Bülent Gürcan, the general manager of Teknosa, stated that the pandemic period has accelerated the digitalization, practising new business manners and new trends.
‘’ We utilized our former steps regarding the customer based transition to digitalization in these hard times. We were able to take a fast action in accessing our clients, understanding their demands and presenting appropriate service and offers via our data-driven business model omnichannel.’’
Gürcan continued that they are practicing steps to improve the client experience in online courses and added:
‘’ We extended our same-day delivery service by 10 percent and next-day delivery service by 26 percent in online orders on March so that we could meet our clients’ increasing need of technology. We turned our 12 stores in 11 cities into fast stores and we continued sending products from stocks; so that we would be able to accelerate the delivery speed. We developed our delivery services thanks to our prevalence and our structure that has multiple courses.
We practiced ‘Click & Drive’ service which is the first in the industry, in the previous days. Our clients are able to get their online orders from the formerly agreed parking lot/delivery spot without getting into the store; in addition to the fast delivery to home and ‘Click & Collect’ (getting the order from the store) options. We practised Click & Drive as a pilot in our 19 stores in 11 cities; we are planning to extend this service in accordance with our client’s demands.
We created technology zones in 23 CarrefourSA markets.
Gürcan stated that they added hygiene products which came forward due to Covid-19, to their portfolios and they will continue to increase the variety of products in accordance with the client demand.
‘’ We cooperated with CarrefourSA and created an alternative access for our clients who do not choose or are unable shopping online during the Covid-19 quarantines. We created technology zones in 23 CarrefourSA markets located in İstanbul, Ankara, Bursa, Adana and Antalya; so that our clients are able to fullfill their technological needs while buying staple food products. We want to develop and carry this initiative on.’’
There has been a transition to e-commerce trends of next 5 years within a short time.
Gürcan mentioned that, e-commerce was strongly improved in Turkey and in the world before the pandemic. According to the report of Turkish Informatics Industry Association, Turkey’s e-commerce volume was expanded by 39 percent and reached 83,1 billion liras in 2019. He reminded that the share of online retail out of total retail was 5,3 percent in 2018; yet, it was grown to 6,2 percent in 2019. He added:
‘’Teknosa had high performance in online too, in 2019. We made a difference in service quality thanks to improvements that are provided by our new substructure, fast delivery options, product availability and variety. Our online turnover increased by 90 percent in the last 4 months of 2019 and it was increased by 40 percent compared to 2018. The online turnover share out of total turnover was reached 7 percent. We started fast in 2020 too. In the first 4 months of 2020 our e-commerce course performance has been increased 2 times more. Online sales has been reached a share of 10,7 percent out of total turnover.
An extra movement in e-commerce has been started since the first case of Covid-19. We have continued to meet our customer’s technological demands via our mobile platforms and Teknosa.com as from 22 March evening when we shut down all our stores country-wide. There has been an improvement regarding online shopping worldwide. Online shoppers are increased due to the circumstances of Covid-19 quarantines, safety measures and closed stores. There has been a lot of people who shopped online for the first time and thus, there has been a transition to e-commerce trends of next 5 years in short time.’’
We have seen 5-10 times more increase in turnover.
‘’ In the time period between March 22 when first Covid-19 case was seen and July 1, our online guests whose 75 percent visited via mobile devices was increased 2 times more compared to the exact time period of 2019. The increase of the guests, especially the women and the youngsters is important for us in order to gain new clients. Our total number of orders in Teknosa.com was increased 5,5 times more and we presented our guests with 4 times more items.
Regarding homeschooling, recreation, distant working; notebooks, tablets, gaming products, smart phones, printers, wireless modems, consoles were sold a lot. Electric shavers, hair clippers were especially sold regarding personal care. Regarding house cleaning, the demand towards cordless vacuum cleaner which provides convenience captures the attention most. Regarding house appliances, furnace, bread maker, iron and suchlike are placed among the items whose production and turnover are increased the most throughout this period. We have seen 5-10 times more increase in turnover of some items’ online sale. Teknosa has had a difference in analyzing, understanding the consumer demand and taking appropriate action, till this day.’’
Gürcan emphasized that Teknosa determined the priority as the health of the staff, customers and the society; in this sense, they have taken extreme measures since the beginning of the pandemic in order to maintain maximum isolation and business continuity.
Teknosacell subscribers are provided with the convenience of buying a product via special credit.
‘’ We present our customers with a lot of services due to our central and flexible computer cabinet that is especially developed for Teknosa. Our computer cabinets both provide productivity in business manner and acceleration in operations for our customers. We and our business partners from different sectors are able to improve all our studies within short time; for example, thanks to the integration that we made with our co-operative banks, our customers are able to pay with credits.’’
Gürce informed that payment cards are placed as alternative payment system which is one of today’s most important innovations. Customers who have payment cards are able to get ‘’Loading Money Service’’ via loading money to their accounts at the stores.
‘’Our customers can transfer money to their Papara, İninal, Aköde (Tosla) cards within seconds in our stores. Besides, we are able to operate ‘’digital code sale’’, which is today’s one of the most important and demanded technologies, within seconds. Our customers can purchase and load their accounts the digital codes belonging to hundreds of products of online platforms and recreation applications with the assurance of Teknosa.
We provide various conveniences to our customers via Teknocell which is the first in the technology retailing. Teknocell subscribers are also provided with the convenience of buying a product with special credit via an application in our checkouts, the price is added to their phone bills.’’
source: AA / translated by Bazaar Team