Omidyar Network India & BCG Survey: RERA Has Created An Implicit Trust In Indian Real-Estate Consumers

* Survey also chalks out important next steps on improving awareness of the law & its provisions as well as the process of grievance redressal

Key Highlights:

High implicit trust in the idea of RERA

Thanks to effective promotion of RERA registration, awareness is high and that has led to the trust in the legislation

The work now needs to be done to build on that trust:

Four areas of improvement: more in-depth consumer understanding & widespread awareness, easy to navigate websites that share project & developer details, swifter grievance redressal, standardised RERA dashboards

Omidyar Network India (ONI) in partnership with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) today launched a report - “Five Years On: An assessment of RERA - The Road Ahead For a Stronger On-ground Regime” which gauges its impact on the crucial real estate sector since its enactment 5 years ago.

The report has found that the law has created an implicit trust in homebuyers because of two factors:  marketing by developers - primarily due to the usage of ‘RERA registration’ of properties as a marketing tool, and financial transparency – because developers must keep consumer payments made towards each project in a separate escrow account. However, the survey has also highlighted that while overall consumer awareness is high, the specific provisions of the law are still not well understood. It also shows that the implementation of the grievance redressal process still has many gaps.

Based on in-depth interactions with over 1300 customers, developers and regulatory authorities, the report highlights the impact of the legislation with each of these stakeholders. The report assesses RERA performance in 5 Indian states across key dimensions — customer awareness & education, transparency, accountability, timely grievance redressal, and overall confidence in the real estate sector. It examines whether the law has been able to address challenges of lack of transparency and efficiency at a micro (householder) and macro (real estate sector) level

According to stakeholder perspectives from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and Karnataka, RERA has been effective in increasing consumer confidence and greater accountability:

●          76% of consumers who were aware of RERA only plan to buy RERA registered properties

●            5 out of 6 consumers seek redressal through RERA

●            Among developers, 64% of those surveyed were highly satisfied with the RERA authority

●          77% of all eligible projects have been registered under RERA

●            55% of developers surveyed were also able to secure loans more easily due to RERA

However, the report also pointed out that there is a lot of work to be done to streamline the understanding of the provisions of RERA, increase stakeholder confidence through even greater transparency and improve the grievance redressal process:

●            30% of consumers surveyed were still unaware of RERA’s role as a regulator

●            1 in 2 (50%) consumers reported being aware of just two benefits of the Act -the mandatory registration of the relevant projects and RERA as a grievance redressal forum  

●            Only 14% of all potential homebuyers have visited their relevant RERA site, and 24% of these consumers said that they were satisfied with the online experience

●            Meanwhile, 45% of all developers surveyed reported dissatisfaction with the RERA website

●            Only 22% of the consumers involved in a grievance redressal process were satisfied due to the uncertain timelines involved

With RERA now having been implemented in 26 states and UTs, this data also urges state RERAs and other policy stakeholders to build on consumer education and awareness, streamline processes and drive adherence across states; evaluate and steer policy-level shifts and thereby, facilitate growth and promotion of the sector.

Here is the Executive Summary of the report for reference.

The report was released by Shri Surendra Bagde, Additional Secretary (Housing), MoHUA, Government of India, Shilpa Kumar, Partner, Omidyar Network India and Neetu Vasanta, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group and will be distributed to the Prime Minister’s Office, Niti Aayog, Chief Ministers, State ministries, RERA authorities and Secretaries amongst other dignitaries in the public and private sector.

Commenting on the launch of the report, Shilpa Kumar, Partner, Omidyar Network India said, “An average Indian household maintains 75% of all its assets in real estate. Combine this with the fact that 66% of civil cases in India are on land & property disputes, and it is obvious that RERA has a critical role to play. Our report shows that in the last 5 years, RERA has begun moving in the right direction, increasing consumer confidence in the real estate sector. However, the report also points to need for more focus on greater consumer awareness, better RERA websites & focussed grievance redressal to further improve consumer confidence in the sector.  This can drive better household balance sheets as well as India’s growth trajectory. Further, the report shows the direct impact good legislation can have on its constituents.”

“It is great to see the boost in consumer confidence that has been created by RERA over the last 5 years in the Real Estate Sector. However, there is still headroom to improve customer experience and unlock efficiencies in the sector by bringing in increased transparency and systemic accountability. A well-executed RERA can further improve private investments by 5-7% and potentially create 4-6 million additional jobs in the sector and related industries.”, Neetu Vasanta, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group.

Speaking at the report launch event, Shri Surendra Bagde, Additional Secretary (Housing) MoHUA, Government of India, said “The real estate sector’s contribution the country’s GDP is significant and our vision is to grant further impetus to the industry and make it a 1 Trillion USD sector by 2030. The real-estate industry shows immense potential to grow once regulated by norms that instill confidence in homebuyers and developers alike. We appreciate the effort undertaken by Omidyar Network India and Boston Consulting Group to present a detailed picture of the on-ground reality and highlight the sector’s unrealized prospects. We believe that the report’s holistic analysis of the RERA ACT, its impact, shortcomings and pragmatic recommendations will resonate with all the relevant stakeholder and thereby propel transformation that will boost the development of the sector.”

ABOUT METHODOLOGY:

Viewpoints of 1300+ stakeholders were included through Primary Research Sources:

1.            RERA consumer research (N=1100+ real estate buyers/intenders) across 5 states: Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and Karnataka

2.            RERA developer research (N=150+ real estate developers) across 5 states: Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and Karnataka

3.            In-depth 1:1 interviews with state-RERA officials

Furthermore, to supplement the findings from the primary research, global and state-level benchmarking was conducted.

About BCG

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we help clients with total transformation — inspiring complex change, enabling organizations to grow, building competitive advantage, and driving bottom-line impact. To succeed, organizations must blend digital and human capabilities. Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives to spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting along with technology and design, corporate and digital ventures — and business purposes. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, generating results that allow our clients to thrive.

About Omidyar Network India

Omidyar Network India invests in bold entrepreneurs who help create a meaningful life for every Indian, especially the hundreds of millions of Indians in low-income and lower-middle-income populations, ranging from the poorest among us to the existing middle class. To drive empowerment and social impact at scale, we work with entrepreneurs in the private, nonprofit and public sectors, who are tackling India’s hardest and most chronic problems. We make equity investments in early-stage enterprises and provide grants to nonprofits in the areas of Digital Society, Education, Emerging Tech, Financial Inclusion, Governance & Citizen Engagement, and Property Rights. Omidyar Network India is part of The Omidyar Group, a diverse collection of companies, organizations and initiatives, supported by philanthropists Pam and Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay.

Dell Tops India’s Most Desired Brands List, Beats Four-Time Leader Samsung Mobiles: TRA Research

* Top 50 brand include 18 Indian, 9 US, 8 Korean and 7 Chinese brands

Austin-based Dell became India’s Most Desired Brand (MDB) in TRA’s 7th edition of the 2021 report, up five ranks from previous year’s sixth position beating four-time leader Samsung Mobile Phones. Mi from Xiaomi became the second Most Desired Brand in India gaining ten ranks from the 2020 report. Home-bound consumers showed a high preference for Televisions and ranked LG Televisions third 9% MDI (Most Desired Index) behind the previous ranked with a climb of twelve ranks over the previous year, closely followed by Samsung Televisions at fourth rank. Apple iPhone fell three positions to be ranked as the fifth Most Desired Brand in India in TRA’s Most Desired Brands 2021 report. The annual report is the seventh in the series and lists India top 1000 desired brands of India arrived through a research conducted among 2000 consumer-influencers from 16 Indian cities. The consumer insights and brand analytics company also publishes TRA’s Brand Trust Report, the 11th edition of which was published recently in December 2020. 

N. Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research, launched the report and said, “Dell in the Laptop Category has made significant strides in gaining pole position as India’s Most Desired Brand. Of the 1000 brands listed in the report, the top 50 lists 18 Indian brands, 9 US brands, 8 South Korean brands and 7 Chinese brands. There are 29 Categories among the top 50 showing a diverse consumer choice, however, Mobile Phones are the most Desired Category with 9 entrants, followed by Laptops and Televisions, with 4 brands each.”

Oppo made an impressive gain of 27 ranks over the previous year to occupy sixth position, followed by LG Refrigerators at seventh with a gain of 22 ranks over the 2020 report. Samsung Mobile phones fell by 7 ranks over MDB 2020 to take eighth rank in the current report. Sony Entertainment Television, the Hindi GEC, fell by 5 ranks to nineth this year despite a growing consumption of TV content and Vivo gained 13 ranks taking tenth place in the current report. 

“The seventh edition of TRA’s Most Desired Brands will be remembered as tumultuous at the least. Among the top 1000, the Super-Categories which added a significant brand count are, Stationery up by 83%, Healthcare up by 42%, Manufacturing up by 40%, and Gadgetry up 21%. Super-Categories which have reduced in brand count are Apparels down by 38%, Retail down 33% and BFSI down 21%. It’s not difficult to guess why pens and pencils have become more desirable than banks during the pandemic”, Chandramouli added. TRA’s Most Desired Brands 2021 is conducted based on TRA’s proprietary Brand Desire Matrix which measures consumers’ expressions of desire on 12 Brand Behaviours of a brand. Covid-related brands feature in the Most Desired list with six Covid vaccines listed and Covaxin leading this group, and four brands in Ayurvedic Immunity Supplements with Patanjali’s Immunocharge leading the list. 

Other significant Category leaders in this TRA’s Most Desired Brands report include ICICI Bank routing eight other brands to lead Private Banks, LG leading two more categories of Washing Machines and Refrigerators, BMW beating its two German rivals to lead Four-Wheeler (Luxury), IPL team CSK beats MI as the Most Desired, Godrej Interio making an impressive climb of 148 ranks to lead Furniture Retail, Livpure galloping 432 ranks to take top position among Water Purifiers, CEAT upping it by 142 ranks to lead Tyres, AMD leading in Semiconductors in its’ debut year, SBI Mutual Fund climbing by 392 ranks to lead the Category, Astral taking a major jump of 649 ranks to lead Pipes Category, Aachi topping the Spices list, Okaya besting the Inverter Batteries segment, Somany ranking first in Ceramics, and Himalaya Opticals leading in Eyecare Retail. 

Annexure: India’s Top 50 Most Desired Brands list. For full list, visit www.trustadvisory.info 

About TRA’s Most Desired Brands 2021

TRA’s Most Desired Brands 2021, the seventh in the Report series, is the result of primary research based on the proprietary 12 Brand Behaviours of Desired that have been studied and identified by TRA Research. This year’s research was conducted among 2000 consumer-influencers across 16 cities and generated nearly 2.5 million data points and 3,000 unique brand mentions, out of which the top 1000 brands have been listed in this year’s Report. 

About TRA Research           

TRA Research, a Comniscient Group company, is a brand strategy and actionable brand insights company, dedicated to understanding and analyzing Consumer Buying Propensity. Buying Propensity is made up of Brand Trust and Brand Desire, which are proprietary Brand Matrices of TRA. TRA continuously conducts primary syndicated research with consumers and other stakeholders to assist brands’ business decisions and give consumer insights on improving a brand’s ‘keenness-to-buy’. TRA provides Consumer Intelligence Reports mined from its 35 million data-points on brand intangibles of 10,000 brands collected over the years, and also undertakes custom-made studies for brands. TRA is the publisher of TRA’s Brand Trust Report, TRA’s Most Desired Brands and TRA’s Most Consumer-Focused Brands. 

Mitsubishi Electric India Announces Launch Of Exquisite & Energy Saving Room Air Conditioners

* With a 5-year PCB warranty and 10-year Compressor warranty under the inverter and non-inverter categories

With the tropical India summer season on the rise, Mitsubishi Electric has been consistent in understanding its customers’ Air Conditioning needs. Mitsubishi Electric is a premium brand for Air Conditioning systems for residential, commercial, and industrial use. The company aims to capture the market and provides its customers with their latest range of Air Conditioning products inverter and non-inverter categories. Its complete Room Air Conditioner (RAC) product range comes with 5-year PCB warranty and 10-year Compressor warranty.Mitsubishi Electric Air Conditioners also provides powerful and advanced multistage air filters – Plasma Quad Connect. These filters effectively prevent viruses, bacteria, Molds, allergens, dust & PM2.5 to give you clean and healthy air.It is a high-performance air Purifying device which can even be installed on existing units, contributing to a better air quality in your room.

Kirigamine Series (MSY-RJS): In 2021 Mitsubishi ElectricIndiahas expanded tsRAC product line up by launchingJapan’s most popularKirigamineSeries as 4 Star Inverter(MSY-RJS)in India. This complete range is being introduced considering the need for premium products with Designer Look to enhance overall aesthetics of your room.Kirigamine has been named after the famous summer resorts in the Suwa City of Japan. Kirigamine Highlands is an eminent &a popular spot with a splendid view of Suwa City in Nagano. With this product, the company will continue to dedicate itself to delivering refreshing comforts for all customers, enabling them to feel as they are in the appealing Kirigamine Highlands. Aesthetically advanced 4-star inverter AC MSY-RJS provides Clean Air with PM2.5 Filter, Fast Cooling, and Long Airflow for large rooms.It comes with Dual Barrier Coating that prevents dust and greasy dirt from getting into the Air Conditioner Which makes its maintenance easier,and Blue Fin for outdoor condenser, which protects the condenser against corrosion from air, water, and other corrosives. MSY-RJS will be available for purchase at selective retail & modern retail outlets across India.

MSY JS Series:MSY-JS series is a 4-star inverter AC that is strong in cooling and big on savings. With built-in features like, Fast Cooling provided just at the click of a button, Long Airflow up to 12m suitable for living rooms, PM2.5 Filter#,Auto Up Down & L-R vane providing a comfortable environment.

MS-GS Series: MS-GS Series, a non-Inverter AC, comes with advancedTropical technology in compressors which have made it possible for Air Conditioners to operate at outside air temperatures as high as 50°C. This series has been specially designed keeping in mind, homes in the tropical regions. The series also provides High CFM which helps in faster cooling, and anti-corrosion coating on AC coil bends helps in preventing leakage of refrigerant from the ACs and PM2.5 filter#that provides clean air inside the room.

MS-GS Series and MSY-JS Series will be available for purchase at exclusive showrooms-Hiroba and Cooling Planet andauthorized Channel Partners.

Addressing the launch of energy savings and fast cooling room Air Conditioners, Mr. Naohiko Hosokawa, Director & Business Unit Head-Living Environment Division, Mitsubishi Electric India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Most of the technology is indigenous to Mitsubishi Electric,and has been developed with precision and based on our vast experience across Globe. The experience is not just about the technology but also about the various seasonal changes a tropical country like India witnesses.Capitalizing on our century-old experience and expertise in understanding customer needs, we are delighted to bring our latest range of Room Air Conditioners for 2021. Our advanced inverter technologies have enabled us to achieve powerful and desired cooling comfort without compromising on energy efficiency. With the launch of Kirigamine models in India, we are here to celebrate the comfort of Kirigamine Highlands in India”.

For more information, click on the links below:

https://mitsubishielectric.in/products/air-conditioning-systems/split-air-conditioners/inverter/msy-rjs13vf;

https://mitsubishielectric.in/products/air-conditioning-systems/split-air-conditioners/inverter/msy-js13vf:

https://mitsubishielectric.in/products/air-conditioning-systems/split-air-conditioners/non-inverter/ms-gs10vf

About Mitsubishi Electric India (MEI): With 100 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment. Mitsubishi Electric enriches society with technology in the spirit of its “Changes for the Better.” The company recorded a revenue of 4,191.4 billion yen (U.S.$ 37.8 billion*) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. For more information, please visit www.MitsubishiElectric.com

Mitsubishi Electric in India has grown to become a company offering a wide range of innovative and high-quality products for the Indian market. This includes products and solutions for Air Conditioners, Automotive Equipment, Elevators & Escalators, Factory Automation and Industrial Systems, Semiconductor & Devices and Transportation Systems. For more information visit: http://in.MitsubishiElectric.com/en/index.page

*U.S. dollar amounts are translated from yen at the rate of \111=U.S.$1, the approximate rate on the Tokyo Foreign Exchange Market on March 31, 2021.

Apollo Hospitals Group And Microsoft India Redefine Healthcare Process For Microsoft Teams Users

* Digital healthcare solutions integrated with Microsoft Teams to enable organizations to empower their employees in managing their health and wellness 

Apollo 24|7 – the digital Arm of the Apollo Hospitals Group and Microsoft India have joined hands to launch an Enterprise Solution that can be utilized by organizations to provide their employees access to a holistic health and wellness solution within the Microsoft Teams work suite. Prior to the launch, the Enterprise Solution – as integrated by Apollo 24|7 – was successfully tested in a pilot program for Microsoft India employees for a period of three months.  

As part of the pilot program, 5000 Microsoft employees were given access to this enterprise platform and over 50% of them chose to take virtual consultations with an Apollo doctor during the months of April–June. In addition to virtual consultations, over 2,600 medicine orders were also placed using the App, which were delivered at the doorsteps of the consumers in record time. Each of the registered Microsoft employees had access to over 7,000 doctors and specialists across the Apollo network.  

Given the current scenario and with the third wave of COVID looming, organizations have been increasingly on the lookout for digital healthcare solutions to support their employees and families. Now, with the deep integration of Apollo 24|7 with Microsoft Teams, a user has access to medical teleconsultation, vaccine booking, pharmacy, diagnostic tests, electronic health records, and wellness programs with just a click of the button.   

“Healthcare is evolving to meet the immediate and future demands during the global health crisis. With the advancements in technology, people across the globe are embracing digital healthcare solutions. Apollo 24|7 has been developed to provide access to quality care to everyone. We are excited to partner with Microsoft during this pandemic to support organizations for employee wellbeing,” said Madhu Aravind, CTO, Apollo 24|7. 

The latest digital health offering by India’s largest healthcare provider combines Apollo Group’s extensive physical network and capabilities with a comprehensive and distinctive digital ecosystem. 

Talking about the association, Microsoft’s Executive Director, Strategic Growth, Meetul Patel said, “In today’s hybrid work environment, organizations are increasingly looking to make access to wellness resources easier for their employees. Our partnership with Apollo has helped bring this access right into the flow-of -work by making resources easy to access from within Microsoft Teams which serves in so many ways as the “Office” in the emerging work environment.” 

The Enterprise Solution enables a user to consult an Apollo Doctor within 15 minutes of requesting for a consult; order medicines from the wide network of Apollo Pharmacies; and request for sample collection from home for prescribed diagnostic tests within Microsoft Teams itself. 

Apollo 24|7–Microsoft Teams integration has created a unique solution for organizational wellbeing, and can be enabled for enterprises very quickly. The solution allows organizations to provide the entire Apollo ecosystem to their respective employees thereby empowering them to manage the health and wellbeing of their loved ones.  

About Microsoft India  

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Microsoft set up its India operations in 1990. Today, Microsoft entities in India have over 13,000 employees, engaged in sales and marketing, research, development and customer services and support, across 11 Indian cities – Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Pune. Microsoft offers its global cloud services from local data centers to accelerate digital transformation across Indian startups, businesses, and government organization. 

About Apollo 24|7: Apollo 24|7 has been developed using the latest technology and is backed by Apollo Hospitals Group – the largest healthcare group in the country. Backed by our long-standing legacy experience, extensive research and technological prowess – Apollo 24|7 was created with the belief that expertise is for everyone – we want to equip individuals with validated data and best-in-class resources to take care of their health, well-being and safety. 

Apollo 24I7 eliminates the geographical limitations by making healthcare accessible for patients in every part of the country at the click of a button. The platform is extremely user friendly and has been designed to make it easy and convenient for patients from every demographical background. Apollo 24|7 helps you get treated from Apollo certified doctors at any time of the day, wherever you are. The mobile app has features like E-consultation, online pharmacy, home diagnostic test and digital vault where you can upload all your medical history. 

Cobalt And Quintype Seal Partnership To Cater To African Publishers

Africa is a continent with an active media and ever-growing digital adoption. In order to scale up the availability of its cutting-edge platform in the region, Quintype technologies recently announced a partnership with The Cobalt Partners.

The two companies are combining efforts and go-to-market activities to provide publishers in the region with strategic media technology advisory and software solutions.

“The publishing ecosystem is a dynamic industry with an increasing demand for timely, trustworthy journalistic content. For a continent where digital media channels will continue to outstrip traditional formats, in terms of speed and reach, having technology solutions tailor-made for publishing is a game changer. We know that Cobalt’s experience on the continent and Quintype’s investment into future-ready technology solutions, honed by an impressive clientele, are here at the right time.” - Betty Enyonam Kumahor, Managing Partner at Cobalt.  

With traditional and new publishers adopting emerging technologies, navigating changing revenue streams and catering to a mobile-first audience, this was an important step for Quintype. By leveraging local partners, Quintype builds upon their deep understanding of the needs and preferences of the market. 

“We are very glad to have this partnership with Cobalt. Quintype has always been passionate about working in collaboration with teams that can help us widen our reach, and we are positive that this partnership will benefit both our teams. We look forward to delivering value to more publishers from the region.” said Chirdeep Shetty, CEO, Quintype India Pvt. Ltd.

About Quintype :

Quintype was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Bangalore, India with a global clientele of marquee publishers across USA, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa. Quintype's award-winning multi-lingual, digital-first publishing solutions empower content creators to deliver superlative experiences to their readers, every single time.

Key Highlights: 

100 Publishers

650M+ Page Views Per Month

100M+ Readers Per Month

150 Languages Supported

Quintype relieves publishers from the challenges of legacy content management systems, through its modern age SaaS products. Fast ROI at a strikingly low TCO enables adoption of the products across the board; from large media houses to aspirational start-ups. With Quintype, publishers can now focus on what they do the best: creating high-quality content

Quintype’s SaaS suite of products consist of Bold, Ahead, Accesstype and Metype. These products empower publishers around 3 axes - content management, audience engagement and content monetization.

Hughes to Connect 1,800 Indian Bank Sites with Satellite Broadband

* High-Performance Network to Span Bank of India and Affiliated Regional Rural Bank Branches across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra 

Hughes Communications India Private Ltd. (HCIPL), a leading provider of broadband satellite and managed network services and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), today announced its selection by the Bank of India (BoI) to provide satellite network connectivity to 1,800 bank branches across the country. The project brings satellite connectivity to Aryavart Bank, Madhya Pradesh Gramin Bank (MPGB), Vidharbha Konkan Gramin Bank (VKGB), and BoI branches that serve rural customers. 

Commenting on the occasion, Shivaji Chatterjee, senior vice president and head of enterprise business, Hughes Communication India (P) Ltd., said, “We at Hughes Communications India Pvt Ltd are proud of our association with Bank of India for this vital satellite-based connectivity solution, ensuring network availability and a very good experience across branches. Bank of India is one of our oldest customers and a staunch believer in the value of satellite connectivity in delivering services to their customers and ensuring continuous and reliable operations.” 

The network will be powered by the Hughes JUPITER™ System, including routers, gateways and network management designed for high performance and efficiency, using capacity on the GSAT11 and NSS12 satellites. The de-facto industry standard, the JUPITER System is the most widely deployed ground network platform in the world. 

This award adds to HCIPL’s robust portfolio of banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) customers, including more than 30 nationalized and private banks and connecting over 30,000 branches and 40,000 ATMs. 

About Hughes Network Systems

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), an innovator in satellite and multi-transport technologies and networks for 50 years, provides broadband equipment and services; managed services featuring smart, software-defined networking; and end-to-end network operation for millions of consumers, businesses, governments and communities worldwide. The Hughes flagship Internet service, HughesNet®, connects more than 1.5 million subscribers across the Americas, and the Hughes JUPITER™ System powers Internet access for tens of millions more worldwide. Hughes supplies more than half the global satellite terminal market to leading satellite operators, in-flight service providers, mobile network operators and military customers. A managed network services provider, Hughes supports nearly 500,000 enterprise sites with its HughesON™ portfolio of wired and wireless solutions. Headquartered in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes is owned by EchoStar. 

Kaizen Approach Transforms Security With Citrix Secure Access Solutions

* Firm leverages cloud offerings to secure applications and data without hindering employee experience

Applications, data and people are the most valued assets of any organization and must be protected at all costs. But security can’t get in the way of work getting done. It’s a delicate balancing act. As a leading provider of security consulting services to government and commercial customers, Kaizen Approach recognizes this. And the firm is adjusting its playbook to better manage it. Leveraging cloud-delivered digital workspace and secure access solutions from Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTXS), Kaizen has created a modern security framework through which it can help itself – and its clients - deliver a simple, secure work experience that empowers employees to work when, where and how they want while keeping their information and devices safe.

Changing the Game

“Work has fundamentally changed, and security needs to change with it,” said Melissa McCoy, Chief Technology Officer, Kaizen. “Employees aren’t coming into the office every day to connect to the corporate network. Instead, they are working from anywhere. And they expect to be able to connect to the resources they need to get things done – wherever they happen to be. It is critical that companies provide this flexibility to keep them productive and engaged, but it can’t come at the expense of security.”

Moving to the Cloud

How is Kaizen delivering on this? By moving to the cloud and leveraging solutions from Citrix to secure all the tools, apps, content, and devices that employees need and prefer to use and deliver them in a simple experience that can be customized to fit their personal preferences and evolving work styles. Among the solutions Kaizen has embraced: Citrix Workspace™, Citrix ShareFile™, Citrix Secure Workspace Access™, and Citrix Analytics for Security™.

“We had a desire to put most of our IT in the cloud being a small company, and we naturally gravitated towards a company that we felt had good fundamentals when it comes to security and reliability,” McCoy said.

Simplifying the Experience

Using Citrix Workspace, Kaizen has created one digital workspace where all its important applications can be securely accessed. And leveraging Citrix Secure Workspace Access, it provides a Zero Trust  architecture so that employees can securely and easily access these applications and collaborate to do their best work.

Citrix Secure Workspace Access is a VPN-less solution that delivers zero trust access and SSO to corporate web and SaaS applications for managed, unmanaged and BYO endpoints, giving end users flexibility and choice while improving the overall security.

“Our team is excited about the simplicity of their experience,” McCoy said.

Securing the Fort

And McCoy is excited about another Citrix solution, Citrix Analytics for Security, and the ability it gives her to assess, detect, and prevent risks in real time by continuously monitoring user behavior and end user device posture without hindering the user experience.

“Citrix Analytics for Security is my current favorite product, as it allows us to protect our assets in a way that is completely transparent,” said McCoy, who uses the solution to set up conditions and define actions to take based on those conditions across the cloud-based Citrix services she has in place. “When one of our employees took an international vacation and tried to access data, we had defined a policy to detect logins from outside the U.S. and block them and it worked as expected with a full audit trail that was automatically delivered.”

Citrix provides a powerful set of secure access solutions that combine a full cloud-delivered security stack integrated with identity-aware Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) to protect employees without getting in their way. 

About Kaizen Approach

Kaizen Approach helps government and commercial customers to strengthen their cybersecurity position and advance their workforce development. 

About Citrix

Citrix (NASDAQ: CTXS) builds the secure, unified digital workspace technology that helps organizations unlock human potential and deliver a consistent workspace experience wherever work needs to get done. With Citrix, users get a seamless work experience and IT has a unified platform to secure, manage, and monitor diverse technologies in complex cloud environments.