Market prominence as a pioneering entrepreneur.

She
The retail industry in Sri Lanka is growing at has won a slew of awards – most notably, she
over 20% each year. This growth is being driven has been bestowed the SAARC Woman of
by changes in purchasing habits and how people Achievement and the Jaycees TOYP awards,
spend their leisure time. Branded retailers are recognising her exceptional entrepreneurial
capable of providing consistency in service and skills.
quality that others often cannot. The retail And Odel’s advertising campaigns have won
landscape in Sri Lanka has thus seen dramatic many prestigious Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing
changes in sectors such as fast food, petroleum, (SLIM) awards – they have also been featured in
electronics, supermarket channels and the the local and international press, magazines and
fashion industry, to name just a few. With the TV programmes.
entry of multinationals, higher customer
expectations from retail services compel local History
retailers to keep pace with these changes – or The origins of Odel go back to 1989, when a
close down. small retail outlet selling clothes was established
Odel has played a leading role in first creating at Dickman’s Road, in Colombo 5. Its founder,
and then expanding the upper end of the Otara, had returned from the US after
fashion industry’s retail channel in Sri Lanka. completing her tertiary education and following
With a per-capita income in excess of US$ a modelling stint in New York.
1,100, the country is on the threshold of moving Today, Odel’s department store is a 36,000
from a developing to a developed economy. In square foot, lavishly appointed store that could
the Western Province and specifically in be equally at home in any of the fashion
Colombo, where a significant proportion of districts of Milan or Paris.
economic activity takes place, customer In the 1980s, fashion was a stranger to Sri
expectations and disposable incomes are rising. Lanka, where there were few internationally
Odel is, therefore, ideally positioned to leverage known brand names or world-class stores.
on this trend. environment that has become the standard for Activity in the shopping segment was
New aspirations of Sri Lankans, coupled with the South Asian region. characterised by unimaginative interiors and
the increasing number of tourists visiting the With a wide array of products, Odel is now products that were put together haphazardly.
country, has helped Odel grow – it can now be Sri Lanka’s only genuine department store. From its inception, the brand Odel was not
classified as a large business enterprise. Sales,
which more than doubled annually in the early Achievements
stages, has grown by an average of 25% over Odel is Sri Lanka’s leading fashion brand. Its
the last ten years. More recently, Odel’s revenue ability to constantly innovate and offer
stream has stabilised at around 15% per annum. something new to the customer each and every
Odel operates at the top end of the retail time has made it a firm favourite. A pioneer in
fashion market, where it has carved out a niche its time, Odel forged a fashion revolution in Sri
through a highly focused approach. Targeted at Lanka, ushering in designer labels and
the upper-middle and higher-income groups, interpreting the latest trends from fashion
Odel has maintained its leadership position by runways in its offerings..
providing a modern, world-class retail Its success lies in implementing a fully
integrated range of activities,
each of which has resulted in
creating a special ambience
within the department store.
This consists of a modern merely about buying clothes, but about a
interior design supported by lifestyle choice being made by shoppers. Odel,
friendly staff and world-class which set out to create a new retail standard
merchandising standards, through meticulous attention to detail,
coupled with a unique positioned itself as the lifestyle brand in Sri
selection of local and imported Lanka.
products. From a core apparel range, the outlet began
The Odel brand mantra is to stock items for the home. At first, these were
to inspire customers by highly selective to test consumer response; but
providing trendy, stylish subsequently, they were more liberal. This
clothing and fashion resulted in a need to expand store space
accessories in an environment further, which was done – and with it came a
that is customer friendly, rapid increase in sales and the number of
affordable and accessible. This merchandise items on display. In order to
brand vision, together with consolidate and enhance the shopping
product, service and experience, refreshments and food were then
communication, has resulted in introduced. This resulted in the launch of the
the creation of a consistent Odel Café, which was a huge success. Next,
and powerful image. This brand there was a need to attract select brands to the
vision has been translated store. This resulted in the introduction of the
easily into every aspect of its bath and body-scrub range of products with the
business. Lush franchise, Delifrance for food, Il Gelato for
Odel’s founder Otara ice cream, Nihonbashi for Japanese cuisine and
Gunewardene has gained Dilmah for tea. Each retail partner was carefully

68 SUPERBRANDS
picked – not merely to supplement the Odel
brand and the range of products available, but
also to enhance the Odel shopping experience.
This chain of events created the unique Odel
experience, which attempts to excite and tempt
shoppers – rather than stocking shelves and
expecting them to merely walk in, buy an item
and walk out. A coffee shop and a book corner
complement the shopping experience with
nooks where customers can indulge, making
shopping a wholesome leisure activity. Odel has
sought personal interaction with its customers
and this has created a core group of loyal
shoppers.

Product
Odel prides itself on being a truly world-class
department store that offers a one-stop-
shopping experience – and more. Its
departments cater to every whim and fancy of
the discerning shopper. Odel offers shoppers of
any age or inclination the promise of high
quality. Its in-store décor has always been top-
of-the-line. It invests in the best merchandising
standards and provides training for its staff to
maintain a high level of customer service.

Recent Developments
Having grown under the leadership of its
founder, the organisation has realised the
importance of professional management in
order to maintain and enhance the customer customer service. Substantial investment is made imagery), energetic (through the many activities
experience at store level. This requires building in store displays that are both stylish and eye in the store), friendly (through its staff) and
and empowering employees throughout the catching, especially its décor for Christmas, and international in its delivery standards.
organisation, which now comprises a team of Sinhalese and Tamil New Year celebrations. Odel’s deep-rooted values makes it a strong
430 people. The store has also undertaken Continuous mystery-shopping and customer- competitor in the marketplace. These values
customer-satisfaction surveys to monitor its care surveys ensure that staff at Odel impact its social responsibility and how its
performance. understand customer needs and provide the employees work together to keep the dream
As the organisation grows and expands, it is desired level of customer service. Training alive. Odel can claim to have a loyal customer
confident that its employees will sustain and programmes for staff to enhance customer base because it has retained its core brand
enhance the Odel brand. With this in mind, the service are being strengthened by way of higher value and not compromised on quality that has
organisation is carrying out an extensive levels of investment. come to be synonymous with the brand.
revamping of its human-resource base and Regular fashion shows unveiling upcoming Odel has been successful in carrying its brand
practices – its objective is to put in place a fashion trends offer shoppers an insight into the values and philosophy through to all its
state-of-the-art outfit. This back office focus styles of tomorrow. In-store promotions and endeavours, thus creating a uniform experience
should result in a stronger organisational generous discounts for loyal customers are that affirms faith in Odel’s promise. Its ability to
structure to support the needs of customers, as amongst the incentives drawing shoppers closer respond quickly to emerging trends has been a
their expectations continue to rise. The ability of to the Odel brand. A bimonthly publication is key factor in its success story.
the organisation to adapt to these needs is the circulated to loyal customers, to keep them
key to maintaining the uniqueness of the Odel informed of upcoming events and new www.odel.lk
brand. developments in the store.
Odel’s advertising is contemporary in
Promotion expression and on par with global
Odel is at the cutting edge of design and developments. Billboards are the brand’s
contemporary living, delivered through its range primary medium, supported by the print and
of products, innovative displays and superior electronic media. Effective public relations and a
dynamic relationship-marketing
programme have helped
complement the brand’s
advertising strategy and give Odel
a holistic brand image.

Brand Values
Odel has achieved the status of
an iconic brand with its tireless
ability to reinvent itself at regular THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT
intervals. The Odel brand promise
is to inspire customers with ODEL
trendsetting styles and premium
quality products which are Odel works with more than 3,200 suppliers.
available at affordable prices. To Some 1,500 of them are local small-scale
support this, the Odel retail entrepreneurs.
experience consists of delivering There are 33,250 individual items in the
new trends, stylish products, store.
friendly staff, contemporary
interior designs and 1.4 million people go through the store in
merchandising, engaging one year.
presentations, affordable prices The Odel website attracts 12,850 hits each
and simplicity. day.
The brand personality is
therefore simple, yet sophisticated, The name Odel was coined by combining the
in taste. It is trendy (through founder’s two names – Otara & Del.

SUPERBRANDS 69