HC directive: Image makeover to lift spirits of Bevco outlets
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Beverages Corporation’s liquor outlets are going in for an image makeover with more customer-friendly services. The corporation has begun steps to relocate congested shops to spacious buildings and expand the digital booking facility to avoid crowding at shops.
Bevco’s transformation attempt is based on a High Court directive to improve the facilities at outlets. After an audit on the facilities, the corporation has decided to shift several shops to spacious buildings. Several others will be expanded by hiring more space and refurbished to make them more appealing.
“The plan is to complete the relocation as early as possible. It is a tedious task since the excise rules on the distance to be maintained from places of worship, educational institutions and hospitals are to be followed. Support of the local self-governments and nearby residents too is required at the new places,” said Bevco chairman and managing director Yogesh Gupta.
The corporation has issued guidelines to ensure hygiene at shops. Shops have to be cleaned frequently, either by employing personnel or through outsourcing. A special fund has been sanctioned for the purpose. Shops will avoid cage-like queuing up space except where it is inevitable. Queue stands will be placed at the counters. All shops will be painted and provided with LED display boards.
CCTV surveillance and drinking water have been ensured at all shops. Most of the 181 additional counters started at different outlets during Onam sales will be retained. “The counters helped handle the Onam rush in a big way. We had a 20 per cent increase in the number of visitors this Onam.
But the number of complaints from customers dropped from last year’s 62 to 11 this season,” Gupta said.
An expansion of the digital booking facility is also being worked out. Currently, the facility is available for one shop each in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.
The digital option is receiving a positive response from customers and is found to reduce crowding at outlets. At least 30 shops will have the facility by next month, said a Bevco source. Computerisation of all outlets is being done on a war footing. The technical work for the digital booking facility, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity, laying additional cables and installing new computers and printers is progressing at all shops. Digital booking offers premium services to customers. The outlets will have a separate queue for customers who have booked online. The consignment would be packed immediately after the booking so that such customers do not have to wait at the shop.