Ambuja Cement spearheads innovative ‘Go Cashless’ campaign

by Shrutee K/DNS

Leads the way in encouraging ‘cashless transactions’ in cement industry 

A series of initiatives reaches out to thousands of retailers, contractors and customers 

Mumbai, 29th Dec 2016: In the wake of demonetisation, Ambuja Cement has taken the lead and launched a pan-India ‘Go Cashless’ campaign encouraging its business partners – retailers, contractors and masons - to adapt to cashless business transactions. The ‘Go Cashless’ campaign -- aimed at helping its business partners conduct cashless transactions with ease -- went live on 7th December to create awareness on various available cashless options -- from swipe machines to bank services. Ambuja Cement has also tied up with ICICI Bank to launch an exclusive helpline to assist stakeholders open current accounts for regular business transactions.

With this campaign, Ambuja Cement has notched another first to its credit. It has become the first cement company to initiate drive on cashless transactions. Post demonitisation, the construction community especially in the rural and semi urban has been facing several challenges as it mostly deals in cash.

“Our Company is committed to improving the quality of life of all our stakeholders,” said Managing Director and CEO Ajay Kapur. “The ‘Go Cashless’ campaign is yet another endeavour empowering the construction community through knowledge transfer. We are successfully seeding innovative thinking at the grass-roots and bringing information and technology to the forefront of all our esteemed business partners,’’ said Mr Kapur.

Ambuja Cement has, in the last 20 days, sent more than over 1000,000 text messages; 200,000 Whatsapp messages that included a series of short animated clips, and kick-started an educational radio campaign across 17 different stations in New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal. These initiatives have helped reach out to over 42,000 partners (retailers, contractors and masons) across India and over 45,000 via radio. Meanwhile, all the company’s dealers are already conducting cashless transactions.

Following the launch in early December, the first leg of the campaign witnessed a series of teaser text messages on problems faced by the cement community post demonetization. The second leg launched on 17th December included broadcast of educational messages. The minute-long audio clips update on different modes of cashless transactions via cheques, cards (debit/ credit cards) and mobile payments (UPI app) in a simple manner. In the near future, a few more similar initiatives will be launched by the company to further empower the construction community across India.

About Ambuja Cement : a part of the global conglomerate LafargeHolcim, is one of India’s leading cement manufacturers with over 30 years of operations. The company, initially called Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd, was founded by Narotam Sekhsaria in 1983 in partnership with Suresh Neotia. Global cement major Holcim acquired management control of Ambuja in 2006. The Company has also made strategic investments in ACC Limited. The Company has five integrated cement manufacturing plants and eight cement grinding units across the country. It is the first-ever Indian cement manufacturer to build a captive port with three terminals along the country’s western coastline to facilitate timely, cost effective and environmentally cleaner shipments of bulk cement to its customers. The Company has its own fleet of ships.