Sunil Gupta: “Samsung is in competition with itself”

Samsung organised its 8th Africa Forum in Cape Town from 23 to 25 February 2017. An event through which the South Korean company showcased its latest range of products. Sunil Gupta, Regional Product Manager for digital appliances at Samsung Africa, insists that while the latest technology products are not meant for everyone, the Brand has, however, a bundle of products for every budget.

What is the purpose of the Samsung Africa Forum 2017?

We are always trying to meet the partners and getting to know their demands. Through this forum, we are showcasing our new offerings to the market. It’s a “give and take” platform where we showcase what we are offering and where the partners tell us what their needs are. 

There were some interesting products that were showcased. One of them, and it’s an exclusive product from Samsung, the “wind-free” air conditioner. Can you tell us more about it?

The first product was a room air conditioner that is wind-free. It’s the first time that such an air conditioner is manufactured. In the wind-free air conditioner, you have 21 000 micro holes through which the air can go, so cool air cannot hit you directly and you will feel comfortable. And this is what the new generations want. The idea is to give a one more step as a comfort level.

Do you think these products are suitable for the Mauritian market? 

Definitely! Mauritius is surrounded by the sea. So you have the humid feeling, you have all twelve months requirement for air conditioners. Hence, this suits more your market. You are spending a lot of money on electricity. So with the “wind-free” air conditioner, you can just install it at your home and switch on the “wind-free” mode. And you’ll find your room is cool and you don’t have to worry about the cold air. 

But Mauritius is not a very rich country. Do you think Mauritians will be able to afford this type of latest technology product?

I beg to differ. Mauritius is one of the richest countries in the African continent. There are a lot of investments there and rich people also live there. So, whenever technology goes, it is definitely at a cost but over a period of time, it will be affordable. This is because we spend a lot of money on Research and Development. So definitely, when we’re launching a product, it’s not meant for everyone but later, it will reach everybody.

Does that mean that the middle incomes always have to wait for a couple of years before being able to purchase a product with the latest technology?

This is the normal phenomenon everywhere. So you want a product and you want it at a good price, how’s that possible (laughs)? But one thing is sure: we have a range of Samsung products which can go to every customer’s house. I can offer you the bundle and you can chose what you want. As a company, we can fulfill everyone’s need and you chose what you can afford.  

Are the products which have been showcased coming to Mauritius soon?

Definitely yes. 

How does Samsung perform in the African market?

As far as African consumers are concerned, including customers from Mauritius, we have got a phenomenal response for our products and this encourages us to do more for the African market.

Do you have an idea of Samsung’s market share for the African continent?

We represent around one third of the market.

Which brand is the direct competitor of Samsung?

Samsung! Samsung is in competition with Samsung. When we feel that we are the technology leader, whom do we need to compare it with? Ourselves. So we are always challenging ourselves. And even the consumer directly asks us: can you give me this, can you give me that…? Take the wind free conditioner for example. The consumer asks for a product which doesn’t give the discomfort of the air flux. So we say: let us think about it, let us do something about it. It’s nothing like a rocket science which is coming.

Let’s take the AddWash for example. It happens every day that you launch a laundry machine and you find out that something has been left out. Let’s say a tshirt you want to wear tomorrow. Normally you’ll have to wait for the laundry to finish and start another one. This gives us the idea: why not add this particular tshirt or socks or handkerchief. That’s how the AddWash has come. That’s how Samsung becomes the competitor of Samsung. We are close to the customers. We are listening to them and we are providing a solution to the customers. 

Does Samsung have a strategy to increase its market share in Africa?

Of course. Because without a strategy, you can’t do business. So we have a very simple strategy and there’s nothing as such as a rocket science again. Listen to your customers and give them whatever they want. And Samsung is very close to its customers. Every day they are talking to us and we are listening to them. And this is the best strategy, to my belief, we have for Africa at the moment. And also, treat every country as its own. Don’t treat them as Africa as a whole because all of the 54 countries have their specific needs.

The defect in the Samsung Note 7 was quite a blow for the South Korean company. How did you manage all this?

I think the Samsung Head Quarter and Head of mobile have already explained all the situation: how it has happened and what was the cause behind it. When you innovate anything new, there’s no 100% guarantee. Even airplanes have so much technology and still there are crashes. But that doesn’t mean you stop flying or that you stop innovating. That was a learning for all of us and this has given us the idea to further strengthen our quality control. We are also a technology company and we are always finding room for improvement. If we stop improving, we’ll die. 

Did this incident have an impact on the sales of Samsung products?

I think the customers very much acknowledge the Samsung Brand and they understand these issues. That is, if a company is coming up and giving good products, so sometimes it may happen… and I believe customers have given a phenomenal response on this. And I don’t think this has impacted on our sales.

What’s next for Samsung? Grabbing more market shares, may be?

Definitely. As regards to the African continent, we would like to go more into the depth. I believe Africa as a continent has a lot of potential to grow. We have around 1 billion people (in Africa). We have the young generation. Now you can see the people are getting educated, more exposed thanks to technology, to across the globe. They are very much with the latest technology. This have given us the challenge to the African market. Therefore if you see any new technology or product being launched in the US for instance, now it is launched at the same time in Africa. The companies are coming more and more to Africa. They’re trying to make a base. It is becoming a big market. Therefore it is bound to grow.