Author: editor

Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance re-launches “Guaranteed Income Advantage Plan” with better returns

Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance adds premium benefits to its existing life insurance cum savings plan “Guaranteed Income Advantage Plan”. The plan offers assured returns on customer’s investment. The upgraded plan will offer end-to-end guaranteed returns declared upfront at the time of inception. Guaranteed returns assured at the time of policy buying will not be affected by the market movements of rising inflation rates.

Keeping in mind the customer interest and heightened expectations from an insurance product, Company has re-launched the product with better customer offering & assured higher guaranteed returns. The plan will enable customers to handle their finances in a more distinctive manner and will ultimately provide financial independence to face the uncertainties of life in a more prepared way. HNI customers will be best benefitted from Guaranteed Income Advantage Plan since their requirement of higher premium boosters against added benefits is best met by the product.

Commenting on the launch of Guaranteed Income Advantage Plan, Mr. Anuj Mathur, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company stated, “Keeping in mind that uncertainty will be a regular affair throughout our lives, we wanted to ensure the welfare of our customers and offer them even better returns on their investments made. Upgraded ‘Guaranteed Income Advantage Plan’, is a customer centric product which is inflation proof and offers better returns to the customers with improved IRRs. While the plan continues to be a customer’s goals-oriented product, it is designed to help our customers to fulfill their long-term goals with a guaranteed maturity benefit and short-term goals with fixed regular income; it will now provide higher returns while retaining the limited pay options and flexible payments options.”

Other key premium benefits of the plan are:

  • Life Cover both during premium paying and income period – Provides life cover for the entire term while you pay premium only for a limited period
  • Guaranteed Annual Income – Payable on survival at the end of every policy year after the premium payment term till maturity provided all due premiums have been paid
  • Guaranteed Maturity Benefit – A guaranteed benefit payable on maturity provided all due premiums have been paid
  • Better Value for Higher Premium – High Premium Booster to ensure that you get extra benefit for making a higher premium commitment

Diamonds may be ‘forever’, but Gold is where ‘the money is’! Remember Money Heist Part 5?

Closer to home, every Indian household you can think of, since time immemorial, has been investing in Gold and continue to do so even to this day. In fact, during festivals like Dhanteras and Diwali, the demand for bullion sky-rockets. The reason is rather simple – it’s safe, the value keeps growing at a consistent rate, and therefore is an ideal instrument for anyone looking to invest in an asset for long-term growth.

While Gold will never lose its lustre, alternative ways of investing in Gold are gradually emerging, thanks to the digital era that we are living in. Yes, Digital Gold is the future because of the safe haven it promises to everyone who wants to put their money on it. It is interesting to note here that, unlike cryptocurrencies and NFTs, Digital Gold is the only asset-backed commodity, backed by 24K 999.9 Purity Certified Gold and sold by renowned, reliable and organised entities such as MMTC-PAMP, a joint venture between MMTC Ltd (Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India), a government of India undertaking, and Switzerland based bullion brand, MKS PAMP.

As the largest player in the market, MMTC-PAMP allows anyone to invest in 24k 999.9 purity certified physical gold through online transacting platforms for as low as Rs 1/- as opposed to paper gold like ETFs and SGBs that have a higher entry point, and ETFs, which require a Demat account. For each online purchase, the corresponding weight of physical gold is shifted to secured vaults under the direct ownership of the consumer, corroborated through a digital certificate captured in the investor’s preferred app/intermediary’s online platform.

Of late, young Millennials and Gen Z investors in particular have been moving in large numbers toward the asset class. Digital Gold has become the favoured and viable form of investment for digital-first investors because of the flexibility, simplicity and security it delivers to its users, making it a safe and straightforward option to protect one’s investment portfolio from volatile markets. As a consequence, Millennials, many of whom grew up with parents and grandparents who saved and invested in physical gold coins, are now turning to digital gold to continue the family legacy of saving and investing for retirement. Considering the increasingly unprecedented and uncertain times that we are living in, there can be no perfect time rather than now, to invest in aurum.

Digital gold is basking in its glory because it is a highly safe and secure online investment tool that enables individuals to easily acquire certified 24-karat pure gold. Unlike jewellery, there are no making charges associated with buy/sell transactions. Additionally, investors have the option of liquidating their assets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at real-time prices, all with a single click.

Owing to the fact that MMTC-PAMP owns and runs the biggest gold ecosystem in the nation, investors wouldn’t have to worry over the storage, security, and (re)sale as the firm provides end-to-end service to customers, facilitating them to convert their Digital Gold holdings in 24K 999.9 purity certified physical gold SKUs. It’s due to these benefits that Digital Gold has found its way as one of the most favoured investment options for today’s digital-natives.

With the growing popularity of new-age digital investment instruments, the capital market regulator, SEBI, has been vocal in its desire to safeguard the interests of consumers and investors. Its recommendations are a step in the right direction in terms of formalising the Digital Gold industry and protecting investor and consumer interests, but there is still more work to be done in order to capitalise on the commodity’s potential.

Digital Gold remains the only product that has the potential to significantly accelerate the financialization of gold, assiduously capturing the heart of the avid investor, and the Indian middle class. Organised players with standardised credentials will have to take the onus of developing this category further. Their active participation will boost investor confidence and cement Digital Gold’s position as the investment instrument of the future.

(By Dr Samir Kapur, a trainer conducting finance for non finance managers programmes in various management colleges and for various SMEs and MSMEs. He has a MBA and PHD in Finance)

Paisabazaar.com Strengthens Neo-Lending Product Suite, Launches New Co-created Product with RBL Bank

Paisabazaar.com, India’s largest* digital marketplace for consumer credit, announced the launch of ‘Paisa on Demand’ (PoD) – An one-of-a-kind credit card, co-created with RBL Bank. PoD is Paisabazaar.com’s third co-created product under its neo-lending strategy, which has been built to drive innovative lending solutions and ease access to credit for large under-served segments, across geographies, income levels and credit profiles.

Last year in September, Paisabazaar launched a credit card, designed for New to Credit or Sub-Prime Consumer segments. The card called, ‘Step UP’ Credit Card, provides benefits of a credit card, helps consumers build their credit score and earns high returns on fixed deposits. Under its neo-lending vertical, Paisabazaar has also co-created a credit line for Prime and Super Prime segments, through a completely paperless and presence-less process.


The fintech, with RBL Bank, has now co-created PoD which is exclusively available on the Paisabazaar platform. PoD provides a lifetime free credit card from RBL Bank with a completely digital onboarding process. Along with features of a Credit Card, the RBL Bank PoD product, provides customers an option to take a personal loan from RBL Bank using the same credit limit at normal personal loan rates.

 

Naveen Kukreja, CEO & Co-founder, Paisabazaar.com, said, “The lending industry today is at the crossroads, where credit inclusiveness and digitization would define the next phase of growth. As a marketplace leader, we understand the supply and demand dynamics along with the needs of various consumer segments. Our neo-lending strategy is being enabled by key partners like RBL Bank, and together, we aim to build innovative products that add genuine value to consumers.”


Harjeet Toor, Head – Retail, Inclusion and Rural Business, RBL Bank, said, “At RBL Bank, empowering the customers is one of our key priorities. We are focussed on building simpler and innovative products that meet the evolving financial needs of the new-age customers. Through our partnership with Paisabazaar.com, we aim to build products that offer integrated services for the large under-served segments across the country.”

Currently, the Paisabazaar platform receives ~1.5 million enquiries from varied consumer segments from over 1000 cities and towns in a month. One of its key priorities, under its neo-lending efforts, is to create differentiated product propositions through a robust pipeline of innovative neo-lending products to serve unmet needs of large consumer segments.

 

About Paisabazaar.com

According to Frost & Sullivan, Paisabazaar was India’s largest digital consumer credit marketplace with a 53.7% market share, based on disbursals in FY21*.

 

Paisabazaar has 60+ partnerships with large banks, large NBFCs and fintech lenders to offer a wide choice of lending products for consumers on its platform.

 

Paisabazaar, since 2017, has also been providing consumers access to credit reports from credit bureaus, offering Consumers lifetime checking and tracking of their credit scores for free.

 

Paisabazaar has been recognized at several industry platforms with awards like ‘Most Innovative Lending Startup’ & ‘Best Fintech Consumer Lender’ by India Fintech Forum and Economic Times ‘Most Promising Brand’, ‘Digital Lending Award’ at the Fintech India Innovation Awards, ‘Excellence in Consumer Lending’ at IAMAI’s India Digital Awards, ‘Outstanding Crisis Finance Innovation 2021 (Asia Pacific) Award’ by Global Finance Magazine.


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(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NewsVoir India and this publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

Zimmer Biomet Opens ZBEdge Customer Experience Centre in Singapore to Drive Robotics and Medical Technology Transformation

SINGAPORE, Feb. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE and SIX: ZBH), a global medical technology leader, today celebrated the opening of the ZBEdge Customer Experience Centre (CEC), a unique facility located at the company’s Asia Pacific regional headquarters in Singapore.

The ZBEdge Customer Experience Centre is a state-of-the-art facility that showcases Zimmer Biomet’s latest technologies – ROSA® robotics, mymobility® digital health platform, OrthoIntel intelligence platform, OptiVu™ Mixed Reality along with the company’s legacy orthopaedic implants.

Serving healthcare professionals, business partners and surgeons in Asia Pacific region, the CEC aims to offer a collaborative environment that will enable Zimmer Biomet to partner with healthcare professionals, academic associations and relevant institutions to develop impactful healthcare solutions and to host surgical and clinical trainings leveraging on Zimmer Biomet’s connected technology ecosystem. It is Zimmer Biomet’s first such centre in the region.

“The opening of our Customer Experience Centre marks a great milestone for us. As a global leader in MedTech industry, Zimmer Biomet is committed to the relentless pursuit of innovation to alleviate pain and improve the quality of life for people around the world,” said Sang Yi, Group President, Asia Pacific. “Our ZBEdge Customer Experience Centre provides a truly unique environment for collaboration with Zimmer Biomet’s business partners where we can facilitate training and educational opportunities. This is our commitment to offer personalized experiences and to deliver improved patients’ outcomes.”

“The CEC will operate as the interface between healthcare professionals and Zimmer Biomet Institute through engaging and interactive trainings across all product portfolios, combining the strengths of the company’s latest services and technologies to enhance their learning journey with ease and efficiency,” Clarence Ngui, Regional Vice President Regional Medical Education APAC, “We look forward to working closely with all customers and business partners to fully realize the transformative potential that the centre can bring.”

About Zimmer Biomet

Zimmer Biomet is a global medical technology leader with a comprehensive portfolio designed to maximize mobility and improve health. We seamlessly transform the patient experience through our innovative products and suite of integrated digital and robotic technologies that leverage data, data analytics and artificial intelligence.

With 90+ years of trusted leadership and proven expertise, Zimmer Biomet is positioned to deliver the highest quality solutions to patients and providers. Our legacy continues to come to life today through our progressive culture of evolution and innovation.

For more information about our product portfolio, our operations in 25+ countries and sales in 100+ countries or about joining our team, visit www.zimmerbiomet.com or follow Zimmer Biomet on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zimmerbiomet.

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire India and this publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

WATCHO continues growth momentum: registers 45 Million users

WATCHO, one of India’s fastest-growing OTT platforms, continues to report steady growth and has now achieved the significant milestone of a 45 million cumulative user base in India. Launched in 2019, WATCHO today offers a plethora of short-format content across genres and caters to the needs of viewers across the spectrum. There are Live TV offerings, new-age original content for those who are looking for variety, and user-generated videos on SWAG for exhibiting talent.

WATCHO brings original content to the viewers with its on-the-go snackable video content, so the brand proposition of “Fun Fatafat” has resonated very well with young audiences across the country.

Commenting on the achievement Mr. Anil Dua, Executive Director & Group CEO, Dish TV India Ltd, said, “We are delighted to have achieved this milestone of 45 million users on our platform. When we embarked on the journey of providing on-demand quality content with the launch of WATCHO, we wanted to supplement our DTH user viewing experience. Today, WATCHO is serving exciting exclusive content to all its users, and at the same time, it is also offering Live TV services on-the-go to DishTV and D2H customers. WATCHO is also fast emerging as the preferred platform for users to showcase their talent. We remain committed to continuously strengthening our offering and improving our user experience on the platform, and we are glad that we are well on our way to achieving many more milestones.”

Mr. Sukhpreet Singh, Corporate Head – Marketing, DishTV & WATCHO said, “Engaging and short-format content has always been an unmet need for viewers across the country, particularly amongst millennials and GenZ who are at the forefront of consumption as well as creation. Riding on these trends, WATCHO continued to gain strength with a strong semi-urban presence in addition to significant tier-1 visibility. The app has notched up more than 45 million user base so far. We are enthused with this new milestone WATCHO has achieved in a very short time, and we intend to continue to work towards making it the first choice for our users.”

 

To recognize and provide exposure to the emerging talent pool across the country, WATCHO also allows users to create and showcase content on its user-generated content platform ‘WATCHO Swag’. With this initiative, WATCHO not only promotes creative minds by helping them post their content on the app but also gratifies them with rewards and bigger opportunities. In an effort to inspire emerging content creators, WATCHO also recently collaborated with Asia’s largest content festival – India Film Project (IFP) for its 11th season and became the exclusive platform for participants to showcase their work.

Bringing in a unique assortment of snackable content cutting across all genres, WATCHO offers many original shows including web series like Gupta Niwas, Jaunpur, Papa Ka Scooter, Aghaat, Cheaters – The Vacation, Sarhad, Mystery Dad, JaalSaazi, Dark Destinations, It’s My Pleasure, 4 Thieves, Love Crisis, Ardhsatya, Chhoriyan, and Rakhta Chandana. There are also original influencer shows like Look I Can Cook and Bikhare hain Alfaaz. Available across screens (Android & iOS devices, Dish SMRT devices, D2H Magic devices, and Fire TV Stick) and at www.WATCHO.com, WATCHO presently provides over 35 plus original shows, 300 plus exclusive plays, and 100 plus live channels in Hindi, Kannada, and Telugu.

OMRON Announces its Future Manufacturing Innovation Concept based on Evolution of “innovative-Automation”

SINGAPORE, Feb. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — OMRON Corporation (HQ: Shimogyo-Ku, Kyoto. President and CEO: Yoshihito Yamada) has announced the future course of “innovative-Automation”, OMRON’s manufacturing innovation concept, as the direction of manufacturing evolution for its next decade in light of the diversified and complex changes in the market environment and based on its past achievement of three “i’s” of automation.

OMRON aims for on-site innovation by embodying three goals of renewed automation concept: “Digital engineering transformation”, “Automation beyond human abilities,” and “Advanced collaboration between people and machines.”

Currently, manufacturers around the world are facing the challenge to renew and evolve manufacturing toward the post-COVID world. In addition to responding to technological innovations and changes in products and manufacturing methods, manufacturers’ emphasis is placed on the transformation of manufacturing processes that takes into consideration of the global environment represented by the SDGs, the diversification of people’s values, and the wellbeing of their employees. Since 2016, OMRON has solved the manufacturing issues of many customers through realizing its unique manufacturing innovation concept of innovative-Automation.

For achieving this new course of innovative-Automation, OMRON will enhance its collaboration with the customers to solve the issues of the manufacturing industry, which are becoming more diversified and complicated, with unique automation that realizes coexistence with the global environment and wellbeing of the employees.

According to Mr Takehito Maeda, MD, Industrial Automation Business, OMRON Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, “The concept of ‘innovative-automation’ has helped OMRON a lot in enhancing its presence in the industrial automation segment by solving manufacturing issues of many sectors across Asia Pacific such as automotive, food & beverage, FMCG, infrastructure & digital to name just a few. With this evolution, we are confident to contribute more via advanced technology solutions, better reach and improved service.”

<Three forms of the future manufacturing>

1. Manufacturing site innovation by “Digital engineering transformation”

At OMRON, simulations and remote monitoring using virtual technology played a major role in the development of our products and the maintenance of our manufacturing sites in terms of movement restrictions and access restrictions faced by the COVID-19 pandemic. OMRON believes that such on-site innovation based on Digital Experience (DX) is indispensable for the sophistication of manufacturing even in the post-COVID world and will strengthen the development of technologies and solutions that accelerate the DX evolution of manufacturing sites.

2. “Automation beyond human abilities,” Let the machine do what the machine can do

While manufacturers are faced with the difficulty of securing human resources, they are also under pressure to continuously improve production efficiency in order to fulfill their supply responsibilities and maintain and strengthen their competitiveness. In the concept of the “Automation beyond human abilities”, based on high-speed and high-precision control application technology, OMRON aims to innovate manufacturing sites where people can engage in creative work with feeling at ease by making full use of IoT, AI and robotics technology, and leaving the work that depended on people to the machine. In addition, with the automation that balances productivity and energy efficiency, OMRON will contribute to establish new manufacturing that meets the rapidly changing product needs while considering the global environment.

3. “Advanced collaboration between people and machines” that allows people to maximize their potentials.

Human dexterity and creativity are indispensable for manufacturing that responds to the diversification and personalization of product needs. It is necessary for the evolution of manufacturing to maximize human abilities. OMRON aims to develop new manufacturing that allows people to maximize their potential and experience growth and motivation by making people as a leading role while advancing the substitution from people to machines. Leaving the heavy labor and simple repetitive work to robots, machines support human proficiency, and in the event of a sudden trouble, people and robots shall cover each other. OMRON aims to realize a manufacturing site where workers can enjoy their work and enjoy manufacturing, and at the same time achieve high productivity by embodying the concept of the “Advanced collaboration between people and machines”.

About innovative-Automation

Recently, OMRON has developed a manufacturing innovation concept, called “innovative-Automation”. With this concept, OMRON is currently committed to bringing innovation to manufacturing sites through three key innovations, or three “i’s.” Through these innovations in the area of automation, OMRON aims to enable significant productivity improvements in manufacturing sites in order to achieve high-value-added manufacturing. With the first “i,” “integrated” (control evolution), OMRON will seek to advance automated control technology so that virtually any operator, even inexperienced operators, can effortlessly perform work that previously required the expert skills of experienced workers. With the second “i,” “intelligent” (development of intelligence by ICT), OMRON seeks to create constantly evolving equipment and production lines. By adopting a wide range of control devices and artificial intelligence (AI), machines can learn through experience and maintain themselves in optimal condition. For the third “i,” “interactive” (new harmonization between people and machines), OMRON pursues the development of a new harmonious relationship between human operators and machines; as they work together in the same workspace, machines will be able to assist human operators by recognizing human thoughts and behavior in a way that only OMRON, a specialist control equipment manufacturer who knows production floors inside and out, can realize.

About OMRON Corporation

OMRON Corporation is a global leader in the field of automation based on its core technology of “Sensing & Control + Think”. OMRON’s business fields cover a broad spectrum, ranging from industrial automation and electronic components to social systems, healthcare, and environmental solutions. Established in 1933, OMRON has about 30,000 employees worldwide, working to provide products and services in around 120 countries and regions. For more information, visit :

https://www.omron.com/global/en/

https://www.omron-ap.com/

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire India and this publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

An Insight into Himalaya Machinery and its Role as a Leader of the Growing Indian Heavy Machinery Industry

Vadodara, Gujarat, India

The heavy machinery industry in India is growing at a rapid rate. Valued at USD 1,71,667.0 million in 2019, it is expected to reach USD 2,40,496.0 million by 2027. This growth is a direct result of government support and the initiative of companies to take India to the global market. The Indian government in particular has laid the foundation to strengthen the partnership between the public-private sectors, which has played a huge role in the overall development of the sector. Himalaya machinery is a leader of this industry with a vision to take Indian machinery to the global space. In its endeavor to contribute to the growth of the country, Himalaya Machinery focuses on a Made in India model. The manufacturing process is completed in-house to guarantee quality and cost efficiency for the customers. These factors along with cutting-edge technology and excellent customer service have made Himalaya Machinery a well-known name amongst some of India’sleading companies. With clients like Tata, Godrej, Indian Railways, and HAL amongst many others, they have managed to lay a foundation of trust, allowing them to set the benchmark of quality plate bending machinery in India.

World-class manufacturing standard shop floor at Himalaya Machinery

Rohan Shah, CEO and Executive Director of Himalaya Machinery, believes that the scope to grow is ready to touch greater heights. “At Himalaya Machinery, we aim to provide the quality machinery not just for the Indian market, but also the international market. The opportunities to expand and take Indian-made products to the global marketplace are definitely on the rise.” Their vision to support the Indian economy has been a constant since the founding days and leads the purpose-driven workforce at the company to this day. The promise of continued support is a pillar of trust amongst their clients and has allowed Himalaya Machinery to enter the international market.

As one of the biggest names in the industry, Himalaya Machinery supports its customers from beginning to end. They provide unparalleled lifelong customer support making post-purchase dealings smooth for the clients. Being a product wholly manufactured in India makes Himalaya Machinery a great choice for reasons beyond the obvious economic benefit. Spare part availability and on-hand support become extremely simple. Clients can continue functioning without a pause due to the constant support provided by the team at Himalaya Machinery. The team is ever-ready to assist customer queries and prove timely yet long-term solutions.

Apart from providing solutions to common needs like plate bending, straightening, and leveling, the company has expanded its machinery with higher tech-based and problem-specific solutions. Their machines for bending rocket shells have made their way into the space sector, paving a new path for the company. They have a strong focus on innovation which is pushing them to create more solutions to deal with the issues of the heavy machinery industry. There is a huge scope of growth in the sector and after conquering the Indian market, Himalaya Machinery is tapping into the market on a global scale.

The CAGR of the heavy construction equipment market was registered at 4.2% from 2020 to 2027 giving a boost to the entire industry. The government’s initiative for infrastructural development and the urbanization trend across the country is constantly supporting the growth of the manufacturers. There’s no doubt that Himalaya Machinery has made its mark in the industry but this added support has given the company the chance to expand its horizon.

Internationally, names like Davi, Faccin, MG SRL, Akyapak, Haeslar, and Seravessi are still trying to catch up with Himalaya Machinery’s growth. The company’s internal system and workforce have made the transition to a larger market seamless for the company. With the upward trend of the heavy machinery industry, there is a large market for manufacturers but the quality is the main point of concern for buyers. With Himalaya Machinery, quality and customer service are the USP. This is making it difficult for their competitors to break through and stand at par. The global industry is ready to step into higher-tech solutions and Himalaya Machinery is already on the track to make this a constant in all their machines.

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(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NewsVoir India and this publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

SWIRL announces Live Shopping integration with Shopify

VADODARA, India, Feb. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Swirl announces integration with Shopify to enable live commerce. Shopify sellers can now create shoppable videos and use live streaming to boost engagement and increase sales. 

With the integration between Swirl and Shopify, sellers will be able to access all the benefits of video commerce that come with the platform while retaining complete control of their database, their payment gateway, and the customer experience.

Swirl for Shopify sellers

Shopify sellers can create immersive short videos, share with customers with a single link, and build a collection of shoppable content and video catalogues on their own storefronts. They can also engage with customers Live and answer questions and collect first party customer data and personal information through their Lead Capture tool.

Sellers will also get moderation features, real-time analytics and business intelligence on the performance of their video content and on the customer behaviour. Sellers retain control of their payment gateways, but with shoppable Swirl videos, their path-to-purchase is reduced significantly.

This integration comes with the following functions baked in:

  • White label URL
  • Carousel-style shoppable videos on any webpage
  • In-Video Add-to-Cart & Checkout
  • RSVP and calendar sync with reminders
  • Lead capture with authentication
  • Moderator Account
  • UTM parameter integration
  • Facebook/Google pixel integration
  • Branded video player design

The future of livestream shopping is here

The graph for livestream shopping has been soaring in countries like China over the last few years. According to a Forbes report, the Chinese eCommerce market is at $305 billion in 2021. In the United States it is $25Bn and along with-it other countries like India, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam are showing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46.4%.

“Post pandemic, The world has shown a great affinity to video shopping and eCommerce and with the roll out of 5G globally, retail and D2C brands are realizing the power of creating immersive phygital experiences on their own web assets that bridges the online-offline gap and reduces path-to-purchase” –  Kaizad Hansotia, Founder & CEO SWIRL

Swirl and Shopify – a partnership built to last

With the integration of Swirl, Shopify merchants receive a full-stack live commerce solution that they can plug and play, with no need for tech investment or training. They can choose from one-to-many and one-to-one live shopping, and short shoppable videos.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1630122/Swirl_Logo.jpg

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire India and this publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

Africa’s Leading FMCG Company Trade Kings is Leveraging Bizom’s Retail Intelligence to Multiply Distribution Reach

Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Trade Kings Group is digitizing their retail landscape in Africa with data-driven supply chain solutions. For the sub-Saharan FMCG giant who has been driven by the ambition of improving lives in Africa since its inception, the partnership with Bizom is a testimony to Trade Kings Group’s affiliation towards innovative products that creates a progressive and sustainable future.

Zambia’s largest manufacturing company Trade Kings is increasing distribution efficiency in Africa with India’s leading retail technology platform Bizom

Revamping the supply chain with intelligent retail technology will help the company intensify the reach and efficiency of product distribution, and increase the potential of the company’s iconic CPG product ranges like The Boom Cleaners, Daily Gold, Yoyo Fun Snacks, Swiss Bake, Big Tree and more. Trade Kings is expected to drive higher ROI on marketing expenditure and increase their footprint in the African consumer market by leveraging Bizom’s holistic, analytical retail tools. The company is also expecting a soaring growth in sales numbers across all business units, with a reduced lead time for delivery.

Commenting on this new transformation in the downstream markets, Mr. Luxminarayanan Subramaniam, Group General Manager at Trade Kings said, “Trade Kings Group is committed to bringing a good life to every African consumer, irrespective of their financial status. Our partnership with Bizom will help us drive more granular market insights and accelerate our efforts to ensure that our products are reaching every kiosk in Sub-Saharan Africa, at the right time. We aim to leverage their technology in the coming years to aggressively drive our passion for improving lives in Africa.”

The 25-year-old African conglomerate has its vast range of product portfolios spread across southern Africa in countries like Zimbabwe, Angola, and more. Bizom’s retail-focused solutions will assist the company in connecting the entire supply chain across all markets in a digital-first way.

As Zambia’s largest manufacturing company, the ambition and efforts of Trade Kings Group towards uplifting the economy, has been relentless. Trade Kings Group has always been a versatile flagbearer for Zambia’s growth, from providing a good lifestyle with affordable, consistent and reliable products to empowering African lives through employment and programs. Now, with enhanced retail solutions plugged into their supply chain, the company is expecting to increase the accessibility of their products in Africa, promptly.

Mr. Lalit Bhise, CEO of Bizom shares how Bizom will boost Trade Kings Group’s retail presence, saying, “The Trade Kings Group has been a pioneer in Africa’s consumer world for creating a more hygienic and healthier environment for the masses. We are proud to work alongside such a renowned African brand and support their vision of improving lives in Africa. Bizom is built of everything retail, and I’m highly optimistic about the efficiency and market insights our solutions will deliver for Trade Kings, helping the company grow unprecedentedly.”

The trust that Trade Kings Group has nurtured in the African market and the capabilities and opportunities of the Bizom platform will come together to drive the ambitious goals of the company, headstrong.

About Trade Kings Group

Trade Kings Zambia is an indigenous African company that specializes in the creation and manufacture of innovative laundry and cleaning products, delicious sweets, confectionery, snacks, biscuits and reinventing both traditional and exciting new beverages.

The company has been in existence since 1995 and has grown into a conglomerate; a Group of companies namely Big Tree Beverages, Dairy Gold, Swiss Bake, Yoyo Foods, Royal Oak and Universal Mining and Chemical Industries Limited (Kafue Steel).

About Bizom

Bizom is a Retail Intelligence platform that provides end-to-end supply chain automation for consumer product brands, enabling them with complete visibility on each movement in the supply chain, and providing accurate real-time actionable retail insights.

Trusted by CPG brands in India and emerging markets, Bizom’s retail intelligence platform empowers 7.5 million retailers, of 500+ brands to sell better, every day and helps brands achieve smart distribution by improving their manpower efficiency, channel performance and product performance.

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(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NewsVoir India and this publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

Bharat’ users are as affluent and digitally savvy as ‘India’ users: says ShareChat and Group M’s Bharat – The Neo India Report

  • 56% of Bharat use UPI and 49% use mobile wallets multiple times a week
  • 27% of Bharat use paid video streaming services v/s 29% India
  • 1 in 5 Bharat users invests in cryptocurrency
  • 39% of Bharat uses social media as their primary news consumption platform and prefers it over both print and TV combined

ShareChat, India’s leading social media platform, today, released a report titled ‘Bharat – The Neo India’ in association with Group M that studies the social media behavior, content preferences, spending choices of Bharat1 and India2 users. The report classifies users that prefer Indic language on social media as Bharat users and India users as the ones that prefer using English, across all the regions of India. Bharat users are spread across the country with nearly 40% present in metros and 53% in non-metros. The findings in the report are based on a primary survey by YouGov,           conducted among 3,432 social media users across 17 Indian states and with inputs from Kantar on Indic language urban active internet users.

The survey finds that Bharat users are as affluent and digitally savvy as India users. Bharat users are at par with India users when it comes to participating in online financial activities. In terms of choice of payment mode, Bharat users are adept at using UPI for online transactions and have a lead over India users in terms of net-banking and debit cards transactions online. Among Bharat users, 56% use UPI and 49% use mobile wallets multiple times a week. Breaking away from traditional means, Bharat users are investing in stocks, mutual funds, e-gold and even cryptocurrency.

Bharat users are more engaged on social media as compared to India users. 29% of Bharat users post content daily at least once as compared to 22% of India users. Bharat chooses to stay updated via social media as 39% of Bharat uses it as their primary source of news consumption. Like India, the majority of Bharat users prefer streaming free videos over watching TV. Daily, 50% of Bharat users stream free video online and about 47% watch TV. Social media also emerged as one of the primary influences for making buying decisions for Bharat users. Bharat is increasingly shopping online with 46% buying gadgets online in 2021, followed by other categories like travel bookings, food, clothing and accessories, beauty and skincare are also popular.

Unveiling the report, Ajit Varghese, Chief Commercial Officer of ShareChat, said, “Bharat users are taking social media by storm. It is interesting to note that the Language first users are at par with English language first users when it comes to digital presence, use of online transaction methods, and shopping habits. Bharat users also outrank when it comes to consuming news, food and beverages, health and fitness, and travel related categories online. Observing similar trends on our platforms, we at ShareChat are excited to be at the forefront of engaging with this audience that is spread across the country.”

 

Commenting on the report, Prasanth Kumar, CEO – GroupM South Asia said, “From the media planning aspect, Bharat is unique in many ways. This is mostly because all the cities that make Bharat are Indic language-heavy, fragmented and display their own sets of consumer behaviour traits. This diversity in our country brings in its own challenges and opportunities. Brands and media planners looking to reach target audiences across the country should focus on a customized approach for this segment. With this report, we have put together planning guidelines that will give marketers a direction and a starting framework on how to plan and reach the Bharat user effectively.”

Bharat v/s India – Other key findings:

  • Bharat users are showing a propensity to pay for online content with 27% already using paid video streaming services daily
  • 37% of Bharat users are listening to music, 36% are shopping, and 24% are ordering food online
  • In certain categories, Bharat users in specific regions drive higher engagement
    • South: Gaming (39%), Food & Drinks (32%) and Travel (22%)
    • West: Travel (22%)
    • North: Health and Fitness (29%)
  • In terms of voice search, Bharat users are leading with 26%, as compared to 15% of Indian users.
  • 21% of Bharat posts content 4-5 times a week compared to 17% of India
  • As per Kantar, there are over 341 million overall urban active internet users and 167 million urban active Indic internet users. The study suggests that urban active Indic internet users over-indexed on NCCS A (New Consumer Classification System) and higher education compared to overall urban active internet users
  • 33% of the urban active Indic internet users are from NCCS A as compared to 30% among overall urban active internet users
  • 39% of urban active Indic internet users consists of graduates/postgraduates as compared to 35% among overall urban active internet users

Link to the full report: https://bit.ly/33Q6Z9B