New Delhi Listening to melodious music is the best way to treat yourself and if the device is of high-quality then it is indeed icing on the cake. Boom Audio is the new advanced startup in India focusing on the quality of the bass and music quality they are offering. They are coming up with a product line of TWS and neckband. They target to bring the revolution of being a lifestyle brand that provides affordable, stylish, and good quality consumer electronics. The sole aim of this company is to bring affordable, durable, and more importantly, ‘fashionable’ audio products and accessories to millennials.
The objective of the company is to provide high bass, fashionable, and great fit products at value for money pricing in India. Their only aim was to change the way of listening to music and to create mass premium products for the Indian market. “We have tried to change the consumer mindset. We don’t sell our products as electronics only. We sell them as lifestyle accessories. We are trying to portray that our products can be a part of your everyday fashion.” says the co-founder of the company. They launched their first successful product boom buds this year. it had become a milestone for the company and had sold over 30,000 units. Consumers choose an accessory that fits in their workouts, trails, hikes, or basically their lifestyle.
Hyderabad: Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender speaking at a talk ‘The Next Normal: Navigating Unchartered Waters’ organized by FICCI Ladies Organisation here at Hyderabad today said that the question of money doesn’t arise in the fight against Covid. If the state government gets permission, we will foot the bill for the vaccination of the state’s population. We are committed to the welfare of the people of Telangana, the minister said.
He said that the Telangana state spends Rs.35000 crore per annum for welfare. The talk had Mr. Eatala Rajender, Hon’ble Minister of Medical Health & Family Welfare, Government of Telangana and Ms. Mahima Datla, MD & CEO, Biological E. Ltd. in conversation with Mr. T. Muralidharan, Chair, FICCI Hyderabad.
Speaking further, the minister said that Telangana is ready to give the vaccine to people who can’t afford it. But even if rich people too ask, we are ready to give vaccine to everyone. The Telangana state has a per capita of 2 lakh and above more than double the national per capita. We can bear the cost of the vaccination, he said. Everything is expected expenditure, except health. The duty of the Government must be to take is to take care of public education and health, every government must fulfill this, he opined.
Ms. Usharani Manne, Chairperson, FLO Hyderabad Chapter seen presenting a Momento to Ms. Mahima Datla, MD & CEO, Biological E. Ltd.
Telangana state has taken 8 lakh doses. 1.09,000 government healthcare workers and over 40,000 private-sector workers have been vaccinated so far, he informed. We are ready to vaccinate people above 50 years and people with co-morbidities as per the guidelines by the Central government. People are questioning the efficacy of the virus and asking about trails. But, this time is not there to question. He said that according to WHO a vaccine is said to be efficient if it has a 50% efficacy. We have vaccines with much better efficacy in a short time. We are going to give vaccines to each and everyone, he said.
Ms. Mahima Datla, MD & CEO, Biological E. Ltd. addressing the gathering said that we don’t have a source of credible scientific information. She lamented that the do’s and don’ts list and FAQs for who can take vaccination came much late. It should have been earlier, people should be educated, she said. Sharing the top three learning from the Covid situation, Ms. Mahima said that we must collaborate with a global network to know about the emergence of viruses in time. Global surveillance of viruses must be there and WHO is not enough, she said. India has a greater opportunity to play, she opined. There are about 25-30 viruses only that have pandemic potential. We are exposed to a lot of viruses and build immunity over time. But, when viruses jump from species to species our body doesn’t have time to overcome them, she said.
Ms. Usharani Manne, Chairperson, FLO Hyderabad Chapter seen presenting a Momento to Health Minister Eetala Rajender
Government should invest in research and new tools to minimize the time taken to produce the vaccine. 30 viruses are not insurmountable, she said. We need some infrastructure that is kept ready when we face challenges, she added. Answering a question on herd immunity, Ms. Mahima said that the notion of getting herd immunity by infection is bad. The best way to deal is by immunizing maximum number of people in the shortest possible time, she said.
T. Muralidharan, Chair, FICCI Hyderabad requested the Minister to recommend the removal of GST for companies that give insurance to its employees.
Earlier, speaking in her welcome address Ms. Usharani Manne, Chairperson, FLO Hyderabad Chapter said that now that the vaccines are out, it was the correct time to organize the Face2Face to understand the logistics and efficacy of the vaccines that are coming out, especially in India. And to learn to prepare ourselves for more such incidences.
Ms. Usharani Manne also announced that FICCI Ladies Organisation is to recognize and honour accomplished women with the FLO Women Achiever’s Awards on March 7th at Hyderabad.
Hyderabad: Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC), the collaborative body between Cyberabad Police and IT Industry which established in the year 2006 completes 15 glorious years of service and celebrates 15th Anniversary here in the city today at HICC
It celebrated its one and half decade long journey and yeoman service in the presence of Chief Guest Sri Md. Mahmood Ali, Home Minister; Sri Mahender Reddy, IPS, DGP Telangana; Sri Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary, IT & C.
Sri BVR Mohan Reddy, Executive & Founding Chairman Cyient also graced and delivered a Keynote address
The Special Guests who graced include Smt. Suchitra M. Ella, JMD Bharat Biotech; Smt. Swati Lakra, IPS, Adl. DGP Women Safety Wing, TS; Sri Anjani Kumar, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Hyd City; Sri Mahesh Bhagwat, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda; And Sri V.C. Sajjanar, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad and Chairman of SCSC; Krishna Yedula, General Secretary, SCSC; and Chairman of SCSC; Mr Bharani Aroll, President, HYSEA, many of its past office bearers, Police Commissioners and many others.
To mark the occasion and to celebrate the same it brought out a Coffee Table Book which was unveiled by Md. Mahmood Ali. The book recorded the special moments from the past. It is a carefully crafted book offering an overview of its 15 years of journey and glimpses of major milestones. The book, SCSC said is a fitting tribute to those who stood by it and nurtured it.
Cognizant Technologies awarded SCSC Excellent award
It also presented SCSC Annual Awards in 6 categories such as Excellence in Driving Women Safety Measures; Excellence in Promoting Road Safety Measures; Excellence in Physical & Electronic Security: IT Parks; Excellence in Physical & Electronic Security: IT-ITES Companies; Best Organization for Covid-19 Measures & CSR support to Society. It will be an annual affair hereafter declared SCSC.
The award-winning companies include Cognizant Technologies; Ryan India Tax Services Pvt Ltd; HSBC Electronic Data Processing Pvt. Ltd; Legato Health Technologies LLP; Open Text Technologies India Pvt. Ltd; Car Corporate Services Ltd; Virtusa Consulting; BirlaSoft Ltd; Cigniti Technologies Ltd; Synechron Technologies Pvt Ltd.
Md. Mahmood Ali, Home Minister said SCSC is the perfect example of Public-Private Partnership: Md. Mahmood Ali.
The only difference between human beings and animals is the ability to help others, he said. SCSC has come forward to help many during the lockdown, he added.
There is no development if there is no peace. Both are interdependent. The collaborative efforts of public and police is essential for public safety. I am also happy to note that SCSC has expanded its efforts to other verticals.
Addressing the gathering Mahender Reddy, DGP of Telangana explained how SCSC came into being. SCSC has become a role model for the best collaborative efforts between the industry and the police. An interface of this scale doesn’t exist anywhere in the world, he said.
It has become a benchmarking institution. As DGP I am proud of it. It must be replicated in all districts. We have recently issued orders to all SPs and Commissioners throughout the state to form such bodies
The benefits of the technology must go through the police service delivery. Towards that effect we started digitization of our services. We have taken up CCTV projects on a war footing basis, he said
Today we have 6.5 lakh CCTVs in Hyderabad and 7.5 lakh in Telangana. And hundreds are being added every day. Because of these and many other measures, the Telangana Police have emerged as the best police organization in the world as far as use of technology, DGP said.
Mahendar Reddy highlighted that the response time the police take to reach the crime scene is 5 minutes in the state capital and 8 minutes in the rural areas. We endeavor to deliver uniform services across the police stations in the state he said.
Speaking about the crime scene, Mahendar Reddy said in future the traditional crimes may disappear and cybercrimes will emerge as major things. But, the foundation to counter cybercrimes must be laid now.
SCSC, a not-for-profit organization and collaboration between Industry, Cyberabad Police and other Govt agencies works on key focus areas of Women Safety, Road Safety, Infrastructure, Cyber Security for a safe and secure ecosystem and supports business continuity for Industry sectors in Cyberabad area.
Some of the key initiatives of SCSC include: CCTV Network in IT Corridor; QRT Vehicles; She Shuttles; Plasma Drive; Margadarshak Program; SanghaMitra Program; Project Safe Stay; SAFE (Safety Awareness for Employees); Radiant Hyderabad; Traffic Volunteers; DilSeY Program (Digital Literacy to Secure Youth); BCP Coordination for Industry
SCSC reached its 15th year of impact, creating an inclusive environment of all business stakeholders in the community to enhance the brand image of Hyderabad as a preferred business hub. On reaching this splendid milestone. SCSC’s 15 years of contribution to the society is highly appreciated
Mr.Krishna Yedula, Who is spearheading it as General Secretary said in the beginning, SCSC had the vision to enhance the safety and security of Cyberabad, for IT and ITES companies. But in subsequent years, the idea of safety expanded and the mission evolved to include initiatives like Road safety, women’s safety and Cybersafety.
Even today, we continue to expand our idea of what Safety and Security means – and what you see today is an inclusive organization that is committed to the global businesses and civil society, Krishna Yedula added
It was remarkable farsightedness to create a platform like SCSC, 15 years ago, Krisha said.
Over the years, the nature of the problems addressed changed. Many safety issues were addressed through initiatives like traffic volunteers, Margadarshak, Sangha Mitra etc, Krishna explained
Today’s war is against a microscopic virus and future could be cyber terrorism. SCSC will review its initiatives from time to time and come out with newer solutions said, Krishna.
Krishna acknowledged the contributions of many leaders in the past. The impact we had made can be measured in metrics. But to me what is more important are the ‘lives’ behind the metrics. Yes, each metric we measure is a life that has been positively impacted, Krishna adds
Our traffic volunteers have cleared obstacles on the road. Our Margadarshaks and Sanghamitras have been there for women in distress to listen and advice. They have cleared obstacles of a different kind in the lives of scores of women.
I enjoyed every bit of work. I am bowled over for Sri VC Sajjanar for his leadership style, compassion and especially for his inclusive approach, he told
Delivering Keynote address Mr. BVR Mohan Reddy shared that he stepped out of home after a gap of 320 days to meet all the industry friends and participate in the celebrations. Many Covid warriors put their lives at risk to safeguard us during the challenging times. Police ensured that 6.5 lakh IT employees work from home without hassles supporting them free movement of IT Infrastructure and hardware. And my big salutes to the police. Employees too took it as a challenge and responded with superior productivity and performance. SCSC model is the first of its kind not just in India even outside India, he said. Cyber Security will be the focus area not immediately but in future. He predicted that India will be the global hub for Cyber Security products and services.
Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat said UN declared that there are 240 police for every one lakh population. But that ratio is much less here. So, there is a huge gap between the need and demand. Organizations like SCSC bridge that gap he said added that the perception of Police before Pandemic according to one survey was 27%, but that has dramatically improved to 70%
Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary said SCSC’s multiplier effect is enormous. SCSC played a very crucial role ensuring the IT companies operate from home during the lockdown without any problems. The shifting of work from office to home was the best and most seamless and that too without any break. The entire credit he attributed to SCSC and Cyberabad Police.
Anjani Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad said the notion of security is changing. The days of traditional physical proximity or security is over. The advent of the Digital World has already made the good old physical security obsolete. But the shift to digital world is also bringing new challenges along with the changing world and we must be prepared for the same. He also felt that the SCSC model is very unique.
SCSC which has the patronage of 205 member companies is by the public for the public and through the public said VC Sajjanar, Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad. SCSC over the period of many years has left a great impact on society. SCSC and Cyberabad police combined efforts yielded into the smooth functioning of the IT offices during the lockdown. We were the first in the country to ensure business continuity. Nowhere in the county such a great cooperation and coordination exists
SCSC was the first to set up Covid Control room. The control room buzzed with activity within two days after the lockdown was declared. And it worked 24×7 and served with 12. 5 food and 1.5 lakh grocery pockets not just in the city but far off and remote places from the city. SCSC was in the forefront in mobilizing blood donation of 8000 units and helping 8000 plus covid patients with plasma. 15 ambulance services were pressed into the services and attended to medical emergencies of the people. We also fed 3000 plus animals.
The SCSC model is likely to be replicated at other IT hubs coming up in the state like Warangal, Karimnagar and Khammam. Pune, Bangalore and Chennai cities have also studied the model and are likely to replicate.
The future of the SCSC is to stabilize all the verticals on par with the IT, said Sajjanar. Cyber Security may pose a threat in future. So, keeping that in mind we are planning to set up a Center of Excellence in Cyber Security in Cyberabad Commissionerate limits.
Bharani Aroll, President of HYSEA unveiled a newly developed website of SCSC. Addressing the gathering he said Hyderabad is the safest city in the country. Any investor looks for safety and security for his investment and secured ecosystem, he added.
Many leaders of the past Sri Mahendar Reddy, Sri Prabhakar Reddy, Sri Dwaraka Thirumal Rao, Sri CV Anand, Sri Naveen chand garu, Sri Sandeep Sandilya, Sri AM Rao, Sri Srinivas Prasad, Bharani Aroll And others were felicitated
Speaking on Building Social & Economic Development through Women Empowerment Swati Lakra said Telangana police are committed for the safety and security of the women.
Speaking on the same subject Ms Suchitra Ella made a request to extend SCSC services to the industries in Genome Valley. Though the Life Sciences Advisory Council is already formed, it would be good to get the great services from SCSC as a lot of women scientists do look for you. She assured Bharat Biotech the company she represents will serve the nation and protect people with the safest vaccine.
Pratyusha Sharma, incharge for Women Forum of the SCSC said women security is the core vertical of SCSC. It drives women safety. The future seems very big for us, she said.
Allocate dedicated funds to ramp up digital access in the next three to five years to make India $Five Trillion Economy by 2025
“Government must look at offering workable digital access to all, so that 75% of Indian population which lives in the rural/sub-rural rungs, is not left behind in this push”: Vikram Kumar, CEO, Lrnable Group.
The Economic Survey towards the Union Budget 2021 looks at the untapped potential and future of start-up companies and their importance for economic growth.
With added and renewed focus on building a strong digital infrastructure and financial support to Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Infrastructure Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme being extended till 2024-25 along with investment in electricity, technology, power, roads, etc., towards quick adoption of digital learning/online education, the EdTech and skilling sector is assured to meaningfully contribute to Prime Minister’s vision of India becoming a $ Five Trillion economy and making the nation the Skill Capital of the World.
The survey also points out at intensifying the focus of the government in areas such as education and health, and, embracing technology along with digital inclusion.
Education/Learning (and awareness of it), is the most powerful wheel for change. The dimensions of learning and assessment will see a quick transformation with new technologies and integration of various allied tools and techniques making education reach every doorstep of India.
But the race between education and technology can also lead to inequality and broader divide between those with access and without, if the latter, in remote areas, are unable to access technological innovations.
Thus, in the Budget, Government must look at offering workable digital access to all so that 75% of Indian population which lives in the rural/sub rural rungs, are not left behind in their quest for acquiring learning & skills. A dedicated fund may be a good initiative and act as a catalyst to ramp up the digital access for learning, across length and breadth of the country.
Notably, in the US, inequality is being witnessed now. Learning from the global practices, we can see what needs to be done, in terms of immediate allocation of funds, especially to leverage the demographic dividend of India.
An estimated 121 million jobs were lost during the COVID-19 period, reports say. The reason is stringent skills assessment during COVID, towards employing only those employees who remain relevant to the company.
Also, the Indian workforce observed the highest skill gap, where 94 per cent of employees reported a skill mismatch. The solutions are available; there are various EdTech start-ups and skill providers, which need a boost, towards bridging this gap. The companies in this space must respond to the current challenges of students, institutions, and employers across different industries.
Lrnable Group, through its ecosystem, is targeting to train about 50 lakh students & professionals, aspiring to enter the job market/transform their skills, in the next two years. The Group intends to create India’s first sustainable and inclusive academic learning, workforce transformation, talent mapping and management ecosystem through its Mytat and Lrnable platforms.
Currently, it is looking at forging alliances with academic institutions, organisations and corporates across the nation. The outreach plan for 2021-22 is to reach at least 50 cities across eight to 10 states.
The company currently offers skill-building across many sectors including IT/ITES, and pharmaceuticals. We have helped some of our partners reduce hiring times by more than 60 per cent.
“2021 will be the year of recovery for the entire economy globally and in India. I believe the Indian automobile industry will play a prominent role in the revival of the Indian economy. Industry-focused plans, policies and support by the government will energize the industry and sustain the momentum. The upcoming 2021-22 Union Budget should focus on strengthening the manufacturing sector, in keeping with the government’s visionary Make-in-India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. The government has already taken some positive measures in this direction with the introduction of the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, but there is a need for more clarity.
The automobile sector has experienced a rough phase for over two years now. The industry witnessed some of the major technology upgrades in terms of emissions and safety standards, besides going through the worst slowdown cycle, which was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Being optimistic, we believe that the worse is behind us and a united effort all of us in the automobile ecosystem will help recovery.
The government can play a critical role in reviving the industry confidence. It should reduce the GST rate to 18% from 28%, introduce a scrappage policy, along with an incentive or tax rebate. We would also welcome a special allowance or rebate on R&D on green vehicles such as EV, hybrid and other alternative fuel vehicles.”
ByMr. Madhusudan Ekambaram, Co-Founder & CEO, KreditBee and Co-Founder, FACE (Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment)
The anticipation around the Union Budget 2021 is tremendous, especially for the fintech industry, considering the seam it has picked up in 2020. Given the surging prominence of digital initiatives in multiple facets, further attention needs to be given to the budget, towards enhancing its application and effectiveness. The multi-pronged implications of the same could be tax and policy reforms for the start-ups and tech-centric firms, prominent support towards strengthening the digital infrastructure, and profound support towards local innovation in the Make in India initiative.
Further, a clear and detailed guideline on global listings is the need of the hour as more fintech players are ready to list their companies on foreign stock exchanges while awaiting clarity on legal requirements, taxes, and other details. Foreign listings can help fintech players get greater access to capital and enjoy more exposure to a larger investor base. Guidelines clarifying where the companies can get listed and taxations are one of the sector’s key expectations from the budget.
While the government’s effort towards providing liquidity support to financial institutions is appreciable, its efficacy can be improved by covering alternative lenders (like digital lenders). The same can be ensured with an institutional framework providing liquidity to the NBFC industry, holistically. While efforts have already been made towards instituting a regulatory framework for digital lenders, a definite stance is awaited.
By Prof. Sanjay Gupta, PhD, Vice-Chancellor, World University of Design
Union Budget 2021-22 is the most anticipated event that every sector has its eyes on. While the pandemic staggered the economic growth of the country in the year 2020, it taught lessons in its own unique way – the biggest take-home being the need to be self-reliant. To achieve self-reliance the upcoming budget needs to invest more in make-in-India as also Design-in-India besides ensuring that both gets supported by a renewed emphasis on education, vocational training and infrastructures of universities.
The past year has highlighted the value of digitization and remote work environment. Schools and colleges have been no exception. It thus makes it evident that there will be high expectations from the government to provide a strengthened internet groundwork and even tougher data protection as more and more educational institutes will look at the medium to reach out to students, to teach and to help students get past their curriculum; thereby requiring students’ information to be critically guarded.
At the same time, as a Design-oriented institution, World University of Design hopes to see improved grants from the government in the field of education especially design education. Design assists innovation – the most powerful engine of economic growth, the future of a new-age India. The notion of “Atmanirbharta” or self-reliance would totally lie on the shoulders of the youth who would need to be equipped with not just better educational 4.0 but also with design thinking to enable innovation across diversified sectors & products. Design is an important as well as much sought out aspect in the current scenario owing to the shifting consumer trends from mere functionality to aesthetics and user-friendliness of products. It is natural at the moment to expect more measures to be taken in the upcoming fiscal in the domains of innovation, research, and technology – all of them benefit the basic infrastructure of an autonomous nation not depending upon imports from vigorously growing manufacturing giants like China and smaller ones like Vietnam, Myanmar, etc.
At WUD we also believe that whilst causing a major alteration in way of life in 2020 the pandemic brought the focus squarely on digitization in a game changing way. Businesses transformed, moved to e-platforms, and in so doing changed consumer behavior altogether. In the post-pandemic era, many businesses are expected to thrive on virtual platforms making returns on investment much larger, customers will continue receiving merchandise on their doorstep making their lives convenient while buying the best in quality and variety from a centralized global market. This said the situation would need a dramatically good number of creative thinkers working on online apps compatible with various OS and robust customer service and logistics systems to provide top-class services – leading to a flux in the need of D-School graduates. The era, if well tapped could be seen as an opportunity to take India a notch above other developing nations, by making use of fresh innovative minds to invent something revolutionary; next by generating employment for the executing team members, marketing team ending into a long and comprehensive chain supplying to the end consumer.
As a University that is home to over 700 students and 40 resident faculty members, World University of Design seeks information in the union budget announcement about a safe, well networked and efficient vaccination programme for students. It is a necessity to provide the Covid19 vaccine to pupils across the country so that physical classes could be restored. While distant learning has been a great way of teaching all along the past one year and as an institute, WUD never ceased its proceedings in teaching its students, it is mandatory for students of a Design Institute to practically be present, learn while doing, from each other, and be exposed to new ideas and techniques.
We are certain that the Narendra Modi government will do justice to its own motto and strengthen the connection between its ideals and the strengthening of the nation via its students.
BENGALURU: Despite 2020 being a year of far-reaching and rapid transformation in how people live, collaborate, and connect, the global Zendesk (NYSE: ZEN) Customer Experience (CX) Trends Report 2021 shows the customer experience is increasingly crucial to business success and that the most successful companies are adopting new technology at record speed. In fact, new data released today shows that half (53%) of organisations in APAC are planning to invest in CX software more in 2021. At the same time, two in five (44%) customers in the region say that experience is more important to them now compared to a year ago and 67% of companies say their organisation prioritises CX more than a year ago. This view is also echoed by a majority of companies (90%) and customers (56%) surveyed in India.
The report looks at the top trends in customer experience through the Zendesk Benchmark, a unique data index on how more than 90,000 companies use their support solutions. The global report also includes survey insights from India, as well as the US, UK, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, Korea, Italy, the Nordics, and Benelux.
“We’ve seen companies in APAC embrace digitalisation at an incredible speed this year in response to the dramatic shifts in the operating landscape they’ve had to navigate. Customer experience has never been more important, and we think this accelerated adoption of technology is likely to continue in 2021. Organisations need to ensure they have the right strategies, processes and technology in place to empower customer support teams and drive business success,” said Wendy Johnstone, Chief Operating Officer, APAC, Zendesk.
Further highlighting the acceleration of technology, a Gartner survey conducted in 2020 found that 91% of organisations said that CX was one of or the primary goal of their digital business transformation efforts.
“Even as businesses in India are looking forward to a new year of possibilities and are gradually returning to their workplace, one thing remains – the new normal is here to stay. The pandemic has accelerated the digital wave in the country within just a matter of days, raising the bar of customer expectations and demands. The CX Trends Report 2021 highlights how a seamless customer experience (CX) journey can elevate the overall experience and satisfaction that a brand offers its customers to drive longer lasting loyalty”, said KT Prasad, MD and RVP, India & SAARC, Zendesk.
From navigating changing behaviours to adopting new channels to reimagining the workforce, the Zendesk CX Trends Report 2021 gives companies a roadmap to navigate this new CX landscape so they can champion good customer service at every turn. Top findings include:
Stay ahead of the digital curve: Companies are adopting technology at light speed, and it’s adapt or get left behind. In India, 73% of the customers are willing to spend more for a better online experience, while 40% of customers will switch to a competitor after one bad experience. On a macro level, organisations identified as ’high-performing’ in APAC based on customer service metrics such as CSAT and reply speed, are more likely to have adopted omnichannel solutions, with over half (54%) offering self-service in addition to other key channels including phone, email or messaging, compared to just 20% of low performers.
Be part of a more conversational world: As customers adopt new behaviours, the soaring popularity of messaging apps opens the door for more streamlined, conversational experiences. Ninety-three percent of customers in India have tried a new way to get in touch with customer service in the last year – the highest in the region. For many, that includes using messaging for support requests over apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, which have spiked significantly during the pandemic with social messaging up 117% in APAC since February 2020.
Realise the power of employee experience: In an increasingly distributed world, companies must rethink how they work smarter across teams. Many employees across APAC still don’t feel like they have the right tools to succeed in this new and often distributed environment, whether it’s keeping track of their performance indicators, staying connected with their colleagues, or feeling supported by their companies. However, employees in India feel otherwise. Only 14% of managers in India say they don’t have the right analytics tools to measure success for remote teams, and 13% of agents don’t have the right tools to work successfully from home – the lowest in APAC.
Set teams up for success by emphasising agility: Facing continued volatility, service and support organisations must find ways to keep up with their customers. Customer experience leaders cited the ability to quickly adapt to the evolving needs of customers as their biggest challenge in 2020 and the highest priority going forward.
Make it easier for customers with a focus on CX: Unprecedented in speed and scale, the recent surge in online channels puts pressure on companies to meet rising expectations as customer experience takes center stage. The vast majority (72%) of customers in India say they are willing to spend more with a company that offers a good customer experience, while 62% will take their business elsewhere following bad experiences.
Additional resources
● For more, including data and insights by region, industry and company size, go to LINK to read the full report.
● Check out the virtual event, “CX Trends 2021” here
Methodology
This annual look at the top trends in customer experience combines analysis of the Zendesk Benchmark, a unique data index on how more than 90,000 companies use their support solutions, with the results of surveys gauging the attitudes of more than 8,000 consumers, customer service agents and managers, and technology buyers, in 15 countries, including US, UK, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Spain, Japan, Mexico, India, Singapore, Korea, Italy, the Nordics, and Benelux.
About Zendesk
Zendesk is a service-first CRM company that builds support, sales, and customer engagement software designed to foster better customer relationships. From large enterprises to startups, we believe that powerful, innovative customer experiences should be within reach for every company, no matter the size, industry or ambition. Zendesk serves more than 160,000 customers across a multitude of industries in over 30 languages. Zendesk is headquartered in San Francisco, and operates offices worldwide. Learn more at www.zendesk.com.
New Delhi: Astute Care celebrated the 72nd Republic Day by launching ‘Delhi Swachhta Abhiyaan’, which is a series of special cleanliness drive in Delhi. The facility and home sanitization major pledged 100 hours of cleanliness drive in the capital city. The first leg of the campaign was carried out in Dwarka sector 5 and on 1st February it will begin the second leg of the campaign. The second leg of the campaign will be carried out at the Dwarka sector 10.
The Delhi Swachhta Abhiyaan aims to create consciousness vis-à-vis waste management for a ‘Cleaner and Greener’ Delhi by taking a small step to make big difference. Four cleaning crews and one executive will gather at the location and start sweeping to make the place neat and clean. Astute Care will also collect trash and dispose of it in the nearby MCD disposal center.
Speaking about the initiative, Capt. Shaji Kumar, Founder, Astute Care said, “At present, awareness is the need of the hour and it is imperative for meeting hygiene standards across industries and the nation at large. The government has played its part well with nationwide Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. Now, we envision carrying the torch forward with the launch of our Delhi Swachhta Abhiyaan, a 100-hour cleanliness drive. Ahead of Republic Day, Astute Care will not only clean relevant regions but also increase people’s awareness around how they can contribute to nation-building by becoming a part of the movement. We have planned to cover the whole Delhi region.”
Astute Care carries out such a cleaning drive every year and devotes 100 hours towards the cause of cleanliness. The organization has pledged to keep on creating positive changes every year and maintain awareness towards Health & Hygiene.
A part of Astute Outsourcing Pvt. Ltd., Astute Care provides Home, Workplace, Commercial, and Industrial Sanitization and Disinfection services in Delhi-NCR. Some of its offerings include Sanitization, Deep Cleaning, Upholster Cleaning, Carpet Care, Post Renovation Cleaning, Pre-Housewarming Cleaning, Pre-Post Party/Event Cleaning, Society Common Area Cleaning and Pest Control service alongside others.
“It will be interesting to see if the government uses this opportunity to announce structural reforms to further accelerate the ease of doing business in India. Measures such as recognition of SAFE like instruments, relaxation of pricing norms with respect to such instruments and tax holidays will give new impetus to this endeavour. This will also be an opportunity to course-correct on some of the past actions which have hampered new investments to India such as the ambiguity created by the Press Note 3. It is imperative that the government provides clarity with respect to the minimum beneficial ownership percentage which should be exempt from the general restrictions- this will not only help with the new investments but also clear the roadblocks in so far as existing investments are concerned.”
