My tete-e-tete with vendor representatives in New Delhi and Bangalore, the past week, has set me thinking. Most players in the IT hardware industry do not lack in concepts and ideas to improve and take the industry forward. What is, however, lacking is the initiative to overcome inhibiting conditions and conquer limitations.
p____p Vendors these days are laying more emphasis on empowering channels in rural India to kickoff the PC revolution. Leave alone the rural market, most metros and B class cities too hold tremendous potential for growth. The computer as a utility is yet to be realized by both the buyers and sellers. Hence price cuts in desktops and notebooks has not yet spurred buying among the masses.
p____p There is no sense in harping on the much-talked-about a major PC revolution in India, as we have already missed the bus. Although low-cost PCs and desktops remain the key to a better economic growth for India, we are still groping with low sales and enquiries. Working hand-in-hand with vendors, the channel has to step away from its box-mover image to embark on an entrepreneurial thinking and make possible the vision of a mass market.
p____p No doubt we all agree that the computer is undoubtedly the most important innovation in the last quarter century, and yet, in an emerging market like India, we see computer penetration levels of less than 10 percent. Most detractors would like us to believe that those who need a computer already have it, and others simply have no use for it, and that explains the reason for low sales.
p____p Perhaps, taking a cue from the cellphone industry, the computing infrastructure will need to get down to the price points of a cellphone. A down payment of Rs 3,000/5,000 or so, and a monthly cost of Rs 250-300, should help do the trick. Whichever approach is taken, the moot point is whether price points of less than $100 will help make computing a utility for the masses.
p____p The PC industry today is in a hiatus. There are a few advancements to drive acceptance and upgrades, but what we seek now is to make computing a utility in Soho, SME and enterprises in the emerging markets of the country. The channel has an exciting task at hand to envision and help create this new computing mass market. This is the time for the channel members to become leaders.