Reliance Industries is focusing on its retail business. It is coming up with new developments to offer a superior experience to the customers and to increase the footfall. In a newer attempt, Reliance Retail has adopted innovations to help its customers to avoid long queues.
The queue at the checkout counter, especially during weekends is a big trouble for consumers. They often become stressed and impatient. For hassle-free shopping, many retailers along with Reliance Retail have started adopting technologies. The retailers will offer home delivery, set up mobile counters and use handheld devices.
Technological solutions for queues
Reliance Retail and Shoppers Stop will deploy store executives with handheld barcode readers. These executives will reach to customers who are ready for checkout and thus save their time from waiting in the billing queue.
MD of Arvind Lifestyle Brands, J Suresh, said that the queue-busters will help them to earn greater revenues during peak time as many customers leave their trolleys because of the long queue.
Reliance Digital has store executives to help the customers with their payments. They also send bills over e-mails. Besides, the electronic store has placed credit card swiping machines at varied spots for quick payments. The customer needs to visit the counter only if he is opting for monthly installments. All of these technologies will be seen in the retail outlets of Reliance Industries, too. Its telecom arm, Reliance Jio Infocomm is also coming up with a mobile wallet known as Jio Money. Once it is rolled out, customers will be able to make payments through their smartphones using this application.
Many market analysts and retailers are of the opinion that in an age of online transactions, the long queues are a disappointment for customers. Santosh Desai, a social commentator, said that time is crucial for everyone and the problem may be tackled through the means of technology. “There are two aspects — one is the inconvenience and the other is control. In the queue, the individual is not in control and you are at the mercy of the larger force. The desire to have control in your hand, I think, is the underlining factor more than anything else,” he added.
Reliance Retail stores
The retail outlets of Reliance Industries are present in 200 cities of 20 states with 50,000 associates. It has 2,600 stores and is planning to scale up its presence in 900 cities by 2016. Last year, the company built 930 new stores, creating a new benchmark. It earned revenue of more than Rs. 17,000 crores in the previous year and recorded profits of Rs. 784 crores at EBITDA level.
Reliance Retail’s e-commerce venture
Reliance Retail is planning to roll out its e-commerce venture for grocery, fashion and lifestyle and business-to-business verticals. It wants to offer a differentiated experience for the customers and hence it is strengthening both online and offline. It will integrate its e-commerce facility with the upcoming 4G launch from Reliance Jio.
Summary
Reliance Retail will be introducing technologies to its staff to save customers from the long queues of billing.