Posts Tagged ‘retail’

2014 – Year of the Clean Planet

Thursday, January 16th, 2014

Welcome 2014 with a bash!

Let’s spruce up our homes, office spaces and our laptops/PCs/tablets etc. with these cool looking wallpapers. Download them in JPEG for your screens or print out the PDF versions for your wall (remember to use both sides of the paper while printing)

Oh! Here’s a great news for all you bag lovers. These amazing calendars are even available as reversible bags, in three different shades of Blue, Cream and Brown.

Check out this Bag of the Year at http://bit.ly/1j5kRxY

The first Eco half of the year 2014

The first Eco half of the year 2014

2014 Calendar contemporary_Page_2

The second half of an Eco friendly 2014

Click to download the 2014 Calendar (contemporary design)

 

Eco living in the first half of 2014

Eco living in the first half of 2014

Eco-stylish living in the latter half of 2014

Eco-stylish living in the latter half of 2014

Click to download the 2014 Calendar (urban style)

 

Here’s wishing everyone a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. Dream Big and Execute Bigger!

 

 

Corporate Gifting – Green Gifting solutions

Friday, April 26th, 2013

Everyone was present in the main conference area. At the front was Mr. Prabhu standing shly beside the CEO and the Head of HR. The veteran employees were looking at them proudly, remembering the time when they were in Mr. Prabhu’s position while the new comers stared in awe and inspiration. It was the Employee of the Month ceremony at one of India’s prominent refineries. The HR manager gave a brief on Prabhu’s achievements and why he had been chosen among several other candidates for the award. Finally, with all eyes fixed on the duo, the CEO presented him with a sleek and stylish vintage grey bag, which held a trophy and an Employee of the Month certificate. With the smart Tote Officiel in his right and the certificate in the left hand, he proudly looked into the audience and simply said, “Thank you.”

As the Forum came to a close and the MD gave his acknowledgement speech, the employees stood by the gate with the black bags all set to be distributed. These smart Totes with their attractive graphical prints, were to be given to all the participants of the Summit as a souvenir. Attracted by its sophistication, these bags appealed to one and all and everyone made it a point to collect one before they exited. The Totes’ USP was they were 100% environment friendly and had versatile uses; creating an image just the right CSR image for the IT based company that would stick even months after the Summit.

The MNCs employees were quite excited when they received their “My Exclusive Privileges” gift coupons for the year. It had a massive 20% discount on all Clean Planet products. This was a most welcoming surprise as it came right before the gifting season. Everyone had been a part of the buzz around this brand of Eco Stylish tote bags. They had been through the catalogues that were passed around and some enthusiasts who had heard of Clean Planet earlier on had even gone ahead and made their purchase even before the discount offer was announced. As soon as their coupons were released, all and sundry made a dash for the webstore to buy their favorite Wise Totes, Compact Totes and their ‘buddy’ the Tote Pal.

Clean Planet is your one stop Eco gifting solution provider. Our aim is to customize gifts to suit your requirements and that will appeal to your esteemed audience, be it your clients , business partners/associates ,  employees. Our gift range is unique, versatile and has a long lasting value to its owners. They are very good as souvenirs and giveaways creating an everlasting impression of your organization.

Currently our services involve selecting bags from our designer range, or opt for either a semi-customized or customized product (for bulk orders). To eco your corporate gifting  please get in touch with us at :

EMAIL –

hello@cleanplanet.in; sanaya@cleanplanet.in

TELEPHONE –

022-67251938/022-67251940

POSTAL –                            

214, Raheja Plaza, Shah Industrial Estate, Off Andheri Link Road., Mumbai – 400053

 Each one of us can make a difference. Together, we make change.

Square foot

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

 

No..this isn’t the logo of a Zen foot reflexology spa . It’s the new mantra of modern day retail – Square Foot. More accurately ‘sales per square foot’.

As a brand born of passion to create a more sustainable world – we seek to imbue all that we do with meaning and value that transcends the short term . When designing a product we rigorously focus on how to maximize the value for all involved. Can our customers use it for years ? Will it help them create a sustainable planet ? Will it work well for various lifestyles and occasions ? How can we enable value and growth for our supply partners ? This is an on going journey.

Some of the discussions with the large format retailers focus almost entirely on return per square foot – to a point that everything else seems to get eclipsed ! There is surprisingly no mention of their customers and what might serve their needs.

A business undoubtedly needs to be efficient and profitable . This is not mutually exclusive to focus on customers and the eco-system of people who are a part of any business.

It would be to the collective advantage of mankind to take the focus on ‘Square Foot’ out of the stores and extend it to the Planet .

 

Kuch Karo Tote

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

The World we create is the world we inhabit. That makes us a whole lot responsible for it. All of our action or in-action affects the larger picture. We are the larger picture! Let’s not hesitate then in doing our bit. It is very well within our capacity to be aware, involved and passionate about our world.

How do you feel when something bad happens? What if Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez were one of yours or what if someone you cared for was caught in similar plight? They lost their lives for standing up against assault. We can make a big difference as individuals and as a collective if we choose to be beyond bystanders.

At Clean Planet we believe that – ‘No one can do everything, but everyone can do A LOT! Don’t underestimate the capability of individual capacity. If Gandhi were still alive he would surely encourage us to speak and act when we see or hear the unacceptable.  Kuch Karo Tote is a call to action to do something, anything because it will help create a better world!

Awesome customer service

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

A colleague recently encountered service at a dept store that should frankly be classified as a criminal offence. If this was the US the store would have been served a legal notice by now.

Discussing the episode got us thinking about examples of outstanding, exemplary service that touches your heart , brings a smile to your face. It could be at a store , with an airline , a phone company , vada pav stall outside your office , restaurant…hell even a government dept (yeah we are incorrigible optimists ).

There are companies for whom business means more than a means to make money. And individuals for whom a job is more than a way to earn a living.

We’d like to celebrate all such individuals and companies. If you have encountered awesome service write in to share your experience here at Clean Planet world and on our Facebook page.

Our only world..

Sunday, April 3rd, 2011

For the first time ever – at a Mumbai supermarket was able to buy 4 different fruits without a single plastic bag ! Requested the store associate to avoid plastic bags. Handed her my Compact Tote . The store didn’t have many customers in the morning . Possibly therefore she accepted. It was clearly a new task. Other store associates gathered around her to see why she was juggling fruits on the weighing machine when they should be neatly packed in individual plastic bags.

Larger/busy super markets (in Mumbai ) don’t have the people or the bandwidth for handling such a request . Often fishing out a reusable bag and insisting on avoiding plastic would evoke expressions akin to witnessing shoplifting or something equally inappropriate.

It appears that retailers are not sensitized to the avoidable waste and environmental problems associated with plastic bags. Seldom does one see store associates try to minimize the number of bags. It’s clearly not a priority or even an issue on which to train store associates.

Supermarkets in Mumbai have the practice of asking (rather insisting) that customers leave their mid-size / large bags at the entry point. Ostensibly to deter shop lifting . So it’s quite unimaginable to be able to enter a Mumbai super market with a bag that’s even partly filled with purchases made elsewhere. In that sense , shopping for veggies and fruits at the local open market is definitely more eco-friendly besides being time efficient.

Supermarkets in India can help create a more sustainable world by encouraging and enabling customers to bring their own reusable bag.To be fair to the retailers there is a cultural issue of customers asking / haggling for extra plastic bags. But, when the supermarkets can enforce draconian procedures of ‘leave your bags at the entry point’ to reduce their losses they can apply some thought to reduce the loss to the wider environment of which they are a part.

Your voice as a customer counts. Pl request the stores your frequent to use eco-friendly ways to pack their products.

This is OUR world . Our ONLY world . Let’s make it sustainable.

No one can do everything. But everyone can do a LOT.

A case for quieter malls

Sunday, November 14th, 2010

These days malls (in Mumbai) seem to let out the central space for promotions and events especially on week ends. The companies hosting the promotion seem to think the best way to get return for investing in the event is to do so at a decibel level which will reach out to every corner of the mall. What follows then is ear damaging decibel level. People bring infants to malls.The risk to infants is even higher. Old people with hearing problems would have a tough time making conversation while in the mall.

The event at a local mall yesterday was aimed at kids. The health of the children is seriously at risk to be exposed to such decibel levels. The store I was at had glass doors. Yet the sound of the promotion pervaded drowning the sound of the music in the store. It was impossible to browse through other store windows due to the cacophony. This is counter productive for the mall and the stores.

Yours truly asked for directions to the mall office. It was located in a corner of the building. Met the mall manager and shared my views. From her expression and reactions 2 things were clear :

1. This was the first time they (she and 2 other persons from her team ) were faced with the point of view that such a decibel level is a nuisance and a health risk.

2. No visitor to the mall had ever approached them to share such feedback.

In India we generally see 2 extreme reactions from retail customers – passively endure poor service/quality or aggression. The mid path of assertive , consistent feedback is a rarity. Especially if it means waiting few minutes to contact the store manager/ fill out a feedback form / call a help line of the company / email them.

Remember that businesses are not always responsive to feedback. Unless they see a critical mass of feedback they allow status quo to exist. Your feedback therefore is especially important if the situation is to change

Whether through action or inaction – we shape the environment we inhabit. Pl choose to influence it.

Recycling – officially chic

Thursday, November 11th, 2010

via

French luxury house Hermes may just be the catalyst to make recycling officially chic. The house has announced it is launching a collection of goods, ranging from woven leather necklaces to customized signature Kelly bags, all made with recycled pieces of leather and damaged goods. Under the artistic direction of Pascale Mussard, a sixth-generation descendant of the company’s founder, a workshop dubbedpetit h” (or “little h”) brings together seven of the house’s craftsmen with notable artists to rebuild and rebirth the materials.

Its first “petit h” collection features creations including a lamp shade made of famous Hermes silk scarves, designed by Adrien Rovero, and a leather statue of a fawn designed by artist Marjolijn Mandersloot. Priced from 50 euros to 50,000 euros,(or $70 to $70,000 at current exchange rates), the premiere collection will be on sale at the Hermès flagship store at 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, but only from Nov. 13 to Dec. 4. A second collection will be available in Tokyo and Osaka in May 2011, while the third  collection will be sold exclusively in New York and Beverly Hills in October of next year.

Interesting to see a luxury brand like Hermes embrace recycling. At prices going upto 50,000 Euros it will definitely encourage consumers to recycle !

The pursuit of convenience

Sunday, November 7th, 2010

The Japanese take convenience very seriously. A lot of things are structured to be ‘convenient’. Tea bags are individually packed in plastic sachets , likewise wet-tissues. Some brands even offer cookie packs where each cookie is packed individually. Most restaurants will offer wet tissues or towels individually packed in plastic. Vending machines are located in most streets/buildings dispensing the beverage of your choice in a variety of sizes. When it rains every mall/hotel/store sets up a stand in which your umbrella can get a plastic cover (to prevent water dripping inside the establishment ). Naturally (when it rains) you use a plastic bag for every such establishment you step into. The list can go on.

Multiply this activity a few million times just in Tokyo city and you can daily create a Mount Fuji of plastic.

Japan is by no means isolated in it’s pursuit of convenience and the consequent unnecessary damage to the planet. Most countries are on the same pursuit – faring better in some aspects and worse in others.

It would require (enormous) conviction , courage and creativity for businesses to create alternative ways to sell. The choice for a consumer is relatively easier – choose to buy products that don’t entail unnecessary packaging , carry your own water etc.

As consumers and businesses unless we choose to make a difference – this pursuit of convenience will make for an even more inconvenient future.

Awesome service

Sunday, October 31st, 2010

Japan is undoubtedly the land of awesome service. It’s not unusual for a taxi driver to stop the meter if he feels he’s taking a longer route than necessary.

On asking a Muji store associate for the nearest train station location – she pulled out a map book of Tokyo , photocopied the relevant page and then came out 2 floors to the street level to indicate the direction.

It’s cold and rainy in Tokyo. Stopped yesterday at a cafe en route to collect a sandwich takeout. The restaurant manager invited us to wait inside where it was deliciously warm and comfortable. Served hot tea while we were waiting, added an extra topping to the orders placed. Brought warmth , comfort and joy. Raised the bar for service.

What happens when friendly awesome service is delivered ? The person doing so feels good and empowered. The customer is delighted. Possibly becomes an evangelist/regular customer of that company / store. If the customer is a visiting foreigner it enhances their experience of the country. At a basic human level we seek and appreciate a sense of connectedness. Some things go beyond the realm of business.

Muji is one of the largest retailers in Japan. The cafe is a much smaller business.

Awesome service is possible at any scale of business.