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which is the most important thing   from our office, they converse with   Tell us about your customer
          for us in this case. As long as that is   photographers and labs and try to   engagement programme and
          growing, the customers are growing,   understand their needs.        customer service network?
          we will keep growing. That is a very                                 For me, there are two customers —
          optimistic outlook that we have.   We are doing a worldwide launch   one, my actual customer who buys
                                            today of the pink ink and the green   my machine, and the other, the end
          What are your expectations for    ink. What the pink and the green   customer, who is the photographer
          2018?                             do is to increase the gamut. India   who does not buy my machine, but he
          We have two expectations for 2018.   is the most colourful country by   buys the photograph that is produced
          One, obviously, to grow the market to   far in the world. So when we speak   on my machine. We always look at
          a higher and higher level. Whatever   to photographers and camera    them as two unique set of people
          we are doing today, be it the product   manufacturers, we find that some   who have different demands, whom
          launches, technology changes that   times even we miss the gamut. See   we have to cater to. So for the first
          we are making, is all leading towards   the colours that are used in India   set of people who buy machines from
          getting into the higher and higher   during ceremonies, especially   me — we have built a solid network
          values of the business. If I am a   weddings. To have exactly the same   in India. We are already present
          wedding photographer, can I double   colours replicated in print is a   in 70 towns and cities in India. We
          my business next year? When we ask   challenge as long as you are using a   have offices in about 55 places to
          this question, the answer does not lie   four-colour process, which is what   cater to their needs and demands,
          with the wedding photographer. The   every manufacturer does. So we   that is, with 55 engineers, we give
          answer actually lies with a purohit or   are trying to increase the gamut by   probably the best industry support.
          a pundit who says these are the only   adding the pink and the green inks.   There is something unique about
          muhurat days that are available. Out   So that becomes part of the process   our technology also. Eighty percent
          of 365 days, that I have, the muhurat   colours now. We have also launched   of machine servicing can be done
          days are only 100. Now how can I   another colour, the light light black.   by our customers themselves. It is
          increase my business? If the muhurat   So by using these seven colours, we   such a easy system. Then we have
          days are only hundred, I cannot shoot   can cover a much wider gamut. Now   very hi-tech systems where sitting in
          three weddings on the same day. So   we can produce prints that match   my office, I can understand what is
          my business is not going to ramp   exactly the same colours that you see   the problem with a printer that is in
          up like other business. I am talking   on the LCD monitors.          Amritsar. All presses are connected
          about the aam aadmi (common man)                                     to the internet. Then there are
          photographers not big photographers   Weddings are also changing big time.   extremely hi-tech features such as
          who have assistants and a big set-up.   Now its not the father and mother   cameras fitted on the machine, with
          These are one man, two man, or three   who decide the wedding. There are   which I can see everything remotely.
          man companies. They cannot increase   wedding planners who come in.   So we do 40 percent of our service
          business by doing more more shoots.   There are fashion designers who are   by remote assistance. We have a
          If this is the pattern, then how do I   coming and designing the costumes   beautiful team with a massive office
          make more money? It can only be   of people. And the trend is that they   in Chennai. But for end customers,
          done by giving a higher value product   prefer brighter and brighter colours.   beyond photofair, we meet roughly
          or service. That is exactly what our   I think the generation that passed by,   10,000 to 50,000 people every year
          focus is on all the years. Even this   who accepted everything, is making   — going to small towns like Silliguri,
          year, we are going to focus on this.   way for a generation that wants   some remote town in Tamil Nadu or
          How do I charge more money from   something unique, whom we call the   Kerala, seeing the products that are
          the same number of clients? We also   millennials. Their principle is, I want   produced by our customers, talking
          came out with this concept that if   something unique. They come out   to photographers and finding out
          you print a large album, you could   with something that is unbelievable.   what they want from us to develop
          print a small miniature album that   Their choices are all changing. And   their business. We constantly meet
          could be distributed to close relatives.   meeting their demands is challenging.   with them and we have at least four
          That is an additional increase in   If a lady has got her dress designed   such roadshows every month, every
          business. You could also go for other   by a fashion designer who charges a   year. So when we talk to an aam
          products like posters etc. We are also   few lakhs and the colours she chose   aadmi (common man), the fact that
          enhancing on quality parameters.   do not replicate well on your print or   an HP person is talking to him is what
          We are launching two new inks at a   your LCD monitor, it is a nightmare   gets them charged. So the DNA of our
          worldwide level. For HP, India is the   for us. So that is why we are coming   company is to listen to customers
          largest professional photo market.   back and doing these technology   always. We may not be able to do
          Rest of the markets are in the amateur   launches to suit the market. To suit   all that the customer wants, but if
          side and they are big like US, Europe,   the millennials who are getting   we are able to do even 10 percent
          etc. We have based all our launches,   married, who have the demand of   of what the customer wants, their   Smart Photography
          and all our R&D centred around India.   uniqueness, that’s always been a big   business keeps growing. That is what   February 2018
          So there are scientists who come   challenge for us.                 we believe and do. |SP

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