TVS-E takes on fakes, launches 'Genuine for Sure' program

Picking a cue from the MNC brands, TVS Electronics Ltd (TVS-E) is set to
increase its supplies business and turn it into a major profitable division. The
company is launching a campaign -'Genuine for Sure'- targeting consumers,
channel partners and players involved in the supply of fake products.

At the cost of Rs 75 lakh, the program 'Genuine for Sure' delivered over
a period of three months, is expected to reach out to more than 150 cities and
towns across the country. In phase one, the program will be rolled out in Delhi,
Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad to be followed by Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad
and Pune in the weeks to come.

According to TVS-E Product and Solutions Business Group Manager, (channel
marketing) PB Ganesh Kumar, the Genuine for Sure campaign is targeted at both
end-users and channel partners, and based on the principle of pull-push
strategy. "We will also shoot direct mailers, besides meeting the customer
and educating them on the benefits of using genuine products," said Ganesh.
The company will issue loyalty coupons to the customers for discounts ranging
from 15% to 30%, on their purchases.

Ganesh elaborated, "TVS-E has set-up a 12-seater call center to provide
support to the customers and channel partners. Customers can also place orders
under the 'Dial-a-Head' program and we have a well-laid CRM to share the
orders among the channel partners."

TVS-E will leverage on its direct presence in 25 locations across the country
to reach out to more than 600 cities and town. The company has worked out its
customer base into top 100, next 1,000 and finally the huge 50,000 small and
medium businesses, to reach out with different programs.

The company will also set up 400 'Genuine for Sure' retail outlets across
the country, which will work with TVSE on an exclusive basis. "The retail
partners will be a mix of TVS-E authorized service providers, third-party
maintenance players and supplies partner. We will support them in branding the
shop and creating exclusive pavilions within the shop for TVS-E products.
However, they are liable for legal prosecution if they void the agreement in any
manner," said Ganesh. The company is appointing one/two distribution
outlets in each city to supply to these retail partners.

TVS-E is also planning to put RFID chip on each and every product to check
and ensure originality at all levels until it reaches the end-customers. TVS-E
has also engaged Mumbai-based Enforcers of Intellectual Property Rights (EIPR),
an anti-counterfeiting agency, to curb the menace. He explained that the company's
intention is not to harass the traders involved in this business, but to convert
them to sell genuine products.

TVS-E supplies business is presently contributing only 10% of the total
turnover and the company is looking at increasing its share to 25% before the
end of this fiscal. TVS-E has an installed base of over five lakh printers in
the dot-matrix segment, out of which only 25% of them are buying genuine TVS-E
ribbons and only 40% of them buying genuine TVS-E printer heads. In the next
three months, the company is aiming at improving the ratio to 40% in ribbons and
75% in printer heads. The company is also planning to extend 'Genuine for Sure'
program to other product lines also.

Getting Tough