Yet Another Example Of Indian Brainpower

By Author: Mayur Dicosta
Total Articles: 12
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A homegrown handset manufacturer to take on global biggies

Micromax Mobile Handsets? Does this name ring a bell? The obvious answer is no. However, pose this question to a villager, and the probability of receiving an affirmative reply is pretty higher than his/her urban counterpart as this Indian handset manufacture is already creating waves in the rural hinterlands. The company reportedly sells 0.5 million handsets per month in the country. If multinational companies like Nokia, Samsung, LG and Motorola have made urban markets their focal point, then Indian company Micromax Technologies has strategically chosen a different route altogether. It has made rural markets its focal point.

The company's bottom-up-approach, involves entering the rural marker first, before stepping on to the urban marketplace. Micromax technologies started of its operations as a software company, in 1998-99, with special focus on ERPs and e-commerce. However, about a year back the company moved away from software to manufacturing handsets. And within such short span of time the company has managed ...
... to register a swashbuckling growth of 9 percent. In fact by 2011, the company aims to achieve a remarkable figure of 12 percent.

Very soon, Micromax is expected to launch a 360 marketing campaign in an attempt to crack the urban markets, informed COO Rahul Sharma. But does this new entrant have what it takes to beat the fiercely competitive Indian market conditions? According to Sharma, the company plans to launch an array of products in the forthcoming year, with single-minded focus on technological forwardness. Sample this: A handset that can control your air-conditioner, television, DVD player and other electrical appliances, another, handset that could run non-stop 30 days a month, sans any charging requirements. Remember, Micromax's USP is moving forward with steady technological upgradation.

As far as volumes are concerned, the company believes that to sustain and grow in the Indian markets; volumes definitely play a crucial role. However, Macromax is more committed on the technological front, and seems absolutely disinterested in launching run-of-the-mill mobiles; where one dabble only in the price aspect

At present, Nokia is the Indian market leader. So it will take some time for Macromax to turn the tables. But will the low-tech savvy Indian consumer accept Macromax's products without any resistance? On this Sharma comments, the catch of Macromax's mobile lies in its simplicity. Keep it simple and easy to operate, yet technologically upgraded, says Sharma.

The company is planning to set up 100 outlets all across the country, both by way of franchisee-routes as well as through company owned outlets. Even African and Middle-Eastern markets are on the company's radar.