Dalmia Cements' DRM exercise

By K. T. Jagannathan

CHENNAI, AUG. 15. The name of the game in a trough situation is customer relationship management (CRM). It is not just the oft- repeated slogan of Wipro, Infosys and the like. Even the old economy players are laying stress on CRM. The oldest among the old economy, Dalmia Cements, has devised a novel method to improve CRM. For this company, however, it is more a DRM (dealer relationship management).

Woken up from its slumber by competitive forces from within and without, Dalmia Cements has now begun to appreciate the ambassadorial role played by its dealers. Reflecting the changing times and attitude, the management, for the second year in a row, has chosen to have an informal interactive session with the dealers.

Last time, they were flown to Thailand with their partners in tow. This time, however, the dealers and their spouses were invited to the serene surroundings of Goa. A three-day camp on the beaches of Goa, perhaps the management thought, was the right setting to foster greater cordiality with the dealer community which binds the company with the ultimate end-user.

Dealers from diverse background are given a run down, in an easy- to-understand conversational way, on subjects such as brands, retailing, WTO and information technology.

The innovative DRM exercise has brought a face-to-face interface between dealers and the top brass of the company. The comfort, the cordiality and the concern that flow out of such an informal get-together, the management hopes, will go a long way in keeping the company in good stead during trying times.

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Section  : Business
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