“COCO stores are critical For our offline strategy”: Will Yang, OPPO

Will Yang, OPPO’s Brand Director shares strategies insights, trends and plans for the Chinese brand in the Indian market

Will Yang, Brand Director, OPPO

What are some of the key focus areas for OPPO in India? What will be your market share currently in India?
While we have constantly worked on our camera phone technology for years now, we are still a young and youthful company. OPPO is devoted to young consumers and we strongly aim at giving better
experience to our users and that has always been our major focus in India. In 2017, we’ll continue to focus on providing the best camera phone, especially with best selfie-taking experience in India.
Please share your plans on enhancing your channels and distribution in India.
Currently we’ll continue to focus on the offline market and build further connect with consumers all over India to provide consumers a first-hand experience of mobile devices, choice and offerings. And we aim to build 550 service centers to enhance the after sales services to cover all regions among India. Meanwhile, we develop the online presence just to ensure that people can buy our product in online channels once they want.

What is the strategy behind OPPO Mobiles being the main holding company in India, the actual operations — right from import of handsets to local distribution, marketing, sales and after-sales service — are handled by independent companies, or ‘agents’ with one each for a state or a region. These agents function as independent companies, with separate profit and loss accounts, sales
targets and budgets? Does this give an advantage over normal distribution model?
From the moment OPPO was founded, we began with close partnerships with agents. They understand OPPO’s values and principles, recognizing that OPPO has arrived to create win-win situations with partners. Agents have become part of the OPPO system; we share a bond of mutual trust. Together, we create a
broader market.

After camera and VOOC charging, which other features do you plan to lead with in your future smartphones?
With the advent of affordable smartphones intended for the Indian market and increasingly low-cost data connectivity options, more people are shifting to smartphones and mobile Internet. We’ll keep learning from the market and trying to provide the product that truly meets consumers ‘demands. Currently we are focusing on Photography, Battery Solutions and Design, especially photography and selfie technology.

OPPO has placed importance on fashioning a selfie expert phone instead of participating in a best deal war. What is in store for the Indian market beyond this feature?
OPPO’s R&D strategy is based around three key pillars, Design, Photography and fast charge technology or VOOC Flash Charge. We’ve always been focusing on the youth and provide products that the young generation loves. Our products received great acceptance and over-whelming feedback from the consumers particularly Selfie Expert OPPO F1s in 2016 and OPPO F3 and F3 plus in 2017. As a camera phone brand, we will continue to make progress in this direction in 2017. OPPO has many technical reserves beyond selfie and we keep learning from our consumers and try to provide what they need.

What are OPPO’S marketing plans in terms of TV commercials and print/digital advertisements?
In OPPO, we always believe that product itself is the best marketing. Based on the study of our consumers, we will continue to provide best camera phones with perfect selfie-taking experience. Our branding and marketing activities are focused on highlighting the same. We focus on a 360-degree approach to connect with our consumers across all platforms. We’ll continue to focus on the youth and this year we’ll try to strengthen our presence through entertainment and sports marketing.
How much does OPPO plan to invest in brand development in India?
We will continue to focus on the youth, and try to touch base with our consumers in all platforms, especially entertainment and sports that the youth like.

How much thrust OPPO has given to its offline strategy in India?
OPPO always has both offline and online channels but in OPPO, the guideline for work is “focus and simplicity”, we believe that we should only start to focus on another thing once the current one has already been good enough. So currently we’ll continue to focus on the offline market and get further connect with consumers all over India. Meanwhile, we develop the online presence just to ensure that people can buy our product in online channels once they want. OPPO
in India has invested heavily in offline channels to provide consumers a first-hand experience of mobile devices, choice and offerings.

What is the strategy behind the COCO stores?
We have always focused on being present across all touch points to offer the best services to our consumers. COCO stores are an important part of our offline channels to provide our consumers better services in the process of purchase and it is also an important way to introduce OPPO to our consumers, let them experience OPPO’s products. In 2017, we’ll continue to enhance this part.

What will be the ratio between OPPO’S offline and online sales?
We have both online and offline stores to provide our consumers more convenience in the purchasing process. Meanwhile, we are currently focusing more on offline markets to connect with local consumers and provide fast and reliable service.

How OPPO’S Make In India plans going? Please update on your Noida manufacturing.
All OPPO’s products sold in India now are ‘Made in India’. We‘ll continue to work in this area to keep up with the growing market demand.

What is OPPO’S update on After Sales Service policy, service warranty and Dead After Purchase strategy?
We have always been trying our best to provide our consumers better services. This year, besides building 550 service centers to cover all the regions in India, we are also aiming at providing a quick and satisfying service.