JITA bargains for and gets cheaper transport

Ravish Khapra

Mumbai

10 October 2007

The Jamnagar IT Association (JITA), which began its operation in August 2007,
has managed has notched one achievement to its credit in just a month of
existence. It negotiated with and managed to get a local transport agency, Raj
Carrying Corporation (RCC), to deliver goods to partners at almost 45 percent of
the earlier price that dealers were paying.

Jasmin Kamdar, Committee Member of JITA, said, “RCC has reduced the Rs 50
per carton cost that smaller partners had to pay, to Rs 30 per carton.” This
will come as a huge relief to the 49 partners that are members of JITA, as
logistics is one of the biggest costs borne by them.

A member of JITA, Ratan Bhadra of Computer Plaza, said, “We had spoken to
Jamnagar Transport Company (JTC), RCC and a few other transport agencies. As RCC
agreed to reduce the rate per carton from Rs 50 to Rs 30, the association
partners have decided to get all their supplies through RCC. By doing so we save
at least Rs 20 per day.” Bhadra added, “Being part of the association, we
can all stand up together against any vendor or other agency and put forth our
grievances.”

Another partner and member of JITA, Alpesh Patel of Ollwin System, said, “Jamnagar
Transport Company was not willing to reduce its rate from Rs 50. As RCC brought
its rate down to Rs 35 per carton, we decided to get the supplies through RCC.”

Currently JITA is talking with Viewsonic and Proview for setting up of their
service centers in Jamnagar. “The two vendors will most likely be opening
their service centers in the city after Diwali,” said Kamdar. The next meeting
of JITA will be later this month. On the agenda is a discussion about changing
the acronym JITA since the Jamshedpur IT Association has the same acronym as
well.

JITA comprises of a committee, which consists of five members. The
association's main agenda is to look into partners' problems with vendors.
JITA holds its committee member meetings once every 15 days and a general
meeting once a month. Immediately after Navratri it is going to hold its first
family meet, where even the wives and children of the partners are invited.