Thursday, August 27, 2009

For the patrons of smiles...


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For the first multiplex in India, service has been the key. And PVR still believes that best service on their part and great experience on part of the consumers is the only way to their success, finds Pallavi Srivastava


This certainly is not the best of the times for Rahul Singh, Senior Vice President, PVR Ltd. The face-off between distributors and film makers is taking its toll on him, at least it appeared to be so when we met him over his morning cup of coffee. But even then, his smile had not left his face. And why not, after all, his company banks on ‘Bringing smiles’ to its customers. Thirteen years ago, when PVR started its first multiplex in 1997, the vision was to enhance the movie-goers cine-watching experience and they claim to have lived up to it. Of course, compare the multiplex retail chain’s first mover advantage in the segment, and its current pan India presence with 26 theaters, and you’d agree that PVR has indeed come a long way. And its the unswerving commitment and relentless efforts of small cogs like Rahul to enhance the giant wheel of the customers cine viewing experience that have played a vital role in this achievement.

Like most other senior executives of PVR, Rahul begins his day at office by sifting through the previous day’s financial and operational figures, followed by checking his appointments scheduled for the day. But his critical job is to follow up the problems occurring at any of the 26 PVR Cinema theatres and resolve it as soon as possible. Asked whether he finds the job very stressful, he gently shakes his head (with a smile intact of course!) and says he draws his inspiration from boss-man Ajay Bijli. “Our CMD believes that there is nothing more exhilarating than seeing patrons coming out smiling from our cinemas and we are committed to it,” stresses Rahul.

Interestingly, at PVR, the company claims to not only treat its patrons like kings, but also the employees. The general philosophy that prevails in the company is that the employees who deliver services are the only ones who can improve it. That is why every unit in PVR has a BODGI box (Box of Damn Good Ideas) where employees put in their ideas to improve processes or systems leading to service or operational excellence. Rahul who leads a team of 1500 energised members, points out that these BODGI boxes bring in great innovative ideas and help foster a feeling of belonging among employees.

When asked about whether the name ‘PVR’ comes to their rescue while dealing with customers, Rahuls immediately answers in the affirmative. “Of course!” he says, explaining that since patrons are sure of their PVR experiences, many potential problems are automatically averted. To ensure that this perceived value remain intact, PVR employees are encouraged to always remain on their toes to help and service customers. “We cannot be complacent in this competitive market or rest on past laurels. I would like PVR to be always reckoned for the quality of service it provides and for that, living up to the expectations is just not enough. We need to surpass it more often,” says Rahul passionately. This apparently is the qualitative difference that PVR bets big on to differentiate itself from rivals.

Segmenting its offerings is another recent strategy of PVR to cater to the diverse needs of consumers. They’ve launched brands like PVR Premiere targetted for the metros and PVR Talkies for Tier II and Tier III cities. Then there’s also the focus on complete retail entertainment to enhance the overall service experience of customers. Rahul sites an example of the new ‘Blue-O’ (a 24 lane bowling alley) at its theatre in Ambience mall, Gurgaon. It claims to provide unique entertainment to customers, combining a world class bowling and movie experience.

We caught the picture perfect service manager off guard, when we enquired how he spends his after-office hours. He revealed that he was in fact a fitness freak. “I always make it a point that I work out at least 4 times a week,” he admits shyly, before the greatest religion in India surfaces in our talks. Avers Rahul, “I am a great fan of cricket and I am completely hooked to IPL. My favourite teams are Deccan Chargers and Delhi Daredavils.” Besides, he says, “I love reading management books,” and the latest one in his hand is The Ice-Cream Makers. That’s the PVR flavour, we hope!

Pallavi Srivastava

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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