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'The challenge is to move out of urban areas and create new rural markets' - Gopal Srinivasan, Director, TVS Electronics

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DQC Bureau
New Update

What is TVS-E's business philosophy with channels?



TVS-E values its partnership with channels as they play a key role in presenting our products to the end-user. They also help widen TVS-E's presence in the country. The larger the extended TVS-E family, the better the chances of end-user satisfaction.



We were the pioneers in establishing a channel for peripherals. Earlier, these products were bundled by OEMs. We have nurtured the channel over the years and believe that they are an indispensable part of the industry.







What is your vision for channel partners?



Continuous expansion of business lines that include peripherals as well as other IT appliances, continuous opportunity for growth and channel-friendly policies, the benefits of being associated with a pioneer with a global



vision that values its relationship with the channel - these constitute the vision we want to offer the channel.



We welcome channel partners to the TVS-E family. Today the family has more than 1,700 channel partners spread over more than 200 towns in our country.



What is the business model that you follow?



Our business model can be summarized as maximizing customer value by focussing on design, product development on the one hand and sales and marketing on the other. All these functional areas are inter-connected and inter-dependent.



Customer insights gained as a result of interface in the sales and marketing process are fed back into design and development. Once they are incorporated into design and the product is developed, customer feedback is sought. This is a continuous cycle that results in world class products made for Indian conditions.







What role do you visualize for channels in your business game plan?



We expect that in addition to the role of fulfillment of demand, the channel will play a key role in our mission of 'Taking IT to the heart of India'.



Let me explain how this mission is relevant to our country and our company. Only eight percent of Indians are familiar with English. The remaining 92 percent can be reached only through Indian languages. Thus IT has to be Indian language enabled for it to benefit the masses.



The Internet revolution has given India a huge opportunity to empower the poor through IT. It is a sure way for their upliftment, and by serving the poor India can innovate and learn to lead.



But obstacles like harsh environment, computer illiteracy and lack of adequate connectivity mark this. Therefore the challenge is to move out of the limited market space of the urban localities and create new rural market spaces.



This challenge will be met by developing products for 'heart of India' conditions. At TVS-E, we focus on products that are made for India - rugged and reliable, Indian language-enabled, with a low total cost of ownership (TCO). These qualities will tackle the harsh environment and computer illiteracy. And we see the channel as the key link that delivers the heart-of-India products developed at TVS-E to the end-user.



By focusing on Indian language solutions and enabling Indian language computing we are developing a market with great potential. Just imagine all the panchayat level offices using IT in the local language. Isn't the potential of such a market exciting? And can this be done directly in our country? It requires a joint effort by us and the channel. The channel can render pre-sale and post-sale support and this can result in a win-win situation for the end-user, the channel and the manufacturer.







What strategy are you adopting to enhance your business through channels?



We emphasis on supporting the channel and believe in growing by enabling our channel partners to grow. Intensive product and sales training is a key component in our strategy to enhance business through the channel. Joint calls, bid support, etc. are some of the other components of our strategy.



Participation in advertising, exhibitions is another dimension. We generate leads through these activities and enable the channel to focus on profitable fulfillment.







What are TVS-E's strengths vis-a-vis the channel and what are its weakness?



TVS-E has a very strong relationship with the channel and enjoys the support of the channel partners across the country. Our sales and distribution network is the largest in the Indian IT industry. We reach more than 200 towns in the country through our channel partners. This year we have been voted the User's Choice and this would have not been possible without the support of the channel.






How would the Web affect your business through the channels?



It will not affect the business through the channels; on the contrary it will actually increase it. The Web will generate leads for the channel and this can only increase their business. Our Internet-based activities promotions result in queries regarding channel partners / support. The Web is an opportunity, not a problem.



What is TVS-E's warranty policy?



We offer a comprehensive warranty policy. For instance, we have consistently offered warranty including the print head on our printers even when it was not the norm in the industry.







What measures TVS-E is taking to protect channel margins?



We structure channel partner compensation so that it is attractive in terms of retention. As a company known for trust, value and service (this is what TVS really stands for) we are conscious of the need to grow through the growth of the channel, not at the expense of the channel.

Sylvester Lobo



in Chennai

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