Executive Summary

My project based on carrying out the information regarding study and analysis of sales and distribution network of Bharathi Cement in Pune. In real estate sector cement provide measure contribution towards infrastructure index of country. Bharathi Cement is well known company. he information regarding the dealers can help company to analy!e their "ales # $istribution %etwork and in designing the plans for next years. By analy!ing the strength and weaknesses of their supply chain management& company can plan the strategies for gaining the benefit and also defending themselves from competitors. 'ith the help of the study company can know the new $istribution channels provided by competitors and which channel company should offer. his study will also help the company in knowing the sales of their product with respect to the competitor product. Bharathi Cement has two major competitors( ).*. cement and +CC cement. Bharathi Cement is also well established in the markets as far as ,uality is concerned in south India since last - to . years but it is a new brand for Pune region. Introduction of new attractive incentive schemes can bring new dealers and retailers for Bharathi cement. $ifferent schemes/offers/margin/delivery time is considered a lot while purchasing a product by a retailer. Price and ,uality is the major factor that matters for a customer while purchasing cement. It can be seen that maximum number of retailers has started to deal with Bharathi Cement. It is found that most of the product is purchased from $istributor # 'holesalers. Bharathi Cement has better ,uality policy for their products that0s why it stands - rd among the most popular brands in the present scenario.

INTRODUCTION

I% 12$3C I2% 2 45 2PIC

"ales promotion describes promotional methods using special short(term techni,ues to persuade members of a target market to respond or undertake certain activity. +s a reward& marketers offer something of value to those responding generally in the form of lower cost of ownership for a purchased product 6e.g.& lower purchased price& money back7 or the inclusion of additional value(added material6e.g.& something more than the price7. "ales promotion is often confused with advertising. 8or instance& a television advertisement mentioning a contest awarding winners with a free trip to a foreign tour may give the contest the appearance of advertising. 'hile the delivery of the marketer0s message through television media is certainly labelled as advertising& what is contained in the message& namely the contest& is considered a sales promotion. he factors that distinguish between the two promotional approaches are9 :7 'hether the promotion involves a short(term proposition 6e.g.& the contest is only offered for a limited period of time7. ;7 he customer must perform some activity in order to be eligible to receive the value proposition 6e.g.& customer must enter contest7. he inclusion of a timing constraint and activity re,uirement are hallmark of sales promotion. "ales promotion are used by a wide range of organi!ation in both the consumer and business markets& though the fre,uency and spending levels are much greater for consumer product marketers. 2ne estimate by the promotion Marketing +ssociation suggests that in the 3" alone spending on sales promotion exceeds that of advertising.

15+"2% 821 "5<5C I%= 4I" 2PIC

In Indian market sector is growing very fast when we compare it with other sectors. Marketing is the one of the task and more physical process human efforts and management constitute the primary concept in marketing. he primary mission of advertising attitudes and buying behaviour. his can be done successfully only through knowing the consumer preferences& behaviour towards various stimuli i.e. consumer behaviour

IMP21 +%C5 28 45 2PIC 2 45 C2MP+%>

In Indian market marketing sector is growing very fast when we compare it with other sectors. Marketing is one of the task and more physical process human efforts and management constitute the primary concept in marketing. 1egarding sales promotion and marketing research are essential things in the marketing field. o know the "'2 analysis of the product and sales promotion is important for the promoting the product for sales and survive in the competitive market.

Industry Profile
3

'4+ I" C5M5% ?

Cement is a mixture of limestone& Clay& "ilica and =ypsum. It is a fine powder which when mixed with water sets to a hard mass as a result of hydration of the constituent compounds. It is the most commonly used construction material. Cement is manufactured by burning a mixture of limestone and Clay at high temperatures in a kiln& and then finely grinding the resulting clinker along with =ypsum. he end product thus obtained is called 2rdinary Portland Cement 62PC7.

$ifferent ypes of Cement

here are different varieties of cement based on different compositions according to specific end uses& namely 2rdinary Portland Cement& Portland Po!olona Cement& Portland Blast 8urnace "lag Cement& 'hite Cement and "peciali!ed Cement. he basic difference lies in the percentage of clinker used.

:. 2rdinary Portland cement 62PC79

2PC& popularly known as grey cement& has @AB clinker and AB of =ypsum and other materials. It accounts for CDB of the total consumption. 'hite cement is a variation of 2PC and is used for decorative purposes like rendering of walls& flooring etc. It contains a very low proportion of iron oxide. 2rdinary Portland cement is the most commonly used cement for a wide range of applications. hese applications cover dry(lean mixes& general(purpose ready(mixes& and even high strength pre(cast and pre(stressed concrete.

;. Portland Po!olona Cement 6PPC79

Portland po!!olana cement is 2rdinary Portland Cement blended with po!!olanic materials 6power(station fly ash& burnt clays& ash from burnt plant material or "iliceous earths7& either together or separately. Portland clinker is ground with =ypsum and Po!!olanic materials which& though they do not have cementing properties in themselves& combine chemically with Portland cement in the presence of water to form extra strong cementing material which resists wet cracking& thermal cracking and has a high degree of cohesion and workability in concrete. PPC has EDB clinker& :AB Po!olona and AB gypsum and accounts for :EB of the total cement consumption. It is cheaply manufactured because it uses fly ash/burnt clay/coal waste as the main ingredient. It has a lower heat of hydration& which helps in preventing cracks where large volumes are being cast.

-. Portland Blast 8urnace "lag Cement 6PB8"C79

PB8"C consists of .AB clinker& ADB blast furnace slag and AB =ypsum and accounts for :DB of the total cement consumed. It has a heat of hydration even lower than PPC and is generally used in construction of dams and similar massive constructions. Portland blast( furnace slag cement contains up to CD per cent of finely ground& granulated blast furnace slag& a non(metallic product consisting essentially of "ilicates and +luminium(silicates of Calcium. "lag brings with it the advantage of the energy invested in the slag making. =rinding slag for cement replacement takes only ;A per cent of the energy needed to manufacture Portland cement. 3sing slag cement to replace a portion of Portland cement in a F concrete mixture is a useful method to make concrete better and more consistent. Portland blast(furnace slag cement has a lighter colour& better concrete workability& easier finish ability& higher compressive and flexural strength& lower permeability& improved resistance to aggressive chemicals and more consistent plastic and hardened consistency.

.. 'hite Cement9
'hite Portland cement has essentially the same properties as gray cement& except for color& which is a very important ,uality control issue in the industry. It is manufactured using fuel oil 6instead of coal7 and with iron oxide content below D..B to ensure whiteness. "pecial cooling techni,ue is used. It is used to enhance aesthetic value& in tiles and for flooring. 'hite cement is much more expensive than grey cement.

%ote9 B4+1+ 4I C5M5% deals in only above two types that are 2PC and PPC in Pune region.

I%$I+% C5M5% I%$3" 1>(+% 2G51GI5'

Cement production commenced in India as early as :@:..
5

he first cement unit was set up at Porbandar in :@:. with a Capacity of :&DDD tons per annum. Cement is the preferred building material in India. It is used extensively in household and industrial construction. 5arlier& government sector used to consume over ADB of the total cement sold in India& but in the last decade& its share has come down to -AB. 1ural areas consume less than ;-B of the total cement. +vailability of cheaper building materials for non(permanent structures affects the rural demand. $emand for cement is linked to the economic activity in any country. Broadly& it can be categori!ed into demand for housing construction 6homes& offices etc.7 and infrastructure creation 6ports& roads& power plants etc7. he real driver of cement demand is creation of infrastructureH hence cement demand in emerging economies is much higher than developed countries where the demand has reached a plateau. In India too& the demand for cement will be affected by spending on infrastructure 6including housing7. 'ith the boost given by the government to various infrastructure projects& road network and housing facilities& growth in the cement consumption is anticipated in the coming year. he favourable housing finance environment is expected to fulfill the vast housing re,uirements& both in rural and urban areas. he increase in infrastructure projects by the government coupled with the construction of the =olden Iuadrilateral and the %orth("outh and 5ast('est corridor projects have led to an increase in consumption of cement. his increase is expected to continue in the future. he reduction in import duties is not likely to affect the industry as the cement produced is at E pars with the international standards and the prices are lower than those prevailing in international markets.

Major players of the market $omestic players9 +ssociated Cement Companies <td 6+CC<7
+ssociated Cement Companies <td manufactures ordinary Portland cement& composite cement and special cement and has begun offering its marketing expertise and distribution facilities to other producers in cement and related areas. It has twelve manufacturing plants located throughout the country with exports to "++1C nations. he company plans capital expenditure through expansion of existing units and/or through ac,uisitions. %on(core assets are to be divested to release locked up capital. It is also expected to actively pursue overseas project engineering and consultancy services.

Birla Corp
Birla CorpJs product portfolio includes acetylene gas& auto trim parts& casting& cement& jute goods& yarn& calcium carbide etc. he cement division has an installed capacity of ..CE
6

million metric tons and produced ..CC million metric tons of cement in ;DD-(D.. he company has two plants in Madhya Pradesh and 1ajasthan and one each in 'est Bengal and 3ttar Pradesh and holds a market share of ..: per cent. It manufactures 2rdinary Portland cement 62PC7& Portland po!!olana cement& fly ash(based PPC& <ow(alkali Portland cement& Portland slag cement& low heat cement and sulphate resistant cement. <arge ,uantities of its cement are exported to %epal and Bangladesh. =oing forward& the company is setting up its captive power plant to remain cost competitive.

Century extiles and Industries <td 6C I<7

he product portfolio of C I< includes textiles& rayon& cement& pulp # paper& shipping& property # land development& builders and floriculture. Cement is the largest division of C I< and contributes to over .D per cent of the companyJs revenues. he company has an installed capacity of ..C million tones with a total cement production of A..- million tons in ;DD-(D.. C I< has four plants that manufacture cement& one in Chhattisgarh& two in Madhya Pradesh and one in Maharashtra. =oing forward& the company has scripted a three(pronged strategy closing down its shipping business& continuing with its chemicals and adhesive division& and 8ocusing on cement& rayon and paper as its long(term business plan.

=rasim(3ltra ech Cemco

=rasimJs product profile includes viscose staple fibre 6G"87& grey cement& white cement& sponge iron& chemicals and textiles. 'ith the ac,uisition of 3ltra ech& <# Js cement division in early ;DD.& =rasim has now become the worldJs seventh largest cement producer with a combined capacity of -: million tonnes. =rasim 6with 3ltra ech7 held a market share of around ;: per cent in ;DDA(DF. It has plants in Madhya Pradesh& Chhattisgarh& Punjab& 1ajasthan& amil %adu and =ujarat among others. he company plans to invest over 3"K @ million in the next two years to augment capacity of its cement and fibre business. It also plans to focus on its international ventures& ramping up the capacity of +lexandra Carbon Black in 5gypt to :&CD&DDD tone per annum 6from :&;D&DDD tons per anum7 and raising the capacity of the carbon black plant in China from :;&DDD tons per anum to FD&DDD tons per anum.

=ujarat +mbuja Cements <td 6=+C<7

=ujarat +mbuja Cements <td was set up in :@EF with the commencement of commercial production at its ; million tone plant in Chandrapur& Maharashtra. he group has clinker manufacturing facilities at 4imachal Pradesh& =ujarat& Maharashtra& Chhattisgarh& Punjab
7

and 1ajasthan. he company has a market share of around :D per cent& with a strong foothold in the northern and western markets. Its total sales aggregated 3"K A;F million with a capacity of :;.F million tons in ;DD-(D.. =ujarat +mbuja is one of IndiaJs largest cement exporter and one of the most cost efficient firms. =+C< has a :...A per cent stake in +CC& making it the second largest cement group in the country& after =rasim(3ltra ech Cemco. he company has free cash flows that it is likely to use to grow inorganically. he company is scouting for a capacity of around two million tons in the northern and western markets. It has also earmarked around 3"K :@A(;;D million for ac,uisitions

India Cements
India Cements is the largest cement producer in southern India with a total capacity of E.E: million tone and plants in +ndhra Pradesh and amil %adu. he company has a market share of A.. per cent with a total cement production of F.-F million tone in ;DD-(D.. Its product portfolio includes ordinary Portland cement and blended cement. he company has limited its business activity to cement& though it has a marginal exposure to the shipping business. he company plans to reduce its manpower significantly and exit non(core businesses to turnaround its fortune. It also expects the export market to open up& with the =ulf emerging as a major importer.

)aiprakash +ssociates <imited

)aiprakash Industries& now known as )aiprakash +ssociates <imited 6)+<7 is part of the )aypee =roup with businesses in civil engineering& hospitality& cement& hydropower& design consultancy and I . It has an annual capacity of ..F million tone with plants located in 1ewa # Bela 6Madhya Pradesh7 and "adva *hurd 63ttar Pradesh7. he company has a market share of -.E per cent with the cement division contributing 3"K :C; million to revenue in ;DD-(D.. he company is upgrading its capacity to F.A million tones through the moderni!ing of the existing units and the commissioning of a new grinding unit at anda 63ttar Pradesh7 with an investment of 3"K :F- million. )aiprakash +ssociates has decided to concentrate on its core business of construction and engineering and leave its cement plant to its subsidiary )aypee 1ewa Cement <td. he company manufactures a wide range of world class cement of 2PC grades --& .-& A-& I1" (.D and special Blends of po!!olana cement.

)* "ynthetics
)* "ynthetics& a "inghania =roup company& started manufacturing nylon at *ota in :@F;. "ubse,uently& it diversified into P">/P8>& nylon tyre(cord& cement 6in :@CA7& acrylic and white cement 6in :@E.7. he company has a market share of ;.C per cent. )* "ynthetics <imited is restructuring its business divisions into two separate entities( )* Cements and )*
8

"ynthetics. +fter the restructuring& it will be left with a cement plant at %imbahera in 1ajasthan& with a capacity of -.;F million metric tons and manufacturing white cement.

Madras Cements
Madras Cements <td is one of the oldest cement companies in the southern region and is a part of the +rmco group. he company is engaged in cement& clinker& dolomite& dry mortar mix& limestoneH ready mix cements 61MC7 and units generated from windmills. he company has three plants in amil %adu& one in +ndhra Pradesh and a mini cement plant in *arnataka. It has a total capacity of A..C million tons annually and holds a market share of -.: per cent. Madras Cements plans to expand by putting up 1MC plants. +s *arnataka is a promising market& the company is further expanding its capacity from the present :.A million tones to -.. million tone through an investment of 3"K @ million.

International layers! 4olcim

4olcim& earlier known as 4older bank& has a cement production capacity of :.:.@ million tones. It is a key player in aggregates& concrete and construction related services. It has a strong market presence in over CD countries and is a market leader in "outh +merica and in a number of 5uropean and overseas markets. 4olcim entered India by means of a long(term strategic alliance with =ujarat +mbuja Cements <td 6=+C<7. he alliance aims to strengthen their clinker and cement trading activities in "outh +sia& the Middle 5ast and the region adjoining the Indian 2cean. 4olcim also intends to use India as an additional base for its I operations& 1#$ projects as well as a procurement sourcing hub to generate additional synergies and value for the group.

Italcementi =roup
he Italcementi group is one of the largest producers and distributors of cement with FD cement plants& A.C concrete batching units and :AA ,uarries spread across :@ countries in 5urope& +sia& +frica and %orth +merica. Italcementi is present in the Indian markets through a AD9AD joint venture company with Luari Cements. +ll initiatives in southern India are routed through the joint venture company& while Italcementi is free to buy deals in its individual capacity in northern India. he joint venture company has a capacity of -.. million tones and a market share of ;.: per cent.

<afarge India
<afarge India Pvt <td& a subsidiary of the <afarge =roup& has a total cement capacity of A million tones and a clinker capacity of - million tones in the country. <afarge commenced operations in :@@@ and currently has a market share of -.. per cent. It exports clinker and cement to Bangladesh and %epal. It produces Portland slag cement& ordinary Portland
9

cement and Portland po!!olana cement. he Indian cement plants are located in Chhattisgarh and 1ajasthan. <afarge Cement has become the largest cement selling firm in the Indian markets of 'est Bengal& Bihar& )harkhand and Chhattisgarh.

Com any Profile

10

"SR #$R%ETIN" &TD was established in the year :@@@& under the sharp business acumen of the $irector& #r. Sures' C'itlangya. 4is vast experience and knowledge has assisted us in garnering the trust of the clients. 'e stand among the best )k <akshmi Cements 5xporters and "uppliers in India. oday using technology to its fullest and all the information about the product and the company are just a click away. 'e also have a ready reckoned M an 2nline 1eference =uide to Company Profile& est Certificates& 2ffer letter& Mail/Invoices& "tatement of accounts # many more customi!ed features to ensure that you have ,uick access to company related information& saving your valuable time.

+bout 3s
Manufacturers/5xporters/'holesalers of construction # real estate& building materials& cement& cement blocks& refractory cement& white cement& plaster of paris& Portland cement& $eccan cements& Penna cements& madras cements& )k <akshmi cements& 1amco cement& Cci cement& orient cement& cement and +shakti cement& bricks& pavers& floor materials and building hardware. ="1 Marketing <imited has the marketing and sales rights of B4+1+ 4I C5M5% for Pune region.

PRODUCT PRO(I&E

11

Bharathi Cement due to its consistently superior ,uality is becoming the first choice amongst discerning users and construction professionals in Pune region.

1aw Material9
12

Careful selection and scientific proportioning of raw material with the use of latest technology enables manufacturing of high ,uality cement. 1igorous hourly tests are conducted on raw material.

'orld Class process echnology ensures Iuality and Consistency9

Iuality +ssurance is an integral part of Bharathi manufacturing philosophy. he ,uality attributes are consistently ensured through rigorous application of advanced technology. *ey features include9

3se of good ,uality limestone and careful selection of other raw material Computeri!ed mining operation and homogeni!ation of crushed limestone Perfect proportioning of raw materials by )C* 6 )uality Control through *(ray 7 2nline process control through CCR 6 Computeri!ed Control Room 7

$istinct 8eatures9

4igher Compressive strength 2ptimal fineness Balanced physical and chemical properties 2ptimal setting time Consistency in ,uality <ow(level of Chloride 4igh(soundness

+dvantages9

4igher workability <ower consumption 5nhanced durability

13

Iuicker construction 2verall economy

Customer Care and =uidance9

Bharathi Cement offers customers a range of Nproduct plusN services. + full( fledged echnical "ervices %etwork has been set up exclusively for technical advice and guidance in usage of cement. Bharathi Cement is marketed nationwide through large network of stockistJs& sales officers and representatives. Cement dumps have also been established at strategic locations to facilitate faster delivery of cement.

Galue +dded "ervices9

Mobile concrete lab services 6 Concrete cube testing facilities 7 raining Programmes for masons& site supervisors on good construction practices 8ield visits by ,ualified civil engineers 5ducating individual house builders on various aspects of building material and construction %on(destructive testing of concrete +ny other customer specific services

+pplications9
:.

+ll *inds of constructions including precast and pressurised concrete& masonry works "lip form constructions 1ehabilitation and retrofitting works Cement based products such as pipes& tiles& blocks& poles& etc. 1oads& runways& bridges and flyovers 'ater retaining structures

;. -. .. A. F.

O+,ECTI-E O( T.E PRO,ECT

In India market sector is growing very fast when we compare it with other sectors. Marketing is the one of the task and more physical process human efforts and management constitute the primary concept in marketing. his can be done
14

successfully only through knowing the consumer preferences& behaviour towards various stimuli i.e. consumer behaviour.

2B)5C IG5 28 45 " 3$> Primary objective9

o study the distribution network of Bharathi cement along with other brands& in Pune.

"econdary objectives9
:. o find out the market share of Bharathi cement. ;. o find out the major competitors of Bharathi cement in a particular area. -. o find out the problems faced by the Bharathi dealers/retailers and try to minimi!e these problems. .. o help the Bharathi dealers/retailers to increase their sales. A. o find out the possible newer methods for advertisement methods for increasing sales of Bharathi cement.

RE-IE/ O( &ITER$TURE

+7

$istribution Channels
15

:7

5xclusive $istribution

It means severely limiting the no of intermediaries& it is used when the producer wants to maintain control over the service level # services output offered by reseller. It involves exclusive dealing arrangement in which the reseller agrees not to carry competing brands. By granting exclusive distribution the producer hopes to obtain more dedicate # knowledgeable selling. It re,uires better partnership between seller # reseller # is used in the distribution of new automobiles some major applications # some women0s apparel brands. ;7 "elective $istribution

It involves more than few but less than all of the intermediates who are willing to carry particular product. It is used by established company seeking distribution. he company does not have to dissipate its efforts over too many outlets it enables the producer to gain ade,uate market coverage with more control # less cost than intensive distribution. %ike& the world0s largest athletic shoe market& is a good example of selective distribution.

-7

Intensive $istribution

It consists of manufacture placing the goods or services in as many outlets as possible. his strategy is generally used for items such as tobacco& soaps& snack foods # gym& products for which the consumer re,uires a great deal of location convenience. Manufacturers are constantly tempted to from exclusive or selective distribution to increase the coverage # sales. Bharathi Cement company is having intensive distribution system& which also includes direct # indirect distribution system.

B7 1ole of $istributor
Consumer service # safeguarding the interest of Bharathi Cement Company built competitive.
16

4ave complete responsibility for developing the sales of Bharathi Cement. 5dge through superior customer relationship # leveraging of his structure.

C7 "elling # $istribution
+chieve current volume # market share by segment # area. ruck competitive activity& inform the company # effectively counter the same. Identify new opportunities for enhancing the business of Bharathi Cement through new packs& ideas # new distribution opportunities. Maintain # enhance the distribution of Bharathi Cement. +s representative of Bharathi Cement Company ensures desire conduct of all personal in market place.

$7 5nvironment Management
Maintain close co(operative with local leader # government administration # the Ofirst face0 of the company& safeguard company interest. +s good # law abiding citi!en ensure compliance with all statutory re,uirements. 1esolves all customers # consumers grievances as # when rose.

57 $istribution 5valuation Indicators

Company marketing can be planned& evaluated # corrected effectively by using the following analysis of marketing indicators.
17

Per capita consumption $ealer index "ales per case +verage stock per dealer "ales per truck $ealers per truck

"ince these indicators are index related # should study them in totality instead of looking at them separately.

87 ypes of $istribution system

:. $irect $istribution ;. Indirect $istribution.

Direct Distri0ution
18

8actory

Charring and 8orwarding +gent

1oute :

1oute -

1oute ;

8inal Customer

Indirect Distri0ution 8actory

19

'arehouse

$istributors

1etailer :

1etailer ;

1etailer -

8inal Consumer

=7 "ales Promotion
here are two types of sales promotion schemes M trade promo and consumer promotion scheme. $ifferent types of sales promotion activity are conducted or run to increase the sales volume and to achieve volume target.

M+1*5 I%= 15"5+1C4

Marketing research can be broken down into two distinct words( Marketing and 1esearch. 'e have to understand each of the two components Marketing and 1esearch to know what Marketing 1esearch is all about. Marketing is essentially a sum total of two entities& vi!. the target market and the marketing mix for the market& which in turn is related to actions regarding the four P0s vi!. Product& Price& Place and Promotion. hus& marketing is
20

some human activity directed at satisfying needs and wants through exchange process and a modern marketing system cannot exist without efficient producers and affluent consumers. 1esearch is an activity solving problem. It is an endeavour to discover& and develop knowledge aiming for progress. he testing validity of existing phenomena cannot be possible but for research. 1esearch is& Pthe manipulation of things& concepts or symbols for the purpose of generali!ing to extend& correct or verify knowledge& whether that a process involving a series of steps to collect and analy!e the information needed for decision in the desired filed of en,uiry. If it is in the field of sociology it is termed as "ocial research and if it is in the field of marketing it is known as Marketing 1esearch.

+ccording to Philip *otler&

PMarketing research is the systematic design& collection& analysis and reporting of data& and finding a solution relevant to specific marketing situation facing the companyQ. Marketing research is undertaken to guide managers in their analysis& planning& implementation and control of programmes to satisfactory customers and organi!ational goals.

In the words of Blankership and $oyle&

PMarketing 1esearch is the collection and implementation of facts that help marketing management to get products more efficiently into the heads of the customer. Marketing research encompasses all the information pertinent to this task& all the appropriate techni,ues. 1esearch can be defined as a systemi!ed effort to gain new knowledge. + research is carried out by different methodologies which have their own pros and cons. 1esearch methodology is a way to solve research in study and solving research problems along with logic behind them are defined through research methodology. hus while talking about research methodologies we are not only talking of research methods but also consider the logic behind the methods. 'e are in context of our research studies and explain why it is being used a particular method or techni,ue and why the others are not used. "o that research result is capable of being evaluated either by researcher himself or by others.

RESE$RC. #ET.ODO&O"1

15"5+1C4 $5"I=%
1esearch methodology is a way to systematically achieving objective of the project. achieve these objectives various steps are there9(
21

a7 =eneral Methodology
he methodology adopted for this project was completely base on primary information. he locality of the study was Pune district. he first stage included gathering information about the general cement market of the Pune region. hat was& to find out which are the major players& what is general distribution pattern& what type of incentive schemes the different brands are using. he second stage comprised determining the objective of the study and drafting the ,uestionnaire. he ,uestionnaire was designed keeping in mind the objective of the study. It was designed with due guidance of the company guide. It was assured that the ,uestionnaire didn0t exceed more than :A ,uestions. *eeping in mind the education level of the respondents who were mainly dealers/retailers& the ,uestionnaire was kept simple and precise.

b7 $ata "ources
he research called for gathering primary data only. 4ence& primary sources were considered for the collection of data.

c7 Primary source
he primary data is gathered for specific purpose and is collected by the researcher himself. It includes direct communication and feedback from the customers. 8or the purpose of collecting information from customers a structured ,uestionnaire was formulated and is contacted directly.

d7 1esearch Instrument
2. Personally administered ,uestionnaire 3. "tructured interview
4. 3nstructured interview

8or the purpose of this project& a ,uestionnaire was designed to collect data that consisted of close ended ,uestions # open ended ,uestions. + survey techni,ue is being used to collect the data. $uring the project a survey of customers using personal interview was done at random locations in Pune. + predetermined structured ,uestionnaire was administered to them.

e7 "ampling Plan "ampling 3nit

he study was restricted to Pune region only. *eeping in mind the objective of the study we sampled dealers and retailers of each and every brand. 'e try to explore out as many shops as could be possible.
22

 "ample "i!e
he sample si!e taken for the purpose of study was around ;AD respondents from the Pune district. +ll the respondents were chosen randomly.

"ampling Procedure
'e try to find out almost all of the cement dealers and retailers in the market.

Contact Method
I personally visited most of the customers after seeking prior appointment. 8ew shopkeepers due to their busy schedule or loyalty for their brand refused to respond at all.

f7 +nalytical tools
he data& which was collected& was summari!ed for further analysis. he analysis performed was mainly comparative analysis using statistical analytical tools. he tools that have been used are as follows9 Bar Chart Pie Chart <ine =raph

D$T$ $N$&1SIS $ND INTERPRET$TIONS

$+ + C2<<5C I2%

23

he respondents were chosen in Pune district area. Iuestions were asked to them # their responses were carefully noted down. +ccording to research methodology the actual data collection is done. he collected data was stored in a tabular format on Microsoft excel sheets. 8rom the data collected through the information collected from a ,uestionnaire the percentage of different parameters is calculated as below. I would like to give thanks to the respondents for giving their valuable time& sharing information which will be very useful for completion of the project& without which this standing could not be complete.

$+ + +%+<>"I"
+nalysis is the order of breaking of the data into constituting parts in order to obtain answer to research ,uestions.

Market share
able

24

%ame of the company

).*.

+C C

B4+1+ 4I

).P.

BI%+ %I

+MB3 )+

"415 5 3< 1 +

388 C5M5 %

B+%= 31

Market share

;F

;;

:E

::

=raph

Interpretation
he graph clearly shows that the Bharathi Cement has -rd largest market share in Pune region& after ).*. cement and +CC Cement. he main reason behind its market share goes to the number of dealers of Bharathi Cement in Pune. +ll the other brands like "ri ultra and Bangur are struggling to find market in Pune. he possibility behind Bharathi Cement0s success lies at the chances of getting some more retailers.

1) 'hich is the most popular brand in terms of sales? able

25

+nswer ).*. +CC Bharathi Cement +%> 2 451

%o of retailers FA AA .A EA

Percentage 6B7 ;F6B7 ;;6B7 :E6B7 -.6B7

=raph

Interpretation
I have surveyed ;AD shops # according to it Bharathi Cement is most preferred brand after ).* Cement and so on.

2) 'hich brand is generally preferred by customers? able Brands %o of retailers

26

Percentage

).*. +CC B4+1+ 4I +MB3)+ BI%+%I +%> 2 451 2 +< =raph

FA AA .A ;E :A .; ;AD

;FB ;;B :EB ::B FB :CB :DD

Interpretation
In Pune region customers have started preferring Bharathi cement& as compared to ).* Cement and +CC Cement according to graph.

3) 4ow many of the following brands are you dealing with?

able
27

+nswer ).*. +CC B4+1 4I +MB3)+ +%> 2 451 2 +< =raph

%o of retailers ED CD FA ;D :A ;AD

Percentage -;B ;EB ;FB EB FB :DD

Interpretation
:. 'e can say that most of the retailers deal with -main products in this segment ).* Cement& +CC Cement and Bharathi Cement according to the data collected and shown in the graph. ;. +ny other Cement when asked to retailers was of +mbuja cement.

.7

'hat are the factors considered while purchasing Cement 6by retailer?7
28

able 8actors considered Brand image # Iuality Margin # Credit facility Cement price Packaging $iscount otal =raph %o of retailers :;D FD DF ;. .D ;AD Percentage .E6B7 ;.6B7 ;..6B7 @.F6B7 :F6B7 :DD

Interpretation
:. Major of the retailers prefer the Cement brand image # ,uality. ;. o sell your product retailers demand additional margin # extend credit facility. -. 1etailers are considered regarding the selling price of soap they only see their profit.

A7

4ow do you buy our product?

able
29

+nswer

%o of retailers ;:A -D A ;AD

Percentage EF6B7 :;6B7 ;6B7 :DD

$I" 1IB3 21 '42<5"+<51 +%> 2 451 2 +<

=raph

Interpretation
Most of the retailers prefer to buy from the company distributor. +s they get proper scheme # proper billing # service at the door step.

F7

$o you get influenced by the brand decision of the customer?

able
30

+nswer

%o of retailers :-D FA .A :D

Percentage

M+%> IM5" "2M5 IM5" G51> 85' IM5" %2 + +<<

A;6B7 ;F6B7 :E6B7 .6B7

=raph

Interpretation
Most of the retailers get influenced by the buying decision of the customer # they say we place orders for only those products which are being demanded by the customer. +nd they are right as 5customer is a 6ing77.
C7

$o you receive any services from the company?

able +nswer >es

31

%o

%o. of retailers Percentage otal

;-D ;D ;AD

@; E :DD

=raph

Interpretation
: .8rom the above graph we can see that most of the retailers receive a satisfactory service from the company men. ;. hose who don0t receive appropriate service are those who are having bad

previous record.

E7

'hat are the sources through which you came to know about our products?

able +nswer %o of
32

Percentage

retailers EA ED FA ;D -.6B7 -;6B7 ;F6B7 E6B7

+dvertisement $istributor Customer +ny 2ther

=raph

33

Interpretation
:. Many of the retailers come to know about the product through various advertisement carried out by company .ex. on /G& %ewspaper& etc. ;. "ome of them know it through distributor when different schemes are being practiced by them. -. Many of them get the product information through customers as they demand for the product after seeing an advertisement # also through their peer group.

@7

4ow much are you satisfied with the services provided to you by the brand you deal in?
34

able +nswer %o. of 1etailers $elight "atisfied +verage %ot satisfied 4ighly $issatisfied D DB :CD AD ;D :D FEB ;DB EB .B Percentage

35

=raph

Interpretation
he graph clearly shows that most of the dealers are highly satisfied with the services provided to them by the brand they deal in. he services include timely supply of cement& regular visits by the company officials& different type of incentive schemes meant for the dealers etc. he other side of the fact can be that(being loyal to their respective cement brands& the dealers didn0t want to give a poor image of the company i.e. they were not satisfied with the company but responded positively.

36

:D7

$o you want to shift to any other Brand?

able +nswer %o. of 1etailers %o >es May be =raph ;:D :A ;A E.B FB :DB Percentage

Interpretation
he graph shows that about E.B of the dealers and retailers don0t want to shift to any cement brand other than the one in which they are currently dealing. But the last portion of
37

the graph i.e. #$1 +E part is of crucial importance for Bharathi Cement. his portion shows the dealers who may shift to a new brand if it proves beneficial for them. "o if Bharathi Cement assures them some better services and mainly the better incentives then these can be the new suppliers for them.

38

(INDIN"S
:. It was found that as compared to ).*. Cement # +CC Cement& market share of Bharathi Cement is low because it has been recently launched in Pune region& 6in the month of May ;D:D7. ;. +ccording to the survey of ;AD shops we come to know that Bharathi Cement is becoming most preferred brand after ).*. Cement # +CC Cement.

-. In case of service provided by Bharathi cement they provide short lead time # convenient lot si!e from :DD bags as compared to other brands where the lot si!e is minimum ;AD # above.

39

&I#IT$TIONS O( T.E STUD1

2. he major problem of the survey was that most of the respondents being very loyal to their brands didn0t give exact answers& like they didn0t talk much about what problems they are facing& what are the different marketing schemes of the brand in which they deal etc. 3. 2nce we got the ,uestionnaire filled& we need to restart the Conversation in a much generali!ed way and talk about the local market conditions. <ike who is the main dealer& which cement is mostly sold in that area etc. so this survey demands a good piece of time while talking to the respondent with a number of small towns and villages in and around Pune. "o to complete the survey within ; months time seems to be a bit difficult. 4. "ome of the respondents may have told their average monthly sale more than the actual. Because all of them think that the monthly sale attached with the market image of their shop. 8. Many of the dealers/retailers refused to answer the ,uestions. "o the actual figures can be somewhat different from the one that we have found out.

RECO##END$TIONS
40

Based upon the time spent by me in the market& useful suggestions of the dealers # retailers and the findings from the survey& following recommendations can be suggested for increasing sales and effectiveness of Bharathi Cement9 'hat matters for most of the cement buyers is the price of the cement and then the ,uality. 'hile visiting market for cement purchase& they don0t care about which brand they are going to buy. hey simply know that R is ongoing price of the cement& if any brand costs higher than R& they will not buy that brand. +s Bharathi is a new player in Pune region& so they should keep a price difference of at least 1s ;(- as compared to other major players. Bharathi cement bags come with paper laminated packing& which creates problem in lifting with help of hooks. hus the bags should contain holding facility for easy lifting. hey should try to open some super outlets where their overall range of products is available as compared to 3ltra tech Cement. Company should provide multi door delivery # credit facility to its customer who purchase cement in bulk ,uantity.

It should increase sales promotion activity as its competitor provides to be in competition. Bharathi Cement should maintain brand awareness through advertisement on a large scale via& media& paintings. G& local newspaper& maga!ines& journals& wall hoardings and

Company should try to keep its policy as market absorbs easily and which helps in boosting up of sales. he ups and downs in cement prices pose a threat to manufacturerH they must try to maintain prices stable for at least a year. Maintain regular supply in off(season. $ifferent gifts& incentives& retailer meets& promotional items& margins and recommendation certificate also considerably influence the customer 615 +I<51"7. here should at least be : visit of the market supervisor or head of marketing department to the market to solve the retailer0s problem # difficulties # to know the =123%$ 15+<I >.

8actors that Bharathi Cement should focus on

41

 "ervice Credit Period +dvertising "chemes $iscount 1ates

42

CONC&USION

If the system is properly followed and assisted by the activities like sales promotion activity different kinds of contents& e,uipment& placement& salesman monitoring and training& will enhance the sales of company.

Bharathi Cement has two major competitors( ).*. cement and +CC cement. Bharathi Cement is also well established in the markets as far as ,uality is concerned. Introduction of new attractive incentive schemes can bring new dealers and retailers for Bharathi cement. $ifferent schemes/offers/margin/delivery time is considered a lot while purchasing a product by a retailer.

Price # ,uality is the major factor that matters for a customer while purchasing cement. It can be seen that maximum number of retailers deal with Bharathi Cement.

It is found that most of the product is purchased from $istributor # 'holesalers. Bharathi Cement has better ,uality policy for their products.

"ome customers change the brand if close substitute is available. Price hike is also one of the reasons for brand change. oday0s Customer 61etailer7 is less keen about the product rather they& pay attention on nearness& doorstep delivery& price and their margin 6Profit7. he lead time taken to deliver the product to the retailer is ; to days after placing their order.

43

+I+&IO"R$P.1

+oo6s! :7 ;7 -7 Marketing 1esearch Marketing 1esearch Marketing 1esearch measurements and methods %argundkar 6 ata Mc=raw 4ill7 Beri 64imalaya pub. 4ouse7 ;DD@ ;DDE

$onald s. ull& $el I. 4awkins ;DD@ 6 ata Mc=raw 4ill7

/e0sites! www.cement.com

www.gsrlimited.net

www.bharathicement .com

)UESTIONN$IRE
44

$ear "ir/Madam&
'e are conducting a survey on behalf of Bharathi Cement as a part of my Osummer training project.0 I would be extremely benefited if you answer the following ,uestions. I assure you that the information provided by you will be used for my project work only.

%+M59 S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S

+$$15""9 S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S

C2% +C %29 S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S

:. '4IC4 C5M5% >23 $5+< I%? a7 Bharathi Cement b7 +CC c7 ).*. d7 ).P. e7 +mbuja f7 Binani

;. >231 +G51+=5 M2% 4<> "+<5 6I% B+="79

45

a7 :DD(ADD b7 ADD(:DDD c7 :DDD(:ADD d7 :ADD(;DDD e7 ;DDD # above.

-. 42' M3C4 +15 >23 "+ I"8I5$ 'I 4 45 "51GIC5" P12GI$5$ 2 >23 B> 45 B1+%$ >23 $5+< I%? a7 4I=4<> "+ I"8I5$ b7 "+ I"8I5$ c7 +G51+=5 d7 $I""+ I"8I5$ e7 4I=4<> $I""+ I"8I5$

.. '4+ >P5 28 P12B<5M" +15 >23 8+CI%= 'I 4 >231 C3115% B1+%$ 6I8 +%>7? a7 'eight of bag. b7 Mixture ratio of product c7 "ubstitute product provide by company d7 <ower grade product delivery

A. '4+ +15 45 15+"2%" 821 "5<<I%= 4I" P+1 IC3<+1 B1+%$?

46

a7 Margin b7 Brand name c7 Iuality d7 $emand e7 "ervice

F. '4IC4 I" 45 M2" P2P3<+1 B1+%$ I% 51M" 28 "+<5"? a7 Bharathi Cement b7 ).* Cement. c7 +CC Cement. d7 +mbuja Cement. e7 +ny 2ther Cement.

C. '4+ +15 45 8+C 21" C2%"I$515$ '4I<5 P31C4+"I%= C5M5% 6B> 15 +I<517? a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 Brand Image Margin Credit 8acility Cement Price Product Iuality Packaging $iscount

E. 42' $2 >23 B3> P12$3C ? a7 b7 c7 d7 @. $2 >23 =5 C3" 2M51? $irectly from distributor $irectly from stockist $irectly from wholesalers +ny others. I%8<35%C5$ B> 45 B1+%$ $5CI"I2% 28

45

47

a7 b7 c7 d7

Many times "ometimes Gery few times %ot at all

:D. $2 >23 15C5IG5 +%> "51GIC5" 812M 45 C2MP+%>? a7 >es b7 %o

::. '4+ +15 45 "231C5" 4123=4 '4IC4 >23 C+M5 *%2' +B23 231 P12$3C "? a7 +dvertising b7 Customer c7 $istributor d7 +ny other

:;. $2 >23 '+% a7 >5" b7 %2 c7 M+> B5

2 "4I8

2 +%> 2 451 B1+%$?

%ote9 if Bharathi cement is not mentioned in I. %o. :& then

48

:-. $2 >23 *%2' +B23 B4+1+ 4I C5M5% ? a7 >es b7 %o %ote9 if no then explain and ask.

:.. '23<$ >23 <I*5 2 "5<< B4+1+ 4I C5M5% ? a7 >es b7 %o If yes then&

:A. '4+ *I%$ 28 8+CI<I I5" $2 >23 '+% 812M B+4+1+ 4I C5M5% ? a7 $iscount b7 1egular supply c7 Credit facility d7 +dvertising

3"583< C2MM5% "9 S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS S

49