PROJECT GUIDE:

MR. GURPREET SINGH BEDI, AREA SALES MANAGER, REGIONAL OFFICE, BELL CERAMIC LTD. CHANDIGARH.

SUBMITTED BY:

SHWETA DHIR

BELL CERAMICS LIMITED,
CHANDIGARH

JUNE 27, 2007

MR. GURPREET SINGH BEDI
AREA SALES MANAGER
REGIONAL OFFICE
CHANDIGARH

SUBJECT: PRESENTATION OF THE REPORT ON ‘TEST & MEASUREMENT OF RESPONSE FOR NEW PRODUCTS AMONG INFLUENCERS AND CHANNEL PARTNERS’

RESPECTED SIR

HERE IS MY REPORT ON MY STUDY ON THE RESPONSE FOR NEW PRODUCTS ZEN AND RETRO AMONG INFLUENCERS AND CHANNEL PARTNERS AS PER THE AUTHORIZATION OF MR. A N RANGASWAMY (PRESIDENT- MARKETING) DATED

THE REPORT ALSO CONTAINS THE MENTION OF THE UPCOMING PROJECTS IN THE CITY OF CHANDIGARH AND THE NEARBY AREAS AND STUDY OF THE VARIOUS FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE BUYING DECISION OF THE END USER AND HIS NEED AND EXPECTATION FROM THE CERAMIC TILES. ALSO THE ARCHITECTS WERE INTERVIEWED IN ORDER TO MEASURE THE POSITION OF BELL CERAMICS IN THEIR EYES AND PROMOTE ZEN AND RETRO SERIES TO THEM.

THE REPORT ALSO CONTAINS THE ANALYSIS OF BELL CERAMICS VIS-À-VIS ITS COMPETITORS IN TERMS OF PRICE, QUALITY, AVAILABILITY ETC. IT ALSO CONTAINS VARIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY ARCHITECTS IN IMPROVING THE SALES OF BELL CERAMICS.

IN THE LIGHT OF THIS ANALYSIS I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO IDENTIFY THE TARGET SEGMENT FOR BELL CERAMICS AND SUGGEST SOME MEASURES TO TAP THAT SEGMENT SO AS TO EXPAND THE MARKET FOR BELL CERAMICS.

I PAY MY SINCERE THANKS TO MR. A N RANGASWAMY (PRESIDENT- MARKETING AND SALES) FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ONE OF THE LEADING CERAMIC TILE PRODUCER COMPANY IN INDIA AND LEARN THE SKILLS OF MARKETING UNDER THEIR EXPERT GUIDANCE.

I AM ALSO GRATEFUL TO MR. SANKET SHARMA (MANAGEMENT TRAINEE) AND MR. ABHISHEK SHARMA (EXECUTIVE SALES) FOR THEIR CONSTANT HELP AND GUIDANCE THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT.

LAST, BUT NOT THE LEAST, I AM GRATEFUL TO YOU SIR, FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION IN THIS STUDY AND KEEPING THE HIGHER AUTHORITIES UPDATED ABOUT MY PROGRESS REGARDING THE STUDY.

SINCERELY,
SHWETA DHIR
SUMMER INTERN (SALES & MARKETING) TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) TITLE PAGE
2) LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
3) INDUSTRY & COMPANY PROFILE
4) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
5) INTRODUCTION •BACKGROUND • OBEJECTIVES
6) RESEARCH METHODOLOGY • SCOPE • RESERCH DESIGN •DATA COLLECTION •SAMPLE DESIGN •METHODOLOGY •TARGET POPULATION •QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN •DATA MEASUREMENT& SCALING •LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
7) DATA ANALYSIS
8) SWOT ANALYSIS.
9) RECOMMENDATIONS.
10) ANNEXURES FIELD WORK. QUESTIONNAIRE.
11) BIBLIOGRAPHY

ABOUT THE CERAMIC TILES

• HISTORICAL OVERVIEW:

ORIGIN
Historically, man has desired to create living spaces which were beautiful, durable and user friendly. With that in mind, ceramic tile has been made by man for 4000 years. Beautiful tiled surfaces have been found in the oldest pyramids, the ruins of Babylon, and ancient ruins of Greek cities. Decorative tile work was invented in the near east, where it has enjoyed a longer popularity and assumed a greater variety of design than anywhere in the world. During the Islamic period, all methods of tile decoration were brought to perfection in Persia. In Europe decorated tiles did not come into general use outside Moorish Spain until the second half of the 12th century. The tile mosaics of Spain and Portugal, the majolica floor tiles of renaissance Italy, the faiences of Antwerp, the development of tile iconography in England and in the Netherlands, and the ceramic tiles of Germany are all prominent landmarks in the history of ceramic tile.

MANUFACTURING
In the early days, the tiles were hand-made - that is to say - each tile was hand-formed and hand-painted, thus each was a work of art in its own right. Ceramic tile was used almost everywhere - on walls, floors, ceilings, fireplaces, in murals, and as an exterior cladding on buildings. Simply, ceramic tile is tile made of clay. In early days tiles were made by hands by flattening the clay and cutting pieces into shape. Later wooden mould was used to carve patterns on clay slab. The modern tile industry was advanced by reviving the lost art of encaustic tile making. The industry was further revolutionized in the 1840s by the ‘dust-pressing’ method which consisted of compressing nearly dry clay between two metal dies. Dust-pressing replaced tile-making by hand with wet clay, and facilitated mechanization of the tile making industry.
Today Ceramic tile throughout the world is not hand-made or hand-painted for the most part. Automated manufacturing techniques are used and the human hand does not enter into the picture until it is time to install the tile.

UTILITY
They are used in an almost infinite number of ways and that too in very affordable prices. In commercial buildings, where both beauty and durability are considerations, ceramic tiles will be found, particularly in lobby areas and restrooms. In fact most modern houses throughout use Ceramic tiles for their bathrooms and kitchens and in every vital area of the premise. Ceramic tiles are also the choice of industry, where walls and floors must resist chemicals. And the Space Shuttle never leaves Earth without its protective jacket of high-tech, heat resistant tiles.
The reasons for which the ceramic tiles are preferred over the other kinds of the flooring and the decorating material such as the mosaic tiles; granite stone; marble; woolen carpets etc are as follows:
1. The main reason for the preference of the Ceramic tiles is that they offer a wide range of color and the designs which is not there in case of the other materials that have been mentioned above. The wide range of the colors and the designs provides better looks and designs to the place where the ceramic tiles are used.
2. The tiles are easy to lay and require much lesser investment in the terms of fixation time required and the fixation charges. The reason behind that is that no finishing is required in case of the Ceramic Tiles which is required for marbles and the other materials.
3. It is also been stated that while the other materials using for the flooring start giving the scratched and the stained look and the need to replace them arises, the ceramic tiles on the other hand are as good as the new ones even after the time span of ten years.
4. While the ceramic tiles are stain free and are free from the impact of the fire and heat the other materials are neither stain free nor are free from the effects of fire and heat.
5. Also the ceramic tiles are water proof and are also not affected by the acids and alkalis which is not there in case of the materials like marble, PVC carpets and woolen carpets
Apart from their decorative looks, Ceramic Tiles are primarily hygiene products and that is how our broad spectrum of consumer views the product. This is fairly evident from its usage ranging from bathrooms and kitchens in average Indian households to medical centers, labs, milk booths, schools, public conveniences and countless other centers dotting our surroundings. A ceramic tile is basically a "utility product" and that remains our promotional slogan. Popular housing projects are increasingly switching over to Ceramic Tiles from the traditional mosaic and even granite or marble, owing to several factors viz. ease in laying ability, versatility, low price and most important hygiene.

Nevertheless, this decorative aspect of a Ceramic Tiles has forever been in the forefront. Heavy churning out of bolder and colorful designs by the industry are testament that most households regard a ceramic tile as an "adornment" for an otherwise "drab look" of their age-old floorings or an unfurnished wall.

CERAMIC TILES INDUSTRY IN INDIA

Background
The ceramics industry in India was started in the late 1950s with H & R Johnson setting up its plant for the manufacture of wall tiles at Thane near Mumbai, Spartek Ceramics joined in 1985. The booming demand for floor tiles prompted the entry of other players like Regency Ceramics, Kajaria Ceramics, Murudeshwar Ceramics, Bell Ceramics.

By basic product variation, the tiles market has three component segments: a)mosaic b)ceramic and c)natural stones. Mosaic tiles claim a 70% share. The ceramic tiles and natural stones share the rest almost equally. Natural stones in turn has three segments: granites, marbles and other stones, including Kota stone.

The Ceramic tiles are available in at least three variations i) floor tiles, ii) wall tiles iii) vitrified tiles.

Size of industry.
Ever since liberalization process was initiated in 1991, the excise duty for the industry has been on the slide down. From as high as 55% in 1993-94, it was reduced to 40% in 1994, to 30% in 1995-96 and to 25% in the budget of 1997-98. The Chelliah Committee had recommended even less, 15% by 1997. The cuts reduced the price differential between ceramic and mosaic tiles. This resulted in a sort of boom in the industry. The companies expanded their capacities and a few new players entered the field. In 1994-95, the industry capacity expanded by 14% and in 1995-96, it expanded further by 32%. The capacity has continued to expand by a similar jump in 1997-98.

The floor tiles segment is growing faster, leaving only a limited idle capacity. The wall tiles market has been growing at a slower pace, leaving large unutilized capacities.

The growth has slowed down due to both endogenous and exogenous factors, while costs are spiraling up. The demand growth, however, remains at a relatively lower level (15%). This has led to lower prices and lower margins of profit. The principal factor for the change was the fall in demand led by a decline in the construction activity. This was aggravated by increases in infrastructure costs - freight, energy and petroleum products - high interest rates accompanied by financial stringency. The competition was synchronized with low margins. In a scenario dominated by a buyers' market, the credit period has gone up to 90 to 100 days as against 30 to 35 days earlier. With a diverse variety of the products in terms of sizes, colors and designs, the inventory levels have been inordinately high.

The key features of the ceramic tile industry in India are as follows:
• Ceramic Tiles are furnishing materials apart from being utility or hygiene products - despite an overall slowdown of the economy this sector continues to grow at a healthy 12% per annum.
• Investments in the last 5 years have aggregated over Rs. 2000 crores (or INR 20 Billion) and production during 2003-04 stood at approx. 200 million sq mts.
• Growth of the unorganized sector accounted for 44% of total production, which bears testimony of the attractive returns from this industry.
• Revenue earning industry - excise mops up over Rs. 150 crores (or INR 1.5 Billion) annually from the organized sector itself.
• Ranks in the top 7 in terms of production in the world. Market share of India has risen from a little over 1.7% to 2.7% in terms of ceramic tile production.
• With proper planning and better quality control our exports (presently insignificant) contribution can significantly increase.
Overall picture of the industry
Ceramic tiles as a product segment have grown to a sizeable chunk today at 3.8 million tons production per annum. However, the potential seems to be great, particularly as the housing sector, retails sector, IT & BPO sectors have been witnessing an unprecedented boom in recent years. The ceramic tiles sector has been clocking a robust growth of 12-15% consistently over the last few years. Today, India figures in the top 7 countries in the world manufacturing ceramic tiles. The key drivers for the ceramic tiles in India are the boom in housing sector coupled by government policies fuelling strong growth in housing sector. The retail boom in the Indian economy has also influenced the demand for higher end products. Overall the bullish growth estimates in the Indian economy has significantly influenced the growth of the Indian Ceramic tile industry.

The main product segments are the Wall tile, Floor tile, Vitrified tile and Porcelain tile segments. The market shares are 35%, 53% and 12% respectively for Wall, Floor & Vitrified/Porcelain tiles. The tiles are available in a wide variety of designs, textures and surface effects. They cater to tastes as varied from rustics to contemporary marble designs in super glossy mirror finishes.
Both, traditional methods of manufacturing (tunnel –tunnel) and the latest single fast firing methods are deployed in manufacturing. Some of the latest trends in manufacturing methods can be seen in India.
The investments in the last five years are approx. Rs 2000 crores. The industry also enjoys the unique distinction of being highly indigenous with an abundance of raw materials, technical skills, infrastructural facilities despite being fairly capital intensive. A total of 5,50,000 people are employed, 50,000 directly and 5,00,000 indirectly. The potential is huge considering the per capita consumption of ceramic tiles in India. Currently it is at 0.15 sq. m per person in comparison to over 2 for like countries like China, Brazil and Malaysia.

Where we stand and what we must do?
As a foreign exchange earner or a global player, Indian Tile industry has captured the attention of the world in the ceramic tiles segment. India is projected to figure in the top 5 countries manufacturing ceramic tiles by 2010. This however is subject to policies favorable for the tile industry to complete with international players on an even ground.
To compete internationally, our plants must be geared up to large plants like in China and Turkey based on economies of scale. These will also help us in lowering our cost of production significantly. Also, infrastructural support is a key factor that determines the speed of growth. The better the infrastructure, the better is the growth in terms of consistency and sustenance. Supply of power and gas remain the key issues. Availability, consistent supply and reasonable rates are extremely important for the growth of the ceramic tile industry. Also, the polices pertaining to Basic Customs Duty on import of ceramic tiles and raw materials need to be reviewed periodically to prevent dumping of tiles from international suppliers. Favorable excise duty and MRP structure should enhance Rural thrust.

Current status of the industry
The ceramic tiles industry in India has followed similar trends internationally which have been characterized by excess capacities and falling margins. Countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam are setting up their own plants. China has emerged as a major competitor. Producers from Spain and Italy have the advantage of lower transportation costs while exporting to USA and Germany. In India, the per capita consumption is as low as 0.15 sq.mt. Compared to China (2 sqm), Europe (5 to 6 sqm) or Brazil (2.5 sqm). Rising disposable incomes of the growing middle class and 40 million units of housing shortage hold out a great potential.

A major change that took over the ceramic tiles industry, was the introduction of vitrified and porcelain tiles. These new entrant product types are said to be the tiles of the future. Internationally these tiles are already the major sellers. These category of products account for 13% of all organized sales in this industry (approx. INR 1.95 Billion).
These new products and the conventional wall & floor tiles have together made the organized industry grow to a formidable Rs. 2250 crores (INR 22.50 billion) industry. This coupled with a spate of expansions by many players make the industry look very promising in the future.
The Indian Industry has developed an export market although at the lower end. In volume it constitutes less than half a percent of the global market. (Presently India does not figure in the list of major exporting countries). But this reality could change as Indian exports are rising at the rate of 15% per annum. The top-end of the global export market is presently dominated by Italy (40.8%) and Spain (26.4%).

CERAMIC TILE INDUSTRY STATISTICS
World Production 6400 Million sq.mt.
India's Share: 200 Million sq.mt.
World ranking in production 7th

Per Capita Consumption 0.15 sq. mt
Global industry growth rate 6%

Growth rate (Indian Market) 12%
Organized industry turnover (India): INR 22.50 Billion

Investments in last 5 years INR 20 Billion
Share of production
Organized Sector
Unorganized sector
56 %
44 %
Number of units
Organized Sector
Unorganized Sector 15
200 (70% of these located in Gujarat)

Revenue (excise duty)
Organized Sector:

Unorganized Sector:

INR 2.3 Billion p.a
INR 0.7 Billion p.a

Job Potential
Direct: Indirect:
50,000
500,000

COMPANY PROFILE
Bell Ceramics Limited was started in 1985 with the aim of manufacturing world-class ceramic glazed tiles. The company is envisioned to become the most preferred provider of the tiling solutions in a short span of time.
MISSION STATEMENT
To bring a smile of satisfaction to everyone who gets touched by our products- customers, visitors, dealers, vendors, architects, builders, masons and other stakeholders.
VISION
Our products are made with the clear objective of providing that careful yet significant difference to the ambiance and aesthetics that you desire.
INFRASTRUCTURE
The company has two plants strategically located near major Indian markets. One plant is situated at DORA VILLAGE near VADODRA in GUJARAT and the other one is situated at HOSKOTE near BANGALORE in KARNATAKA.
PRODUCTION CAPACITY
The company was started with the capacity of 20000 tonnes per annum which has now been increased to 146 lakh tones per annum. The DORA plant of the company has the installed capacity of around 63.87 lacs sq. mts per annum of the wall and floor tiles while the HOSKOTE plant has the capacity of 82.12 lacs sq. mts per annum of floor tiles. Both the plants make use of the world-renowned, Italian multi-line dry process technology, which is environment friendly and energy efficient.

STANDARDS
Bell has ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001 manufacturing facilities. Also the manufacturing at both these plants conforms to Committee European De Normalization (CEN) norms. In addition to this the products also conform to the IS: 13755 and IS: 13753 standards. All the machinery at both the plants has been imported from FRANCE and ITALY. The company follows the stringent sorting and packing norms and makes no compromises in terms of the quality of the materials.

SALES AND DISTRIBUTION NETWORK The company has the annual turnover of approximately 200 crores with the growth rate of 20% annually which is 6% higher than that of the growth rate of the industry. This makes Bell Ceramics Limited as the largest manufacturer and the seller of the floor tiles in India. With the head office of the company situated at Vadodara in Gujarat the company has 29 depots which are well equipped with systems and network situated in the key cities of the country like AHEMDABAD, CHANDIGARH, GUWAHATI, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, PUNE, DELHI etc.. All these depots are connected through world class ERP software to ensure the optimal and the timely delivery of the tiles and are managed by professionally trained C&F agents. These depots cater to not only the particular cities where they are situated but also to the neighboring locations like the depot at the CHANDIGARH caters to the regions of PUNJAB, HARYANA, HIMACHAL PRADESH, JAMMU AND KASHMIR and CHANDIGARH itself. The company has over 1000 AUTHORIZED DEALERS AND AROUND 3500 RETAIL OUTLETS ACROSS INDIA.

EXPORT VALUE OF THE COMPANY
The company has a very high export value associated with it and it caters to some of the most competitive international markets. The key export markets for the company are those of AUSTRALIA, PHILLIPINES, UAE, BAHRAIN, SAUDI ARABIA, SULTANATE OF OMAN, QATAR, KUWAIT, SINGAPORE, MAURITIUS, NEW ZEALAND, SRI LANKA, BANGLADESH, SOUTH AFRICA AND KENYA among others The company keeps participating in the international expos and exhibitions like Design Build, SYDNEY. The company has also been awarded the Certificate of Merit from the President of India for showing the ‘EXCELLENT EXPORT PERFORMANCE’
NEW SERIES INTRODUCED BY THE COMPANY
Company has recently introduced three new series in the market to target high profile segment. These three series are
• RETRO SERIES
• ZEN SERIES
• RAGALIA SERIES

This project aimed at test & measurement of response for new products among influencers and channel partners. It also aimed at developing an insight into the needs, trends and competition in ceramic tile industry. Project also included knowing the kind of flooring and particular brands of tiles that architects prefer and been used. The project was done in the months of May & June 2007. Out of which first seven weeks were stipulated for fieldwork while the last one week was spent on preparing a comprehensive report to highlight the major inferences and conclusions drawn from the study.

This project is of great importance because of the current boom in the construction sector. This boom in construction activities provides a very bright scope for the growth of ceramic tile industry. In this project an attempt has been made to get information from the architects and builders about their feedback on the two new series, Zen and Retro introduced by Bell Ceramics and knowing which architect can serve as future client. Also an attempt is made to find why despite of such a low priced brand, its sale is so less.

The data collection was facilitated by the use of the personal interview technique. The target population or respondents consisted of architects, contractors and builders who influence the decision while selecting the tiles.

Findings have shown that near about all the major players in the ceramic tile industry have same quality so all the decisions depends on the availability of the product, brand name, designs and colors available. As regards to the finishes being preferred, the choice of finish depends on the location where it is to be used but wooden and rustic finish holds a lot of scope. Wooden finish can be used in bedrooms in place of wooden flooring and it looks aesthetically better. Rustic finish is used a lot now days for passages, verandas and open areas. Big sizes are being demanded and are preferred over small sizes as they reduce the cost and look much better. It has also been discovered that majority of people still prefer going for traditional marble stone because of its durability and large size. Among tiles, the highest potential lies with vitrified tiles which are considered far more strong and durable than ceramic tiles. According to the findings in Chandigarh and surrounded areas, Kajaria, Johnson and Orient are most preferred tiles.
The decision-making authority regarding brand to be used varies with the type of construction activities for which they are to be used. Like in the industrial projects architect has the greatest deciding authority while in commercial projects owner takes a lot of interest in decision regarding brands. While in residential construction by builders they take the decision of brand on their own. In most of the cases architects recommends 3-4 brands then one among them is selected on the basis of availability, popularity and price.

According to the study conducted the target segment for Bell Ceramics is upper class that is quality conscious and price is of least importance to them. But the main consideration to be taken into account to capture this segment is innovation in terms of designs. And efforts should be made to increase the brand awareness among the end users.
The findings of the Project suggest that Bell Ceramics should try to develop a strong dealership network and make their products more readily visible in the markets. Also Regular contacts and Proper follow up with key decision making authorities should be there. Long term relations should be given importance. More and more advertising should be done not only on television but also in high traffic areas and attempt should be made to differentiate its products through innovation and better designs. It has also been found that Bell ceramics has been positioned in the market as tile of low middle class group. Company should try to reposition itself by introducing few exclusive and expensive ranges for high profile segment. I am glad to say that company has already taken a step in this direction by introducing Zen and Retro series. But there is still along way to go.

INTRODUCTION:
BACKGROUND:

This project “Test and measurement of response of new products among influencers and channel partners.” is of great significance for Bell Ceramics Ltd. Firstly because it is important for the company to identify target market for the new products introduced by them. This project aimed at introducing new series to architects and other influencers which has been done by showing the samples of both new series to them. This project will also help us to analyze the current trends that are going in the tile industry in relation to designs, sizes, colors, quality and price. The analysis of this part will help the company know the choice and preference of the customer and company can adopt its products according to the recent trends in the market so as to gain better market share in the market.
Secondly, this project tries to analyze the competition in the ceramic tiles industry in this section we need to compare Bell Ceramics with other companies in the same field and this analysis will tell us where our brands will stand in relation to other brands in the market in different areas as quality, price, designs, brand awareness and a company can improve in those field where it is lacking. And company can also know about its strength vis-à-vis its competitors. All this will tell the company what all they need to improve to make a better company and also those strengths that company can encash upon.
Thirdly this project aimed at knowing the needs of ceramic tiles industry. This will help us know what is lacking in the ceramic tile industry and what innovation and experiments can be carried out to have first mover’s advantage for the company. This will help us know ceramic tiles vis-à-vis other finishing material that is being used and can those shortcomings be removed so as to make it as per the requirements of the customers.
With the growing number of companies in the ceramic tiles industries and every company trying to do something new and innovative and adapting different strategies to gain the customer share and loyalty it is very important to analyze what all is going in the markets and to adapt your product according to the changing requirements of the customer.

Objectives of the study.
Test and measurement of response of new products among influencers and channel partners.

• To meet the architects and builders in order to get information regarding what kind of construction activity are they into.

• To meet the architects, builders in the city and analyze their role in determining the buying behavior of their clients.

• To interact with the architects, builders and getting information about their attitude towards ceramic tiles.

• To study the current trends and preferences (in terms of design, size, brands etc) in the ceramic tile industry

• To identify the needs and expectations of the end user and analyze how bell fits into the scheme of things.

• To carry out a comprehensive analysis of bell ceramics vis-à-vis its competitors. This also includes other flooring materials like marble, wooden flooring etc.

• To identify the key considerations taken into account while deciding on the brand to be used.

• To introduced new Zen and Retro series to architects, contractors and builders.

• To obtain the feedback of architects and other influencers on both new series regarding pattern, shades, size and price.

• To identify the target market and potential buyers for both new series.

• To identify the scope of improvement in new series and Bell ceramics as whole.

Research Methodology

SCOPE OF THE STUDY:

• To personally interact with Architects, builders and contractors in and around Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula and getting their feedback on new series introduced by Bell.
• To study and analyze the scope of new products launched by the company on the basis of information gathered by the company.

RESEARCH DESIGN:

For the purpose of this study initially we used exploratory research in the form of an exhaustive market survey of various ceramic tile dealers in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula and the surrounding areas that equipped me with the requisite knowledge, which facilitated . This initial market survey was done in 4 days and it helped in doing competitive analysis on factors like design, quality, price, advertising, brand image etc. In the later stage of the research, more than 80 architects in tricity were visited. I have used a combination of descriptive as well as causal research to fulfill the earlier enumerated objectives.
Markets Surveyed:
CHANDIGARH – Sector 7, 18, 22, 26
MOHALI – Phase 3B1, 3B2, 9, Sector 70.
PANCHKULA – Sector 11, 12A, Rally market.

DATA COLLECTION METHOD:

The primary data has been collected from the respondents through a methodology of personal interview technique. Based on initial market survey a detailed questionnaire was prepared which formed the basis for the interviews conducted. I interviewed more than 80 architects, builders, contractors in the city over a period of 40 days. The copy of the questionnaire is attached in the annexure.

SAMPLE DESIGN:

For the purpose of this study we were provided a list of the architects and builders and were told to interact with them thoroughly. The architects and builders to be interacted with were chosen at random according to the convenience. The judgment mode of non probability sampling was used wherein the architects were interviewed so as to obtain their feedback regarding the new products launched by the company, their opinion about the tiles from BELL CERAMICS in comparison with the other players in the ceramic tile industry & also the extent of their role in the buying decision of the ceramic tiles by the end user.

METHODOLOGY

The methodology adopted was of conducting personal interviews, using an exhaustive questionnaire. Data was analyzed later using statistical technique of MS Office Excel and other graphical representations such as pie charts and Bar charts.

TARGET POPULATION
Architects, Builders and contractors.

QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
The questionnaire was designed so as to obtain the information from the architects regarding their feedback on the new products, the factors they keep in mind while making the purchase of the ceramic tiles, the various brands they prefer and use. Most of the questions were closed ended question which facilitated quantifying of responses.
A copy of Questionnaire designed has been attached in Annexure.

DATA MEASUREMENT & SCALING
Major key players in the ceramic tile industry have been studies and the recent trends in the industry regarding the sizes and the designs of the ceramic tiles available in the market have been ascertained. Also the key decision makers in the purchase of the ceramic tiles in case of the commercial institutions like banks, hospitals, educational institutions, hotels, industries and also the residential buildings like bungalows, duplexes, flats being constructed have been identified along with the factors they consider while making the buying decision and for that purpose the importance of each factor has been measured using the nominal scale.

LIMITATION OF STUDY

Every study has its own limitation, which sometimes hampers the accuracy of the work being done and results produced. Following are the limitations of the study being conducted by me:
 Time constraint was the biggest constraint as it limited the sample size of the architects and builders being interviewed
 Obtaining information from architects proved to be a difficult job because of their Busy schedules.
 Few architects were even resistant to share their views and their projects.
 The descriptive quality of the study undertaken that is personal interview technique has its own constraints like biasness and subjectivity of responses, within which the researchers had to work.

• Categorization of architects on the basis of projects they are into.

The first and foremost step in analyzing the feedback is to identify the kind of population which is to be interviewed. It facilitates the better understanding of position of product in the market. For this purpose I have categorized the architects into the kind of projects they do i.e. whether they do residential projects, commercial, institutional projects or any combination of them. This would further facilitate identifying the preference of flooring on the basis of kind of projects like identifying which kind of flooring is more preferred in residence, in hotels, offices, colleges or so. The architects being interviewed are classified into four different types as follows:

1) TYPE A: - These are the ones who are doing residential, commercial as well as institutional projects.
2) TYPE B: - These are the ones who are doing only residential and commercial projects but not the institutional projects.
3) TYPE C: - These are the ones who are doing either residential or commercial projects but not both of them.
4) TYPE D: - These are the ones who are doing only institutional projects.

Pie chart shows that 65% of architects comes in TYPE B, 18% comes into TYPE A, 10% into TYPE C whereas only 7% falls in TYPE D.

• Type of tile being used Majority of the architects use both ceramic as well as vitrified tiles. Vitrified tiles are more used in bedrooms and living areas whereas ceramic tiles are more used in kitchen and bathrooms. Pie chart shows that there are only 12% architects who use ceramic tiles in living areas also and solely depends upon ceramic tiles. Whereas 27% of the architects use only vitrifies tiles in all areas.
This shows that company should focus on producing tiles that can be laid in living room and bed rooms and therefore can give a better alternative to clients than vitrified tiles. Company also needs to bring awareness among client regarding quality, strength and durability of tile.

• Usage of ceramic tiles
Ceramic tiles are used as wall as well as floor tiles. Few architects prefer using ceramic tiles on walls only and few prefer using them on floor only. Whereas the maximum proportion of architects use them on wall as well as floor. In terms of wall tiles, ceramic tiles is the most significant available to client to use in bathrooms and kitchen. Whereas in the category of floor tiles there are so many supplement to ceramic floor tiles like marble stone, vitrified tiles and many more.

Pie chart shows that 17%of architects use ceramic tiles on floors only and 24% use them on walls only. But there is large percentage of architects (59%) who use ceramic tiles on walls as well as on floors.
Since Bell Ceramics deals with both the segments therefore as this chart indicates that in respect of this parameter of the research the entire pool of opportunities for exploring and penetrating into this sector is open to the company. Also we know that Bell Ceramics is one of the leaders in the floor tiles segment and there is a sizeable chunk of the total sample population interviewed which is into the use of this segment of tiles; therefore there is a great opportunity to the company to maintain that leadership position. In wall tiles also bell can dominate the market by selling patterns for bathrooms rather than selling tiles only.

• Brand consciousness among architects
During interaction with architects it has been observed that most of the architects were particular about the brand they use. They were reluctant to use not only unbranded tiles but also branded tiles other than their favorite brands. In contrast there were even few architects who said that purchasing a tile is like purchasing a cloth wherein all that matters is the design, pattern and shades and not the mill that manufacture that piece of cloth.
Pie chart shows that 66% of architects were brand conscious and 34% were willing to use any tile that provides good designs, shades and demands less price. It is easy for Bell to capture this 34% segment because of its low price. Bell should target on building a strong Brand name so as to make it easier to end users to identify Bell as a Brand.

• Brands preferred by the architects.

TYPE A – BELL CERAMICS TYPE B – KAJARIA TYPE C – JOHNSON TYPE D – ORIENT TYPE E – NITCO TYPE F – OTHERS.

The brand which is mostly preferred by the architects is Kajaria (28%) followed by Johnson (20%), Nitco & Orient (15%), Bell Ceramics (11%). While other brands which constitutes 11%, includes brands like RAK tiles and Somany tiles. Both RAK and Somany tiles are being preferred by architects because they have very beautiful designs and a lot of variety.
In order to compete with these brands Bell has to improve its design, variety and most importantly needs to focus upon its advertisement and marketing and make the brand popular among end users.
The above shown chart has been included to give the company an idea about there current position in the departments vis-a-vis its competitors. This will help the company in identifying its key competitors in terms of the hold on the market and at the same time in rectifying there own shortcomings.

• Size of tiles preferred by the architects in wall tiles.

The research helped in identifying the major sizes preferred by the architects to be used on walls and floors. Pie chart shows that the size which is mostly used by the architects in wall tiles is 8x12 and 10x13 which is manufactured by Bell Ceramics. Thus it provides a great opportunity to the company to increase its share in this segment. But there are other brands like Kajaria, Somany which are giving tough competition to Bell in this segment so Bell has to keep an eye on these brands and thus it should keep innovating and introducing new designs.

• Sizes preferred in floor tiles.
The size which is mostly used by the architects in floor tiles are 20x20, 24x24 and higher but Bell Ceramics do not produce tiles of these sizes that’s why Bell tiles in this segment is very rarely used. Architects as well as the consumers generally prefers tiles of higher size because of ease of laying them, less number of joints in them and they give a very beautiful look. Since Bell is not producing tiles above 16x16 size so in order to compete in this category of tiles Bell needs to increase its size. One of the reasons given by architects for the non production of higher size ceramic tiles is that the higher size of ceramic tiles is more prone to breakage.

• Colors preferred by the architects.
Color combination is one of the very important factors that is considered while purchasing the tiles according to the architects. It has been seen that most of the architects prefer light colors to be used in rooms than using dark colors. They believe that light colors give much broader look to the rooms. Bar chart show that 73% of the architects like light colors while only 27% of architects prefer dark colors that to in some particular areas of the house or office. This is the important reason for which RETRO series has not been much liked by the architects because most of its shades are very dark. Thus Bell should give emphasis on producing tiles of light color which easily matches the interior of the residences or offices.

• Authority with architects in decision making in purchasing tiles.
The decision regarding the purchase of tiles is done mostly by the architects and the consumer together. It has been seen that most of the clients believe in expert’s opinion and let them decide about the tile to be used. The research shows that 48% of the architects enjoy full control during the purchase of tiles while 37% has equal control and rest 15% has limited or no control. So from the company’s point of view it is better to target the architects as they are the expert and consumers trust them. The architects should be regularly contacted and made aware of the latest products introduced by the company. There should be proper follow up with the architects and they must be provided with sample tiles.

• Factors considered while purchasing the tiles.
There are various factors which are considered while purchasing tiles like Price, Size, Designs, Colors and Brand name. Apart from these there are few more factors which are not considered in this question.

The above chart shows that design and pattern is most important factor that is considered (33%) while purchasing the tiles followed by color combinations (24%),brand name (18%), Size of tiles (15%) and Price (10%) According to the architects, when the tiles are laid then it is very difficult to distinguish that which brand the tile belonged to and if properly laid all the tiles have almost the same life so they give most importance to design and color combination.

• Comparison of Bell tiles in comparison with other tiles on the basis of Design.

Most of the architects who were interviewed believed that BELL CERAMICS does not offer as varied range of designs as offered by other companies like Kajaria, Orient, Nitco and Johnson. Nitco is believed to offer a new series almost every month. Kajaria offers different ranges to cater the needs of people of different status whereas Bell is considered to have a very limited range.

Chart show that there are only 20% architects who believe that Bell has better range of Designs than other companies whereas 43% consider it to be equivalent to other companies and 37% of architects believe that Bell should introduce more new series and design and should try to bring something exclusive.

• Comparison of Bell tiles in comparison with other tiles on the basis of Availability.
Majority of the architects mentioned it that in case of tiles, one of the most important factors that are considered is the availability of tile. The tendency to wait for any particular design in any particular brand is very low. In case of non availability of selected design, clients normally shift to some other brand.

Pie chart shows that only 20% of the architects are convinced that Bell ceramics has a good dealer network in region and is easily available whereas a proportion as high as 42% believes that Bell tiles are not easily seen as well as accessible. One of the architect in the city even commented that dealers of Bell ceramics are not friendly and do not even provide with sample tiles to architects.

• Comparison of Bell tiles in comparison with other tiles on the basis of Marketing & Sales Promotion.
As various Branding Gurus say, a brand can be successful only if it owns a name in the minds of the customer, which is made possible through advertising and marketing. It makes the people familiar with the brand and enables them to associate themselves with the Brand. But it has been witnessed that Bell Ceramic has hardly done any marketing and sales promotion. Most of the architects said that when they go to any tile store, they rarely see any advertising signs of Bell.
Almost all the architects have recommended that Bell needs to follow an aggressive marketing strategy in order to promote its products.

• Comparison of Bell tiles in comparison with other tiles on the basis of Price.
Research shows that Bell ceramic’s tile is considered as one of more reasonably priced tile. Results show that only 15% of the architects thought that it is highly priced. Whereas 35% of the architects said that its price is average and remaining 50% said its price is low. Rather, Bell has maintained an image of economical tile. This is the factor where Bell scores highly, but sometimes it goes against the company also as few architects said that sometimes high end customers do not buy lower priced tiles.
I strongly feel that Bell should have an exclusive segment for high profile customers like those of Kajaria has Kajaria Premium.

ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK OF ZEN SERIES.
ZEN Series is a new series introduced by BELL CERAMICS which offers 6 different shades. This series has Rustic Finish and is in the size of 397mm*397mm. This series comes into the category of edge cut tiles. The suggested area for the use of ZEN tile is Living Room, Bedroom, Offices, Recreational centers. Surface of this design is special textured matt to give an elegant look.
The sample of Retro series was shown to architects and their feedback was received on quality, design, pattern, color and price of series.

• Feedback of Architects on ZEN series on the basis of Size.
I am glad to say that results of the study show that the response of architects on the size of ZEN series has been very positive. Most of the architects admitted that its size is pretty acceptable even if it is little less than 24*24. results show that 70% of architects were satisfied by the size of Zen series whereas 30 % of architects were fuzzy upon having minimum 24*24 size.

• Feedback of Architects on ZEN series on the basis of Color.
ZEN Series has received a positive feedback on its colors also. It was so proud to hear from architects that Zen has come into the shades that establish Tranquility and Peace and creates an atmosphere that facilitates developing concentration. It has been introduced in six shades out of which ZEN HAZEL and ZEN FAWN are the shades that are preferred more. There were only 24% of architects which were not impressed by its shades.

• Feedback of Architects on ZEN series on the basis of Finish.
There has been a neutral response from architects on the finish and pattern of Zen series. Few architects said that it has rustic look whereas few said that it looks like on unfinished piece of wood. Most of the architects agreed upon one point that its surface was rough and so it would let dust particles to get accumulated and therefore won’t be easy to maintain. One of the architects even suggested that if there would be an invisible lamination on tile, it would prevent dust particles to get stick on the tile.

• Feedback of Architects on ZEN series on the basis of Price.
When the architects were asked about the price of Zen series most of them either said that it is low priced or averagely priced. Out of the total architects interviewed 33% said that Zen tiles are averagely priced and 55% said it is low priced while only 12% of the architects found it overpriced. But few architects raised a question that the Zen series has been designed for the high profile client, but they may find it against their status to buy an ordinarily priced tile.

• Feedback of Architects on ZEN series on the basis of Quality.
Most of the architects agreed that Zen tile has fine quality. Out of all the architects interviewed 15% said that Zen tiles are high quality while 48% of the architects said that these are of average quality and rest of the 37% said it is below standards. These 37% architects argued that it will soon loose its outer layer, and on cutting it won’t give smooth edges. Most of the architects said that Bell has always maintained standards in quality.

ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK OF RETRO SERIES.
RETRO Series is a new series introduced by BELL CERAMICS which offers 12 different shades. This series has Rustic Finish and is in the size of 297mm*297mm. This series comes into the category of edge cut tiles. The suggested area for the use of Retro tile is Living Room, Pathways, Entrance and elevations. Natural rustic characters are believed to add new facet to the floor.
The sample of Retro series was shown to architects and their feedback was received on quality, design, pattern, color and price of series.
• Feedback of Architects on RETRO series on the basis of Size.
It is unfortunate that most of the architects were not convinced by the size of Retro Series and found it too small as compared to vitrified tiles, which are available in sizes as big as 8*8. Architects said that now the trend is of big sizes. Larger sizes are preferred because they produce fewer joints and are easy to cut.

Results show that only 27% or architects were happy with its size, whereas 73% architects wished it came in a comparatively larger size.

• Feedback of Architects on RETRO series on the basis of Color.
As mentioned earlier, architects prefer using light colors in rooms because of their ability to giver broader look to rooms. I am afraid that shades of RETRO being very dark, have not been liked by majority of architects. Arcadia Bianco, Arcadia Crema and Aztec Flame are only three shades which have been accepted by the architects. Only 33% of architects were happy with the shades of RETRO while 67% did not like it

• Feedback of Architects on RETRO series on the basis of Finish.
Again there has been a neutral response from architects on the finish and pattern of RETRO series. Architects said that it has rustic look which has a high demand in the market. Most of the architects again said that its surface was rough and so it would let dust particles get accumulated and therefore won’t be easy to maintain. It has been found that only 46% liked pattern of Retro series whereas 54% didn’t like it.

• Feedback of Architects on RETRO series on the basis of Price.
Price is not a big concern for Retro Series as most of the architects found it quite reasonable. Only 15% of architects found it overpriced whereas the rest either considered it averagely priced or low priced.

• Feedback of Architects on RETRO series on the basis of Quality.
When the architects were asked to comment upon the quality of Retro series most of them were of the view that retro series is not up to the mark. Out of all the architects interviewed 55% said it is not satisfactory, 33 % said it is barely up to the mark and only 12% found it good. Generally Bell is regarded as a good quality company but because the Retro series did not appeal much to the architects so most of them said that it is not up to the mark. There is high scope for improvement in Retro series.

SWOT ANALYSIS
SWOT analysis is a basic, straightforward model that provides direction and serves as a basis for the development of marketing plans. It accomplishes this by assessing an organizations strengths (what an organization can do) and weaknesses (what an organization cannot do) in addition to opportunities (potential favorable conditions for an organization) and threats (potential unfavorable conditions for an organization). The role of SWOT analysis is to take the information from the environmental analysis and separate it into internal issues (strengths and weaknesses) and external issues (opportunities and threats). Once this is completed, SWOT analysis determines if the information indicates something that will assist the firm in accomplishing its objectives (a strength or opportunity), or if it indicates an obstacle that will hamper the fulfillment of its objectives.
.

• In SWOT, strengths and weaknesses are internal factors while opportunities and threats are external factors.
• The study of Internal Strength and weaknesses is known as SAP (Strategically Advantage Plan)
• The study of external Opportunities and Threats is termed as ETOP (Environmental Threats and Opportunities Profile)
Following are the Strengths and Weaknesses of Bell Ceramics LTD and Threats and Opportunities that environment provides to the company.

Strengths

• New product series introduced.

• Good relationships with Dealers.

• Reasonable Prices.

• Better packing than many other brands.
• Most desirable sizes offered in wall tiles.

Weaknesses

• Lack of advertising
• Lack of brand knowledge on the part of customers
• Lack of connections with decision makers and end users.
• Restricted Price Range.
• Limited designs.
• Poor dealership network.
Opportunities

• Boom in construction sector.
• Cheaper as compared to traditional finishing material.
• Increasing trend of tiles. Threats

• Mushrooming of local brands and dealer getting better margin on them.
• Imported ceramic tiles becoming cheaper and affordable.
• Highly increased demand of vitrified tiles.

We shall use the SWOT Analysis in the following model which would help us in understanding how we can complement our internal strength and weakness to our external opportunities and threats.

INTERNAL

STRENGTHS WEAKNESS

SO

OW

ST

TW

OPPORTUNITIES

EXTERNAL

THREATS

SO – Stands for a strategy in which internal strengths of the company are used to make the best benefits out of opportunities provided by the environment.

ST – Stands for a strategy in which strengths of the company are used to reduce the threats from the environment.

OW – Stands for a strategy in which opportunities from the environment are used to minimize the internal weaknesses of the firm.

TW – Stands for a strategy which is made in order to ensure that external threats together with internal weaknesses don’t adversely affect the performance of the company.

Some recommendations on the basis of SWOT.

• Company should use its strengths like new ZEN and RETRO series and price them reasonably to make the best of the boom in construction sector.

• Company should use its various strengths like proper packaging, fine quality and desirable sizes in order to reduce threats from imported tiles and local brands.

• The boom in the construction sector can help the company in attracting more dealers which will improve the dealer network of the company.

• Company should make such strategies that ensure that limited designs and restricted price range don’t allow imported tiles, local brands and other competitive brand to adversely affect the performance of the company.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The project on Bell Ceramics has proved to be very informative and has helped me a great deal in understanding the tile market and its business. After analyzing the facts and figures from close quarters there are certain recommendations that should be given a thought and if incorporated, they would help in the positive development of the company.

 No doubt there is good brand awareness for Bell Ceramics among Architects and Builders but they are not recommending it that consistently due to lack of regular contact by the company representatives and also there is no proper follow up after the business is completed once. More sales representatives should be employed and a limited area should be given to them and they should be given the duty of contacting architects and builders at regular and frequent interval of times and they should also frequently move around the area allotted to them so as to keep a track of the construction coming up in that region.

 The concept of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) should be adopted. The relations with the Architects and Builders should be made friendlier and feedback should be taken from them at regular intervals so as to know what type of problems are they facing while using your product and what improvements can be made.

 It should be ensured that depot has is adequately stocked with the required designs and sizes of products that are circulating in the market or that are being used in some big projects. A number of people are facing the problem of unavailability of a particular design and color that was used previously in case of Bell Ceramics.

 Similarly it should be taken care of that the samples of all the designs and colors that are given in the catalogue are available with the depot otherwise it creates a bad perception about the company and results in loss of future business.

 The company should try to provide some more attractive incentives to the dealers as they also play an important role in choice of brand in smaller projects which company can’t look after as it would result in diseconomies. Most of the consumers who are constructing their own houses and shops go by the knowledge provided to them by the dealers. So dealers should be encouraged to promote your brand and this is only possible if dealers are getting good margins and profits on your product. This is the only reason why local brands of tiles are being increasingly used in private residential houses as dealers are getting greater margins on them. And these categories of customers normally hire ‘C’ class architects who don’t recommend the brand to be used. Their decision is limited to the designing the house.

 The packing of the product is of utmost importance as it avoids the breakage of product during transit, which in turn reflects on the company image. Johnson is considered the best in terms of the quality of the packing as they are using plastic sealing, which results in the minimum damage to the product inside. This factor also effects the decision of a number of users.

 As the price of Bell ceramics is on the higher end, it is mostly used by the upper segment of the society. This segment of society goes for innovation, quality and advertising. Now a days quality of the products are similar and are made using the same process so all depends on the innovation with regards to new designs, new kinds of products being offered.

 Next most important aspect is advertising and a lot depends on it. Knowledge of products is important not only on the part of Dealers, Builders and Architects but customer should also be aware of the brand name. For eg. Hoardings should be put at different places especially where there is high traffic like railway station, Bus stands and on busy junctions so that people are exposed to this brand. Also advertising should be undertaken via various media. This is the only reason why Kajaria has large portion of market share. For some customers ceramic tiles mean Kajaria as it is almost synonymous with the brand.

 Dealer network should be increased so that your products are easily accessible to those who want it. If possible efforts should be made to have dealers at places which are hub of construction activities like Baddi, Zirakpur etc.

 The company should have special training programmes for the sales people so that the sales force is dynamic, well informed and convincing.

 In order to make ceramic tiles more competitive in comparison to vitrified tiles bigger sizes of ceramic tiles should be introduced as bigger sizes are in trend these days and they look much better aesthetically. One feature in which ceramic tiles lack behind from the vitrified tiles is its durability. Ceramic tiles should be made harder and durable.

 Unusual sizes of ceramic tiles should be manufactured which are not manufactured by other companies. This will result in product differentiation and no other brands could be used as a substitute of your brand. The imported tile manufacturers are adopting this strategy.

 Architects can be told about the new uses of the ceramic tiles. Like ceramic tiles can be used on terraces, non-skid tiles can be used in the passage, veranda and outer areas. Not many architects know about the possible use of ceramic tiles on terrace and open areas.

 The company should think of giving some extra margin to dealers and architects so that they promote our tiles

 The company should try and make tiles which are cheaper and are meant for the middle segment of the society. It can also think of diversifying into related business as manufacture of sanitary items as done by Johnson.

 The website and the brochure should be improved and made more informative and certain promotional and advertising activities should be done so as to increase customer awareness.

Daily Activity Report – Trainee (Summer Project)

Summer Trainee’s Name : Shweta Dhir
Date : 14 /_05/ 2007 to 23 / 06/ 2007
Reporting Branch : _CHANDIGARH

Person Contacted Organization Contact Details
Address / Contact No.
Ar. CP Kaushal. M/S THE CREATORS SCO 305 - 06
Sector-35 B , Chandigarh 01722602338
Ar. Yashinder Bahga. VASTUKRIT SCO- 137-138. 1ST Floor.
Sector 8 C, Chandigarh.
09815624737

Ar. Vasu Bhasin KALPAKRITI CONSULTANTS SCO 137- 138, 2ND Floor.
Sector 8 C, Chandigarh.
09814016750

Yetinder Mathur. m/s Architect 764, Sector 8 B
Chandigarh.

Ar. P.K. GARG VASTU GROUP # 136, Sector 38A
CHANDIGARH
0172-2691839

Ar. P. S. Chawla. PARRY & ASSOCIATES. SCO 68, 1ST Floor.
Phase 3B2, Mohali.
09814002027

Ar. Ritesh K. Singla. ARCHITECTS COLLABORATIVE SCO 56, 3rd Floor.
Phase 3B2, Mohali.
098159-13956

Ar. Manoj Arora. THE DESIGN GRID SCO-98, 2nd floor.
Sector- 44 C , Chandigarh.
09814182821
Ar. Gurveer Charanjit & Associates. SCO 25 – 26, 2nd floor, Sector 22 C.
Chandigarh.
09814113931
Ar. Vinod Joshi An Architects Group. SCF NO. 2, Sector 21 C, Chandigarh 01722623979
Ar. Anita Bansal. M/S Subhash Anita & Associates. SCO 1106 - 07, Sector 22 B, Chandigarh.
01722709236
Ar. Amarjit Singh. H. NO. 589/2
Sector-40 A , Chandigarh 9814139760
Ar. Rohit/ Gagan Khera. SRIJAN SCO 491 -92, 2nd floor.
Sector- 35 C , Chandigarh.
09814709193
Ar. Ashwini Duggal. Subash & Associates. SCO 2469, Sector 22 C.
Chandigarh.
09814012870
Ar. Ravinder Singh Rana. M/S R. S. CONCEPTS SCO 491- 92, Sector 35 C, Chandigarh 01722611516
Ar. Sahib Singh M/S Mendiratta’s Architecture Plus. SCO 305 - 06, Sector 35 C, Chandigarh.
01722606577
Ar. Randhir Garg Randhir Garg & Associates. SCO 23, Top floor.
Sector-20 D , Chandigarh 9414122750
Ar. Gupta Gautam. M/S Gautam & Associates. SCO 13.
Sector-20 D , Chandigarh
01723919051
Ar. Nirmal Sharma Nirmal Sharma
Associates SCO 94 - 95, Sector 17 C, Chandigarh 09814123033
Ar. Amit Saini M/S Architects Atelier. SCO 8, Sector 17 E, Chandigarh.
09855420453
Ar. Atma Singh #1106, Sector- 34C, Chandigarh 9417201106
Ar. Kuljit Singh M/S Kuljit &
Associates. SCO 133- 135, Sector 17 C, Chandigarh. 01722728429.
Ar. Pankaj Malik M/S Planner Group. SCO 5, Sector 17 E, Chandigarh 01722703391.
Ar. Osan Avtar M/S Osan Assocites H.NO. 21, Sector 20 A, Chandigarh.
01722704805
Ar. Navdeep Sharma. DESIGN 360 H. NO. 464
Sector-15 A , Chandigarh 9888449464
Ar. . Bachitter Singh. M/S Bachitter Singh Associates SCO 20, 2nd floor, Sector 7 C, Chandigarh.

Ar. Arun Lumba. Lumba Associates. SCO 5, Sector 26, M. Marg
Chandigarh.
01722791761
Ar. Bandna Singh/ Vikram Pannu.

M/S Positive Exis #154, Sector 27 A.
Chandigarh
01722654938
Ar. Parmjit Singh Designers consultancy group. SCF 46.
Phase 7, Mohali.
09876481783
Ar. Harinder pal singh. HARINDER PAL & ASSOCIATES. SCF- 37, 2nd floor.
Phase – 10. Mohali. 09417004158
Ar. . Parveen Bakshi. NIRMAN CONSTRUCTIONS. SCO 89, 2nd floor .
Phase 7, Mohali.
09815607257
Ar. Mamta. #829, phase 11, Mohali.
09815394702
Ar. Manoj Arora. THE DESIGN GRID SCO-98, 2nd floor.
Sector- 44 C , Chandigarh.
09814182821
Ar. Vinod Joshi An Architects Group. SCF NO. 2, Sector 21 C, Chandigarh 01722623979
Ar. Ashutosh Handa Designers’ inc. H. NO 1283 (FF), Sector21 B, Chandigarh.
09815217505
Ar. Kuljit Singh M/S Kuljit &
Associates. SCO 133- 135, Sector 17 C, Chandigarh. 01722728429.
Ar. Pankaj Malik M/S Planner Group. SCO 5, Sector 17 E, Chandigarh 01722703391.
Ar. Harpreet. Construction Office.
Panjab university.
Sector - 14
Chandigarh.
Ar. Sandeep prabhakar. H. No 295
Sector-15, Chandigarh

Ar. Sandeep Rai H. No 17, Sector-15 A, Chandigarh
9814011275
Ar. Karamjit Singh / Ritu Singh. SCO 5, Phase 9, Mohali.

Ar. Surinder Sawhney. #571, Sector 18 B
Chandigarh.
Ar. Rajesh Kohli SCO 137, Phase 7, Mohali.
01722674894
Ar. Gagandeep Singh. H. No 71, Sector 11 A, .

Ar. Mr Singh. SINGH & ASSOCIATES Shop No 5, Sunny Enclave
Desumajra. Kharar.
9815303255
Ar. Vikas Tyagi Paras Panorama. Paras Panorama, Desumajra.
Kharar.
9888959062
Ar. G Singh Mata Gujri Enclave. Desumajra. Kharar.

Inderjit Inderjit Contractor Sunny Enclave
Desumajra. Kharar.
9417455051
Maha maai Architects Sunny Enclave
Desumajra. Kharar.

Bajwa Developers Sunny Enclave
Desumajra. Kharar.
9872614382, 9872614383
Ar. Krishan Das. H. No 617, Sector 16 A
Chandigarh.
Ar. Paramjeet Singh Paramjeet Builders & Contracters Sunny Enclave
Desumajra. Kharar.

Ar. Varun. Dham. Gillco Valley.
Dham Consultants Gillco Valey, Desumajra.
Kharar.
SCO 222- 223, Sector 34A.
Chandigarh.
Ar. Sudhir Verma. H.NO. 288, Sector 21 A, Chandigarh.
01722701839
Ar. Harish Gandhi. #646, Sector-11 B, Chandigarh 0172- 2268326
Ar. Rajan Sangari SANGARI ARCHITECTS #1020, Sector 4. Panchkula.
9417029414
Ar Ashwani Madan. ARCHMENS #348, Sector 7, Panchkula.
01722597641
Ar. Jyoti Chaufla AAKRITI H. No. 1032, Sector 4
PANCHKULA.
01722563694
Ar. Pallav Mukherjee #109, Sector 11 A, Chandigarh. 9815010909
Ar. SD Sharma SD SHARA & ASSOCIATES SCO 54/1, Swastik Vihar.
Mansa Devi Complex.
PANCHKULA.
9872010996
Vineet Aggarwal. M/S ASCON ONSULTING ENGINEERS. SCO 69, SWASTIK VIHAR
MD COMPLEX.
PANCHKULA.
01722552912
Ar Meera Johal H.NO 864, Sector 8
PANCHKULA
09814006506
Ar. Gaurav Sethi M/S IDEAS H. No. 1013, Sector 4
PANCHKULA
9815094016
AR. BEHL H.NO 400, SEC-4, Panchkula.
P.NO-2572693
S.K Jatana #118, Sector -8
PANCHKULA
0172 -2568126
Renu Khanna #138, Sector -10
PANCHKULA
0172 -2566326
Parveen Kaushal #73, SECTOR-12, PANCHKULA.
Anand Mann M/S THE ELEMENTS H.NO 279, Sector-6, PANCHKULA.
0172 -2577769, 2580094
Sunil Rai H.NO 1218, Sector-11, PANCHKULA.
0172 -2579039
Siddhartha Wig S.C.F-59, FF, Sector -6, PANCHKULA.
0172 -2580094
Ar. Munish SCO 62, SWASTIK VIHAR
MD COMPLEX.
PANCHKULA.

Mr. Kakkar H. No 25, Sector 12
PANCHKULA.
2702965
Ar. Vanita Bains H. No 826, Sector 12
PANCHKULA.
2563162
Ar. Nisha MIttal #1015, Sector 7
PANCHKULA
Rahul Jindal #130, Sector -9 PANCHKULA
Achharpal Singh H.NO-183, SEC-16, PANCHKULA.
P.NO-9814012701, 2583979
Ar Shaloo
Aggarwal S.C.O- 37, FF, Sector-11, PANCHKULA.
0172 -2563024,2561263
Ar. Tarun Jangra M/S THE DESIGN GRID H. No 387, Sector -17, PANCHKULA
5193542
Ar. Gaurav Sethi M/S IDEAS H. No. 1013, Sector 4
PANCHKULA
9815094016
Ar. Ashima Vashisht. SCO 371- 72- 73, Sector- 34A, Chandigarh 9814711077
Aradhna Gakhar M/S EMM ELL DECORS H. No 520, Sector 10 D.
Chandigarh
Ar. Gaurav Raj Kashyap M/S Concept Architect & Asso. SCO 179 - 180, Sector 17 C, Chandigarh
Sandeep Mehta #415, Sector-17 PANCHKULA
Ar. Rakesh Kumar Bansal M/S Planners Forum. H.NO. 3162, Sector 44 D.
Chandigarh.
09417195931
Madhu Garg M/S CREATIVE CONSORTIUM H. NO. 125, Sector 4
PANCHKULA
9814011797
Rajinder M/S MOD- ARCH H. NO. 1085, Sector 23 – B.
Chandigarh.
* Kindly attach extra sheets for additional calls made.

Shweta Dhir

______________________________ ____________________________
Summer Trainee’s Signature Signature – Project Guide

Date

* Note – This report has to be submitted to your project guide on daily basis – in writing or through e-mail.

Annexure

Annexure -1

QUESTIONNAIRE

1) What type of projects are you dealing in? o Residential only o Commercial only o Institutional o All of the above

2) What type of tiles are you using in your projects? o Vitrified o Ceramic o Both

3) For what purpose are you using ceramic tiles in your projects? o Floor Tiles o Wall Tiles o Both

4) Are you brand specific? o Yes o No

5) What brands of ceramic tiles are you using in your projects? o Kajaria o Johnson o Bell Ceramics o Orient o Nitco o Any other (please specify) __________________

6) What sizes of the ceramic tiles do you use generally?

Wall tiles o 2x2 o 4x4 o 8x8 o 8x12 o 10x13 Floor tiles o 12x12 o 16x16 o 18x18 o 20x20 o 2x2 o Higher

7) What kind of colors do you use for your projects? o Dark o Light

8) What is the extent of your authority in the decision regarding the purchase of the ceramic tiles in your projects? o Limited o Equal o Full control

9) What factors do you keep in mind while making the decision regarding the ceramic tiles? o Price o Design o Brand Name o Size o Colors

10) How do you find BELL CERAMICS in comparison with other brands like Kajaria , Nitco , Johnson etc. on the following grounds:

a) Design o Better o Equivalent o Inferior

b) Availability o Good o Average o Bad

c) Marketing and sales promotion o Satisfactory o Unsatisfactory

d) Variety o More o Less

e) Price o High o Average o Low

11) What is your feedback on the ZEN tiles launched by BELL CERAMICS on the basis of :- a) Size o Desirable o Undesirable

b) Color o Appealing o Non appealing

c) Pattern o Liked o Disliked

d) Price o High o Average o Low

e) Quality o Excellent o Good o Not up to mark

12) What is your feedback on the Retro tiles launched by BELL CERAMICS on the basis of:- a) Size o Desirable o Undesirable

b) Color o Appealing o Non appealing

c) Pattern o Liked o Disliked

d) Price o High o Average o Low

e) Quality o Excellent o Good o Not up to mark

13) Suggestions if any __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________

Name: _______________________________

Address: _______________________________

_______________________________________

Bibliography

 Kotler, P., &Armstrong, G.,(2005); Marketing Management( Sixth Edition)
Pearson Education: New Delhi

 Zikmund, W.G.(2004); Business Research Methodology(7th Edition)
Thomson Asia Pte Ltd. : Singapore

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