Bengal Chamber organises webinar #RESETINDIA2020 to discuss business strategies post Covid-19

At the webinar, industry leaders tried to come up with specific strategies for these disruptive times.

Nazeeb Arif, Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications, ITC Ltd, said in the long run growth would depend on investment spending of the government and stimuli from consumer spending, liquidity that would drive growth.

The basic consumer principles haven’t changed, he stated but change in behavior has happened with less spending and more savings.

Collaboration and compassion is key factor as there has been collaboration across industries in case of sanitization and delivery and compassion to support one another tide this crisis, he added.

Jayen Mehta, Senior General Manager, Planning and Marketing,GCMMF (Amul) expressed that, "Amul being a cooperative owned by 36 lakh farmers were collecting 30 lakh litres of milk everyday from 18500 villages and more than 320 lakh bags of milk were being sold to thousands of consumers across towns and cities.

So the challenge of supplying was very crucial. The Corona has disrupted the supply chain from cow to consumer but we overcame it and ensured that there was no shortage of milk and milk products across the country."

He also expressed that there is an opportunity in crisis like these.

Communication with all stake holders was the key be it with government, farmers or employees, but it had to be done at all levels to take timely and speedy actions, he added.

Recalling Kurien, Mehta pointed at the four hands of logo- the farmer, the professional, the marketer and the consumer- who will have to be kept engaged.

From COVID lens one has to see how each has adapted, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Abhijit Roy, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Berger Paints India Limited stated that, "Paints come under non essential services. But post COVID Berger plans to take Silk breathe easy paint, express painting to rural areas and smaller towns. This is an anti pollution, antibacterial virus guard paint.

Due to social distancing changes will be seen from single shift to three shift. It has plans to sell sanitizers and also launch a consumer mobile app where each of their 20,000 paint workforce’s  individual details may be viewed by consumers.

All painters would be provided with the app and all painters for the purpose of hygiene would be provided with safety kits. They would be using germ killing paints to keep the customer's  hygiene safety in place."

Rohit Ohri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, India and South Asia, FCB Ulka stated, "Some consumer behavior will stay while some will vanish with the fear of virus going. Much of consumer behavior is driven by current fear of the virus.

Crisis shifts consumer behavior as  most have seen during demonetization where consumer switched to digital transactions which has resulted in India having now the largest number of e-transaction in the world.

Post Covid a lot of marginal trends will go mainstream.Brands will pivot around immunity, health care and wellness. Also post Covid there will be an increased rise of automation and more machine interaction, less human contact."

B B Chatterjee, President , The Bengal Chamber, stated, "This webinar shows the discipline, the dedication and the determination to find opportunities to grow the economic value. Once the lock down is over individually we all would start refurbishing, replacing, changing old with new. Because, individually we should be all engines of creation of the man and that is something that this country will need.

Those of us who can really take a step in this direction will help. Collaboration and compassion is another aspect, which I think will get a little more established after this pandemic  and the new mantra for the New Normal is going to be I for delivery for the business houses, and we for survival.”

"Those who fight the crisis will emerge victorious. So if you have reacted you will not let this and the big push you down, you're going to be certainly growing. I think people should realize that corporate India is definitely ready and looking into the correct direction for a good tomorrow," stated Anoop Hoon, Chairperson, Marketing and Brand Committee, The Bengal Chamber.