Vodafone Idea to launch more retail outlets in FY25 to enhance market presence, says COO

India’s third-largest telecom operator Vodafone Idea (Vi) plans to open more retail outlets across India in FY25 to boost its sales and improve customer stickiness.

Vi, promoted by the Aditya Birla Group and UK’s Vodafone Group Plc, currently has three formats of retail outlets – Vi Stores, Vi Shops, and Vi Mini Stores. The telco is also focusing on extensive automation and digitisation to connect with consumers across various touch points.

Currently, the telco has more than 2,700 Vi Shops in remote rural markets, and over 2,000 Vi Mini Stores in semi-urban markets, whereas Vi Stores are large-format stores predominantly located in major metropolitan areas.

“Our objective is to get as close to the customer as possible. We want to ensure our presence in all key markets and towns. In FY 2025, you will see us launching more Vi Shops and Vi Mini Stores,” said Abhijit Kishore, COO of Vodafone Idea, in a statement exclusively shared with ETTelecom.

Additionally, the company is also enhancing its digital presence by launching various initiatives that enable consumers to address their needs via the Vi App.

50% of the value transacted between Vi’s retailers and distributors is now through digital payment modes which has reduced the need for manual servicing of retail outlets, which has in turn, led to lower costs and assured collections for the distributors, the telco said.

“The strategic expansion of Vi’s retail and digital presence appears to be paying off,” Vi said. It added that the introduction of multiple retail formats combined with a robust digital outreach has broadened its market penetration and enhanced customer engagement.

In a recent investor presentation with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Vi said it has a 95%-plus district distribution coverage, serving customers across 787,00 retailers and over 2,300 branded urban stores.

Its chief executive Akshaya Moondra in a recent letter to customers said that the company’s recently concluded Rs 18,000 crore follow-on public offer (FPO) was subscribed seven times, and termed it as a significant milestone that reflected the trust of investors in the telco’s brand.

Moondra said that Vi’s upcoming investments would be directed towards the expansion of its 4G services, and the roll-out of the fifth-generation (5G) cellular networks with the latest technology to deliver on the customers’ service quality expectations.