Consumer durables companies are now looking to engage with startups for enhancing their manufacturing and after-sales services.
For instance, Videocon Industries is looking out for new ideas from emerging developers for projects in areas such as enhancing picture clarity for televisions and power saving across categories such as refrigerators and air conditioners.
CM Singh, COO, Videocon Industries, said, “Today, we manufacture everything except panels in India. But if there is somebody with a good idea who can make our refrigerators work with better cooling and features or help in cost and power saving, we would be ready to give them assured orders and willing to engage with such start-ups.”
Godrej Appliances is also on a start-up mode having set up an innovation cell recently. But at the same time, it is open to roping in start-ups to improve upon efficiencies and performance of its range of durables.
According to Kamal Nandi, Business Head, Godrej Appliances, “In our industry, technology is still not significantly that evolved. If somebody comes up with a great idea in the area of Internet of Things and can provide better design, consumer experience and help in shifting from real to the virtual, we would be open to working with such start-ups in this space.”
Luxury television maker Vu may be importing its televisions from places such as China and Taiwan, but when it comes to after-sales services, it would rather use the services of start-ups and new age companies.
“There are gaps in after-sales services and customer experiences today. So, we are looking at companies which can prove themselves. I will be visiting the Make in India summit to learn and understand how to leverage some of the issues, such as customer experience, where concepts created by startups may be developed,” said Devita Saraf, CEO, Vu Technologies.
Relying mostly on online sales, Vu Televisions is also developing apps for after-sales services which would need adequate backend infrastructure and is hoping that this facility could be supplied by startups to enhance customer experience.
Source: Business Line
Image Courtesy: Mid-day.com
