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TECHNOLOGY FOR DISRUPTION

Innovate for Digital Disruption

As the world stands at the cusp of digital transformation, we at Marico aspire to leverage technology to deliver a seamless experience for our consumers, associates and members.

Towards this, we collaborate with the right partners to build par-excellence digital capabilities that supports critical business decisions. We are already seeing green-shoots of digital innovation initiatives at Marico. To deliver an integrated consumer and member experience, we have institutionalised a seven-pillar framework for our digital interventions.

Listen

Today, more than ever, the amount of information available for consumers is unprecedented. Brands operate in a world that encourages two-way conversations. With data and analytics, we are able to identify trends that highlight a consumer’s unmet needs which we fulfil through disruptive innovation. While consumers experience our brands, they also provide real -time feedback on usage and product proposition. This lays the foundation for a valuable and long-term relationship with the consumers, who are our key stakeholders.

Reach

The world is moving towards hyper-targeted communication. Our digital capabilities help us reach the right consumer depending on the digital cohort that they are part of and address their explicit and latent needs. Innovation, thus enables us to cater to individual needs, thereby creating a unique brand experience.

Engage

We understand that consistent and relevant communication using the right media, influences purchasing behaviour. Towards this end, we aim to map a consumer’s journey in the offline and online space as they are exposed to cohort-level specific brand stories. To build sales force capabilities for the new age, we impart digital training and learning sessions to our members.

Innovate

To integrate brands with the overall consumer experience, we  are exploring ways to include consumers in hypothesis testing for Minimum Viable Products. This is expected to  enable faster innovation-led market testing, accelerate agility and increase the success probability of new product development.

Sell

Supported by contemporary technology, we aim to develop strategies to influence sales using targeted schemes, sampling, coupons, and subscriptions to enable growth in the marketplace. We are also exploring analytics-based selling and prompting to drive specific actions from Distributor Sales Representatives (DSR) and Retailers to drive specific actions from Distributor.

Analytics

At the scale at which we operate, we are exposed to an unprecedented amount of data. We intend to leverage this data on a real-time basis to understand input-outcome relationships, using our robust data science programmes and skills. Various deployments to democratise analytics will enable us to be more efficient and effective in various spends that lead to desired business outcomes.

Automation

We have deployed industry 4.0 tools and technologies to optimise our operations, including Internet of Things (IoT) and manufacturing intelligence systems. They help us improve our efficiency, reliability, compliance and safety.

Delighting With Digital


Delighting Consumers with Tomorrow’s Technology

Kaya Youth Analyser

Marico launched the Kaya Youth oxy-infusion range which helps in boosting the oxygen levels in facial skin, resulting in youthful and glowing skin. In order to measure the oxygen level, Marico launched a Skin Analyser tool which leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities to analyse the skin on parameters such as dark circles, dark spots, uneven skin, and skin dullness. Basis the oxygen score, it also suggests the #SkinPranayam routine that is appropriate to each individual.

Improving Channel Partner Capability and Engagement

Building channel partner capability through DOME

In FY19, we took our existing distributor engagement to a new level by developing a distributor training module called Distributor Operations Management & Excellence (DOME). This is a comprehensive capability development module encompassing all facets of distributor operations.
DOME was successfully administered to our top distributors through an interactive e-learning module.

Tracking channel partner’s health using predictive analytics

Nurturing a great channel partner network has been a focus to drive sustainable growth. Using predictive analytics to diagnose channel partner health on various business and non-business parameters has helped us implement an early warning system, which enables timely interventions to ensure a healthy and stable network.

Technology led rural footprint expansion

Increasing rural expansion through new age technology

We use new age technologies including geo-clustering of villages to reach and service rural markets, which is a key focus area for us. To further Marico’s rural reach and understand improvement areas, we have identified white spaces and have drawn up a road-map to set up direct distribution infrastructure. This is part of our ongoing drive to improve our rural penetration in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.

Drive cost-to-serve efficiency in rural through geo location technology
To improve resource utilisation and cost-to-serve in rural operations, we deploy technologies such as geo tracking of van routes. This helps us ascertain the total distance and trip completion time for every route, every day. Using this information, we optimise the travel routes and calibrate resources to service high business potential routes on a continuous basis.

Technology led field force productivity and capability improvement

Improve field force engagement through direct incentive payment

Over the last few years, Marico has invested significantly in building a better ecosystem for the field force, thereby enhancing productivity and engagement. To facilitate faster delivery of incentives to the field force, we have opted for a direct-to-bank transfer system, thus eliminating the need of intermediaries in the process. This has improved both satisfaction levels of field force members and our engagement with them. This system, currently practised in our urban centres, will be extended to our rural field force as well.

Building field force capabilities through ‘Friday Learning’

We expanded the field force development programme using industry-first digital training sessions named ‘Friday Learning.’ Aimed at providing regular training inputs to over 1800-strong field force, ‘Friday Learning’ has now become a way of life for sales teams in Marico. In the last two years, over 10 years’ worth of training man hours have been delivered through this digital medium.

Empowering people by embracing technology

Project Simplify

‘Project Simplify’ was launched to find and modify processes so that workflows can be simplified, with faster turnaround time and decision-making. The project has driven significant results with several process flows optimised during the year.

Integrated HR platform and chatbot

The trifecta of Augmented Reality (AR)-based training modules, SAP Success Factors-led integrated HR platform and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-led chatbot applications and employee mood tracker was leveraged and scaled up to improve employee competency, performance and engagement during the year, as part of our ongoing efforts to digitally engage with our workforce.

Leveraging technology for quality analytics

Manufacturing information and intelligence

The Manufacturing Information and Intelligence platform, integrated with the IoT sensors in production and non-production processes was implemented in two of our units. It has resulted in significant visibility with real-time event monitoring through descriptive analytics dashboards. This has improved overall effectiveness and reduced losses.

Driving retailer intelligence and analytics for Marico Bangladesh

Retailer Intelligence and Analytics (RETINA) is a recommendation engine to help drive depth of assortment at retail outlets. We have extended this platform to our Bangladesh operations, after its successful implementation in India in FY19. RETINA helps the Distributor Sales Representative (DSR) to identify and focus on the next best Stock Keeping Units (SKU) by suggesting relevant SKUs and brands that have been on the shelf for more than 12 months at an outlet. This simplifies the job of the DSRs on each call and increases their productivity.