Exclusive Interview with Mr. Arijeet Talapatra, CEO, itel India

New Delhi – Despite the quick growth of smartphones, itel continues to dominate the characteristic mobile phone market whereas making stable strides within the funds smartphone section. On this irregular interview, Mr. Arijeet Talapatra, CEO of itel India, shares insights into the logo’s sustained management, AI-driven innovations, and strategic differentiation in a competitive panorama. He also discusses itel’s advertising and marketing methods, buyer service initiatives, and future plans for the Indian market. With a dedication to affordability, accessibility, and innovation, itel stays a trusted identify within the change. Be taught on for added insights.

Q1. Despite the upward thrust of smartphones, itel continues to dominate the characteristic mobile phone market. What factors acquire contributed to this sustained management & What key methods acquire contributed to this persevered success?

itel continues to lead the characteristic mobile phone market in 2024, securing a dominant 32% market portion despite overall market stagnation. Our sustained success is driven by our stable dedication to affordability, reliability, durability, and accessibility – key factors that consistently resonate with our customers.
We have constructed a stable offline presence, leveraging obvious note-of-mouth recommendations, which play a if truth be told crucial characteristic in buying choices for patrons on this section.We have no longer too long within the past crossed bigger than 11 crore customers – an attestation to the high impress have confidence that our impress enjoys amongst patrons. itel has always been a stable proponent of Create in India – now we acquire 3 manufacturing amenities in Noida –with a potential of manufacturing bigger than 24 million handsets yearly. This facility has allowed us to glean, retail, and customize merchandise as per the wants of the Indian market, further strengthening its predicament.

Q2. With AI turning into a key differentiator in mobile devices, how is itel incorporating AI-driven aspects in its smartphones and characteristic phones?

We at itel are integrating AI-driven aspects to support particular person experience, effectivity, and efficiency. Our smartphones leverage AI-powered cameras for smarter photography and AI-driven battery optimization for longer utilization. Moreover, we're working on intuitive AI assistants and personalized particular person interfaces to love our devices extra responsive to particular particular person preferences. In our cellphones, AI plays a characteristic in optimizing efficiency and enlighten-assisted functionalities, guaranteeing smarter and further convenience. At itel, we're committed to democratizing technology by bringing AI-driven innovation for everyone. We have many titillating productsin pipeline this year.

Q3. With the rising opponents within the funds smartphone section, how is itel differentiating itself?

In the highly competitive funds smartphone section, itel has differentiated itself by emerging as the #1 impress within the sub-10K mobile phone category (at the side of both Feature Telephones and Smartphones), with a stable 22% market portion. We have firmly established ourselves as essentially the most neatly-favored impress by turning within one of the best blend of rate for money, durability, reliability, ease of spend, and have confidence—key factors that pressure stable note-of-mouth recommendations from our contented customers.

itel has an intensive offline distribution network with bigger than 1.3 lakh outlets and 1100+ distributors, guaranteeing uncomplicated availability of itel merchandise even in a ways off areas of India. This substantial reach permits us to serve a diverse user depraved—from these seeking 2G characteristic phones to customers preferring 4G devices and these searching to transition from 4G to 5G smartphones.itel presents cutting-edge aspects in its characteristic phones, such as Time Talker and King Enlighten, enhancing particular person convenience and accessibility. As a trailblazer within the change, itel is mainly the most handy impress to introduce sparkling 5G connectivity at within the sub 10K section – start to all operators – at the side of an irregular free cloak change provide, environment it apart as essentially the most handy impress offering such advantages within the sub-₹10K section.

Q4. How does itel like definite its advertising and marketing campaigns replicate its impress philosophy and vision?

itel’s advertising and marketing campaigns are deeply aligned with our impress philosophy of “Journey Better Life”, which revolves around affordability, accessibility, and have confidence. We have adopted a localized advertising and marketing approach tailored to Aspirational India, the build affordability and availability play a if truth be told crucial characteristic in buying choices. Our advertising and marketing campaigns embrace integrating tools fancy AR and interactive storytelling into our advertising and marketing, we scheme to make experiences that captivate and represent, offering a deeper, richer connection to our merchandise. One amongst the very standard campaigns of itel “Compare Kiya Kya” constructed-in QR codes successfully to start up conversations digitally about our A50 smartphones. This used to be performed via 500 wall wraps which acquire been put in at strategic locations at some level of the nation.

We have a stable presence in both offline and online channels, helping us to make note-of-mouth advertising and marketing to love definite that first-time mobile customers feel confident transitioning to smartphones. Moreover, we maintains a sturdy presence in both retail and digital channels to cater to the rising sequence of patrons who analysis online however prefer to aquire offline (ROPO customers).

Q5. What are itel’s high strategic priorities for the Indian market this year?

In accordance with a memoir by Counterpoint memoir, around 220 million other folks in India are 2G customers and that will also be a essential part of our nation. We are going to always acquire a stable focal level on characteristic phones- both 2G and 4G – in which now we acquire been No. 1 since the final few years. Moreover, we would be rising our smartphone and smartgadgets portfolio with diverse modern aspects, designed to provide the accurate experience for our patrons. AI is going to play a if truth be told crucial characteristic in our upcoming merchandise.

Q6. What initiatives is itel endeavor to support buyer experience and after-gross sales service?

itel has established a sturdy service network with over 1,000 service centres at some level of India, guaranteeing unrestricted glean entry to to after-gross sales support for our customers. Our relentless dedication to reliability and durability continues to inspire buyer have confidence, positioning itel as one amongst essentially the most most neatly-favored mobile brands within the nation. We are very confident about our product quality and for this reason we provide an change firstfree cloak change provide within 100 days. This no questions asked guaranteeprovides customers with peace of thoughts, further enhancing their self belief in our impress. Solid buyer service is the cornerstone of a true buyer depraved and the high impress have confidence enjoyed by itel is a testomony to that.