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Tag: Voltas

  • Byte the Future AI is Serving Up Personalised Innovation

    Byte the Future AI is Serving Up Personalised Innovation

    MUMBAI: Who knew your AC could get to know you better than your flatmate? At GoaFest 2025, the session “From Code to Commerce: Growth in the AI Age” proved that artificial intelligence is no longer just a boardroom buzzword, it’s in your shampoo, your samosa delivery, your summer holiday plans, and maybe even your next Instagram ad.

    AI isn’t just flipping the script, it’s writing it, testing it, and turning it into 150,000 personalised versions overnight. In a power-packed panel at GoaFest 2025, leaders from HUL, Voltas, Makemytrip and Swiggy sat down with journalist Anuradha SenGupta to unpack how artificial intelligence is moving from the back end to front-of-house, making businesses smarter, faster, and far more personal.

    Voltas CMO Pragya Bijalwan  revealed how AI is transforming the home appliance business from cold machines to warm experiences. “Walk into a room and your AC already knows your favourite temperature,” she quipped. But it’s not just comfort AI is driving predictive maintenance, energy efficiency, and post-sale service readiness. Voltas uses customer data platforms to pre-empt service needs and personalise communication. One such campaign featuring their long-standing mascot ‘Mukti’ achieved a staggering 98 per cent CTR and an 87 per cent full-view rate with many recipients believing the video was speaking directly to them.

    HUL, head of media & digital marketing Tejas Apte shared how AI now powers product prototyping through the company’s Agile Innovation Hub, even allowing 3D-printed SKUs based on global trendspotting. AI also fuels the “Shikhar” app, used by kirana store partners now responsible for 20 per cent of HUL’s sales. Retailers can simply snap a photo of their shelf, and AI recommends stock-ups, upsells and even helps co-create hyperlocal ad campaigns. “Last year, we generated 150,000 AI-personalised video ads with Arshad Warsi customised to individual kirana stores,” said Apte.

    For Makemytrip, AI is less about flash and more about function. Director Sanket Tulangekar outlined how Myra, their AI assistant, has evolved to summarise reviews, answer natural language queries, and assist with travel planning. Myra now uses multi-agent orchestration, acting like an intelligent concierge handling everything from hotel bookings to activity recommendations. Tulangekar stressed the importance of red-teaming, bias testing, and moderation in ensuring AI-generated content is both accurate and safe.

    Over at Swiggy, VP Arjun Choudhary revealed how generative AI has quietly revolutionised internal operations. Sales teams now use AI co-pilots for performance insights, and restaurant partners receive personalised business analytics through conversational dashboards. “Even non-tech teams are generating demos and PRDs using AI,” said Choudhary. AI also boosts consumer experience through in-session personalisation and catalogue video generation. The company recently condensed a three-month cataloguing task into a single week using AI.

    Panelists agreed AI is now function-agnostic relevant across departments, not just digital teams. While job fears loom, Bijalwan emphasised it’s an evolution, not a threat. “It’s like when Google launched, initially scary, but now second nature,” she said.

    Ethics, however, remain a looming shadow. From labelling AI-generated ads to ensuring consent with India’s DPDP Act, companies are cautiously optimistic. “Change is inevitable,” the panel echoed, “but accountability must keep pace.”

    Whether you’re in media, FMCG, travel or tech, one thing’s clear: in the age of AI, relevance isn’t optional, it’s algorithmic.

  • Shibashish Roy takes the reins at electronics retailer Croma

    Shibashish Roy takes the reins at electronics retailer Croma

    MUMBAI: Shibashish Roy has taken over as chief executive & managing director of Infiniti Retail Ltd (Croma), India’s electronics retail powerhouse, effective 1 April 2025. The Tata Group has opted for a company man to mind the shop after the departure of founding member Avijit Mitra.

    Roy, a Tata Administrative Services (TAS) officer with over 20 years of group experience, has been quietly climbing the corporate ladder since joining as a project trainee at Tata Steel in 2003. His circuitous route to the top job included stints at Voltas, Tata Motors, and a six-year stretch at Tata Capital where he cut his teeth in wealth management and investment banking.

    The digital-savvy executive spent seven years at Tata Sons, including time in the chairman’s office, before joining Croma in 2021. Since then, he’s been on a rapid ascent—chief business officer to chief operating officer to deputy chief executive and now to the corner office—in what appears to be a meticulously planned succession.

    Outgoing boss Mitra, who retires after 35 years with the Tata Group, leaves behind sizeable shoes to fill. Under his stewardship, Croma expanded from a fledgling electronics retailer to a behemoth with over 560 stores across India.

  • Voltas Q2: Net profit sinks 26 per cent to Rs 80 crore

    Voltas Q2: Net profit sinks 26 per cent to Rs 80 crore

    MUMBAI: Consumer electronics firm Voltas has posted net profit of Rs 80 crore for the quarter ended 30 September 2020. This is a decline of 26 per cent from the same quarter last fiscal when the company reported net profit of Rs 107.3 crore.

    The consolidated total income for the period was higher by 10 per cent at Rs 1,651 crores as compared to Rs 1,495 crores in the corresponding quarter last year. Earnings per share (face value per share of Re 1) (not annualized) as on 30 September 2020 was Rs 2.37 as compared to Rs 3.22 last year. 

    The results take into account the effect of merger of a 100 per cent subsidiary-universal comfort products limited with effect from 1 April 2019, which has been approved by the National Company Law Tribunal on 11 September 2020.

    Consolidated segment results for the quarter ended 30 September 2020:

    Unitary cooling products for comfort and commercial use: The business achieved overall volume growth of 14 per cent contributed by growth of 11 per cent in room air conditioners, 20 per cent in commercial refrigeration products and 28 per cent in air coolers. Voltas continued to be the market leader and has sustained its no 1 position in the room air conditioner business and further improved its market share to 26.8 per cent in August 2020. Segment revenue increased by nine per cent and was Rs 572 crores as compared to Rs 526 crores in the corresponding quarter last year. Segment result was higher by 37 per cent at Rs 63 crores as compared to Rs 46 crores in the corresponding quarter last year.

    Electro-mechanical projects and services: Segment revenue for the quarter was higher at 15 per cent at Rs 928 crores as compared to Rs 809 crores in the corresponding quarter last year. Segment result was Rs 23 crores as compared to Rs 56 crores last year primarily due to conservative time based provisions, amidst liquidity constraints on some of the old legacy projects. Carry forward order book of the segment was higher at Rs 6,852 crores as compared to Rs 6,567 crores in the corresponding quarter last year.

    Engineering products and services: Segment revenue and result for the quarter were at Rs 93 crores and Rs 29 crores as compared to Rs 80 crores and Rs 25 crores, respectively in the corresponding quarter last year.

    Consolidated results for the six month period ended 30 September:  Impacted by the Covid2019 lockdown, the consolidated total income for the six months period ended 30 September 2020 was at Rs 3,015 crores as compared to Rs 4,192 crores in the corresponding period last year. Profit before tax was at Rs 223 crores as compared to Rs 408 crores last year. Profit after tax was Rs 161 crores as against Rs 274 crores in the corresponding period last year. Earnings per share (face value per share of Re 1) (not annualized) as on 30 September 2020 was Rs 4.82 as compared to Rs 8.21 last year.

  • Voltas showcases its new summer campaign for All Star Inverter ACs

    Voltas showcases its new summer campaign for All Star Inverter ACs

    MUMBAI: Voltas, India’s No. 1 AC brand, from the house of the Tatas, has launched its new brand campaign for its 2018 range of All Star Inverter ACs, with a 360 degree media amplification across Television, Print, Radio & Digital. 

    The campaign talks about the unique value proposition of “Steady Cooling & Steady Savings” and highlights the end consumer benefit of “complete peace of mind”. The proposition is backed by the technology hook of a “Two Stage Steady Cool Inverter Compressor”, which leads to Steady Cooling & Steady Savings.

    The brand has recently released a highly engaging TVC which brings back Voltas’ much- loved protagonist “Murthy”; and this year Murthy has an unwanted “Atithi” at his residence. The Atithi (Murthy’s country cousin) tries to make Murthy’s life uncomfortable, by taking control of his house, during his visit. Since he (Atithi) is very comfortable with Murthy’s AC running 24 X 7, he gets funny ideas to impose his presence in Murthy’s house. However, Murthy emerges smarter, since he has the Voltas All Star Inverter AC, which gives him the twin benefit of Steady Cooling & Steady Savings.

    The TV campaign will be on air across GEC, News & Movies genres, and will also be aired during the forthcoming IPL. It is supported by a heavy Print campaign across all leading national & regional dailies. Moreover, Radio & Digital will be used strategically to further multiply the brand communication.

    Speaking about the campaign, Ogilvy & Mather, Deputy Chief Creative Officer India & Chief Creative Officer North, Ajay Gehlot said, “This year we had a task of emphasizing the core brand promise of “Steady Cooling, Steady Savings”, without compromising on humor. And the two new TVCs capture the essence of the new brand promise in an engaging & interesting manner”.      

    Adding to that, Voltas UPBG, Vice President – Marketing & Key Accounts, Deba Ghoshal said “This year our unwanted Atithi will add extra spice to Murthy’s life. However, we have full faith in Murthy, to crack the humor code, in a relevant manner; and win us more smiles and eyeballs.”  

  • Voltas mulls brand extension; may diversify in consumer goods space

    Voltas mulls brand extension; may diversify in consumer goods space

    KOLKATA: The Tata group-owned cooling company, Voltas, is planning to extend its brand into other product categories. The company may consider diversification in the consumer durables and electronics segment. According to the company, a call is likely to be taken by December this year.

     

    Voltas is presently conducting a study in association with the group owned TSMG for extension of product line.

     

    “Studies are on but we cannot peg a time or name any category. By the end of this year, we might have some idea about extending the brand. We are planning to go for brand extension,” said Voltas CEO – unitary products division Pradeep Bakshi. 

     

    However, Bakshi did not mention when the study is likely to be completed.

     

    Also, the company is eyeing further expansion into the overseas market in the Middle East and Africa.

     

    “Our target is to export at least 1,00,000 units in a year over the course of the next two years, which will account for 10 per cent of the annual sales,” Bakshi said.

     

    The company is presently exporting between 25,000 and 30,000 units to its overseas operations annually, which accounts for roughly five per cent of the annual sales.

     

    Voltas will also go for marginally hiking its prices of air conditioners by two—three per cent in face of rising forex imbalance and government taxes by mid-February. “Our forex and government taxes have gone up by five per cent. While we will absorb a part of this, the prices of our air conditioners (AC) will go up by two—three per cent in the middle of February,” Bakshi said.

     

    In case taxes go up further, which will add to input cost, the retail prices of the ACs may head further north, he added.

     

    Experts feel that the Union Budget 2016 is likely to lay out a roadmap for what is important for the BJP-led government at the Centre.

     

    While the company continues to enjoy market leadership position in the AC segment at 25 per cent by sales figures, its biggest challenge is lack of diversified products. It should be noted that Voltas had quit the consumer refrigeration business in 1998-99.

     

    Voltas registered an annual growth rate of 12 per cent selling nearly one million ACs in 2014 and is optimistic about closing the current fiscal on a good note.

     

    “We are also focusing on strengthening our channel partner base and opt for brand shops to further increase our presence,” Bakshi said.