CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Mr Prasanna Kumar C, Rural CEO, Vilcart
- Could you elaborate on how Vilcart utilizes modern-day technology to empower rural communities and enhance their access to goods and services?
Vilcart provides a local language mobile application facility for consumers where they can avail the products at affordable prices from rural kirana store by placing the order. Vilcart provides a local language mobile application for rural kirana stores, providing them access to all essential and premium products. The app also helps kirana stores customize their Vilcart purchases, expand their store offerings and help them plan and allocate funds more efficiently for better ROI. Vilcart also manages virtual inventory for store owners, analyzes data and informs them about the inventory and SKUs they should keep in stock for better storage. In addition, Vilcart offers a consumer specific application that is linked to nearby Kirana Stores and helps consumers easily manage their orders and credit at Rural Kirana Stores.
- How does Vilcart overcome logistical and technology-driven problems, including transportation and infrastructure limitations, to efficiently deliver products and services to remote communities?
We visit each and every kirana store personally because we value relationships more than business. The company also offers bi-weekly doorstep delivery from manufacturers or major markets to kirana. This makes Vilcart a “one stop solution” for all the requirements. Kirana stores motto is to create new career opportunities in rural areas by improving their living conditions. Vilcart has developed an easy-to-use functionality and display mobile application in the local language for its rural kirana customers. These apps assist the rural users in the easier way to all essential and premium product access at the household level. Apart from helping them discover brands and making better decisions, it also assists in managing their orders. Vilcart has brought e-vehicles of various types for eco-friendly in-house delivery systems across varied geographies of rural Karnataka under the umbrella of empowering rural mobility. Many more would come in future in collaboration with the rural ecosystem.
- Could you give some instances of how Vilcart’s technology has transformed the way rural businesses function, and how this has impacted their development and sustainability?
Vilcart connects over 30,000 kirana stores and has created job opportunities for rural youth and women on a large scale. New initiatives have been launched to support rural women entrepreneurs. We are supporting differently abled people by encouraging them to start their own Kirana Stores in Rural.
- What was the idea behind starting Vilcart? Could you elaborate on your concept of “Be Local Grow Global” and the journey thus far?
When I was a student, I used to see the owners of kirana shops in rural areas travel with me in the same bus to the city to get the goods they needed for their shop. This would cost them a fortune, so they often arranged their own transport or carried products on a two-wheeled vehicle, risking their lives on the highways. After seeing all these inconveniences in kirana shops, I thought of creating something in the rural areas which would solve the problem kirana is facing and create goodwill. The principle “Be Local Grow Global” employs local young adults and women, most of whom are first-time workers. Through this initiative today we have promote Over 1500 rural employees, Over 420 rural woman employees, Over 700 rural logistic operations, 93 rural warehouses, Over 800 rural SME vendor partners.
However, the increasing challenges of drought and climate change have led to rural youth moving to cities in search of livelihood. To solve this problem and revitalize the rural labor market, I along with my team implemented extensive skill development and training programs that encourage young people to find alternative opportunities outside of agriculture to ensure a stable secondary income for their families. Recruitment is more than just filling existing vacancies; it is also about developing rural India by creating new job prospects for youth.
- How does Vilcart seek to close the gap between contemporary e-commerce platforms and traditional rural marketplaces, and what measures are being taken to guarantee inclusion and accessibility for rural communities?
Our objective is to establish a comprehensive network that spans across the villages of India, regardless of population size, ensuring that all transactions in rural areas are facilitated through Vilcart’s supply chain network. Our relationship with kirana stores is founded on a pre-registration process, with our CRM service proactively visiting each store for registration. The rural market is driven more by emotions than rationality, making it essential for us to understand the unique demands and characteristics of these regions. Therefore, we focus on tailored market research and customized solutions specific to each geographic location. Vilcart’s mobile app assists in managing any issue by offering bi weekly delivery from rural to kiranas store. This makes Vilcart as one stop solution for all the needs.
- How are tech startups empowering rural economics in India?
Tech startups are revolutionising the rural economy in India by bridging the gap between urban and rural markets. Through innovative solutions in agriculture, logistics and fintech, these startups provide farmers and entrepreneurs with access to better tools, resources, and market opportunities. We have developed an end-to-end supply chain that directly connects farmers as producers with farmers as consumers. We target villages with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants to as low as 150-200 inhabitants and ensuring the delivery of essential goods to Kirana stores, thereby making products more affordable and accessible. We serve a thriving customer base of over 90,000 individuals who regularly transact with us, drawn from our registered customer pool exceeding 2 lakhs. To facilitate seamless transactions, we offer a user-friendly mobile app along with our central tele-calling system. In rural India, overnight ordering may not be feasible, our tele-calling facility allows customers to place orders conveniently at their own pace by recognizing the needs of rural India. Additionally, our mobile app is designed in a similar way as easy as of saving a phone number in one’s contacts.
- How is the growth of e-commerce in rural India empowering local businesses?
The growth of e-commerce in rural India is a game changer for local businesses. It provides them with a wider market reach, enabling them to sell their products beyond geographical boundaries. E-commerce platforms offer access to a large customer base, efficient logistics and Secure payment systems. This digital shift allows local ,farmers and small businesses to compete on our national scale, increasing their sales and profitability. By reducing intermediaries and offering direct-to-consumer channels, rural retail companies like Vilcart, empowers rural entrepreneurs, fostering economic development and improving their standard of living.
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