‘We have married consumer needs with four Ps of marketing’
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—Marcus Frost Senior Marketing Director, Motorola Mobility EMEA & APAC
Voice & Data: Motorola had almost faded away from the public memory before it made a spectacular comeback in 2014. Were you deliberately lying low?
Marcus Frost: We never left the Indian market and were present all along. We have a full fledged software team here in India in Bangalore, which is our largest R&D team outside the US. Yes, from the consumers’ perspective we were not there on the scene in a big way but that is because of the fact that we were in the process of slightly rebooting the company. What Google has brought to us is a lot of incredible focus when it comes to customers. That also applies to launching of the products. Earlier, we had a lot of products competing in the market and it was difficult for all those to do well simultaneously. But now we are focusing all our energy on just one to two products like Moto X and Moto G and are entirely devoted to these two in terms of our efforts. So, this is the kind of focus Google has brought in. Same is the case with geography. Earlier, we were present everywhere. That has also undergone a change. We decided to bring this to a minimal level and then quickly reach out to those markets where consumers were speaking to us and where our products would be better placed to succeed. We keep talking to customers across the globe including India and when Moto G was being planned we saw a great match between what Indian customers wanted and what we were delivering; things such as accessible price point, no compromise on experience, a rugged, tough exterior, water-repellant coating, etc. So that is why we were able to quickly and strongly make were a mark in the India market.
Voice & Data: What was different in terms of strategy this time? You must have kept something in mind in terms of go and no-go areas?
Marcus Frost: It was all focused on what consumers needed. We jotted down a few points in terms of what customers really want. For example, one was HD screen. We knew this had a huge potential and accordingly HD screen found way in our handset. Also, there were issues related to the speed. One common complaint consumers had was that apps were slow to download or were not compatible to the phone. So we worked on that by providing the latest Android and within a week of the launch of Moto G in India upgraded it to KitKat. In case of Moto X, we keep giving software updates regularly and also keep sending out “gifts” every week and there have been 50 such instances since its launch. So all the time we are working towards a goal that phones keep factoring in the customers needs. So, consumer first and marrying of the four Ps of marketing around that is what we aim for. And in terms of different approach as you know we looked out for potential partners in terms of distribution and finally chose Flipkart.
Voice & Data: Now, the nature of your partnership with Flipkart is a first for the Indian market. What is the thought behind this?
Marcus Frost: It’s very simple. Last year, Indian e-commerce market grew by 88 per cent which is spectacular to say the least. It was second-highest after China and it will remain so for the foreseeable future. Sales over the Internet are growing rapidly and it was natural for us to tap into this model. But at the same time you need to have a right partner too to succeed. There are many e-commerce players out there and Flipkart happens to be the largest in that space. But we didn’t go with it just for the fact that it was the largest. We knew all along that our partner also needs to have the same philosophy like us and that is, customer first. Also, Flipkart has access to all parts of India and there are not many out there who can claim that. So, they had a fantastic fit with us, not only in terms sending out the right message to the consumer but also taking care of our precious commodity. Another thing which stands out is that even if some customers are not able to reach over the Internet, there is an option of just calling up Flipkart and booking the product. There is also an option of testing out the device by having a look at the demo device when the product arrives. And to complete the circle, the response has been fantastic: Over 14,000 reviews and 9,000 comments on Flipkart’s website. So, the product is ticking all the boxes and we have the customer response as a proof to prove that.
Voice & Data: How do you view this partnership with Flipkart going forward?
Marcus Frost: As we see things now, it will be like this only. The partnership is doing well and we would like to keep it that way only.
Voice & Data: When can we expect another launch from Motorola?
Marcus Frost: I don’t want to venture into that right now. All our energy is devoted to Moto G and Moto X and I don’t think this is the right time to talk about another product launch. There may or may not be launches, but we don’t want to say anything about that now.
Voice & Data: What was done differently this time that you have met with such success? Which mistake did you weed out this time compared to the last time?
“Earlier, we had a lot of products competing in the market and it was difficult for all those to do well simultaneously. But now we are focusing all our energy on just one to two products”
Marcus Frost: As I said earlier, we had a lot of products in the market last time. Almost 30-40 at any given point of time. We don’t do that now. We have a lot simplified strategy this time. That is also reflecting in our products which are simple to use. Also, you can transfer all you data from another android phone to the new Motorola phone. It’s called Moto Migrate. Even the SMSes are transferable. So these people-centric useful things were kept in mind before coming out with products.
Voice & Data: What are the numbers you are targeting for this year, say in terms of sales or percentage share of the market?
Marcus Frost: We are not chasing numbers frankly. The response our products have got is there for all to see and we would like to move in the same direction in terms of the best experience that we can provide to people. The focus area which we have in India is to make more and more people choose mobile Internet. That is what we are aiming at. If we start focusing on numbers, we will be letting our consumers down.
Voice & Data: Tell us something about Motorola 360 smartwatch. How are things shaping up in that space.
Marcus Frost: As you know, wearable technology is the next big thing and watches in particular. We are doing something in this space and soon we will be coming out with a beautiful time-piece, which will of course be a watch first.