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Hansa Research, Ipsos sign MoU to jointly bid for IRS
MUMBAI: Hansa Research and Ipsos have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly bid for the new Indian Readership Survey (IRS) contract that starts with IRS 2013.
Hansa Research has been conducting the IRS since 2003. So far, Hansa has been doing it with Media research Users Council (MRUC).
The Indian Readership Survey (IRS) has been owned and administered by Media Research Users’ Council (MRUC), an Industry body set up in 1994. Earlier in 2011, MRUC and ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) decided to merge their parallel readership studies by entering into an alliance to form the RSCI, which is now taking charge of administering the IRS.
Hansa Research Group MD Ashok Das said, “We are happy and excited to work with Ipsos on this prestigious project, and hope to bring in a number of new ideas into the IRS.”
This joint bid will combine Hansa’s experience of readership measurement in the Indian context with Ipsos’ global expertise of conducting readership surveys in 60 countries.
Ipsos-India CEO Mick Gordon said, “We are delighted to be working with Hansa on this very exciting project and we hope we can persuade RSCI (Readership Studies Council of India) that our combination will be a very big plus for the industry. Ipsos measures readership in more than 60 countries around the world and has made a name for itself in introducing many innovations into this specialist area of market research – we were the first to use CAPI and DS-CAPI in readership measurement, for example. We believe we can add significant value to Hansa‘s proven expertise and experience on the ground in India.”
Through the joint participation of these two entities, the two companies expect to make a very strong and forward looking pitch for the new IRS contract.
The current sample size of the IRS is 262,000.
Hansa Research is a global full service market research agency headquartered in India, conducting market research in 77 countries with offices in India and US. Over the last few years, Hansa has developed sound mechanisms to reduce fieldwork related issues that has been widely acclaimed by research users for its ability to minimise some long standing industry weaknesses.
The Pulitzers are given out annually by Columbia University on the recommendation of a board of journalists and others. Each award carries a $10,000 prize except for the public service award, which is a gold medal.
Matt Wuerker of Politico, Massoud Hossaini of Agence France-Presse, and Craig F. Walker of The Denver Post bagged the prize in Editorial Cartooning, Breaking News Photography and Feature Photography respectively.
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Yes Madam introduces 0 per cent commission for pregnant service partners
Home salon platform supports over 7,500 beauty professionals with new welfare policy.
MUMBAI: When life gives you a bump, Yes Madam has decided the last thing a woman needs is a cut in her earnings. Yes Madam, one of India’s fastest-growing home salon and wellness platforms, has announced a 0 per cent commission policy for its pregnant service partners. The move aims to provide greater financial stability and flexibility to its network of over 7,500 trained beauty professionals during this important life stage.
Under the new initiative, pregnant partners will retain their full earnings with no commission deductions, allowing them to focus on their well-being while maintaining income continuity. The decision was prompted by a customer’s social media video that highlighted the experience of a pregnant service professional continuing to work. The customer suggested reducing commission and shortening travel distances for such partners.
Responding to the feedback, Yes Madam co-founder Mayank Arya acknowledged the concern and confirmed that hub restructuring to optimise travel is already underway in phases. He also announced the 0 per cent commission policy for pregnant partners and encouraged them to prioritise rest.
Yes Madam co-founder and CEO Aditya Arya, said the policy reflects the company’s commitment to open communication. “Our partners know they can reach out to us directly, and it’s this personal access that helps us build policies that truly matter,” he noted. “Introducing 0 per cent commission for pregnant professionals is a direct result of listening to their needs.”
Mayank Arya added that the platform has a responsibility to support partners at every stage. “This step is a small but important move in that direction. We actively encourage our service partners to prioritise their well-being and take adequate rest during this time.”
Yes Madam had previously introduced a 0 per cent commission model for its top-performing “Queen Partners.” Extending this benefit to pregnant professionals marks another step in strengthening partner welfare and building a more supportive ecosystem.
In an industry where beauty professionals often go the extra mile, Yes Madam is showing that genuine care should flow both ways especially when one of their own is expecting.
