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Tell us about any new product launches during this year
As a company , what did you do to engage with your customers through the lockdown ?
For us at HARMAN Professional India , it has been important to stay connected with our customers as well as industry partners . Through various engaging content concepts via social media such as our TechKnow Chat , TechKnow Heroes and Learn with Harman series , as well as webinars on various topics from cinema audio to lighting , we ’ ve tried to keep our audiences engaged , up-to-date and interested in updates and stories . Our learning sessions were a major hit with our customers ; we were able to conduct trainings for 15000 + participants in India .
We launched the AKG Lyra ultra-HD , multi-mode USB microphone , and AKG K361 / K371BT headphones to enable upcoming and professional creators with tools to build high quality content whatever medium they choose - from video to podcasts to music . With simple plug-and-play operations , all those who aspire to express themselves can do so without any hassle and without ever leaving their homes . These products were coveted not only by content creators but also by people working from home during lockdowns .
We also launched the Soundcraft Nano Series compact mixers in India recently . Available in four models , the Nano M08BT , Nano M12BT , Nano M16 and Nano M24 mixers support a wide range of sources , including microphones , musical instruments , digital playback , recording and more . In addition to versatile compatibility , the mixers feature playback and recording from a USB flash drive , simple Mac and PC connectivity via USB and physical vertical faders , for easy level control and operation .
Challenges you faced in terms of educating / reaching your customers
Due to restrictions , we obviously faced challenges in conducting our on-ground events and roadshows . This meant decision making was slow , product demos and in-person customer
In conversation with
Aditya Todi
Senior Director & Business Head-Professional
Solutions , India and SAARC · HARMAN International
interactions were limited , among other things . However , it also pushed us to find innovative ways to reach out to their audiences and keep them up to speed with latest development and offerings . We streamlined a lot of our processes and also the way we work on a daily basis to keep our end customers engaged via social media , webinars and other digital activities have helped us reach out to the relevant people .
How do you think the industry can recover from the pandemic hit ?
This pandemic would have hit organizations with lesser resources more , compared to others . Post pandemic , brands which were agile in terms of customer reach may be able to cater to the market needs better . From a market vertical perspective , I think we will recover in phases . The Brick & Mortar distribution business may be the first to recover with smaller solutions , followed by the Install business across verticals ( Government / Corporate / Hospitality ). Our large gathering solutions such as Tour sound and Cinema may be the last ones to recover .
How did you leverage digital media to your advantage during the lockdown ?
One thing which this situation has definitely done is to teach us how to effectively use digital platforms to reach our customers . We created and distributed content which was varied , useful and targeted across segments . From releasing product videos & product launches to engaging with Industry experts and trainings , our content was rich & dynamic . We were able to launch AVL expert sessions called ‘ TechKnow Chat ’. We were also able to release multiple product training and product demo videos . Our Digital following across platforms in India , have increased around 30 % on average with some of the platforms going as high as 50 %. The medium of communication was also diverse which included social media platforms ( Youtube , Facebook , LinkedIn and Instagram ) to messaging apps ( Whatsapp and SMS ). This really helped us to stay in touch with our customers and partners .
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