How Aditya Birla group changed the landscape
As a teenager, growing up in Bhubaneswar which was untouched by the metropolitan shopping culture, Pantaloons was one wow moment for us Bhubaneswarites. I still remember that Pantaloons, Vani vihar chowk was the 1
st shop of its kind, the grandeur of the store, the iconic design , green hue and the signature pantaloons carry bags are nostalgic of a time when we were untouched by mushrooming of shopping malls ,and such shopping cultures. Back then large format single brand outlets were a thing. Pantaloons boasts of huge collections , from ethnic wear to high end western apparels, which have a freshness about themselves , the varied color tones, designs across multiple brands like that of akriti(they have an amazing collection of ethnic wear with great detail ), rangmanch ,great fabric and good designs…each for a different occasion. Their festive collections are an illustration of the fact that they have researched and decided to value customers and their choice of festivals, emotions, encouraging people to wear their mood. It really brought a fresh breath of fashion in the Indian market, glamorizing the Indian men and women when it started. Then it brought in the fashion wear of the stars, movies and popular TV serials to the young and able. I remember getting a designer wear just because Sanaya Irani had it. It was also the first for me that I saw jewelry and watches, bags and perfumes at the same store such was Pantaloons penetration here back in the early 2000s and it still continues to woo thousands with its great loyalty programs pan India, which I am personally a huge fan of given the rewards and points that add up after each buy, a serendipity in the waiting for the next time you go back. It has managed to tap on the needs and demands of a young and dynamic nation. No wonder it was awarded as India’s most trusted Apparel retail Brand in Brand equity survey, 2015.
Communication and it’s value
They say none of is as strong as All of us. I had to learn it the hard way around. It was in 2016 that I ventured out from the sleepy city of Bhubaneswar to the unknown, to the corporate world, to embark upon a journey of responsibilities and learning to handle my own expenses. The idea of renting my own space, choosing the curtains, and above all the whole salary at the helm of an extravagant person who had never stepped outside her hometown, gave me butterflies and wings. At the same time, I had to learn to conduct myself in the corporate meetings, onshore calls which did instill a sense of responsibility. As luck would have it, I had a small team of 3 including me, and the two other folks were senior to me by 7 and 5 years respectively. I had to work on communicating with them, getting my doubts cleared was a herculean task because they never found it difficult. Besides I was reluctant and timid. This age gap created a chasm between me and my seniors and I could never communicate to the others the role that I played in the team, my desire and willingness to learn more about the domain and newer technologies because of my inability to go and mix with that age group, the inability to put forth my wants. It impacted my social and personal life as well. Thoughts would crop up in my head, I was encompassed in the sad victim-bubble that I had created. There came a time when I was not given the due credit of what was rightfully mine because I could never communicate that it was me who was behind the eureka moment at work. My senior manager said after the meeting that certain things are implied and it was then that I realized that my senior did mention it. One has to work as a team in the corporate world, learn to appreciate the people you work with, take onus when the situation demands. Time sure does teach you things, if only I had the courage to talk , to present , to come out of the dark , I would have learnt more things and at a faster pace. But when winter comes can spring be far behind, this MBA life at XIMB keeps you on your toes, forcing you to work in teams, humbling you down, exercising prudence, asking you to brainstorm and take the best ideas from others, and I am surprised conversing with a stranger or for that matter any individual is as easy as you make it.