Soon after the government announced a relaxation in the nationwide lockdown, Vivo has kicked off an initiative where it will act as an intermediary between potential smartphone buyers and retailer shops. The initiative is called “Vivo Smart Retail” (VSR) and will connect 20,000 retailers to customers.
The VSR move will help retailers get sales by generating leads and regain lost business while also addressing pent-up demand. The initiative will help buyers get new phones without stepping out of their house.
How this works?
It’s simple. Vivo has setup a phone line - 8955771110- where buyers can send an SMS for their buying queries. Additionally, customers can also place orders on Vivo’s e-store and Vivo India’s Facebook page.
Once the customer gets in touch, one of the of 30,000 Vivo brand ambassadors (VBAs) will connect with the person to understand their requirements and help her /him buy the phone from a close-by retail store. After the retailer connects with the customer and logs an order, it will be up to the local seller to get the new phone delivered at the buyer’s doorstep.
“It's a large scale initiative. Expansion of this will happen after seeing the success and execution. There will be a lot of demand for handsets so are concerns related to safety. This initiative will solve the problem,” said Nipun Marya Director – Brand Strategy at Vivo India. The sales will take place keeping in mind the MHA guidelines regarding restricted zones in the country.
The initiative also raises the question of supply chain inventory and stocks. However, since sales were at a standstill after March 25, there is bound to be enough stock in the pipeline that will help fulfil demand in the short term. In the medium term, manufacturing will need to step in with more supply at the earliest as smartphone demand is expected to rise sharply once the lockdown eases further.
