Bain Report India Real Estate
Bain Report India Real Estate
Bain Report India Real Estate
Net Promoter System and Net Promoter Score are trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., Fred Reichheld
and Satmetrix Systems, Inc.
Contents
Executive summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg.1
1.
The residential real estate market: Gaps between demand and supply. . . . . . pg. 5
2.
Selecting the right business model: Aiming for local scale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 11
3.
4.
Focusing on tight cash management: Choosing the right success metrics. . . . pg. 23
5.
Page i
Page ii
Executive summary
Indias residential real estate market hasnt had it easy in recent years. Short-term demand factors have stalled
growth, and low consumer demand at current prices has accentuated the problem. Absorption rates have stagnated,
causing high levels of overhang across all major cities, with Gurgaon and Mumbai among the worst hit. Developers,
especially those with holding capacity, remain largely in wait and watch mode without lowering prices. Customers
seem intent on waiting out the slowdown. On the other hand, developers who are cash-crunched or who have
been unable to sell their products have either closed up shop or are borrowing money at high costs to survive.
Yet there are signs of light at the end of the tunnel. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is leading the way in initiating
a virtuous cycle of consumption and growth. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill is expected to
increase transparency, customer-centricity and process adherence. Required approvals have historically put extreme
pressure on developers. Greater transparency should reduce approval charges and help lower construction costs.
It will also help accelerate the construction process and reduce overall costs for consumers.
In addition, inflation rates appear to have stabilized and lending rates have started to come down. While quoted
property prices have yet to correct for the overhang in supply, discounts (both up front and discreet) and innovative
pricing schemes, such as possession-linked payment plans and subvention schemes, have increased.
And so, beyond the short-term demand factors, there is immense potential in residential real estate in India.
Organised Indian real estate demand is estimated at roughly 880 million square feet. It is forecast to reach
approximately 1.35 billion square feet by 2020, a 9% annual growth rate. Residential real estate is responsible for
85% of the demand. This growth is supported by robust underlying market drivers such as favourable macroeconomic conditions, increasing affordability and urbanization, improved access to credit and the gradual shift
from unorganised real estate construction to organised development.
Due to the confluence of these factors, the Indian real estate market is starting to witness a substantial shift. What
it used to take to win in this space is very different from what it will take in the future. In this environment, we
believe that real estate developers must understand five fundamental dynamics in order to succeed. Each dynamic carries a specific implication for businesses. We will discuss all five dynamics and their implications in this
report. They are:
Emerging competitive forces giving rise to distinct business models. New business models are rapidly evolving.
Focusing on land acquisition and effective management of regulatory bodies is no longer sufficient; developers must also focus on becoming strong local market leaders in order to build a platform for sustainable
growth. They are doing this by being more thoughtful about the operating models they use to compete in
different marketplaces.
The main implication for developers hoping to successfully weather changing competitive dynamics is to
select the right business model. Due to the low overlap of costs and customers across disparate locations,
real estate projects across markets are truly distinct businesses. Within each local market, there are a multitude
of developer types. The key to building a sustainable business is to achieve local scale first, as most traditional
players, such as Sobha and the Prestige Group, have done. Another increasingly common option for developers
is to forge joint development agreements (JDAs), in which they partner with land owners and share profits. In
addition to reduced upfront land costs, developers tend to benefit from land owners deep local knowledge.
Page 1
Furthermore, developers must define the key priorities for their business models and assess their core
competencies across the value chain. Developers can build strong businesses by focusing on certain core
elements of their value chains and building effective outsourcing models for other activities. They must also
be intelligent customerspossessing enough knowledge about outsourced activities to avoid getting taken
advantage of by vendors.
There are certain activities across the value chain that help create valuetypically these include business
development, land acquisition and design. Other activities, such as planning, budgeting and project
management, protect value. Businesses should focus on building critical capabilities when deciding which
of these activities to undertake themselves and which to outsource. It is important to note that there are
segments of businesses in which some of the value-preservation activities could be a competitive advantage.
For example, a developer adept at strategic procurement will have a sustained competitive advantage over
competitors in the affordable housing segment.
Complex market and regulatory environment. The new regulatory bill, combined with region-specific
regulations across the country, means that real estate developers face higher levels of scrutiny and greater
complexity than ever before. To stay afloat, businesses must actively manage risk through both internal and
external processes.
The implication for developers is to drive excellence in process execution in the preconstruction phase, during
construction and post-handover. Customers expect a level of maintenance and upkeep of the property posthandover. Indeed, the brand image of some developers has taken a hit due to suboptimal property upkeep
and maintenance or because of consistent delays during construction.
To a significant extent, companies can drive improvement merely by focusing on processes and running a
tight ship. Key processes to optimise include those related to change management, risk mitigation, crossfunctional processes, key performance indicators and incentives, organizational setup, IT setup, optimal
management information systems (MIS) and governance.
Developers can use tools such as project trackers to view and manage the many interlinked processes that
make up a construction project. Trackers can alert companies to critical bottlenecks before construction
initiation, allowing teams to take corrective actions before problems occur.
Shifting profit pools. There has been a tectonic shift in the Indian real estate market in the last 10 years. Costs
of both land and key inputs (primarily steel and ready-mix concrete) have skyrocketed. Raw material prices
have grown by a factor of 2 to 3 times since 2005. Land prices have increased even more dramatically. This
means that while sales numbers may have increased, developer margins are lower than before.
This leaves developers with no choice but to focus on tight cash management by project and cash flow return
on investment (CFROI). Fundamentally, a real estate business is the sum of its projects plus overhead and
corporate expenditures. Cash is king in this project-based business, and it will remain so. The unique nature
of the real estate business, which includes high peak investment levels, a long cash flow break-even cycle and
inflows skewed toward the end of projects, lends itself to particular financial challenges. Yet traditional profitability metrics, such as EBITDA and PAT, can vary based on accounting methodologies. CFROI, in contrast,
reflects the true cash generation ability of a project and, ultimately, of a developer. A critical way businesses
can maintain a CFROI focus is by organizing around projects and empowering project heads to lead.
Page 2
Increase in customer awareness and rapid changes in customer expectations. Buying real estate is often the
largest, most significant purchase people make in their lifetimes. As such, customers have high degrees of
involvement and investment in their decisions. There is greater emphasis than ever on word-of-mouth
information, including online reviews. Currently, Indian residential real estate developers do not have a
customer mindset. This has resulted in poor advocacy, with few customers saying they would recommend a
developers projects to a friend or colleague.
Customers expectations of residential apartments have also changed rapidly. What was considered top of the
line in 2010 is a base expectation in 2015. We expect this trend of fast-changing demands to accelerate over
the coming years. Given that many residential projects take more than five years from conceptualization to
handover, developers must anticipate what customers will want 3 to 5 years in the futureand then begin
building that today.
There is a major opportunity for developers to tailor their brands to key purchase criteria, both current and
projected. Creating strong product and brand strategies to match target customer preferences is more
important than ever. Delivering key attributes, from pricing and payment to clear communication, requires
managing key touchpoints with customers before, during and after purchase. Developers should also consider
segmenting their customers and building their brands to position themselves for various customer types.
Each of these changes requires developers to transition from a transaction-based approach to a relationshipbased one.
Innovative selling approaches and channels. As inventory levels remain high, selling properties has become
increasingly challenging, particularly in the post-launch phase. Once developers have their internal processes
in order, they must turn their focus outward.
To best reach customers, developers have begun to employ integrated, multichannel go-to-market (GTM)
strategies that include multiple channel pipelines. These channels could include direct sales, customer referrals,
international initiatives, collaboration with channel partners, corporate sales and more. Indeed, major
developers are already focusing on building this multichannel sales strategy and creating excellence niches
where they can excel.
Many changes have taken place in the residential real estate market in India, with further changes still to come.
While it is still too early to predict the outcome of new regulations and the impact of short-term factors, with these
recommendations in mind, developers can better prepare themselves for whatever lies ahead.
Page 3
1.
Residential real
estate market:
Gaps between
demand and
supply
Figure 1: Organised Indian real estate demand is estimated to be ~880M square feet and is forecast to
1,500
Hospitality
CAGR
(201520)
~1,350M
810%
Retail
910%
1,000
~880M
~25%
78%
Residential
(organised)
500
2015
Commercial
Residential
810%
2020
Notes: Other includes hospitals, special economic zones and education; residential segment includes only the organised portion of residential real estate
Sources: India Brand Equity Foundation report; Bain analysis
Figure 2: However, there has been a dip in the economy in recent years after a long period of robust growth
Real GDP growth rate is expected to trend upwards in mid term
Real GDP YOY growth rate
13%
10
30
2014
2015E
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2008
Uptick observed
in 2014
1,500
1,000
10
Page 6
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
2016E
2015E
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
1999
500
5
2000
Economic slowdown has also impacted the equity market in recent years
Market capitalization of listed companies
($B at current prices)
15
1999
2016E
2014
2015E
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
10
2000
2000
20
Figure 3: Demand factors accentuated the problem as absorption rates have stagnated, causing high
inventory levels
220,000
60
Absorption
Launches
City 1
City 2
200,000
City 3
City 4
180,000
40
160,000
City 5
City 6
Uptick observed
in recent months
140,000
20
120,000
100,000
H1
2012
H2
2012
H1
2013
H2
2013
H1
2014
H2
2014
H1
2015E
0
Q2FY Q3FY Q4FY Q1FY Q2FY Q3FY Q4FY Q1FY Q2FY Q3FY
2012 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014
Figure 4: Initial indicators suggest that the real estate market may be showing some signs of improvement
Interest rates are starting to decrease
9.5
8%
9.0
8.5
8.0
7.5
Nov
2014
Jan
2015
Mar
2015
May
2015
0
Aug
2014
July
2015
27.1%
27.4%
28.8%
0
FY15, area
in sq. ft.,
millions
Dec
2014
Feb
2015
Apr
2015
Jun
2015
Aug
2015
20
10
Oct
2014
13.3%
95
CAGR
FY1315
85
Godrej
Prestige
Sobha
Oberoi
Brigade
108
59
38
25
75
May
Aug
Nov
Feb
May
Aug
Nov
Feb
May
Aug
2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2015
Page 7
Figure 5: Real estate developers in India need to contend with significant evolution across external forces
D
Customer demand
Urbanisation and income levels on the rise will fuel demand
Consumer activism on the rise, with specific preferences
Intelligent and aware customers
Greater-than-ever emphasis on word of mouth, including online
Selling approach
Input dynamics
Competitive dynamics
Figure 6: Five key topics matter differentially regarding what these ecosystem forces imply for real
estate developers
Business
development
Land
acquisition
Design
Planning &
budgeting
Approvals
Contracts &
purchase
Codify rigorous
approval tracking
processes
Process disclosure
& communication
strategy
Optimisation of
cost-effective
construction methods
Tight cash management and focus on cash flow return on investment (CFROI)
3
Customer
demand
Project
Property
management
management
& construction
Sales &
marketing
E
Selling
approach
Note: REIT refers to Real Estate Investment Trust
Source: Bain analysis
Page 8
Figure 7: Adapting to these five business implications is critical to successfully building a profitable real
estate business
Business implication
Competitive dynamics
Input dynamics
Profit centres are shifting due to steep rise in land and input costs
Customer demand
Selling approach
Page 9
2.
Selecting the right
business model:
Aiming for local
scale
Figure 8: Real estate projects across two markets are different businesses altogether due to low cost
One market,
e.g., shampoo
and conditioner
Cost
(and
capability)
sharing
Separate
markets, e.g.,
books and cars
Real estate
projects
across two
different cities
Low cost
and
capability
sharing
Separate
markets
with
potential
for
bundling,
e.g., computer
hardware
and software
One market
with
potential for
substitution,
e.g., video
rental and
video on
demand
Low
customer
sharing
Low
Customer sharing
Low
High
Figure 9: There are a multitude of developer types within each local market
Business model
Description
Key capabilities
Striving to achieve
scale in all markets
Established players
having local scale
National players
Savvy
Examples
Sanjeevani
Akshaya
Omkar
Emaar
M3M
Adani
Sobha
Hiranandani
VGN
The 3C Company
Lodha
DLF
Decentralised operational
model
Growth and scale
achieved by harnessing
brand and capability
Nationally recognised
brand and reputation
Streamlined processes and
decision roles
Strong organisation
capability with multiple
leaders within organisation
Godrej
Properties
Prestige
Achieving local scale in real estate development business is key to building a sustainable and scalable business
Source: Bain analysis
Page 12
Tata
Housing
Figure 10: Most traditional players have focused on one city and then expanded to other cities (Godrej)
Percentage of area under development
ej
100%
od
r
Example No.1
FY1
80
2010
FY13
rej
od
0G
2007
FY
07
Godrej Properties
rej
God
60
2013
Continued focus in Ahmedabad; significant local scale in Ahmedabad
(among top two players)
Live projects in nine other cities
Large number of upcoming projects in Mumbai
Pan-India focus ongoing but starting to strategically achieve local scale in
select cities
2015
Local scale in Ahmedabad
Live projects in 11 other cities
Pan-India focus; local scale in Ahmedabad and Mumbai
ej
50% of
portfolio
dr
15
40
Go
FY
20
Rest
Portfolio in cities
Figure 11: Most traditional players have focused on one city and then expanded to other cities (Prestige)
Percentage of area under development
Prestige Group
2007
Example No. 2
100%
Completed ~4M square feet and ~11M square feet under development
in Bengaluru in 2007
80
Prestig
Pre
2010
60
FY07
Presti
FY10
FY13
ge
stige
50% of
portfolio
40
2013
Further expansion with primary focus on Bengaluru and Chennai market;
~41M square feet under development
20
Portfolio in cities
Page 13
Rest
Figure 12: It is important to define the business model priorities and to assess core competencies across
the value chain
Land
acquisition
Design
Concept
& design
management
Approvals
Technical
design
Sales
&
marketing
Construction
Project
management
Property
management
Why is each
real estate
activity
valuable?
What should
be our focus
for in-house
operations?
How best
do we use
external
partners?
When do
we initiate
change?
Who should
play key
roles for
each activity?
Value
creators vs.
value
protectors
Three to five
key activities
that we want
to control
in-house
Relative
importance
of each
activity for
the business
Which activities
and which
projects are
immediate
priorities for
the business
rather than longterm goals?
Degree of
control to
retain
Optimal
outsourcing
model for
chosen
activities
Typical value creators
Internal vs.
external
mandates
Roles of
promoter,
leadership team,
execution team
Implications
on capability
building
Figure 13: Unique models have emerged within the Indian real estate landscape as developers focus on
Design
Approvals
Concept Architectural
& product & structural
Sales
&
marketing
Planning
Contracts & purchase Construc- Project
&
tion
manageStrategic
budgeting Integrated
ment
contracting purchasing
Developer
1
Not
available
Developer
2
Not
available
Developer
3
Not
available
Not
available
Not
available
Not
available
Not
available
Not
available
Internally focused business model, capabilities built in-house across entire value chain
Not
available
Developer
4
Developer
5
Developer
6
Property
management
Not
available
Hybrid model
In-house
Partially outsourced
Page 14
Outsourced
Not
available
Nontraditional models
Joint venture
Joint development
model
agreement model
Developer
1
Developer
2
- Share risks
Developer
3
- Strategic reasons
Example: 50:50 joint venture between DLF & Nakheel
Properties (Dubai-based real estate developer)
Developer
4
Developer
5
Developer
6
Developer
7
Developer
8
- Revenue share
- Area share
Developer
9
- Profit share
Example: Godrej Properties joint development agreement
with Ador Group to develop a project in Mumbai
Developer
10
Source: Bain analysis
Page 15
3.
Driving excellence
in process execution: Running a
tight ship
Figure 15: Six key enablers that lead to success in real estate
Process optimisation
Organisational setup
Management information
systems and governance
IT setup
IT functioning as a differentiator,
providing live, accurate and
actionable inputs to management
Figure 16: Following a robust preconstruction tracking process helps identify the critical path and raise
Illustrative residential project under different cash flow and NPV scenarios
NPV=Rs. 115
NPV=Rs. 105
1520% potential
increase in EBIT
NPV=Rs. 100
Cumulative
project
cash
flow
NPV=Rs. 90
Time
Potential time to
launch reduction
by 1020%
35 years
Inventory management
- Genetic algorithms could be used to
model optimal NPV, EBIT scenario
Page 18
Figure 17: A well-structured MIS would enable quick decision making along with clear business targets
Area
(square feet)
Bookings
(Rs. crore)
Work completion
(%)
Projects
Target
(YTD)
Current
status (YTD)
Target
(YTD)
Current
status (YTD)
Target
(PTD)
Project X
Project X
Project X
Subtotal
Project X
Project X
Project X
Project X
Project X
Subtotal
Project X
Project X
Project X
Subtotal
Total
x
Variance
Contribution
(Rs. crore)
Target
(YTD)
Current
status (YTD)
Target
(YTD)
Current
status (YTD)
< 25%
Current
status (PTD)
Overall collections
(Rs. crore)
x
x
x
x
>0%
Figure 18: Example: Thoroughly running an efficient dunning process can significantly improve collections
Request for
payment and
late fees
Request for
payment and
late fees
Launch of
sanctions process
cascade of
sanctions
Due date
+10
Due date
+30
Due date
+90
Due
Actual
process
date
Payment from
customer due
in two weeks
Due date
10
Improved
process
Due date
7
Due
Due date
+1
Due date
+10
Due date
+20
Write to
customer:
Request
for
payment
and late
fees
Call customer:
Request for
payment and
late fees and
deadline for
10 more
days to
sanctions
Launch of
sanctions
process
date
Weekly
receivables
tracking
Call
customer:
Already
planned
to pay
on time?
Write to
customer:
Reminder of
due date of
payment
and late
fees
afterward
Page 19
Cascade of
sanctions
Figure 19: Multiple interlinked processes run through the duration of the value chain
Business development
(~2 months)
Business
development
Land acquisition
Concept &
design
management
Design
Construction
(1.5-5 years, dependent on project size)
Pre-construction
(11.5 years)
Postconstruction
Technical due
diligence
RA
DA
Market research
Product planning
Technical
design
Approvals
Land
and JDA
Preconstruction approvals
Construction-related approvals
Branding & marketing
Launch planning
Sales &
marketing
Customer-centric sales
Customer relationship management
Sales & collections
Planning &
budgeting
Contracts
&
purchase
Integrated
contracting
Contracts &
purchase
strategy
Project management
Project
construction
Property
management
Property
management
Project launch
Page 20
Property handover
Page 21
4.
Focusing on tight
cash management: Choosing
the right success
metrics
Figure 20: The price of land and materials has increased significantly over the past decade
Raw material prices have increased substantially
300
3
3.75x
3
3.75x
400
Delhi NCR
2,000
2.5 2.5
3.25x 3x
1,500
1.8 1.8
2x
2x
1,500
2005
indexed
price
level
100
2008
2013
Bengaluru
2,000
2,000
410x
Concrete
Tiles
CP &
sanitary
Wooden
doors
1,000
500
DG set
Ironmongery
FSIadjusted
range
100
2008
715x
1,500
1,000
100
2008
2,000
2013
Chennai
1,500
Steel
(rebar)
1020x
1,500
1,000
FSIadjusted
500
range
500
1.8
2x
100
2,000
1,000
2
2.5x
2
2
2.5x 2.5x
1.8
2x
200
315x
Mumbai
FSIadjusted
range
1,500
FSIadjusted
range
1,000
500
0
2013
100
2008
2013
Notes: Land price appreciation estimated from actual deals conducted or circle rates where available; FSI-adjusted range accounts for higher floor area ratio; raw material price
increases weighted by percentage age of total cost for each input
Sources: Bain analysis; interviews with 20 property dealers across four cities and four industry experts across three sectors
Figure 21: The land and materials price increases have eaten into the profit margins of developers
Illustrative breakup of price realisation
for residential project
100%
23
1718
2325
Interest cost
Liasioning charges
Architects & consultants
fee+CM fee
1517
Other
2124
100%
117
Interest cost
Liasioning charges
Architects & consultants
fee+CM fee
3640
4347
40 23
44
27
Other
Labor
Marketing Profit
to
Overdevelhead
oper
Other
Other
80
80
60
Land
costs
Labor
Cement
20
Reinforcement
steel
Land costs
Marketing
Elevators
40
Material
Overhead
Profit
to
developer
Preliminaries
Labor
Other
Elevators
60
Land
costs
40
Reinforcement
steel
20
Profit
Cement
Land costs
Material
Preliminaries
Labor
Other Profit
Page 24
Figure 22: The unique nature of the business lends itself to very peculiar financial challenges
Sporadic and back-loaded inflows along with immediate outflows
Business development
(~2 months)
Construction
(1.5 to 5 years, dependent on project size)
Preconstruction
(1 to 1.5 years)
Post-construction
30
20
150
100
10
50
0
0
10
3 Long cash flow break-even cycle
20
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q5
Q6
Q7
Q8
Q9
Q10
Q11
50
Q12
Q13
Q14
Q15
Q16
Q17
Q18
Cumulative
Need razor-sharp focus on managing cash flows to build a scalable, profitable business
Source: Bain analysis
Figure 23: Fundamentally, a real estate business is the sum of its projects; CFROI is the best metric to
measure business health
Project 2
Real estate developer
Cumulative
cash
flow
Time
Project n
Cumulative cash position of individual projects
Miscellaneous spending
(Corporate overhead, etc.)
Project
Miscellaneous
Enterprise
CFROI (Cash flow return on investment) is the best metric to judge returns in the real estate business
Traditional profitability metrics
(EBIT, EBITDA, PAT, etc.)
Page 25
Figure 24: Organising around projects and empowering project leaders is critical
Business development,
land acquisition and strategy
Executive chairman or
managing director
CEO
Project leader A
Core
functions
(e.g., design,
contracts)
Business
support
(e.g., HR, IT)
Project leader B
Project leader X
Sales &
marketing
leader
Project team
Sales
leader
Function maps
in project
teams based
out of head
office
Site team
under project
leader
Marketing
leader
Customer
relationship
management
leader
External
partners
Page 26
Page 27
5.
Using an integrated
go-to-market
strategy and
tailoring your
brand: Building a
customer mindset
Brand building is critical to real estate developers longterm success. Few developers have the luxury of an
existing parent brand. As Lodha Group and Prestige
have demonstrated, creating a scalable, local business
can help create sustained and profitable business growth.
In real estate, customers are highly invested and involved
in the buying process. Developers therefore must create
brand awareness and anticipate customers needs during
product conceptualization and design. Because projects
can take more than five years to complete, developers
must design products and amenities their customers are
likely to want when the products launchesnot currently.
Customer segmentation, product conceptualization
and design are critical for project success. Often, project
designs change close to the project launch based
on poor responses from customers. This increases
time to launch and significantly increases overall costs.
In our surveys and interviews, customers in Mumbai
and Bengaluru listed on-time delivery, luxury interiors,
financial strength, track record, premium location and
trust, among other factors, as the attributes that drive
their purchase decisions. But when customers rated
their perceptions of 17 major real estate developers,
fewer than half received a positive Net Promoter Score,
a well-established measure of customer loyalty.
Developers have opportunities to differentiate themselves and their engagement with potential customers.
We found seven key attributes that matter most,
and they fall into two categories: those that drive
consideration and those that drive advocacy.
On the front end, customers can increase customer
satisfaction by matching customers with a single point
of contact and collecting all feedback over the course
of a sale. On the back end, developers can give
customers a choice of location and project features.
Elements of customer-centricity should be just one piece
of a developers overall GTM strategy. To scale up rapidly,
businesses need integrated, multichannel strategies that
help them grow on multiple fronts. Developers have
already begun to build excellence niches based on
their strategic priorities.
Figure 25: In real estate, the customer journey requires the highest involvement and investment
Pre-sales
69 months
1 Need & brand
awareness
Description
Sales
34 months
2 Initial enquiry
or outreach
3 Direct
engagement
4 Sales
process
Focus area
for
developer
Post-sales
3660 months
Get updates
on ongoing
progress
Have
property
handed over
Attributes that
convert a
potential buyer
Consideration shortlist
6 Post-handover
support
Monitor ongoing
activities, get
complaints
resolved
Attributes that
continue to
build advocacy
5 Project
construction
Project purchase
Property handover
Figure 26: There is significant room to demonstrate greater customer centricity in most attributes that
contribute to purchasing decisions
Sample flat
Ease of financing
Community
Quality of collateral
Timely approvals
On-time
delivery
Luxury exteriors
Financial strength
Premium location
Redevelopment
Goods
Service level
Contractor brand
Construction quality
Fair pricing
Design Architect
Maintenance
Convenience
of
access
Perceived resale value
Smart project Track
Vastu compliance
Religious compliance
Word of mouth
Design efficiency
Sustainability
Parking area
Trust
Page 30
record
Figure 27: Indian residential real estate industry does not have a customer mindset, with poor advocacy
as a result
The stars
The strugglers
50%
50
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
17
15
13
11
9
7
5
3
1
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
100
Notes: Focused on Mumbai and Bengaluru respondents; Net Promoter Score corresponds to On a scale from 0-10, how likely are you to recommend projects from the following
groups to a friend or colleague for purchase of a new residential apartment?; Net Promoter Score is the percentage of promoters (score 9/10) minus the percentage of detractors
(score 0-6); Net Promoter Score is a trademark of Bain & Company, Inc., Fred Reichheld and Satmetrix Systems, Inc.
Sources: Field survey; Bain analysis
Figure 28: Across these attributes, seven key attributes differentially matter; brand both influences and
is influenced by them
Pre-sales
69 months
Need & brand
awareness
Sales
34 months
Initial enquiry or
outreach
Direct
engagement
Sales process
Consideration shortlist
Location
Product specs
Project
construction
Post-handover
support
Attributes that
continue to
build advocacy
Attributes that
convert a
potential buyer
Attributes that
attract a potential
buyer initially
Driving consideration
Post-sales
3660 months
Project purchase
Driving advocacy
4
On-time delivery
Quality delivered
Communication
Service delivery
Page 31
Back-end
project
imperatives
Front-end
sales & CRM
imperatives
Brand is strengthened
through increased
advocacy, weakened
through detraction
Figure 29: Achieving those attributes involves managing key touchpoints with the customer before, during
Sales
34 months
Initial enquiry or
outreach
Direct
engagement
Post-sales
3660 months
Project
construction
Sales process
Project purchase
Consideration shortlist
Post-handover
support
Project handover
Touchpoints
2 Technology
Newspaper
Digital search
Channel partners
Radio
Website
Influencers
Hoarding
PR
Sales team
Events
Media
4 Relationship management
Relationship management team
Registration
Maintenance
Payment processing
Town halls
Managing customisations
Society handover
Complaint management
Information sharing
Progress updates
Miscellaneous
Figure 30: It is critical for companies to manage front- and back-end interfaces to truly delight customers
Back-end processes geared to customer needs
Customer
needs
fulfilled
Land
acquisition
Approvals
Choice of
preferred
location for
target
segments
Customer
peace of mind
through
communication
of approvals
Planning &
budgeting
Design
Choice of project
features;
ability to
implement
customisations
Contracts &
purchase
Engaging with
contractors or
vendors to
ensure quality
and on-time
Forecasting
delivery
timelines
Project
management
or construction
On-time
delivery;
proactive
progress
updates
Property
management
High quality of
ongoing
maintenance;
prompt issue
resolution
Customer-centric RE organisation
Brand perception
aligned with target
segments
Single point
relationship contact;
feedback collected to
improve centricity
Technology innovation
driving customer
delight (apps,
visualisations, etc.)
CRM & IT
Customer champions
driving all initiatives;
well-equipped and
trained salespeople
Sales
Page 32
Figure 31: To scale up rapidly and maximise their reach, developers need a structured go-to-market strategy
across multiple channels
Direct sales
Examples:
Channel partner
Corporate
Examples:
International
Customer referrals
Emerging channels
Examples:
Exclusive tiered customer
rewards programs
Online
Wealth management networks, banks,
NBFCs
Examples:
Strong focus on online platforms:
Tata Housing: tie-up with Google
Online Shopping Festival 2013
Unitech: 14% of sales generated from
digital platform (FY13)
Strong tie-ups with wealth networks and
NBFCs
Unitech, Tata Housing
Page 33
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Sitanshu Shah, Hemant Chhabra, and Amrutayan Pati from the Bain India offices for their support.
Page 34