1. How do you define customer experience from your brand’s perspective?

We as a brand believe in serving the customers with entire efficiency and loyalty. Our brand has a customer experience that is completely based on quality services and consumer satisfaction.

2. Keeping COVID in mind, did you all have to reorient your plans of expansion or had to focus more on online to stay connected to the customer? How did you manage your retail footprint in these testing times?

Yes, we had to reorient our plans of expansion to stay connected to our customers. Not only did we have to re-strategize our marketing plans but also think of new ideas to reach the targeted audience. We had to shut down all our retail shops during the sudden imposition of the lockdown at the outbreak of covid-19. In a short period, we shifted our business entirely to a digital medium. Then once again, we were finally visible to our trusted customers and some new ones. We have begun with online services like having a doctor’s consultation. We provide medicine prescriptions too. We also provide home therapy by therapists who are doubly vaccinated and wear PPE kits and take all the necessary steps for covid prevention.

We had to change our plans and things were not going as planned. We only focused on online services which we could give to our customers. That is how we tried to stick to our retail footprints.

3. In terms of the physical/omnichannel journey for the brand, how has it been so far? Any significant challenges that you had to overcome to reach here?

At the time of the pandemic, most of our therapists left. As an

omnichannel brand

, a significant part of our business was chiefly driven by the therapists we have. Thus we faced a huge crisis. Soon, many employees left because of the fear of the covid-19 virus outbreak. There was immense pressure on the rest of the employees. The ones who still worked with the firm worked hard to meet the crisis and fetch the targeted results for the company. There were many smaller hurdles that we had on our path that made things extremely challenging for us. We are gradually re-opening our stores and hiring newer therapists to revive our business. Hopefully, things would be back on track early.

4. When it comes to mapping the customer journey and providing a seamless customer experience to your customer base all across touchpoints, how do you ensure the same happens without any glitch?

We have a business strategy that focuses on a particular set of targets that we ensure a customer gets. The touchpoints are distributed on several work levels among many employees who make sure to give the best to the task allotted to them. This team includes people who are experts in their work. Ours is a team that coordinates well and works extensively to provide a seamless customer experience. They work on every glitch that appears and tackle every problem that come their way. Also, we have a recurring business with a trusted customer base who believe in the brand of Birla Ayurveda. Hence, most of our customers are already contented with our products and services.

5. What are the technologies or innovations you put to use to make the customer journey seamless and a memorable one?

We have tried and tested a lot of tools and software’s to help in our business. Right now we use one of the latest and updated CRM Software. A team of experts looks after the need of the customers and other works of logistics. We have a highly dynamic and responsive e-commerce website that we have recently developed that provides an end-to-end customer solution. It has all the needed categories and services that a customer would need.

6. What about the evolving customer sentiments, how would you account for the changing persona of the consumer in the pre and the post-COVID era?

It was never difficult for us. Interestingly, people grew more aware of Ayurveda and its benefits post the covid era. In the pre-covid era, we had to make efforts for reaching to our customers but with the advent of a pandemic, people have themselves inclined towards Ayurveda, especially Birla Ayurveda. With the growing awareness about Ayurveda, the company has seen some rise in its customers and some support as well.

7. What about business, how has your online to offline sales been so far? Any remarkable mention?

Before the lockdown, all of our sales derived from the retail shops that run in pan-Mumbai. During the pandemic, we had to shut all our shops which was a huge setback for our business. We have made our digital presence now and are slowly reviving our business. About fifty percent of our sales come from the online presence we have made so far. We have an increased customer base who rely on us for a lot of products. Customers come forward in search of therapists too. It is good to see a positive change after so many months.

8. In terms of customer experience, what do you think should be the right approach? Should brands be loyal to their customer or the customer be loyal to their brands?

The approach for a good customer experience is simple and direct. If we as a brand are loyal to customers they would stick to us throughout. We believe that brands should be loyal to their customers. If we on our part are true and dedicated to our customers we would barely face problems from the other end. If we as a brand do our work efficiently then we don’t have to seek for any loyalty from the end of our customers.

9. For brands and retailers in your category planning to go omnichannel with their products, what will be your advice to them, keeping the changing customer trends in mind?

Flexibility is the key. In a field where brands plan to go omnichannel with their products, an online presence is a must. We need to launch new product categories and retract the non-performing ones. We need to be very quick in studying the market trends and also comprehending the necessary changes. Implementing new ideas and continuously checking on them if they work or not is very important if one is planning to go omnichannel.

10. Omnichannel is not an easy ballgame, especially when it comes to inventory management. What tactics or technology do you use?

We use the latest inventory software to manage our business. A team of skilled people who know how to use these systems aptly.

11. Lastly, the walk ahead. What are the brand’s plans for the next year?

Our plans for the next year include a revival of our old centers in pan-Mumbai and reopening our franchises. We also aim to acquire a major share from online product marketing. We hope that we meet our business targets and recover the losses that have incurred the previous year. We have grown adaptable as a group and hope to grow with the challenges lying ahead of us.