Mumbai: Coca-Cola University (CCU), which runs skill training programs for traditional trade (kirana store) retailers, today (22 September 2016) announced that it aims to train 3,50,000 people by December 2017 in the areas of grocery and convenience store retailing and in food services. The training module will be a mix of classroom training and in the Coca-Cola University bus called “Coca-Cola University on Wheels”.
While CCU has been training kirana retailers under its “Parivartan” program for the last 8 years, the module on quality and food services is being launched this year. Called “Parivartan E&D”, the training module has been designed by Coca-Cola University based on two key insights (1) lack of hygiene and (2) the importance of good customer service, as the most important parameters while choosing an eating-out option by customers, who are on- the- go.
The training module will focus on the owners and employers at dhabas and other small food service outlets and street food vendors, mostly in the unorganized sector. According to the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) projections, the unorganized segment within the food services industry is expected to be a USD 45 bn market by 2021. This segment is expected to provide direct employment to 50% of the projected workforce of 8.7 million people by 2021.
The training and up-skilling of 3,50,000 people by Coca-Cola University will support the Government’s Skill India program, which aims at capacity building for employability.
Announcing this at the India Retail Forum 2016 event, Mr. Sameer Wadhawan, Vice President, HR and Services, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia said, “We recognize the govt’s vision that if we have to promote the development of our country, then our mission has to be skill development and skilled India. The Coca-Cola system in India has already taken several steps towards skill enhancement, both in the social as well as sporting arenas. Other than through Parivartan, we are also partners in programs that are training People with Disabilities (PwDs), in programs that are training farmers in sustainable and efficient agriculture practices etc. We share India’s urgency on skill training and want to do more than our fair share towards this goal.”
Coca-Cola University certified trainers will conduct three-hour long trainings through presentations, live-examples as well as through videos, in regional languages. They will focus on: Food quality and Hygiene, Clean atmosphere, Customer Satisfaction, Customization of Food, and Customer Interaction.
“Parivartan” – the retailer training program of Coca-Cola University has trained more than 3 lac retailers. This unique retail training program equips “mom-and-pop” shop owners in tier II and III towns across India with the skills, tools and techniques required to succeed in India’s evolving retail landscape. The course content of this training program includes four component of retailing strategy: Customer, Retail Store, stock at shelf and Finance. Apart from classroom training, this training module is also delivered through customized learning bus- Coca-Cola University on Wheels, which travel through the remote areas where classroom facilities are not available. Trainers use multimedia tools including videos, leaflets and presentations to conduct the three-hour long session. Training is offered in 6 regional languages through trainers certified by Coca-Cola University.
Parivartan is open to all retailers and not only retailers who stock Coca-Cola products. The program has reached out to retailers in more than 5,500 cities across India. Over the years the Company has innovated the program to impact greater number of retailers and different channels. It also launched a first of its kind training delivery innovation; Parivartan on IVR (Interactive Voice Response). Using this platform any retailer could dial into a toll- free number to take Parivartan lessons from the comfort of his/her home.
