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Pentagon Model:

Place

Promotional & Positional Communication

Product

Services

Value & People

The above mentioned figure depicts the pentagon model for the analysis of the Retail Chains like Univercell, Poorvika, Tata Croma & Digital Plus. The figure is one of the image driver of the retail chains that what image they carry in customers perception, these factors are the image drivers of the retail chain. Here I have taken namely 4 different brands of retail chains. They are: Univercell Poorvika Tata Croma Reliance Digital Plus Univercell: Being the one of the major and much established name Univercell in mobile phones retail chain especially in southern India, this premium brand of retail chain usually preferred by the customers just because of the following factors, Promotional & Positional Communication: Their promotional activities like giving advertisements on Television and newspapers are more when it is compared with the other retail chains. Value & People: Here the people i.e. the customer service executives are being appointed by the different brands which are being catered in the Univercell outlet like the promoters for the Blackberry handsets are being appointed by the Blackberry company who are the full time employee in the outlet, by this the sales in different brands inside the outlet improves which provide overall benefits to the brand as well as the retail chain outlet. Services: The services by this retail chain brand is really good and gives a competitive edge over the other brand of retail chains operating in the Tamil Nadu state confined to mobile phone handsets, tablets business and there attachments. Services are the

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add-in facilities being provided like extended warranty, first year free insurance, mobile accessories & attachments, free gift coupons on festive season and festival offers. Poorvika: Another big name in retail chain for mobile phones is Poorvika which is the local player of the state in this business, customers one of the preferred choices because of the following factors: Value & People: Here the people i.e. the customer service executive team is solely owned by the Retail chain company, there are no other brands promoter present inside the outlet so the services by the team will be more valuable and to improve the sales from this retail chain is a kind of a different ball game. Here the value is paid for the services provided by the customer service executives of Poorvika. Services: The Poorvikas every outlet is provided by an efficient sales & customer service executive team which adds value through the services provided with the mobile phone handsets, tablets and there attachments. Here services means the extended warranty, mobile accessories & attachments with mobiles being sold & free insurance for one year. Promotional & Positional Communication: Poorvika is also known for the Television and newspaper advertisements but they dont create such an impact when it is compared with Univercell, but they position them in accordance to the services for which they are very well known. Tata Croma: One of the emerging player at national level which has established a name in the retail chain business for consumer electronics, from the past 5 years Croma has built up a good brand name becoming the customers preference. Since Tatas big name is attached to it but still the factors by which customer prefer to go to Croma are: Services: The Croma brand has built their name in providing the best customer services in the retail chain business through which they add value to their customers. Value & People: The Croma outlets are the most equipped outlets with well-trained sales and customer service executive team apart from the Croma team there are different brand promoters to improve the sales operation in the outlet which gives a combined benefit to both for the retail chain brand and the brands present inside the outlet. Promotional & Positional Communication: Croma is not known by the television advertisements and newspaper ads but still there presence is dominant in the market that is just because of their services and impression created in the mind of the customers through the services. Since they not only deal with mobiles, tablets, accessories but also deal in all type of consumer electronics & home appliances in the retail business with different brands under single roof, with this Croma position themselves in the top. Reliance Digital Plus: Reliance Digital Plus is again a national brand owned by the Mukesh Ambanis Reliance group which is again a big brand tag in the retail chain business over and above the retail chain also deals in all type of consumer electronic brands under a one single roof so many customer prefer it, but still the factors involved in becoming customers preferred choice are: Services: The Reliance Digital Plus is again a retail chain brand famous for its services through there efficient team of sales and customer service which is an added value to the customers.

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Value & People: Even the Reliance Digital Plus outlets are similarly equipped as the Croma has and the promoters from the different brands are present inside the outlet to achieve the maximum sales. Promotional & Positional Communication: There are few advertisements through the newspaper but there are no television advertisements but still the Reliances presence is seen very well in the market that is just because of their services and giving an option to the customers since the outlets have all brands and all consumer electronic devices under the same roof competing with the other famous brands like Tatas Croma.

These above mentioned factors are the image drivers which shows the presence of each retail chain brands in the market and how far they dominant and by which factor they are dominant.

Triangular Model:

System

Efficiency Driver

Logistics

Supplier

The above picture depicts the Triangular Model of Analysis of Retails Chains like Univercell, Poorvika, Tata Croma & Reliance Digital Plus. The figure is the efficiency driver of the retail chains that how efficient is the chain is performing, the factor mentioned in the figure determines the efficiency of the retail chain. Here also the same brands been taken for the analysis which are: Univercell Poorvika Tata Croma Reliance Digital Plus Univercell: Univercell is one of the most dominant player in retail chain business of mobile phones and their attachments because of the following mentioned efficiency factors:

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System: Univercell has a fixed system of performing their daily sales each and every product from their outlet is billed, this factor is mentioned because here even the sim cards are billed and recorded in APX system from where the sales can be track down on daily basis. So they follow a fixed process of doing sales, not just doing sales but doing it in a proper processed way. Supplier: Univercell has their own separate supply chain department which satisfies the demands of stock from their outlet, so the Univercell outlets have their supply chain management system, they have their own centralised warehouse from where the stocks are supplied to the outlets & they do have a separate procedure for transferring the stocks to the outlets which is also recorded. But at times to avoid the stock out condition the outlet also places order of the product to the particular distributor who is supplying to the warehouse in accordance to demand in that outlet. Logistics: Univercell has their own logistics which is involved in the movement of the stocks from the centralised warehouse to the outlets. So they avoid the stock out condition since the logistics involved is company owned & logistics delays is avoided in Univercell.

Poorvika: Poorvika is again a big name in local players of retail chain business of mobile phone, tablets and their attachments. Their presence is also dominant because of the following mentioned efficiency factors: System: Poorvika has a fixed system of performing their daily sales and every product from their outlet is billed, this factor is mentioned because here each and every sim card is billed and recorded in APX system from where the sales can be track down on daily basis. So they perform the sales operation in most sophisticated manner. Supplier: Poorvika also has their own supply chain management department which satisfies the demand in the outlet, Poorvika also have their own centralised warehouse from where the stock are transferred to the outlets. There is fixed procedure which they do follow for transferring the stocks to the outlets & which is recorded in their database. But at times to avoid the stock out condition the outlet also places order of the product towards that particular product distributor this is just because of competition, by this way the demand is satisfied. Logistics: Even Poorvika has their own logistics which involved in the movement of the stocks from the centralised warehouse to the outlets. So they avoid the stock out condition since the logistics here also company owned & logistics delays are avoidable.

Tata Croma: Croma is one of the national player in retail chain business which deals in all types of consumer electronics and home appliances. It is concern run by Tata group. Their presence in southern part of India especially in Tamil Nadu that to in Chennai is not so dominant but still they are picking up. The efficiency factors involved are: System: Tata Croma has a fixed process of doing their business, each and every product is billed when a customer make a buy and sale in recorded in SAP system installed in outlet but when it comes to sim cards and network services products like the micro sim cards, sim cards & data cards bundled with other products like apple iPad, iPhone, mobile phone, tablets & laptops it is not being recorded in the SAP system which should be done. Supplier: Even Tata Croma has its company owned supply unit from where the stocks are being transferred to the outlets, even Croma has a centralised warehouse

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where the stocks are accumulated and on demand from the outlets the stocks are supplied to the outlets. This operation is also performed in a very sophisticated manner which is recorded in the companys SAP system. Croma Outlets make sure that the stocks are being transferred through their warehouse since the warehouse is company owned the small delay is transfer will lead to loss of business, so this operation is performed very perfectly but when it comes to mobile network services confined to Vodafone the micro sim cards, post-paid sim cards, pre-paid sim cards and data cards are being delivered through our Team Leads / DSMs to the promoters present inside the outlet. Logistics: Tata Croma has its company owned very efficient logistics which does the operation of transferring the stocks of all products in very precise manner.

Reliance Digital Plus: Reliance Digital Plus is again a national player which newly launched its base in Chennai, the presence of this brand in retail chain business is still at pick up stage, below mentioned are the efficiency factors involved: System: Reliance Digital Plus also have a fixed process of performing their daily sales operation, similar kind of an environment is used as in the case of Tata Croma, each and every sales of product being done is recorded in their database, but when it comes to sim cards and network service products like sim cards, micro sim cards & data cards when bundled with other products like apple iPad, iPhone, mobile phone, tablets & laptops it is not being recorded in their system which should be done. Supplier: Reliance Digital Plus also performs the same way the Tata Croma where they have a centralised ware house from where the stocks of all products are being transferred to the different outlets present across the city. But when it comes mobile network services confined to Vodafone the micro sim cards, post-paid sim cards, pre-paid sim cards and data cards are being delivered through our Team Leads / DSMs to the promoters present inside the outlet. Logistics: Reliance Digital Plus also has company owned very efficient logistics which does the operation of transferring of transferring the stocks of all products in very precise manner.

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Overall Working Experience with Retail Chain in Modern Trade and few Suggestions At initial stages I was put with promoters in modern trade outlets, to work with them and know how the promoters are important in the modern trade outlets. While working with the promoters in one the retail chain outlet through the modern trade, I interacted with one of the store managers of the Tata Croma outlet which gave me input that this could be a good opportunity for Vodafone to develop a loyal customer base through Croma and Reliance Digital Plus because inside the outlet other than Vodafone and Aircel no other brand promoters are present, Aircel promoter is asked to promote the iPhone services since Aircel are in tie up with iPhone, since our promoters are present in all outlets of Tata Croma & Reliance Digital Plus. This it is a good opportunity to emerge as a strong player in the market. Though the outlets of Reliance Digital Plus and Tata Croma are very few but still they are picking it up in Chennai. Secondly in this kind of Business Vodafone should give a contract of Distributor where the Retail chains ware house would be the distributor point for its retail outlets for transferring of sim cards, micro sim cards & data cards through the retail chains logistics, which would avoid the logistical delay by our Team Leads / DSMs, secondly it would enable the retail chain to enjoy both retailer as well as the distributor margin and benefits and would also be a business development step for Vodafone since it would invite a loyal base of customers in our network. Thirdly it would reflect the strong presence of our brand Vodafone through these retail chain outlets of Tata Croma & Reliance Digital Plus.