Audi India Enhances its Digitalization Focus: Introduces Online Sales and Service Initiatives

Digital

* Simple steps to book your favorite Audi
* Service bookingsgo online with an option of doorstep pick-up and drop
* Augmented Reality (first-in-segment) now available on www.audi.in – customers can scan a QR code to experience their Audi in their personal space
* A 360° Product Visualizer to explore product features in detail
* Audi Shop (www.audiindia.in/audishop) for online purchase of Audi merchandise

Audi, the German luxury car manufacturer, today announced a vital step in its Digitalization journey with the roll-out of digital sales and after-sales offerings. The incorporation of Augmented Reality, a 360° Product Visualizer, and online bookings on the Audi India website bring the buying experience straight to a prospective customer’s fingertips.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India, said, “Digital customer-centric initiatives are a key focus area for Audi in India. We have been at the forefront of enabling and introducing future technologies for our customers – including Augmented and Virtual Reality elements. Taking this Digitalization strategy a step forward, we are pleased to announcedigital sales for our product portfolio and after-sales support for our existing and future customers. While our belief in a digital future is already profound, the advent of Covid-19 has only made it stronger as to how we interact with our customers going forward. With theinitiativesannounced today, we are taking digital experiencesto the living rooms of our customers and offering them theflexibilityto purchase their preferred Audi of choice and even book their next service appointment online.”

Buyers can now familiarize themselves with features, configure their Audi, explore finance options, and place an order, all from the comfort of their home.  Audi was the first luxury car manufacturer in India to leverage Virtual Reality (VR), enabling Audi Q8 and Audi A8 L buyers to engage with, and personalize their cars in a never-seen-before manner.

Further, existing Audi customers can now book a service on the Audi India website and can schedule a car pick-up and drop as per their convenience. Real-time service status updates and online payment options will be added over the course of time.

Mr. Dhillon further added, “Digitalization plays a major role in buying and engaging with a customer. Audi India leaped into 2019 by becoming the first luxury car maker to unveil and introduce a digitalization roadmap – “myAudi Connect”. Digitalization will continue to be at the core of our strategy. As a brand, we are investing holistically in all possible avenues to be ‘Future Ready’. Through all our digitalization initiatives, we want our customers to experience what we stand for - ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’.”

Augmented Reality:

Audi India’s first-in-segment featureis available on the company’s website;customers can scan the QR Code from their hand-held device to experience the Audi product range in Augmented Reality.  Moreover, customers can post fun images of the Audi within their personal environment and can tag Audi India’s Twitter and Instagram page with #AudiShowroomInEveryRoom.

Bharat Financial Inclusion Facilitates Financial Transactions of Over Rs. 100 Crore in 5000 Villages Across 4 States

Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd. (BFIL), a 100% subsidiary of IndusInd Bank, today announced that it has facilitated financial transactions worth over Rs. 100 crore through its wide network of Rural Distribution Service Points (RDSP) in Karnataka, Odisha, Maharashtra and Bihar.

These RDSPs, also known as ‘Bharat Money Store’ is a business innovation by BFIL that offers the convenience of facilitating deposits and withdrawals for the rural population based in remote locations of the country. With the help of a Bharat Money Store, rural villagers can now walk into their nearest kirana/merchant store to make basic financial transactions like repaying loans, depositing money, withdrawing cash, making utility and other kinds of bill payments.   

Bharat Money Stores are actively supporting Government’s efforts at encouraging the usage of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) model by enabling withdrawal at their neighborhood shop for over 4 lakh beneficiaries in Karnataka, Odisha, Maharashtra and Bihar. Given the restrictions on movement owing to the current lockdown in the country, the Bharat Money Stores have also made banking services available to over 5000 villages, thereby impacting the lives of 3.5 lakh people in addition to the 4 lakh DBT beneficiaries.

Talking about the initiative, Mr. Ritesh Chatterjee, Head, Bharat Money Store said, “At BFIL, it has been our constant endeavor to nurture and support livelihoods across over 1,20,000 villages. Bharat Money Store as a concept has ushered in the most convenient cash-in, cash-out points in rural areas which is coupled with a friendly neighbourhood guide, who caters to the customer’s financial needs. Through this initiative, IndusInd Bank along with BFIL aims to offer the convenience of making banking services available across the remotest areas of the country, without having to make the customer travel long distances. We strongly believe, this will go long way in building financial inclusiveness and sustainability across unbanked as well as under-banked locations of the country.”

"During the lockdown period, many people in my region received funds from government under DBT. They have been coming to my store to withdraw cash, deposit or transfer money. I am happy to have served customers and supported the government by facilitating DBT transactions at such a critical time", said Raghvendra, a Bharat Money Store merchant from Chincholi in Sulepeth, Karnataka.

The Bharat Money Store is built on the strength of the Aadhaar architecture (eKYC, AEPS) which is central to the Government’s DBT model for distribution of relief fund, as well as the only payment channel to have seen a record increase in transactions volumes in April this year.

SBI General Insurance Launches “Arogya Sanjeevani Health Insurance Policy” Across Indian Market

Recently, SBI General Insurance launched the standard health insurance policy – “Arogya Sanjeevani Health Insurance Policy” SBI General Insurance. The policy provides hospitalisation cover anywhere in India with sums insured ranging from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 5 lakhs.

Pushan Mahapatra, MD & CEO, SBI General Insurance said, “The introduction of Arogya Sanjeevani is a welcome development as this is a product which has been designed at the instance of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) with standard coverage and affordable premiums. We are confident that it will help in achieving the regulatory aim of improving the penetration of health insurance in our country. With the trusted brand name of SBI and our unrivalled distribution reach, we are well positioned to market this product successfully in tier 2 and 3 locations as well as rural areas.  We have ensured that this product is available through all our distribution channels.”

He added, “We are sure that with this product, we will be able to bring more customers under insurance fold. We are happy and excited to introduce Arogya Sanjeevani in SBI General’s bouquet of health offerings like our other health plans named Arogya Premier, Arogya Plus and Arogya Top up.”

Arogya Sanjeevani will cover the hospitalisation treatment cost of COVID–19 and will help in making affordable health care more accessible in times like these.

For more details of the policy, the customers can visit to the website of SBI General Insurance - https://www.sbigeneral.in/portal/

About SBI General Insurance Company Limited:

With the strong parentage of SBI, we, at SBI General Insurance, are committed to carry forward the legacy of trust and security; and to become the first choice for every Indian’s general insurance needs.

Ever since our establishment in 2009, from 17 branches in 2011, we have expanded our presence to around 123 branches pan-India.

We follow a robust multi-distribution model encompassing Bancassurance, Agency, Broking and Retail Direct Channels. Today, our distribution family includes over 22,900 IRDAI certified employees including the State Bank Group employees, and over 12,000 Agents to make insurance easily available even in the remote areas of the country.

On the distribution network front, we have strong distribution partners adding up our reach to every nook and corner of India, with SBI’s over 22000 branch network, other financial and digital partners. Our current geographical exposure covers 125+ cities pan-India with a presence of another 350+ locations through satellite resources.

We currently serve three key customer segments viz. - Retail Segment (catering to Individual & Families), Corporate Segment (catering mid to large size companies) and SME Segment; and are future-ready to serve the growing needs of Indians with new age-processes and services at affordable prices.

Nova IVF Fertility Resumes Operations with Stringent Safety Protocols Implemented in India

Details

* NOVA IVF centres following stringent COVID – 19 safety & prevention protocols
* Maintaining high standards of safety, hygiene and sanitisation for all doctors, staff and visiting patients
* All working counters adhere to social distancing norms

With the COVID-19 Pandemic situation stabilising and businesses are gradually getting back to normalcy, Nova IVF Fertility Clinic is ready to resume its Assisted Reproductive Treatment in regions permitted by local authorities. The clinics are now ready to assist couples seeking ART, however under strict vigilance & safety protocols taken protecting patients and healthcare staff during this time from COVID-19.

Sharing his thoughts, Mr Shobhit Agarwal, CEO, Nova IVF Fertility said, ““Since there was a directive from the Government to stop elective procedures, we at Nova IVF Fertility also took the hard call of stopping all clinical services during the lockdown across all our centres. Now with the lockdown being eased in majority regions, we are delighted to resume assisting couples and encouraging people to come ahead and fulfil their dream of parenthood. The safety of our employees and the community is of utmost importance to us. As an organization, Nova IVF has prepared a comprehensive safety guidelines manual. We have implemented these strict guidelines across all operational centers, ensuring no compromise of our employees or patients consulting with us. These times have in fact been challenging, but we are confident with the stringent protocols in place that Covid-19 will not have a substantial effect on the utilisation of IVF services, just like any other medical services.”

Nova IVF Fertility is adhering to all safety protocols as directed by the government to ensure safety of doctors, staff and all the visiting patients. In fact, the brand has also defined new hygiene norms, including: Use of masks and gloves at all times within the clinics, use of sanitisers and thermal screening at all entry points, frequent hand washing / using sanitizers before and after all procedures, maintaining social distancing throughout the clinic, frequent sanitization of clinic, use of triage questionnaire for staff and patients to identify and avoid high risk individuals, mandatory download of Arogya Setu App, seeing of patients only by appointments, and use of teleconsultation whenever possible.

Dr. Manish Banker, Medical Director, Nova IVF Fertility said, “Many couples who were about to start their treatment had to defer their plans, and even for patients who whose treatment was under way, there was a sudden change in their entire treatment process. We are now pleased to share this great news for couples who had to defer their dreams of parenthood due to the lockdown. We have reopened our clinics as per the Government Guidelines after implementing appropriate COVID-19 protocols to ensure seamless treatments at Nova IVF Fertility. We will continue to strive and pave the way for stress free and healthy pregnancies for all aspiring mothers especially during challenging times such as this.”

About Nova IVF Fertility:

Nova IVF Fertility (NIF) is one of the largest service providers of fertility treatment across India. With an average IVF experience of over a decade our highly experienced IVF specialists and well –trained embryologists, Nova IVF Fertility has successfully achieved over 30,000 clinical pregnancies in the country. With vast international expertise, NIF brings exceptional and ethical standards of processes, protocols, and policies to India. Through personalised treatment plans of medical management, basic ART and advanced ART – all procedures aim to significantly improve the chances of a positive pregnancy. NIF currently operates 25 fertility centres across 18 cities in India (Ahmedabad (2), Bengaluru (3), Chennai, Coimbatore, Hisar, Hyderabad, Indore, Jalandhar, Lucknow, Mumbai (2), New Delhi (2), Kolkata (3), Pune, Surat, Vijayawada, Patna, Ranchi, and Siliguri).

Vedanta Provides Drone Camera with Tablet to Superintendent of Police to Monitor the Movement of People in Chitradurga

Vedanta Iron Ore Business Karnataka has today provided the Office of Superintendent of Police with drone camera along with tablet that would help them monitor and keep a close track of the movement of the people in Chitradurga District. The drone camera and the tablet were handed over to Chitradurga Superintendent of Police Radhika G by Mr. Ravi Nayaka, CSR Member – Vedanta Iron Ore Business Karnataka. Iron Ore Business Karnataka is relentlessly working towards protection and safety of stakeholders & communities around through all possible means.

With social distancing rules in place, the DJI MAVIC 2 PRO drone camera will provide the SP office live aerial view of a large area of the Chitradurga district, helping them work much more efficiently. The drone comes with a maximum top speed of 65 kmph along with having the capability of working at the maximum takeoff altitude of 5000m. This will provide the authorities a lot of flexibility in their surveillance.

Vedanta Iron Ore Business CEO Sauvick Mazumdar said: “In line with Vedanta’s philosophy of Care and Community welfare, we are fully committed in supporting the communities during this distress situation. I am sure, that this drone camera will support the District Officials in efficient monitoring of people and traffic movement thereby creating a controlled space aiding the decline of this pandemic.

Krishna Reddy, Director- Vedanta Iron Ore Karnataka Business said, “Today, we have extended our support to the people helping us battle this pandemic on the front lines. The drone camera shall provide the Office of Superintendent of Police with much needed assistance in monitoring the people of Chitradurga district. Our CSR Team is committed to providing the District Admisitration, with all the required support to create a safe environment for our communities.”

Vedanta Iron Ore Karnataka Business, has initiated several on-ground support activities to overcome this difficult situation. Recently, Vedanta Iron Ore Karnataka Business donated Rs 1 crore to Karnataka’s CM Relief Fund while also handing over 10 ICU cots and 10 Multi- Para Monitor to the District Administration to get these units installed at the COVID – 19 Relief District Hospital. The company has also provided 250 Personal Protective kits and 5,000 hand gloves to the Chitradurga District Police, 100 masks along with sanitizer bottles to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) - Chitradurga and 150 cotton masks to the Department of Mines & Geology (DMG) Chitradurga District.  Vedanta Iron Ore Karnataka Business has also provide 500 sanitizer bottles, 2500 triple layer N95 masks, 500 personal protection kits and an ambulance for emergency medical facilities to the District Collector’s office along with handing over 3400 ration kits to the District Administration Office to help them be well prepared in the current situation. Besides this, Vedanta Iron Ore Karnataka Business distributed 2600 three layered cloth masks to police officers, health workers and the community people across Chitradurga district handmade by local SHG women over the course of two weeks.

Vedanta has planned certain initiatives which will support the nationwide fight against COVID -19 pandemic. Implementation of most of the initiatives are already initiated at Goa, Karnataka and Jharkhand, respectively.

We wish everyone a healthy stay at home.

Havmor Ice Cream Unveils Quirky Brand Campaign for Mother’s Day

India’s favorite ice cream brand, Havmor, has come up with a fun filled digital brand campaign celebrating the precious bond between mother and daughter on this Mother’s Day. In this campaign, ‘Let us celebrate the kid in our Mothers’, the brand has taken a funny and entertaining route to convey the message. A mother is a superhero who fulfills all the desires and protects her children from all the troubles. She stands solid as a rock for her kids and there is no tougher job than being a mother. With this digital film, Havmor wants to bring the child out of every mother which they have lost somewhere in the journey of life. The ad will be launched on YouTube and other online channels on 9th May 2020.

Contrary to other Mother’s Day campaigns, this ad film is completely different from the usual play of portraying mothers in an emotional avatar. Instead, it focuses on the fun part of it where the ad beautifully features a mother doing craziest things around her daughter and enjoying every moment of it. The thought and idea of the digital film has been conceptualized by Story Code who have worked closely with the digital agency Windchimes Communications to bring the idea to life.

Mother’s Day Campaign Video Link: https://youtu.be/v9A0Byx6A4k

Mr. Anindya Dutta, MD, Havmor Ice-cream said, “We are utilizing our social media assets for the first time to celebrate a special day like Mother’s Day with our consumers. This is a very powerful idea to reach out and build an emotional connect and affinity with them. We are confident such initiatives will help in driving preference for the brand in the days to come.”

Commenting on this new digital campaign, Mr. Shekhar Agarwal, Head of Marketing, Havmor Ice Cream, said, “We wanted the film to bring a new side of our Mothers to the fore and allow them to celebrate their human-ness where they have every right to enjoy the kid in them. This campaign certainly stands out a new perspective and yet delivers a powerful message. We believe this new campaign will break the clutter and elevate Havmor`s proposition of being a caring and innovative brand.”

TECNO Unveils Largest Door-Step Delivery Initiative with 35,000+ Retailers Across Indian Market

Highlights

* The initiative will help TECNO’s massive network of 35,000 offline retailers to get back to business by connecting them with consumers
* TECNO’s endeavor will empower customers to opt for the product of their choice and allow them to connect directly with retailers from the safety of their homes
* TECNO to resume operations of its Noida factory and service centers in accordance with the zoning regulations of the government

TECNO, the global premium smartphone brand, today launched its unique ‘Doorstep Delivery’ initiative with the largest offline retail network of 35,000 outlets across India in a bid to meet its consumers’ smartphone demand as rules of lockdown are relaxed. The innovative model will help retailer revive their businesses and empower consumers to select the product of their choice from the safety of their homes.

Consumers can reach out to their preferred retailers at https://www.tecno-mobile.in/home-delivery and enter their pin code details to initiate this service. The microsite with a store locator will assist in mapping the retailer and their contact details, and the device will be delivered at their doorsteps by their nearest retailer.

TECNO’s unique initiative will enable its consumers to connect and place order with their preferred retailers as per the zoning guidelines of the government from the comfort of their home.  All orders will be delivered within 24 hours in compliance of the norms and guidelines prescribed by the Government for zones created in the wake of the Covid-19 crises, and consumers will not incur any additional charges.

Commenting on the initiative undertaken by TECNO, Arijeet Talapatra, CEO of TRANSSION India, said, “We are a consumer-centric brand and at the time of crisis, when going out to a physical store is difficult for consumers. We are taking a step towards bringing them closer to our 35,000 retailers. The Doorstep Delivery initiative is an innovative lead generation model that will allow us to create an environment of business continuity that will empower the retailers, the consumers and all those who are involved across the supply chain. Operations will be carried out in conformity with the prescribed advisory and guidelines set by the Government.”

Effective immediately, the doorstep delivery service will include TECNO’s popular smartphones with many segment first features like CAMON 15, CAMON 15Pro and the Spark Go Plus. And consumers can continue to avail the below offers

* Free Bluetooth earpiece worth INR 799 available for limited period only (with Spark Go plus only)
* 1-time screen replacement, and 1-month extended warranty (12+1 month)

As part of the endeavor, TECNO’s 370+ service centers have already resumed operations and will restart its Noida factory in the week starting 11th May, conforming to the advisory and guidelines of the state governments.

To ensure the initiative adheres to the highest safety standards, TECNO has assured that its retailers would ensure safe and hygienic delivery, following all statutory requirements and regulations of the Government. Earlier, TECNO also announced initiatives like implementing a two-month warranty extension policy for its smartphones whose warranty expires during the period between March 20 and May 31, 2020.