FMCG, or Fast-Moving Consumer Goods, refers to products that are affordable, easily available, and have a quick turnover rate. With the help of mystery shopping, businesses in the FMCG sector can ensure that these products meet consumer expectations and maintain consistent quality. You can find FMCG items in any Kirana or general store.
Examples include cold drinks, ice cream, shampoo sachets, lotions, etc. The FMCG industry has contributed to the highest turnover in the Indian economy. This has been possible because of its relatively low costs, low-profit margins, drastic turnovers, and high demand.
Importance of Brand Protection with HS Brands Asia
According to the latest research, the FMCG industry in India has an astonishing 20% duplicates. These data are alarming and dangerous for the health of the Indian economy and consumers.
Furthermore, low-quality pirated products pose a significant threat to the brand’s reputation, possessing the ability to wipe out its existence entirely. This is where HS Brands Asia comes to their rescue.
We’re India’s most trusted mystery shopping company. We provide expert insights into safeguarding brand reputation with PR. We understand comprehensive business challenges in the FMCG industry and offer solutions that make an impact.
Understanding Brand Protection in the FMCG Industry
Brand protection is crucial for maintaining a company’s reputation and customer loyalty regarding FMCG products. It includes measures such as intellectual rights against infringement, unethical use, and duplication to protect the company’s integrity and image.
Suppose you’re working in the FMCG industry and have recently filed for a trademark of your patent or product. In that case, someone will likely illegally copy your idea or sell it as a duplicate, fake, and malfunctioning product and generate profits from that.This is where copyright protection and intellectual property safety come to your aid. These methods stay updated with the latest trends and technology and are suitable for organisations of all sizes. They enable customers to distinguish your product from fake ones and protect your image.
Brand protection practices also involve screening the supply chain, encouraging transparency and traceability, and utilizing advanced techniques to handle desired operations.
A supply chain for FMCG items, especially in the modern age, is a solemn undertaking that requires rigorous quality control. Thus, brand protection methods highlight meticulous management systems that simplify tracing and tracking the item throughout the supply chain operations, identifying weaknesses, and taking reasonable measures to protect the product’s integrity.
The Role of Mystery Shopping in Brand Protection
Mystery shopping is an essential tool for businesses of all sizes. It aids in improving brand customer service and overall sales performance. In mystery shopping, companies recruit “mystery shoppers” to pose as regular customers and assess various aspects of their competitors, such as client experience, overall quality, and unique selling points. Here are several reasons why mystery shopping in FMCG is crucial for brand protection:
Worker Performance Evaluation
Mystery shopping in India allows businesses to assess the performance and calibre of their employees. It helps brands evaluate how well the workers adapt to the company culture, follow the rules such as greeting customers, know the latest upselling techniques, and have product knowledge.
Aggressive Advantage
Mystery shopping in India allows businesses to benchmark their products/ services against competitors. By assessing the areas for improvement, USPs, and other unique trends, brands can make necessary changes in their techniques and stay ahead of their rivals.
Identification of Problems
Mystery shopping in the FMCG industry allows brands to identify possible issues within a business. It assists brands in uncovering problems that may be overlooked by workers or management. Examples of such matters could be poor product quality, bad customer retention, poor service, etc. Detecting and avoiding these at an early level can help a business stand apart from the crowd.
Increased ROI
Improved practices mean an increase in the Return on Investment (ROI). They give an added advantage, ensure brand consistency, facilitate training and development, and remove all significant problems.
HS Brands Asia: Leaders in Brand Protection and Mystery Shopping
HS Brands Asia is a leading provider of Brand Certainty, Mystery Shopping, Loss Prevention, and Compliance Management Solutions worldwide. We’ve served various industries other than FMCG, such as food and retail, finance, hospitality, etc. We have a record of maintaining the databases of around 1 million mystery shoppers, auditors, and loss prevention experts worldwide.
Here are our services offered in-depth other than mystery shopping and compliance management:
- Customer sales and service auditing
- Outlet appearance
- Benchmarking/ Competitive Intelligence
- Telecall and Online Experience Evaluation
- Staff knowledge evaluation
- Brand values evaluation
- USP research
- Campaign visibility in each opening
Benefits of Brand Protection for FMCG Companies
Counterfeiting products is increasing day by day. Companies like Apple, Nike, and even Louis Vuitton have been victims of piracy. Hence, brand protection for FMCG companies offers the following benefits:
Digital Expansion
E-commerce marketplaces have now become a famous hut for shopping. Taking quick action against duplication and fraudulent activities is a great measure as a part of defense by brand protection for FMCG companies. This encourages their online expansion.
Social Media Influence
Social media platforms are now popular among youths and older people as well. The power of brand protection through social media plays a crucial role in exposing blackhat practices and gaining followers online. Furthermore, it enables companies to take legal action against fraud.
Technological Advancements
Popular technologies like Deepfake AI are now used mainly by fraud sellers to degrade the brand image of genuine organizations. These AI tools or software can copy the exact designs and brand style,
Ultimately leading to spreading misinformation or making fraudulent deals. Brand protection involves staying ahead of these and also educating consumers regarding them.
Market Share Protection
Who doesn’t like to buy a share that will yield returns? We know you do! However, would you like to invest in a company that will pay peanuts? No, right? This is the power of brand protection. By spreading positives and overcoming all fraudulent activities by the fraud sellers, businesses can increase the market value of their shares, ultimately leading to more traders investing in them.
Why Choose HS Brands Asia for Brand Protection and Mystery Shopping?
Why should you prefer only HS Brands Asia when conducting mystery shopping in India for FMCG? Here’s why:
Measure Customer Satisfaction
HS Brands Asia’s mystery shoppers can provide the needed customer satisfaction. This can help a company understand how consumers view their products, services, and overall customer experience. A business can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty by addressing any problems detected through mystery shopping for FMCG.
Supervise Brand Consistency
HS Brands Asia’s mystery shoppers can make brands believe that their business is represented well, offering good service, and operating consistently across all locations. By addressing the issues analyzed by mystery shoppers, companies can take practical steps to combat them.
Analyse Customer Behavior
Mystery shoppers provide expert insights into customer behavior. By observing how clients interact with their products and services, brands can better understand what customers expect and what drives their buying decisions. This data can be used to develop more targeted marketing campaigns and improve the overall customer experience.
Expert Team
Employees at HS Brand Asia are highly trained and experienced. With a proven track record of delivering the best results in almost all niches, they know how to empathize with customers and meet their expectations.
Proven Strategies
HS Brands Asia has worked with popular clients like FirstCry, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Reliance Retail, Tanishq, Barbeque Nation, etc. This has helped us discover each brand and its customer’s needs from close. We have provided tailored solutions to each of them, depending on their needs and expectations. Ultimately, we have offered them the best mystery shopping services and assisted them in developing marketing campaigns that perform.
Conclusion
In conclusion, fraudulent selling and duplication of FMCG products are increasing daily, impacting genuine businesses and their product reputation. HS Brand Asia offers the best mystery shopping and brand protection services to combat these malpractices in India and other countries. We’re not only efficient but affordable as well. Want to talk to us directly? Click here!
