Subhiksha Mobile focuses on customer convenience

Modern retailing and mobile services are the fastest growing sectors in India. Gel these two zones into one and you get an even more lethal combination – mobile retailing. More and more companies are lining up to operate in the mobile retail business. Subhiksha, RPG Enterprises, Essar Group, Reliance and the Spice Group are some players who are already operating in this segment and who will make further heavy investments in it.

Subhiksha Mobile, part of the Chennai based Subhiksha Group, recently released an advertising campaign that underlines the fact that it wants to further strengthen its position in the segment. Towards that end, the company plans to double its current strength of mobile retail stores – from 700 to 1,400 – in the next 12 months.

The new advertising campaign comprises two TV commercials, which try to create awareness about Subhiksha Mobile’s new customer care number, 60607777, which consumers can call before making a purchase for a product comparison. Adds Khattar, “Consumers have a tendency to visit two or three shops and compare products before buying a handset. The idea here is to make them call a number for a price comparison. This service is about convenience and the TVC creates awareness about it.”

The customer care number was launched a month ago and, according to company sources, has been receiving around 20,000 calls daily till now. Subhiksha expects the number of callers to grow as more people see the campaign.

PC Murlitharan, creative director of Orchard Advertising, the agency which has created the campaign, says, “The brief was simple: Weave a script that talks about the customer care number. The TVCs make all attempts to highlight the number and make it more popular. It is like a reminder.” The TVCs have been directed by Arjun Mukherjee of White Light.

The advertising budget for Subhiksha Mobile is close to Rs 20 crore. This budget is separate from the Subhiksha Retail umbrella.