Apparel Online India Magazine April 1st Issue 2018 | Page 6

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’s DESK… Fast communication and responsive action has always been the success mantra for the export trade, but the speed at which this communication and the reactive action need to be taken has increased manifold. Now, even emails are considered too slow and people are getting on to WhatsApp and social media platforms to get their message across instantaneously… all at the click of a finger, as they say. Use of video conferencing for approvals on fit and day-to-day discussions is almost becoming a norm. There is also increased use of software for design- related approvals… Technology is everywhere. What is even more interesting is the fact that with greater use of IT, discussions are no longer between two people but a group of people. Thoughts are shared on platforms like LinkedIn for general consumption and reaction. The more we share on common platforms, the more we are aware of what is happening. News spreads like fire and reactions arrive even faster than lightening! In the last two years, the increasing number of professionals and industry owners that I see on LinkedIn has convinced me that being on the platform is certainly bringing in value. Earlier, one would have to have a strong network to get news, but now social media has become the ‘go to place’ for latest updates. Professionals from buying offices let the world know that they are changing jobs, companies put out resource and manpower requirements, motivational quotes and videos are shared with the industry and feedback from exhibitions are out there for everyone! While the younger generation is very attuned to the exciting opportunities that the social media platforms offer, the older generation of both the employers and the employees are still struggling to apprehend the dynamics of the impact. Almost every exporter and resource company has put fresh investment into their company websites, as buyers/customers would like to first check out the company on the web, before it even approaches them for business. Many companies are even using their websites to generate enquiries, and place orders. Collections are updated and every query made is answered in a defined timeline…, forget the bags full of garments that exporters used to take to the buyers’ offices for selection. But, in reality the garment trade is still a very ‘feel and see’ business. Buyers like to feel the fabric, see the finish and make physical choices when placing an order. The backend may be adopting technology, information sharing is definitely on the finger tip and approvals may be digital, but order placing is still done after seeing and feeling the garment. Even today, buying teams travel to the sourcing destinations, and in case of any eventuality (like the terrorist attack in Bangladesh), call their exporters to other nearby countries, but no order is placed without physically inspecting the collection. It will still take some time before the complete sourcing process of garment trade can happen online. 6 Apparel Online India | APRIL 1-15, 2018 | www.apparelresources.com EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Deepak Mohindra EDITOR Ila Saxena COPY EDITOR Veereshwar Sobti ASST. COPY EDITOR Sahil Sehgal ASST. EDITOR-NEWS Dheeraj Tagra ASST. EDITOR - FASHION Anjori Grover Vasesi SUB EDITOR Priyanka Mishra SR. CORRESPONDENT-FASHION Vishakha Somani SR. EXECUTIVE-ADVERTISING D K Chugh CREATIVE TEAM Raj Kumar Chahal Peeush Jauhari Satyapal Bisht PHOTO EDITOR Gaurav Naroola OPERATION DIRECTOR Mayank Mohindra PUBLISHER & MANAGING DIRECTOR Renu Mohindra HEAD OFFICE Apparel Resources Private Limited B-32, South Extension-1, New Delhi-110 049 (India) Phone: [phone], E-mail: [email protected] Web associate: www.apparelresources.com PRINTING TARA ART PRINTERS PVT. LTD. B-4, Hans Bhawan, B.S. Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002 Tel: [phone] SUBSCRIPTION RATE Yes, I wish to subscribe to Apparel Online INR 2400.00 24 issues *This rate is valid only for subscription in In