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How kirana stores are embracing technology to engage better with customers

BENGALURU: P Mahendran's Muthukani Stores in Chennai's Villivakkam is like any other kirana store, but with a slight twist. If you were to enter his shop, you will find an LED screen showing various offers and also a custom-made tablet to generate bills and keep accounts of customers.

Muthukani Stores is one of the many kirana stores across the country that have embraced technology so as to engage better with the customer, even as a bunch of startups, such as Snapbizz, Applicate and Goodbox, exploit this largely untapped space through retailer only or consumer-facing apps.

"We are trying to disrupt the biggest space of retail business in India, much bigger than the size of all ecommerce put together. The potential and scale of opportunity is huge considering that 90% of the $500-billion retail market is still being serviced by these small retailers," said Ranjeet Kumar, founder and chief executive of Applicate IT solutions, whose product Trade Gini is targeted at retailers.

The retailer app connects the kirana store to various authorised suppliers of brands, helps them keep a track of the inventory, generate bills, decide various offers based on suggestions, and updates the retailers on prices, schemes and offers.

"We give the retailers a custom-made tablet, a printer, a scanner and a wireless LED TV. The TV can allow brands to connect to the customer at the point of sale — images keep popping on the screen. The retailers can earn money out of this, too. One can now give printed bills and also connect with the customers through SMSes," said Prem Kumar, CEO of Snapbizz. According to the startups, the entry of technology brings down transparency issues and creates a level-playing field.

"Before, if there was an update from the company only, say 30%, of retailers would get to know," said Kumar. "We even have a helpdesk to address all issues and connect to the brand directly for any queries. We are also working on bringing in more languages."

Bengaluru-based Goodbox offers a consumer-facing app, integrated with MobiKwik payment gateway and caters to even local restaurant brands and government agencies like Bengaluru's electricity board, BESCOM, other than the local grocery stores.

"Our app's backbone is a chat platform, which is a connect between the customer and the retailer. The app user has options of 'My list' and 'Near Me', where they can have a record of all the items they buy and see all the merchants near their location, respectively," said Abey Zachariah, cofounder and CEO of Goodbox.

The business model of these startups revolves around taking a cut from the suppliers and companies for visibility, or raising money through subscription.

The kirana stores are welcoming technology as it makes a difference in their daily lives.

Credits : http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2016-01-28/news/70150265_1_small-retailers-kirana-store-mobikwik

Understanding the working of search engine

Technically speaking, the searches made on the Internet are text driven. Whenever we look for something on the net (in the form of text) search engine crawls over the web and in order to deliver the relevant information from the back end search engines frequently performs the following tasks to update its database regularly- crawling, indexing, processing, calculating relevancy, and recover. Let us see how each step is performed.

Crawling:

Search tools crawl into the Web to see what new arrives. This task is performed by a bit of programming, called a crawler or spider. Spider follow links starting with one page then onto the next and list all that they find on their way. Here, one thing is to be noted that due to the heavy quantity of pages on the Web it is incomprehensible for the spider to visit a website daily just to check whether another page has been added or if a current page has been altered. At times, crawlers may not visit your web page for a month or two.

Indexing:

After a page has crept, the next step is to index its content. The listed page is put away in a goliath database, from where it can later be recovered. Basically, the procedure of indexing is recognizing the words and expressions that best portray the page and relegating the page to specific watchwords.

Processing: 

Now when the query is made, the search engine starts its search. It means it starts analyzing the inquiry string in the seek demand with the indexed pages in the database.

Calculating relevance:

Since it is likely that more than one page (basically it is millions of pages) contains the pursuit string, the spider begins computing the significance of each of the pages in its record with the hunt string.

Recovering: 

The last stride in internet searchers' movement is recovering the outcomes. Essentially, it is just basically showing them in the program – that is, the unlimited pages of indexed lists that are sorted from the most significant to the least important ones.

Well, this process may seem a lengthy one as the number of pages on the internet is in millions; the searches get the result in a fraction of seconds. Once understanding the process and its complexities, it is crucial for the website and its pages to have relevant keywords and must be active at all times so that whenever the spider crawls, the information of the page is indexed and available on the top of the list when the relevant search is made.

Govt to allow Google, Microsoft pilots to expand Internet reach

After initial reservations, the Centre is now open to allowing pilot projects and technological experiments by companies such as Google and Microsoft for expanding their Internet reach in India.

However, the final approval for projects such as Google’s Project Loon and Microsoft’s Project White Spaces would be subject to these projects being deemed as consistent with India’s broader security requirements.

“We must be liberal in permitting experimentation of new technology for connectivity. Let there be pilots, Project Loon and Microsoft’s project (White Spaces), let the new experimentation happen… When the results come, we will take policy initiatives consistent with security requirements. I am very open with experimentation of new products,” said Minister for Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Asked on the security clearances required for these projects, Prasad said, “They need (clearances). They are in process, there are many requests but let them formally come to us. Satya (Nadella) had also come to us, they are also very open, some (pilots) they have started in Andhra Pradesh and then Sundar Pichai also had come… Let them come.” In mid-December, the Ministry of Communications had said that the frequency band proposed to be used by Project Loon, through which Google plans to provide internet connectivity using balloons, was already “being used for cellular operations in India” and that “it will lead to interference with cellular transmissions”. Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella and Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai had met Prasad later in December, wherein they are believed to have discussed the viability of their respective projects. Google defines Project Loon as a “network of balloons travelling on the edge of space, designed to connect people in rural and remote areas, help fill coverage gaps, and bring people back online after disasters”.

Project Loon balloons will travel in the stratosphere, approximately 20 km above the Earth’s surface, latching on to layers of wind as directed by software algorithms to determine where they need to go. In the end, they will form one large communications network. Each balloon can provide connectivity to a ground area about 40 km in diameter using wireless communication LTE or 4G. Project Loon partners with telecom companies to share cellular spectrum. It has already tested this technology in New Zealand, California and Brazil. 

To use LTE or 4G, Project Loon partners with telecom companies to share cellular spectrum so that people will be able to access the Internet everywhere directly from their phones and other LTE-enabled devices. Google uses solar panel and wind to power electronic equipment in the balloon throughout the day. Microsoft through its White Spaces project proposes to utilise the unused spectrum from television for internet connectivity. Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh has a pilot project already in place for the White Spaces project. The company is seeking free unlicensed spectrum for which the telecom companies have been eager to know the policy stand of the government. 

Credits:http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/govt-rethinks-to-let-google-microsoft-launch-pilots/

Why do businesses need LinkedIn

There are numerous choices on web through which the business can really advance and can pick up the market. The greater part of us probably asked why they should be accessible on LinkedIn when it is fundamentally for employment seeks. Really, LinkedIn has risen as a sort of employment entrance because of which large portions of us has this perception. But in reality, it is not affirmed to simply occupations. Rather, if utilized astutely, it is one of the effective tools for gaining the presence in the market and engaging the traffic. The underneath six are the key advantages for which one can take a gander at LinkedIn for.

Personal branding:

Individuals generally look you on Google to assemble data and input about you and your business before they really get into the business with you. A LinkedIn profile helps you to be discovered on the web. It permits you to present yourself and if utilized as a part of an arranged way can help you improve your credibility. You can blend recordings, presentations and statistical records to advocate your business details.

Free Tool:

LinkedIn is a free marketing tool. If utilized with planned strategy, it can demonstrate as the most gainful instrument for the business. It helps individuals to drive towards your site. For a small business, if they are not present on LinkedIn, they are feeling the loss of the tremendous capability of picking up clients and spread awareness about their business.

Gaining Expert Talent:

As expressed, LinkedIn is prominent for occupation looks; it is the best apparatus for the business to contract the best suitable representative for their organization. Organizations not just get the chance to see the profiles of the occupation seekers, yet as a business an organization page on LinkedIn goes about as a device for the potential candidates to comprehend your business and its part.

Gaining connections and business:

The reach you have on your LinkedIn profile can really help you in expanding deals. Might it be seller, workers, and gathering of individuals you met at social events or anybody those are the part of your gathering. The advances search tools on LinkedIn can help your business group to search for the best suitable organizations or individuals to contact for business and long haul connections.

They can investigate the current contacts to search for individuals they can present themselves and grow the business contacts.

Sharing Expertise and Knowledge:

There are right around 2,000,000 Groups on LinkedIn that one can join. Every group has its own particular specific discussion groups, newsrooms and occupation postings. As a specialist you can include yourself in gatherings and discussions that can add value for everyone. Indeed, even you can post or see news identified with your organization of your industry and keep a check of the data you need from an expert point of view.

Getting information about the market:

LinkedIn offers the business some assistance with exploring their business sector and comprehend the present patterns and contenders procedures regarding the business advancements. The important news identified with the business on the LinkedIn newsroom helps the business to adjust  the present business sector circumstances and have a high ground.

These are only few advantages you can get when you can have an active page on LinkedIn. However, if it is used with careful planning and strategy, it can demonstrate as one of the best instruments for advancing the business and spreading mindfulness.

Insurance firms launch consumer awareness drive

Insurance companies are now taking a slew of steps to promote the concept of insurance among the public. These include awareness campaigns, social media promotions, road-shows and customer meets. The focus here is not brand promotion or advertising, but purely for insurance awareness.

For instance, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has carried out an insurance awareness roadshow called ‘Jan Jagruti’ across different rural locations of Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat. Subrat Mohanty, head of marketing, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, said this was a campaign wherein a vehicle equipped with service support materials and representatives goes out to places and a group of artistes perform a street play in the local language.  Mohanty said they would soon take this roadshow to parts of Tripura in the Northeast and Haryana.   

In the last one-and-a-half years, the company has conducted customer meets in small towns across different parts of the country. Mohanty said the event is called Pehle Aap and “our chief executive officer along with sales officers interact directly with select customers and tell them about importance of having adequate life insurance”.

Insurers are also using their mobile applications for creating awareness not only basic policies but also helping prospective policyholders calculate how much cover of insurance do they need for the various life stages. These tools are integrated in the mobile app, which can then also be used to buy a policy.

Companies with bank partnerships are also utilising the branch networks to educate customers.

Niraj Shah, director marketing, strategy and products, PNB MetLife Insurance, explained they have reached out to schools and colleges to organise sessions on insurance awareness for students. The programme enables the young generation to understand the basics of money management and thereby incorporating the importance of financial planning.

“We have developed a film and a jingle on the importance of life insurance for rural and semi urban India. We are starting with workshops in Haryana and plan to reach out to thousands of people in over 10 villages and taluks,” he added. Shah said an important point to note is they do not promote their products or services through this programme.

Sanjeev Mantri, executive director, ICICI Lombard General Insurance, said they have been conducting insurance familiarisation workshops across the country, including rural markets to help consumers understand and appreciate the need for insurance across health, motor, travel and home segments.

“We have been focusing on specific days, for example, World Heart Day, for health insurance to spread the insurance awareness message and thus make it more relevant for consumers,” he said.

Social media also plays a crucial role in awareness, since smart-phones have made access to internet more convenient and in several rural pockets, introduction to the internet is usually via the phone.

Mukesh Kumar, executive director, HDFC ERGO General Insurance, said on macro level, they leverage social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin to reach out to the digital natives who constitute a large part of the younger generation and can be educated regarding the benefits of insurance thereby ensuring that the future generations are well protected.

“The campaigns are also organised at micro level like road shows, seminars etc across villages as well as through village level entrepreneurs under the Common Service Centre (CSC) programme that enables the rural population to appreciate the benefits of the insurance,” he said,

Sasikumar Adidamu, chief technical officer, non-motor, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, said the company hosts regular sessions on Google+ which is aimed at demystifying insurance. “These hangouts aimed at building awareness about insurance and invited healthy discussions directly between the customers/audience and the top management of Bajaj Allianz. It has held 8 Google+ Hangouts thus far, with the theme of explaining the finer points of various insurance policies and ways to manage them for steady protection,” he said.

Further, he added that the company runs contests and campaigns to educate users about insurance products such as health, travel, home and motor insurance through social media handles like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The company has also made many one-minute films with the objective of increasing insurance awareness.

Insurance penetration, measured as a percentage of premiums to a country's gross domestic product(GDP), has been on a constant drop in India. According to the sigma study from global reinsurer Swiss Re, India's insurance penetration fell to 3.3% in FY15, compared to 3.9% in FY14. This has been the lowest since 2005-06, when the penetration was at 3.14%.

Credits : http://www.business-standard.com/article/finance/insurance-firms-launch-consumer-awareness-drive-116010500785_1.html

Speed kills: but not in the digital world

Here it is imperative in real life, we follow the rule that does not over speed, and it is dangerous. But in the digital world, it is the speed that we look at. The better the download speed of the website, more will it be liked and reached at. Truly, no one likes to wait for the website to take its own sweet time to download (we lack patience when it comes to the internet). The moment we discover that it is going to take time, sooner we switch to the next option. So far it looks good from the buyers’ perspective. Now with the slow speed, the business is losing the potential customer. Here are some reasons why a good speed is crucial for your business. Slow speed means slow on SEO

Google’s algorithm considers the pace of the site as one of the components in ranking websites. If your website has slow page speed, then the search engines will be able to crawl just a few pages within the stipulated crawl budget. What's more, as they have crept less it will affect the indexing of your site.

Slow speed means higher bounce rate

A bounce rate intends to the share of visitors who hits the ‘Back’ key or even close the window after they have gone by a page of the site. A person may become dispassionate to keep skimming on your site if it takes more time to load. They’ll prefer to either go back, go to your competitor’s websites or close the window.

Speed is directly proportional to traffic

If it is that everyone who visits your page is waiting for its content to load, then you are not only going to lose the visitors, but also the potential clients. It will benefit your business if your website will load fast. Your website visitors will surely be delighted and interested in scrolling through other pages of the website.

Good speed means happy visitors

Having cheerful site guests will expand the chances of having positive customers. If you like people to look through your site and buy your items or converse with you about the services you offer, you have to attempt in enhancing your site's speed.

Having a speedier page pace will improve client experience and it's truly vital, especially if you need your site guests, particularly amateurs, to have a good impression as first impressions last.