Sign up for afaqs! Newsletters
India prominent on MRM's world map
McCann Relationship Marketing Worldwide plans to develop India as its Asia Pacific hub
McCann Relationship Marketing Worldwide, the direct marketing arm of McCann Erickson, is getting ready to flex its muscles in the Asia Pacific region. Top on its agenda is the task of developing India as an MRM (McCann Relationship Marketing) hub and exploring similar opportunities in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
This decision comes in wake of the recent appointment of Rajat Sethi, the CEO of Result McCann India, as the sub-regional director - Asia Pacific, McCann Relationship Marketing Worldwide. Rajat Sethi, along with the managing director of MRM Japan and the managing director of MRM Hong Kong, have been nominated to the regional executive board. The board will manage the expanding regional role of MRM as an end-to-end integrator of CRM (customer relationship management), eCRM, customer care support and direct marketing execution across all channels and borders.
Sethi underscored two reasons for the need of MRM in India. About the first, he said, "With media inflation always on the rise, the costs incurred by the clients to market their brands or products is colossal. Through the MRM tools and other media vehicles such as tele-marketing, direct mail, road shows etc clients have better access to customer touch points without shelling out much." The abundance of software talent in India was the second reason he spelt out. "The advantage India has over other Asian Pacific countries like China is that we have more English-speaking software pros. Therefore, corresponding with clients in the US becomes easier and faster."
Currently, the company's Asia Pacific MRM clientele comprises UPS, Cathay Pacific, General Motors, Vodaphone, Amway and L'Oreal. The company expects the revenue from the Asia Pacific region to contribute 10 to 15 per cent to its total revenue this year. And it has developed a few proprietary tools to achieve the task at hand.
CRMap is a tool developed for effective relationship communication strategies and also to calculate return on relationship (ROR). For a more effective implementation of a CRM programme in an enterprise the company has developed the I-Care tool in India. Another tool developed by the company is McMapping for more effective direct marketing.
An upbeat Rajat Sethi told agencyfaqs! that his new appointment will bolster Result McCann India's operations. Dispelling apprehensions of neglecting the responsibilities as the CEO of Result McCann, he said, "The total billings of Result McCann last year was Rs 25 crore. This year we will exceed Rs 30 crore through organic growth. This would be supplemented with whatever acquisitions we make this year."
In the last six months Result McCann has acquired new businesses in the form of Delphi, Hindustan Times, Lufthansa, Ranbaxy and Sundaram Newton. "This will contribute to at least 20 per cent to our existing business which we do with clients such as Hero Honda, General Motors, Cabletron, Usha International, Discovery Channel, Compaq, among others," he added.
© 2001 agencyfaqs!
RELATED LINKS