'Stiff competition in the mobile handset market is one of the biggest challenges'

What are the strategies that Wynncom is using to tap the Indian market?
We realized that a huge opportunity lies among tier-3 and above towns because of the low penetration levels of mobile phones in those areas. We aimed to tap the potential with our strong distribution and channel network. We have 500+ distributors, a dedicated sales force of more than 400 people and a reach of 18,000+ retail outlets across India. Since after-sales service is the most important ingredient in any brand's success, so we have set up a separate entity-'WORLD ACE'-to take care of our customer service requirements. We will also leverage our brand ambassadors Saif Ali Khan and Bipasha Basu to gain maximum visibility and influence the audience. Both the stars connect well with the younger generation which are one of our major customers.

What are the new launches that you are planning in the near future?
At the time of Wynncom brand's launch, we came up with seven handsets. Recently, we have launched Y-45 which is the first Hindi Qwerty keypad phone in India and Y-23 which has a Dual T-Flash card. Localization of keypads will help us immensely in the coming months. Slim Series of Wynncom mobiles are also on the cards.

Have Indian branded handsets been successful in gaining trust of consumers?
Yes. In the past one to two years, industry has seen leading MNC handset players losing their market share to Indian handset players. Today, almost 30-40% of the handset market belongs to Indian players and it seems that this trend will continue in the coming years.

What exactly is the target of the company?
We have set a target to be among the top three Indian mobile handset marketers within next one year of launch. The company is committed towards providing customers the best mobile handset options in terms of looks, features, price, and services.
Our market strategies are very clear. We clearly aim at being the third largest Indian mobile handset manufacturer. We want to be recognized as a brand which truly gives 'value for money'. On the other hand, we want to broaden the Indian portfolio of handsets and aim to be one of the best. Currently, we have fourteen offices established and more than 15,000 retail counters all across the country.

In the last fiscal, handset market had a sluggish growth. What are the challenges that you are encountering as a beginner?
Stiff competition in the mobile handset market is one of the biggest challenges as many players already exist in the industry. Along with this, coping with the changing market dynamics is a tough task at hand. Presently, Wynn Telecom manufactures the handsets in China. The company is investing `270 crore for setting up a greenfield mobile handset manufacturing plant in Himachal Pradesh. The company has plans of spending `100 crore in the current fiscal and around `400 crore will be invested in the next FY.

Archana Singh
archanasi@cybermedia.co.in