Summer Internship Project Report.docx

SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROJECT REPORT ON

“A STUDY ON CUSTOMER AWARENESS & PERCEPTION TOWARD SUTRA INFOTECH” SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES (MARKETING) OF UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI

SUBMITTED BY AKSHAY KAILAS PARAVE ROLL NO: 17039 (2017-19)

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF (PROF.RESHMA GHORPADE)

DR. G D POL FOUNDATION YMT COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT INSTITUTIONAL AREA, SECTOR – 4, KHARGHAR, NAVI MUMBAI

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to convey my heart felt thanks to my mentor, PROF .RESHMA GHORPADE who always gave valuable suggestions and guidance for the completion of my project. She helped me to understand and remember important details of the project. I would like to thanks my team members, without their co-operation , I would have never been able to complete my project. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those people who have directly or indirectly helped me making this project.

(AKSHAY KAILAS PARAVE)

 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Summer Internship Project titled as “A STUDY ON

CUSTOMER

AWARENESS

&

PERCEPTION

TOWARD

SUTRA

INFOTECH"submitted by “AKSHAY KAILAS PARAVE” in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree ofMaster in Management Studies (Marketing) of University of Mumbaiduring 2017-2019 is his/her original work & does not form any part of the project undertaken previously to the best of our knowledge.

PROF.

DR. SWATI PADOSHI

RESHMA GHORPADE

DIRECTOR

DATE:

Institute Seal

 DECLARATION I “AKSHAY KAILAS PARAVE” declare that, I have completed Summer Internship project titled as“A STUDY ON CUSTOMER AWARENESS & PERCEPTION TOWARD SUTRA

INFOTECH" Which issubmitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree ofMaster in Management Studies (Marketing) of University of Mumbaiduring 2017-2019. The information presented in this project is original work and does not form any part of the project undertaken previously to the best of my knowledge.

DATE:

Signature AKSHAY KAILAS PARAVE ROLL NO- 17039

EXECUTIVE SUMMERY

This Project report is on Customer Awareness & Perception Toward Sutra Infotech. Which is India’s one of the leading solution providers in Information Technology. This Project was undertaken by me through the help of prof. Reshma Ghorapade.

The main objective of my study is to study the customer awareness level and to study customer perception, attitude and belief of customer towards sutra infotech. Primary data was collected by administrating questionnaire of about 100 respondents. The questionnaire was specifically framed as per the requirements of the organization. direct contact was maid with the respondent at company’s outlets. Which are located in Mumbai city. The respondents were those who visited these three outlets. Direct personal interview was conducted throughout the project using direct structured and self- administrated questionnaire. All the analyses and recommendations are based on the results that have been go after the completion of survey, which is being undertaken by me at the company’s outlets. My finding from the study are 70% of respondents are aware of sutra infotech, 11% of the respondents perceive that the ckl products are excellent but 58% of respondents feel the product is good and 84% of people prefer brand name while purchasing shirt. My suggestion is on promotional strategies, that most of the people are not satisfied with the promotional activities. So, company should provide discount or bulk purchases. The company should also emphasize on advertisement i.e. in any media either print or electronic media. This will certainlyhelp the company in increasing awareness level and which will help in increasing the sales volume. The main limitation in this project was that the research was conducted in Mumbai city only. And finally, I concluded that majority of the people are aware about the company and most of the people perceived ckl products as good and some of the people are not satisfied with varieties of product and colors therefore company should focus on these factors.

TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER NO.

PARTICULARS

1.

II

COMPANY CERTIFICATE

III

CERTIFICATE

IV

DECLARATION

V

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

VI

1.1

Introduction

1.2

Need of the Project

1.3

Objectives of the Study

1.4

Research Methodology

1.5

Literature Review

1.6

Expected Scope and Outcome of the Project

1.7

Limitation of the Project PART - II

2.1 2.2

Company Profile Organization Chart PART – III

3.

I

COVER PAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

PART - I

2.

PAGE NO.

3.1

Theoretical Background of the project

3.2

Data Analysis & Interpretations

3.3

Findings

3.4

Recommendations

3.5

Conclusion

3.6

Bibliography

3.7

Annexure

PART I

 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction to IT as a career: Due to the ever-increasing demand for a better career and secure job, the need for training institutes is on the rise. The steady increase in population has led to shortages injob opportunities and better career options. Unemployment and underemployment have become quite common these days. This in turn aggravates the necessity for excellent institutes that can provide adequate training to students in various fields. With computers and internet becoming an integral part of our personal and professional lives, IT Careers have gained immense popularity over the past few years. Though some believed that there would be a slump in the IT held, it continues to grow, and offers job opportunities to people who have the right skills and training. Information Technology occupations touch nearly every field in every part of the country and by that sheer presence itself offer innumerable job openings. To become a pan of the lT sector, one can choose from an array of paths. However, it is good to have general and specific skills along with formal training in lT related subjects. A certification or a Bachelor’s degree will ensure you find the correct niche for yourself in this sector. Certain personal qualities, like problem-solving capabilities, attention to detail and logical outlook are important if your choice is an lT Career. A strong foundation in Mathematics during High School is also an added asset for jobs in the IT industry. Types of IT Careers and description Broadly IT careers can be classified into the following types: Computer and information Research Scientists, Computer Hardware Engineers, Computer Software Engineers, Computer and information Systems Managers, Computer Programmers, Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts, Computer Systems Analysts, Database Administrators, Network and Computer Systems Administrators and Computer Support Specialists. The option of courses is huge and armed with correct advice and information one can choose the right subjects to pursue any of these careers. Most IT jobs involves putting in at least a 40 hour work week. Sometimes, you may have to work in the evening as well as weekends depending on the job you are holding, essentially to meet deadlines or solve any unexpected problems.

The level of stress can be high in certain positions in the IT field, mainly because of the stress of meeting goals with tight budgets and short deadlines. There are several training institutes in the country which provide excellent professional courses to students. Career training is essential these days as the competition is very high in the job market. However, there are many factors to consider while choosing institutes for honing your career skills some of them may include: Assessing interests and skills: Before you decide to join an institute, it is important to evaluate your personal skills and talents. Some people may be proficient in artistic skills whereas others prefer to acquire computer knowledge. There are thousands of trashing institutes that help people achieve their dream careers. A career guidance counselor can provide adequate help in choosing your career by assessing your strengths and weaknesses. Evaluating the present trends: Career training also related to the present trends in the job market. It is important to evaluate the latest demand for professional skills and related job opportunities. The income trend of respective jobs should also be considered while choosing career training centers. Provide internships: while choosing training institutes, it is important to choose such that provide apprenticeship training to students. The students benefit from such institutes as it helps to build their confidence levels. Training fees: The fee incurred by the career institutes is another most important factor to be considered while selecting Institutes. Some Institutes charge hefty amounts for providing training courses whereas some charge reasonable amounts which can be paid in installments. Campus recruitment: there are many training institutes that guarantee placements to its students. Before selecting institutes, it is wise to evaluate the benefits offered by the institutes in the form placements in reputed companies. Certificates: It is also important to choose career institutes that provide authentic certificates that increase the possibilities of a good job opportunity. There are many training centers in the country which equip people both professionally and personally. Some of the institutes provide soft skills like personality development skills, leadership skills and language training. Professional courses also include IT training, foreign language training, corporate training and so forth. Most of these well-known training institutes have listed their services in the online business portals which enable people to search for the right career and brighten their future with lucrative job opportunities.

1.2 Need of the project

Due to booming scope in IT companies, more & IT institutes are upcoming & are offering specialized courses as per the industry requirements, leading to stiffer competition. Consumers are also more conscious of their careers as per the current IT Trends. Furthermore, they are only conscious about the professional courses but also the quality training, Placements, pay package and the price attached to it. Because of these factors, it is getting harder and more difficult for the sectors involved in IT to because stand out in the industry. Nowadays, it is very vital to create value for a product by using successfully proven marketing tools. Moreover, it is now also equally important for the customer to recognize the existence and availability of a company's product or service. This is brand awareness. Creating brand awareness is one of the key steps in promoting a product. The product that promotes the highest brand awareness compared to its competitors usually gets the highest sales. Advertising is one of the ways of promoting a brand. Many companies spend millions in advertisement just to intro a new product or even to remain competitive in the business industry In fact, it is the primary way of communicating a new product/Brand/Concept in the market. NIIT, APTECH, CMS are the few examples of IT s/w & h/w training which focus more on advertising. Sutra Infotech, an IT training leads in terms of sales, profits and lead time. Sutra Infotech claims not to have a formal marketing department and does involves aggressive advertising to promote its products. To maintain its sustainability competitive advantage Sutra uses the various On-Campus activities like CRP activities, IKV activities, Placement Gym as a part of Branding. Sutra Infotech is a market oriented institute. A market orientation means a business reacts to what customer want. The decisions taken are based around information about customer’s needs and wants, rather than what business thinks is right for the customer. Most successful businesses take a marketoriented approach. It is also when the aim of the organization as focused to the continuous creation of superior customer value. The strategy is not just a marketing strategy but it involves the organization of both the company and its customers.Sutra Infotech orientation not only used as the most important strategy to gain competitive advantage, but also as a branding strategy. In this project we will study how Sutra lnfotech adopt the strategies to create Brand Awareness. Among the target audiences mind as well as we will also study me strategies used to enhance portability of the business. To create awareness about technical courses telephonic survey was undertaken on existing databases like CRP ,live, Just Dial, Shiksha and E-pravesh. A competitor survey was also undertaken to have better understanding of the competitors as well as the position of Sutra Infotech which were located nearby it.

1.3: Objective of the study: This project study is based on the following objectives:

1. To Find Awareness About the Sutra Infotech brand 2. To Find What customer think about the brand 3. To Find How Many People Know about this brand. 4. To study the competitors strategies. 5. To find Sutra InfoTech’s market position as compared to its competitors.

1.4 Research Methodology

What is Research??? Research has been defined in a number of different ways. A broad definition of research is given by Martin shuttleworth -"in the broadest sense of the word, the definition of research includes any gathering of data, information and facts for the advancement of knowledge. Another definition of research is given by Creswell who states -"Research is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to increase our understanding of a topic or issue". It consists of these steps: Pose a question, collects data to answer the question, and present an answer to the question. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines research in more detail as "a studious inquiry or examination; especially :investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws" Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge. Once can also define research as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic. In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation. Some people consider research as a movement as a movement, a movement form the know to the unknown. It is actually a voyage of discovery. We all possess the vital instinct if inquisitiveness for, when the unknown confront us, we wonder and our inquisitiveness makes us probe and attain fulland fuller understanding of the unknown. This inquisitiveness is the mother of the knowledge and the method, which man employs for obtaining the knowledge of whatever the unknown, can be termed as research.

Steps in conducting Research

Research in often conducted using the hourglass model structure of research. The hourglass model starts with a broad spectrum for research, focusing I on the required information through the method of the project (like the neck of the hourglass), then expands the research in the form of discussion and results. The major steps in conducting research are,       

Identification of research problem Literature review Specifying the purpose of research Determine specific research questions or hypotheses Data collection Analyzing and interpreting the data Reporting and evaluating research

The steps generally represent the overall process; however they should be viewed as an everchanging process rather than a fixed set of steps. Most researches begin with a general statement of the problem,or rather, the purpose for engaging in the study. The literature review identifies flaws or holes in previous research which provides justification for the study. Often a literature review is conducted in a given subject area before a research question is identify. A gap in the current literature, as identify by a researcher, then engenders a researcher thenanalyzes and interprets the data via a variety of statistical methods, engaging in what is known as Empirical.The result of the data analysis in confirming or failing to rejects the Null hypothesis are then reported and evaluated. At the end the researcher may discuss avenuesfor further research. Rudolph Rummel says,''... no researcher should accepts any one two tests as definitive. It isonly when a range of tests are consistent over many kinds of data, researchers, and methods can one having confidence in the result.'' The competitor analysis was undertaken to study the competitor’s market position on various parameters like the services attitudes, counseling patterns, opening sales, closing sales & evaluate them on the basis so as to compare seed infotech. A comprehensive observation was done & analysis on that observation was performed. It was found that IT training leaders-NIIT was among the top list on those parameters. The study included the various parameters so as to evaluate.

TYPES OF RESEACH: The types of research are as follows: 1. Basic research: ''This is also called as fundamental research'' or ''pure research''. It seeks to discover basic truths or principles. It is intended to add to the body of scientific knowledge by exploring the unknown to extend the boundaries of the knowledge as well as to discover new facts, and learn more accurately the characterizes of the knows without any particular thought as to immediate practical utility. In the other the results if basic results of basic research in theoretical knowledge have no immediate usefulness or value to man.

2. Descriptive vs. Analytical: Descriptive research includes surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different kinds. The major purpose of descriptive research is description of the state of affairs as it exists at present. The methods of research utilized in descriptive research are survey methods of all kinds, including comparative and correlation methods. In analysis research, on the make a critical evaluation of the material. 3. Applied vs. Fundamental: Applied type of research involves seeking new applications of scientific knowledge to the solution of a problem, such as the development of new systems to produce, new devices, or new methods in order to solve the problem. In other words, applied research produces knowledge of practical use to man.In other words applied research aimsat finding asolution for an immediate problem facing a society or an industrial/business organization where as fundamental Research la mainly concerned with generalization and withthe fundamental of theory Research concerning some natural phenomenon or relating to pure mathematics ere examples of fundamental research.Research to identify social, economic or political trend that may affect e particular institution or the copy research (research to find outwhether certain communication will be read and understood) or the marketing research orevolution research are examples of applied research is to discoversolution for some pressing practical problem, whereas basic research is directed towards finding information that has a broad base of applications and thus, adds to the alreadyexisting organized body of scientific knowledge. 4. Quantitative vs. Qualitative: Quantitativeresearchis based on the measurement of quantity or amount. It is applicable tophenomenathat can be expressed In terms of quantity. Qualitative research, on the other hand,isconcerned with qualitative phenomenon, i.e. phenomena relating to or involving quality or kind. For instance, when we are Interested In investigating the reasons for human behavior (i.e.,why people think or do certain things), we quite often talk of 'Motivation Research’, an importanttype of qualitative research. This type of research alms at discovering the underlying motivesanddesires,using in depth interviews for the purpose. Other techniques of such research areword association tests, sentence completion tests, story completion tests and similar otherprojective technique. While doing such research, one should seek guidance from experimentalpsychologists. 5. Conceptual vs. Empirical: Conceptual researchis that related to some abstract idea(s) or theory It is generally used byphilosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones. On the otherhand, empirical research relies on experience or observation alone, often without due regard for system and theory. It is date-based research, coming up with conclusions which are capable ofbeing verified by observation or experiment. We can also callit as experimental type of research. In such a research it is necessary to get atfacts firsthand, at their source, and actively to go about doing certain things to stimulate the productionof desired information.In such a research, the researcher must first provide himself with a working hypothesis or guess as to the probable results. Empirical research is appropriate when proof is sought that certain variables affect other variable in some way. Evidence gathered through experiments or empirical studies is todayconsidered to be the most powerful support possible for a given hypothesis. 6. Some Other Types of Research: All other types of research are verities of one or more of the above stated approaches, based on either the purpose of research, or the time required to accomplishresearch, on the environment in which research is done, or on the basis of some other similar factor. From the point of view of time, we can think of research either as one-time researches or longitudinal researches.

Research methods 1. Experiments People who take a part in researchinvolving experiments might be asked to completevarious to measure their cognitive abilities (e.g. word recall, attention, concentration, reasoning ability etc.) usually verbally, on paper or by computer. The result of different groups is then compared. Participants should not be anxious about performing well but simply do their best. The aim of these tests is not to judge people or measure son called intelligence, but to look for links between performance and other factors. 2. Surveys Surveys involve collecting information, usually from fairly large groups of people, by means of questionnaires but other techniques such as interviews or telephoning may also be used. There are different types of surveys. The most straightforward type (the “one shot survey") is administered to a sample of people at a set point in time another type is the "before and after survey" which people complete before a major event or experienced and then again afterwards. 3. Interviews Interviews are usually carried out in person i.e. face-to-face but can also administrated but telephone or using more advance computer technology such as Skype. Sometimes they are held in the interviewee's home, sometimes at a more neutral place. it is important for interviewees to decide whether they are comfortable about inviting the researcher into their home and they have a room or area where they can speak freely withoutdistributing other members of the households. When conducting the interview, the researcher might have a check list or a form to record answer. This might even take the form of questionnaires. Also, it is difficult to pay attention to the non-verbal aspects of communication and to remember everything that was said and the way it was said.

RESEARCH METHOD used in the project: Research method used was Interview method. As the competitor would not have imparted information impartially the approach was as dummy candidate. Creating brand awareness is clearly one of the primary purposes of advertising. Brand awareness is one of the company's marketing strategy, as it increases the brand's value and could result to closed sales. . Competitors Survey

1. NIIT NIIT is a leading Global Talent Development Corporation, building skilled manpower pool forglobal| industry requirements. The company which was set up in 1981, to help the nascent ITindustry overcome its human resource challenges, has today grown to be amongst world’sleading talent development companies offering learning solutions to Individuals, Enterprises endInstitutions across 40 countries. Leading IT magazine Dataquest has conferred upon NIIT, the ‘Top let Training CompanyawardSuccessively for the past 18 years, since the inception of this category, rated among India’s Business Super brands 2008, N|IT’s Individual Learning Business offerings include

industry-Endorsed programs for students seeking careers in IT - GNIIT, Engineers and Global Net Plus For IT professionals. NIIT has provided computer-based teaming to over 15,000 government and private schools. The futuristic NIIT guru range for schools is a holistic education package that comprises of Interactive Classrooms (an embedded Teaching Learning Material that uses elements of Interactivity, automation and web links library); Math lab (technology tools that enable school Students to learn and explore mathematical concepts); IT Wizard (equips the students with core Computer knowledge and IT skills); and Quick School (an Education Resource Planning solution for school management). For working professionals, NIIT imperia, Centre for Advanced Learning. Offers Executive Management Education Programs in association with Indian Institutes of Management (limes) at Ahmadabad, lore, Kolkata, Lucknow, IMT Ghaziabad and IIFT Delhi. NIIT Institute of Finance Banking & Insurance (IFBI), formed by NIIT with equity participation from ICICI Bank, offers programs for individuals and corporate in Banking, Financial Services and Insurance, Knelt Unique, Centre for Process Excellence, addresses the increasing demand for skilled workers in the business and technology services industry by providing training programs in relevant areas This is a part of NIIT Institute of Process Excellence. I NIIT-Enact ventureNIlT's Corporate Learning Solutions, offers integrated learning solutions (including strategicconsulting, learning design, content development. delivery, technology, assessment learning management) to Fortune 500 companies, Universities Technology Companies, Training corporations and Publishing houses. NIIT delivers a tailored combination of catalog learning products, technologythrough Element K offerings. These include. vLab® hands-on labs, Instructor-led courseware, comprehensive ereference libraries, technical journals, and Knowledge-Hub™: hosted learningmanagement platform. This makes NIIT the first and the best choice for comprehensive learning solutions. Worldwide Ushering in a new model in higher education is the not for profit NIIt University, established in 2009 with a vision of being the leading centre of innovation and learning in emerging areas of the Knowledge Society. Nestled in the foothills of Aravali, in Neemrana, Rajasthan, the picturesque 100 acres fully residential green campus has been developed as an institute of excellence based on the four core principle of providing industry linked, technology based, research driven, seamless education. NIIT Competitors: There are many online education organizations in India. Of those, Educomp Solutions, EdServSoftsystem Limited, Everonn Education and Aptech are NIIT's main competitors. Following are the other domestic competitors: 1. SEED Infotech 2. CMS 3. KARROX 4. St. Angelos Computer Education 5. Red Circle 6. Sqaud Infotech What makes NIIT different from others?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Pioneer in IT education sector since 1981. Global presence Well-developed infrastructure Internationally certified trainer Latest professional courses as per the IT Trends Cloud concept NIIT Technologies recognized for its ‘People focuses’ Vast global training centers with presence in 40 countries NIIT Institute of financial banking(IFBI), formed with equality participation with ICICI Bank, which offers programs to develop talent in banking industry. 10. Due to its cutting edge services, in the academic field, the company has made alliances with over 100 universities and colleges across the globe.

NIIT Brands:

Things not known about NIIT:     

Every year NIIT prints 1.1 billion pages of course books. If the pages were put end to end, they would circle the earth eight times. The company was referred to as the "McDonald's of the software business" by far Eastern Economic Review, September, 2001. NIIT was declared the first choice of recruiters. (Dataquest poll of 118 employers in June 2001 and 2002) NIIT designs and develops curricula and course content for degree and certification programs offered by US universities. NIIT's IT education programs are available in Arabic, Bengali, English, French, Gujarati, Hindi, Mandarin, Marathi, Spanish, Tamil and Thai.

Advertising & Promotion: Over the years NIIT has been always connected to its customer providingworld class IT education as per the demanding Industry trends. NIIT has been using various adverting tools such as:         

Newspaper Media Mailing list Online ads Banners Hoardings Pamphlet Canopy activity Educational Events

   

Websites Workshops In house seminars Exhibition to reach its customer

NIIT has established itself as the most trusted brand among the customers. NIIT have been using aggressive advertisement to promote its various educational services as well as to create awareness among the customers about their recent Technical courses.

2. Aptech Computer Education Aptech Computer Education is the IT education brand of Aptech Limited. Established in 1986, it is a pioneer in IT education. Through its wide network of canters in India and overseas, Aptech has so far trained 6.4 million students. Aptech gives great importance to quality of education.

Product & Services: Aptech offers a wide range of course. The company also has alliance with leading IT companies i.e. Sun Microsystems & Oracle to offer courses leading to certifications from these companies. The following courses are available: 1. ACCP Pro Career Program (to become a complete IT professional) 2. Sun & Oracle Certification 3. Short-term courses

The Company:     

Ensure that its course curriculum is as per the needs of the industry & is always kept updated. Provides high-quality learning aids – including books & CDs – to the students & faculty. These are developed specially by the company. Carries out regular training & certification of its faculty to ensure that they are able to handle even advanced IT topics, Supports classroom teaching with assignments, workshops & guided E-Projects. Conducts Workplace Skills training for the students to help them get better get job placements.

Placements: Aptech assists students in getting job placements on successful completion of their courses. Aptech also provides recruitment assistance to organizations. Aptech students are shortlisted based on the organizations requirement. To make students job-ready, Aptech conducts workshops e.g. how to do Group Discussions, how to behave in a Personal Interview. From time to time, job fair & campus recruitments are conducted. Workplace skills such as time management, making effective presentations and communication skill are also provided. All this helps students find appropriate jobs in the IT industry while also helping save companies recruitment costs.

Business Partners: IT education is a large market and a profitable business opportunity. Aptech has built a wide network of centers through its partnership with hundreds of frachisees.

The passion and efforts of these business partners, along with the support given by Aptech, have made Aptech Computer Education a household name. The Company is a pioneer in education franchising and has set up nationwide network of centers for its brands.

Aptech’s Achievements:     

 

Aptech Vietnam declared No. 1 IT training provider in Vietnam for 7 consecutive years. Aptech ranked among Global Top 20 IT Companies by TrainingIndustry.com Aptech wins Franchise India;s prestigious ‘Hall of Fame’ Award for excellence in franchising. Aptech Learning Services receives ‘APEX 2009 –Award for Excellence’ for its work on eLearning Course on Anatomy. Featured among the India’s Biggest Newsmaker’s in the prestigious Business Today – Cirrus Review of CEOs & companies for 4 years – 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007-08. Among ‘Top 10 Biggest Newsmakers in IT’ for 2006, 2007, 2008-09. Aptech among Brand Equity’s Top 50 Most Trusted Service Brands. Aptech among Forbes Global Best 300 small Companies Worldwide.

What makes APTECH different from others? 1. Aptech is among top 50 most trusted service brands established inn1986 ISO 9000:2001 Certified, is a pioneer in IT education. 2. Through its wide network of centers in India and overseas, Aptech has so far trained 6.4 million students. 3. Aptech offers a wide range of courses with great importance to quality of education. 4. The company also has alliance with leading IT companies i.e. Sun Microsystems & Oracle to offer courses leading to certifications from these companies. 5. Aptech assists students in getting job with leading corporate placements on successful completion of their courses. 6. Aptech conducts workshops e.g. how to do Group Discussions, how to behave in a Personal Interview. From time to time, job fairs & campus recruitments are conducted. 7. Aptech has built a wide network of centers through its partnership with hundreds of franchisees.

It was found that Aptech have been using various marketing tools to create awareness about the various Technical courses. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Newspapers Websites Banners & Hoardings Educational Events Canopy Activities Mail Advertisements Pamphlet Distribution

KarROX: Incepted in the year 1992, karROX (Microsoft Gold Partner, Oracle WDP Partner, IBM CEIS Partner) is India's leading ISO certified IT education provider. Know as ''one stop, training shop", karROX is a pioneer in high end IT (Networking, Software, Security and Cloud Computing), Soft Skill and leadership training. With operations in India, Africa, South East Asia and the Middle East, karrox manage to seamlessly providing training to satisfy local needs. karROX has trained over 25,00 professionals in 90 locations in 90 location and has partnered with some of the largest corporate (IBM , Bank of America, Cap Gemini to name a few), to help them fulfill their hiring and training requirement. karROX believes in offering the finest standards of training that is constantly updates and adapted to the changing global scenario. Training is geared toward ‘'increasing employability’. Key strength of KarROX:  

All trainers are certified by partner technology company - be it in IBM Microsoft, Comptia or Oracle ALL course s are developed with input and approval from companies in the IT banking telecom and manufacturing industries.

 

Emphasis on bridging the "industry - academia gap. Therefore there is a keen focus on industry related thus developing a directly employable workforce. An arrangement of credit transfer with middlesex university UK and affiliation with government institute like Indira Gandhi Open University (IGNOU), SIKKIM MANIFAL UNIVERSITY (SMU) DOEACC and more, ensures that the curriculum, education system and training methodologies are at par with international standards.

Global Presence:

Advertising & Promotion: Although KarROX is not much in Advertising they own good chunk of Market shares. They have been using various tools of promotion like: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Advertisements on web Banners Pamphlet Websites Educational event

1.5 Review of Literature Marketing Concept: The marketing Concept is essentially a point of view about business. It enunciates that bossiness is basically a need satisfying process and that business must be managed keeping the consumer and his need as focus. The concept prescribes that all goal of business, including profit, must be Realized through consumer orientation and generation of consumer satisfaction. Some definitions of marketing: "Marketing is the performance of business activities that direct the flow of goods and services from producer to the consumer" "Marketing is the economic process by which goods and services are exchanged between maker and the user, their values determined in terms of money prices" "Marketing is a total system of interacting businessactivities designed to plan, promote and distribute need satisfying products and services to existing and potential consumer".

Direct Marketing Direct marketing is de-massified marketing; it deals with customers on a one-to one basis. In convention marketing, the marketer sells to a multitude of customers treating them as mass; he uses mass production, mass communication and mass distribution devices. In contrast, in direct Marketing, the marketer approaches the customer individually, communicates with them on a one to one basis and even offers products that are modified to suit the requirements of the chosen customer. In other words direct marketing relies on customized production. Even in sales promotion measures, while conventional marketing opts for incentives on mass basis, direct marketing opts incentives for individual basis. Direct marketing targets the individual customer and develop its offer for him. In direct marketing, the marketer sells to the customer directly; he reaches out to them directly; communicates with them directly and also delivers the product directly. The marketer knows his customer and has on his hands a specific profile of each individual customer. Direct marketing is interactive to a large extent. For example, while mass marketing has to remain content with one way messages, flowing from firm to the market, direct marketing enjoys the advantage of two way communication, between firm and every one of the customers. In fact here both sides are able to seek and obtain clarifications in a interactive way. Direct marketing tackles all the components tasks of marketing such as Customer identification. product adaption, distribution, price negotiation, marketing communication, and sales promotion in an integrated and compressed manner. In direct marketing it eliminates all intermediaries and handles the consumer directly and in one action. It also reaches the product to the consumer directly.

Direct marketing facilitates delivering near perfect solutions to consumer's Problems. As the marketer is able to contract the customer individually, he can know exactly what the consumer wants and make it available to him. It also supports accurate segmentation and sharper targeting of the market, which in turns facilitates formulation of more fine tuned marketing strategies .

Consumer satisfaction Creating and delivering better customer value is the only route by which Firms implement the marketing concept. Customer satisfaction is the central theme of the marketing concept and it is achieved by delivery of customer value. It is obvious that it is through its market offering that a firm extends the benefits that he seeks from the offer and makes mental note of total value provided by the offer. The total weight he assigns to a product offer reflects the value he perceives in it. The customer has to pay cost for acquiring this value. This cost includes the price of the product plus other elements of cost to him, economic and non economic. He is happy when the value exceeds the cost he incurs. And, he gets satisfaction when on using the product. He finds that the value he actually receives matches the value he assumed. The larger the value cost, the greater is satisfaction. He comparer’s the value cost gaps of competing offers and selects the one that gives him the best trade off. For the successful execution of marketing strategies or for translating thestrategies into meaningful purpose, it is essential to have a detailed knowledge of the changing behavior of users of services. It is very essential that organization well be aware of their behavior as it simplifies their task of creating and simulating demand. Users have values, perception, preferences and a behavior pattern, which are the result of various influences. It is Important to assess both behavior pattern and users characteristics for in the recent years users have become more discriminating in their need s for different products and brands changing. This makes the marketers

analyze their needs and identify how to improve marketing products and communications to satisfy them. “The benefits of conducting consumer satisfaction are significant and their impact can last long after the results are analyzed. Consumer satisfaction surveys can be used to”     

Improve brand perception Increase loyalty and retention Identify areas that need improvement Identify upgrade opportunities Test new products, Services, Offers and Price

1.6 Scope of the Project The scope of this project is vast as the study was carried out at different Seed lnfotech centers across Mumbai region. The project was basically undertaken to study the various activities carried out by Seed Infotech to create Brand awareness among the targeted audience’s minds. Also it studied what strategies Sutra Infotech should use to enhance its profitability. This study also helps to know the new improved methods of creating brand awareness over the Traditional approach. In this study only the brands having major market share are studied in depth in the research though other brands have been highlighted & basic information has been provided upon these. The major areas that are covered for the major brands include:  









Location Accessibility o From Railway Station o From Bus Stand Time Taken o Waiting time o Course Explanation time Courses offered o Short term o Full time courses Infrastructure o Reception area o Ambience o No. of counselor cabin o Notice boards o No. of Labs o No. of Classrooms o Students per batch o PPC/PPL (PC per class/ PC per lab) Customer Type o SSC







 





o HSC o B.Com o BSC-IT/ CS o BE Comp. o Professionals Opening Sales o Greetings o Waiting time o Counselor Age group o Course Need analysis o Course knowledge o Technical know-how o Communication Sales Pitch o Career oriented explanation o Benefits from the courses o Course duration o Fee structure o Discount if any Closing sales o Brochure o Summary o Confidence level Certifications Placement activities o Placement grooming o Mock interviews Placement Offerings o On Campus o Off Campus o Job Fest Follow Ups o SMS o Email o Voice

1.7 Limitation of the project 1. The study was carried in Mumbai region only so the survey was limited to few training centers. 2. Study was limited to only Technical courses based on types of certification, Short term as well as Full time professional courses ranging from 1yr to 3yrs. 3. Selection of competitors was selected purely according to grades categorized as A, B & C (A - top institute, B – Avg. institute with very good revenue, C – Small Competitors relatively earning good revenue) 4. Could not get all the information from the competitor’s survey like the various courses that are available with them. 5. As the competitor would not have imparted information impartially therefore the approach was as a d

PART II

2. Company Profile

2.1 About Sutra Infotech Incorporated in 1994, Sutra lnfotech is India’s one of the leading solution providers in Information Technology Training, Staffing and Products & Tools Consulting services to both Retail ( i.e. students, professionals and individuals) and Corporate customers. With headquarters in Pune, one of the IT hubs of India, their activities are spread over manylocations inthe state of Maharashtra and other lT Metros in India like Bangalore, New Delhi, and Chennai etc. Also it’s an ISO 9001:2008 certified organization that operates through well-defined systems and procedures. A formidable team of over 600 qualified professionals, 35+ training locations in India, and strong associations with Global Technology Leaders such as Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, Red Hat, Sales Force, and PMI are undoubtedly their core strengths. Adhering to mission to “bridge the gap between the industry and the academia” Sutra wish to establish academic and business associations with colleges, universities, lT Companies and the Government bodies for academic and educational development. Therefore Sutra Infotech is marching ahead to build a community that empowers the youth with the required skills and corporate orientation for greater contribution. Sutra also established strategically planned Quality Management Systems and processes, to deliver the best. Sutra Infotech was awarded HRD Training Award by the Govt. of Maharashtra State. Sutra ltd has started initial discussions with a clutch of investors, including Bessemer Partners and Helix investments, to sell 5% - 10% stake through fresh shares. The Company has also set up expansion plans centers in southern India and start offering new services.

2.2 Vision & Mission: SUTRA IDEOLOGY: Welcome to an institution that provides knowledge beyond books, knowledge beyond boundaries. An institution that believes information can help you see things from several perspectives… And insights can help you see beyond the obvious. Seed have Partnership with technology leaders like – Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, Red hat, PMI and Prometric provides excellent operating edge in the industry.

Company Location: Head Office: Address

Telephone Email ID

: Sutra Infotech, 314, 3rd Floor, Paradise Tower, Gokhale Road, Naupada, Thane (w) - 400602. : +91-22-25362082 : [email protected]

2.3 History & Milestone: 1994:

Sutra Operations on June 6, 1994 with High End Technology Trainings in Windows Development Tools

1995:

Launch of Corporate training division

1996:

Establishment of sister concern, ZenSOFT, a software development firm

1997:

Rational Channel partnership (Now IBM Rational)

1999:

Launch of 6 months Job Oriented Program in Object Technology, E-Commerce &Enterprise Java Computing

2000:

PML, USA- Registered Education Provider (REP)

2001:

Association with Japanese company to form - IPOC (Indian IT Professional Offshore Development Company). Trained & Deployed 200+ IT Professionals in Japan. Centers of Excellence in Software Quality Assurance and Project Management

2002:

Launch of 6 months Job Oriented Program-Sutra Certified Professional

2003:

Launch of Flagship Job oriented Program - Diploma in Software Testing. Award from Microsoft as 'Best Training Service Provider on .NET’

2004:

Red hat Authorized Training Partner

2005:

Started Training Centers in Mumbai at Vashi & Andheri

2006:

Become Microsoft GOLD - Certified Partner for Learning Solutions. Strategic association & investment from BCCL (limes Group)

2007:

‘IT HRD Training Award’ from Government of Maharashtra. Inaugurated ‘Nalanda' state-of-the-art Training infrastructure in Pune. Oracle - Workforce Development Program Partner.

2008:

lBM-SEED Academy Siemens Authorized Training Partner for PLM Training

2009:

PTC’s Authorized Training Partner for Wind chill PLM Software Platinum Partner Award

2010:

Sales force Authorized Training Partner

2011:

EC-Council Accredited Training Partner for Information Security Courses Strategic Investment from Ashmore Alchemy

2.4 Products & Services: Technology is changing rapidly and the industry's requirement of skilled employable resources inraising exponentially, this call for a greater participation by professional training companies to supplement the efforts of the Colleges, Universities and Institutions. Sutra mission is to unveil human potential to create global quality technology workforce. The objective is to bridge the gap between the industry’s requirements and University education, thereby powering the growth of technology industry in India. Sutra InfoTech’s value proposition provides solutions to the problem of scarcity of skilled employable human resources. Service portfolio primarily includes Training, Staffing and Product Tools Consulting that caters to three principal customer segments - Retail, Institutional and Enterprise. The Retail customer segment covers students, graduates, aspiring professionals and working professionals. The Institutional customer segment includes colleges, universities and educational institutions. The Enterprise customer segment comprises of companies, corporate and Government Organizations. In the Retail customer segment, Sutra provides employability enhancement programs through training centers across India. It is a widely published and acknowledged fact that a very smallpercentage of Indian graduates are actually employable. Sutra’s constant endeavor is to bridge this gap between industry and academia through relevant training interventions. Retail Service offering includesmodular short term training programs as well as career-oriented Diploma – Job Oriented Programs. With over 40 training centers across India offering a diverse range technology courses, our candidates are able to pursue learning in their technology of choice, at a location of their convenience, at a speed with which they are comfortable. Particulars Modular Training

Duration

Service Offerings

Typical Candidate Profile Undergraduates, Graduates, Industry Professionals (for skill up graduations)

1 Month3 Months

Short term, part time programs for C, C++, DBMS, Oracle, Java, .Net etc.

Job Oriented Programs

2 months – 1 year

Full time Job oriented programs with an excellent placement track record. All major technology categories under software development / testing including soft skills as integral part of the program

Graduates (Primarily Engineers/Computer Science)

IT-IMS

2 months – 1 year

Hardware, Networking, System Administration, Mail Servers and Information Security courses in Modular and Finishing School form

Graduates and Engineers

Software Testing

1 month – 6 months

Job oriented programs for a career in Software Quality Assurance and Testing

Graduates and Industry Professionals

Sutra employability enhancement programs include a wide range of training offerings in the areas of Information Technology- software development, software testing and infrastructure management services, Soft Skills, Project Management. These employability enhancements are offered in Modular and Job Oriented Programs. Modular courses are short term, part time skills-up gradation programs and Job Oriented Programs are full time job oriented programs. Enterprise Service offerings include Corporate Trainings, Workshops, Staffing, Product and Tools Consulting services. Staffing services are offered in the form of Hire, Contract, Contract-to-Hire Recruitments, HR Vender Outsourcing and Assessment Services to meet the Client’s Recruitments,

Retention and up gradation challenges. Product & Tools Consulting services for Corporate and Institutions are in the form of facilitation to adopt newer technologies and tools, designing technology Proof of Concepts and to support in migration to different platforms. Enterprise Service offerings include Corporate Trainings, Products & Tools Consulting and Staffing Services that are provided to corporate and institutional clients. Particulars IT Software/IMS Training

Certifications and Assessments

Products and Tools Consulting Staffing Software Development (In-house)

Duration Service Offerings 1 - 3 Months Entry Level Training programs 3 - 10 Days Project Specific Customized Trainings 1 – 5days Open House workshops Global Certifications from principals like Sun, Microsoft, HP, IBM, Red Hat Linux, Cisco, Oracle etc. Prometric Test Centers -Technology and TOEFL Pearson Vue Test Center NEST : NEST evaluates your employability skills & compares them on each axis of the relative employability standards Facilitation to corporate and institutions for adopting newer technologies and Consulting tools Placement and Deployment Services, Permanent Staffing, Flexi Staffing, HR Vendor Outsourcing, Assessments ln house software development team to learn and disseminate new (In-house) technologies, Hands-on experience to incubation candidates

Sutra also provide Global Certification Examination Services for technology principals likeMicrosoft, IBM, HP, Oracle etc through partnership with Prometric, Pearson VUE, GASQ, Kryterion and Quint to students as well corporate customers.

Courses in Mumbai: Course Name ADMT - .NET

Android ASP .NET C C# C++ Core Java BCA

Course Details Accelerated Diplomai.e. Diploma .Net is a short term course that goes beyond training and helps acquire in-depth working knowledge along with International Certification. The course provides coverage of basic mobile computing paradigm and also covers the basic android application building process with associated key points This course provides an exhaustive coverage of .NET and ASP.NET technology features This course covers C Programming language essentials such as Programming techniques, decision making statements, iterations, functions, macros & 1D Array This course provides err exhaustive coverage of C# programming language features This course provides an exhaustive coverage of OOPs concepts and C++ language course provides an exhaustive coverage of Core Java language Bachelor of Computer Application from Yashwantrao Chavan Maharshtra Open University, this course is designed for software development. Only 12th Pass Student can apply for this course.

Modular Training is beneficial mainly for the following user segment:    

It Student-Aiming for good in Examinations Graduates and/or Job Seeker-Individuals aspiring career opportunities in IT industry Working Professionals-Aiming for Knowledge up-graduation IT Entrepreneurs-Aiming to start their business individually in the field of information Technology

2.5: Sutra Organizational Chart: CEO, MD

Board of Directors

Sr. V.P.

Departmental Heads

Regional Managers

PART III

3.1: Theoretical background

3.2Data Analysis & Interpretation Based on survey conducted the Data was analyzed on various parameters which included:  















Location Accessibility o From Railway Station o From Bus Stand Time Taken o Waiting time o Course Explanation time Courses offered o Short term o Full time courses Infrastructure o Reception area o Ambience o No. of counselor cabin o Notice boards o No. of Labs o No. of Classrooms o Students per batch o PPC/PPL (PC per class/ PC per lab) Customer Type o SSC o HSC o B.Com o BSC-IT/ CS o BE Comp. o Professionals Opening Sales o Greetings o Waiting time o Counselor Age group o Course Need analysis o Course knowledge o Technical know-how o Communication Sales Pitch o Career oriented explanation o Benefits from the courses o Course duration o Fee structure o Discount if any Closing sales o Brochure o Summary o Confidence level

 





Certifications Placement activities o Placement grooming o Mock interviews Placement Offerings o On Campus o Off Campus o Job Fest Follow Ups o SMS o Email o Voice

1. Duration of courses offered at various Institutes:

6 5 4 Dimploma in Java/.NET 3

Diploma in Testing Android

2

Networking

1 0 Sutra Infotech

NIIT

Aptech

KarROX

Others

Interpretation: From the data collected it was found that diploma courses of Java/ .Net in NIIT & Aptech were between4-5 months. Whereas Sutra Infotech & other institutes take about 3-4 months to complete same courses.

2. Interviews Time taken at various Institutes:

70

Time in Minutes

60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Sutra

NIIT

KarROX

Aptech

St. Angelo

Interpretation: NIIT takes more time to explain its courses as compared with other institutes & it explains so effectively that customers tend to take course enquired.

3. Brochures offered at the end of enquiry from various Institutes.

7

Time in Minutes

6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Sutra

NIIT

KarROX

Aptech

St. Angelo

Interpretation: After the enquiry from various institutes it was found Seed Infotech offers more brochures with more contents as compared to other institutes.

4. Placements:

Placements

100% Assistance 100% Guaratee

Interpretation: It was found that on some of the courses placement was guaranteed at NIIT. Whereas others offered 100% Assistance on all courses.

5. Follow Ups: 45 40 35 30 25

Poor

20

Strong

15 10 5 0 Sutra

NIIT

KarROX

Aptech

Others

5

Interpretation: It was observed those follow-ups at NIIT and of other domestic players were slightly strong as compared with Sutra

Infotech, Aptech &KarROX.

6. The following graph shows Branding activity done by the Sutra Infotech & their Competitors. Data was collected through observation, survey & websites. 6

5 4 Printed 3

Digital Out of Home

2

Others

1 0 Sutra Infotech

NIIT

Aptech

KarROX

CMS

St. Angelos

Others

vInterpretation: The various types of branding tools & activities adopted by the institutes include the following: 1. Printed: The Printed type of ads can be of many forms such as: a) Banner: A banner is a flag or other piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or other message. Almost all institutes were found to be using this type of ads. b) Hoardings: c) Newspaper: d) Pamphlet/Leaflet Distributions: 2. Digital Ads: 3.Some of the seed's strategies in creating brand Awareness: 1. IKV (I-Known Vention) 2. CRP (Campus recruitment process)

3. Seminar 4. Project guidance 5. Workshops 6. Social networking

1. IKV: I known-vention one of the strategic & successful brand awareness activity that seed infotech had carried out on the Mumbai university level. The purpose of IKV was to create a brand image & to target customer about the latest customers about the latest professional courses that it offer.

2. CRP: campus recruitment process also another strategic used by seed infotech to create its brand image in the market. Through this CRP activity seed try to promote its brand & other technical courses.

3. Seminars: Through seminars delivering its vast & latest technical courses is one of regular activity that seed infotech undertakes and thus generating leads through them. Also databases of various students through seminars are collected for future reference.

4. Project Guidance: in project guidance activity seed infotech uses it as a tool to introduce their various courses along with the guidance on the final yr project. Target customers are typically TY Bsc/CS or B.E./B.tech computer.

5. Workshop: Workshop is training programs which are created for a new technologies, tools, domain areas, etc. They are not designed specifically for requirement of a project or an organization. They are of a generic nature and are beneficial to all. A team of extensively experienced trainers deliver super-specialized technology workshop to professionals from a diverse cross-section of the industry. They render exclusively designed training courses/programs that help address up gradation issues of individual professionals. These workshops also incorporate experiential learning through the medium of application of practical knowledge. This training delivery model provides the candidates with hand-on-knowledge of the otherwise very expensive technologies and tools, e.g. Data warehousing and business intelligence, latest advancements in technologies-Microsoft, Java, IBM, etc. 6. Social Networking: Seed infotech also uses social networking as a tool to create brand awareness among the people. One of the tools available easily for marketers.

3.3 Findings: Through this research what was found is that: 

Majority of customers are aware of sutra infotech.



Majority of customers are satisfied about the



Majority of customer opinion that sutra infotech is the best institute.



Majority of customers are aware by pamphlet.



Majority of customers are happy with the convenience of availability of course.

3.4 Recommendations: From the research study following recommendations are drawn: 1. Branding & Promotional activity: After analyzing all the data with regards to all parameters, Sutra Infotech should focus on organizing some educational game events in malls particularly on weekends to get benefited of the crowds. 2. Consumer grievances forums: To solve queries regarding course, batch availability, suggestion, feedback there should be an online Consumer grievances forums on Sutra Infotech website where students can clarify the doubts. 3. Implementation of E2employability enhancement series: Under the employability series a number of books to be published to help the candidates choose the right career & by understanding the nuances of technology as well as to prepare them for better interviews. 4. Social Networking: The use of social networking was found to be less aggressive as compared with competitors so it was recommended that Sutra Infotech should be little aggressive 5. Call center process improvements: Being worked at call center Sutra Infotech it was found that instant details (sms, email) regarding the courses were not forwarded to candidates who enquired to through the different sites vendors like Just Dial, Shiksha, E-Pravesh. Feedback was also taken through voice from different vendors and it was found that candidates complained that either they have changed the plan or they have joined other institute thereby losing potential candidates. So it was recommended to instantly deliver the details as soon as customer asks for it.

3.5 Conclusion: Thus it was concluded from collected data that Sutra Infotech should work upon its weak areas & improve upon the branding also Sutra Infotech carry out more of the outside activities to create Brand awareness which includes- Seminars in college, Exhibition, Canopy, Sponsorship & Educational events, CRP (Campus Recruitment Process) & event like IKV (I Know Vention) one of the major event organized by Sutra Infotech at University level in association with Glodyne Technologies.

3.6 Bibliography SachinKamble (2009), Marketing and Branding: The Indian Scenario (Paperback) Kapferer, J. N. (1994), Strategic Brand Equity. The free Press, New York. Websites: http://en.wikipedia.org.wiki/NIIT http://www.nasscom.in/industry-ranking http://breport.myiris.com/PRALILLA/APTECH_2012409.pdf http://www.aptech-education.com http://www.karrox.com http://www.sutrainfotech.net http://www.niit.com/Pages/DefaultGLOBAL.aspx http://www.squadinfotech.in

3.7Annexure Questions asked to Counselors: 1. What are the courses offered here? 2. How this particular course will help me? 3. How this course will benefit me in future? 4. What Career options will I have after completing this particular course? 5. Which certification I will get after completing this Course? 6. What is the duration of these courses? 7. Does your institute provide placement? 8. If yes, is it Guaranteed or Assistance? 9. Does this institute also provide Placement grooming sessions? 10. If yes, what will be the duration? 11. What is the avg. pay package after completing particular course? 12. What is the Fee for this particular course & the payment modes?