"Our plan is to develop a gaming eco-system in India and increase revenues through this category", says Rajeev Singh, BenQ

With BenQ expanding its gaming range, launching a photography monitor for professional photographers and building verticals, the company has much plans, says Rajeev Singh, managing director. Excerpts from the interview

Q1. What are the things BenQ is looking at right now?

Ans1. Our turnover is $22bn and we are focused on display technologies. We have a hi-tech manufacturing unit in Taiwan while our assembling happens at China. We are the world’s third largest panel manufacturer. We are leaders in manufacturing of mid and high-end monitors and projectors. We are topmost in the monitor business. However, what we our seeing is a decline happening in the 15-inch segment. The gaming monitor is growing at a rapid rate. 20-21 inch and above borderless monitors is in demand right now.

Q2. How is BenQ going to work with partners?

Ans2. We have regional distribution partners. We are also developing channels for certain verticals. We are in the process of launching a photography monitor for professional photographers next month. It will cost about Rs 40,000. We are going to have a vertical-based approach for our monitors. Our target is to have 25 partners in 15 states for the vertical base. We are identifying channels for each of the segments.

Q3. What is the trend you have observed in terms of the demand for each of the categories you just described?

Ans3. Most of our sales happen where 70% comes from the consumer range while 30% comes from the business range. We are looking at taking this to a 50%-50% contribution from both of these segments so that business is generated equally from both.

Q4. How would you describe the scope of gaming in India?

Ans4. Gaming is not a developed model in India. We are focusing on developing the eco-system of this specific category. The gaming monitors will be available on the gaming retailers and e-commerce portals including Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal. Infact, the contribution of all the product categories is 10% for gaming, 85% for consumer-based products and 5% for the remaining category. We have 25 demonstration retail points in Delhi.

Q5. What is your strategy for BenQ?

Ans5. We have started aligning ourselves with our partners now. Our products are designed according to the Indian environment. We have 150 service centers all over the country. As has been stated before, we have the topmost position in the country. Furthermore, we are growing rapidly in the home segment. Our home video feature range is priced at Rs 1 lakh. Two-thirds of our India business is coming from projectors segment.

Q6. What is your target for the company?

Ans6. BenQ currently derives 70% of its business from the consumer range while 30% comes from its business range. BenQ is looking to take the share of the business range to 50% from its current 30%. The company is in the process of developing channels for these verticals. Primarily, we are focusing on developing the eco-system for gaming in India. Gaming is not a developed model here even though it is growing at a rapid rate. We are expecting to increase our revenues through gaming as well.