‘Want to be known as more than a smartphone firm’

Xiaomi, which started its first India flagship experience store in Chennai, wants to take feedback from customers on self-balancing scooters, electric cycles and electric folding bikes. The firm aims to launch various such products in the Indian market. MANU KUMAR JAIN, managing director at Xiaomi India, spoke to Gireesh Babu about retail strategy. Edited excerpts:

What is the idea behind showcasing product, which you have not launched in India?

Our aim was to build an internet company. Wehave several products, from smart phones to fitness band and powerbanks. We want to launch more products. Hence, we have decided to showcase 15-20 items in our flag ship store. The products are not for sale but only for taking feedback. This will help in launching more products in the next two-three-years.

Xiaomi in Indiais perceived as a smartphone company. How are you planning to change this?

We want to be known as more than a smartphone company. We started India operations in July 2014. Within three years, wehave launched8-10items. Wehave plans to roll out many others. Give us a few years. Currently, we want to stabilise our TV business.

How will your retail system evolve? What is your offline sales strategy?

We are primarily an online company and will continue to prioritise our e-business. We also want to grow offline. Our offline market share was less than 0.5 percent in April 2017. It had reached 11 percent in December. We grew 20-30 times in the offline market. Now, we have 2,500 preferred partners in 25 cities.

What about after-sales services?

Our service network for TV is already present in 200 cities. We have around 750 service centres for phones. When we launch other products, we will setup after-sales service centres accordingly.

Will the experience stores bring down the time to launch?

Ofcourse. We know the importance of the Indian market. We want to bring down the time taken for launch of any product. Maybe after a few years, we will have simultaneous launches in China and India.

Will you bring the television to retail stores?

Yes. We are still evaluating the best way to doit. Currently, we are selling through Mi Homes. We have to re evaluate our offline strategy for the TV business.

How much is your investment in India? What will be the future plan?

In 2015, we were selling through IDC number. In two years, we have grown 9-10 times that means we have set up more capacity for our investments. We had one Mi Home store in the middle of last year. Now, the company has 25 stores in 11 cities. We are also likely to open flagship experience centres in Mumbai, Delhi and other metros . The company has five big warehouses and 26 small ones. The number of call centres has also been increased to three, from one. From 150 people, the total headcount has risen to 400. Everything is growing exponentially for us. All these require huge investments. But, I do not know the actual figure so cannot share the number.

“We will continue to prioritise our e-business. We also want to grow offline. Our offline market share was less than 0.5% in April 2017. It had reached 11% in December. We grew 20-30 times in the offline market. Now,we have 2,500 preferred partners in 25 cities”