Sawan Kumar Panchal

Independent & Freelancing Business Operations

Associate Business Consultant – Popstar Bikes, Rajasthan | July 2022– Present

Spearheading business expansion and operations of Popstar Bikes in Rajasthan, working on a freelancing and consulting model to maximize regional sales.

· Market Analysis & Expansion Strategy: Conducting in-depth market research to identify untapped opportunities and optimize dealer network expansion across Rajasthan.

· Go-To-Market (GTM) Execution & Retail Penetration: Developing and implementing a retail-first GTM strategy, ensuring maximum shop share acquisition and driving multi-category product adoption.

· End-to-End Business Development: Taking full ownership of sales operations, from dealer onboarding to sales execution, ensuring sustained revenue growth and brand dominance in competitive markets.

· Product Range Selling & Brand Positioning: Driving segment-wise sales strategies to enhance Hero Cycles’ product visibility, consumer preference, and premium category penetration.

· Supply Chain & Operational Efficiency: Coordinating with factories and supply chain teams to streamline inventory management, optimize order fulfillment, and ensure efficient stock movement across the distribution network.

· Financial & Cash Flow Optimization: Implementing strategies to maintain a steady cash flow cycle, ensuring timely collections, credit discipline, and optimal working capital utilization for dealers and distributors.

Job Title: ASM-Head of Sales Operations – Rajasthan

Company: Hero Cycles Ltd.
Location: Rajasthan
Industry: Bicycles – All Segments

Job Summary:

As the Head of Sales Operations for Rajasthan, I was responsible for driving market share growth, sales performance, and operational excellence across all bicycle segments. This role involves overseeing dealer and wholesaler management, optimizing distribution networks, ensuring customer service excellence, and implementing strategies for competitive advantage in the region.

Key Responsibilities:

Sales & Market Share Growth
• Develop and execute statewide sales strategies to expand Hero Cycles’ market share across all bicycle segments (mass, premium, e-bikes, kids, and performance cycles).
• Drive primary and secondary sales, ensuring consistent growth across the Rajasthan market.
• Identify and capitalize on market opportunities to outperform competitors and enhance regional sales.

Dealer & Wholesaler Management
• Build and nurture strong relationships with dealers, wholesalers, and distribution partners to maximize sales penetration.
• Oversee dealer onboarding, performance evaluation, and incentive programs to boost partner engagement.
• Ensure a well-balanced supply chain and stock availability to meet market demand effectively.

Operations & Business Management
• Lead and manage sales operations across Rajasthan, aligning with company objectives and sales targets.
• Monitor sales performance, analyze trends, and implement corrective actions for business improvement.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize pricing, promotions, and distribution strategies.

Customer Service & Brand Experience
• Ensure superior customer service and after-sales support across all touchpoints to enhance brand loyalty.
• Work closely with service teams to address dealer and customer concerns proactively.
• Execute marketing and branding initiatives to strengthen Hero Cycles’ positioning in the Rajasthan market.

Competitive Strategy & Growth Initiatives
• Conduct market research and competitor analysis to identify trends and formulate competitive strategies.
• Innovate sales techniques and go-to-market approaches to enhance visibility and sales conversion.
• Implement business expansion plans, identifying new retail opportunities and high-potential territories.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Revenue Growth & Market Share Expansion

✔ P&L Ownership: Drive top-line and bottom-line growth, ensuring sustained profitability.

✔ Market Penetration Strategy: Expand footprint in urban, semi-urban, and rural clusters by acquiring new dealers, MBOs, and Exclusive Business Outlets (EBOs).

✔Achieve sales targets of all category Cycles, Fitness, Spares parts, Accessories directly, through Distributors, MBO Dealers and Exclusive Business Outlet.

✔ Institutional & B2B Sales: Develop strategic partnerships with schools, colleges, fleet operators, and corporate organizations for bulk sales opportunities.

2. Distribution & Retail Network Optimization

✔ Channel Expansion & Optimization: Strengthen the dealer, distributor, and retailer ecosystem, ensuring optimal market coverage.

✔ Cluster-Based Market Share Growth: Develop and implement micro-market strategies to increase shop share in high-potential territories.

✔ Dealer ROI & Profitability Enhancement: Ensure sustainable financial models for channel partners by improving margins, stock rotation, and working capital efficiency.

3. Competitive Positioning & Brand Leadership

✔ Go-To-Market Strategy: Execute high-impact brand positioning and product placement strategies to counter competition.

✔ Market Intelligence & Competitive Benchmarking: Conduct real-time competitor analysis, pricing intelligence, and consumer preference mapping to drive strategic decisions.

✔ New Product Launches & Category Growth: Spearhead the introduction of e-bikes, connected mobility solutions, and premium performance bikes in key market clusters.

4. Customer-Centric Sales & Experience Management

✔ Retail Experience & Consumer Engagement: Enhance customer journey through experiential retail formats, demo rides, and community-building initiatives.

✔ Omnichannel Customer Support: Implement post-sales service solutions, dealer-assisted digital support, and localized service hubs to enhance consumer trust.

✔ Consumer Financing & Affordability Solutions: Collaborate with NBFCs and fintech partners to introduce EMI options and micro-financing models for wider customer adoption.

5. Financial & Operational Excellence

✔ Working Capital & Credit Control: Ensure efficient fund flow management, optimizing distributor credit cycles and debt recovery mechanisms.

✔ Cost Optimization & Profitability Management: Streamline operational costs by leveraging economies of scale, distribution synergies, and last-mile logistics enhancements.

✔ Performance Tracking & KPI Management: Implement data-driven sales dashboards, OKRs (Objectives & Key Results), and incentive-driven performance models for team motivation.

Key Achievements & Impact

✅ Market Leadership & Revenue Growth: Established Track & Trail retail outlets, increased channel penetration, and enhanced profitability.
✅ Award-Winning Sales Performance: Achieved All-India Highest Sales of Performance Bikes in 2017, driving segment dominance.
✅ Institutional Sales & Strategic Partnerships: Developed large-scale sales programs with schools, colleges, and corporate entities, diversifying revenue streams.
✅ New-Age Product Category Development: Played a key role in launching premium bicycles, electric bikes (e-bikes), and smart mobility solutions in emerging markets.

• Managing Franchisee Retails Store channels (MTS Retail Store) and grow customer and revenue market share
• To ensure proper execution of company policies, procedures, initiatives and directives regarding Franchisee store operation, visual merchandising, Store staff training and in-store marketing activation
• Store operations Excellence: Store Audit
• Motivate and engage with the store managers and the Retail Associates on a day to day basis to drive them the best from them
• Generating leads and follow up MIS with Team and conversion to actual sales
• To Review and take actions on all MIS reports
• To closely monitor merchandise movements and propose stock transfers/reordering to stores
• Responsible for Prepaid & Post paid DATA and Voice activation Target achievement through MTS Retail stores
• To increase the share of CMS through Retail Stores Expansion and productivity enhancement of existing Stores by increasing Net Sales productivity, Retail KPI’s of each store sales staff
• Training & Development of Channel Partners, Store sales staff
• Ensuring availability of adequate infrastructure
• Managing sales quality parameters AV/CV, CAF compliance, Zero Usage, First, Second & Third Bill Defaults etc
• Responsible for Handsets Primary, Revenue Billing to Retail Store
• Promoting new products, Sales promotion activity and BTL
• Enhance customer experience across all retail stores
• BTL marketing, Exhibitions, shows, Mall exhibitions, and college gated Activities

• Managing sales in the network through team of 5 PSR (off role), 43 Associate distributors (AD) under 2 Super distributor (SD) and one Direct Distributor (DD)
• Responsible for Prepaid & DATA and Voice activation Target achievement through distribution
• Responsible for increasing retail outlet penetration and Market share of geography
• Distributor engagement & appointment
• Ensuring Their ROI
• Involved in Product functions like marketing development activities, branding and visibility, BTL, advertising and communication, POP to be used in the market place at each outlet, sales promotions activities, market-share analysis, knowing competition moves and sales budgeting
• Ensure that the distributers/ retailers maintain adequate stocks of all products and merchandise as per norms
• Work with circle marketing in management of schemes/ promotions/ contests being run to promote the company brand

• Company Overview: BBTCL Wadia Group
• Channels Sales, Distributor-dealer management, collection, achieving primary and secondary sales target, dealer network expansion, distribution reach and breadth retailor penetration
• BBTCL Wadia Group

• Company Overview: Formerly VSNL
• Handled key accounts
• Understood market potential- generating leads in B2B environment
• Key Account Management & Development of Listed Corporate Accounts
• Sorting out techno commercial queries, Taking regular feedbacks and close the sales
• Formerly VSNL