In Conversation face to face
“Phygital
experience
is going
to change
the retail
landscape of
the country”
Harshvardhan Chauhan, Head of Central Marketing and Phygital at DLF
Shopping Malls shared his expertise with My Mobile on this new trend called Phygital
which is taking on the retail spaces.
What’s next for technology in retail? What
will really disrupt the retail in the next
decade will be the new retail in Phygital
fashion, which means malls need to stay
abreast of new development to offer
seamless Phygital solutions to customers.
Some of the features include providing
navigation solutions, higher services on
loyalty and superior apps which improve
discoverability and offer personalised
solutions. Those in the retail space would
know how crucial a role technology has
played in allowing retailers to provide
product and services with added value
to their customers. Not only did they
shape the way customers could behave
and interact with brands, but retailers
knew precisely every shopping detail on
the consumer which could be modified to
34 | july 2019
work in their favor.
How we can push experiential marketing and
be savvy in our approach to engagement?
Our digital technology products vertical
is working continuously towards churning
out newer Phygital products towards
consumers. Over the past few years, the
ways in which brands have been able
to communicate with wider audiences
has been strengthened by a range of
technological advancements.
For many, new tools have allowed
businesses to establish feelings of
emotional attachment between brand
and consumer, unrivalled dwell time,
and enviable levels of engagement and
ROI. Experiential marketing is widely
recognized as a key channel for sound
brand positioning, driving brand recall,
creating valuable customer loyalty and
starting important conversations via social
media.
How are you raising awareness and
strengthening audience loyalty? It is
important to understand that a customer
today has come a long way from its initial
stage. Owing to the western influence,
the advent of e-commerce and access
to a hyper-digital ecosystem, our modern
consumer is on the lookout for constant
connectivity and contextual relevance.
They are all distinct personalities who
need a sense of freedom from those
generic messaging and ads. Therefore you
will find a majority of them glued to their
mobiles, tablets, and laptops. They value
MYMOBILE

those brands that value their individuality
and will make sure that whatever is being
advertised it extremely personalized. They
have higher expectation, in addition to
being better informed they are empowered
and are seeking an immersive customer
experience all around. With so many
options at their disposal, their focus is no
longer restricted to consumption; they are
on a quest to purchase something unique,
experience something more customized
and lastly all set to disrupt shopping
experiences.
Which are latest technology trends that have
captivated both marketers and audiences
alike? As we progress towards a digital
India, it becomes all the more important
for us to be in sync with a strategy shopping experience that is
that enhances and simplifies the
complete retail business while
relevant, targeted, unique and
addressing the needs of the engaging.
retail ecosystem. The sooner we offers, coupons, and rewards will
begin leveraging this concept
the sooner small and medium
not only inspire instant customer
brands will be able to enrich the action but add synergy to create
shopping experience, communicate
better with their customers and deliver
better result that will help them scale
themselves up. Tele-marketing moved to
website marketing which further moved to
mobile marketing, which has now shifted
base to proximity marketing. Proximity
marketing positively exploits activities
that consumers are currently involved
with, while giving retailers a new channel
that reaches out directly to them both in-
store & in the vicinity. It provides a win-win
strategy where everyone involved in the
ecosystem benefits from by making it a
digitally-empowered society. Retailers can
focus immensely on proximity marketing
in order to attract and retain shoppers.
They can easily reach out to customers
let’s say all those within the range of
200 meters and lure them in the form
of text, images or videos to make a stop
at the mall. As India’s adoption rate for
smart-phone rises, the amount of people
who can have access to a Bluetooth or
www.mymobileindia.com
face to face
In Conversation
Wi-Fi enabled phone is at least around large part of consumer acquisition is
$220 million. This, this one strategy is happening from that end.
reaching out to millions in a segmented
way. Consumers are getting a holistic How technologies like AR, VR, Live streaming,
in-store shopping experience that is etc. are becoming new norm in the retail
relevant, targeted, unique and engaging. industry? Tech disruption these days is
On the spot, personalized offers, coupons, considered the way forward in the retail
and rewards will not only inspire instant industry. The industry has already started
customer action but add synergy to create leveraging the best of it and is continually
a competitive advantage over others. working upgrading itself with next level
of technologies to enhance consumer
What it takes for a marketing functions to fulfillment and their overall experiences.
recognise the relevant technology and how Phygital experience is going to change the
to stay relevant? Marketing is an important retail landscape of the country and DLF
is well on its way to being the pioneer of
providing them to their customers.
“Consumers are
getting a holistic in-store How technology is upgrading the customer
experience in this sector? We have
consistently endeavored to launch
more digital products. Huber, an
On the spot, personalized Artificial Intelligence based app
which helps in navigating through
the physical space while adding to
the ‘discoverability‘ of the property for
a competitive advantage
over others”
tool to attract customers. Over a period
of time, marketing strategies of malls has
completely transformed, primarily in two
ways – one: marketing has become more
data centric and second: it has become
more centred around technology. In last
one year, DLF has opened a couple of
verticals which have grown up to take
the market initiatives to next level. We
have started aligning ourselves to the
larger ecosystem like Uber, ICICI, SBI, customers through mobile phones, is the
OLA et al., to jointly solve consumer- product which launches last year.
centric problems – whether it is related to DLF launched a path-breaking initiative
commuting, payments etc., and to come with an online BTL Booking portal where
together to provide consumer centric a brand can book, block, auction, receive
solutions. invoices, make online payments and
We are making sure to keep our acquire gates passes for BTL activation
millennial customers connected over and hiring space. n
team@mymobile.co.in
internet, mobile, and other devices, as
july 2019 | 35