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We are focused on giving our customers a great experience: CMM

CMM senior director Dale Menezes and general manager for retail Hari Kaul talk about customer-centricity, sustainability and other trends in the furniture, home decor, and smart appliance industry

| AUGUST 12, 2019, 03:57 AM IST

JAY JOSHI  


Our business environment is becoming increasingly more customer-centric than ever. And it is important to go beyond making a sale  -- to genuinely connect with the customer. With this in mind, the new look CMM Arena which opened recently in Merces is focusing on enhancing customer experience, informed Hari Kaul, general manager for retail of CMM Arena Retails Pvt Ltd. He was interacting with The Goan on the occasion of the launch of new look CMM Arena along with senior director of CMM group of companies, Dale Meneses.  

“At the new establishment, we have tried to enhance our customers’ experience, ensuring that they shop in a pleasant atmosphere, and on the product side too, we have added products that provide value for money,” stated Kaul. 

“We have added facilities that will enable individuals such as senior citizens, women with babies, differently abled people to enjoy a hassle free shopping experience,” he added.   

Similarly, at a time when the size of residences is becoming smaller, the furniture industry is taking on new trends, stated Kaul. “We source products not only nationally, but also internationally. We visit exhibitions from across the globe to try and understand what the customers want and how the tastes are changing as lifestyle of nuclear families evolves,” informed the general manager, noting that trends in the west generally start reflecting in India within a span of two years.   

Adding to Kaul’s observations, senior director of CMM group of companies Dale Menezes, averred that the furniture industry is set to grow in the coming years. 

“There is always going to be the need for furniture, and the industry will grow with the aspirations of the public. As affordability increases, consumption will increase, while style will continue to develop as per what customers feel at the given moment. It is important for us to showcase a wide range of different styles,” informed Menezes, noting further that the industry must also make efforts to go green. “A lot depends on how your timber is sourced. You have to make sure that the timber farming is done in a sustainable form. At CMM, we also have recycling programmes where we find ways to take back old products and channelise them into spaces that matter. We also encourage customers to redo products such as sofa sets, etc. I do agree that the society needs to think more along the lines of sustainability,” Menezes said. 

General manager Kaul also stressed that sustainability is one of the core values at CMM, and the firm offers options in engineered wood to the customers apart from actual timber.  

Commenting on the rise of the online marketplace, Dale Menezes expressed that both online and real life markets have their own customers. “There is a space for both. I may order certain products online, while I may want to touch and feel certain products. It only means that consumers now have a bigger choice,” he said.   

CMM also offers a wide range of products in home decor and home appliances. In the coming years, technology is set to play a vital role in the home appliances sector, and this is a positive development.. “Technology will definitely improve life in the coming years,” stated Kaul, while Menezes opined that use of technology is an individual question. “It depends on how tech savvy a person is, and it’s a learning process. Some people may want technology, some may not,” Menezes said in conclusion. 

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