Ashok Leyland Launches BOSS LX and LE with i-Gen6 Technology

Ashok Leyland, the flagship Company of the Hinduja Group and India’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, today launched the BOSS LE and LX Trucks, with i-Gen6 BS-VI technology in BS6. BOSS Brand has been one of the leading brands, from Ashok Leyland, in the Intermediate Commercial Vehicle (ICV) segment. These two vehicles will address the 11.1 tonne to 14.05 tonne GVW market. Customers can choose from multiple combinations – Loading span from 14ft to 24 ft and body type options of high side deck, fixed side deck, drop side deck, cab chassis, container and tipper. Prices of BOSS LE and LX start from INR 18 Lakhs, ex-showroom Mumbai / Delhi / Chennai.

The BOSS platform offers multiple applications including usage for parcel & courier, poultry, white goods, agri-perishable, e-commerce, FMCG, auto parts and reefer, among others. Customers can choose from two cabin options and expect multiple improvement over BS-IV technology like up to 7% higher fluid efficiency, up to 5% better tyre life, up to 30% longer service interval and up to 5% lower maintenance cost. BOSS will be available as a fully-built option with class-leading ergonomic and safety features for the driver. It comes bundled with digital solutions like i-Alert, remote diagnostics.

Mr. Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland, said, “We have been on track with our plans, despite the challenging year we are all facing. Starting with the AVTR launch, followed by DigitAL Nxt suite of digital solutions, BADA DOST and now the BOSS ICV trucks, we aim to give our customers the latest and most advanced products and technology.  With this launch in our BOSS range, our ICV offering is now one of the best in the market. ICVs are seeing a spurt in demand and this is the best time to introduce our proven I-Gen6 BS-VI technology in one of our best-selling brands in the portfolio. These launches will further strengthen our portfolio and help us achieve our Vision of being in the Global Top 10 CV makers.”

Mr. Anuj Kathuria, COO, Ashok Leyland, said, “We have been steadily gaining market share in the ICV segment for the past eight years and our brand, BOSS, has been leading that growth. From 6% market share in FY12, we are now selling over 20% ICVs in the Indian market. With the new BOSS LE and LX, we have further improved on our USPs of higher fuel economy and durability, making it a compelling choice for ICV customers. These new vehicles address a fast growing segment, which demands high uptime, for long distances. We are confident that the new BOSS will not only drive us towards a cleaner future, with its i-Gen6 engines, but also contribute to our Vision of being in the Top 10 Global CV Makers. A true example of ‘Aapki Jeet, Hamari Jeet’, BOSS promises to deliver higher profitability while keeping the operations stress-free for customers.”

The BOSS LE and LX comes with 4 Yrs /4 Lacs Km warranty which can be extended up to 6 years.  It also comes with 4 hrs Response and 48 hrs restoration promise.  Considering the high uptime requirement for these vehicles, it will be supported with ‘Quick accident repair’ and will have an exclusive bay at workshops. Customers have 3000+ touch points for ease of access to sales and aftersales support, all supported by 24x7 customer assistance Uptime Solution Centre and Service Mandi network.

Bengaluru Residential Markets on Path of Recovery, as Consumer Demand Shifts to Peripheries: Magicbricks PropIndex Report

* Searches amongst the BHKs and size buckets in Bengaluru remained  unchanged pre-COVID vis-à-vis post-COVID

* Consumer preference in Bengaluru is focused in peripheral areas

* Mid-segment configurations (2 & 3 BHKs) continued to drive most traction

With the easing of the economy due to the gradual process of unlocking, the residential real estate market of Bengaluru has scaled back to normalcy as searches for property grew by 47% in the July–September quarter after witnessing a fall of 14% during the April-June quarter amid COVID lockdown, reports the latest Magicbricks PropIndex Report for the July-September 2020 quarter.

A clear demand shift towards affordable housing was witnessed during the September ending quarter, as searches increased for properties costing less than Rs.5,000/ sqft. However, home buyers are retaining size preference but reducing budgets to move to the periphery regions as revealed by the Magicbricks PropIndex Report.

Interestingly, the decline was witnessed in the sub-Rs.7000/sqft price buckets. Under Construction properties continued to be sluggish and posted a 1.5% price dip in Q3 2020. Overall price decline arrested to just 0.5% in Q3 2020 post the onset of unlock process.

Commenting on the PropIndex report, Sudhir Pai, CEO, Magicbricks, said, “The next 6-8 months are crucial for the revival of residential sector. The onset of the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown have changed consumer preferences. Today, the shift is towards affordability as home buyers have reduced their budget but they haven’t changed their preference in terms of BHK or size, they are moving towards the peripheral regions. With the festive season just around the corner, we are witnessing a sharp recovery in demand and prices have remained stable for the July-September quarter. This augurs well for the industry and we hope consumers’ buying sentiment will continue to improve and translate into transactions in the coming quarters.”

It is interesting to note that Bengaluru has a healthy market for most BHK configurations, with demand matching supply. The market is well distributed between affordable and mid-sections, with 2 and 3 BHKs having the largest share of demand and supply, while 1 or greater than 3 BHKs taking up ~10% of the pie. It was observed that Mid-segment configurations (2 & 3 BHKs) continued to drive most traction, and accounted for more than 90%.

Whitefield, Sarjapur Road and Bellary Road continue to be the top 3 micro-markets of Bengaluru due to continuous IT development in the region and the upcoming metro facility. The upcoming metro line in Kanakapura Road has led to a significant rise in demand in Q3 2020. The development of new office spaces such as Amazon and Apple is likely to boost residential demand in close proximity areas.

About Magicbricks: India's no 1 property site

Magicbricks is India’s No.1 property site. With monthly traffic exceeding 20 million visits and with an active base of over 1.4 million+ property listings, Magicbricks provides the largest platform for buyers and sellers of property to connect with each other in a clear, transparent manner. With this in mind, Magicbricks has innovated several product features, content, and research services, which have helped us build the largest audience pool.

DoctorC - Leading Diagnostics Provider Sees 5x Growth in Home Service in South India

DoctorC is a tech-first healthcare provider based in Hyderabad. Their core business is medical diagnostics. Over the past 6 years, they’ve become a leading diagnostics provider in the south, serving lakhs of customers every year.

According to recent data, the number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 has started slowing down, especially in India. While COVID-19 persists to spread fear across the country, healthcare start-ups are leaving no stone unturned to provide some relief to the affected regions. DoctorC, a new age diagnostics player has been on the forefront to extend its services in Hyderabad, Chennai & Bangalore. They have delivered timely assistance to over 50,000 families in the past 5 months, via their home service.

DoctorC has stood strong through the pandemic and is proud to be part of the fight against COVID-19. The home service facility that DoctorC dispenses is hassle-free, affordable, and reliable. They work only with NABL accredited labs to ensure the highest quality of healthcare. Appropriate safety measures are taken to ensure there is no unwanted spread of infection.

The next-gen actress, Ritu Varma said “I used DoctorC’s home service recently. It was a great experience - smooth, hassle-free and in the comfort of your own home. In today’s environment, such convenience, safety, and quality are very much needed! Kudos to the team.”

Speaking on this progress, Neehar Cherabuddi, CEO & Co-founder, DoctorC said “COVID-19 has made consumers more aware of their health than ever before. With the increased adoption of tele-health and at-home testing, customers are able to access high-quality healthcare more easily than ever before.”

DoctorC is currently present in 10 cities, has over 1.2 million registered users, and has an NPS of 70+ across tens of thousands of reviews for their home service. Its partner labs include some of the largest diagnostic chains in the country.

About the company

DoctorC is a tech-first healthcare provider in India. Our core business is medical diagnostics, both at-home (through our own medical teams) and at-provider (through our partner network). Our services include medical diagnostics, tele-consultations, lab software and more. Our mission is to be the most consumer friendly healthcare provider in the world.

We started as a small team coming back to India from Silicon Valley. We were founded in 2014 by Neehar Cherabuddi, Mansi Gandhi, and Karan Kurani to address the problem that healthcare services in India were not designed for consumers.  Today, we stand with a team of over 250+ people and work with some of the best healthcare providers in the country. DoctorC offers the highest quality diagnostic services in 10 cities across India.

Mswipe Helps Brick-and-Mortar Launch their Own Website to Compete with Ecommerce Giants

* Mswipe adds PayByLink for contactless collections from customers

* Small businesses can be part of online commerce

With online commerce witnessing a spiralling demand from customers, Mswipe, India’s leading financial services platform for SMEs, has launched a free-to-use business website to enable small businesses and proprietors to go live online with their own website within minutes.

To enable SMEs to provide seamless digital experience to customers, Mswipe has also launched PayByLink, which can be shared on SMS, WhatsApp or on any social media platform as preferred by the customers to access the digital bill and complete purchase.

Manish Patel, Founder and CEO, Mswipe said, “While the lockdown has impacted the earnings of SMEs, it has also created the opportunity for them to become a part of the digital economy with customers embracing online commerce. Mswipe believes in providing an end-to-end solution to make it easier for SMEs to go digital. With the Microsite and PayByLink, merchants can engage their customers online for product/service discovery, selection and also complete the loop with digital payments. The two offerings, coupled with digital bill and convenience to choose payment method, will definitely help SMEs provide for their customers’ needs just as other ecommerce players.”

SME merchants and retailers can create their own website through their existing account on the Mswipe merchant app by filling in their shop details. They can also quickly add photos and social media links and go live online.  To support SMEs in increasing visibility for their online store, Mswipe will also support in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) of their microsites. 

Close to a fourth of total transactions facilitated by Mswipe are now done through contactless options including NFC, QR and its newly launched PayByLink.

Mswipe has also provided PayByLink as a separate offering to SMEs at Rs.499 plus GST – making it the most affordable solution available to initiate business transactions. Merchants can activate the PayByLink in a few simple steps on Mswipe merchant app.

Mswipe is the only player which has a complete range of digital payment solutions for SMEs in India including UPI QR, NFC based Tap and Pay, POS and Payment Link. The largest POS acquirer in India with 6.75 lakh POS and 1.1 million QR merchants, Mswipe is also the fastest growing issuer with its prepaid Moneyback Card.

Earlier in August, Mswipe announced Bank Box Go – a combination of mPOS, UPI QR and Moneyback Card - an offering that ushered in the era of zero rental and zero MDR. The company has also recently partnered with MyPinPad, a UK-based secure personal authentication solutions provider and Visa to further to propel contactless payments in India.

About Mswipe:

Mswipe aims to be India’s largest financial services platform for SMEs and merchants by providing seamless mobile POS and value-added Services. It is the largest independent mobile POS merchant acquirer and network provider with 6.75 lakh POS and 1.1 million QR merchants across the country. Mswipe offers a host of POS solutions for all types of payment acceptance - cards, wallets, mobile payment apps and bank apps, contactless and QR payments. Headquartered in Mumbai, Mswipe began operations in 2011. Its key investors include B Capital, UC-RNT, Falcon Edge Capital, Matrix Capital Partners, DSG Partners and Epiq Capital.

39% of India Inc. Employees Ready to Return to their Workplaces: TimesJobs Survey

Around 39% of employees in the Indian formal sector are prepared to resume working from office premises amid unlock 5.0, found a TimesJobs survey. The survey titled, ‘Back to Work After COVID’, was conducted to understand the preparedness of both the employees and the employers. TimesJobs surveyed 1,268 employees and 863 HR managers working across different sectors.

Among the employers, nearly, 51% HR managers said that their firms could revoke the work from home policies soon. The rest 48% said that their firms could continue working remotely for some more time.

Here are the key takeaways from the ‘Back to Work After COVID’ survey:

* 23% organisations claimed that they are not yet prepared to resume their office even in unlock 5.0.

* 67% employers plan to provide cab facility to their employees for commuting to maintain social distancing

* 42% employers said that the future workplaces will have strict hygiene protocols as a standard mandate

“The TimesJobs survey findings indicate that organisations are all set to re-open their offices with an array of policy changes and a bunch of safety checks in place. While many employers are eager to get back to work to ensure the business continuity and manage employee productivity, it is certain that the work environment won’t look the same as it was in the past. Companies will have to think how they wish to operate, innovate and compete while getting back to work”, said Sanjay Goyal, Business Head, TimesJobs and TechGig.

Other significant findings of the survey are:

Companies to limit personal contact to ensure employee safety

A majority (65%) of HR managers plan to limit person-to-person contact to ensure safety at their workplace. Nearly, 53% surveyed professionals stated that the focus on hygiene protocols will increase. Almost 50% respondents said that temperature checks will be a mandate at their workplace. 37% said that they will reduce working hours of employees to facilitate cleaning and fogging thereafter.  

No access to cafeteria, gym, and breakout zones

Infrastructure-wise, around 89% of companies plan to implement changes such as placing workstations apart, installation of barriers between two workstations. Almost 69% of them plan to discontinue cafeteria services along with blocking specific areas such as gym, common space, breakout zone, etc.

Touch points such as doorknobs to get replaced by hands-free devices

Nearly, 55% of respondents stated that they will be installing sanitizers at close distances to maintain hygiene at workplace. Next, 59% of them revealed that they plan to replace the touch points (i.e. door knobs, attendance touch points etc) with hands free devices along with changing the surface materials regularly.

Contact tracing and thermal imaging system to detect infected employees

As per 40% of HR managers, their firms plan to implement contact tracing to detect a COVID-19 infected person. As many as 36% of individuals said that they will initiate regular temperature checks of employees. While, 24% of participants said that their company will facilitate installation of thermal imaging system.

Organisations to take strict disciplinary actions to reinforce new workplace practices 

A majority (48%) of the respondents said they will sensitise and educate their workforce about the new workplace conducts. Next, 27% of them revealed that they plan to take strict disciplinary actions against the employees who fail to adhere to the new protocols.

About TimesJobs:

TimesJobs is India’s leading career portal, with a sharp focus on helping companies and businesses connect with competent professionals. With over 25 million registered job seekers across the board and more than 60 million page views every month, it is the most preferred career portal among the ambitious professionals who want to make smarter career decisions and accelerate their career progression.

Kuchipudi Parampara Foundation - Presents its Seventh Edition Natya Parampara Utsav 2020

Kuchipudi Parampara Foundation,Bengaluru Presents its Seventh edition Natya Parampara Utsav 2020 on Saturday Oct 31, 2020,  6.30PM live streamed online on Kuchipudi Parampara Foundation Youtube channel, Facebook page and Instagram.

Programmes will include Recognition & Honouring of the works of senior Kuchipudi Guru of Kuchipudi village Pasumarthi Keshavprasad, Bharatanatyam danseuse Mamatha Karanth Bangalore, Kuchipudi Solos presentation by Raktim chanda disciple of Guru Deepa Narayanan Sashindran, Padmaragini Puttu from Moscow Russia, Geetha Padmakumar from Kerala, Anna Mashak from St Petersburg Russia, Mohiniattam by Gopika Nath from Kerala and concludes with an talk by Guest Guru Sailaja, Kuchipudi Exponent from Chennai.

The event is curated by Deepa Narayanan Sashindran, Kuchipudi Exponent and Life Trustee Kuchipudi Parampara Foundation, Bangalore.

Kuchipudi Parampara Foundation, Bengaluru a Non Profit Trust founded by Kuchipudi Exponent and Managing Trustee Deepa Narayanan is presently offering systematic Kuchipudi dance training and choreography in Bengaluru to bring forth artists of high calibre.

For more information’s contact kpf.bangalore@gmail.com/ 9845315272.

www.kuchipudiparamparafoundation.com

Bank of Baroda with Toyota Kirloskar Motor Introduces Finance Options for Customers & Dealers

In pursuance of its customer-first approach, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the country’s leading public sector bank, Bank of Baroda, to enable finance options for both - its customers and dealers - across a vast number of cities and towns in India.

Following the tie-up, Bank of Baroda will be one of the preferred financiers for the entire range of vehicles sold by TKM. The new service facilitates customers to avail customised solutions such as high on-road funding of 90 per cent, long repayment period of 84 months, no prepayment or foreclosure charges. On the other hand, TKM dealers will benefit from the best Digitized Supply Chain Finance with competitive interest rates.

Sharing his thoughts on the alliance, Mr. Murali Ramaswami, Executive Director, Bank of Baroda, said, “We are delighted to be associated with one of the India’s valuable passenger car manufacturers. This alliance gives us an opportunity to penetrate deep into the relationship with automobile dealers and augmenting our Dealer Finance Portfolio through our branches spread across the country. Given the huge potential to cross-sell our other products to these dealers, we are hopeful that this agreement would give us mutual synergies by way of strengthening  our presence in  supply chain financing segments on one hand and increases market penetration for TKM on the other hand.

Talking about the MoU, Mr. Vikramaditya Singh Khichi, Executive Director, Bank of Baroda, said, “We are very pleased to sign a MoU with Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd for the Auto Loan Finance. This alliance augments our focus on Retail Auto Finance business and will give value to our Customers and Toyota’s customers. With our wide branch network of over 9000 branches, we will be able to finance customers across the country and further penetrate into Auto Loan market share. This relationship will further unleash the potential of both organizations and will augment our MSME segment with Dealer Finance Program and Retail segment with Auto Loan Finance.”

Commenting on the tie-up, Mr. Naveen Soni, Senior Vice President, Sales and Service, TKM, said, “The association is part of our efforts to enable new-age banking and finance solutions for a hassle-free and seamless experience for both our customers and dealers. Under our customer-first approach, we will continue to innovate and offer more options to our customers and dealers reflecting the prevailing needs and emerging market demand. The MoU with Bank of Baroda comes at an opportune time for us, with our recent foray into the B-segment with new models like the all-new Toyota Urban Cruiser. We have also been witnessing good demand from both large and small cities and towns for both Urban Cruiser & Glanza. Under the association, we will have access to their extensive network spread across the country including metros and Tier II and III cities and towns. They are an ideal partner for us and we are delighted and look forward to working closely with them to increase the reach of Toyota products to every nook and corner of India.”

TKM always strives to enhance the customer experience throughout the life cycle by launching timely and relevant schemes for easy finance, sale of old vehicles, service etc. This new association with Bank of Baroda will promote various finance options to customers and dealers at all the branches of the bank to help them with quick and easy access to loans.