Tirupur partners intros innovative trade practices

Tirupur, Sep 29

One PC Per Head Program

Attrib Systems has introduced a scheme called 'One PC Per Head Program' for his customers, where every customer joining the program has to pay Rs 3,000. The customer has to bring two more customers under him to complete the first level, and two more customers need to join him in order to complete their first level, and thus the cycle goes on. Once a customer completes all three levels, they are awarded with a PC, worth Rs 25,000.

The company has also got this scheme copy-righted. R Thiyagaraaj, CEO, Attrib Systems said, "It took us almost 1.5 years to complete the legal formalities and we are the second to obtain a trade mark in Tamil Nadu channel community after Bloom Computers."

The company is spending a huge amount of money in marketing the scheme and has also introduced another concept called 'auto filling' as a subset of the main program, where the customer coming through marketing references will be included into the list of performing customers.

For those who aren't able to pay the amount, Attrib is converting the total sum into EMI. "Even for people who can't afford to pay the EMI for buying the computers worth Rs 25,000, we do have PCs starting from Rs 10,000 and would provide three-year warranty for that too," Thiyagaraaj informed. The only restriction in this scheme is that every customer would be able to induct only two persons under him. So far within a couple of months time, Attrib has managed to add more than 100 customers into the scheme.

Computer for the needy

R Arunagiri, CEO, Softlink Computers is betting big on his scheme 'Lakshya' that works on the idea of establishing link from one customer to another, where he is offering huge discounts and gifts to the referrers of Softlink. "We work on many innovative techniques. Apart from the reference programs, we do offer PCs to people who can't afford to pay the huge amount and don't have an ID proof either to buy a PC. We ask them to pay just Rs 1,000 every month for 20 months, and conduct a lucky draw on the 11th of every month. The winner is awarded a PC worth Rs 20,000. People who aren't lucky enough to win a PC in the lucky draw, they would be provided with a PC worth Rs 20,000 at the end of the 20th month, alongwith a special gift which will be worth the rate of interest," said Arunagiri.

Under a separate scheme, the company provides ERPs on a subscription basis to the customers. "Many of our customers in Tirupur have huge demand for ERPs. However, they are unable to pay the huge amounts. Learning the difficulty of the customers, we started providing the ERP solutions on a subscription model. Customers can use that as long as they want and then can return it," Arunagiri said.

Secondly, every quarter Softlink calls the employees of their customers and give them training on the basics of computers. Arunagiri claimed that the company has reduced around 60 percent of issueless service calls.

Making margins in services

A Mansoor Ali Khan, CEO, The Computer Planet is tapping the customers through his service offerings-a concept that is gaining popularity among industry people. He reduces his margins in sales and is making up the profit through the service offerings. "We offer three free services every year and charge Rs 350 for the fourth service. Since all the three free calls would most probably be the basic calls, we inform the customers about our AMC services, where they need to pay Rs 500 on a quarterly basis; Rs 1,000 on half yearly and Rs 1,500 on the annual AMC," he informed.

The company has topped the sales in the Tirupur market by selling 300 PCs during the festive season of Aadi (during July-August 2008).