1. What are the three most important priorities for Champion Mobiles today?
A. The business we are in, the priorities keep on shifting quite frequently. However, currently the most important for us is to get a fix on manufacturing in terms of logistics, quality control and other related issues. Also keep the quality of the product consistent and while offering most innovative products to our customers. The third priority for us, which is part of our DNA is to provide ‘after sales’ support to the best of our ability to our customers.
2. How many models of feature phones and smartphones do you have at present? What are your plans to launch more models?
A. Currently under the mobility vertical, Champion has 21 products. Of which seven models fall under of feature phones category, eight under smart phone category, three are tablets, two data cards and one router with power banks.
As far as plan for new models is concerned, Champion on an average has been introducing three models each month.
3.We heard that you were planning to have your own manufacturing unit for smartphones and feature phones. Can you please update on this front?
A. Champion had a manufacturing facility for other set of products which has been upgraded to manufacture (certain percentage) mobile phones in India. As a matter of fact, we have already initiated the process and have already started manufacturing mobile phones in India.
4. How strong is your after sales and service for your smartphones and feature phones?
A. Any business of this kind, which reaches the masses, has to be backed by a strong network of service centers. Champion has been able to put in place around 500 such service centers which provide after sales services to our mobile phone users.
5.What is your opinion about the fast emergence of online trading platforms such as Flipkart etc. Do you think that it is killing the traditional channel players – especially in the telecom space?
A. I would without hesitation say ‘No’. Online portals have not changed the market dynamics as such. Online sales are currently in the vicinity of two-three percent of the market share, when it comes to this particular product. It will be absolutely wrong to say that market as such have impacted offline sales. Currently online sales is two percent of the market share, therefore, it will be wrong to say that online market has killed the traditional channel players. To further consolidate this, we can look at the internet penetration, the availability of internet across the geographies where we sell our products. The big business is still at the traditional level.
6. Champion also has its IT side of business which is quite well established. Can you please update on the present activities of Champion on the IT side?
A. The IT business is well established and it continues to contribute substantially towards our revenue.
7. What are your plans to grow your business in India? where is this growth likely to come from?
A. Our future growth clearly will come from the mobility business. This will get a further boost once our manufacturing capacity gets optimized.