CT: How optimistic are you on the business opportunities in India?
Nigam: Brother India is in a sharp growth phase, as we are aiming for 15 percent marketshare by 2015 in the Mono Laser space. We are confident that by engaging with us, the channel partners have big opportunity to grow along with us.
As mentioned earlier, we have been focusing on the Mono Laser Market and the recently launched globally strategic models will help us achieve the above target market share in India.We are a very channel-oriented company and it is our constant effort to grow along with our channel partners.
CT: Can you elaborate on what kind of engagement Brother will have with the partner community in India?
Nigam: From May 2013, we have revamped our distribution model. We have moved closer to our Tier-1 channel partners and started Direct Billings to them. We also invested in opening up local warehouses in 10 more strategic locations, apart from our central warehouse in Mumbai. This allows us faster mechanism to address the needs of the channel partners at various levels. We have also started aggressive Reseller programs and carved Brother Select Partner program for Tier-2 partners. Such Brother Select Partners are given the accreditation by Company and they are eligible for additional benefits in various schemes.
CT: What’s your vision to grow the channel business in India for 2014?
Nigam: Being a global giant in Printing Industry, Brother has its own R&D and manufacturing capabilities. With this strength, we will continue to bring in technologically advanced products to Indian market. These products would be designed for emerging countries like India. We will continue to offer attractive margins to the Channel partners to make Brother profitable business proposition. This gives us a wider product portfolio that caters to all segment of the market. At the same time, we are constantly working on creating more brand visibility and awareness of the brand.
CT: Could you elaborate on the process for recruitment of new partners?
Nigam: We evaluate various factors, some of them being potential of the market and our current reach in that market. We aim to create a win-win situation for our channel partners and the company.
CT: What are some of the biggest challenges for the printer partner’s community today? How are you helping them overcome those challenges?
Nigam:Profitability is definitely one of the biggest concerns and we at Brother India are constantly striving to give attractive margins to our channel partners.
CT:What are your focus areas in India in terms of the markets, industries, and verticals that will help you improve business?
Nigam: Brother India is expanding its customer base in the SOHO and SMB segments. The step-up product range focuses on Govt. & Corporate businesses. Moreover, we have been traditionally strong in banking and financial industry and constantly bring products suited for their high print volume requirement.
CT: In terms of line of products, what are the key focus areas for the company?
Nigam: Brother in India offers a wide range of products. Mono laser and colour printers and multifunction centers, Inkjet multifunction centers, facsimiles, labelling solutions and home sewing machines. Our focus currently is on the Mono Laser Market. We have recently launched globally strategic models which are specially designed for emerging markets like India. These products bring in technical innovations that help customer experience hassle free printing through efficient paper handling at affordable cost.