AU Small Finance Bank Launches Industry’s First “Customisable Credit Card, LIT”

* The LIT (Live It Today) Credit Card allows cardholders to customise their choice of credit card features as per their ever-changing lifestyle requirements instead of predefined features  

* Introduces Pay-Per-Feature and freedom to Switch On/Off any feature to avail customized benefits across Travel, Entertainment, Shopping, Fuel and Dinning -all on one card.  

Staying true to its mission of Badlaav, AU Small Finance Bank today launched an innovative Credit Card product that brings a revolutionary change in the credit card landscape. The AU Bank LIT (Live-It-Today) Credit Card, by the largest small finance bank and one of the fastest-growing retail banks in India, offers a unique value proposition to cardholders – to choose the features they want and for the time period they want. 

While credit card companies offer attractive products in different categories, it is often difficult for customers to find the combination of all such features in one single card. This forces them to opt for multiple credit cards offering specific category rewards like Travel card for maximising travel related spends or co-branded cards for shopping on specific e-commerce sites. With the LIT Credit Card, the Bank has put the power to choose these features in the hands of the customers – all categories in one card. Further, they also get the freedom to switch on or off these features as per their changing lifestyle requirements.  

LIT credit card provides a higher degree of engagement to customers, through the AU0101 app as they can track their saving/earnings daily to maximize their benefits. Most importantly, the card hosts multiple benefits and customers can activate any feature on-the-go in real time for a small convenience fee. LIT provides the cardholder a complete control on its offers and fee that they pay for those offers in a clear, transparent manner and saves the cardholders multitudes of annual/renewal fee for benefits they don’t use. Cardholders can avail the best of both Cashbacks and Reward Points, using the features that are offered. The default validity period for each feature is 90 days. 

LIT Credit Card offers five categories of features, namely: 

Lounge Access: Wherein customers can opt for one or two lounge access per quarter 

Milestone Benefits: By which, one can get more reward points or cashbacks 

OTT & Lifestyle Memberships: Wherein they can get free membership to various platforms and services 

Accelerated Rewards (Online/Offline): Customers can get higher reward points for online and POS transactions 

Other Features: Including fuel surcharge waiver, cashback on grocery, and much more 

“At AU Bank, we have always believed in challenging the status quo by leveraging technology and innovation to bring the change that the banking industry needs. Last year, we became the first Small Finance Bank to start a Credit Card portfolio to empower our customers. Soon, we observed that the digitally-savvy and GenZ consumers needed more control over the products they use. This led to the evolution of the customizable LIT Credit Card which brings the features of many credit cards into a single card. We will continue to launch many such innovative products and remain true to our mission of being the change agent through our mission, Badlaav Humse Hai,” said Mr. Sanjay Agarwal, MD & CEO, AU Small Finance Bank. 

While AU Bank already has a bouquet of card services, the addition of the LIT Credit Card will help it cater to the evolving needs of a digital-savvy generation of informed users. AU Bank launched their first range of credit cards last year. Since then, the Bank has successfully enrolled more than 2.3 Lakh credit cards customers from over 200 districts of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, majority of whom are first time credit card users. 

Venture X US Enters India, To Open Offices At Two Locations In Gurugram

* The company so far invested approximately $5Mn in the Indian market; plans to invest $2-3Mn by 2023

* The company offers a modern, flexible coworking franchisee at convenient and beautiful landmark locations across India

Venture X® is an affiliated brand of UFG coworking division, CoworksTM which is the largest privately-owned franchisor in the coworking industry having more than 200 locations opened/signed up globally is now entering the Indian market. Venture X has revealed their first two premium locations in Gurugram with a cumulative 1200 seats spread across 45,000 and 16,500 sq. ft. space at Sector 67 and 44 respectively. The company plans to expand PAN India in all the major Tier I and Tier II cities.

Venture X Gurugram offers flexible, premium coworking space options for individuals and companies, including established businesses, entrepreneurs, small and medium- sized enterprises. Catering to the ultra-modern and professional work space-related needs of the consumers, the company provides creative, innovative, and well-designed office solutions to businesses. In addition to their actual workspace, members have access to community café areas and other amenities, promoting networking and collaboration opportunities within their teams and with other Venture X members. The community space is available for hosting networking events, meetings and conferences.

An Attractive Absentee ownership franchise model for investors, Venture X offers a blend of a boutique hotel and modern office styles featuring a more upscale design level than most spaces that lean less professional and more toward a juvenile, playful aesthetic.

“We are excited to bring the brand Venture X to India, a blend of boutique hotel and modern office styles, with an elevated level of design. This makes it a perfect global address for entrepreneurs and corporates. Post the pandemic, flexible office spaces are very much in demand and in times to come franchise based models would be the right choice as they are better aligned towards revenue for all stake holders. We have invested around USD 5 Million in the Indian market and plan to invest USD 2-3 Million by the year 2023.”, said Anil Lakra India Partner, Venture X.

“We are delighted to get into a partnership with the UFG brand Venture X here in India. We have the Master License for the India region. We are excited about this venture and are bullish to expand across India. We have currently opened two locations and would grow to 8-10 across India by end 2023, said Rahul Kapur India Partner”.

“United Franchise Group could not be any more excited to be a part of the launch of Venture X India. We recognise India as a crucial market in the Venture X global footprint. Our Master License partners have the experience and local knowledge to ensure excellent growth throughout India. The Venture X flagship location in Gurugram is one of the largest facilities within our global network. It offers state of the art co- working facilities for its members and represents a great opportunity and a fantastic model of the Venture X franchise in India for franchise investors.” said Mike Gallagher – Executive Vice President -- Asia Pacific.

Venture X intends to expand its team size all across India and has plans to spread its footprint in major metro cities, including Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chandigarh, and Pune in the near future. With multiple vacancies for corporate leasing, procurement, real estate, marketing, and digital, Venture X has plans to recruit professionals PAN India.

About Venture X

Venture X® is a shared workspace and community that is a blend of a boutique hotel and modern office styles, with a high level of design that feels professional and welcoming. Each Venture X location features beautifully designed spaces and a highly developed environment within a community where people love coming to work every day. Venture X has been recognized by Inc. as one of the best coworking spaces in the United States and is part of CoworksTM the largest privately held affiliated coworking franchise network on the planet, associated with United Franchise GroupTM (UFG), a successful community of affiliated brands and consultants. For information about Venture X visit www.venturex.com and for information about franchise opportunities visit www.venturexfranchise.com.

BMW Drives In Exclusive VIP Mobility For Bird ExecuJet Aviation Group

 

* BMW 7 Series and first-ever BMW X7 to usher VIP’s at Terminal 4, Delhi Airport.

* #BMWIndia #SheerDrivingPleasure.

The new BMW 7 Series and the first-ever BMW X7 are now official choice for all VIP movements at Terminal 4, Delhi International Airport. The high-end BMW cars will now be used by all dignitaries, leading businessmen and eminent personalities transiting through the Terminal 4 of Delhi International Airport.

The new BMW 7 Series features exquisite design details, finest materials and powerful innovations which deliver a new echelon of driving pleasure. It has been exclusively imagined, designed and crafted for individuals who value every moment, discover an experience inspired by those who drive the world.

The first-ever BMW X7 is a statement of the luxury class. It is an elegant fusion of presence and personality. Despite its majestic appearance, it gives an impression of lightness and agility thanks to the puristic design and athletic styling. At the same time, the considerable spaciousness of the interior offers a pioneering interplay of exclusivity, functionality and freedom – incomparable comfort.

BMW Excellence Pavillion - The VIP Lounge at Terminal 4 showcases the exclusive BMW Lifestyle Collection. Individuals can explore a wide range of refined-yet-practical apparel featuring modern copper accents and accessories inspired by the iconic BMW design language of past, present, and future.

ExecuJet is a leading Global Business Aviation organization offering diverse range of services including aircraft management, aircraft charter, aircraft completions management and fixed base operations. ExecuJet manages over 166 business jets worldwide under the most stringent safety standards. Its commercial fleet is operated under the regulatory umbrella of six regional civil aviation issued air operating certificates (AOCs). ExecuJet has operations in Africa, Asia Pacific, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East and is part of the Luxaviation Group.

After Hybrid Workplace, It’s The Era of Hybrid Selling: LinkedIn State of Sales APAC 2022

* 81% of buyers in India agree that working remotely is making buying easier

LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, announced the launch of the sixth edition of its State of Sales APAC 2022 report to understand how the pandemic and the rise of remote work accelerated the proliferation of sales technology. Based on the responses of 750 buyers and 750 sellers in India, survey findings reveal top 3 emerging trends that are shaping the future of sales in India:

The pandemic disrupted the sales process — permanently and positively

The continued rise of sales technology and data-driven selling

Top performers are thriving due to their intelligent use of technology

“Over the past two years, the rise of remote work has accelerated the use of technology across industries. Our data shows that three-quarters (73%) of sellers in India today are relying on sales technology at least once a week – which clearly means that data is driving the future of sales. By empowering sales teams with accurate real-time data, tech is helping sellers enhance their outreach, gain valuable customer insights, and build better experiences,” said Abhai Singh, Head, LinkedIn Sales Solutions for India.

The pandemic disrupted the sales process — permanently and positively

In today’s predominantly digital era, 4 in 5 (81%) buyers in India feel that remote work has made buying easier today. Sellers too have felt this pull, with every 1 in 5 (22%) clocking deals worth $500,000 or above without ever meeting the buyer in-person. With the number of sales professionals without any remote work experience dropping to one-fourth during the pandemic, it is evident that remote working is here to stay.

The survey indicates younger sales professionals are placing a higher emphasis on soft skills, so they can develop closer relationships with their buyers or clients and close better deals. The survey also reveals that the ability to build trust is the #1 most important factor for closing deals among younger (under 35 years) sales professionals (21%), as compared to older (over 35 years) professionals who prioritise metrics like ROI (16%) and price (17%).

The continued rise of sales technology and data-driven selling

Companies are increasing their appetite for data-based insights to better gauge buyer intent and drive greater sales. This is especially true amidst the ongoing Great Reshuffle when buyers and sellers are constantly considering shifting roles. In fact, more than 8 in 10 (84%) sales professionals in India have lost at least one deal to an important decision maker changing roles in the past year alone. Therefore, access to the right intel has become mission-critical for sales functions across the board.

To avoid these repercussions, 3 in 4 (73%) sellers in India are now using sales tech at least once a week to get access to accurate real-time data, indicating the growing preference for CRM systems and sales intelligence tools in the industry. Findings also suggest that younger (under 35 years) professionals are leading this tech-savvy shift, given that they are 1.2x more likely to use CRM tools for 3+ hours in a week as compared to their older (over 35 years) counterparts.

But as more businesses turn to tech, sales managers must seek ways to deal with the impending challenge of ‘dirty data’, with 2 in 5 sellers (46%) and CRM users (38%) identifying incomplete and inaccurate data as their largest data challenge.

Top performers are thriving due to their intelligent use of technology

With 4 in 5 (83%) top performers (those reaching 150% quota or more) in India admitting to always putting the buyer first, it is evident that customer experience is dominating their minds – and tech is becoming fundamental to this pursuit. By helping them understand buyer behaviour, sales technology is allowing sellers to add value and maximise the experience for their customers. According to the survey, over 2 in 5 younger (under 35 years) sales professionals today are driving customer experience by using data more often for defining buying committees (42%) and targeting accounts more likely to buy on the basis of geolocations (43%).

The report further reveals that top performers are also more likely to leverage these insights more often than other sellers. More than 8 in 10 (83%) top performers in India trust conducting research before reaching out to prospective buyers. This reinforces the central role that data-led research is set to play in driving new and improved customer experiences in the future.

Methodology

This India edition of the APAC State of Sales 2022 report is part of the global State of Sales project, which surveyed almost 15,000 buyers and sellers across 11 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. For the APAC edition, LinkedIn surveyed a total of 2,250 buyers, and 2,250 salespeople and sales managers, in Australia, India, and Singapore. For these countries, Schlesinger Group, a research panel company, conducted two online surveys in January 2022: one of sales professionals, the other of decision makers. Both samples include respondents over 21 years old who are employed at companies of different sizes and industries.

While the report offers a deep dive into the top 3 trends, the release draft also references statistics for groups of:

“Top Performers” or the most successful sellers — those reaching more than 150% of quota.

"Younger professionals" – sales professionals under 35 years of age.

"Older professionals" – sales professionals over 35 years of age.

About LinkedIn

LinkedIn connects the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful and transforms the way companies hire, market and sell. Our vision is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce through the ongoing development of the world’s first Economic Graph. LinkedIn has more than 830 million members and has offices around the globe.

LinkedIn Sales Solutions makes it simple to tap into the power of LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network of more than 830 million members, empowering every salesperson to put buyers first. The platform’s portfolio of Sales Solutions, including LinkedIn Sales Navigator and LinkedIn Sales Insights, leverages people-powered data and insights to allow sales organisations to focus on the accounts with the most opportunity, and sellers to develop and grow relationships with buyers at scale.

NSDC And MoHUA Launch Project NIPUN To Skill, Upskill More Than 1 Lakh Construction Workers

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the nodal agency under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) today announced the launch of project NIPUN- National Initiative for Promoting upskilling of Construction Workers. The project aims to train more than one lakh construction workers through fresh skilling and upskilling programmes and provide them with opportunities in foreign countries. The project implementation is divided into three chapters - training through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) at construction sites, training through Fresh Skilling by Plumbing and Infrastructure SSC and International Placement through industries/builders/contractors.

On-site skill training will be provided to 80,000 construction workers through industry associations under the RPL certification, co-branded with MoHUA, while 14,000 candidates will receive fresh skilling through plumbing and infrastructure Sector Skill Council (SSC). The courses are aligned with National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and will be imparted at accredited and affiliated training centres. NSDC is also aiming to place at least 12,000 people in foreign countries like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE and other GCC countries.

Project NIPUN will be conducted under the aegis of MoHUA, under its flagship scheme of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). It will also facilitate and support convergence with related line ministries. Meanwhile, NSDC will be responsible for the overall execution of the training, monitoring and candidate tracking. It will provide trainees with Kaushal Bima (3-year accidental insurance with coverage of Rs 2 lakhs), digital skills like cashless transactions and BHIM app, orientation about entrepreneurship, and EPF and BOCW facilities. A project committee with members from both NSDC and MoHUA will be formed under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary-cum-Mission Director, DAY-NULM to oversee and monitor the project.

While addressing the event, Shri Hardeep S Puri, Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs and Petroleum & Natural Gas said, “The transformational impact of the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) has definitively reduced the vulnerability of urban poor households by providing upskilling and employment opportunities to urban dwellers, especially the youth. The spirit of entrepreneurship has been encouraged and supported by giving urban workers access to self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities. This initiative will enable Nirman workers to be more proficient and skilled while making them adopt future trends in the construction industry by increasing their capabilities and diversifying their skill sets.”

The minister also announced that the Central Vista Avenue will be opened in next few days.

Lauding the partnership between NSDC and MoHUA, Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, MSDE said, “With the construction industry poised to become the largest employer by 2022, the dependency on technology cannot be ignored. I am confident that this unique project by NSDC and MoHUA, along with the support of all our stakeholders, will provide Nirman workers with better job opportunities, improved benefits, and safer work practices, making them torchbearers of not only an Aatmanirbhar Bharat but also play a pivotal part in transforming India into a skill hub for the rest of the world.”

The construction industry is poised to become the largest employer by 2022 and needs 45 million additional skilled workers over the next 10 years. To fulfill this mission, the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) and the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) have joined Project NIPUN as industry partners and will identify training job roles of aspirational value in the construction sector in collaboration with the SSC.

About National Skill Development Corporation

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), a nodal skill development agency, working under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, is a unique Public Private Partnership (PPP) that aims to catalyse the creation of a large and quality vocational training ecosystem in India. Since inception in 2010, NSDC has trained over 3 crore people through its collaboration with 600+ training partners and over 10,000 training centres spread across 600+ districts in the country. NSDC has established 37 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and implements the Government’s flagship skill development schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), among others. NSDC also funds enterprises, companies and organisations that provide skill training. The organisation enables private-sector capacity building in skill development by offering concessional loans, other innovative financial products, and strategic partnerships.

About Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is the apex authority of the Government of India at the national level for all issues relating to housing and urban affairs in the country, which is responsible for sponsoring and supporting the policy formulation programme, activities of various Central Ministries, State Governments and Nodal Authorities. Performs the functions of coordinating and monitoring the programmes.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education Celebrates International Day of Yoga 2022

Manipal Academy of Higher Education celebrated International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2022. The Division of Yoga, Centre for Integrative Medicine & Research (CIMR), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), coordinated the event.

The day began with a 1-hour Yoga Session held at Dr. TMA Pai Hall, KMC, Manipal. This session was headed by Dr. Annapoorna K. HOD, Division of Yoga, CIMR, MAHE and received enthusiastic participation from students, staff, faculty and people from nearby localities.

After the Yoga session, the audience gathered for the second part of the celebration of International Day of Yoga. The dignitaries present from MAHE included Dr. HS Ballal, Pro Chancellor, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, Dr. M Venkatraya Prabhu, Pro Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Narayana Sabhahit, Registrar and Dr. Sharath Kumar Rao, Dean, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal along with other MAHE officials.

The event highlighted the importance of the practice of Yoga and the various activities held by MAHE. The Division of Yoga at MAHE provides Yoga Training Programs, Yoga Therapy for patients, Postgraduate in M.Sc. Yoga Therapy & Certificate courses for students. In the view of International Day of Yoga, they have conducted several activities and competitions over a period of three months, to bring about awareness about the knowledge and practice of Yoga. They also held a 2-week Summer Yoga Camp for children and organised free Yoga classes for staff and students for 10 days. The Division of Yoga also organized webinar on “Yoga as a Therapy: Its Dimensions and Relevance” by Dr. Ishwar V. Basavaraddi, Director, Morarji Desai National   Institute of Yoga, Ministry of AYUSH, New Delhi.

The programme included distribution of prizes to the winners of the competitions (Asana, essay, poster, photo).  Dr. Nalini Bhaskaranand, Professor & HOD (rtd), KMC, Manipal, and  Dr. Anice George, Professor, Manipal Nursing College, Manipal, who were the guests for the event were felicitated. It also included a demonstration of the formations of yoga postures by M.Sc. Yoga Therapy students from Division of Yoga.

In his presidential address Dr HS Ballal, Pro Chancellor, MAHE said “The practice of Yoga has the ability to improve our quality of life. It helps in preventing several lifestyle disorders and helps one to remain healthy and happy. At MAHE we encourage the future generation to inculcate the science of Yoga into their daily lives”

Speaking at the event Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor said “The practice of Yoga is believed to have started with the very dawn of civilization. The science of yoga has its origin thousands of years ago and it continues to be relevant to this day. In this modern era, stress and unhealthy living habits have become quite common. Yoga is the perfect cure to deal with all these issues and stay healthy. We are extremely pleased that our Yoga day event has received such enthusiastic participation from everyone and MAHE will continue to raise awareness about this wonderful practice”

Punjab National Bank Celebrates 8th International Yoga Day At Zones, Circles, And PNB Head Office

* PNB Parivar commemorates the theme of “Yoga for Humanity” toward a united community 

Punjab National Bank (PNB), nation’s leading public sector bank, celebrated the 8th International Yoga Day by highlighting the importance of physical and mental well-being for all its employees. On this day, the PNB Parivar came together and took part in multiple early morning interactive yoga sessions focusing on stress management, relaxation techniques, and breathing exercises across all the zones, circles, and the PNB Head Office. 

As India is celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to commemorate 75 yrs of independence, this year’s theme, “Yoga for Humanity” focuses on instilling empathy and togetherness within people. This theme was selected by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, as a tribute to everyone for coming together to alleviate the sufferings during Covid-19 with kindness, compassion, and unity. 

Thanking the staff members, Shri Atul Kumar Goel, MD & CEO of PNB, said: "Success of an organization is directly related to the health of its employees in terms of increasing efficiency, productivity and focus. Yoga, a 3000-year-old practice, is a proven tool to enhance mindfulness, relaxation, and flexibility which leads to the oneness of mind and body. Hence, the idea for the UN-mandated International Day of Yoga first proposed by India’s Hon’ble Prime Minister was supported by 177 other countries.  

The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit term ‘Yuj’, meaning ‘to unite’. We at PNB believe in the motto of “One Team, One Dream” and hence the essence of Yoga aligns with our philosophy of unity appropriately. Hence, further to PNB’s commitment towards the social, mental, and physical well-being of its employees, we reaffirm ourselves to make this practice a daily part of our routine to achieve holistic development." 

The yoga sessions at the head office were attended by Shri Atul Kumar Goel, MD & CEO of PNB, Executive Director - Shri Vijay Dube, CGMs, senior officials, and other bank staff. 

PNB’s initiative this year marks a stepping stone towards building a harmonious society by inculcating and spreading the disciplines of an ancient Indian practice of Yoga for the overall well-being of the community.