SUMMER TRAINING REPORT

on

A Study on marketing mix & competitive analysis of “Pure it” (HUL)

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OFMr. Ankur Chawla

(Territory sales Manager)

Submitted By:Sanjay Prasad Yadav

Roll No. 813(RM)PGDM-RM 2010-12

IILM-Graduate School of Management

16, Knowledge Park-II,Greater Noida – 201306

DECLARATION FORM

I hereby declare that the Project work entitled “ MARKETING MIX & COMPETITIVE

ANALYSIS OF PURE IT” (write the title in Block Letters) submitted by me for the

Summer Internship during the Post Graduate Diploma in Management Program to

Institute for Integrated Learning in Management, Greater Noida is my own original

work and has not been submitted earlier either to IILM GSM or to any other Institution

for the fulfillment of the requirement for any course of study. I also declare that no

chapter of this manuscript in whole or in part is lifted and incorporated in this report from

any earlier / other work done by me or others.

Place : DELHI

Date : Signature of Student

Name of Student : SANJAY PRASAD YADAV

Address : B-3/18 GROUND FLOOR ROHINI

SEC-6, NEAR ROHINI WEST METRO STATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I feel great pleasure for the completion of this project. At the very outset I would express my

sincere thanks and deep sense of gratitude to personnel who helped me during the collection of

data and gave me rare and valuable guidance for the preparation of this report.

I take this opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude and appreciation to my project

guide Mr.Ankur Chawla (Territory sales Manager, Hindustan Unilever Ltd) for assistance,

motivation, and being a continual source of encouragement for me.

I would like to thank Mr. Ankur chawla Sales Officer(TSO) ,HUL” Pure it”

I take opportunity to thanks all my friends and also thank all people who directly or indirectly

concerned with this project. I also express my gratitude to my parents who give a constant

support and love throughout my life and career.

CONTENTS

Chapters Page No.

Executive summary………………………………………

Company profile………………………………………………..

Marketing strategies……………………………………….

Industries profile…………………………………………………..

Marketing research

Scope of market research……………………….

Objective…………………………………………….

Methodology…………………………………………

Data collection…………………………………………

Scope and importance of the study……..………………………….

Direct marketing……………………………………………..

Marketing mix………………………………………………….

Limitation of the study………………………………………

Competitive analysis of pure it……..……………………

Annexure………………………………………………………….

Data Presentation & analysis…………………………

Conclusion…………………………………………………

Recommendation………………………………………….

Bibliography…………………………………………………

EXECUTIVE SUMMERY

Welcome to the world of “PURE IT” water purification devision!!

Hindustan Unilever Limited(HUL) is India's largest Fast Moving Consumer Goods Company, touching the lives of two out of three Indians with over 20 distinct categories in Home & Personal Care Products, Foods & Beverages and as well as water division (pure it). HUL's distribution network, comprise about 4,000 redistribution stockists, covering 6.3 million retail outlets reaching theentire urban population, and about 250 million rural consumers. HUL's brands- like Lifebuoy, Lux, Surf Excel,Rin,Wheel, Fair & Lovely, Pond's, ClinicPlus, Pepsodent, Close-up, Lakme,Quality Wall's are household names across the country and so many categories - soaps, detergents, personal products, tea, coffee, ice cream, culinary products and also provide as safe as boiled water through pure it .During my summer training at HUL, I completed the project on a study on marketing mix and competitive analysis of PURE IT a on Safe Drinking and competitive analysis of Water´ as water purifier Pure it products of HUL which are divided into three parts. These are:

Conducting and analysing market research.

Getting consumer feedback from the existing and potential customers,in culcating the habit of drinking safe water by installing pure it.

To know about competitor details which facing challenge in the market. In my first part, a report is made on a detailed study, comprising the new technology use in the water purifier, the aspects of installing of water purifier.The technical details of the machine is necessarily to be understood before moving into the market so that one could discuss the plus points of the machine over the competitors machine. Further, the detail understanding in this kind of installation is done through meetings with probable customers which include the key area of installing water purifier of HUL pure it with all the glamour features such as brand reflecting, essentiality of the products to provide all the comfort required by the customers. The study is done by surveying the different house/clinic located at Delhi and nearby. The study is then tabulated, analysed and result extracted. In the second part, an observational study is conducted in respect of getting consumer feedback from the existing and potential customer of HUL through providing a batter services. This will reflect my views and measures. It also includes the visits of the places where others competitor similar products were installed to get their performance feedback and identified the hidden opportunities to sell HUL water purifier. And to know about daily habit of customer to use safe drinking water. In the third part, method adopted for competitors analysis involved surveying and observational study of all the competitive brands of HUL water purifier such as Tata Swash, Kent, Usha Brita, Eureka Forbes,etc

COMPANY PROFILE

INTRODUCTION

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India's largest Fast Moving Consumer Goods Company, touching the lives of two out of three Indians with over 20 distinct categories in Home & Personal Care Products and Foods & Beverages. HUL is a subsidiary of Unilever, one of the world’s leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong local roots in more than 100 countries across the globe with annual sales of €40.5 billion in 2008. Unilever has about 52% shareholding in HUL.Hindustan Unilever was recently rated among the top four companies globally in the list of “Global Top Companies for Leaders” by a study sponsored by Hewitt Associates, in partnership with Fortune magazine and the RBL Group. The company was ranked number one in the Asia-Pacific region and in India.

Historical Events in HUL:

In the summer of 1888, visitors to the Kolkata harbor noticed crates full of Sunlight soap bars, embossed with the words "Made in England by Lever Brothers". With it began an era of marketing branded fast moving consumer goods (in short FMCG).Soon after followed Lifebuoy in 1895, and other famous brands like Pears, Lux and Vim, Vanaspati was launched in 1918 and the famous Dalda brand came to the market in 1937.In 1931, Unilever set up its first Indian subsidiary, Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing Company, followed by Lever Brothers India Limited (1933) and United Traders Limited (1935). These three companies merged to form HUL in November 1956. The erstwhile Brooke Bond's presence in India dates back to 1900. By 1903, the company had launched Red Label tea in the country. In 1912, Brooke Bond & Co. India Limited was formed. Brooke Bond joined the Unilever fold in 1984 through an international acquisition. The erstwhile Lipton's links with India were forged in 1898. Unilever acquired Lipton in 1972, and in 1977 Lipton Tea (India) Limited was incorporated. Pond's (India) Limited had been present in India since 1947. It joined the Unilever fold through an international acquisition of Chesebrough Pond's USA in 1986.The liberalization of the Indian economy, started in 1991, clearly marked an inflexion in HUL's and the Group's growth curve. Removal of the regulatory framework allowed the company to explore every single product and opportunity segment, without any constraints on production capacity. Simultaneously, deregulation permitted alliances, acquisitions and mergers. In one of the most visible and talked about events of India's corporate history, the erstwhile Tata Oil Mills Company (TOMCO) merged with HUL, effective from April 1, 1993. In 1995, HUL and yet another Tata company, Lakme Limited, formed a 50:50 joint venture, Lakme Lever Limited, to market Lakme's market-leading cosmetics and other appropriate products of both the companies. Subsequently in 1998, Lakme Limited sold its brands to HUL and divested its 50% stake in the joint venture to the company. HUL formed a 50:50 joint venture with the US-based Kimberly Clark Corporation in 1994, Kimberly-Clark Lever Ltd, which markets Huggies Diapers and Kotex Sanitary Pads. HUL has also set up a subsidiary in Nepal, Nepal Lever Limited (NLL), and its factory represents the largest manufacturing investment in the Himalayan kingdom. The

NLL factory manufactures HUL's products like Soaps, Detergents and Personal Products both for the domestic market and exports to India.As a measure of backward integration, Tea Estates and Doom Dooma, two plantation companies of Unilever, were merged with Brooke Bond. Then in July 1993, Brooke Bond India and Lipton India merged to form Brooke Bond Lipton India Limited (BBLIL), enabling greater focus and ensuring synergy in the traditional Beverages business. 1994 witnessed BBLIL launching the Wall's range of Frozen Desserts. By the end of the year, the company entered into a strategic alliance with the Kwality Ice-cream Group families and in 1995 the Milkfood 100% Icecream marketing and distribution rights too were acquired.Finally, BBLIL merged with HUL, with effect from January 1, 1996. The internal restructuring culminated in the merger of Pond's (India) Limited (PIL) with HUL in 1998. The two companies had significant overlaps in Personal Products, Specialty Chemicals and Exports businesses, besides a common distribution system since 1993 for Personal Products. The two also had a common management pool and a technology base. The amalgamation was done to ensure for the Group, benefits from scale economies both in domestic and export markets and enable it to fund investments required for aggressively building new categories.In January 2000, in a historic step, the government decided to award 74 per cent equity in Modern Foods to HUL, thereby beginning the divestment of government equity in public sector undertakings (PSU) to private sector partners. HUL's entry into Bread is a strategic extension of the company's wheat business. In 2002, HUL acquired the government's remaining stake in Modern Foods.

Present Stature:

Apart from dealing with soaps, detergents, personal products, tea, coffee, branded staples, ice cream and culinary products business, HUL is also one of the country's largest exporters; it has been recognized as a Golden Super Star Trading House by the Government of India. In 2003, HUL acquired the Cooked Shrimp and Pasteurized Crabmeat business of the Amalgam Group of Companies, a leader in value added Marine Products exports.HUL has traditionally been a company, which incorporates latest technology in all its operations. The Hindustan Unilever Research Centre (HLRC) was set up in 1958, and now has facilities in Mumbai and Bangalore. HLRC and the Global Technology Centers in India have over 200 highly qualified scientists and technologists, many with post-doctoral experience acquired in the US and Europe.

Company’s Role in other areas:

HUL believes that an organization’s worth is also in the service it renders to the community. HUL is focusing on health & hygiene education, women empowerment, and water management. It is also involved in education and rehabilitation of special or underprivileged children, care for the destitute and HIV-positive, and rural development. HUL has also responded in case of national calamities /adversities and contributes through various welfare measures, most recent

being the village built by HUL in earthquake affected Gujarat, and relief & rehabilitation after the Tsunami caused devastation in South India.In 2001, the company embarked on an ambitious programme, Shakti. Through Shakti, HUL is creating micro-enterprise opportunities for rural women, thereby improving their livelihood and the standard of living in rural communities. Shakti also includes health and hygiene education through the Shakti Vani Programme and creating access to relevant information through the Shakti community portal. The program now covers 15 states in India and has over 31,000 women entrepreneurs in its fold, reaching out to 100,000 villages and directly reaching to 150 million rural consumers. The company has fixed target that by the end of 2010, Shakti aims to have 100,000 Shakti entrepreneurs covering 500,000 villages, touching the lives of over 600 million people. HUL is also running a rural health programme – Lifebuoy Swasthya Chetana. The programme endeavors to induce adoption of hygienic practices among rural Indians and aims to bring down the incidence of diarrhea. It has already touched 70 million people in approximately 15000 villages of 8 states.

“A vision to make a billion Indians feel safe and secure”

Purpose & principles

Our corporate purpose states that to succeed requires "the highest standards of corporate behavior towards everyone we work with, the communities we touch, and the environment on which we have an impact."Always working with integrity

Conducting our operations with integrity and with respect for the many people, organizations and environments our business touches has always been at the heart of our corporate responsibility.Positive impact 

We aim to make a positive impact in many ways: through our brands, our commercial operations and relationships, through voluntary contributions, and through the various other ways in which we engage with society. Continuous commitment

We're also committed to continuously improving the way we manage our environmental impacts and are working towards our longer-term goal of developing a sustainable business.Setting out our aspirations 

Our corporate purpose sets out our aspirations in running our business. It's underpinned by our code of business Principles which describes the operational standards that everyone at Unilever follows, wherever they are in the world. The code also supports our approach to governance and corporate responsibility.

Working with others

We want to work with suppliers who have values similar to our own and work to the same standards we do. Our Business partner code, aligned to our own Code of business principles, comprises ten principles covering business integrity and responsibilities relating to employees, consumers and the environment.

Board of Directors & Management Structure:

At the apex is the Board, headed by the Chairman, and comprising 5 whole time Directors and 5 independent non-executive Directors. The day to day operations are supervised by the National Management comprising the Vice Chairman, Managing Director (HPC), Managing Director (Foods) and the Finance Director. HUL is organized into two self-sufficient divisions - Home & Personal Care & Foods - supported by certain central functions and resources to leverage economies of scale wherever relevant. The company can achieve its success due to right decisions taken by learned member of Board and the employees who implant their decisions.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors as repositories of the corporate powers act as a guardian to the Company as also the protectors of shareholder’s interest.This Apex body comprises of a Non- Executive Chairman, four whole time Directors and five Independent Non – Executive Directors. The Board of the Company represents the optimum mix of professionalism, knowledge and experience.

Mr. Harish Manwani - ChairmanMr. Harish Manwani assumed charge as the Non-Executive Chairman of the Company with effect from 1st July, 2005.

Mr. Nitin Paranjpe - CEO and Managing DirectorMr. Nitin Paranjpe (46), after obtaining a degree in BE (Mechanical) and MBA in Marketing (JBIMS) from Mumbai, joined the Company as a management trainee in 1987.

Mr. R. Sridhar - Chief Financial OfficerMr. Sridhar Ramamurthy is a Chartered Accountant (Gold Medallist) as well as a Cost Accountant and Company Secretary.

Mr. Gopal Vittal - Executive Director, Home & Personal CareMr. Gopal Vittal an alumnus of Madras Christian College, completed his MBA from IIM, Calcutta. Mr. Vittal has 18 years experience in Marketing & Sales in FMCG market including Skin Care, Soaps and Laundry.

Mr Pradeep Banerjee - Executive Director, Supply ChainMr Pradeep

Banerjee  joined HUL as a Management Trainee in 1980. 

Mr. D. S. Parekh - Independent DirectorMr. D. S. Parekh is a B.Com graduate and holds a FCA degree from England and Wales. Mr. Parekh has held senior positions in Grindlays and Chase Manhattan.

Mr. A. Narayan - Independent DirectorMr. A. Narayan joined ICI India as a Management Trainee in 1973 and grew through diverse functions and businesses before being appointed as the Managing Director of ICI India in 1996.

Mr. S. Ramadorai - Independent DirectorMr. S. Ramadorai is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Tata Consultancy Services Limited; Chairman of Tata Technologies Limited and Chairman of CMC Limited.

Dr. R. A. Mashelkar - Independent DirectorDr. R. A. Mashelkar is presently the President of Global Research Alliance, a network of publicly funded R&D institutes from Asia-Pacific Europe and USA.

Management Committee

CENTRAL FUNCTIONS:

HUL's Central Functions are Finance, Human Resources, Technology, Research, Information Technology, Legal & Secretarial, and Corporate Affairs. Their services are shared across the company. But wherever necessary, managerial resources are dedicated exclusively to a business. For example, each Division now has dedicated HR managers. HUL believes that while it leverages the scale of a large corporate, it must also retain the soul of a small company. Its organization structure, which has and will continue to evolve with time, is aimed at achieving this knitting.

CODE OF BUSINESS PRINCIPLES:

They have set out code of business principles in different areas which they try their best to follow these principles I find necessary to reproduce as such:

ConsumersUnilever is committed to providing branded products and services which consistently offer value in terms of price and quality, and which are safe for their intended use. Products and services will be accurately and properly labelled, advertised and communicated.

Business PartnersUnilever is committed to establishing mutually beneficial relations with our suppliers, customers and business partners.In our business dealings we expect our partners to adhere to business principles consistent with our own.

Community InvolvementUnilever strives to be a trusted corporate citizen and, as an integral part of society, to fulfill our responsibilities to the societies and communities in which we operate.

Public ActivitiesUnilever companies are encouraged to promote and defend their legitimate business interests.Unilever will co-operate with governments and other organizations, both directly and through bodies such as trade associations, in the development of proposed legislation and other regulations which may affect legitimate business interests.Unilever neither supports political parties nor contributes to the funds of groups whose activities are calculated to promote party interests.

The EnvironmentUnilever is committed to making continuous improvements in the management of our environmental impact and to the longer-term goal of developing a sustainable business.Unilever will work in partnership with others to promote environmental care, increase understanding of environmental issues and disseminate good practice.

InnovationIn our scientific innovation to meet consumer needs we will respect the concerns of our consumers and of society. We will work on the basis of sound science, applying rigorous standards of product safety.

CompetitionUnilever believes in vigorous yet fair competition and supports the development of appropriate competition laws. Unilever companies and employees will conduct their operations in accordance with the principles of fair competition and all applicable regulations.

QUALITY POLICY:

HUL considers quality as one of the principal strategic objectives to guarantee its growth and leadership in the markets in which it operates. The company is committed to respond creatively and competitively to the changing needs and aspirations of the consumers through relentless pursuit of technological excellence, innovation and quality management across their businesses, and offer superior quality products and services that are appropriate to the various price points in the market as well as to their commitment to building shareholder value. The company trains/ provides necessary tools & techniques to its employees as well as is empowering them to ensure broad base compliance of the policy of the organization at all levels.The company is committed to fulfill its legal and statutory obligations and international standards of product safety and hygiene and will not knowingly sell product that is harmful to consumers or their belongings. It will institute systems and measures to monitor compliance in order to meet its responsibilities to consumers. The company will maintain an open communication channel with its consumers and customers and will carefully monitor the feedback to continuously improve its products and services and set quality standards to fulfill them.

The company is committed to extend its quality standards to its contract manufacturers, key suppliers and service providers and by entering into alliances with them, to jointly improve the quality of its products and services. This policy is applicable to production from its own facilities as well as to production that is outsourced. The company will periodically review this quality policy for its effectiveness and consistency with business objectives.

The company delegates authority and responsibility for dissemination and implementation of this policy to each Business and Unit Head.

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CENTRES:

Since most new products and processes are developed in these Units, certain additional responsibilities devolve on them to ensure implementation of the Environment Policy of the company. In addition to the Unit Head's responsibilities outlined above, the heads of these units will:Ensure that a formal and systematic risk assessment exercise is undertaken during the process/product development stage with specific reference to environmental impact.Transfer technology to the pilot plant and main production through a properly documented process specification which will clearly define environmental impact and risks associated with processes, products, raw material and finished product handling, transport and storage.

Ensure that treatment techniques are developed for any wastes generated as a result of the new product/process and is incorporated into the process specifications.Hindustan Unilever's diverse product range is today manufactured in about 80 factories. In addition, the company outsources from 150 other units. The operations involve 2,000 suppliers and associates.

Businesses:

Home & Personal Care

• Personal Wash

• Fabric Wash

• Home Care

• Oral Care

• Skin Care

• Hair Care

• Deodorants & Talcum

• Colour Cosmetics

Foods :

• Tea

• Coffee

• Branded Staples

• Ice Creams

New Ventures :

• Hindustan Unilever Network• Ayush ayurvedic products & services• Sangam• Pureit water purifiers

Water Purifiers

BRAND POSITION IN INDIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES

Today, HUL is one of India’s largest exporters of branded Fast Moving Consumer Goods. It has been recognized by the Government of India as a Golden Super Star Trading House.

Over time HUL has developed into a viable & competitive sourcing base for Unilever worldwide in Home and Personal Care & Foods & Beverages category of products. HUL is also a global marketing arm for select licensed Unilever brands and also works on building categories with core country advantage such as branded basmati rice.

HUL Exports offers high level of service with flexibility and responsiveness thorough out the supply chain. It has a dedicated organization structure to support this endeavour and this has helped in growth of these businesses in particular. Intrinsic cost competitiveness in the end to end Supply chain with appropriate technology and competitive capital investment operations while delivering best in class quality enables HLL to position itself as a key sourcing hub for Unilever and also become a preferred partner for Global customers in categories they operate.

HUL key focus in the exports business is on two broad categories. It is a sourcing base for Unilever brands in Home & Personal Care (HPC) and Food and Beverages (F&B) for supplies to other Unilever companies. It also focuses on becoming a preferred supplier to both non-Unilever and Unilever clients in three categories in which India, as a country, has competitive advantage – Branded Rice, Marine Products and Castor and its Derivatives . HUL enjoys international recognition within Unilever and outside for its quality, reliability and speed of customer service.HUL Exports geography comprises, at present, countries in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, Australia, North America etc

MARKETING STRATEGIES:

IT-powered system has been implemented to supply stocks to redistribution stockists on a continuous replenishment basis. The objective is to catalyse HUL’s growth by ensuring that the right product is available at the right place in right quantities, in the most cost-effective manner. For this, stockists have been connected with the company through an Internet-based network, called RSNet, for online interaction on orders, despatches, information sharing and monitoring. RS Net covers about 80% of the company's turnover. Today, the sales system gets to know every day what HLL stockists have sold to almost a million outlets across the country. RS Net is part of Project Leap, HUL’s end-to-end supply chain, which also includes a back-end system connecting suppliers, all company sites and stretching right upto stockists. Hindustan Lever is simultaneously creating new channels, designed on the same principle of holistic contact with consumers –

Project Shakti, HUL’s partnership with Self Help Groups of rural women, is becoming an extended arm of the company's operation in rural hinterlands. Started in 2001, Project Shakti has already been extended to about 50,000 villages in 12 states - Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and West Bengal. The respective state governments and several NGOs are actively involved in the initiative. The SHGs have chosen to partner with HLL as a business venture, armed with training from HLL and support from government agencies concerned and NGOs. Hindustan Lever Network (HLN) is the company's arm in the Direct Selling channel, one of the fastest growing in India today. It already has about 3.5 lakh consultants - all independent entrepreneurs, trained and guided by HLN's expert managers. HLN has already spread to over 1500 towns and cities, covering 80% of the urban population, backed by 42 offices and 240 service centres across the country. It presents a range of customised offerings in Home & Personal Care and Foods. Out-of-Home consumption of products and services is a growing opportunity in India, as elsewhere in the world. Hindustan Lever is already the largest player in the hot beverages out-of-home segment, with over 15000 tea and coffee vending points. The company is expanding the network aggressively, in the education, entertainment, leisure and travel segments. HUL’s allaince with Pepsi will significantly strengthen this channel. Health & Beauty Services are Hindustan Lever's simultaneous foray to meet the increasing consumer need for such products and services. Lakme Salons provide specialised beauty services and solutions, under the recognised authority of the Lakme brand. The Ayush Therapy Centres provide easy access to authentic Ayurvedic treatments and products.

Hindustan Lever, which once pioneered distribution in India, is today reinventing distribution - creating new channels, and redefining the way current channels are serviced. In the process it is converging product availability, with brand communication and brand experience.

INDUSTRY PROFILE

In the last decade and more, the country has undergone many changes and one of the important ones is

that people have become health conscious. People realized that around 80 per cent of diseases in India are

caused by water-borne micro-organisms. According to a 2010 World Health Organization report, 1.1

billion people lack access to an improved drinking water supply, 88% of the 4 billion annual cases of

diarrheal disease are attributed to unsafe water and inadequate sanitation and hygiene, and 1.8 million

people die from diarrheal diseases each year. The WHO estimates that 94% of these diarrheal cases are

preventable through modifications to the environment, including access to safe water. Simple techniques

for treating water at home, such as chlorination, filters, and solar disinfection, and storing it in safe

containers could save a huge number of lives each year. Reducing deaths from waterborne diseases is a

major public health goal in developing countries.

Water purifier are one of the most used kitchen utilities .Available in India .water purifification and

backpacking is an industy in itself in India. Portable Version of Water purifiers are available for camping

and haking.Water purification methods include the mechanized version as well as the age old and time-

tested water purification tablets, the Water purification process includes removing contaminants from the

raw water source.Some of the home remedies for water purification are boiling or the use of the

household charcoal filter.But these do not ensure the required standard of water purification thus a proper

treatment is mandatory.That’s where the water purifiers for home step in treatment of water by ozone also

provides certain levels of purity.

Water Purifier companies in India

The main manufactures having the major share of the water purifiers are:

Eureka Forbes

Philips

Kent

Whirlpool

Kenstar

Maharaja Whiteline

Zero B

Water Purifier Market in India 2011

The water purification and treatment industry in India, under cheap imports of water treatment products

from China, is working to set standards for the water treatment industry in the country as a safeguard

against 'spurious' products. This, is being done through a certification process. Hence, for the first time

the industry has put its head together to come up with a solution.In a country like India, where water

scarcity is growing by the day, there are too many issues relating to water. This has meant that there are

dime a dozen firms that are trying to make the best of the situation. Now there is a clamour for proper

standards.

India Water Purifier Market has tremendous growth potential

Globally more than one billion people lack access to safe drinking water and approximately 2.4 Billion

people lack access to proper sanitation, nearly all of them in the developing countries, including India.

Nearly a third of the world's population worldwide live in water-stressed areas. This figure is expected to

rise to two-third of the population by 2025.With increasing number of people becoming conscious of the

risks of drinking contaminated water, the demand for water purifiers is rising rapidly. In the past few

years, Indian water purifier industry has witnessed an exponential growth of 22% CAGR. The water

purifier industry sales grew dramatically during FY'10 as compared to previous fiscals due to improving

demand and expanding production capacity. The industry saw high growth of rate 17% during FY'10 due

to the increasing awareness for safe drinking water. The UV segment, which constitutes more than 55%

of the industry and is a key focus area for water purifier manufacturers, due to the higher margins it

offers, is expected to continue its rapid growth. According to Research, Indian Water Purifier industry

will continue its growth trajectory and is expected to witness a turnover growth of more than 22% CAGR

during the period between FY'11 and to FY'14. Research conducted a survey across 10 major cities in

India with 2500 users of water purifier to understand the market size, growth drivers, issues and buying

behavior patterns. The cities covered in survey were, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai,  Bangalore,

Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Pune and Bhopal.

PRODUCT PROFILE

Water Purifiers offered by HUL

PURE IT MARVELLA PURE IT AUTO-FILL

PURE IT M05 PURE IT COMPACT

Pureit is the  world’s most advanced in-home water purifier. Pureit, a breakthrough offering of Hindustan Unilever (HUL), provides complete protection from all water-borne diseases, unmatched convenience and affordability.Pureit’s unique Germkill Battery technology kills all harmful viruses and bacteria and removes parasites and pesticide impurities, giving you water that is "as safe as boiled water". It assures your family 100% protection from all water-borne diseases like jaundice, diarrhea, typhoid and cholera. What’s more, it doesn’t need gas, electricity or continuous tap water supply.Pureit not only renders water micro-biologically safe, but also makes the water clear, odorless and good-tasting. Pureit does not leave any residual chlorine in the output water.The output water from Pureit meets stringent criteria for microbiologically safe drinking water, from one of the toughest regulatory agencies in the USA, EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).The performance of Pureit has also been tested by leading scientific and medical institutions in India and abroad.This patented technological breakthrough has been developed by HUL. This state-of –the-art engineering developed by a team of over 100 Indian and international experts from HUL and Unilever Research Centers has made Pureit possible at the consumer price of just Rs. 2000Pureit runs with a unique Germkill Battery Kit that typically lasts for 1500 litres* of water. The ‘Germkill Battery Kit is priced at Rs.365. This means consumers will get 4 litres of water that is ‘as safe as boiled water for just one rupee, which works out to an extremely affordable 24 paise per litre.Pureit in-home purification system uses a 4 stage purification process to deliver “as safe as boiled water” without the use of electricity and pressurized tap water. Pureit purifies the input drinking water in four stages, namely;1. Micro-fiber MeshTM - Removes visible dirt2. Compact Carbon TrapTM - removes remaining dirt, harmful parasites & pesticide impurities3. Germkill ProcessorTM – uses 'programmed chlorine release chlorine technology'  and its stored germkill process targets and kills harmful virus and bacteria

4. PolisherTM – removes residual chlorine and all disinfectant by-products, giving clear odourless and great tasting water5. Battery Life Indicator - Ensures total safety because when the germkill power is exhausted, the indicator turns red, warning you to replace the batteryAdvanced Auto-Switch off - In case, the battery is not changed when it turns fully red, as an additional assurance of safety, the advanced Auto-Switch off will automatically switch-off the flow of water.

Protect your loved ones with a Pureit today! You can ask for a free home demonstration of Pureit. A trained Pureit Water Expert will visit your home and give you a detailed demonstration of how Pureit works.

Benefits of HUL Pureit water purifier.

Do's 

The Pureit guarantee of getting water that is 'as safe as boiled water' applies only if you ensure that the transparent chamber of the purifier and the tap are hygienically kept, and that germs are not introduced due to contact with hands, drying with a cloth, wash or any other means. Also after taking water from Pureit, if you store it in bottles, please ensure that these containers are clean and germ-free.

   You should only store water in the Pureit purifier, and not use other bottles and containers. If you do so, water may get re-contaminated.

   While washing the transparent chamber ensure that you have separated the transparent chamber from the polisher ™ and Cleansing-Collection chamber, so that there is no chance of water going into the polisher.

   Always use all the three components of the Pureit 'Germkill Kit'™ together. Don't drink water from the purifier if any one of the 'Germkill Kit' components is not fitted.

   You should ensure that the area around the purifier is kept clean.

   Keep all components of the Pureit 'Germkill Kit' out of reach of children at all times.

   Ensure that the purifier is placed on a flat surface at all times, and never tilt the transparent chamber to take out water.

   If you ever want to shift the purifier, do so only after both the top chamber and batching chamber are empty. Otherwise the purifier may leak, and the purification process may get affected.

   Ensure that the nut in the transparent chamber is fully tightened by turning clock-wise. If not, water may leak.

   Always rely only on the red indicator to replace the battery. The auto switch-off is only an additional assurance of safety - in some cases, the input water quality may prevent it from functioning.

 

 

Don'ts 

Always clean the Pureit system only as described in the section on cleaning. Do not use any

soap or detergent. Ensure that you don't inadvertently introduce germs into the transparent chamber or the tap e.g. through your hands or by using a drying cloth. Always use purified Pureit water for doing the last rinse of the transparent chamber, and then let it dip-dry.

   Do not normally wash the cleansing-collection chamber.

   Don't pour boiling or hot water into, or on the Pureit system. Similarly don't pour freezing cold 0 water (less than 10 C) into, or on the Pureit system.

   Do not pour hot water directly from an overhead tank or any other source in your Pureit as hot water uses up the Germkill Processor faster than normal. If required, allow the water to cool to room temperature before pouring it in the top chamber. For the same reason do not keep your Pureit in hot surroundings like direct sunlight, near a stove or near a fridge.

   Never buy the Pureit system, or a Pureit 'Germkill Kit' from an unauthorised source. Remember all you have to do is call us at the Pureit helpline, and we will deliver a new 'Germkill Kit' to you at your home for a minimal delivery charge. Alternatively, you can visit us at your nearest Pureit Safe Water Zone and buy a new battery.

   Don't in anyway try to open the three Pureit 'Germkill Kit' components.

   Never use the system once the Pureit Germkill Processor Indicator shows a full red colour in the window, with no 'white' color visible.

   Dont expose any of the components to fire.

   Don't drop any of the components, or the purifier as a whole from a height. This may cause the components to fracture or break, and the guarantee of getting water 'as safe as boiled water' will no longer be valid.

   Don't put any chemical fluids in the Pureit system. This is meant strictly for drinking water only.

   If the transparent chamber is full, please do not fill water in the top chamber, otherwise water will overflow from the transparent chamber.

   Do not try to open the Germkill processor.

   Do not pour water in purifier after battery turns fully red. This will prevent water overflowing due to auto switch-off. This ensures no one is accidentally hurt by slipping on the overflow water. Also, no household item kept near purifier will get damaged by water.

   Do not use the Germkill Batter Kit after expiry - which is post two years from the date of packaging.

   Do not keep the Pureit purifier in direct sunlight.

   Do not use water not intended for drinking in Pureit system e.g. abandoned or abused waterbodies or water sources in which human, animal or industrial wastes are disposed.

Frequent asked questions :

What is the capacity of the Pureit system?

The top chamber of Pureit Classic and Pureit Autofill has a capacity of 9 litres whereas the top chamber capacity of Pureit Compact is 5 litres, and the transparent chamber of Pureit Classic and Pureit Autofill has a capacity of 9 litres whereas the transparent chamber of Pureit Compact has a capacity of 5 litres. This has been designed such that for a typical family, the water has to be filled in the top chamber only once a day. However if more than 9 or 5 litres of water is required in a day ,depending on which Pureit you own, you can fill the top chamber as often as necessary and take the corresponding water out of the transparent chamber.

How much water can the Pureit system purify in one day?

Every time you fill the top chamber with water, all of it will get purified, and will collect in the transparent chamber within a few hours. So you can keep filling the top chamber as often as you need. However, you must ensure that there is one inch of empty space left in the transparent chamber, and that you don’t then pour any more water into the top chamber. If you don't do this, or if you forget to withdraw water from the transparent chamber, the system has been designed to overflow from the side. You may repeat as many cycles a day as you require.

What does one do if there is a problem in the flow of water from the top chamber into the batching chamber?

This could happen in some situations where the purifier has been subjected to very bad quality water over a period of time, as a result of which the 'Activated Carbon Filter'TM gets clogged. To alleviate this problem you need to do the following: Empty out water from the top chamber, and then take out the 'Activated Carbon Filter'TM. Turn it upside down, and remove the plastic cover by gently pushing the notches outwards. Wash the black surface under water, while using your hands to gently rub the surface so as to remove accumulated dirt. Do not use any detergent, and do not use any scrubber. Refit the plastic cover. Now, take the bellow pump that came along with your new Pureit and fill it with Pureit water. Fit the pump at the bottom of the 'Activated Carbon Filter'TM. Hold the 'Activated Carbon Filter' over a sink with one hand and squeeze the pump with the other hand to force the water

through the 'Activated Carbon Filter'. Repeat the cleaning procedure using the pump till no more dirt comes out of the 'Activated Carbon Filter' (typically 5-7 times). The 'Activated Carbon Filter' is now clean. Remove the pump. Then put the Activated Carbon Filter back into the top chamber.

The Pureit system overflows if you fill the top chamber with water, when the lower transparent chamber is full of water. Is this a problem?

Yes, the Pureit system has been designed to overflow from the side. If you pour water in the top chamber, and there is no space left in the transparent chamber. To prevent this from happening, do not pour water in the top chamber if less than one inch of space is left in the transparent chamber. To prevent this from happening, follow the instructions in Point 2.

Can one shift the purifier from one place to another?

Yes, this can be done. If you are shifting the purifier from one location inside the home to another, we would advise that you first remove the water from the top chamber, the batching chamber, the transparent chamber, and the Cleansing Collection chamber, only then shift the purifier. If you have to shift the purifier to a location outside your home you also need to ensure that the purifier is properly packed for transportation. Do not use the purifier for getting drinking water while it is being transported. Also, if the device is out of use for more than 3 days, then on starting to use again, throw one cycle of water from transparent chamber.

The water comes out of the polishing system in an intermittent manner. Is this a problem?

No, this is not a problem. The system has been designed to start and stop every few minutes. This is to ensure that every batch of water coming out is always 'as safe as boiled water'.

How does one operate the tap?

The tap is operated by pushing the handle rightwards and leaving it there for getting "continuous flowing water". If you push the handle leftward the water will flow for as long as you keep pushing the handle. Do not attempt to push the handle forward and backward.

If my water contained a very large amount of visible dirt and turbidity, can we pour it into the Pureit system?

We advise that you let the water stand in another container for some time until most of the dirt settles down. Now pour the water into Pureit. This will ensure that the system does not get prematurely choked.

How long will the Pureit Germkill Processor last?

The Germkill Kit has been designed to give 1500 litres of water at a water temperature of 25°C, in moderate humidity conditions.

Since the Germkill Kit has been designed to work under varied temperature and water quality conditions, there can be variations in the life of the Germkill kit due to the temperature of the water. The Germkill Kit has been designed to give 1500 litres of water at a water temperature of 25°C, in moderate humidity conditions. For higher temperatures the life will be lesser, where as for the lower temperatures, the life will be more. You can calculate how long will the Germkill Kit will last for you. Just estimate your daily consumption of Pureit water (this will include Pureit water used for drinking, cooking or for any other purpose), and from the table below you can find out approximately how long will the Germkill Kit will last for you. For example, if consumption is 10 litres of water a day from Pureit your Germkill Kit will last for 150 days or 5 months.

The Germkill Kit is also available for 2250 litres and 1000 litres. Call the Pureit Helpline to know more.

How long does it take water to get purified?

The average flow-rate of the Pureit will depend upon the quality of the water that is put into the Pureit system, and may also vary with the life of the Pureit Germkill Processor. The flow-rate through the system will typically be in the region of 30-150 ml/min. This means that 9 litres of water would get purified in 1-5 hours, depending on the quality of input water. Please note that the flow rate will be much higher than that in the beginning of the Pureit Germkill Kit life. Whenever you feel that the flow from your Pureit system has become unsatisfactorily low, you can wash Activated Carbon Filter. Cleaning will remove accumulated dirt on the Activated Carbon Filter and will improve the water flow. Please follow Activated Carbon Filter cleaning instructions mentioned in point 3. It must be remembered that the first time you use the system, and anytime else when you empty the Cleansing - Collection chamber (such as after prolonged nonuse) no water will come out into the transparent section for a few hours. This is because the Cleansing - Collection chamber has to get re-filled with water.

What does one do if there is a problem in the flow rate of water through the micro-fibre mesh, after prolonged period of non-use?

Sometimes, after a prolonged period of non-use, there could be a problem with flow rate of water through the micro-fibre filter. In such cases, to improve flow rate, soak the micro-fibre mesh in water for an hour before using.

   

SAFETY:

   

There is condensation in the transparent chamber of my Pureit system. Is this a problem?

This normally happens because of temperature differences. It does not affect the working of your Pureit and you will continue to receive 'as safe as boiled water'.

Is the plastic of the purifier safe to use?

The Pureit system, and the Germkill Kit has been made from good quality, food safe, non-toxic engineering plastics. These plastics will also not impart a smell to the water. Similar plastics are used in all high quality refrigerators.

How hygienic is the tap?

The tap will come in repeated contact with hands, bottles and glasses. You need to ensure that as a result of these contacts the tap does not get contaminated with germs. In case you do find that the mouth of the tap has become dirty, clean and disinfect it with a dilute disinfectant such as bleach / hypochlorite (50 ppm available chlorine) solution then discard the first 2 litres of Pureit water that flows through the tap.

Can one get the water coming out of the Pureit purifier tested for germs?

Yes, we can arrange to do that for you if you wish. Please call us on our Pureit helpline, and we will arrange to get a water test done for you. This service will carry a fee.

Will Pureit remove salts and oils from water?

Water may contain many materials which affect the taste of water. Of these, Pureit removes materials like oil, sand, soil, clay, dirt, decayed animal and plant waste, and harmful

pesticides impurities, and is therefore likely to improve the taste of water. However, Pureit does not remove some materials that may contribute to taste like sodium chloride salt, calcium and magnesium.

Can one pour brackish water into Pureit?

Yes, the water will be 'as safe as boiled water'TM, but there may not always be an improvement in taste. However by pouring brackish / sea water into the Pureit, there may be a risk of choking the system.

Sometimes there is a chlorine-like smell near the 'Germkill Processor', is this a problem ?

No, this is not a problem. You will continue to get absolutely safe, odor free, great tasting water from the transparent chamber.

Water purified from Pureit has distinctive taste?

The first batch of water that gets purified in your new Pureit, or from a new 'Germkill Kit', should be drained away when it collects in the transparent chamber. This batch of water may have a distinctive taste and needs to be drained out by opening the tap. It should be noted that even though the first batch of water may have a distinctive taste, it is completely safe, even if accidentally ingested. Once you drain away the first batch, you will get great tasting water in subsequent batches.

Can there sometimes be particles in the water stored in transparent chamber?

The first batch of water that gets purified in your new Pureit, or from a new 'Germkill Kit', should be drained away when it collects in the transparent chamber. This batch of water may contain some black particles that have got loosened from inside the polisher during transit. Black particles may also appear as a result of shifting or titling the purifier, or when you are using Pureit after several days. It should be noted that these black particles are a part of the Pureit's polisherTM specially designed porous filter derived from natural coconut shell and are therefore completely safe, even if accidentally swallowed. To remove these black particles pour the collected water back into the top chamber and rinse the transparent chamber with Pureit water to remove any particles that may be stuck to the sides.

Pureit didn't fully remove the colour from the input water. Is the water safe to drink?

Pureit is designed to give water that is 'as safe as boiled water'. However in some cases, as with colloidal clay suspensions and with soluble salts of calcium, magnesium, iron etc, the turbidity and colour may not be completely removed. In these cases please ensure that there are no deposits or scales in the transparent chamber - if these are there then clean them by using a disinfectant as indicated in question number 14. Rinse the transparent chamber thoroughly with Pureit water. Once this is done, the output water will be microbiologically 'as safe as boiled' even if some colour persists.

   

REPLACEMENT:

   

What happens if some part of the purifier breaks accidentally?

If some part of the purifier breaks accidentally, please call us on our Pureit helpline. We will arrange to send you a replacement part. You will however have to pay for the replacement .

   

GERMKILL KIT:

   

How much water can one 'Germkill Kit' purify?

Pureit Classic and Autofill is designed to give 1500 litres of water at a water temperature of 25°C, in moderate humidity conditions. The Germkill Kit is also available for 2250 litres and 1000 litres. Visit the Germkill Kit section on the website to know more.

How does one get a replacement for a Pureit 'Germkill Kit'?

When you need to replace your 'Germkill Kit', just call us on our Pureit helpline or visit us at Pureit Safe Water Zone. The helplines are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Sunday. Once you call, we will deliver the Pureit 'Germkill Kit' to your home for a nominal delivery charge. Alternatively, you can visit us at a Safe Water Zone and buy a new Germkill Kit. This way you are assured of getting a genuine 'Germkill Kit'. We would recommend that you keep a spare 'new' 'Germkill Kit' at home. Please beware of counterfeits from unauthorised sources.

How much does a Pureit 'Germkill Battery Kit' replacement cost?

Please call up the Pureit helpline to find out the current cost of Pureit 'Germkill Kit'.

How does one replace the old 'Germkill Battery Kit?’

Replacing the 'Activated Carbon Filter' - First empty the top chamber of all water. Remove the old 'Activated Carbon Filter' by turning it anti-clockwise, and pulling it out from the top chamber. Now remove the plastic cover from the old 'Activated Carbon Filter' by pushing the two protruding notches outward. Take the new 'Activated Carbon Filter' and refit the plastic cover. Now fit the new 'Activated Carbon Filter' into the top chamber by turning it clockwise.

Replacing 'Germkill Processor' - Remove the 'Germkill Life Indicator' and replace the exhausted 'Germkill Processor' with the new one. Ensure that top chamber and batching chamber is empty before you remove the 'Germkill Processor', as otherwise chlorinated water spill out and may harm your clothes. Insert fully and ensure tightness.

Replacing ‘Polisher' - Separate the top, batching and the transparent chamber. Remove the nut in the transparent chamber by turning it anti-clockwise. Then separate the transparent chamber from the Cleansing-Collection chamber. To remove polisher cartridge, turn polisher lid anti-clockwise. Pull out the polisher assembly and turn it upside down. Take out the exhausted polisher cartridge and dispose off with solid waste. Insert new polisher cartridge in the polisher assembly such that ‘this side up’ is at the top and tighten the bottom nut completely. Tighten the nut and put back the polisher assembly on the Cleansing-Collection chamber. Hold the stem of polisher assembly and rotate till the lid falls into the slot. Tighten the lid and rotate it clockwise. Then put the transparent chamber back, and tighten the nut completely by turning it clockwise. Now place the top chamber on top of the transparent chamber. Pureit is now ready to use.

How do you dispose off a used up 'Germkill Battery Kit'?

Please replace the 'Germkill Kit' (all three components) only when the Germkill Life Indicator turns fully red, and you can no longer see any white. Don't throw away a partly used, or an un-used Germkill Processor, or any of its components into the garbage. Once the life of the 'Germkill Kit' is over, take the exhausted Battery Kit (all three components) out of the purifier, and dispose off safely only with dry waste. The exhausted 'Germkill Kit' should not be used for any other purpose, and in any other way, other than as indicated in this

manual. The 'Germkill Kit', whether new, partly used, or fully exhausted must be kept away from children, and should not be put into a fire.

SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS

1. Sound track record of profitability and growth.2. Respected management and reasonable competitive advantages. 3. Strong position in the segment of its business.4. Emerging businesses and companies staging a turnaround etc.5. Vast customer base.6. Extensive distribution network.7. Good promotional activities.

WEAKNESSESS1. Reduction in quality of the GKB.2. Dissatisfaction among customer due to lack of service.3. Lack of periodic training to the PWE.

OPPORTUNITIES1. Rising level of income level creates huge investment opportunity.2. Increasing awareness in safe drinking water among people.3. Growing market of water purifier in urban as well as rural areas.

THREATS 1. Economic environment.2. Government policies.3. Political environment. 4. Social environment

VISION

Unilever products touch the lives of over 2 billion people every day – whether that's through feeling great because they've got shiny hair and a brilliant smile, keeping their homes fresh and clean, or by enjoying a great cup of tea, satisfying meal or healthy snack.

A clear directionThe four pillars of our vision set out the long term direction for the company – where we want to go and how we are going to get there:We work to create a better future every dayWe help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others.We will inspire people to take small everyday actions that can add up to a big difference for the world.We will develop new ways of doing business with the aim of doubling the size of our company while reducing our environmental impact.We've always believed in the power of our brands to improve the quality of people’s lives and in doing the right thing. As our business grows, so do our responsibilities. We recognize that global challenges such as climate change concern us all. Considering the wider impact of our actions is embedded in our values and is a fundamental part of who we are.

MARKET RESEARCH

Introduction:

Usually it is said that if marketing would be a train, then market research would be the locomotive. In

other words, market research should ideally be the starting point of any marketing exercise. Conducting

any marketing exercise - be it related to pricing, promotion or distribution of a product or service, without

researching the potential market is as sensible as setting out to sell sand in the Sahara Desert. Market

research provides the answers to all the questions that generally occupy the minds of marketers, at every

stage of the marketing process.

Growth Trends in Market Research

India, fastest growing market research industry in the world, with growth rates at around 31 % (2009-10) .

China is a distant second growing at 20 %. The size of the industry if of 595 crore, but the industry is

growing rapidly with a lot of business coming from overseas. The business coming from overseas

involves lot of outsourcing as cost advantages are enormous. The processing of data is almost 50%

cheaper in India. The processing of data is almost 50% cheaper are in India than in developed countries.

The outsourcing business amounts to almost for the 8 % industry and this figure is doubling in value

every year.

Key Players in Market Research:-

Scope of Market Research

Many people think that marketing research is just a consumer survey, asking consumers about certain

product or services. Though consumer research is an integral part of marketing research, the latter is quite

a pervasive activity, covering the various types of marketing problems that confront the marketing

manager. There are various discussion confined to the market research which are as follows.

Product Research

Sales Research

Customer Research

Pricing Research

OBJECTIVES

The followings are the main objectives of this research project

How to increase productivity of sales in Kiosks

Competitive analysis of ‘PURE IT’

To read the consumer behavior

METHODOLOGY

Type of research-Descriptive & Exploratory research

Descriptive study is a fact finding investigation with an adequate interpretation. It is the simplest type of

research and is more specific. Mainly designed to gather descriptive information and provides

information for formulating more sophisticated studies. Descriptive research, also known as statistical

research, describes data and characteristics about the population or phenomenon being studies.

Scaling technique

For the measurement of variables, Nominal Scale is used which is the most widely used scale in market

research, where respondents specify their response to a statement.

DATA COLLECTION

1. Primary Data

(A).Questionnaire: - A set of questions related to the research topic was formulated. Response for each

questions included in the questionnaire has been collected from the customers.

(B). Interview: - Apart from collecting different responses from the customers some extra information

has been obtained through face to face interviewing activity.

2. Secondary Data

Secondary research was done to build an in-depth understanding of the kiosk(outreach)

Information from various published resources like India stat and other research bodies were also

used to validate the market figures and cross-validate the data.

Detailed analysis of secondary information was used to arrive at the specific frameworks provided

in the report.

3. Sampling methodology: The sampling methodology used is Non Probability sampling

technique-Convenience sampling (A non probability sampling technique that attempts to obtain a sample

of convenient elements. The selection of sampling unit is left primarily to the interviewer)

4. Sample size: I had chosen 50 samples for the analysis.

5. Questionnaire: The questionnaire is formed in such a way that the information required for the

study is acquired from each item i.e. questions. Here I have used Nominal scale of measurement to

measure the respondent’s responses with each of the series of the items in the form of statements. The

respondents category range from housewives & working women to working men.

6. Sampling design:

I. Selection of study area: DELHI II. Selection of Sample size: 50

SCOPE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY

The project aims to get us out of the classroom and into the real world of companies/ competitors,

markets, managers and customers. For me, it opens the way for walking into experiences. The ultimate

goal of this research is enormous with its true sense. Physically and practically, it shows the potential for

the company and me.

The scope of the project helps in analyzing the factors, which influence the referring behavior of

customers.

The scope is such that the study has been conducted by taking samples from different areas,

which depicts the overall picture.

The results obtained will give an overview of the different criteria based on which an existing

customer can be used to generate sufficient leads for the company.

The study can be helpful in taking decision so as to improve the approach towards customers for

getting reference and service.

This project also helps to know how an organization works in real environment and under

different market scenario.

Importance of Study:

The main purpose of study is to increase the productivity of kiosk (outreach) regarding HUL Pure it water

purifiers. The survey was conducted in Delhi area not all but only some parts have included for survey.

Due to shortage of time it was not possible to cover the whole areas. Thus the scope of the study was

completed with the time and resources available.

Direct Marketing

Direct Marketing is a method which helps to create a direct connection with the potential consumer to

obtain an immediate response and cultivate lasting consumer relationship.

Hindustan Unilever limited is the company in India to doing direct marketing in water purifier. Today it is

Asia largest direct selling organization. It has direct selling force touching 1.5 million Indian homes and

adding 1000 customers daily. It has dealers and distributors across the country and operating in over

towns and cities.

Advantages of Direct Marketing

It is easy, convenient and private.

Provides more choice to the consumer

Consumers can avail best price as there is no middle men involved.

Helpful for the companies to build a close and direct relation with the consumer.

It saves the valuable time of the working and busy people.

Disadvantages of Direct Marketing

Consumer can’t touch and feel the product before buying

The scope of expansion is limited in this kind of marketing

It has higher per person cost than other form of advertising.

There is a great scope for misleading and deceiving customers by dishonest businessman.

It may cause irritation to the consumer through unwanted mail and spam.

SELLING STRATEGY ADOPTED

Because of the low interest and since the product benefits needs to be demonstrated to the customers,

conventional distribution was not viable. Hence Hindustan Unilever limited chose the less traveled Direct

Selling route.

The Hindustan Unilever’s sales man in water division is called PWE. It has three streams for selling of

product i.e. cold calls (door to door selling), outreach (Kiosk) and clinic (Hospital). It is a tough job for

these salesmen who have to go through the "cold calls" to get a sale. At one point of time, because of the

aggressive nature of these sales persons, people became scared even to listen to these sales persons. Now

this aggression has mellowed down to a more professional sales approach.

Selling Strategy adopted by company are,

1. Direct Selling- Door-to-Door Selling 2. Outreach (Kiosk) 3.Clinic (Hospital)

Product Segmentation

Hindustan Unilever sells different water-purifiers on the basis of classifying their utility and price

affordability. The water purifiers are classified as follows:

(1) Pure it compact – Rs 1000 /-

(2) Pure it M05 Model – Rs 2000 /-

(3) Pure it Autofill –Rs 3200 /-

(4) Pure it Marvella –Rs 6900 /-

Marketing Mix

PRODUCT PRICE

a) Easily available nationwide.

b)Easy to handle.

c) Multiple products launched for each product

type.

a) Product price range divided into four

segments to target different audiences.

b) Low cost of maintenance and

consumable.

c) Best prices offered when compared

to other competitors.

PROMOTION PLACE

a)Active subscription immediately

b) Right time installation of products

c) Properly repair services against paid AMC’s.

d) Service during contract period

a) Urban educated India that cares for

their family.

b) Areas prone to diseases.

C) Strategically chosen locations for catching

the eye of potential consumers.

d) Various stalls near market places

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Time is the major constraint in the study

My Study is confined to 50 respondents.

Research is done only in some parts of Delhi

Respondents Fatigue.

Researcher inexperience.

Competitive analysis of “Pure It”

What is Competitive Analysis?

Competitive Analysis is a process of gathering and analyzing information about competitors, their

practices, products, strengths and weaknesses and business trends in order to assess our position in the

market and improve company’s products and marketing strategies.

What is the purpose of Competitive Analysis?

In today's market, i must know what competitors are doing and what to do to stay ahead of the

competition. Many businesses believe they are providing a good product to their customers, but do not

have reliable information showing how customers perceive their product or how it compares to the

competition. A Competitive Analysis performed by an unbiased third party is an invaluable tool because

it can help to company for identify ways to attract new customers, as well as keep the ones you have

satisfied with company’s products.

Strengths and weaknesses : How company’s product stacks up against the competition and in

what areas they have an edge over company’s product and in what areas company’s product is

superior.

Identify competitors : Verify who your primary and secondary competitors are.

Improvements : How and in what areas company’s product, processes, and practices must be

improved to meet market demands or to stay ahead of the competition.

Marketing : What improvements company needs to make in marketing approach - company may

want to highlight why their product is ahead of the competition, or the unique features that

consumers desire.

How can Competitive Analysis help establish company’s product as a market

leader?

Competitive Analysis gives to company a realistic view of their competition and the opportunity to

identify improvement in areas like customer services, and marketing claims. It can help to compare

products prior to making their marketing and promotional decisions.

Competitive Analysis will help accomplish the following:

Have a realistic view of company competition.

Foresee market changes and demands.

Identify ways to attract customers from company’s competitors.

Discover opportunities for improvement in company’s business practices..

Identify necessary changes in company’s processes to reduce costs.

A List of Competitors

The analysis begins with a list of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) of water division Pure it

competitors. Most of the time, such a list is comprised of what company co-considers to be its chief

competitors. However, there may be other companies that indirectly compete with HUL, ones that offer

products or services that are aiming for the same customer capital.

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) of water division Pure its competitors in the market are:

1. Eureka Forbes Limited

2. Kent

3. Usha Brita

4. Zero B

5. Godrej

6. Tata

Competitor analysis has several important roles in strategic planning:

• To help management understand their competitive advantages/disadvantages relative to competitors.

• To generate understanding of competitors’ past, present (and most importantly) future strategies.

• To provide an informed basis to develop strategies to achieve competitive advantage in the future.

• To help forecast the returns that may be made from future investments.

Sources of information for competitor analysis

How the sources of competitor information can be neatly grouped into three categories:

• Recorded data: This is easily available in published form either internally or externally. Good

examples include competitor annual reports and product brochures;

• Observable data: This has to be actively sought and often assembled from several sources. A good

example is competitor pricing;

• Opportunistic data: To get hold of this kind of data requires a lot of planning and organization

What businesses probably already know their competitors?

Overall sales and profits

Sales and profits by market

Cost structure

Distribution system

Identity / profile of senior management

Advertising strategy and spending

Customer / consumer profile & attitudes

Customer retention levels

What businesses would really like to know about competitors?

Sales and profits by product

Customer satisfaction and service levels

Distribution costs

Size and quality of customer databases

Advertising effectiveness

Strategy - competitive advantage

Competitive advantage is an advantage over competitors gained by offering consumers greater value,

either by means of lower prices or by providing greater benefits and service that justifies higher prices.

Feature Comparison

Compared with other available water purification methods, Pureit is by far the best option, in terms of

safety, convenience and affordability.

Key features Pure it Boiling

process

Leading UV

inline purifier

Kent filter

Removes harmful Viruses Need to boil

Removes harmful Bacteria for 30-40

Removes harmful

Parasites(causes

amoebiasis, diarrhoea, etc)

Min

End-of-life indicator

Advanced Auto Switch-off

Great taste Improves clarity

Removes odour Doesn't need expensive gas

Doesn't need electricity

Doesn't need continuous tap

water

Doesn’t need plumbing

Doesn't need an expensive

maintenance contract

Low initial cost

Low on-going cost

The above table shows that Pureit’s initial price of Rs. 2000 and the ongoing price of only Re. 1

for 4 litres of water is the most competitive offer in the market. This is because Pureit doesn’t

need expensive gas, doesn’t need electricity, doesn’t need maintenance.

Cost comparison across purification methods

Method of purification paise/litre

Cost of Pure it water 24

Cost of Kent water 35

Cost of boiling water 47

Cost of leading UV in-line purifier 64

Cost of 20 liters of leading bottled water brand 350

Cost of 1 liter of leading bottled water brand 1200

Annexure

QUESTIONNAIRE – I

NAME:

ADDRESS :

PHONE NUMBER : MARTIAL STATUS:- 1.MARRIED 2.UNMARRIED

AGE :- 1. < 25 Yrs 2. 25-35 Yrs

3. 35-45 Yrs 4. 45 < Yrs

PROFESSION:-

1. BUSINESSMAN 2. GOVT EMPLOYEE 3. CORPORATE/PVT EMPLOYEE 4. PROFESSIONAL 5. STUDENT 6. OTHER

Q1) What is the source of safe drinking water in your house ? _____________________________________________________________

Q2) Do you purify water for drinking after getting it ?Yes 2) No

Q3) How do you purify the water for drinking ?Candle Filter Aqua Guard Mineral Water CanBoiling R.O Other

Q4) Do you agree that safe and pure drinking water is a problem in your locality?Yes 2) No Q5) Are you aware of various diseases ( like-Diarrhea , Jaundice , Typhoid , Cholera etc) which are caused by dirty water ?Yes 2) No

Q6) How many members are there in your house (including children) ? ______________________________________________________________

Q7) Have you heard about HUL Pure it Water purifier?Yes 2) No

If Yes from where?

T.VRadioNewspaper/ Other print mediaFriends / Neighbour / Relatives etc Other

Q8) If you don’t know about Pureit . Do you want to know about it ?Yes 2) No

Q9) Do you know Pureit removes all the physical, chemical and microbiological Impurities dissolved in water?Yes 2) No

Q10)Do you know that Pureit is the only water purifier in India which is approved by EPA(Environmental Protection Agency ) USA ? Yes 2) No

Q11)Do you know that Pureit water purifier gives you 4 Liter of safe drinking water In just 1 Rupee? Yes 2) No

Q12)Do you know that HUL Pureit water purifier gives you safe drinking water which is “As Safe As Boiled Water “ ? Yes 2) No

Q13)Are you interested in taking DEMO of the product ? Yes 2) No

Date : Name of the PWE :--/--/---- _________________ QUESTIONNAIRE – II

Feed Back Questions :

Q1) Do you know Pureit Helpline number ? 1) Yes 2) No

Q2) Do you know where to get information on usage, cleaning of Pureit device or Any other queries about Pureit ? 1) Yes 2) No

Q3) Do you Know when should you order for a new germ kill battery(GKB) ? 1) Yes 2) No

Q4) Do you know how to update a change in your phone number and/or address so that you can access Pureit service ?

1) Yes 2) No

DATA PRESENTATION & ANALYSIS

The following data and information has been obtained through research activity.

Fig 5.1: Frequency of the respondents who have water purifier

Yes No46

47

48

49

50

51

52

48

52

FREQUENCY

Frequency

INTERPRETATION

The total no. of respondents includes in the research is 100.Out of 100 respondents, 48 % (48) of people have a water purifier and 52 % (52) people have not water purifier.

Fig 5.2: Frequency and Percentage of respondents “which company water purifier, you are using and will use”?

05

101520253035404550

50

14 10 10 7 9

FREQUENCY

FRE-QUENCY 50

14

10

107

9

PERCENTAGE

Eureka Forbes

HUL Pure it

Kent

Philips

Whirlpool

Any Other

INTERPRETATION

Out of 100 respondents, the data of people are using water purifier and people are not using

water purifier .Those people are not using water purifier, if they will buy ,they will buy only this

company’s product like Eureka Forbes,Hul,Kent,Philips,Whirlpool.50% (50),14% (14),10%

(10),10%(10),7% (7),9% (9) of people are using and will use Eureka Forbes, Hul, Kent, Philips,

Whirlpool and any other company’s water purifier

Fig 5.3: Percentage of respondents about electricity?

72

28

PERCENTAGE

YesNo

INTERPRETATION

The above data tells about electricity of water purifier, that is the water purifier is working with

electricity or without electricity. Out of 100 respondents, 72 % (72) of people have given their

view that ‘yes’ and 28 % of people have given their view ‘No’.

Fig 5.4: Frequency and Percentage of respondents “before buying product, know about the product or want to see demonstration”

Yes No Don't Know

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

78

12 10

FREQUENCY

FRE-QUENCY

78

1210

PERCENTAGE

Yes

No

Don't Know

INTERPRETATION

The above data has given, before buying the water purifier; people want to know the product or

want to see demonstration of the product.78 % of people have given their view ‘Yes’, they want

to know the product details.12 % of people have given their view ‘No’, they don’t want to know

the product details or product knowledge .10 % of people have given their view ‘don’t know’.

Fig 5.5: Frequency and Percentage of respondents about taste good, odorless and looks clear

Yes No Don't Know

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

80

9 11

FREQUENCY

Fre-quency

80

911

PERCENTAGE

Yes

No

Don't Know

INTERPRETATION

The above data has given the frequency and percentage of respondents about taste of water is good,

odorless, looks clear. Out of 100 respondents, 80 % of people have given their view ‘YES’. the taste of

water is good, odorless and looks clear.9 % of people have told ‘NO’, the taste of water is good, odorless

and looks clear and 11 % of people have given their view ‘don’t know’ about taste of water.

Fig 5.6: Frequency and percentage of respondents about cost of water purifier

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

37

2720

16

FREQUENCY

FRE-QUENCY

37

27

20

16

FREQUENCY

Rs. 1000- Rs. 5,000

Rs. 6,000- Rs. 10,000

Rs. 11,000- Rs. 15,000

More than Rs. 15,000

INTERPRETATION

The above data has given about frequency and percentage of cost of water purifier. The

percentage of people who are using or want to buy water purifier in the cost range Rs 1000 to Rs

5000 was found 37 % .The percentage of people who are using or willing to buy water purifier in

the cost range Rs 6000 to Rs 10000 was found 27 % . The percentage of people who are using or

willing to buy water purifier in the cost range Rs 11000 to Rs 15000 was found 20 % . The

percentage of people who are using or willing to buy water purifier more than Rs 15000 was

found 16 % .

Table 5.7: Frequency and Percentage of respondents about service after sales

SERVICE AFTER SALES FREQUENCY PERCENT

Yes 64 64.0

No 36 36.0

Total 100 100.0

Yes No0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

64

36

FREQUENCY

FRE-QUENCY

64

36

PERCENTAGE

YesNo

INTERPRETATION

The above data has given frequency and percentage of respondents about service after sales.64 %

of people have given their view that after sales , service is good and 36 % of people have given

their view that service is not good.

Fig 5.8: Frequency and Percentage of respondents about ‘where to prefer to buy the water

purifier

30

21

49

PERCENTAGE

Retail Outlet

Franchisee Dealer

Demo at your doorstep

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

30

21

49

FREQUENCY

Frequency

INTERPRETATION

The above data has given frequency and percentage of respondents about where to prefer to buy

the water purifier 1)Retail Outlet 2)Franchisee dealer 3) Demo at your doorstep. Out of 100

respondents, 49 % (49) of people prefer to buy water purifier from demo at your doorstep, 30 %

(30) of people prefer to buy water purifier from retail outlet and 21 % (21) of people prefer to

buy water purifier from franchisee dealer.

Fig 5.9: Frequency and Percentage of respondents about warranty of water purifier

6 Months 1 year 2 Year0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

4340

17

FREQUENCY

Frequency

43

40

17

PERCENTAGE

6 Months

1 year

2 Year

INTERPRETATION

The above data has given frequency and percentage about warranty of water purifier. 43% of

respondents have given their view, 6 month warranty period of water purifier. 40 % of

respondents have given their view, 1 year warranty period of water purifier. 17% of respondents

have given their view, 2 year warranty period of water purifier.

Fig 5.10: Frequency and percentage of respondents about what comes your mind first i.e.

Price or Health & Safety or Both

Price Health & Safety

Both0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

16

3945

Frequency

Frequency

16

39

45

PERCENTAGE

Price

Health & Safety

Both

INTERPRETATION

The above data has told, frequency and percentage of respondents about what comes customers

mind first i.e. Price or Health or Both. Out of 100 respondents, 45 % of respondents have given

their view that both that is price as well as health and safety.

CONCLUSION

I had conducted the market survey in the town of DELHI & NCR.

I had chosen the product as ‘Pure It’ because people are very cautious about their health these days and

are very particular about their drinking water. In such a scenario most of the people are

using water purifier.

I was very lucky to join this company and learnt so many things, like punctuality, hard work, selling

strategy of company etc. I had met different kinds of people, coming from different religion. Thus I came

to know about the different views of these people.

After the survey I came to a solution that the people of DELHI & NCR are very much aware of Pure it

water purifier and maximum of them are satisfied with the product. I came across some people who are

using Pure it water Purifier for more than 2 years. Although maximum people are satisfied with

the product but still there a pinch of dissatisfaction among some of the consumers. But the ratios of these

people are negligible.

The survey has showed and proved that Hindustan Uniliver Limited is enjoying a

monopoly in the markets of  DELHI & NCR,. Now a day, HUL is competing with Eureka Forbes. I have

found out from the survey that people use the word “Pure it”  as a generic name for all water purifiers

no matter to which company and brand it belongs to. Moreover my survey has showed that most

of the people are using Pure it water Purifier in their work place as well as in their homes.

RECOMMENDATIONS

As per the survey done following were the recommendations of the survey:

Price structure should be revised

Customer service is something which company should pay more attention at.

All models not available for display in retail outlets and also brochures should

be made available.

Sales person at the retails counters should have proper knowledge about the product.

Should focus more on brand awareness.

Technological & other aspects should be re considered and re-christened

Should focus on more sku

BIBLIOGRAPHY

www.businessknowhow.com

www.articlesnatch.com

www.vmmg.net

www.indiastat.com

www.business.com

www.bizgroethlive.com

www.1888articles.com

www.MastersofSuccess.biz