The making of a picture-perfect business journey at Canon India

Since its inception in India in 1997, Canon has become a brand to reckon with in the imaging space.

Over a period of time, India has become one of the biggest markets for Canon, with the company establishing a strong foundation for itself by bringing forth innovations for its customers. The brand has done so by maintaining the right equilibrium between its B2C and B2B businesses.

Speaking about Canon India’s growth trajectory, Kazutada Kobayashi, president and CEO, Canon India, said, “Having started our journey in India 22 years ago, we are proud to have carved a name for the brand in the country that resonates with innovation and quality. India has emerged as one of the key business markets for Canon and is counted amongst the best-performing regions in APAC. Being at the helm of world-class technology in the imaging business, we have consistently offered an array of 360-degree input-to-output solutions strengthening our leadership. It’s a matter of pride that we achieved a double-digit growth in 2018, with both our B2C and B2B businesses contributing equally.”

He added, “With customer delight being core to our corporate ethos, we are committed towards understanding their evolving requirements, be it an aspiring photographer seeking to make a career or a corporate looking to simplify business. We are optimistic that we will continue to delight our customers and partners with our range of input-to-output product line-up.”

Looking at the bigger picture
For a 360-degree solution provider like Canon, it becomes imperative to educate customers about the vast spread of its imaging solutions portfolio and enable a ‘Click & Print’ culture in India.

Gary Lee, vice-president and CFO, said, “Imaging culture in India is gradually prospering and it is a matter of pride for us to be amongst the major contributors in this space. We believe that apart from bringing innovative and quality products to the market, it is also imperative to understand customer sentiments and reach out to them. Our digital platforms, like our social media interface, have supported us in building a deeper engagement with our audience across the B2B and B2C segments. We communicate with our audience through these channels and showcase our portfolio and gauge their sentiments, which enable us to innovate further.”

Canon also ensures that its employees are aligned with its strategy of maintaining the right balance between B2B and B2C and delighting its customers. “We believe that employees are one of our strongest pillars,” said Shikha Rai, vice-president, HR. “We give utmost importance to their holistic development. With both B2B and B2C businesses being equal drivers to our business growth, we make sure they are getting good exposure to both businesses. We ensure a working environment that encourages constant engagement, creating an environment of cross-functional learning and growth.”

A standout job
Talking about the B2B segment, Canon India’s Business Imaging Solutions (BIS) has carved a niche for itself in the office automation space.

K Bhaskhar, vice-president, Business Imaging Solutions (BIS), Canon India, said, “Over the years, we have established a strong foothold in the country by venturing into new domains supported by our focus on innovation. We take pride in the fact that Business Imaging Solutions has been a vital contributor to the growth of Canon in the country. With our endeavour of ‘Business Can be Simple’, we have been able to help business owners utilise our innovative and advanced technology-driven solutions to optimise their business processes and, in turn, provide a superior experience to their end-users while keeping costs under control. We cater to the complete imaging requirements of customers through our input-to-output portfolio, which includes both hardware and software solutions.”

With respect to its camera business, the company conducts activities that go beyond a purchase transaction.

Eddie Udagawa, vice-president, Consumer Imaging and Information Centre, said, “We are proud to share that for 16 consecutive years, we have enjoyed the No.1 market share of global interchangeable-lens digital camera market. India remains a critical pillar to this milestone and has proved to be a dynamic market for our growth. At Canon, we are consistently strengthening the imaging culture by creating a plethora of platforms for photographers across genres. Our foray into the fullframe mirrorless category in the country supports our product line-up.”

The change maker
Canon has been successful in revolutionising the photography as well as the printing industry in the country through its unique input-to-output solutions. Wedding photography is one such segment that has seen growth in India where Canon has played a pivotal role through its world-class photography solutions.

“The professional printing industry has been amongst the fastest growing verticals for Canon in India. We are in the era of the fourth industrial revolution and so is the professional print industry. We call it Print 4.0,” said Puneet Datta, senior director, Professional Printing Products. “As pioneers in the imaging industry, we have the responsibility to elevate and revolutionise the professional imaging space. The consumer needs are changing and factors driving the industry are time constraints, personalised content, convenience and services when desired. Today, we are proud to house some of the cutting-edge products catering to varied segments, strengthening our customer outreach and further consolidating our presence pan-India. ”

Canon’s consumer printing business in India has been striving towards making printing more affordable through its inkjet portfolio of PIXMA printers.

According to C Sukumaran, director, Consumer System Products (CSP) India, “At Canon, we endeavour to promote and strengthen the culture of printing as a form of expression among both home segments and businesses. We are happy that the printing business is shaping up positively with both Inkjet and Laser market growing at a good pace. In line with these changes, we cater to a wide customer portfolio, including home, SOHOs, jobbers and SME segment through our printing solutions. We will continue to fortify our connect with consumers by bringing products that resonate with their aspirations, aided by the expansion of PIXMA Zones, our unique concept stores. Our aim is to make printing an enjoyable mainstream experience for customers and contribute to the growth of the printing industry.”

Customer first
Delighting customers has always been Canon’s endeavour and this is being achieved with robust after-sales services.

“Today, service is one of the crucial factors that makes a brand stand apart in the industry, influencing customer behaviour,” said Rahul Goel, director, Market Engineering Center. “At Canon, we have a robust service infrastructure, catering to our entire range of B2B and B2C products. Our philosophy of ‘Delighting You Always’ embodies our commitment towards our customers, which always drives us to bring forth customised service offerings. Going forward, we endeavour to strengthen our service network in the country, further enabling us to come closer to our customers.”

Another important aspect is how Canon looks at logistics as an integral part of its business.

Ashutosh Varshney, head, SCM & Logistics, said, “With supply chain management being the backbone of operations at any organisation, at Canon we have a high standard and unparalleled supply chain system. Our logistics division focuses on transporting products safely helping us to promptly respond to fluctuations in market supply. We are operating in very dynamic segments in both B2B and B2C, such as office automation and consumer electronics. Partnering with some of the best names in the industry, we foresee our supply chain to be a significant contributor to the company’s growth.”

Canon India attributes its consistent growth and success to the combined effort of the employees, partners and customers at large. Together with every team member and business partner, the company will continue to move swiftly towards achieving newer heights.

[“source=economictimes”]