Lowe's inaugurates its Global Innovation Center in Bangalore

Lowe's Services India Private Limited, a subsidiary of Lowe's Companies, Inc., the world's second largest home improvement retailer, announced the inauguration of its Global Innovation Center (GIC) in Bangalore, India to focus on the next-generation customer experience, by laying emphasis on technology and analytics to provide customers with a more personalised shopping experience. This center will work towards building a strong team to support Lowe's efforts to become an omni-channel home improvement company.

The new GIC, headed by Narayan Ram, Managing Director-Lowe's India, will provide Lowe's with a strategic footprint to leverage Bangalore's potential for technology-led innovation, in addition to engaging India's growing talent pool. Spread over 110,000 sq. ft., the facility expects to employ approximately 500 people by the end of 2015.

Lowe's also announced their association with Habitat for Humanity, India as part of their India CSR initiative and a special grant of $50,000USD (Rs 30 lakhs) from Lowe's India to kick start the same. With this, Lowe's is keen to extend their collaboration to work on projects that will benefit the society by addressing larger-scale needs such as new home construction and improving sanitation facilities among destitute schools.

Robert Niblock, Chairman, President  & CEO of Lowe's Companies Inc., "We are very excited about the Global Innovation Center here in Bangalore, which will bring to fruition a valuable part of our analytics and technology potential. We feel confident that with this strengthening of our presence in India, we will be able to provide more personalized experiences to customers, helping us continue our pace of strategic growth. We have a history of helping customers improve the places they call "home” for almost 70 years, and the Bangalore CSC is an extension of this proud tradition.”

 Adding to this, Ram said, "The Bangalore Global Innovation Center will employ the concept of'one team, multiple locations,' as we work across our global organisation to apply the power of analytics and technology to the Lowe's business, so customers can engage with us whenever they need support. We are planning to invest even more in our local teams and innovate omni-channel retail, which underlines our commitment to delivering a consistent experience to the customers, however they choose to shop with Lowe's.”