manthri Mendis.
Jamshyd Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd.
(G&B) and P.D. Lam, Executive Director, also graced the occasion.
The Centre, measuring 5,450 square feet, displays our range of Seating, Desking, Open Plan Office Systems and Storage Units. Adjacent to the Knowledge Centre is the Design Office, which is laid out following the concept of a “Working Office” wherein products are displayed while being used by designers.
Sunil Mendis, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Hayley’s
Group, Sri Lanka, Manthri Mendis and P.D. Lam, Executive Director, G&B, are
given a warm welcome by the Furniture and Interiors Group team.
The Knowledge Centre now showcases all Furniture and Interiors Group products in the right ambience, thus adding value for our customers.
Here are a few visitors’ remarks about the Centre.
“Congratulations. Very impressed by your commitment to quality, ergonomics and modernity in design. Wish you great success” – T. Mukhurjee, Deputy Managing Director, Tata Iron & Steel Co. Ltd., Jamshedpur.
“Makes one proud to know that the country has organisations like yours.” – Cmde. V. Sequiera, Director, Naval Architecture.
“Excellent display of products and capability of Godrej to meet the challenging demands of the market.” – Anil Rairikar, Chief Executive Officer, TUV India.
“It was indeed a very informative and educative visit to the Plant at Vikhroli. I sincerely hope that GRSE (Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd.) and Godrej would work together to deliver quality ships on time to Indian navy and Coast Guard.” – Rear Admiral (Retd.) R. Paralikar, Chief Managing Director, GRSE.
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Annual Sales Training
he Annual Sales Training Programme was conducted by the Furniture and
Interiors Group (Institution) in two batches from 21st to 25th July, 2003
and 4th to 8th August, 2003 at Hotel Fariyas, Lonavala. Over 200 Branch
personnel took part in this Programme.
Product training was imparted in detail. Office Storage and Furniture teams were merged and Plant visits conducted for the group to enable them to have a first-hand look at the manufacturing facilities of all our product lines.
The Programme was well received.
Doreen Rosario
Furniture and Interiors Group
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Leading Change
he Leading Change programme for Pune Branch was conducted in two batches,
wherein all
employees of Furniture and Interiors Group, Security Equipment Division,
Storage Solutions Group, Material Handling Equipment Division, Locks
Division and Prima Division participated. Batch I was conducted by K.S.
Prabhu, Senior Manager, Security Department and T.P. Vaishnav, Senior
Manager, Industrial Relations Department from 11th to 13th August, 2003.
Batch II was conducted by Priya Minocha, Deputy Manager (Personnel),
Furniture and Interiors Group from 8th to 10th September, 2003.
The programme was held at the famous Corinthian Club, situated on the sprawling lush green expanse, gently contoured to allow a breathtaking view of the imposing stage. A little away from Pune city, this was the ideal place for a programme like Leading Change, which was enjoyed by one and all.
The programme helped in understanding and identifying each person’s goal and vision in life. It spoke about how to develop positive attitudes and thinking, and to remove mental blocks so that each one is geared to lead change rather than vice versa.
We are happy to see the effect of the programme in each and every one of us.
Shanta Mohan
Pune Branch
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From Canteen To Café
ur earlier Canteen had a very dull and unaesthetic look with tube lights
and fans in different colours (depending on as and when they were
purchased), tables with plastic covers and dark brown chairs. The wash-basin
area had small white tiles, which were not only dirty, but had also chipped
off at several places. For drinking water, again, the base had the same
white tiles, which looked quite dirty and there was a water cooler as also a
water dispenser. The Service Counter, too, was quite dull and dirty. Windows
and venetian blinds, over the years, had got bent and broken at several
places. On the whole, it had a very gloomy look.
Godrej Café – The new look
A New Look
The Canteen was last renovated a decade ago. It was high time for Delhi
Branch to change it all and give it a new, vibrant look. We changed the
word, “Canteen” to “Café”. We had to take care of several minute details
such as creating an arched entrance, a new signage, having several canvasses
on the walls along with a few artifacts and Feng Shui symbols like a water
bowl with flowers and petals at the entrance. We gave it an all new
Scandinavian look. Fans were painted in steel grey colour. We used
inexpensive but attractive aluminium globes for lights, replaced tube lights
with environmentally better CFLs, used inexpensive but attractive chiks
as window blinds, used attractive yellow and blue colour combinations right
from the walls to the tiles to the furniture. A lot of old and damaged
furniture was also innovatively used in the foyer and the hand wash area of
the Café. Most employees vie to occupy the three cute two-seater café
tables, which have been placed alongside the windows. We have also placed
small planters on each dining table, which now boast of ivory tops instead
of cheap plastic covers.
The arched entrance to the Café
First-Hand Reactions
Rajiv Vasudeva, Senior Branch Manager, Ghaziabad Branch: “Appetising and re-energising
ambience”.
Veena Babbar, Executive, North Zone: “Looks as if we are sitting in Barista”.
Sachin Sachdeva, Deputy Manager, Faridabad Branch: “Gives a young and trendy look”.
Sanjiv Saigal, Deputy Manager, Delhi Branch: “Physical beauty has surpassed expectations, but food-wise still some way to go”.
Dealer: “It has transformed from a jail into a place where we would love to sit and eat”.
Delhi Branch believes in changing for the better and the process of improvement will carry on.
Magical Effect
n a jam-packed agenda for the day, starting with an early morning flight on
22 August, 2003 from Mumbai to Indore, followed by a drive to Bhopal to
attend the CII Meet and a late evening flight then to Delhi, P.D. Lam,
Executive Director, took out time to make a whistle-stop visit to Delhi
Branch.
Lam began with reviewing the new look of our showrooms at Asaf Ali Road and Chandni Chowk. He highly appreciated the arrangements in the showrooms and the continued good care taken of the interiors.
The next morning, he reviewed the new interiors of Godrej Bhavan, New Delhi, done by visual merchandiser Manu Mansheet. Lam was appreciative of some of the pieces of art as also of the innovative solutions used such as making a conference table based on sandstone planters, lithographs of Delhi monuments, period portraits, etc. He also liked the much-talked-about Café with its bright colours, art and lighting in providing a lively environment to employees and visitors during the lunch break.
(L-R): Dhruv Sharma, General Manager (North) shows P.D. Lam, Executive
Director, his cabin. Lam was reviewing the new interiors of Godrej Bhavan,
New Delhi, on 23 August, 2003.
Dhruv Sharma, General Manager (North), presented an overview of the performance of various branches and Divisions in North Zone. The entire Zone has been performing quite well (growing by 16 per cent) compared to last year.
Before concluding his visit, Lam addressed all personnel at Godrej Bhavan, Delhi. He briefly shared the performance of various Divisions and his optimism on the current year’s good performance across the Company. B.K. Rajkumar, Vice President, Locks Division, was also present.
Lam’s words of encouragement probably had a magical effect because in the month of August, North Zone did an unusually high billing of Rs. 10.53 crores! Such high billing is normally seen only in the period, January to March.
Dhruv Sharma
North Zone
Training In Service Tax
he scope of Service Tax has been widened with effect from 1 July, 2003
whereby it has become applicable to the services provided by branches also.
In order to train the Branch Accountants, Service Field and back office
personnel of North Zone, a training programme was organised at Delhi Branch
on 18 July, 2003.
At the training programme. Seated: R. Ganesan (Chandigarh), A. Mendiratta
(Delhi), N. Malik (Delhi), A. Bajoria (Jaipur). Standing: B. Mudgil (Delhi),
S. Srivastava (Lucknow), Ramachandran (Lucknow), D. Nair (Jaipur)
Applicability of Service Tax on services provided by our Branches was explained with the help of live examples. A booklet containing details related to Service Tax was provided to all participants for reference and guidance. Training was imparted on new BaaN sessions, created by GIL, for capturing the service tax component. Accountants were explained the process of availing input credit on the Service Tax charged by vendors and calculating the amount payable as Service Tax. They were also explained the process of applying for Service Tax registration for Branches as also for the Appliance Division.
Naveen Malik
Regional Accounts Department
Delhi Branch
Meet For Security
n 10 September, 2003 the Delhi Security Equipment team organised “Customer
Meet 2003” at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The objective of the Meet was
to apprise customers of our new range of products viz. Currency Handling and
Electronic Security Solution (CHESS) and Physical Security range.
The Meet commenced with a welcome speech by Sushil Thariani, Assistant General Manager. It was a privilege for the team to have D.E. Byramjee, Vice President and Business Head, Security Equipment Division (SED) and N.S. Bachana, General Manager (Marketing), SED with us. Byramjee gave a detailed presentation on the domestic market scenario, our Company’s contribution in the field of Security Equipment, the latest updates in the world market of Security, introduction of new products by Godrej and the Company’s leadership position. The audience (customers) comprised over 200 banking and non-banking officials from various organisations. The response was tremendous. Byramjee and Bachana answered a number of queries posed by customers to their satisfaction.
(R-L): N.S. Bachana, General Manager (Marketing) converses with Homi
Gandhi of HDFC Bank, while D.E. Byramjee, Vice President and Business Head,
SED, looks on.
Crusader (Loose Note Counting Machine), X Band Banding Machine and Q Band
Banding Machine on display at the Customer Meet.
Datasafes (53 litres and 10 litres) on display.
The Delhi Security Equipment team ensured excellent arrangements, including cocktails and dinner at the venue.
Ajay Mathur,
Delhi Branch
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elhi Branch recently participated in the Interior- Exterior
Exhibition from 11th to 14th September, 2003 at Pragati Maidan,
wherein we displayed products of the Furniture and Interiors Group
(Home and Institution) and a few Security products.
Wardhan Opens New Showroom
holesale Dealer M/s. Wardhan Corporation opened a new showroom on 17
August, 2003 at Kullu. The inauguration was done by Chief Guest R.D. Nazeem,
Deputy Commissioner, Kullu and Guest of Honour M.M. Madan, General Manager,
National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC).
The dealer decided to have a Customer Meet on the day of the inauguration. Chandigarh Branch gave an impressive presentation on Godrej and its range of products.
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A section of the newly inaugurated showroom of Wardhan Corporation at Kullu. |
Customers have a good look at the Godrej range of products at a Meet in Patiala. |
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A section of the display of the Godrej Perfect Home products at the Customer Meet, Amritsar. |
Bibhash Biswas, Senior Branch Manager, Chandigarh Branch, gives a presentation to customers. On his left is Satvinder Singh, Senior Sales Officer, Furniture and Interiors Group (Home) and on his right is Pawan Arora, Wholesale Dealer, M/s. Ashoka Steel Enterprises. |
The response was good. Over a hundred people attended the Meet. This included senior officers of NHPC, National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the local administration. Wardhan Corporation was appreciated not only for decorating the showroom well with all our Furniture and Interior Group (Home and Institution) products and Security Equipment products, but also for providing adequate space for display. Godrej, too, was appreciated for its range of products, as most customers were not aware of it. We received good response, particularly for our Kitchen Cabinets. Approximately, 10 enquiries were generated.
The Press, which was invited to cover the event, did a fine job. The event was covered in most newspapers of this region. Arrangements for refreshments were made.
Satish Dogra, Deputy Sales Manager, Furniture and Interiors Group (Home) played an important role to make the event a success.
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Similar Customer Meets were organised by Chandigarh Branch at Patiala and Amritsar on 27 August and 12 September at Hotel Narain Continental and Hotel M.K. International, respectively. The Meet at Patiala was a joint effort with Wholesale Dealer, M/s. Harbans Lal Ram Parkash & Co., Patiala. In addition, Dhruv Sharma, General Manager (North), addressed the crowd on the new happenings in Godrej. He addressed the Press separately.
One of the important responses received from customers was that we should have a CD with details of all our products. Also, that we should have all products describing their features in detail on our website. This could enable us to educate customers in a big way. Ravinder Prashar of Security Equipment Division played a key role in the success of this event.
The Customer Meet at Amritsar was a joint initiative with Wholesale Dealer, M/s. Ashoka Steel Enterprises. People had come from far away places to attend the Meet, and were quite impressed by our display of products. Chandigarh Branch received an order for Security items worth Rs. 2,00,000 on the day of the Meet itself. Shivinder Mandhotra, Furniture and Interiors Group (Institution) played a very important role in making this event a success.
We Celebrate Renovations, Too
handigarh Branch recently renovated its showroom and reopened it in a big
way on 22 September, 2003 at 11.00 a.m. Nek Chand, who has made the
legendary Rock Garden in Chandigarh, was our Chief Guest.
We had decorated the showroom very well with materials and props. The lighting, flooring and colours of the showroom are now completely changed to give it a contemporary look. After the inauguration, visitors were given a demonstration of our products. Nek Chand particularly appreciated our new range of products.
We had released advertisements in various publications informing people about our renovated showroom. We had invited the Press, too. B.N. Doongaji, Vice President, Retailing Division, briefed the Press about this new Division of Godrej. Accompanied by his team from Mumbai and Delhi, he also gave a presentation.
Chief Guest Nek Chand inaugurates the renovated Chandigarh Showroom.
Looking on on his left is B.N. Doongaji, Vice President, Retailing Division
and on his right are Bibhash Biswas, Senior Branch Manager, Chandigarh
Branch and Jagriti Kataria, Sales Canvassor.
Sections of the renovated Chandigarh Showroom.
We then launched the “Storwel Festival Offer”. Satish Dogra, Deputy Sales Manager, Furniture and Interiors Group (Home), Chandigarh Branch, explained the scheme to customers. Arrangements for refreshments were made.
The response was very encouraging. We had a stream of visitors, who were quite impressed by the renovated showroom as well as by our products. The event was well covered in leading newspapers of the region.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Doongaji and his team for their kind presence at the Meet.
Bibhash Biswas
Chandigarh Branch
Blood Donation Camp
nspired by the Blood Donation Camp in remembrance of the late Naoroji
Godrej and Burjorji
Godrej at Pirojshanagar, Mumbai, Jaipur Branch, too, organised a similar
Camp in association with the Lions Club of Jaipur (Central) and Swasthya
Kalyan Blood Bank (Jaipur) at its office premises on 8 August, 2003.
Godrej employees and Wholesale Dealers donate blood at Jaipur Branch.
A press note was released in the city’s leading newspapers. Intimation,
along with request for participation, was also sent to city Wholesale
Dealers and to our Appliance Division.
21 units of blood were collected.
Ishwar Pahlajani
Jaipur Branch
| LOCKS DIVISION |
Retailers: Key To Success
Retailers’ Meet was organised for key retailers of Delhi and the national
capital region on 9 August, 2003, wherein we showcased our strategy for
promotion of Mortise and Ultra locks for the following months. A sleek
presentation was done on LCD as we discussed the “Three Whys and One How of
Promotion”. These are the dealers who will be the key to our success at the
top end of the market-place, and in the biggest segment of the Locks market
viz. the Mortise segment, which is the fastest growing one.
Approximately, 35 retailers were present, to whom we showed our product CD, and made them understand how user-friendly and useful it is for them when it comes to handling key customers, architects, builders, etc. We explained our focus on institutional sales and how we develop products to suit the needs of different customers.
This programme has definitely given our image a big boost, which was evident from the way the dealers have reacted, and will go a long way as far as branding exercises are concerned, as they could feel the strength of the organisation and the organisational setup in Delhi and the national capital region with all the distributors and the sales team working in tandem.
Atul Dixit
Delhi Branch
Model Distributors’ Meet
ocks Division organised a Model Distributors’ Meet for top distributors and
their spouses / partners from 23rd to 26th August, 2003 at Jaypee Palace
Hotel, famous for the Agra Summit. The theme of the Meet was “Prosperity
through Partnership”.
The Distributors and Locks teams were given a warm welcome at Jaypee Palace Hotel on the afternoon of 23 August. The evening function commenced with a Welcome Address by Ashish Kamat, Channel Manger, Locks Division followed by a talk by guest speaker Kartik Raina, Chief Operating Officer, Dalmiya Consumer Care, on “Beyond Known Boundaries”. Raina has an extensive experience of over 29 years in successfully managing start up projects, transformation management and launch of products and categories. He shared valuable insights through varied examples on the importance of knowing consumer trends and behaviour, designing strategies based on target groups and reaching out to the market. Then there was a question-answer session with the audience, followed by a memento presentation to Raina by B.K. Rajkumar, Vice President and Business Head, Locks Division.
B.K. Rajkumar, Vice President and Business Head, Locks Division, presents
a memento to guest speaker Kartik Raina, Chief Operating Officer, Dalmiya
Consumer Care.
After this enriching talk, the right mood was created for the evening with a cultural programme, “Colours of Rajasthan”. The Langas and Manganiars who came from the deserts of Rajasthan left people spellbound with their vibrant music and songs. The function was highly appreciated by one and all.
The Sunday morning of 24 August began with a group photograph on the lawns of the hotel. The day’s business began with a welcome note by G. Ajoy Kumar, Senior Manager, Locks Division, followed by addresses by Rajkumar and P.D. Lam, Executive Director and President. Kartik Modi, General Manager (Sales and Marketing), Locks Division, made a presentation highlighting the new initiatives and activities proposed for the year. He spoke about Locktionary, product CD, latest range of catalogues, Operation Showcase, Dealer / Carpenter / Influencer relationship programmes, the different Information Technology initiatives, etc. Modi concluded his session stressing on the Company’s expectations from top distributors in reaching higher levels of sales, service, distribution, promotional activities, and so on. After the tea break, a film on Operation Showcase was shown.
Milind Kale (right), Deputy Manager (Marketing), Locks Division,
demonstrates the Division’s products to model distributors.
Then the award function started. Top distributors in each zone were presented with cash awards by Lam, cheques by Rajkumar and Certificate of Appreciation by Modi. The winners were ranked based on their annual performance in sales, service, promotional activities and retailer / carpenter meets conducted. A special highlight was a film, entitled “A Day in the Life of our Model Distributors,” made on the number one distributors of each zone focusing on their best practices, their teams, family life and their journey from childhood to becoming the numero uno Locks distributor. The award function was followed by a memento presentation of a Crystal bowl and a CD to all distributors. The programme ended with a Vote of Thanks by Ratan Saklatwala, Regional Manager (East). After lunch the entire group was divided into threes and taken to see the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. A ghazal nite by the famous ghazal singer Geetanjali Rai was organised for the evening.
Geetanjali Rai (centre) entertains the audience with ghazals.
The next morning the group was taken for sightseeing to the holy land of Mathura, Vrindavan and ISKCON, followed by a visit to Fatehpur Sikri. A musical evening with a DJ was organised at the Hotel. Both Distributors and the Locks team danced and enjoyed the live music. The day ended with cocktails and dinner.
On 26 August, 2003, the Distributors went back to their towns looking forward to the next Meet in 2004.
Dean Noronha
Marketing
Inside Outside Mega Show
ocks Division, Chennai Branch, participated in the Inside Outside Mega Show
from 4th to 7th September, 2003 at Chennai Trade Centre. We had displayed
the entire range of products and locking systems at the stall. The Ultra
range, Multi-point Locking systems and the e-lock drew special attention. Cartini kitchen knives and scissors were also displayed at the stall.
The stall was decorated in red and blue, our brand colours. Innovative and new display media and posters were used to invite the attention of customers.
The mornings were reserved for business and institutional visitors, while the evenings were open to general customers. We had a healthy turnout of approximately 5,000 people visiting our stall. The Chennai Branch sales team along with distributor Ubais Ali of M/s. Meher Traders and their sales personnel attended to all the customer queries. Customers were also given inputs on selection of appropriate locks for different doors.
The exhibition was a good opportunity to impress upon customers the fact that Godrej Locks is India’s number one lock-making Company.
Sunil Surana
Chennai Branch (Marketing)
Workshop Worth A Repeat
hennai Branch conducted a workshop for distributors of Tamilnadu at Hotel
Royal Southern, Trichy on 10 September, 2003. The theme was “Ways and means
to improve secondary sales and brand protection”.
The following points were discussed:
Secondary Sales:
• What is secondary sale?
• Basic infrastructure required by a
distributor
• Width and depth of distribution
• Implementation of Secondary scheme and
utilisation of money earned
• Introduction of new products
• Role of distributor’s salesman
• Role of Godrej officers
Brand Protection:
• What is a brand? Why should we protect
it?
• What is infiltration?
• What happens when infiltration takes
place?
• After-effects of infiltration
• Our suggestions to distributors
• Actions to be taken by the Company
Other Points Discussed:
• Return on Investment and its
calculation
• Web Based Distribution System (WBDS)
and Web Based Second Sales System (WB3S): Importance in our business
The distributors and sales team were enriched with the inputs at the workshop. There was also a question-answer session wherein queries of dealers were answered satisfactorily. All distributors appreciated the workshop and requested for such programmes on a regular basis.
Jayanto Ghoshal
Chennai Branch
Channel Partners Salesmen Meet
Bangalore Branch conducted three dealer Salesmen Meets.
1. 17 August, 2003: At Hotel Minerva Kamath attended by 60 top dealers’
salesmen of distributor M/s. Shantilal & Brothers in Bangalore.
2. 6 September, 2003: At Hotel Srinivasa, Mangalore where 50 dealers’
salesmen of distributor M/s. Ranjini Enterprise attended the Meet. The team
also included two ladies from M/s. Velankani Hardwares.
3. 14 September, 2003: At Hotel Minerva Kamath where 45 dealers’ salesmen of
distributor M/s. Heera Agencies attended the Meet.
(L-R): K. Mohan Kumar, Assistant Sales Manager and Venkat Narasimhan,
Senior Sales Officer of Bangalore Branch explain the product range and
features to dealers’ salesmen at Hotel Minerva Kamath on 14 September, 2003.
The entire range of products was displayed and the Locks sales team explained the product features, new products, applications, etc. The Divisional film was also shown at the Meet. The team was informed about the Company’s on-going activities such as Retailer/Carpenter Meets, participation in various exhibitions, salesmen/technicians training programmes and market initiatives taken like Ultra Standee, Chhota Standee, Instabooth, display stands, POP material, etc. Service as a key area of customer satisfaction was highlighted in all programmes.
At the end of the programme, a quiz was held and prizes distributed to the winners. Question-answer and feedback sessions were held at every programme and inputs were taken on products, service issues, etc. All participants were given a small memento, which was followed by dinner. The feedback was encouraging from the participants and some salesmen expressed that such Meets not only help to enhance product knowledge, but also help them to suggest the right products to customers to suit their specific requirements.
*****
Carpenters’ Meet
angalore Branch also conducted a Carpenters’ Meet at Gulburga on 7
September, 2003 along with distributor M/s. Mudugal Bhimasenappa & Bros.
Around 40 carpenters participated in the Meet. Product features and benefits
were explained, and demonstration given on installation of Vertibolt and
other locks. A small memento was given at the end of the programme.
(L-R): Venkat Narasimhan, Senior Sales Officer, Bangalore Branch, imparts
training on product installation.
K. Mohan Kumar
Bangalore Branch
Meets, And More Meets
ocks Division, Kochi Branch, organised two Dealer Meets, one at Hotel
Residency Towers in
Thiruvananthapuram on 3 September, 2003 and the second at Hotel City Tower
in Kayamkulam on 21 August, 2003. Approximately, a hundred dealers from
different parts of Thiruvananthapuram district participated in the Meet on 3
September and 30 retailers attended the meet on 21 August.
The Divisional film and Product CD was shown to participants. Our sales team gave a detailed description of all the ranges of Godrej Locks and their applications.
Our Thiruvananthapuram distributor, M/s. ACR Distributors, took the initiative of running a scheme from April 2003 to June 2003 where 120 retailers participated. 78 dealers won prizes ranging from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 10,000. Gifts worth Rs.1,60,000 were given away on this day. In the Kayamkulam Meet, too, prizes were distributed to winners of the Retailer scheme.
All the participants were given a memento at the end of the programme. The programmes as well as the schemes were a grand success.
S. Ramesh Kumar,
Kochi Branch
We Think Of Our Business Partners, Too
yderabad Branch conducted a training programme for distributors’ salesmen
of Andhra Pradesh on 12 and 13 September, 2003 in Hyderabad. Approximately,
12 distributor salesmen attended the training sessions.
The following topics were covered in detail:
• Introduction of our Company
• Product Presentation: features,
benefits, range, applications, new products, services, etc.
• Market Retail Price, Market Operating
Price, Margins and As Per Orders
• Communication Skills
• Selling Skills
• Do’s and Don’ts in the market
• Sales Kit
• Battling Competition
• Role Play
• Merchandising and Range Selling
• Secrets of Happy Living
A written test was conducted for 100 marks. The test duration was an hour and the top three rankers were presented with Sansui VCD player, Videocon Stereo Player and Unimix Mixer-Grinder, respectively. All the participants were given a complimentary gift, a calculator, with the Godrej Locks logo on it.
Ravi
Shanker Reddy
Hyderabad Branch
Furniture And Interior Fair
olkata Branch participated in the annual Furniture and Interior Fair held
from 7th to 11th August, 2003 along with distributor M/s. Offineed.
Our full range of Ultra products were displayed and we booked, approximately, 200 Ultra locks. We offered an exchange scheme in the exhibition: Rs. 100 off on any door lock returned plus one Retrofit Adaptor free, inclusive of free installation.
During the exhibition a press release was published in the Ananda Bazaar Patrika, a leading Bengali newspaper, giving wide exposure to our locks. News coverage was also given on television on ETV, Bangla. We received immense mileage, thanks to these news reports.
The response to the stall was encouraging and efforts by the Kolkata sales team and distributor made this event a huge success.
Ratan Saklatwalla
East Zone
Training For Carpenters
ocks Division conducted a Carpenters’ Meet in Siliguri on 13 September,
2003 along with
distributor M/s. M.B. Traders. We found it essential to train carpenters as
all customers rely on them for fitting locks in their homes.
Around 20 premium carpenters attended the programme, which commenced with a brief introduction of the Company, distributor and sales teams. The corporate film was shown and carpenters were informed about the background and history of the Company, highlighting our product range, quality, manufacturing processes, service, etc. Product knowledge was imparted to the team with details on features, applications, etc. Lock fitting was shown to them using the user manual. Question-answer and feedback sessions were followed by presentation of mementos to all participants.
The carpenters were happy with the training imparted on correct installation procedures and other service issues discussed in the programme.
Direct Customer Interface
s part of the sales promotion activities, Locks Division, Kolkata Branch,
and distributor M/s. M.B. Traders, Siliguri, joined hands to install the
attractively designed in-house selling booth called “Instabooth” at the
State Bank of India Property Fair at Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. The Instabooth
was placed in front of dealer counters for two days. The entire product
range was displayed with the Ultra range extensively publicised. Enquiries
were generated and awareness was increased on the Ultra range and customised
solutions such as Master Key Systems, etc.
Instabooth at the State Bank of India Property Fair, Jalpaiguri.
Rajat Chakraborty
Kolkata Branch
Pleasure Increasing Secondary Sales
ocks Division, Ahmedabad Branch, conducted a get-together-cum-pleasure trip
on 17 August, 2003 for the major dealers of Baroda. This was organised by
distributor M/s. Mahesh Vidyut Udyog. A Secondary Scheme was brought out in
the market by our distributor for the months of May and June 2003 and
dealers were made eligible for prizes under different categories on coupon
system.
On the day of the function, dealers with their family members were taken in a bus to the venue, a Water Park-cum-Restaurant, 25 kilometres away from the city. A warm traditional welcome was given to one and all with free entry into the Water Theme Park where they were allowed to enjoy water rides and games for about three-and-a-half hours. Later, they were asked to assemble in a nearby artificially-made Rajawadi Village where snacks were served, again with a traditional touch. After this, we gave a complete product presentation to all the retailers starting with the Company’s profile, new products, initiatives undertaken by the Company in recent years towards customer satisfaction, major achievements of the Division, etc. While thanking them for having spent time with us, we distributed prizes to the winning retailers. We also kept an open session for about 20 minutes and the response was very good. All the dealers appreciated the attempt of the distributor and assured their best in increasing secondary sales in the market.
Nothing like a dip at the Water Theme Park. Dealers enjoy with their
families.
Immediately after the
conference, everybody was entertained at the Village. There was a puppet
show, balancing act, boat ride, camel cart ride, etc. An orchestra, too, was
arranged with folk songs and dancers. Traditional and typical village dinner
was served.
The distributor had arranged complete video coverage of the function with
CDs and photographs. This has given us nearly a 40 per cent growth in
secondary sales during this period.
T. Sashi Kumar / Yogesh Patel
West Zone
Enhancing Knowledge By Training
aharashtra Branch organised the following programmes in September 2003:
On 12 September, Locks Division had organised a Technicians Meet at The Corinthian Auditorium, Pune. Assistant Sales Manager (Maharashtra), E.K. Sahadevan and Senior Sales Officers Sharad Nikam, Nikhil Kale and Om Mantri organised this Meet. Regional Manager (West) Sashi Kumar along with Service personnel R.H. Ansari and Dinesh Panchal also participated in this programme.
Approximately, 21 technicians from dealers of Pune, Kolhapur, Ahmednagar, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, Satara, Goa, etc. participated in the programme. The entire range of products was displayed and explained to the technicians. Special emphasis was laid on Ultra and Premium locks. Ansari and Panchal handled the technical aspects, including installation of locks.
This is the first time we had organised such a programme in Pune. It was well appreciated by all participants, who are confident now of handling any complaint of Godrej locks and also their installations.
Service personnel R.H. Ansari and Dinesh Panchal demonstrate product
installations at
The Corinthian Auditorium, Pune, on 12 September, 2003.
On 15 September, a Dealer-Salesmen Training Programme was organised in Mumbai. Ten salesmen from dealers of Thane, Kalyan, Panvel, Dombivili and Palgarh participated in this programme. This was organised by Sahadevan and Senior Sales Officer, Rajesh Purushothaman. Sashi Kumar, the Marketing team comprising Ajoy Kumar, Dipankar Guha and Sunil Surana, and the Service team comprising Ansari and Panchal, interacted with the sales team. Our new product CD was shown and the entire product range explained in detail. The present market scenario, competitor activities, various sales promotion activities, quality issues, price aspects, etc. were also discussed.
Surana had an interactive session with the sales team, which was recorded live. Participants gave inputs on products and their market activities as they shared their experiences with ground reality.
On 17 September we again organised a Dealer Technician Meet in Mumbai. Ten technicians from the local dealers of Thane, Kalyan, Panvel, Dombivili and Palgarh participated in the programme. Sahadevan and Purushothaman played a crucial role in organising this Meet. The entire range of locks as also their installations were explained by the respective Sales and Service teams. Deputy Manager, Customer Care, Parampal Singh interacted with them and announced the introduction of Call Centre facility in the above areas.
Each programme concluded with feedback and question-answer sessions followed by a memento presentation to all participants. The efforts put in by the entire team made the programmes a success. The sales team is highly motivated to organise more such Meets.
E. K. Sahadevan
Maharashtra Branch
| APPLIANCE DIVISION |
All-Time High During Onam
n Kerala, Onam is not only a major festival, it’s also a main selling season
for consumer durables. Appliance Division cashed in this opportunity by the
launch of a consumer offer called Vajrotsavam, whereby Godrej Appliance
buyers either got cash gifts up to Rs. 10,000 or gold or diamond jewellery
and discount coupons. The Scheme was a major success with the Division
showing all-time high sales figures.
R. Ravi, Vice President, Appliance Division, presents gold jewellery to a
customer. Looking on are (l-r) Prasad, Singson Electronics,
Thiruvananthapuram and Junaith Babu, Deputy Regional Sales Manager, Kochi.
Junaith Babu
Kochi
”Goal — Mission 9”
n 4 August, 2003, the entire sales team of Appliance Division descended on
the beautiful Marriott Resort, Goa, located on the confluence of the Mandovi
River and the Arabian Sea. The event — The All India Sales conference held
on 5 and 6 August, 2003.
The theme was “GOAL - MISSION 9,” signifying the 9 lakh Appliances that Godrej has set out for itself as a sales target this financial year. The venue was decorated with attractive posters, banners and gate arches, which carried the message along with pictures of our brand ambassador, Preity Zinta.
One of the attractive posters used to decorate the venue for the All
India Sales Conference.
The conference kicked off with presentations from all the departmental heads on the 5th morning, outlining the plans for the coming months. This was followed by presentations made by five branches on successes and key learnings in areas like increasing share in Frost Free Refrigerators and Washing Machines, Receivables Management, etc. This was followed by the awards ceremony. Awards were given for overall individual excellence to 22 Appliance Division employees. There were also awards for Branch achievements.
The next day saw a training programme on “The Sales Mix That Works Today” by Anurag Handa, Consultant.
All in all, it was a fantastic experience for all those present and was one of those events that strengthens one’s bonds with the organisation and truly motivates people to perform and excel.
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3 September, 2003, will go down as a red letter day in the
history of the Godrej Appliance Division, as Godrej launched its
line of Refrigerators and Washing Machines in Sri Lanka. This was
the first
big foray of Godrej in the international market.
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Celebrating International Ozone Day
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Godrej Refrigerators are India’s first and only 100 per cent CFC- (Chloro Fluoro Carbon), HCFC- (Hydro Chloro Fluoro Carbon) and HFC- (Hydro Fluoro Carbon) Free refrigerators. Godrej put up a wonderful stall on the occasion, a “truly green” effort, and also released ads to reinforce our leadership on this platform and once again show our commitment towards this environment-friendly technology. |
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The feedback received from Ozone Cell (a government organisation that monitors the implementation of this project in India) for the effort put in by Godrej was truly encouraging. |
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s another first from Godrej, the Godrej Response Centre was
launched on 23 September 2003. Once again, Godrej demonstrated
that customer focus and customer friendliness are at the heart of
all the initiatives undertaken by the Company.
Furniture and Interiors Group, Locks
and Security Equipment. They can also know about the Company’s
products, prices, dealers and service.
Godrej Festive Offer 2003
he Appliance Division worked out an excellent scheme and a good
communication package to launch the Diwali scheme.
Taking a cue from our last year’s success, the scheme this year, too,
revolved around the following insights:
* Consumers look for a sure win.
* Consumers look at gifts whose perceived value
are high and easily ascertainable.
* Consumers love a game of chance once assured
of a sure gift.
* Consumers love a certain amount of
interaction and involvement.
The result: The Godrej Har Din Dhamaka Offer.
Highlights of the Scheme:
* One bumper prize everyday for the next 40
days. The prizes were diamond earrings, Star Cruise trip for two to
Singapore, computer, motorcycle, handycam, Godrej 1.5 tonne split
air conditioner and home theatre system.
* Plus two sure gifts:
First sure gift: Silver coins weighing between 10 grams and 25 grams.
Second sure gift: Cash discount up to Rs. 10,000 or gold coin up to 25 grams or a diamond pendant or a discount coupon to purchase other Godrej products.
We also designed an interesting delivery mechanism, in the form of a cracker, which, when burst, showered confetti.
Full publicity was given to the festive offer. The high visibility campaign has ensured that Godrej continues to be on top of the consumer’s mind.
What better way to wish our consumers a Happy Diwali this year!
Deepa Krishnan
DreamWash Campaign Changes Focus
fter tasting success with the launch of the DreamWash brand of Washing
Machines last year, Godrej is now aiming for a stronger presence in the
Washing Machine category with its recent Washing Machine brand campaign.
Research has shown that technology used in Washing Machines is not clearly understood by most consumers. The primary reason is that manufacturers highlight only the features in their communication. As a result, there is ambiguity on the benefits offered by our machines. We at Godrej are clear from day one on communicating benefits rather than features. A technology handle was required to communicate this benefit, and the result was 4-Way-Zor, the biggest pulsator fins that give a superior wash because of the resultant four-way water action. The communication last year managed to register 4 Ka Zor as a strong hook for customer pull and increased Godrej Washing Machine scores on technology and modernity.
The campaign this year is focused on communicating the technological differentiators for the Godrej DreamWash range of Fully Automatic and Semi-Automatic Washing Machines in a very simple, customer-friendly manner. The main highlight again is the benefit of the cleanest wash because of the 4 Ka Zor Pulsator, which will be emphasised through communication by Preity Zinta, who is aiding in simplifying the Washing Machine technology, that all a consumer needs to remember is 4 Ka Zor.
One of the advertisements of the Godrej Washing Machine campaign 2003.
In the key Washing Machine selling season, we have dominated on the print medium in most of the markets with over a thousand insertions across the country in a short span of eight weeks. Also, as the focus this year is on impact, we would be present with larger size insertions and some in colour, in all leading mainline dailies. One particular innovation, the panorama ad, which spanned the entire width of prominent newspapers such as The Times of India, Tribune and Dainik Jagran, was highly noticeable and was appreciated by both our sales team and the trade.
Some Quotes About the Campaign:
“Godrej is now taking the Washing Machine business very seriously and is
very aggressive.”
- Dealer, Chennai.
“The ads in all the newspapers cannot go unnoticed. We have had a lot of
enquiries at our counters for the Washing Machines.”
- Dealer, Mumbai.
“Godrej Washing Machines are now seen as a good product at a very good
price.”
- Dealer, Pune.
“It is impossible not to notice the (panorama) ad, It is looking very good.”
- Sales Officer, Lucknow.
“We have seen customers come and ask for Godrej Washing Machines, there
is definitely a good awareness created for the product.”
Aditya Hirlekar
Khergamwala took premature retirement on 1 May, 2003. A
god-fearing, straightforward person, he was healthy and fit till
the last moment of his life. His sudden demise has been shocking
for everybody who knew him. May his soul rest in peace. Construction Department
Godrej Has Lost A Champion
Born on 21
December, 1997, Simba joined the Company’s dog squad when he was barely a
month old. He was trained for obedience, property protection and crowd
control by Mansingh Shirke, care-taker of the dog squad. By January 1999,
Simba was fully trained and he assumed job responsibilities at the Creekside
Mangrove Project. Apart from keeping a vigil in the area, Simba was
particularly responsible for keeping the Creekside free from encroachers. He
used to move in the thick mangrove forest candidly, always ready to spot
danger. He had accompanied my security guards and me on many a boat trip to
stop poachers and woodcutters from trespassing.
Simba had also helped in finding bootleggers and destroying illegal
distillation activities, deep in mangrove areas on several occasions. He had
done what even the police could not do, keeping the area free from
bootleggers! It was not only his
field performance that made him a champion. Simba had both personality and
character. The late Sohrab P. Godrej was very affectionate with him. In fact
he had specially asked me to show him Simba at least once a month.
As In-Charge of the Mangrove Project, I shall always feel his loss. But, at
a personal level, I feel I’ve lost my eldest son.
On behalf of everybody who knew Simba, I pray his soul rest in peace.
Vivek Kulkarni
“Ganpati Bappa, Morya”
Every year, Lord Ganesh’s idol is placed with beautiful decoration and a
different theme. This year’s theme was “Water Conservation” based on our
Environment Policy. The decoration showed the consequences of water wastage
and some methods of water conservation. The idea behind such themes is to
educate our residents with the present burning needs of society.
A cash contribution is usually collected from residents of all the three
colonies to help organise this Utsav. We arrange different competitions such
as drawing, dance, fancy dress and haldi kunku for ladies. We also organise
cultural programmes, bhajans, etc. Employees’ children (irrespective of
whether they are Udayachal School students or not), who pass Standard X with
80 per cent or more marks, are honoured during the Utsav.
Ganeshotsav has been quite a success over the years, thanks to our colony
residents and the Company management. We hope that
Lord Ganesha maintains peace and harmony among all of us.
Anil Poyarekar
Source: Communique, Volume 12, Number 9, September
2003
- Sales Officer, Mumbai.
Obituary
ith regret we
announce the passing away of Darius Homi Khergamwala,
Construction Department, on 5 August, 2003. Khergamwala, who was
born on 27 September, 1948, joined the Construction Department on
17 July, 1978 as a Civil Engineer. He was one of the most trusted
and able civil engineers of Construction Department, who carried
out his responsibilities with great enthusiasm and dedication.
Considering his capabilities, he was entrusted with the difficult
task of constructing several buildings in Godrej Baug at Napean
Sea Road. This was a very difficult job as the terrain is quite
hilly. He completed it within the specified time and resources,
and did an excellent job. He was also responsible for many
structures in the Hillside Colony.
e regret the sad and sudden demise of our German Shepherd, Simba, on 14
September, 2003.
Garden and Mangrove Project
he Pirojshanagar Sarvajanik Utsav Samiti, headed by Subhash Sawant,
President, and Rajendra Bariya, Secretary, along with the participation of
the residents of Pirojshanagar, celebrated its 41st Ganeshotsav from 31st
August to 9th September, 2003 at Creekside Colony.
The idol of Lord Ganesh at the 41st Ganeshotsav, 2003 at Creekside
Colony.
Consumer Society
A Gesture Of
Goodwill
t was an attempt on the part of Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) to sensitise Industry on the need to take up social
responsibilities to develop a strong nation. But Godrej needs no
sensitisation. Godrej Industries Limited is one of the few
companies to lend its active support to CII, which has undertaken
a noble cause of distributing school uniforms for the
underprivileged school children in various districts of Assam. Oil
India Limited, State Bank of India and Tata Steel also joined
hands. A total of 1,700 children attending primary schools under
the Sarba Shiksha Abhigyan Programme, have benefitted.
