Speciality service across multiple products
Speciality service across multiple products

With the aim to become the first nationwide organised player to offer a super specialty branded service across multiple product range, HCL Care has launched Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) initiative. HCL Touch centres (part of HCL Care) offer one-stop solution to all the consumer’s servicing needs for mobility, IT, consumer electronics and home appliance products across multiple brands. Sayantan Nandi, Senior VP and Business Head - HCL Care, HCL Infosystems Ltd tells Sweta Pal HCL’s aims to bridge the growing chasm in quality after-sales service available in the market for all of the above product categories by creating a one-stop service destination for the customers.

Sweta Pal (SP): What services are being offered at HCL Care centres?

Sayantan Nandi (SN): HCL Touch centres include the following USPs:

  • Banking on our largest and most extensive service network across the country, HCL Care Touch Centres will address the growing demand for quality after-sales support service coupled with the convenience and options for consumers.
  • HCL Touch Centers shall provide quality service assurance & quality spare parts. Also provide service transparency to the customers through tracking of the repair status of their products.
  • HCL Touch Centres address the concerns at-the-doorstep for SMBs and MSMEs with manned services across the country
  • Provide customized service solutions for the enterprise customers
  • We provide a multilingual remote support through a centralized support centre.
  • A single window support for Home Pack service for example, Mobile Phones (Nokia) + Laptop (Dell) + Tablets (HCL) + TV (Samsung)
  • One Pack Multiple Products service – offered for the first-time by any OEM
  • The centres offer services both through the D2C as well as the B2B2C route
  • HCL Touch also provides value added services to its customers like onsite services, pick and drop, data recovery, installation and set-up of products

SP: How will this initiative benefit retailers in the long run?

SN: HCL Touch centres bring the entire retailer ecosystem (e-commerce, LFRs and Small Format Retail) under one roof for servicing different brands. It creates a value addition for our OEM partners and retailers as the Touch centres would provide a robust back-end service support for various brands through a single contact centre.

SP: How are service models different in different cities?

SN: Based on the demographical and geographical requirements, our strategy shall be aligned to deliver the service through a mix of walk-in service centers, collection points, onsite service, etc through a hub and spoke model.

SP: What is the customer’s advantage in this scheme?

SN: The digital products, consumer electronics and home appliances have seen a significant growth in demand in recent years. Improving economic conditions, affordability of products and growing consumerism in Rural India are the primary drivers of this growth. While the products have been proliferating in numbers, there has been a growing chasm in the quality service available in the market for warranty and out of warranty products. HCL through its Direct to Consumer (D2C) initiatives aspires to make quality service accessible to the masses.

HCL Infosystems has always on the forefront of taking new initiatives keeping in mind the customer’s requirements. This is a first of its of kind service in India, HCL Care here takes an extra effort to fulfil customer expectations by offering personalized, consistent and affordable experience to the users through its offerings. . HCL Touch centres would benefit customers in a number of ways described below:

  • Act as a one-stop destination for servicing all gadgets – from a Nokia phones to Dell laptops to HCL tablets – first of its kind initiative where customers can benefit from
  • Service delivery through various channels – Carry In Centers, onsite service, Pick-up & drop service, express service, remote support etc catering to varied demands and convenience of the customers
  • Multi Product Multi Brand warranty and protection plans shall provide the customers to cover number of products under a single AMC pack
  • Our nationwide service presence shall allow a travelling customer to avail the services  at different locations
  • Provides loyalty bonuses for repeat purchases and bonus for not availing any repair during extended warranty period
  • Attractive pricing by combining warranty on different products for their IT, Mobile products and TVs (HOME PACK)
  • Contract to repair product in a fixed time to save customers from the compensation for the non fulfilment of SLA
  • Online community will increase awareness, e.g. expert opinions, blogs, updates on tech issues, testimonials, etc.

We want to establish HCL Touch Centers as trustable service partner for all our customers through consistent service experience, predictable and affordable cost and wide range of options to the customers.

SP: How is HCL care different from a service provider like Redington?

SN: HCL Care service strategy focuses on providing end-to-end service solutions covering various verticals and horizontals. Our verticals include the various kind of product category as mentioned above and horizontals include various service delivery channels such as – walk-in centres, field support, call center, supply chain management and repair factory.  HCL care shall provide service support across wide range of products – mobile phones, IT products, Tablet, Consumer Electronics, White Goods, Home Appliances, etc; and a wider range of service delivery channels. While Redington services focuses on specific product category and also closely tied up to their distribution business

The business expertise of Redington lies in end-to-end supply chain management complete with the rendering of logistics, after-sales support, and financial services whereas, HCL Care is a one-stop solution to all servicing needs for mobility, IT and consumer electronics & home appliances products across brands.

HCL Care provides service support that aims to capture both the in-warranty and out of warranty– B2B2C OEM tie-ups for In Warranty Service Support, direct to customers for Out of Warranty service support and retailer tie-ups for extended warranty and Out of Warranty Service support.  While Redington primary focuses on B2B2C OEM tie-ups for in warranty service support.

In addition to the above, HCL Care provides a wide range of services beyond repair to the customers, such as computer set up & installation, OS & Software Installation, Spyware and Virus removal, Installation of Digital Products, Data recovery, etc.

SP: Throw some light on the technology being used at the centres?

SN: All our HCL Touch Service centres are equipped with latest technologies required to service the customers and monitor the centres. We understand technology plays a critical role in delivering best in class services to the customers and thus, have a strong focus on updating the IT from time to time. We have a very strong IT Infrastructure to support the service support requirements of the customers with a strong CRM and SAP solution. We continuously update our systems to meet our customer requirements.

SP: Please share your expansion plans.

SN: HCL Care aims to create an extensive network of 1000+ HCL Touch service centres across Tier I, Tier II and Tier III cities in India over the next 3 years. Currently, we have 170+ HCL Touch Service Centers across the country, making us one of the largest after sales service support provider in the country. We aim to become the No. 1 player in the after-sales service support in the country.

SP: How does HCL select new locations to open service centres? What factors govern the decision?

SN: HCL Care opens new Touch centres keeping in mind the following factors:

  • Convenient location for the customers as well as for the brand
  • Our expansion plan is to open multi-product service centres in top 22 locations that would capture 75% of the estimated target market
  • A location that helps the brand to increase revenues out of the HCL Touch stores

SP: Which brands are you servicing and which cities are you already catering to?

SN: Currently, HCL Touch Centres are servicing products like Desktops, Laptops, Servers, POS, Printers, Projectors, Copiers, Monitors, Set Top Boxes, Digital Cameras, Mobile Phones, etc. of brands such as BlackBerry, Nokia, Samsung, Lenovo, NEC, Dell, HCL, Philips etc.

While the warranty service support has been extended to our B2B2C clients across 170+ locations, HCL Care has started providing its complete range of multi brand multi product service support across 15 centres in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkatta, Bangalore and other major tier I locations, with the plan to expand across Tier I, Tier II and Tier III cities in India in the recent future.

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