Abstract:

Mahindra & Mahindra started its E-Business initiatives in 1995. E-Business started with
the launch of a dedicated network across 8 manufacturing locations, area offices and !
"ranch offices. #n $une 199%, M&M launched its we"site mahindraworld.com, which was
one of the first cor&orate we"sites. #n '(((, M&M e)tended the #ntranet to three we"sites
dedicated to su&&liers and dealers of the automotive and farm e*ui&ment sectors. #n the
same +ear, it started ,-M and .,M initiatives, which hel&ed in anal+/ing customer
"u+ing "ehavior and &roduct develo&ment with the hel& of data mining tools. 0ll these
initiatives seemed to have &aid off and in '(( M&M1s farm e*ui&ment sector won
$a&an1s &restigious 2eming award.
Introduction
3he 4arm E*ui&ment sector of Mahindra & Mahindra 5M&M6

was awarded $a&an1s
&restigious 2eming award

in '((. #t was the seventh com&an+ outside $a&an and the
first tractor com&an+ in the world to have "een awarded the 2eming &ri/e. M&M1s E-
Business initiatives, which started in the late 199(s, seemed to have &la+ed a ma7or role
in the success of the 4arm E*ui&ment sector.
M&M launched its E-Business initiatives in 199%. #t involved "oth B'B

and &roduct-
focused sites. 3he B'B site hel&ed M&M to do "usiness online with its su&&liers and
dealers of 8tilit+ 9ehicles and 4arm E*ui&ments. #ts su&&liers1 centric site,
mahindrasu&&liers.com, ena"led it to send orders and receive raw materials faster.
3he sites teammahindra.com and kisanmitra.com, created to do "usiness with the dealers
of utilit+ vehicles and farm e*ui&ments res&ectivel+, made it easier and faster for M&M
to get orders from the dealers and to know a"out the status of sales at each dealer1s outlet.
#n addition to these initiatives, M&M also launched &roduct-focused sites, such as
mahindrascor&io.com and mahindra-"olero.com.
3hese sites were aimed at making customers aware of the features of .cor&io

and Bolero
and conse*uentl+ increase their sales.
M&M also used ,ustomer -elationshi& Management 5,-M6 as a data-mining tool. ,-M
hel&ed M&M to know a"out the &ro"lems in the e)isting &roducts, if an+, and develo&
new &roducts with the hel& of information collected from the customers a"out the
vehicles1 &erformance.
Confidential / for internal circulation only / Nitin Chikhale /1
Background Note
3he two "rothers, $.,.Mahindra and :.,.Mahindra, in 19!5 nurtured a dream, to
introduce the ;<8 vehicle used in the "attlefields of =orld =ar ##. 3he ;<8 vehicle,
often known as the 7ee&, was famous for its ruggedness and a"ilit+ to run on rough
terrain. 3he Mahindras and ;hulam Mohammed formed the com&an+, Mahindra &
Mohammed, in 19!5. Mahindra & Mohammed >imited was incor&orated on ?cto"er ',
19!5, as a &rivate limited com&an+ and was renamed as Mahindra & Mahindra >td., on
$anuar+ 1, 19!8...
E-Business Initiatives
0fter the different "usiness units had "een created, M&M reali/ed that the s+stem formed
islands of data that inhi"ited flow of information. #t needed a strong information
technolog+ link that would seamlessl+ integrate the different islands of information.
3herefore, it started an e-"i/ drive in the com&an+, which was a ste&-"+-ste& &rocess...
Launch of the Website
#n 1995, M&M set u& a dedicated network connecting 8 manufacturing locations, area
offices and ! "ranch offices. #n $une 199%, it launched the we"site,
www.mahindraworld.com, which was one of the first cor&orate we"sites launched in
#ndia at that time...
ERP Impementation
#n 199@, M&M decided to im&lement an E-< solution, which would integrate different
"usiness &rocesses and cut down on wastes in the manufacturing chain...
Intranet
#n 199@, Mahindra ,onnect, the #ntranet initiative was launched. 3he o"7ective "ehind
introducing #ntranet was to make all em&lo+ee and organi/ation related information
availa"le online, on a single &latform...
E-!entures
#n '((1, M&M launched three sites, automartindia.com, officemartindia.com and
&ro&ert+martindia.com. 0utomart was a 7oint venture with A24, and automotive dealers
B .ah & .anghi grou&...
Product-Based "ites
=ith the launch of the vehicles targeted at ur"an customers, M&M launched &roduct-
focused we"sites, such as www.mahindra-"olero.com and www.mahindrascor&io.com...
Confidential / for internal circulation only / Nitin Chikhale /2
Benefits of E-Initiatives
E-< im&lementation restructured the whole &rocess of "usiness at M&M. Electronic
&rocurement of materials and inventor+ served as a "oon for M&M as it hel&ed the
com&an+ in the entire &rocurement c+cle, from su&&lier selection to deciding on the
contracts...
#he Road Ahead
M&M is focusing on transforming itself into an effective E-Business organi/ation and
with the hel& of its e-infrastructure it is tr+ing to esta"lish the Mahindra ;rou& as a
virtual knowledge communit+...
E-Business can be an effective tool in building and maintaining a sustainable competitive
advantage, and is helping the Mahindra group forge new relationships with its
stakeholders.
- $has %argop& President& #eecom and "oft'are "ector& ()(*
Confidential / for internal circulation only / Nitin Chikhale /3