Reimagining The Direct Selling Industry In The Covid World
Covid-19 has completely altered the way businesses and organisations across the world operated. While some industries succumbed to the disruptions caused by the unprecedented crisis, some displayed tremendous agility as they reimagined and adapted themselves to flourish amidst the ‘New Normal’. Direct Selling industry, though initially impacted because of the novelty of the situation, has undergone a renaissance of sorts and emerged to come out of the COVID storm stronger than ever before. According to a recent report by Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA), the Indian Direct Selling industry at large has clocked in gross sales of INR 7,518 crore in the April-September 2020, registering a growth of 4.7% year-on-year, which is remarkable, considering the challenging business landscape one has had to deal with. Here is how the direct selling space continued to chart its success trajectory while sailing through choppy waters:
Digital Integration Coupled With Empathy
Direct selling industry is all about building meaningful connections. From onboarding new consultants to engaging with our customers, we had everything riding on in-person meetings. With the world coming to a halt because of the pandemic induced lockdown, the very foundation of the Direct Selling industry was being tested. In spite of the roadblocks, it was of primary importance to stay connected with consultants and reassure them during these uncertain times. Interestingly, a large majority of the consultants in the direct selling business are from Tier 2-3 cities and varying backgrounds, and are not as technologically adept as their counterparts in metros. Initially, it was slightly daunting to make a complete and immediate switch to digital mediums of communications. However, we guided the consultants through the change to ensure a seamless, hassle free transition to the digital medium. As for us at Modicare, we also enabled digital tools like Chatbot Roshini, Instant Messaging Catalogue, and Modicare Online Training Academy to help our consultants navigate through the pandemic. We have also recently launched ‘My Modicare Shop’, which enables Modicare consultants to create and operate a microsite on Modicare website, and directly engage with their customers.
Resilience And Dependability
As massive lay-offs continued to plague several industries and dampened the collective sentiment, the Direct Selling industry continued to embrace new entrants, provided them inconceivable opportunities to grow and helped them realise their dreams even during uncertain times. Today, Direct Selling has emerged as a viable and more stable source of income for people across the country. As per the IDSA report, the industry welcomed over 53 lakhs new entrants during April-September 2020 alone. We have showcased time and again that the industry can hold its own during the most difficult times. In spite of the pandemic, we at Modicare registered a high growth in 2020 and launched over 70 new products.
Agility Coupled With Ingenuity
The industry was also prompt in identifying the change in consumer sentiments and responded by revamping its offerings for sustained growth. Owing to the ongoing pandemic, boosting one’s immunity and general well-being became the top priority for most. The Direct Selling industry swiftly responded by rolling out a slew of immunity boosting products, which according to the IDSA report resulted in the wellness segment registering the highest year-on-year growth of 20.5% in April-September 2020.
Leveraging And Accentuating Strengths
Another major fallout of the pandemic induced lockdown was the disruption in the supply chain. However, the Direct Selling industry was able to power through the crisis owing to its extensive network of distributors, warehouses and transportation. At Modicare, overcoming challenges is deeply ingrained in our culture. Our teams worked round-the-clock to ensure movement and delivery of products across the country. We also revamped and modernised our centres at key locations to facilitate easy access for consultants. The ongoing pandemic has taught us the value of agility and adaptability. Change is the only constant and it’s all about how you pick yourself up in a tough situation. Guided by the philosophy of “Soch Badlo, Khudko Badlo, Duniya Badlo” we were able to think on our feet and come up with innovative ways of tackling the situation. To sum it up, it is resilience that stood the industry in good stead and kept the momentum going.
The author is Samir Modi, Founder & Managing Director of Modicare Ltd.
