Reimagining Retail Engagement: How Choithrams and Tanla Bridged the Digital Divide

Choithrams is a renowned multinational conglomerate with a diverse presence across manufacturing, distribution, commodities, and retail. Operational in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since 1974, the brand has since expanded its footprint across the Gulf, with supermarkets in Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar.

With nearly 80 years of global expertise spanning 25 countries, Choithrams stands as a leading supermarket retailer and food distributor, recognized for its extensive international networks and robust supply chain.

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Committed to delivering high-quality products and exceptional service, Choithrams has become a trusted name in the region, catering to the diverse tastes, preferences, and budgets of its customers.

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Source: https://choithramsgcc.com/en/media/view/lt-pagarani-of-choithrams-group-the-reluctant-businessman-who-became-head-of-an-empire | https://www.choithrams.com/en/about-us/

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The Challenges

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Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Choithrams relied on traditional print promotions-booklets, paper inserts, and leaflets-to drive sales and boost store visits. However, post-COVID, changing consumer behavior rendered these methods outdated.

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To stay relevant, Choithrams shifted to WhatsApp as their preferred digital communication channel across 25+ stores. But their initial approach posed several challenges:

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• Non-verified accounts: Messages were sent through individual store numbers rather than a verified Choithrams WhatsApp Business Account.

• Operational inefficiency: Manual execution at the store level made campaign management cumbersome.

• Limited reach: Promotions reached only those customers who had previously shared their contact details in-store, limiting audience growth and campaign impact.

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The Solution

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Choithrams adopted a two-pronged strategy to overcome these hurdles:

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• Centralized Marketing: Establish a scalable, centrally managed campaign approach.

• Wider Reach: Run hyper-targeted promotional campaigns to drive in-store footfall.

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This transformation was made possible through the WhatsApp Business Platform, with Tanla playing a pivotal role in enabling this shift.

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How Tanla Enabled Choithrams' Success

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1. Meeting Customer Expectations Digitally

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Recognizing customers’ shift away from print, Choithrams used WhatsApp to send digital booklets and pamphlets showcasing promotional offers. Customers received timely updates via PDFs directly on their preferred messaging platform.

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2. Centralized Campaign Management

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Moving from a fragmented approach to a centrally managed, verified WhatsApp Business Account was a game-changer. Tanla guided Choithrams through the entire process—from setup to campaign launch—ensuring seamless execution.

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Testimonial:

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Let’s look at some of their successful WhatsApp campaigns:

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• QR Code opt-in journey:
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  To expand their reach, Choithrams launched a QR code-based opt-in campaign. Unique codes at each store allowed customers to quickly subscribe to WhatsApp updates, boosting opt-ins.
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• Promotional campaigns to drive in-store footfall:
  
  Targeting key days of customer engagement, Choithrams rolled out three weekly campaigns:
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  • Monday: Deals of The Week (DOW)
  • Tuesday: Tuesday Super Savers (TSS)
  • Thursday: Fresh Offers (FO) / Supersavers
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    This data-driven approach maximized customer engagement and store visits.

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The Impact

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With a centralised approach enabled by Tanla, Choithrams was able to reach a wider audience, increase opt-in rate and execute growth-driving campaigns without hassle.

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Partnering with Tanla and leveraging WhatsApp’s capabilities delivered measurable results for Choithrams:

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• 30% year-over-year growth in registrations underscores the power of WhatsApp as a marketing channel.

• 3500+ customers onboarded in the first quarter through the QR code opt-in journey.

• Improved campaign management with seamless, centralized operations.

• Enhanced customer experience with timely, relevant promotions.

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With a strong foundation laid, Choithrams continues to partner with Tanla to scale its customer engagement strategy, build customer loyalty, and drive sustained growth through intelligent, targeted communications.