1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In this report I want to tell that, I have a opportunity to do a survey on CUSTOMER SATISFACTION TOWARDS LEATHER FOOTWEAR WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE OF RED CHIEF. As such it is quiet impossible for me to consider the whole population of Kanpur so I will consider approx.120 respective customer amongst that .They tell me that about 52% people like to wear leather shoes. In this survey 53% customer says that they will like to wear red chief shoes. Now a days customer is looking for quality in shoes. When I ask this question to the consumer they ready to pay above Rs.2000 that 35. If we talk about that who is the influencer for consumer they replied friend, 46% consumer like to wear black shoes. Most of the consumer wants to purchase the shoes as per the need. They are not waiting for a festival whenever they will realize that there is a need for footwear they will purchase. Customers are also looking for durability of shoes because 28%consumer wants 3-6 month as per a guarantee period 54% consumer change there brand only when they get better quality then the existing one. There is good awareness amongst consumer regarding Red Chief.

CONTENTS

Chapters

Page No.

1. Introduction 2. Company Profile 3. Review of Literature 4. Research Methodology 5. Data Analysis &Interpretation 6. Suggestions, recommendation & Conclusions 7. Bibliography 8. Annexure

5 9 23 54 62 81 85 87

Introduction

INTRODUCTION
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION is the buzzword used by the business people for the success of organization in the present days. Due to the increases of heavy competition in every product line it become difficult for the companies to retain the customers for longer time. So retain the customer for longer time the marketer has to do only one things i.e. customer satisfaction .If customer is fully satisfied by the product it not only rub the organization successfully but also fetch many benefits for the company . They are less process sensitive and they remain customer for a longer period. They buy addition products overtimes as the company introduce related produce related products or improved, so customer satisfactions is gaining a lot of importance in the present day. Every company is conducting survey on customer satisfaction level on their products .To make the products up to the satisfaction level of customers. This project is also done to know the customer satisfaction towards leather shoes on behalf of rohit surfactants pvt.ltd. leather played a vital role in helping the nation to produce higher value good and services and in the enhancing their skills and impose tremendous demand for leather. The manufacturer company facing cut throat competition in the fields of technology and price, So to gain the market share it is important for the institutes to satisfy its customers and to retain the reputation and its image. Customer Satisfaction Strategies Followed By RED CHIEF The different strategies followed by RED CHIEF consists of Customer relationship management, strategy to providing better facility to the owner, and strategy to provide better after sales service to customer. Customer Relationship Management CRM as a tool was used to create positive word-of-mouth, to monitor customer experiences and generate referrals. A series of CRM activities were implemented with regular direct communication, events and customer satisfaction surveys, Events, Festive offers, Rewards Program, etc.

Customer Satisfaction in 7 Steps

1. Encourage Face-to-Face Dealings This is the most daunting and downright scary part of interacting with a customer. If you're not used to this sort of thing it can be a pretty nerve-wracking experience. Rest assured, though, it does get easier over time. It's important to meet your customers face to face at least once or even twice during the course of a project. 2. Respond to Messages Promptly & Keep Your Clients Informed This goes without saying really. We all know how annoying it is to wait days for a response to an email or phone call. It might not always be practical to deal with all customers' queries within the space of a few hours, but at least email or call them back and let them know you've received their message and you'll contact them about it as soon as possible. Even if you're not able to solve a problem right away, let the customer know you're working on it. 3. Be Friendly and Approachable A fellow Site Pointer once told me that you can hear a smile through the phone. This is very true. It's very important to be friendly, courteous and to make your clients feel like you're their friend and you're there to help them out. There will be times when you want to beat your clients over the head repeatedly with a blunt object - it happens to all of us. It's vital that you keep a clear head, respond to your clients' wishes as best you can, and at all times remain polite and courteous. 4. Have a Clearly-Defined Customer Service Policy This may not be too important when you're just starting out, but a clearly defined customer service policy is going to save you a lot of time and effort in the long run. If a customer has a problem, what should they do? If the first option doesn't work, then what? Should they contact different people for billing and technical enquiries? If they're not satisfied with any aspect of

your customer service, who should they tell? There's nothing more annoying for a client than being passed from person to person, or not knowing who to turn to. Making sure they know exactly what to do at each stage of their enquiry should be of utmost importance. So make sure your customer service policy is present on your site -- and anywhere else it may be useful. 5. Attention to Detail (also known as 'The Little Niceties') Have you ever received a Happy Birthday email or card from a company you were a client of? Have you ever had a personalized sign-up confirmation email for a service that you could tell was typed from scratch? These little niceties can be time consuming and aren't always cost effective, but remember to do them. Even if it's as small as sending a Happy Holidays email to all your customers, it's something. It shows you care; it shows there are real people on the other end of that screen or telephone; and most importantly, it makes the customer feel welcomed, wanted and valued. 6. Anticipate Your Client's Needs & Go Out Of Your Way to Help Them Out Sometimes this is easier said than done! However, achieving this supreme level of understanding with your clients will do wonders for your working relationship. 7. Honour Your Promises It's possible this is the most important point in this article. The simple message: when you promise something, deliver. Clients don't like to be disappointed. Sometimes, something may not get done, or you might miss a deadline through no fault of your own. Projects can be late, technology can fail and sub-contractors don't always deliver on time. In this case a quick apology and assurance it'll be ready ASAP wouldn't go a miss.

Company Profile

LEYAN GLOBAL PVT. LTD:-An Overview

Red Chief is one of the leading footwear brand in India, manufacturing high quality genuine leather footwear at unbeatable price.

PROFILE
Red Chief is the brand of Ghari Industries Pvt. Ltd. (Footwear & Leather division) - one of the leading manufacturers of footwear in India. The Company is a part of Ghari Industries Pvt Ltd group, having annual group turnover of around US $ 200 million. This company is also manufacturing detergent under the brand name "Ghari" which is a well established brand and trend setter in its respective industry. Footwear range of Ghari Industries Pvt Ltd was launched under the brand name Red Chief in 1997 to meet the growing demand for branded high quality leather footwear at an affordable price. Starting with a handful of employees in 1997, Red Chief now has a workforce of more than 350 dedicated employees. The company has recorded an impressive growth through its enthusiastic and highly motivated marketing team and an efficient distribution network covering nearly the whole of north & west India. For future growth the company is now all set to explore overseas market. The driving force behind the company through the years has been its quest for quality and excellence. To fulfil these objectives, Red Chief has gone for complete backward integration. It has its own Tannery to supply a complete range of finished leather as well as manufacturing facilities for making Sole and Shoe Upper ,thus ensuring superior quality in every component of its products and becoming a complete Shoe Manufacturing Company.

LEYAN GLOBAL Pvt. Ltd. (leather and foot wear division) is part of fast growing Rohit surfactants grope with sales of us $400 million per annum. The footwear and leather division recorded impressive growth since inception in 1995. LEYAN GLOBAL Pvt. Ltd. (leather and footwear division) has over 1200 full time employees. The goups as produces one of the leading FMCG in INDIA marketed under the brand name of GHARI. The company markets a leather footwear brand in India by the name RED CHIEF, all footwear made under this brand is of leather .The company is a complete leather and footwear. Manufacturer with its own tannery, and three footwear and sole manufacturing plants. Leather finishing division at Rohit surfactants specializes in all type of chrome and vegetable tanned cow, imported cow buffalo and calf leather .The capacity of new tannery at Rohit surfactants is planned over 40,000 ft .Of leather per day ,currently the existing the one produces around 15,000 sq. ft. of leather per day. some of our regular products comprise of softy ,Nappa, Burnish, Smooth , Nubuck, Suede , Printed , oil-pull up, NDM, crackle crumble ,rub off , crazy horse , DD ling and slit leather .

QUALITY POLICY
We trust in the ideology of "Value for Money". It has been our guiding principle to deliver high quality shoes at affordable prices, which is unmatchable by any of our competitors. Each of our products incorporates the highest standards of quality achieved through stringent quality control by adopting latest technologies, rigorous testing of raw materials, continuous onprocess monitoring , battery of post assembly checks and commitment of our employees to achieve quality standards. Our products meet all relevant international standards and regulations. An urge to give even better product to the customer keeps us engaged with constant quality upgradation. Experimenting with new ideas in technology and design, an in-house research and development cell equipped with the most advanced tools ensures a constant flow of new ideas and breakthroughs.

INFRASTRUCTURE
With the most advanced manufacturing facilities spread over 6000 sq. mtrs, Red Chief has been consistently meeting the requirement of its customers. Red Chief has state - of - the art production facilities to manufacture 2000 pairs of shoes per day. The complete vertically integrated infrastructure, all under one roof gives us the huge edge. The complete in house manufacturing capabilities include upper stitching and injection moulding machines. If required production capacity can be increased up to 3000 pairs a day. The facilities are fully networked for the smooth flow in the assembly line. The emphasis on

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quality is not compromised at any level and under any circumstances. To ensure this, rigorous controls and checks have been implemented in every stage right from the acquisition of raw material to the finished products. The company keeps abreast with the latest shoe manufacturing technology. Many machines in the footwear and Leather Division are imported from countries like Italy, Germany, Czech Republic and some other European Countries.

PHILOSOPHY
Our company's corporate philosophy can be expressed in one sentiment "Customer Delight"- by providing products of the highest quality within an economical and affordable price range. Total consumer satisfaction is the most important component we pack into all our products and absolute consumer confidence is our biggest reward. Perfection is a never ending pursuit for us. With quality as the hallmark, it is our sincere endeavor that each product that comes through our state-of-art production line should truly act as the ambassador of goodwill, with the consumers-reinforcing their conviction in Red Chief.

SOCIAL COMMITMENT
The company displays high level of social commitment by active participation in social welfare activities. All packing material used for packing footwear and finished leather is recyclable and environment friendly. The tannery at Ghari Industries Pvt Ltd has one of the modern water treatment plants to treat effluent water and has high safety standards for workers.

AD. CAMPAIGN

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Since 1997 'Red Chief' has come and long way and has established itself as a major brand in the Indian footwear market manufacturing designer shoes, formal shoes, casual shoes, boots, etc., with the brand proposition 'naturally its leather'. A lot of effort and hard work has been put into the brand since that time besides consistency in the product quality; high quality advertisement has also helped the brand promotion.

The main media in use for advertisement of Red Chief are newspapers and magazines. Besides this, intensive outdoor advertisements like billboards, poster panels, side hoardings, vehicle wraps and also wallscapes are used as a medium of advertisement. All the outdoor venues for advertisement and carefully picked to maximise the effect of the ad on the potential customers. Besides this at Red Chief we also give a lot of importance to in-store advertising, the retailers are provided with a lot of promotional advertisement stuff, like hangings, posters, display racks, electric boarding and also stationary with Red Chief printed on it. Frequent television advertisements also support the main media.

TANNERY: The tannery and the leather finishing division at ROHIT Surfactants specializes in all type of chrome and vegetable cow, imported cow buffalo, and calf leather . The capacity of the new tannery at ROHIT surfactants is planned over 40,000. ft. of leather per day , currently the existing one produces around 15,000 sq. ft, of leather per day. Some of our regular products comprise of softy, Nappa, Burnish, Smooth, Nubuck, Suede, and Printed, oil-pull-up, NDM, Crackle crumble, crunch, Rub-off, Crazy-horse, DD lining and split leather.

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FOOTWEAR-EXCELLENCE: The company has a sole and three footwear manufacturing plants, two in KANPUR and one in HRIDWAR. The complete footwear manufacturing is done in house including cutting, closing, lasting and finishing of the leather footwear. The three footwear manufacturing units combined, produce over 4,000 pairs of footwear per-day, a new export factory planned in KANPUR will push that to 5,000 Paris per day by March 2009. the has trained employees for different type of footwear like cement or struck-on constructions, strobe-stitched stitch down or hand stitched construction, Moccasins and also all type of open leather footwear like sandals and slippers. EXPANSION: A new footwear manufacturing export plant is in under construction. This unit is spread over 100,000 sq. ft of area. Situated at the leather technology parks on the outskirts of KANPUR, it will be ready for production by March 2009. The footwear plats will have a capacity of 2,000 pairs of footwear per day. The tannery division of the plants will be a completely integrated tanning unit, beginning with the process. CLIENT: The companys current business domestic supplier, majorly in the Indian market, brand as Red Chief shoes. In export market the company has been supplying two brands like shoefayre, kickers and Bata in Europe. Participation in international shoes fairs like the Expo Riva schud in Garda, Italy and GDS in Dusseldorf, Germany have exposed the company towards European market. PEOPLE-PERODUCTIVITY: At LEYAN GLOBAL, we constantly gear up for the challenge of change. We invest in training and strengthening of our human assets knowledge, skills and perspective. The assets include enthusiastic and customer centered designers, technologies and techno commercials professions. We take steps to unleash the inner creativity of employees, through self managed work, groups, further empowering our people. We conduct training programs. And this reflects in all our areas of works via world class standard and services.

CONTACT
Leyan Global Pvt. Ltd. (Footwear & Leather Division) Regd. Office: 117 / H-2 / 202, Pandu Nagar, Kanpur-208005 (U.P.) India.

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Work : 198-B, Dada Nagar, Kanpur-208022 (U.P.) India. Tel. :- +91-512-2241749 / 2296186 Fax :- +91-512-2241750 E-mail: info@redchief.co.in

PRODUCTION PROCESS IN LEYAN GLOBAL PVT. LTD.

There are three stages in the manufacturing of shoes: 1- Tannery

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2- Sole division 3- Production division

TANNERY DIVISION: Initially the unprocessed leather comes in RSPL. After the successful delivery of leather, the unprocessed leather go through various process. All process given below:

Selection Saming Spiliting Saver Driming Glooming Dye Colour Matching Washing Vaccum Hydrolic press Buffing Selection:In this process the company of tannery in charge the select the leather for witch type of good leather or bad leather. It is a row materials which is land for out side of the company. Saming machine:After selection the leather comes to saming machine in this machine the used for the leather dryness without heating because in this process if you give the heat to the leather then the leather will very hard and without softness. Spiliting:-In this process the leather distinguished the good and bad leather for the using the saperate category or products. Saver:-This machine used for the buffering the leather particles or ankles and made leather smooth and plane. Driming:This machine is used for the dying the leather or coloring the leather with deferents chemicals and powder then make the leather with fine color./

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Glooming:In this process the machine used foe the removing the vestige particals with ankles Dye:In this process the leather dying the leather with chemicals and other expentive materials. It used for the different color with different type of leather Color Matching:In this process the match the color with different type of sample of leather because it deside the right leather with right quality. Washing:After matching the color the same type of leather are wash the same type of color leather because used for this process the leathers doesnt mix-up. Vaccum Dyer:It this process the dry hard leather comes in the soft leather it is also called the steam press Hydrolic press:It is used for the press the leather and shining the leather and remove the starches to the leather. Buffing:The buffing machine is used for the make the leather smooth and removes the other particles and ankles to the leather to make the smooth and softy.

SOLE DIVISION In sole division, there are two types of sole are produced:
1- Thermal plastic Rubber (TPR) 2- Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC)

In these units, there three machine. One for TPR type sole, one for PVC and one for both. Worker, who is working in RSPL, told me that they are producing 300 sole each day. Sometime this figure can very according to demands. Adjacent to sole division units there is one unit where leather is processed. All the process is given bellow1- Roller Cotter 2- Coloring Units

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3- Press 4- Plate 5- Cutting 6- Checking 7- Measuring

PRODUCTION UNITS: In this units there six production line and the production process is given below1- Hand Cutting 2- Passing 3- Cloth interline 4- Press 5- Skimming 6- Marking 7- Component Adding 8- Warming 9- Pasting 10- Final Passing 11- Packaging

PRODUCTS
LIFE STYLE SHOES

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SPORTS SHOES

SUMMER WEAR

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NEW ARRIVALS

FEATURES OF THE PRODUCT

Quality worth the money spent on : Price of red chief shoes starts from Rs 1000 onwards. These shoes are very beautifully designed and fashionable. These shoes are available for around Rs 1000-5000 and the purchase is worth of quality. Very trendy and fashionable: Young generation being their target customers. Red Chief offers you a wide variety of trendy and fashionable shoes. You could be sure to get designer foot wears changing with time suited for young generations along with that chacquire stone & pearl worked sandals best suited to your

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occasion and kids shoes are also available in different colures like red, velvety-brown, white, blue etc. Durability red chief shoes are really meant for durability. They are classically manufactured for the toughest meanders. Due to its durability red chief shoes are preferred by those who dont believe in frequent changing of shoes. Padded Layers to provide comfort: red chief shoes also provide the customers with padded layers in the shoes in order to provide much more comfort than other shoes.

Fabric lined for soothing experience: In some of there models red chief shoes also provide fabric linings for soothing experience to there customers. This is a unique feature of their shoes. Incredible range: red chief shoes also provide incredible range of shoes to their customers so, that they can have a variety of choice.

SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE CUSTOMERS

Warranty period:The Showrooms also offer warranty for the footwear ranging from 6 months to almost 1 years depending upon the shoes price. After sales services:red chief showroom also provides their customers with a satisfactory after sales services. They give complementary gifts to the customers on a specified purchase made by them. It includes shoe polish, shoe shiner, belts and other accessories too. Special discount offer:red chief generally provides special discount offers to the customers which mostly includes 12% discount on the purchase made. They also give discounts on special occasions such as ganpati, diwali, dusshera. Shoe mela:red chief also conducts shoe mela at various cities where they sell there shoes at discounted rate. Online purchase:-

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red chief also provides a very convenient facility of online purchasing to their customers. Under this facility customers can purchase and pay online through internet.

SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS: The strength of the company lies within its product differentiation with great durability. WEAKNESSES:-

Dont have sports shoes range for the athletes. Limited advertisements (awareness of the customers about the new designs is very low) Availability (no availability of new designs) red chief is certainly not for people who desire to keep on changing their footwear frequently having been fed up with the same design. The athletic and leather shoes do start getting dented within a year. OPPORTUNITIES:-

Deeper penetration of market (by making product available in small towns depend on the) They also have a great scope to expand their market in sports (athletic) footwear. As they mainly deal in leather shoes so, they can also enter into manufacturing of all seasons shoes especially water proof shoes. Ladies footwear market. THREATS:-

red chief shoes face a big threat from organized sector like Bata , action,

liberty etc

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Review of Literature

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Indian Leather Industry The leather industry occupies a place of prominence in the Indian economy in view of its massive potential for employment, growth and exports. There has been an increasing emphasis on its planned development, aimed at optimum utilisation of available raw materials for maximising the returns, particularly from exports. The exports of leather and leather products gained momentum during the past two decades. There has been a phenomenal growth in exports from Rs.320 million in the year 1965-66 to Rs.69558 million in 1996-97. Indian leather industry today has attained well merited recognition in international markets besides occupying a prominent place among the top seven foreign exchange earners of the country. The leather industry has undergone a dramatic transformation from a mere exporter of raw materials in the sixties to that of value added finished products in the nineties. Policy initiatives taken by the Government of India since 1973 have been instrumental to such a transformation. In the wake of globalisation of Indian economy supported with liberalised economic and trade policies since 1991, the industry is poised for further growth to achieve greater share in the global trade. Apart from a significant foreign exchange earner, leather industry has tremendous potential for employment generation. Direct and indirect employment of the industry is around 2 million. The skilled and semi-skilled workers constitute nearly 50% of the total work force. The estimated employment in different sectors of leather industry is as follows: Sector Flaying, curing & Carcass Recovery Tanning & Finishing Full Shoe Shoe Uppers Chappals & Sandals Leather Goods & Garments Total Employment 8,00,000 1,25,000 1,75,000 75,000 4,50,000 1,50,000

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Structure of the industry The leather industry is spread in different segments, namely, tanning & finishing, footwear & footwear components, leather garments, leather goods including saddlery & harness, etc. The estimated production capacity in different segments is as under Product Leather Hides Skins 64 million pieces 166 million pieces Capacity

Footwear & Footwear Components a) Shoes b) Leather shoe uppers c) Non-leather shoes/chappals etc 100 million pairs 78 million pairs 125 million pairs

Leather Garments

6 million pieces

Leather Products

70 million pieces

Industrial Gloves

40 million pairs

Saddlery

6000 pieces

The major production centres for leather and leather products are located at Chennai, Ambur, Ranipet, Vaniyambadi, Trichi, Dindigul in Tamil Nadu, Calcutta in West Bengal, Kanpur in

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Uttar Pradesh, Jalandhar in Punjab, Bangalore in Karnataka, Delhi and Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh. Raw material supplies There exists a large raw material base. This is on account of population of 194 million cattle, 70 million buffaloes, 95 million goats. According to the latest census, India ranks first among the major livestock holding countries in the world. In respect of sheep with 48 million sheeps, it claims the sixth position. These four species provide the basic raw material for the leather industry. The annual availability of 166 million pieces of hides and skins is the main strength of the industry. This is expected to go up to 218 million pieces by the end of year 2000. Some of the goat/calf/sheep skins available in India are regarded as speciality products commanding a good market. Abundance of traditional skills in training, finishing and manufacturing downstream products and relatively low wage rates are the two other factors of comparative advantage for India. Tanning and finishing capacity With tanning and finishing capacity for processing 1192 million pieces of hides and skins per annum spread over different parts of the country, most of which is organised along modern lives, the capability of India to sustain a much larger industry with its raw material resource is evident. In order to augment the domestic raw material availability, the Government of India has allowed duty free import of hides and skins from anywhere in the world. It is an attraction for any foreign manufacturer who intends to shift his production base from a high cost location to low cost base. Export Potential The leather industry, one of the major foreign exchange earners of the country recorded significant growth since the beginning of the decade. Today the share of the value added finished products in the total exports from leather sector are 80% as against 20% in 1970s. (Value in million US$) 1998-99 265.2 290.2 243.7

Category Finished Leather Leather Footwear Footwear Components

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Leather Garments Leather Goods Saddlery and Harness Total

368.6 429.0 33.4 1630.1

(Value in million Rs.) Country Germany USA Italy UK France Spain Russia Portugal Australia Denmark Netherlands Hong Kong Others Total 1998-99 15462 10826 8317 9744 3240 3103 1009 1240 1465 808 2127 258 9958 69558 Share in total exports in 1998-99 22.23 % 15.56 % 11.96 % 14.00 % 4.6 % 4.46 % 1.445 % 1.78 % 2.10 % 1.16 % 3.06 % 3.25 % 14.32 % 100 %

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Top ten Indian leather exporters Tata International Ltd. Florind Shoes Ltd. Punihani International Farida Shoes Ltd. Mirza Tanners Ltd. T. Abdul Wahid & Company Hindustan Lever Ltd. Super House Leather Ltd. RSL Industries Ltd. Presidency Kid Leather Ltd.

Indian Leather Footwear Industry

India is the world's second largest producer of footwear; its production estimated over 700 million pairs per annum. At about US $ 300 million per year, footwear accounts for 18 percent share of total exports of leather exports.

Various types of shoes produced and exported from India include dress shoes, casuals, moccasins, sports shoes, horacchis, sandals, ballerinas, and booties. Major production centres are Chennai (Madras), Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Mumbai (Bombay), Calcutta and Jalandhar.

Most of the modern footwear manufacturers in India are already supplying to well established brands in Europe and USA. The large domestic market and the opportunity to cater to world markets makes India an attractive destination for technology and investments. Equally relevant is it for the footwear components industry, at this juncture, it is posed for real growth and diversification.

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Indian leather industry - Investment & Sales The ratio of investment : sales value is 1: 2.25, which is very low when compared to other industries. This is mainly due to low capacity utilization of the units. The capacity utilisation of units in respect of hides converting raw into unfinished leathers is estimated at 49%, raw to finished 60% and unfinished to finished 70%. In the case of skin based tanneries, the respective percentages are 64, 67 and 70. The main reasons reported for under utilisation of capacity are raw material shortage, high price of raw materials, lack of modernisation, financial constraints, power constraints and stringent environmental regulations.

Investment details of Indian leather industry Average Investment per unit * (in Rs. Crores)

Sector

No. of Units

Total Cost (in Rs. Crores)

Tanning SSI Large / medium

1077 80

2.25 5.00 Sub Total (I)

2423.25 400.00 2823.25 440.00 189.00

Foot Wear SSI Large / medium

550 50

0.80 3.78

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Sub Total (II) Leather goods SSI Large / medium 390 10 0.50 1.68 Sub Total (III) Leather Garments SSI Large / medium 390 10 1.00 4.00 Sub Total (IV) Total (I+II+III+IV)

629.00 195.00 16.80 211.80 390.00 40.00 430.00 4094.05

Unorganised sector (@30% of total amount)

1228.21

Total Amount

5322.26

Marketing of leather and leather products in Germany & the EU The leather sector offers a good potential which Indian entrepreneurs can exploit in Germany and other EU markets characterised by ever growing competitiveness in terms of price and quality, on one hand, and the environmental considerations, on the other. With a strong foothold that the Indian leather industry has had for long in these markets, and its advantage of raw material and labour resources, Indian leather exporters can, and should, mount a concerted marketing campaign to wrest a share consistent with their inherent strength and potential. This has to be done against the background of the well-known salient features of the German market:

The world's second largest import and export market A difficult buyers' market with hyper competition and high expectations

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A dynamic multi-faceted market with rapid technological development and innovations A market where a considerable amount of buying power is devoted to satisfying individual needs A market influenced by the rising average age of the population and low birth rate A market where environment awareness and eco-friendly production becomes more and more a pre-requisite for successful marketing of products

OVERVIEW OF THE INDIAN FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY The Footwear Industry is a significant segment of the Leather Industry in India. India ranks second among the footwear producing countries next to China. India produces more of gents footwear while the worlds major production is in ladies footwear. .The industry is labour intensive and is concentrated in the small and cottage industry sectors. While leather shoes and uppers are concentrated in large scale units, the sandals and chappals are produced in the household and cottage sector. In the case of chappals and sandals, use of non-leather material is prevalent in the domestic market. The major production centers India are Chennai, Ranipet, Ambur in Tamil Nadu, , Mumbai in Maharastra, Kanpur in U.P. , Jalandhar in Punjab, Agra and Delhi. The following table indicates concentration of units in various parts of the country: Region Tamil Nadu Delhi & up North Agra, Kanpur Calcutta Bangalore Mumbai Large & Medium Scale 64 4 9 1 6 3 SSI 31 8 34 3 3 11 Household 7 25 14 19 4

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Others

13

10

32

The estimated annual footwear production capacity in 1999 is nearly 1736 million pairs (776 million pairs of leather footwear and 960 million pairs of non-leather footwear). Region-wise share of total estimated capacities is as follows: Region Leather shoes Non-leather Shoes Leather Shoe Uppers Leather Sandals Non Leather Sandals

Percentage Tamil Nadu Delhi & up North Agra, Kanpur Calcutta Bangalore Mumbai Others Total 26 10 5 77 54 4 1 1 0 60

45 12 3 4 0 100

0 0 3 2 13 100

32 2 4 1 3 100

62 3 0 32 1 100

0 0 0 0 40 100

Shoes manufactured in India wear brand names like Florsheim, Gabor, Clarks, Salamander and St. Micheals. As part of its effort to play a lead role in the global trade, the Indian leather industry is focusing on key deliverables of innovative design, consistently superior quality and unfailing delivery schedules. India in itself has a huge domestic market, which is largely untapped.

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The Indian footwear industry is provided with institutional infrastructure support through premier institutions like Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, Footwear Design & Development Institute, Noida, National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, etc in the areas of technological development, design and product development and human resource development. The availability of abundant raw material base, large domestic market and the opportunity to cater to world markets makes India an attractive destination for technology and investments. IMPORT In 1999, the global import of footwear (leather and non-leather) in terms of value was around US$ 43278 million, accounting a share of 63.42% in the total global import of leather and leather products. Out of this, import of leather footwear alone accounted for US$ 26379 million and non-leather footwear US$ 16899 million. EXPORT Indias export of Leather Footwear touched US$ 331 million in 1999-2000, recording an increase of 3.29% over the preceding year. India thus holds a share of 1.25% in the global import of leather footwear. The major markets for Indian Leather Footwear are the U.K., the U.S.A., Germany, Italy, France and Russia. Nearly 71% of India s export of Leather Footwear is to Germany, the U.S.A., the U.K and Italy. In 1999-2000, export of leather footwear from India constituted 21% share of its total export of leather and leather products. Nearly 33 million pairs of various types of leather footwear were exported during the year, out of which shoes / boots constituted 90%. The different types of leather footwear exported from India are dress shoes, casuals, moccasins, sport shoes, horrachies, sandals, beallerinas, booties.

Export of leather footwear during the last three years : (Value in million US$) April-Feb Product 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-2001

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Leather Footwear

320.25

330.80

348.96

Source : DGCI & S, Calcutta

Export projections for the next two years: (Value in million US$) PRODUCT Leather Footwear 2001-02 453 2002-03 506

Source : Indicative Medium Term Plan Following leading institutes in India are engaged in imparting training to personnel in the footwear manufacturing as per the requirement of the trade and industry.

INTRODUCTION OF SHOES A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function. Additionally fashion has often dictated many design elements, such as whether shoes have very high heels or flat ones. Contemporary footwear varies widely in style, complexity and cost. Basic sandals may consist of only a thin sole and simple strap. High fashion shoes may be made of very expensive materials in complex construction and sell for thousands of dollars a pair. Other shoes are for very specific purposes, such as boots specially designed for mountaineering or skiing.

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Shoes have traditionally been made from leather, wood or canvas, but are increasingly made from rubber, plastics, and other petrochemical-derived materials. Until recent years, shoes were not worn by most of the world's populationlargely because they could not afford them. Only with the advent of mass production, making shoes available very cheaply, has shoe-wearing become predominant.

The foot contains more bones than any other single part of the body. Though it has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in relation to vastly varied terrain and climate conditions, the foot is still vulnerable to environmental hazards such as sharp rocks and hot ground, which shoes can protect against. However, in regards to the shock dampening, barefoot walking/running is still better. This as humans accustomed to walking/running barefoot land on the front of the foot first (rather than on the heel); this makes the impact more gradual and hence reduces the shock by 300%. 1. History The earliest known shoes are sandals dating from about 8000 to 7000 BC and found in Oregon, USA in 1938.[5] The world's oldest leather shoe, made from a single piece of cowhide laced with a leather cord along seams at the front and back, was found in a cave in Armenia in 2008 and is believed to date to 3,500 BC. tzi the Iceman's shoes, dating to 3,300 BC, featured brown bearskin bases, deerskin side panels, and a bark-string net, which pulled tight around the foot. [7] However, tanned leather, the material most commonly used for making shoes, does not normally last for thousands of years, so shoes were probably in use long before this. Physical anthropologist Erik Trinkaus believes he has found evidence that the use of shoes began in the period between about 40,000 and 26,000 years ago, based on the fact that the thickness of the

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bones of the toes (other than the big toe) decreased during this period, on the premise that wearing shoes resulted in less bone growth, resulting in shorter, thinner toes. The earliest designs were simple affairs, often mere "foot bags" of leather to protect the feet from rocks, debris, and cold. Since shoes use more leather than sandals, their use was more common in cold climates. By the Middle Ages, turn-shoes had been developed with toggled flaps or drawstrings to tighten the leather around the foot for a better fit. As Europe gained in wealth and power, fancy shoes became status symbols. Toes became long and pointed, often to ridiculous proportions. Artisans created unique footwear for rich patrons, and new styles developed. Eventually the modern shoe, with a sewn-on sole, was devised. Since the 17th century, most leather shoes have used a sewnon sole. This remains the standard for finer-quality dress shoes today. Until around 1800, shoes were made without differentiation for the left or right foot. Such shoes are now referred to as "straights". Only gradually did the modern foot-specific shoe become standard. Since the mid-20th Century, advances in rubber, plastics, synthetic cloth, and industrial adhesives have allowed manufacturers to create shoes that stray considerably from traditional crafting techniques. Leather, which had been the primary material in earlier styles, has remained standard in expensive dress shoes, but athletic shoes often have little or no real leather. Soles, which were once laboriously hand-stitched on, are now more often machine stitched or simply glued on. 2. Part Sole The bottom of a shoe is called the sole. Insole The insole is the interior bottom of a shoe, which sits directly beneath the foot under the footbed (also known as sock liner). The purpose of insole is to attach to the lasting margin of the upper, which is wrapped around the last during the closing of the shoe during the lasting operation. Insoles are usually made of cellulosic paper board or synthetic non woven insole board. Many shoes have removable and replaceable footbeds. Extra cushioning is often added for comfort (to control the shape, moisture, or smell of the shoe) or health reasons (to help deal with defects in the natural shape of the foot or positioning of the foot during standing or walking). Basically, this is a main part of shoes which can absorb foot sweat. Footbeds should typically use foam cushioning sheets like latex and EVA, which provide good wearing comfort of the shoe.

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Outsole

Parts of a shoe The outsole is the layer in direct contact with the ground. Dress shoes often have leather or resin rubber outsoles; casual or work-oriented shoes have outsoles made of natural rubber or a synthetic material like Polyurethane. The outsole may comprise a single piece, or may be an assembly of separate pieces of different materials. Often the heel of the sole has a rubber plate for durability and traction, while the front is leather for style. Specialized shoes will often have modifications on this design: athletic or so called cleated shoes like soccer, rugby, baseball and golf shoes have spikes embedded in the outsole to grip the ground. Midsole The layer in between the outsole and the insole that is typically there for shock absorption. Some types of shoes, like running shoes, have another material for shock absorption, usually beneath the heel of the foot, where one puts the most pressure down. Different companies use different materials for the midsoles of their shoes. Some shoes may not have a midsole at all. Heel The bottom rear part of a shoe is the heel. Its function is to support the heel of the foot. They are often made of the same material as the sole of the shoe. This part can be high for fashion or to make the person look taller, or flat for a more practical and comfortable use. Vamp/upper

Every shoe has an upper part that helps hold the shoe onto the foot. In the simplest cases, such as sandals or flip-flops, this may be nothing more than a few straps for holding the

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sole in place. Closed footwear, such as boots, trainers and most men's shoes, will have a more complex upper. This part is often decorated or is made in a certain style to look attractive. Lateral/medial The outside part of the shoe is referred to as the lateral and the inside facing part of the shoe is the medial. This can be in reference to either the outsole or the vamp. Welt

Main article: Welt (shoe) A welt is a strip of leather, rubber, or plastic that is stitched to the upper and insole of a shoe, as an attach-point for the sole.

3. Accessories

Shoehorn: can be used to insert a foot into a shoe by keeping the shoe open and providing a smooth surface for the foot to slide upon.

Shoe tree: placed inside the shoe when user is not wearing it, to help maintain the shoe's shape. Heel grip: used to prevent the shoe from slipping on the heel if the fit is not perfect Foam tap: a small foam pad placed under the ball of the foot to push the foot up and back if the shoe is too loose. Shoe polishing equipment: Shoe Polish: a waxy material spread on shoes to improve appearance, glossiness, and provide protection. Shoe brush and polishing cloth: used to apply polish to shoes.

Overshoes or galoshes: a rubber covering placed over shoes for rain and snow protection. (Orthopedic) shoe insert: insert of various materials for cushioning, improved fit, or reduced abrasion. These include padding and inner linings. Inserts may also be used to correct foot problems. Shoe stretcher: a tool for making a shoe longer or wider or for reducing discomfort in areas of a shoe. Snow shoe: a wooden or leather piece which increases the area of ground covered by the shoe.

Shoe bag: a bag that protects shoes against damage when they are not being worn.

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Shoelaces: a system used to secure shoes. Dress and casual

4. Types Are characterized by smooth and supple leather uppers, leather soles, and narrow sleek figure. Casual shoes are characterized by sturdy leather uppers, non-leather outsoles, and wide profile. Some designs of dress shoes can be worn by either gender. The majority of dress shoes have an upper covering, commonly made of leather, enclosing most of the lower foot, but not covering the ankles. This upper part of the shoe is often made without apertures or openings, but may also be made with openings or even itself consist of a series of straps, e.g. an open toe featured in women's shoes. Shoes with uppers made high to cover the ankles are also available; a shoe with the upper rising above the ankle is usually considered a boot but certain styles may be referred to as high-topped shoes or high-tops. Usually, a high-topped shoe is secured by laces or zippers, although some styles have elastic inserts to ease slipping the shoe on. Men's

This male dress shoe, known as a blucher, is distinguished by its open lacing. Men's shoes can be categorized by how they are closed:

Oxfords (also referred as "Balmorals"): the vamp has a V-shaped slit to which the laces are attached; also known as "closed lacing". The word "Oxford" is sometimes used by American clothing companies to market shoes that are not Balmorals, such as Blchers.

Blchers (American), Derbys (British): the laces are tied to two pieces of leather independently attached to the vamp; also known as "open lacing" and is a step down in dressiness.

Monk-straps:

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a buckle and strap instead of lacing

Slip-ons: There are no lacings or fastenings. The popular loafers are part of this category, as well as less popular styles, such as elastic-sided shoes. Men's shoes can also be decorated in various ways:

Plain-toes: have a sleek appearance and no extra decorations on the vamp. Cap-toes: has an extra layer of leather that "caps" the toe. This is possibly the most popular decoration. Brogues (American: wing-tips): The toe of the shoe is covered with a perforated panel, the wingtip, which extends down either side of the shoe. Brogues can be found in both balmoral and blucher styles, but are considered slightly less formal.

Men's shoes on display in a shopping outlet. Formal high-end men's shoes are manufactured by several companies around the world, most notably in England, France, Italy, and America. Notable British brands include: Church's English Shoes (est. 1873), John Lobb Bootmaker (est. 1849), Edward Green Shoes (est. 1890), and Crockett & Jones (est. 1879). Both John Lobb and Edward Green offer bespoke products. In between the world wars, men's footware received significant innovation and design, led by cobblers and cordwainers in London's West End.[11] The most notable French product is made by J.M. Weston. Armani of Italy was a major influence on men's shoe design in the 1960s-1980s until they returned to the larger proportions of its forebears, the welt-constructed Anglo-American dress shoe originally created in Edwardian England. Another well-known Italian company is Salvatore Ferragamo Italia S.p.A.. The remaining elite American companies are Allen Edmonds and Alden Shoe Company. Alden, located in New England, specializes in genuine shell cordovan leather from the only remaining horse tannery in America (Chicago) and is completely manufactured in America, whereas Allen Edmonds, of Wisconsin, is a larger company that outsources some of its production.

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Women's

Women's shoes on display in a shop window, 2005 There is a large variety of shoes available for women, in addition to most of the men's styles being more accepted as unisex. Some broad categories are:

High-heeled footwear is footwear that raises the heels, typically 2 inches (5 cm) or more above the toes, commonly worn by women for formal occasions or social outings. Variants include kitten heels (typically 1-2 inches high) and stilletto heels (with a very narrow heel post) and wedge heels (with a wedge-shaped sole rather than a heel post).

Sneaker boot Or sneaker pump: a shoe that looks like an athletic shoe, but is equipped with a heel, making it a kind of novelty dress shoe.

Mules Are shoes or slippers with no fitting around the heel (i.e. they are backless) Slingbacks Are shoes which are secured by a strap behind the heel, rather than over the top of the foot.

Ballet flats

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Known in the UK as ballerinas, ballet pumps or skimmers, are shoes with a very low heel and a relatively short vamp, exposing much of the instep. They are popular for warm-weather wear, and may be seen as more comfortable than shoes with a higher heel.

Court shoes, Known in the US as pumps, are typically high-heeled, slip-on dress shoes.

Unisex

The flip-flop sandal, worn both by men and women

Clog Platform shoe: shoe with very thick soles and heels Moccasin: originated by Native Americans, a soft shoe without a heel and usually made of leather. Sandals: open shoes consisting of a sole and various straps, leaving much of the foot exposed to air. They are thus popular for warm-weather wear, because they let the foot be cooler than a closed-toed shoe would.

Espadrilles are casual flat warm-weather shoes of a style which originated in the Pyrenees. They usually have a cotton or canvas upper and a flexible sole of rope or rubber. There are high-heeled versions for women.

Saddle shoe: leather shoe with a contrasting saddle-shaped band over the instep, typically white uppers with black "saddle". Slip-on shoe: a dress or casual shoe without laces; often with tassels, buckles, or coin-holders (penny loafers).

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Boat shoes, also known as "deck shoes": similar to a loafer, but more casual. Laces are usually simple leather with no frills. Typically made of leather and featuring a soft white sole to avoid marring or scratching a boat deck. The first boat shoe was invented in 1935 by Paul Sperry.

Boots: Long shoes (covering the ankle) frequently made of leather. Some are designed to be used in times of bad weather, or simply as an alternate style of casual or dress wear. Styles include rubber boots and snow boots, as well as work boots and hiking boots.

Slippers: For indoor use, commonly worn with pajamas. Vibram FiveFingers, meant to simulate the "natural" experience of going barefoot, while protecting the foot Sneakers or Canvas shoes.

Athletic

Today the most popular shoe globally: the sports shoe adapted for everyday use Men's and women's athletic shoes and special function shoes often have less difference between the sexes than in dress shoes. In many cases these shoes can be worn by either sex. Emphasis tends to be more on function than style.

Running shoes: very similar to above, with additional emphasis on cushioning. Track spikes: lightweight; often with plastic or metal cleats

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Cleat (shoe): a type of shoe featuring molded or removable studs. Usually worn while playing sports such as rugby, football, American football, baseball.

Golf shoes: with "spikes" for better grip in grass and wet ground. Originally the spikes or "cleats" were made of metal but replaceable "soft spikes" made of synthetic plastic-like materials with prongs distributed radially around the edge of each spike are much more common today (and are required on many golf courses since they cause less damage to the greens).

Bowling shoes: intermediate style between ordinary dress shoes and athletic shoes. They have harder rubber soles/heels so as not to damage bowling alley floors. They are often rented or loaned at bowling alleys.

Climbing shoes: a shoe designed for rock climbing. They typically have a close fit, little if any padding, and a smooth sticky rubber sole with an extended rubber rand.

Hiking shoes or boots: usually have a high somewhat stiff upper with many lace eyelets, to provide ankle support on uneven terrain, with extra large traction on the sole.

Walking shoes: have a more flexible sole than the running shoe, lighter in weight than the hiking boot, may have air holes, may not be water proof.

Skating shoes: typically called skates. They have various attachments for skating on the bottom of the shoe portion.

Ice skates Roller skates Inline skates

Ski boot: a large, thick plastic boot specially designed for attachment to the ski.

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Skate shoes: specifically designed for use in Skateboarding, the shoes are manufactured with flat soles as to allow a skateboarder to have better grip when riding a skateboard. They are very wide and have extra layers of padding to protect the skateboarders feet.

Cycling shoes are equipped with a metal or plastic cleat to interface with clipless pedals, as well as a stiff sole to maximize power transfer and support the foot.

Snowshoes are special shoes for walking in thick snow. In temperate climates, snowshoes are used for mostly recreational purposes in winter.

Wrestling shoes Are light, flexible shoes that mimic bare feet while providing additional traction and protection.

Orthopedic Orthopedic or "comfort" shoes are made with pedorthic and anatomically-correct comfort qualities, such as padded removable footbeds, wide toe boxes and arch support are made especially for those with problematic feet. Dance

Pointe shoes are designed for ballet dancing. These have a toe box that is stiffened with glue and a hardened sole so the dancer can stand on the tips of their toes. They are secured by elastic straps and ribbons that are tied to the dancer's ankles.

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Ballet shoes are soft, highly pliable shoes made of canvas or leather, with either continuous or twopart sole (also called split-sole). The sole is typically made of leather, with thicker material under the ball and heel of the foot, and thinner and thus more flexible material under the arch so that the foot can be pointed to its utmost. Ballet slippers are usually secured by elastics that cross over the top of the foot. They are most commonly pink, white, black, or pale tan, although they may be made in specialty colours such as red or blue.

Ghillies

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are soft shoes that are used in Irish dance Scottish country dance and highland dance.

Jazz shoes typically have a two-part, rubberized sole (also called split-sole) to provide both flexibility and traction, and a low (one inch or shorter) heel. They are secured to the foot by laces or elastic inserts.

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A foot thong, viewed from the bottom

Tango and Flamenco shoes are used for dancing the tango or flamenco. Ballroom shoes fall into two categories: Ballroom and Latin American. Both are characterised by suede soles. Men's ballroom shoes are typically lace-ups with one-inch heels and patent leather uppers. Ladies' ballroom shoes are typically court shoes with two-inch heels, made of fabric that can be colored to match the dancer's dress. In contrast to the low Ballroom heel, which evenly distributes weight across the foot, Latin American shoes have higher heels designed to shift weight onto the toes. Latin shoes are also more flexible than ballroom shoes. Men's Latin shoes typically have 1.5- to 2-inch high, shaped heels, while Ladies' Latin shoes have 2,5-inch to 3-inch heels. Ladies shoes are typically open-toed and strapped.

Dance sneakers. Also known as dansneakers, these are a combination of a sneaker and a dance shoe, with a reinforced rubber toe.

Character shoes have a one to three inch heel, which is usually made of leather, and often have one or more straps across the instep to secure it to the foot. They may come in soft-soled (suede) or hard-soled varieties. They may be converted to tap shoes by attaching taps.

Foot thongs are known by various names depending on the manufacturer, including dance paws, foot undies, and foot paws. They are slip-on, partial foot covers that protect the ball of a dancer's foot from skin abrasions while executing turns. From a distance, flesh colored foot thongs give a dancer the appearance of having bare feet.

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Tap shoes have metal plates mounted to the bottoms of the toe and heel. The metal plates, which are known as taps, make a loud sound when struck against a hard performance surface. Tap shoes, which are used in tap dancing, may be made from any style of shoe to which taps can be attached.

Mens' ballroom shoes

Tap shoes Work Work shoes are designed to stand heavy wear, to protect the wearer, and provide high traction. They are generally made from sturdy leather uppers and non-leather outsoles. Sometimes they are used for uniforms or comfort by nurses, waitresses, police, military personnel, etc. They are commonly used for protection in industrial settings, construction, mining, and other workplaces. Protective features may include steel-tipped toes and soles or ankle guards.

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Minimalist Minimalist shoes are shoes that are minimal in design so that the advantages of walking/running barefoot are incorporated, yet without dropping additional protection of the foot from sharp objects, ... Minimalist shoes include: Vibram FiveFingers, MBT, Nike Free Historical Shoes of the past include:

Turn-shoes: a method by which the shoe is constructed inside-out, wetted, and turned the finished side of the leather flipped to the outside. Such footwear was common from the Middle-ages until modern shoes were developed in the Tudor era. Because of their construction, turn-shoes cannot simply be re-soled, unlike most modern shoe types. Espadrilles: these sandals, which are still worn today, are found as early as the 14th century. Patten: a European wooden overshoe used to keep a person's feet dry outdoors. First worn in the middle ages, they continued in use even into the early 20th century. Peoples such as the Dutch, Flemings, and some French carved similar, fully enclosed wooden shoes. Poulaine: a shoe with a long-pointed toe, popular in Europe in the 15th century. Moccasins: the historical shoe of many North American Indian tribes.

Collection Athletic sneaker collection has existed as a part of urban subculture in the United States for several decades.[14] Recent decades have seen this trend spread to European nations such as the Czech Republic.[15] A Sneakerhead is a person who owns multiple pairs of shoes as a form of collection and fashion. A contributor to the growth of sneaker collecting is the continued worldwide popularity of the Air Jordan line of sneakers designed by Nike for Basketball star Michael Jordan. 5. Maintenance

Gluing a new outsole to an athletic shoe

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Breaking-in: some shoes are made of hard but deformable material. After a person wears them multiple times, the material reforms to fit the wearer's feet. The person is said to have broken in the shoes. Polishing: for protection, water resistance (to some extent) and appearance, especially for leather shoes and boots. Heel replacement: heels periodically wear out. Not all shoes are designed to enable this. Sanitization: the inside of shoes can be sanitized with germicidal shoe trees or other cleansing methods to prevent the growth of microorganisms such as odor-causing bacteria or fungi.[16] Sole replacement: soles can also wear out. Not all shoes can have their soles replaced. Shoelace replacement: shoelaces can sometimes be damaged or destroyed necessitating the replacement of the laces. When unfit for use, shoes can be treated as trash or municipal solid waste and disposed of. The exception can be with most athletic sneakers which can be recycled and turned into other raw materials. See Nike Grind as an example. 5. Biodegradability

Someone who makes or repairs shoes in a shop is called a cobbler. Due to the appearance of new man-made materials, shoes have become increasingly less biodegradable. Currently, mass-produced shoes generally require 1000 years to degrade, and/or may not degrade at all, depending on the types of material employed in the production of the shoe. Recently some shoemakers have picked up on the issue and are beginning to produce shoes made entirely from degradable materials, such as Nike Considered. 6. Etiquette In the Middle East, parts of Africa, Korea and Thailand, it is considered rude to show the soles of the feet to others (even accidentally, such as by crossing the legs). Shoe throwing is a great insult in some areas in the Middle East and in India.[19] In addition, in Thailand, it is an extreme insult for the foot, socks, or shoes to touch someone's head or be placed over it. 7. In literature Shoes play an important role in the fairy tales Cinderella, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Red Shoes. In literature and film, an empty shoe or a pair of shoes signifies death. 8.

Sizes

Main article: Shoe size Units for shoe sizes vary widely around the world. European sizes are measured in Paris Points, which are worth two-thirds of a centimetre. The UK and American units are approximately one-quarter of an inch, starting at 8 inches. Men's and women's shoe sizes often have different scales. Shoes size is often measured using a Brannock Device, which can determine both the width and length of the foot.

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Various competitor of Red Chief:

RSPL has various market competitors like: 1 Bata 2 Lakhani 3 Liberty 4 Lee-cooper 5 Wood land 6 - Action 7 Others

Research Methodology

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OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The study has been under taken to analyze the customer satisfaction towards all variant of Mahindra BOLERO in Allahabad (U.P) with a special reference to the M&M motors, the other objectives are: To gather information about customer satisfaction toward LEATHER SHOES in the geographic region of KANPUR (UP). To provide suggestions, in improving the customer satisfaction and the company sales and profitability
A study on customer level of satisfaction towards rohit surfactants pvt. Ltd.(RED

CHIEF)
To measure the specific reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction in with rohit

surfactants pvt. Ltd.(RED CHIEF)

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A research process consists of stages or steps that guide the project from its conception through the final analysis, recommendations and ultimate actions. The research process provides a systematic, planned approach to the research project and ensures that all aspects of the research project are consistent with each other. Research studies evolve through a series of steps, each representing the answer to a key question. It aims to understand the research methodology establishing a framework of evaluation and revaluation of primary and secondary research. The techniques and concepts used during primary research in order to arrive at findings; which are also dealt with and lead to a logical deduction towards the analysis and results.

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RESEARCH DESIGN
I propose to first conduct a intensive secondary research to understand the full impact and implication of the industry, to review and critique the industry norms and reports, on which certain issues shall be selected, which I feel remain unanswered or liable to change, this shall be further taken up in the next stage of exploratory research. This stage shall help me to restrict and select only the important question and issue, which inhabit growth and segmentation in the industry.

The various tasks that I have undertaken in the research design process are : Defining the information need Design the exploratory, descriptive and causal research.

RESEARCH PROCESS
The research process has four distinct yet interrelated steps for research analysis It has a logical and hierarchical ordering: Determination of information research problem. Development of appropriate research design. Execution of research design. Communication of results. Each step is viewed as a separate process that includes a combination of task , step and specific procedure. The steps undertake are logical, objective, systematic, reliable, valid, impersonal and ongoing.

EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
The method I used for exploratory research was Primary Data Secondary data PRIMARY DATA New data gathered to help solve the problem at hand. As compared to secondary data which is previously gathered data. An example is information gathered by a questionnaire. Qualitative or quantitative data that are newly collected in the course of research, Consists of original information that comes from people and includes information gathered from surveys, focus groups, independent observations and test results. Data gathered by the researcher in the act of

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conducting research. This is contrasted to secondary data, which entails the use of data gathered by someone other than the researcher information that is obtained directly from first-hand sources by means of surveys, observation or experimentation. Primary data is basically collected by getting questionnaire filled by the respondents.

SECONDARY DATA Information that already exists somewhere, having been collected for another purpose. Sources include census reports, trade publications, and subscription services. There are two types of secondary data: internal and external secondary data. Information compiled inside or outside the organization for some purpose other than the current investigation Researching information, which has already been published? Market information compiled for purposes other than the current research effort; it can be internal data, such as existing sales-tracking information, or it can be research conducted by someone else, such as a market research company or the U.S. government. Secondary source of data used consists of books and websites My proposal is to first conduct a intensive secondary research to understand the full impact and implication of the industry, to review and critique the industry norms and reports, on which certain issues shall be selected, which I feel remain unanswered or liable to change, this shall be further taken up in the next stage of exploratory research. DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH STEPS in the descriptive research: Statement of the problem Identification of information needed to solve the problem
Selection or development of instruments for gathering the information

Identification of target population and determination of sampling Plan.

Design of procedure for information collection Collection of information

Analysis of information Generalizations and/or predictions

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DATA COLLECTION Data collection took place with the help of filling of questionnaires. The questionnaire method has come to the more widely used and economical means of data collection. The common factor in all varieties of the questionnaire method is this reliance on verbal responses to questions, written or oral. I found it essential to make sure the questionnaire was easy to read and understand to all spectrums of people in the sample. It was also important as researcher to respect the samples time and energy hence the questionnaire was designed in such a way, that its administration would not exceed 4-5 mins. These questionnaires were personally administered. The first hand information was collected by making the people fill the questionnaires. The primary data collected by directly interacting with the people. The respondents were contacted at shopping malls, markets, places that were near to showrooms of the consumer durable products etc. The data was collected by interacting with 200 respondents who filled the questionnaires and gave me the required necessary information. The respondents consisted of housewives, students, businessmen, professionals etc. the required information was collected by directly interacting with these respondents.

DETERMINATION THE SAMPLE PLAN AND SAMPLE SIZE TARGET POPULATION It is a description of the characteristics of that group of people from whom a course is intended. It attempts to describe them as they are rather than as the describer would like them to be. Also called the audience the audience to be served by our project includes key demographic information (i.e.; age, sex etc.).The specific population intended as beneficiaries of a program. This will be either all or a subset of potential users, such as adolescents, women, rural residents, or the residents of a particular geographic area. Topic areas: Governance, Accountability and Evaluation, Operations Management and Leadership. A population to be reached through some

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action or intervention; may refer to groups with specific demographic or geographic characteristics. The group of people you are trying to reach with a particular strategy or activity. The target population is the population I want to make conclude an ideal situation; the sampling frames to matches the target population. A specific resource set that is the object or target of investigation. The audience defined in age, background, ability, and preferences, among other things, for which a given course of instruction is intended. I have selected the sample trough Simple random Sampling SAMPLE SIZE: This involves figuring out how many samples one need. The numbers of samples you need are affected by the following factors: Project goals How you plan to analyze your data How variable your data are or are likely to be How precisely you want to measure change or trend The number of years over which you want to detect a trend How many times a year you will sample each point How much money and manpower you have

SAMPLE SIZE I have targeted 120 people including retailers and customers for the purpose of the research. The target population influences the sample size. The target population represents the Kanpur regions. . The people were from different professional backgrounds. The details of our sample are explained in chapter named primary research where the divisions are explained in demographics section. ERRORS IN THE STUDY Interviewer error There is interviewer bias in the questionnaire method. Open-ended questions can be biased by the interviewers views or probing, as interviewers are guiding the respondent while the questionnaire is being filled out. The attitudes the interviewer revels to the respondent during the interview can greatly affect their level of interest and willingness to answer openly. As interviewers, probing and clarifications maximize respondent understanding and yield complete

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answers, these advantages are offset by the problems of prestige seeking, social desirability and courtesy biases. Questionnaire error The questionnaire designing has to careful so that only required data is concisely reveled and there is no redundant data generated. The questions have to be worded carefully so that the questions are not loaded and does not lead to a bias in the respondents mind Respondent error The respondents selected to be interviewed were not always available and willing to co operate also in most cases the respondents were found to not have the knowledge, opinion, attitudes or facts required additionally uninformed response errors and response styles also led to survey error. Sampling error We have taken the sample size of 120, which cannot determine the buying behavior of the total population.

RESEARCH DESIGN
Research design is a conceptual structure within which research was conducted. A research design is the detailed blueprint used to guide a research study towards its objective. It is a series of advanced decision taken together comprising a master plan or a model for conducting the research in consonance with the research objectives. Research design is needed because it facilitates the smooth sailing of the various research operations, thereby making research as efficient as possible yielding maximum information with the minimum effort, time and money.

SCOPE AND THE LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of study is limited to the respondents are selected from in and around Kanpur,

U.P .

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The project is carried out for the period of 45 days only. Measurement of customer satisfaction is complex subjects, which uses non-objectives method, which is not reliable.
The sample unit was also 120 respondents.

The methods followed for the analysis and interpretation of data are:
Uni variate Percentage Analysis Weighted average method Univariate Percentage Analysis:

Percentage refers to a special kind of ratio. It is used to make comparison between two or more series of data. They can be used to compare the relative items, the distribution of two or more series of data, since the percentages reduces every thing to a common base and there by allow meaningful comparisons to be made. Here only one factor is considered.

NO OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE = TOTAL RESPONDENTS x 100

Weighted Average Method:

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This method is a used when the relative importance of the different items is not the same. The term weighted stands for the relative importance of the different items. It is assumed that inventory costs should be assigned on the basis of average costs of identical units. An average cost unit is determined by dividing the total costs of the units by the number of units. The weighted average method is logical when assigning costs to units that become mixed together, there by making separate identification difficult or impossible. The formula is:

__ X =

WX

Where;

= Weighted Arithmetic mean

= Frequency or no of response dents

= Weighted allotted to each factor

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Data Analysis & Interpretation

REPORT ON MARKET ANALYSIS

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A survey was conducted to find out the demand & supply analysis, production analysis & market share captured by woodland shoes.

CONDUCTED AREA: Kanpur SAMPLE SIZE : 50 Retailers. : 70 Customers.

The survey was conducted with Red chief dealers and the customers who were purchasing shoes from the market at that time

To conduct a survey two questionnaires prepared by group one for retailers & one for customers.

The retailers questions are based on availability, durability, production, demand, supply, profits margin &their suggestions regarding product.

The customers questions are based on availability, preferences, prices, variety, durability & their suggestions regarding product.

SURVEY INTERPRETATION

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RETAILERS:Q-1 Which brands do you stock?

Q-2

Which type of brands sells more?

Q-3

Which type of footwear sells more?

Q-4

Which category of consumers purchases more leather shoes

Q-5

On what basis you purchase the leather footwear?

Q-6

Which brands is more reliable and suitable as per retailer?

Q-7

Which season of maximum sales?

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Q-8

Which price range is most preferred by consumers.

Q-9

On what basis of costumer purchase the leather footwear?

Q-10

Which type of sole is preferred by the costumers?

Q-11

Which brand gives more incentive/margin?

Q-12

In which form?

Customer:
1. Which category describes your age?

3. What is your employment status?

4. Which category best describes your household income?

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5. Which brand do you prefer most?

6. Have you heard about the RED CHIEF shoes?

7. Have you ever used RED CHIEF shoes?

8. How long have you used our product?

9. Overall, how satisfied were you with our Shoes?

10. Have you satisfied with the quality of the shoes?

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11. Have you satisfied with the price of the shoes?

12. Have you satisfied with the comfortibility of the shoes?

13. Have you satisfied with the after purchase services of Red chief?

14. How important the quality factor when purchasing shoes?

15. How important the price factor when purchasing shoes?

16. Which type of shoes you mostly prefer? (Select all if you want)

17. Thinking of similar shoes offered by other companies, how would you compare our shoes offered?

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18. Would you purchase our shoes again?

19. Would you recommend our product to colleagues or contacts within your industry?

20. Have you find our Retail shop easily in your city?

21. For which characteristics you prefer our shoes?

22. What should be the guarantee period according to you?

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Conclusion, SUGGESTIONS &

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RECOMMENDATIO NS

CONCLUSION

Red chief is a well-known brand in mens footwear and has got a great opportunity to

extend its business in women footwear and sports footwear. The dealers and customers are satisfied with the performance of the product but the service can be improved. Red chief has a very good market share in the state of U.P. The company is offering good services, which is reflected on the satisfaction of the customer. Majority of the customer are satisfied with the design of the shoes.

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SUGGESTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

Red chief should have control over the discounts which the dealers is providing to the customers (because due to 2 or 3 dealers in the same market to attract the customer they provide maximum possible discount hence the profit of the dealers decreases and may led the dealers shift to another brand.)

Red chief should increase the advertisements as the report tells that the customer prefer to buy shoes of that brand which comes to their mind.

Red chief should go for deep penetration as company should make the availability of shoes in small towns depend upon the income level(per capita income) of the people of that city

Red chief should increase the availability of women footwear along with some differentiation in the product

Should increase variety in sports range as there are only one designs available in the market

New designs should reach the dealers as the survey tells that the company is not coming with new designs

Advertisements to make customers aware about the new designs coming in the market

Make the dealers aware about the schemes (by delivering letters from head office directly to the dealers)so that they can make use of it as sometimes they come to know about the schemes when it is already over

Meetings should be on Sunday as dealers demanded it should be on holiday (the day when shops are closed).

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There lots of complaints related to the manufacturing defects so quality department must have knowledge about that and improvements are expected.

The distributor should help the dealers to resolve out the problems or complaints related to shoes (as distributor refused to take the shoe from the dealers if complaints are there ) Customer Incentives. Give customers a reason to return to your business. For instance, because children outgrow shoes quickly, the owner of a childrens shoe store might offer a card that makes the tenth pair of shoes half price. Likewise, a dentist may give a free cleaning to anyone who has seen him regularly for five years.

Product Awareness. Know what your steady patrons purchase and keep these items in stock. Add other products and/or services that accompany or compliment the products that your regular customers buy regularly. And make sure that your staff understands everything they can about your products.

Reliability. If you say a purchase will arrive on Wednesday, deliver it on Wednesday. Be reliable. If something goes wrong, let customers know immediately and compensate them for their inconvenience.

Be Flexible. Try to solve customer problems or complaints to the best of your ability. Excuses such as "That's our policy" will lose more customers then setting the store on fire. People over Technology. The harder it is for a customer to speak to a human being when he or she has a problem, the less likely it is that you will see that customer again.

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Know Their Names. Remember the theme song to the television show Cheers? Get to know the names of regular customers or at least recognize their faces.

Red chief has to implement good customer relationship management strategy that

enhances customer satisfaction level. The company can for the undertake R&D to improve the existing feature which field help increase in the customer satisfaction. The company should promote about the entire feature offered by it. As majority of the customer give opinion that they are satisfied is the factor, services and design of the product of the company should taken not only maintain the existing standard but also enhance them.

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Bibliography

Officials Contacted from: Mr. K.K.Upadhyaya, IT Manager, GPL

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Secondary Sources 1. www.redchief.com 2. www.scribd.com 3. www.google.com 4. www.wikipedia.org

Books: Research Methodology Kothari Marketing Management 12 e Philip Kotler

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Annexure

Annexure 1

RED CHIEF QUESTIONNAIRE FOR RETAILER

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Name. Address. Name of the firm/shop Contact no Q-1 Which brands do you stock? a) Red Chief c) Woodland e) Other (_____________) Which type of brands sells more? a) Red Chief c) Woodland e) Other (_____________) Which type of footwear sells more? a) Formal c) Sports e) Other (_____________) b) Bata d) Lee Cooper

Q-2

b) Bata d) Lee Cooper

Q-3

b) Casual d) summer wear

Q-4

Which category of consumers purchases more leather shoes a) Student b) Servicemen c) Businessmen d) Other (.) On what basis you purchase the leather footwear? a) Demands of consumers b) Incentive basis c) Advertisement d) On the basis of scheme e) Durability f) other (.) Which brands is more reliable and suitable as per retailer? a) Red Chief b) Bata c) Woodland d) Lee Cooper e) Other (_____________) Which season of maximum sales? a) Jan-Feb c) July-Sept b) April-Jun d) Oct-Dec

Q-5

Q-6

Q-7

Q-8

Which price range is most preferred by consumers? a) Rs.800-1000 b) Rs.1000-1200 c) Rs.1200-1400 d) Above Rs.1400 e) Below Rs.800

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Q-9

On what basis of costumer purchase the leather footwear? a) Style b) Design c) Comfort d) Price e) Durability f) other(.) Which type of sole is preferred by the costumers? a) PVC b) TPR c) PU b) EVA e) Airmax f) other () Which brand gives more incentive/margin? a) Red Chief b) Bata c) Woodland d) Lee Cooper e) Other (_____________) In which form? a) Cash c) Promotion scheme e) Profit margin b) Discount d) Trade discount f) other (.)

Q-10

Q-11

Q-12

Q-13 Any suggestion .

Date

Signature

Annexure 2

RED CHIEF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY

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Please take a few moments to complete our product satisfaction survey. Your responses will help us to address any issues that you may have as well as to better target our products and services to meet your needs. Your responses will be kept confidential. This survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. 1. What is your name? 2. Which category describes your age? a) 18 - 24 c) 35 44 e) 56 64 3. What is your employment status? a) Employed full time c) Unemployed e) Student b) 25 34 d) 45 54 f) 65 or above b) Employed part time d) Retired f) House wife

4. Which category best describes your household income? a) Under Rs.20000 b) Rs.20000 - Rs.50000 c) Rs.50000 - Rs.100000 d) Rs.100000 - above e) Prefer not to answer 5. Which brand do you prefer most? a) Red Chief c) Woodland e) Other (_____________) b) Bata d) Lee Cooper

6. Have you heard about the RED CHIEF shoes? Yes 7. Have you ever used RED CHIEF shoes? Yes 8. How long have you used our product? a) Less than 6 months c) 1-3 years

No No b) More than 6 months but less than 1 year d) Over 3 years

9. Overall, how satisfied were you with our Shoes? a) Satisfied b) Somewhat satisfied

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c) Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied e) Dissatisfied

d) somewhat dissatisfied

10. Have you satisfied with the quality of the shoes? a) Satisfied b) Somewhat satisfied c) Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied d) somewhat dissatisfied e) Dissatisfied 11. Have you satisfied with the price of the shoes? a) Satisfied b) Somewhat satisfied c) Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied d) somewhat dissatisfied e) Dissatisfied 12. Have you satisfied with the comfortibility of the shoes? a) Satisfied b) Somewhat satisfied c) Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied d) somewhat dissatisfied e) Dissatisfied 13. Have you satisfied with the after purchase services of Red chief? a) Satisfied b) Somewhat satisfied c) Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied d) Somewhat dissatisfied e) Dissatisfied 14. How important the quality factor when purchasing shoes? a) Extremely important b) Somewhat important c) Not very important d) Not at all important e) Not bother it 15. How important the price factor when purchasing shoes and please specify the preferable Price for leather shoes? a) Extremely important b) Somewhat important c) Not very important d) Not at all important e) Not bother it Preferable price for leather shoes () 16. Which type of shoes you mostly prefer? (Select all if you want) a) With laces b) without laces c) With heel d) flat e) Light weight f) heavy shoes 17. Thinking of similar shoes offered by other companies, how would you compare our shoes offered? a) Much better b) somewhat better c) About the same d) worse

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e) Dont know 18. Would you purchase our shoes again? a) Definitely c) Not sure e) Definitely not

b) Probably d) probably not

19. Would you recommend our product to colleagues or contacts within your industry? a) Definitely b) Probably c) Not sure d) probably not e) Definitely not 20. Have you find our Retail shop easily in your city? Yes No 21. For which characteristics you prefer our shoes? a) Quality b) Price c) Comfortibilty d) Availability e) Other (___________) 22. What should be the guarantee period according to you? a) 0-3months c) 6-9months e) Above 12 months b) 3-6months d) 9-12months

23. What suggestions do you have to improve our shoes quality? _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____ Thank you for your time and valuable input.