Bangkok--10 Mar--4D Communications
Brother Commercial (Thailand) made a continuous impact on the market after closing out 2013 with 11% business growth. The company hopes that 2014 will see business growth of 14% - through the main business strategies of expanding sales channels to the provinces, direct marketing activities, more business expansion in the corporate customer segment, greater brand awareness through music and sports-related marketing, and the continual introduction of new products to address the demands of customers in all market segments. The latest from Brother includes the launch of 3 new models of its ink jet multifunction printer that emphasize value and quality, as well as 6 models of a scanner that focuses on ease and convenience, and is suitable for use by all customer segments.
According to Mr.Tomoyuki Fujimoto, Managing Director of Brother Commercial (Thailand) Limited, the general outlook is that the inkjet multifunction printer market decreased by 26% from 2012. At the same time, Brother’s market share rose from 40% in 2012 to 52% in 2013. For the mono laser multifunction market, the general market expanded by 9% in 2013, reflecting that corporate and business customers have continuously growing purchasing power. In this segment, Brother has grown its market share to 25% in 2013 from 19% in 2012.
Mr.Teerawut Supapunpinyo, General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Brother Commercial (Thailand) Limited, said that in 2014, Brother has set a growth target of 14%, using an integrated marketing strategy, as follows:
1. Fulfill all market segment demand with a broad range of Brother products, including: printers, label printers, scanners, fax machines and sewing machines, covering all target groups consisting of students, scholars, small businesses (Small Office Home Office: SOHO), SMEs and corporate clients.
2. Implement a strategy to expand the market in the provinces. At present, 35% of Brother’s revenues are from the provinces; the company aims to increase this to 40% in 2014 through an increase in marketing activities in order to boost selling opportunities and customer brand exposure.
3. Expansion of the business the corporate customer segment, highlighting the company’s selling point of the printer network management with BRAdmin Software, which helps organizations save their printing costs and increase the work efficiency and performance.
4. Increase direct marketing activities with the aim of reaching the target directly through digital media advertising, such as EDM (Electronic Direct Mail) and sending SMSs via mobile phones. These are considered means of directly reaching a large number of people, as over 40 million people use mobile services across the country, including users of social media in various forms, such as Facebook, YouTube or Instagram.
5. Strengthen the brand through strategic music marketing and sports marketing as a medium to reach customers. In addition to creating entertainment, brand recognition and interest among the groups of customers, this strategy also serves as a virtual bridge between Brother and its customers to come closer together, which positively impacts the company and the diverse expansion of its customer base.
“Brother started to create coherence in its corporate identity in January 2014, putting its music marketing strategy to use through special music “Mee Rao Ta Lod Pai” (Always at your side). And in 2014, Brother launched new products, including 3 new models of an ink jet multifunction printer: 2 models of an inkjet multi-function 3-in-1 printer (DCP-J100 InkBenefit and DCP-J105 InkBenefit); and 1 model of an inkjet multi-function 4-in-1 printer (MFC-J200 InkBenefit). All ensure good performance and outstanding value for money, while saving on ink usage. They are also designed to print large volumes and can print up to 2,400 pages per cartridge, with a cost per sheet (in black ink) of only 0.13 baht. In addition, Brother would also like to introduce 6 models of its scanner, including 4 desktop scanners, ADS-1100W, ADS-1600W, ADS-2100 and ADS-2600W; and 2 mobile scanners, DS-620 and DS-720D. The new products are available immediately as of early March,” added Mr. Teerawut.
Besides a commitment to its products, Brother also gave importance to and focused its ongoing development efforts on its customer service, including both consumer and corporate customers. In 2013, Brother maintained 143 official services centers, covering 76 provinces throughout the country. This ensures that customers receive the care and attention to detail that reflects the fact that Brother will always be with them through all their success, per Brother’s corporate motto, “At your side”.
On the overall market view in 2014, Mr. Teerawut commented on the matter, saying, “The upcountry markets still have room to grow. This is due to the expansion of residential projects in major cities, as well as the current economic impact of the AEC and the policy of strengthening economic centers in the provinces. Therefore, when considering the overall market, it can be surmised that the markets for both multi-function inkjet printers and multi-function laser printers will continue to grow in 2014.”