TRENDS Commercial pockets are springing up in every locality making the word glocal more meaningful in an age of franchises says RESHMA KRISHNAMURTHY SHARMA
Step right up If the customer does not come to store, the store will go to the customer
Old-time Bangaloreans will agree that nothing is more dramatic for a city like Bangalore than its changing physical dimensions. The influx of a floating population, growth in the IT sector, introduction of the call centre industry made the city suddenly wake up to a boom and its accompanying nightmarish transitions.
These days each area is so self sufficient and well contained that a resident living in Jayanagar need not venture out to the city centre for shopping. Large volumes of traffic has meant that people are reluctant to travel distances for their shopping or entertainment needs. The presence of malls and branded stores in most parts of the city, creating little pockets of consumerism, makes shopping and life for the consumer easier.
Retailers are recognizing this trend and you have branded stores in multiple locations, be it clothing, groceries and eateries. The local kirana stores are gearing up to the competition and we find them offering innovative packaging, high quality standards and efficient service.
Magic mantra
The mantra is that if the customer doesn’t come to your doorstep, you go to his. Every business is adopting the multiple-presence strategy be it branded jewellery stores supermarkets, multiplexes, eateries like pizza outlets or even branded beauty salons and fitness centres.
The franchise model has made businesses go into an intimate level of client-customer interaction.
The very fact that a trusted brand is in the neighbourhood makes shopping and eating out much more convenient and hassle-free.
Says Bhushan Oberoi of Casa Piccola restaurants: “Within Bangalore, all our eight outlets are on a company-owned model whereas in cities like Chennai we are on franchise mode. It is a natural way of expanding one’s business.
“If you observe, particularly in cities and metros, people are getting more and more reluctant by the day to travel long distances.
“So obviously a trusted store or entertainment outlet in the neighbourhood eases the strain of travel. Also for businesses, it helps in creating a larger footprint.
“Although there is the ever-increasing infrastructure costs, whether it is manpower or the skyrocketing real estate prices, one has to go along with a multiple-presence model as it becomes a necessary mode of evolving the brand.”
Worth the effort
Manjul Gupta, owner of the well-known beauty spa and salon chain Body Craft, says: “Even though there is deployment of additional manpower and infrastructure, having a multiple presence is worth the effort.“
Also there may be initial teething problems to ensure the same quality is rendered at every centre, but with trained staff and policies in place, it is quite manageable. Now we have a lot of clients who are quite relieved to find a centre of their choice closer home.”
Lathangi S., a resident of Jayanagar, says: “I have been living here for the last 35 years. Though Jayanagar was one of the first areas in Bangalore to develop at a faster pace compared to other areas like Banashankari or J.P. Nagar, today you find each area is becoming self sufficient in every aspect.
“Be it supermarkets like Food World or Nilgiris or even cinema halls, one need not move long distances.”
With multiple stores, a business or a service is also ensuring that they retain the loyalty of a customer, who might otherwise switch over to other brands if they find distance a problem.
However one of the core reasons for multiple presence of stores is the attitude shift in the Indian consumer. With rising incomes and disposable amounts on hand one does not mind splurging it easily. It is even better if there is an option of spending it closer home.