Canon is extensively focusing on C and D-class cities. It has come up with a
scheme called 'Festember' to enhance the profitability of channel partners this
festive season. Canon empowered partners can avail this scheme till the end of
November this year.
Canon has already organized its meetings, free service camps and channel
dialogues in upcountry regions of Rajasthan (Bhilwara, Ajmer, Bikaner, Alwar,
etc), South Gujarat (Vapi, Navsari, Valsad, etc), Maharashtra and Kolkata. The
company is currently focusing extensively on the western region, by conducting
regional meets in small cities.
Sharing about the same, VP Sajeevan, Asst Director-CPS, Canon informed, "We
conduct three rounds of meetings in all regions with our partners. Our sessions
start with 'Launch Meeting', in which information is disseminated between around
100 channel partners and us. Our second round of meetings is called 'Milap',
which consists of a smaller group, between 10-20 partners. Lastly, we conduct
'Fireside Meeting', in which we conduct a discussion between six to seven
partners and three to four Canon officials. These rounds of meetings are
basically relationship-building exercise between us and our channel." Canon's
latest range of products includes Pixma, which has features such as auto photo
fix, auto scanner and a 300-year life product.
In another development, Canon has recently imposed a hike on the prices of
its products. Speaking on the same, Sajeevan said, "The US financial crisis has
become a pain in the neck of almost all sectors. All canon products are
imported, which imposes upon us a 12 percent increase on their landing costs.
Hence, as part of business dynamics, we are forced to increase the cost of our
products as well. We have made an 18 percent hike on our products, from which
consumers have to bear only eight percent. But we will make sure this hike
proves to be value for money for them."
Speaking on the reaction of channel to the price hike, he informed, "Partners
are aware of financial crisis and hence price hike was expected, and they showed
negligible resistance towards this change."