Intex to enhance Service Support Network : By - Krishna Verma Vice-President, Service Operations, Intex Technologies

To complement the aggressive growth plans in the new business vertical of GSM mobile phones, there has been a fast expansion of Authorized Service Centres. In the past six months, 33 such points have been rolled out across North India, covering Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, UP, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and J&K.

Krishna Verma, Vice-President, Service Operations Intex Technologies, shares more service-oriented plans with VARIndia. 

What is your service support strategy? 
Intex is highly focussed at ensuring that its customers get the best products and are supported by its elaborate, well-equipped and efficient team of service personnel.

Spread across the country, Intex’s 56 service centres are easily accessible and offer a satisfying solution for all post-purchase needs. Equipped with the necessary infrastructure, spare parts, trained manpower and customer-oriented systems, these service centres are located in the heart of the IT market at most of the places. 

At least one-third of the entire manpower at Intex is dedicated to the cause of service and ensures that its customers are kept delighted. Service at Intex moves swiftly, keeping close on the heels of sales, mapping new expectations of consumers and translating these needs into solutions through brick and mortar, systems and consumer-friendly procedures. No wonder that Intex has to its credit the first-ever introduction of the State Service Centre concept now followed up with the proposed creation of Regional Service Centres.

What are the new initiatives you are taking to improve your service support? 
We are in the process of creating Regional Service Centres for decentralization of Head Office-related activities. Greater empowerment at the regions would also follow as a natural outcome of the above process. Our first regional service centre has already been created at Secunderabad with the next coming up soon at Ahmedabad. Partnerships with domain-specific service experts / organizations would also see the light of the day soon.  

How many new service centres you plan to open? 
We presently have 97 service points across India. Our plans are to increase these to around 200 numbers during the period 2008–2009.

Would you be providing training to channel partners as well for servicing purpose? 
Yes. We have a dedicated Training Wing at Head Office, which maps requirements of the channel as also of the sales and service staff alike and imparts regular trainings through structured programmes.  

How many channel partners you are currently working with? 
The sales are routed through a channel network comprising of 1,100-plus distributors and 12,000-plus dealers spread across the country. Through our retail business verticals, Intex products are positioned at 81 dedicated counters of reputed chains of hypermarkets and speciality stores.

Any new channel plan or initiative?
   The company has adopted the popular “shop-in-shop” concept and, as of now, has been able to position its products at 80 dedicated counters within large and small outlets of reputed chains of hyper markets and speciality stores like Spencer’s Hyper, Big Bazaar, etc. 
Taking this concept forward, Intex intends to expand the number of outlets to about 100 during the Q1 of FY 2008-09 and also cover more B & C class towns. The target for the year is to have a total of 200 counters. With these endeavours, the company has set a target of Rs.25 crore for its retail revenue during the FY 2008-09. Apart from this, we will set up a distribution network across India for our new verticals and will increase our retail presence to at least double the number of counters. 

What is your marketing strategy? 
As part of marketing strategy, Intex’s focus has been on integrated communication. The marketing-mix at Intex is a continuous, diverse and balanced communication based on our ethos – “Demand More” – Demand more products, more quality, and more personalized solutions from Intex! 
Aimed at consumers, channel partners and business associates, the exercise is an initiative not only to portray the brand in the right spirit but also to provide them interactive platforms to enrich the “touch & feel experience”, numerous BTL activities to strengthen the sales efforts and interesting associations so that they take pride in being associated with the organization.

What is the growth you are experiencing? 
During the last six financial years, the company has achieved a CAGR of 47 per cent as compared with the industry annual growth rate of about 25 per cent. The turnover increased from Rs.32 crore in 2001-02 to Rs.333 crore in 2007-08.

What is the growth you are targeting? 
Intex is eyeing a revenue of Rs.600 crore by the end of 2009 through growth in our existing verticals and major expansion in Mobile Phones, Consumer Electronics, Retail and Enterprise business.  What is your marketing and distribution structure? Intex has a pan-India presence through its own network of three mother-warehouses, two regional offices, 28 branches and 95 service points (62 service centres and 33 franchisees – authorized service centres for mobile phones).