Spinny Sees 400% Increase in Queries and Home-Test Drive Requests from Women

Spinny – a complete online-to-offline retail platform for buying and selling preowned or used cars – has sold more than 1,200 cars since lockdown 4.0 began. The company has observed a 400% increase in queries from women buyers since preowned cars are now considered a ‘necessity’ for urban households. For the safety of all customers and employees, Spinny has processed all orders #WithExtraCare via a contactless delivery system. 

As women are inconvenienced by social distancing and other COVID-19 related restrictions, owning a car is now seen as the swiftest, safest way of personal mobility. Due to the liquidity crunch, however, along with other customers, women are opting for preowned cars. Therefore, Spinny is providing a safe modern-day solution at each touch-point keeping ‘Customer Convenience’ and safety at the center of every experience. Since the lockdown, the number of women customers is estimated to be 20% compared to 10% women car buyers in 2019.

Commenting on the trend of women preferring preowned cars, Niraj Singh, CEO  & Co-Founder – Spinny said: “The ongoing pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for customers, including women. Be it buying, selling, online ordering, home-test drives or home deliveries, we have set industry standards in zero-contact processes.  Men try but women helm the responsibilities of the safety of the family in a household, and with the rising enquires, it's evident that women wouldn't compromise in safety in transportation for any household.''

 In its Home Test Drive #WithExtraCare, Spinny rigorously follows the necessary precautions as per WHO guidelines, with safety as the top priority. Once on the website or app, buyers go through three simple steps for zero-contact home delivery of their chosen car. Thereby, Spinny has processed numerous orders since lockdown 4.0. In facilitating online purchases, the process is wholly transparent. The car’s entire history is online with HD images covering every angle of the vehicle. Customers are given a real-time virtual tour in viewing the car. All Spinny cars displayed on the portal are available for a home-test drive at the customer’s convenience.

Besides, Spinny stringently ensures employee hygiene. Screened for temperatures daily, the staff adheres to all social distancing norms while attending to customers. Across cities, Spinny car hubs function as deep sanitization zones where each car is sanitized before and after every test drive with special focus on frequently-touched areas. During the test drive, customers receive a complimentary safety kit comprising masks, gloves and sanitizers. Once satisfied, the customer can buy the car on the spot after the test drive or request home delivery. 

Spinny is redefining the auto retail of preowned cars via its seamless ‘phygital’ purchase process. Since its inception, Spinny has earned the trust of 10,000-plus customers. Currently, it operates in six cities – Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune – via 10 car hubs. With its No Haggling Fixed Price Assurance, 1-Year Warranty and 5-Day No Questions Asked Money-Back Guarantee, Spinny has gained customers’ trust while augmenting their premium buying experience.

About Spinny

Spinny is a full-stack car-buying platform for the young Indian, enabling a car buying experience that is simple and delightful. Though in the early stages, Spinny has been appreciated by its customers with an above 4.5 out of 5 ratings from Spinny car owners – and a 78% NPS and 35% referral purchases. Headquartered in Gurgaon, Spinny employs 500-plus people across 6 cities in India.

An IIT-Delhi alumnus, Niraj Singh (Founder & CEO) is a serial entrepreneur and investor. Spinny was born out of his desire to deal with a core area that directly addresses the customer’s challenge – in this case, a car. He noticed the absence of a platform that offers a completely trustworthy and premium experience to people purchasing second-hand cars, even though they are spending a significant amount and the purchase is a very aspirational one for them. He was determined to solve this problem by eliminating the distrust and making the process simple and straightforward for customers.

Aakash Educational Services Offers Digitized Futuristic Platform for Education Community with SAP S/4HANA

With the aim to digitize education and transform student experiences, by steering innovative mindsets in the current COVID era, Aakash Educational Services Ltd. (AESL), a national leader in test preparation services, embarked on a digital transformation journey with SAP S/4HANA. This SAP adoption is an important step towards enabling AESL to offer a digital futuristic platform for the education community at large.

With the education industry shifting from a classroom to an online setup in the current pandemic environment, AESL made a swift decision to standardize their business processes and bring in operational efficiencies that can offer quality digital education services to internal as well as external stakeholders. They chose SAP’s next-generation Digital Core, SAP S/4HANA an intelligent, integrated ERP system that helps revolutionize business processes with intelligent automation. This digital upgradation will further lay the foundation of AESL towards financial transformation on which the company can scale, grow and be future-ready.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr Aakash Chaudhry, Director and CEO of Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL), said: “We are investing heavily in technology to digitize our entire business model and systems, so that we stay with times and improve our offerings to our next-gene customers.  We trusted SAP S/4 HANA to become our technology architecture that seamlessly integrates our processes and services to align with the future plans of the company.” 

“India has the world’s largest population of about 500 million students in the age bracket of 5-24 years and this provides a great opportunity for the education sector. There is a huge need to adopt transformative and innovative approaches for further development in the education system,” said Parvesh Ghai, Vice President Sales, North & East India, Bangladesh, SAP. “We support institutes like AESL that believe in ‘digital transformations’ by bringing vast opportunities for taking the education and learning experience to the next level.”

AESL also plans to adopt industry best practices and gain a competitive advantage to stay ahead in the industry. This step towards digital transformation further lays the foundation of business growth and expansion planned for the coming years.

About Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL)

Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) provides comprehensive test preparatory services for students preparing for Medical and Engineering Entrance Examinations, School/Board Exams and Competitive Exams such as NTSE, KVPY, and Olympiads. AESL believes that the “Aakash” brand is associated with quality coaching and a proven student selection track record in various Medical and Engineering Entrance Examinations, Scholarship exams & Olympiads. 

With over 32 years of operational experience in the test preparatory industry, the company has a large number of selections in Medical & Engineering Entrance Exams and several Foundation level Scholarship exams/Olympiads, a pan India network of 200+ Aakash Centers (including franchisee), and a student count of more than 250,000.

The Aakash group also owns famous K-12 EdTech brand, Meritnation.com as well.

Emirates Will Cover Medical Expenses If Passengers Catch Covid-19 Pandemic

Emirates airline, the United Arab Emirates flag carrier, has become the world's first airline to offer to cover customers' medical expenses and quarantine costs should they contract Covid-19 during their trip.

The airline will pay medical expenses up to €150,000 ($173,000) and quarantine costs of up to €100 for 14 days, should they be diagnosed with the coronavirus during their travel, while away from home.

The cover will be available to all customers, at no extra cost, from now until October 31, 2020. It's valid for 31 days from the moment they fly the first leg of their trip, so passengers can continue to have the benefit even if they travel onwards from their Emirates destination.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates group chairman and chief executive, said in a press release, "Emirates has worked hard to put in place measures at every step of the customer journey to mitigate risk of infection, and we have also revamped our booking policies to offer flexibility.

"We are now taking it to the next level, by being the first in the industry to offer our customers free global cover for Covid-19 medical expenses and quarantine costs should they incur these costs during their travel."

While Emirates is the first airline to take this step to boost traveler confidence, it's not the first player in the tourism industry to offer Covid payouts.

Central Asian nation Uzbekistan has promised the sum of $3,000 as compensation to visitors who contract Covid-19 while vacationing there.

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus, meanwhile, which reopened its borders to selected countries in June, is pledging to cover the cost of lodging, food, drink and medication for visitors who test positive for the virus during their stay.

Emirates is regularly named one of the world's top airlines in Skytrax's prestigious annual awards.

The UAE's strategic location between Oman and Saudi Arabia makes it a key connection for travelers heading from the West to the East and vice versa.

The airline's HQ is at Dubai International Airport, named the world's third busiest airport in 2018, and the carrier will be keen to resume its once bustling international operations.

BOCI and Karnataka State Bus Owners Federation Seek Help from Government Due to Financial Crisis

 

Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India - (BOCI) & Karnataka State Bus Owners Federation Bangalore representing district association of bus owners operating buses from various district of Karnataka and neighboring states urged the Karnataka government to provide immediate relief to the public transport sector which is on a  stand still due to COVID 19 lockdown. The public transport sector has requested waiver of taxes, deferment of tax payments, extension of vehicle insurance validity, increase in price/fare on tickets, extending the loan moratorium and subsidies on diesel and tax reduction on spare parts for a stipulated period which would help reduce the vehicle running cost to save the sector from collapsing.

The Current fleet of vehicles under the Private Passenger Services is approximately 4lakh in Karnataka. The extended lockdown has hit the sector hard with many operators in dire straits and on brink of closure.  When compared to other countries, in India public transport sector does not receive financial support, instead it has severe burden of taxation including GST on tickets and purchase of vehicle tires and spares, GST and CESS on fuel and lubricants and toll tax.

Considering social distancing norms and only half the seats being used, paying tax for all seats per quarter in advance has affected the transport operators badly.  Due to non-operation of vehicles for more than four months, it has impacted the public transport sector severely. The layoff has also caused tremendous inconvenience to commuters, the salaried middle-class and unprecedented hardship for migrant daily wage laborers in India who depend entirely on public transport for their commute. The sector has made several representations to the authorities in the transport department, Ministries of state and to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka to draw their attention to multitudes of issues faced by the sector and have urged urgent action to alleviate their pain.

The key asks of the sector to various authorities in the Government of Karnataka are:

Waiver on Motor Vehicle Tax for six months

Extension of Vehicle Insurance

Increase in price in tickets

Waiver on Toll tax for public transport vehicles

Reduction in State tax & CESS on Diesel for public transport sector vehicles for next six months

Portal access to interact with RTO for payment of fees, documentation etc. avoid person to person contact and reduce virus spread

Insurance coverage to drivers and transport workers plying during pandemic to ferry passengers, essential goods

Allow utilization of ESI / EPF funds to pay staff salaries

Viability Gap Funding for Public Transport

Deferment of EMI payments for next 6 to 12 months

Addressing this concern, Mr. Rajavarma Ballal, All India Sectorial Vice President of Stage Carriage Service Sector, Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI) said, “Transport sector is one of the major sectors contributing to the economy of the state and the nation. Government must provide necessary support to revive the sector in these critical times by providing tax exemption and extension of loan repayment tenure amongst other provisions. Though Banks have extended the moratorium for few months, but they should extend the mortarium by waiving interest to existing loans because more than 80% of the vehicles are usually financed and many are availing the moratorium. The Central Government has also provided COVID loan facilities for MSMEs. But as per the provision the loan facilities can be availed only by the owners of the travel companies. This loan facility must be extended to the individual owners who are using their personal vehicles for transport.  Also, the economic relief announced by the government to the public sector transportation must be extended.”

Mr. Prasanna Patwardhan, President, Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI) said, India moves on public transport, as more than 90% of our people use it for their daily mobility needs. We have over 17 lakh operational buses on Indian roads, out of which, about 1.50 lakh buses are operated by various STU’s. The remaining 15.5lakh buses, accounting for almost 30 Crore passenger trips, are run by private operators which are the member of various Associations & Federations affiliated to Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI). Being a labor-intensive sector, we request the government to support and save the sector from a total collapse. The fiscal relief sought will help the sector see through these tumultuous times.”

BOCI has also addressed these issues in a letter to the Honorable Prime Minister requesting for a job security of 1 crore people who have not been paid during the lockdown and requested government to take responsibility to pay salaries for 3 months. Rescheduling of all EMIs and Banks should be instructed to reschedule loans by giving at least six months moratorium period to all customers and to waived off the interest for the moratorium period. Banks and NBFCs should be advised to provide top-up working capital at low interest rates to resume business.

Dettol & PVR Cinemas Come Together to Enable ‘Safe and Hygienic’ Movie Viewing Experience

Dettol, the leading germ protection brand, today announced its partnership with PVR Cinemas, India’s largest and the most premium film exhibitor. The partnership will help create a safe, hygienic, and enjoyable movie viewing experience for its customers once the cinemas can open in accordance with government guidelines and permissions. Adhering to the ‘new normal’, the partnership program will enable & develop enhanced cleaning and sanitizing protocols for the guests across 175 properties operating in 70 cities across the country.

Research by Global monitor indicates that consumers have heightened hygiene concerns when venturing outside the comfort of their house, and trust in cleanliness standards will be critical to restarting any business operations. Therefore, it has become highly critical for industries to implement an effective system to ensure standardized hygiene practices to protect oneself and others from this pandemic.

Commenting on the partnership, Pankaj Duhan, Chief Marketing Officer, RB Health South Asia, said, “Even as the lockdown conditions get progressively eased, the Indian consumers concern on germs exposure and desire for protective measures remains very high. As India’s #1 trusted brand for germ protection, Dettol is pleased to partner with PVR for a safe return of the Indian families to a cutting-edge cinema viewing experience.  Our aim is to partner meaningfully together with PVR to provide best in class Dettol germ protection – proven Dettol products to be used in expert vetted protocols so that the consumer is reassured and confident of a safe and hygienic viewing experience.”

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Gautam Dutta, CEO, PVR Cinemas said, “We have spent the last few months brainstorming amongst ourselves and with the world leaders in our industry to come up with best and safest practices for our customers to return to the movies. Having left no stone unturned in ensuring their well-being across all levels, we are pleased to partner with Dettol to guarantee an even cleaner and safer viewing experience. We are positive that the people would enlist the same trust in us as they have in the past decades of our relationship with them.” 

PVR Cinemas will implement stringent hygiene protocols, social distancing and food safety measures, along with minimal human contact across all touchpoints.  All employees will be undergoing health screening daily and fortnightly; and will be wearing PPE gear, face masks, gloves and face shields for extra protection. Further, the entire premises undergo an EPA approved complete ULV sanitization process at regular intervals which helps in coating the surface with anti-microbial layers with electrostatic machines for up to thirty days.

Over 80 years, Dettol has been the trusted partner of health, for millions of mothers across the country, to protect their family by preventing illnesses and infections. In the ongoing battle to contain the spread of COVID-19, Dettol has been instrumental in driving behavior change and the adoption of recommended hygiene practice across India. As a hygiene leader and No. 1 germ protection brand, Dettol continues to drive the organizational purpose and fight in action- to protect, heal, and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world.

YES BANK Launches Banking Services on WhatsApp; Brings 60+ Products and Services to the Popular Messaging App

Uninterrupted banking Now Just a Message Away

* 24x7 Banking assistance, without the need for branch visits for key services

* Fully secure interactions with end to end encryption

* Potential customers can apply for 60+ products and services through WhatsApp

YES BANK announced the launch of WhatsApp banking services to empower customers and enable them to bank securely from the safety of their homes. This is in line with the Bank’s strategy of building a transformed ‘Digital Bank’ by making banking simpler and intuitive for customers.

Customers can now check their savings account balance, view recent transactions & digital banking products, avail loan against fixed deposits, order cheque book, report unauthorized transactions, connect with Contact centre via call or email, apply for 60+ products & services, donate to PM CARES Fund, view COVID-19 relief package, redeem reward points and locate nearby ATMs and branches, all just through a message.

Built on an AI enabled 24*7 personal banking assistant, YES ROBOT, banking through WhatsApp provides convenience as well as highest level of information security - the messages are secured with end to end encryption. Also, the green badge against the Bank’s name ensures that customers are interacting with a verified business account.

Key benefits of YES BANK WhatsApp banking services

* Trained for 10,000+ Banking related queries

* Powered by AI-enabled chatbot, YES ROBOT with Microsoft Azure’s cognitive services

* 24*7 Banking assistance on-the-go

* No additional app download needed

* Safe and secure transactions with end-to-end encryption

* Easy access and convenient banking

Commenting on the launch, Ritesh Pai, Chief Digital Officer, YES BANK, said “We are pleased to offer the convenience of round the clock banking assistance on WhatsApp, a platform that customers are familiar with and use frequently. The banking requests from customers will be addressed on a real-time basis through the messaging platform, thereby making banking more efficient. YES BANK will continue to leverage technology to create simple and innovative solutions for customers to enjoy banking services in a seamless and secure manner.”

To activate WhatsApp banking services:

Missed call: Give a missed call on +91-829-120-1200 to receive an SMS with a link to activate services.           

Save the contact: Save +91-829-120-1200 to contacts, open WhatsApp application and say ‘Hi’ to get started.           

Click Hi: Click on 'Hi' on YES BANK website (bitly link) and start chatting.     

About YES BANK

YES BANK is a ‘Full Service Commercial Bank’ providing a complete range of products, services and technology driven digital offerings, catering to Retail, MSME as well as corporate clients. YES BANK operates its Investment banking, Merchant banking & Brokerage businesses through YES SECURITIES and its Mutual Fund business through YES Asset Management (India) Limited, both wholly owned subsidiaries of the Bank. Headquartered in Mumbai, it has a pan-India presence across all 28 states and 8 Union Territories in India including an IBU at GIFT City, and a Representative Office in Abu Dhabi.

Season 2 of TLC’s Fashion Series ‘Decoded’ Brings Back the Golden Fashion Era on TV

Fashion Series  

* Renowned fashion designers Neeta Lulla, Ken Ferns, Ana Singh, Narendra Kumar and make-up experts Marvie Ann Beck and Clint Fernandes to feature in ‘Decoded Season 2’ on TLC

* Premieres on 27th July on TLC, TLC HD. Viewers can also stream it on Discovery Plus

After the stupendous success of Decoded Season 1, the short-format fashion series is back with its season 2, featuring some of the most celebrated fashion designers from the Bollywood industry like Neeta Lulla, Ken Ferns, Ana Singh, Narendra Kumar and make-up artists like Fernandes and Marvie Ann Beck. Starting July 27, on TLC, TLC HD and on Discovery Plus, the series is all set to take the viewers back in time from the decade of decadence to explore the best from the millennium decade as it decodes the fashion trends of multiple periods, right from the 70s onwards till now.

The 5 episodic series in partnership with leading brands such as OPPO, Bata & Fortune Edible Oils, will feature a celebrity fashion designer and a celebrity make-up artist every week, as they explore the fashion of a particular era and give tips on how to look your absolute best in the 21st century.

The first episode features Indian celebrity stylist Ken Ferns along with the make-up expert Clint Fernandes, where they decode the fashion of the 70s. Episode 2 features ace fashion designer Neeta Lulla and make-up expert Marvie Ann Beck highlight the returning styles and looks from the 80’s. Whereas episode 3 unravels the classic 90s looks in a modern avatar with Bollywood’s celebrated stylist Ana Singh and make-up artist Clint Fernandes. In Episode 4, fashion stalwart Narendra Kumar and make-up artist Marvie Ann Beck take a trip down memory lane to bring best from the early 2000s. The season finale episode brings together the best of fashion and make-up from all 4 episodes.

Talking about the series, celebrity fashion designer Neeta Lulla said, “Any fashion trend never really dies and is often revived after a particular time. We all admire the iconic looks of famous personalities of the 70s and 80s whether it is about those flared pants, polka dotted shirts of the 70s or the Midi dresses became a thing of the 80s Bollywood fashion. Season 2 of Decoded is all about going back in time and unravelling some of the most iconic fashion looks of the golden era, moving towards more recent times and how the styles from the 80s and 90s are returning with extra glam. It was an amazing experience shooting for the leading lifestyle channel TLC and reliving the fashion and make-up trends of the 80s.”

Celebrity make-up expert Clint Fernandes said, “Till now people take inspiration from the golden era when it comes to their look and make-up. Everyone remembers Zeenat Aman’s famous makeup look to have in the 70's included thin brows, bright lipstick and smudged eyeliner to Madhuri Dixit’s 80s look of bright eyeshadow, heavy highlight to metallic lips. Through this series we are going to relook at the make-up styles and the alluring looks of the past. It was fun and amazing experience showcasing how these trends have come back in time, still looking fresh, as the industry experiments with these fascinating looks.”

Watch DECODED SEASON 2, premiering on 27th July on TLC, TLC HD. Viewers can also stream the show by downloading the Discovery Plus.

About TLC

TLC is an in-home getaway for aspirational viewers who want to experience the best the world has to offer. Providing an extensive mix of programming on travel, cuisine, makeover, fashion, relationship, design and music, it encourages viewers to make the most of their time and live the most rewarding and exciting lives. Travel experts share insiders’ secrets of the world’s most fascinating destinations; celebrated chefs and restaurateurs prepare delectable cuisines; lifestyle personalities reveal their techniques for making body, hair, homes and lives more attractive and wandering cameras uncover the coveted lives of the rich and famous.