Training Manpower: TATA

Mumbai, Oct. 27

The group would soon roll out an in-house recruitment and training set up for its retail business, on the lines of Tata Administrative Services (TAS).

Internal cohesion

The group would encourage entry level managers working in stores such as Westside or Titan to work their way up to top managerial positions in that set up.

There would also be a system of internal cohesion whereby a staff member from any of its retail brands could shift to work in its other customer-facing brands, which could be front desk jobs in Taj hotels too.

The Tatas have a presence in the organised retail space through Tanishq, Titan, Croma, Westside, and Star Bazaar selling jewellery, watches, electronics, apparels & accessories, and food & beverages respectively.

Tackling attrition

According to Mr Ajit Joshi, CEO and Managing Director of Infiniti Retail Ltd which operates Croma, by enabling growth opportunities for staff within the Tata group, the company is to a great extent tackling the issue of high attrition, which is plaguing the Indian retail industry.

“Attrition is as low as five per cent as compared to 60 to 70 per cent prevailing in the industry,” he added.

Mr Arun Gandhi, Director, Tata Sons, said the new administrative set up for retail is likely to be in place within one year.

Croma: Electronics MegaStore: Tata group's Infiniti Retail

Owned and managed by Infiniti Retail, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Tata Sons, Croma receives technical and strategic sourcing support from Woolworths India, a subsidiary of Woolworths. The latter is an Australian retail giant with over 2,000 stores in 12 different formats in Australia.

The above 20,000 sq feet chain at Juhu in Mumbai retails products in eight categories. These are white goods, home entertainment, small appliances, computers and peripherals, communication, music, imaging and gaming software. In each of these categories, the buyer is spoiled for choice, with nearly 6,000 products and 180 brands to choose from.

Currently organised retail is only 3 to 6 per cent whereas the total retail turnover in India was 250 million dollars last year. But organised retail is growing at a speed of 40 per cent. The pie is large enough." These facts were disclosed at an AT Kearney summit held in Mumbai recently.

There are other measures that he hopes to use to attract the customer. These include job-related training and motivational programmes to ensure that the sales staff is able to give optimum service to customers, and extended warranties on products from Tata AIG General Insurance. These measures help give further credence to Croma's claim of "We don't sell, we help you buy."

http://www.tata.com/infiniti_retail/articles/20070305_croma_electronics.htm

Ties-up with Microsoft: MS@Retail

The joint initiative of the two companies brings for the first time networking solutions for every room of a house.

The technology available at Croma, Juhu, will showcase Microsoft connected homes which bring together music and movies, thereby enriching and enhancing the lifestyles of consumers, he said. The MS@Retail shop in shop pilot project kiosk at Croma Juhu would showcase technology that will create homes where everyone is connected to everything.

The technology will help in assisting to connect camera to a Xbox and put up a show for the whole family, watch movies by connecting Xbox to the LCD, as also convert the PC to a gaming machine, thereby providing the unique technology for a completely networked home.

Presently, there are nine Croma stores in India.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News_by_Industry/Tata_groups_Infinity_Retail_ties-up_with_Microsoft/articleshow/2491094.cms