Focusing on growth via franchising

Tags: Focus, Softnet, Enterprise, Business, solutions, Hyderabad, USA, Middle East, Far East, Indian, sub continent, India.

By: Namita Bhagat | May 27, 2011 | comments (0 ) |

Focusing on growth via franchising Developing and delivering enterprise business solutions, is Focus Softnet Fz LLC a company with an international presence. The brand has now started focusing on franchising for expansion. Nisith Naik, COO, Middle East, India, Africa for Focus Softnet Fz LLC shares his experience of participation in FRO, Mumbai.

Namita Bhagat (NB): Brief us about the origin and development of your company and how did the company opt for franchise route?

Nisith Naik (NN): Focus Softnet was incorporated in 1990 at Hyderabad in India with an objective to develop and deliver Enterprise Business solutions, Focus is now in 13 countries with 23 branches which Spread across the USA, Middle East, Far East and the Indian sub-continent.
With 6 offices in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Chennai focus Softnet was predominantly into direct sales and institutional sales.

Having more than 20,000 customers and a brand name, Focus wanted to expand the brand to all the regions and cities of India apart from its reach in the metros. The task of reaching to the length and breadth of India is huge and it is virtually impossible for a company to create its own offices across the country. The best route hence was to appoint value-added partners who would carry the brand Focus and take the product to every part of the country.

NB: Promotional strategy is part and parcel of brand’s appropriate growth. Kindly elaborate on the approach your company adopts to enhance its reach.

NN: We understand that the brand awareness is the key to growth in franchisee based marketing. Focus has committed investment in promotions through various media in the next two years. A good chunk of revenues earned from the franchise market would be put into promotions apart from its annual budget that Focus invests in the promotions.

NB: Your Company has participated in FRO Mumbai. What factors inspired you to participate in the event?

NN: As a start to the franchise based marketing, Mumbai was our first show and we felt Mumbai being the business capital of India, we would not have had better start than this.

NB: Share your experience of being one of the participating companies at FRO.

NN: The response to the exhibition was huge and we have had quite a good number of interested prospective franchisees who are looking forward to investing in Focus partnership offer.

NB: How do you think the brands’ participation in the event would contribute to the brand’s growth?

NN: We have to take Focus brand to every possible event to ensure that we are out there in front of the prospective partners and customers. This would ensure the brand awareness is spread fast and wide and events like FRO make it possible for us without us having to go through lots of participation efforts unlike other exhibitions.

NB: What advice would you like to give to the entrepreneurs and investors aspiring to participate in the show to get maximum benefits from it?

NN: One thing that I have experienced with this participation is that you need to have your product strategy, brand positioning, promotion material and the key resources in place to ensure that you have good success from the exhibition. Any of these things missing would dilute the benefits that you want to get out of the participation.



Comments

Rating

Please add your comment:

     

Not readable? Change text.

Enter the characters as seen on the image (case insensitive)

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

Subscribe for daily newsletter


Upcoming Events: