New Delhi, Feb. 27: In the history of IT distribution, the HCL and Nokia partnership will be reckoned as one of the most strongest distribution partnership. HCL Infosystems, one of the premier distribution houses, will soon be celebrating the twenty years of distribution partnership with Nokia.
Over the years, for HCL Infosytems, Nokia partnership has been very unique and exciting for telecom vertical of distributor.
HCL started its distribution partnership with Nokia in 1995, since then both the companies have grown their business big and better. Despite Nokia being acquired by software giant Microsoft, the partnership has remained intact and is growing quarter on quarter.
In an exclusive interaction with Channel Times Sutikshan Naithani, Executive VP, HCL Infosystems said, “HCL was one of the first distribution houses to set up Nokia’s operation in India. We have been providing high distribution ecosystems, talent, reach, logistic support to Nokia for the last two decades, thereby supporting the Nokia brand in rural and urban territories. We remain committed to Nokia and will continue to rejoice this partnership post the Microsoft takeover of Nokia’s devices.”
He also added, “Over the years, Nokia has established itself as a preferred mobile handset company in India. In the coming years, we look at further expanding our product portfolio to include value added and innovator products from Nokia. We are working closely in partnership in rural and further growing this partnership with adding value addition to the entire partnership.”
However, after two consecutive quarters of growth the telecom distribution business, which consisted of only Nokia, business did witness a decline in the quarter that ended on December 31, 2013. But the distributor has expanded its last-mile footprint and strengthened its rural presence by adding 137 RRDs (Regional Rural Dealers) across the country for the telecom distribution business.
As the integration of Nokia –Microsoft business is still going on, the oldest distributor does not see any change in the distribution pact. “Both Nokia and Microsoft are the major chunk of our distribution business. Nokia business contributes 50 percent to our telecom, and rest IT and new vertical Consumer and Home Appliances. In every stage of growth, we have been investing and creating value to Nokia’s business. We have seen all thick and thin together of partnership together. We believe the comfort and understanding both companies have is humongous. We want to remain focused and will be creating value to our long relationship,” he added.
Since the beginning, Nokia and HCL Infosystems are enjoying the joint go-to-market strategy to address the coverage needs of the urban and widely dispersed rural areas. Commenting on the consolidation of its relationship with Nokia, Naithani said, “In the last twenty years, while the HCL-Nokia relationship has witnessed strong growth in the Indian GSM handset market, our commitment is to the growing Indian market, to ensure that mobile devices are accessible to more consumers in cities and towns across India.”
HCL Infosystems was Nokia’s sole distributor in India for a decade till 2006. Nokia then reworked its distribution agreement with HCL, under which the latter continued to remain the sole distributor and marketing partner of the Finnish company in India till 2011, but its operations extended to only half of the country. In the remaining 50 perecnt of the geographical area, Nokia distributes handsets directly to regional distributors and franchisees. Nokia is the largest player in the handset space in India.