Corporate bigwigs of consumer companies take a cue from Modi to ensure consumer satisfaction

NEW DELHI: More than 1,000 people got an unexpected WhatsApp message from Dev Amritesh, president and COO at Dunkin' Donuts in India, this Saturday. "Hello friend. Do consider the Dunkin' Donuts Diwali gift pack for your Diwali gifting. If you have a requirement for a bulk order, please let me know and I'll personally arrange for a special discount for you and if possible even home delivery. Thank you very much," read the message that came along with a picture of Dunkin's Diwali gift packs.

"I am personally overseeing the orders and enjoying it thoroughly," Amritesh told ET a day after he sent out the WhatsApp message. Last fortnight, Coca-Cola's president Venkatesh Kini had sent a personal note to over 2,000 potential consumers and corporate associates, asking them to share their feedback on Coke Zero, the top beverage maker's biggest launch in the country in recent years.
"Please do share it on your social communities with the hashtag #ZeroinIndia," Kini’s note said. Increasingly, CEOs and top executives of several big companies, including Future Group's Food Bazaar and Britannia, have been interacting with consumers directly, on a one-to-one basis. Some experts say these corporate leaders have taken a leaf out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s book to establish a direct connect with people.

"In the early days, the CEO would sit on a corporate pedestal. That's not good enough today, and corporate chieftains seem to be learning from the country's chief executive – PM Modi – who has set new precedents and communicates one-on-one with people on Twitter," said social commentator and brand consultant Harish Bijoor.

"CEOs reaching out to consumers directly, making direct sales pitches, cutting across hierarchy and marketing, also helps 'humanising a company' and translates into better communication," added the promoter of Harish Bijoor Consults.

Last weekend, Devendra Chawla, CEO at top retailer Future Group's Food Bazaar, visited several parks across Mumbai early in the morning, urging joggers to sample Sunkist, an American juice brand that Food Bazaar is in the process of launching in India, and give their feedback. This was apart from the personal feedback Chawla has been taking from consumers in Food Bazaar stores.

"While everyday routine visits to stores have led to key consumer insights for many of our private brands, there was a need to directly interact with consumers of all communities and ages for Sunkist," Chawla told ET. For Future Group, the California-based Sunkist is a high stakes launch as it needs to compete head-on with established brands such as Dabur's Real and PepsiCo's Tropicana. A direct association with breakfast and health is what Sunkist hopes to drum up.

A week ago, when biscuit maker Britannia launched health cookie Nutri Choice Heavens, its managing director Varun Berry's team set up calls to early consumers in Delhi and Mumbai.

"I was restless to know what our consumers felt. There was no better way to get first hand early reaction from our consumers," said Berry, who spoke to the consumers personally.