Paul Writer launches The Rise Of The Modern Marketer, 
Video interview series of CXO’s highlighting best practices and trends in the use of technology for marketing.
Snehal Mantri
Director – Marketing & HR
Mantri Developers
Customer engagement across marketing channels
We have various ways in which we engage customers. We believe in immediate engagement with the customers and getting them on the touch where they feel it’s one connect with us. Various engagements which we do are: outdoor hoardings, digital medium, social medium, website where we get lot of enquires & footfall & print medium. A lot activity which we are doing today is BTL i.e. below the line. Many times when we go & get connect to the customer with direct marketing we get lot of enquires and conversion ratio is high because they are getting aware of the brand as well as connect with us giving them complete information in one go.
The best part which we have started now is corporate app where with one download they get all information about the company, all projects and any promotion which we are giving or if any discounts which we want to promote or any activity which we want to do – it is very easy medium to reach to the customer.
Provide an integrated experience to customers across all touch points
When we do any kind of medium of advertisement, the moment we get connect with the customers, to get information they immediately call our toll free number, they are entered into our ERP System where it get connect to our sales person, arrange site visit. The moment they are at site office, the 360 degree services of the consumer to own a home becomes very easy.
At marketing office, we have digital explanation through where touch screen tables & iPad. It becomes very easy for a consumer to understand what they are going to get in future because today when they are buying their dream property or any property it’s always on hard scale paper i.e. broacher. So we give them a realized experience where they feel as they own the property today. The model apartment also gives them the feel of a home & walk- though which we do for them gives them feel of virtual reality as though they are in their own homes and that makes the decision for them very easy.
Challenges today in the real estate market
Lots of options are presented to the consumer today and they tend to get confused on which medium and what they are going to get. We give them information in a small way because customer wants to know precisely the information they want. So, bringing on a small piece of advertisement and reaching to them becomes sometimes very challenging but because of the digital medium has become easy for us. Just by giving customers small information, they get connected to our website where there is access to vast information. Also on the website, we have online chat as well as video chat. Using this, the consumer to virtually chat and connect with us, getting all the information.
It’s becoming more and more challenging to find out new ways to reach to the consumer in the shortest period. We believe in giving the best services, the best access to information and the best product so the customers don’t have to look anywhere else.
Using digital media to engage in conversation with new and existing customers
We have used a verity of digital communication targeting the new customers. One of the innovations was, in consumer forums like exhibitions; we install mannequins through which, with a touch of button, the information of a particular product goes to the customers without a need for human communication or interaction.
Then we have augmented reality. Using medium like newspapers, with only a barcode, a customer can just get a walkthrough or the entire property detail easily. This is a very classy medium to know the product easily.
We have also done touch screen tables. Here, when the customer comes to the project site they can get all information digitally. Then we have the website where a person interacts with the consumer- giving all the details and even explain the whole project along with the virtual tour of the project. This gives them an experience similar to actually being present at the site without actually going to the project site, saving the travel time in the present day traffic. Once they are booked with us they can start interacting with our website and our ERP system where they can stay connected with us. We have live cameras at all our sites where they can get the exact construction status. Also, the customers can get the accounts form the system itself and there is no need of visiting the site every time.
We get a lot of referral sales form the existing customers which we believe is because of the good service provided by us through the CRM. We also have ‘Insignia’ which is a loyalty program. There again we interact with the existing customer and give them a lot of promotions as we get our referral sales form them. The best part in our industry is giving them the points to encashing online which is one of the newest and leading innovations.
Customers get engaged with us not only during booking but they are engaged till they take the possession of the property. Also, after possession the ‘facility management’ comes into the picture in which we give 10 years facility management service to the customer- so they don’t have to worry about anything once they buy a Mantri home.
Most innovative use of technology
The most innovative technology is the 4D view option. A customer can go to our website and check what is available and not available at the site and also get the external view of the property. Today, when a customer tries to buy a property based on the floorplan in a brochure, they won’t be able to visualize the view outward from their apartment viewpoint. Considering this, we have taken outside pictures through drones and given them the exact view from the apartment along with exact apartment dimensions. This also makes it possible for the customer to visualize property three year ahead of time.
