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GIS applications in marketing & sales

Prashant Baxi
WIPRO Consumer Care & Lighting


Wipro Corporation is a Rs 1800 crores, diversified Company engaged in the business of Consumer Care, Lighting, Information Technology, Medical Systems, Finance and Hydraulic Technology.

Wipro Consumer Care (WCC), with its turnover of Rs 300 crore is engaged in the business of manufacturing and marketing of Hydrogenated Fats, Toilet Soaps, Toiletries and Baby Care products.

WCC has many firsts to its credit. WCC is being credited even today for being the first to introduce flexible consumer pack for vanaspati.

In terms of distribution strengths, Wipro products are available in about half a million directly covered outlets and an estimated equal number through indirect coverage. These outlets are being serviced through a strong stockist network of over 3000 stockists.

Wipro products are available across population strata ranging from metros to remote villages with a population of 3000, directly by the company network coverage.

One of the strong points of WCC has been its proactive addressing of coverage expansion.

Coverage expansion would mean expansion within an identifying newer geographic areas and consolidating coverage of outlets within the identified geographic area, popularly referred to as a market.

At WCC, review of existing coverage and identification of uncovered markets is a major exercise that takes place at the beginning of each year. Based on the number of uncovered markets identified, a coverage plan is drawn up each year. These plans are then implemented by the frontline field force.

Traditionally, the following obstacles are encountered in the implementation of these coverage plans :
  • Each uncovered market has to be located, physically.
  • A personal visit is required for potential determination.
  • A route plan has to be made manually, based on the available road information on these markets.
  • These constraints make the implementation time consuming and expensive.
WCC tried out MarketMap - the GIS based software, for the first time in 1996-97, on an experimental basis, for TamilNadu and Andhra Pradesh.
  1. The summary of our experience is listed below:
  2. Identification of markets in the targetted population strata became much easier.
  3. With the linkage of census based data with the maps, a preliminary fit was obtained on the markets for its potential.
  4. Authentication became much easier.
  5. Personal visits could be reduced and were carried out with a proper focus.
  6. Possible route plans were chalked out on the screen and extension / modification of routes from existing markets and stock points became much easier.
  7. The sales officer had a route plan with him when he spoke to the stockist for investment in infrastructure like vans.
  8. Time lag between identification and implementation reduced.
  9. GIS engine based technology assumes some preliminary knowledge on computers and ability to interpret the knowledge of GIS and other IT related terms. Hence, it does require considerable investment in training.
  10. Cost wise, the investment is significant as compared to the traditional means of identification.