Retail aspirants from WeSchool, Mumbai campus conversed with in-store managers and retail division heads, Reliance Retail to understand the nuances of retail business in the digital age.
Retail has evolved over the years with more digital stores making their foray into retail. The consumer profile has evolved with the mobility of data available on smartphones. Retail for selling items with shelf-life like fresh produce and durable products like consumer electronics, footwear and clothing has its own cycle of demand and supply changing throughout the year. In a fierce battle of on-ground stores Vs the online shop, it has become imperative to relearn how both mediums co-exist in the retail eco-systems present in big cities like Mumbai, which contribute major sales revenue through offline and online retail outlets.
Through retail immersion, a part of the PGDM Retail Management program curriculum, WeSchool students got acquainted with finer details of store function – both front end and back end across verticals – Reliance Smart, Reliance Footprints, Reliance Trends, Reliance Jewels and Reliance Digital. The objective of the field-study was to create a class of industry ready retail professionals by providing them with an out-of-the-classroom interactive project on retail by renowned retail experts and top leaders at Reliance Retail, Mr Damodar Mall, CEO, Grocery Retail, Reliance Retail Limited; Mr. Brian Bade, CEO, Reliance Digital, Reliance Retail Limited and Mr Venkatesh GR, CHRO, Reliance Retail Limited.
The students also got the opportunity to interact with the on-ground store representatives and managers to understand front-end operations like sales, visual merchandising as well as back-end functions like supply chain, commercials, resource management and much more. These sessions helped them relate and apply the theoretical concepts which they learned in class.
Sharing the experience of the practical exposure, Retail PGDM students, WeSchool said:
“It was a worthwhile experience to interact with industry pioneers.”
“I had an amazing opportunity to interact with CEOs of Reliance Digital and Reliance Smart. In Digital, we understood how different is US market as compared to the Indian market. In Smart, we were explained how differently Smart is positioned with a different target audience and how private label works.”
“I got to know a fresh perspective towards marketing strategy, brand positioning and taking up competition with an intention to grow.”
“I learned the importance of customer relationship, which is the main reason that the brick and mortar format will never die.”
WeSchool students with top leaders at Reliance Retail, Mr Damodar Mall, CEO, Grocery Retail, Reliance Retail Limited and Mr Venkatesh GR, CHRO, Reliance Retail
