ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I hereby take the opportunity to express my profound sense of reverence and gratitude to all of them who have helped me in successful completion of this training. It was a privilege for me to work with RIM, BlackBerry, Lucknow. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Namit (Sales Executive), at REDINGTON, LUCKNOW and all employees of RIM for their guidance and valuable support rendered to me in solving my problems and difficulties that I faced in completion of this task. Most importantly, I would like to thank my Parents for helping me out for every possible thing that they could. Also Mr. Jatin Srivatava (Incharge of Management of Depatment, BBDNITM, Lucknow), all the Faculty Members and My Guide for this Project Mr. K.K Pandey without whom all this would have been impossible. Thank you GOD for giving me a light of sincerity and excellence. Moreover the crux of knowledge, care and support of all who have enabled me to gain this memorable practical experience will keep me learning all through my life. Regards:Pranjal Verma
1
PREFACE
BlackBerry accounts for 15% of mobile device sales in India in 2011, making its manufacturer RIM the most popular device maker (25% of mobile device sales are smartphones). The consumer BlackBerry Internet Service is available in 91 countries worldwide on over 500 mobile service operators using various. As of October, 2011, there were seventy million subscribers worldwide to BlackBerry. This project deals with: •
The Sales Strategy of Research In Motion Ltd. In Indian Market.
•
Consumer Survey of BlackBerry Smartphones to analyze its demand in Lucknow, and further in the whole country. The report embodies the result of the project entitled “Sales Strategy of Research In Motion Ltd., BlackBerry In Indian Market” and find communication strategy to increase its penetration in India. We deem it as a matter of great fortune to get training at REDINGTON (BlackBerry), which is a pioneer name in itself spells out a Saaga of valued managerial traditions work culture and professional cannons can make anyone by any reason to be proud of being its part in one way or another. The training was quite inspiring, satisfying, knowledge gaining and academically rewarding.
CONTENTS Acknowledgement
2
Preface Executive Summary
4-5
Organization Profile
5-19
Product Profile
20-32
Sales Strategy in India
33-44
Research Methodology
45-48
Findings, Analysis and Interpretations
49-61
Learning
62-63
Suggestions
64-65
Conclusion
66-67
Appendix :
68-72
1. Consumer Response Questionnaire Bibliography
73-74
3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4
I, the student of BABU BANARASI DAS NATIONAL INSTITUE OF TECHNOLOGY & MANAGEMENT, LUCKNOW, batch of 2011-12 conducted a detailed study on behalf of REDINGTON INDIA LTD. On 1) Consumer Survey of BlackBerry Smartphones to analyze its demand in Lucknow, and further in the whole country. 2) The Sales Strategy of Research In Motion Ltd. In Indian Market.
The training program started in REDINGTON (BlackBerry), Lucknow Branch from 17th JANUARY, 2012 to 15th FEBRUARY, 2012 (4 weeks).
My project at REDINGTON would help the organization :•
To analyse the demand estimation of BlackBerry Smartphones in Lucknow and further in the whole country.
•
To understand the Sales Strategy of Research In Motion Ltd. In Indian Market.
5
ORGANIZAT ION PROFILE
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
6
INTRODUCTION RIM is a Canadian multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, that designs, manufactures and markets wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile and telecommunications market. RIM provides platforms and solutions for access to information, including e-mail, voice, instant messaging, short message service (SMS), Internet and intranet-based applications and browsing. RIM’s portfolio includes the BlackBerry wireless solution, the RIM Wireless Handheld product line, software development tools and other software and hardware. It was founded by Mike Lazaridis, who currently serves as its vice chair of RIM's Board and Chair of the Board's new Innovation Committee. The company is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange in the USA in addition to the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada.
OBJECTIVE Though RIM is renowned around the world for its innovative and leading edge in wireless technology, our Employees have matched this innovation and lead the continued growth of the enterprise. Across the America, Asia and Europe, this team drives our remarkable results, developing long term strategic relationships with customers, clients and associates that are built on trust and a strong business understanding of their commercial needs. As we continue to grow and move forward, we are always looking for talented people to join us on this exciting journey. We have a great product, so we are responsible for doing it justice with our marketing strategies and practices.
Functioning of Redington:
7
In this Corporate office, Redington plans for the products to be sold, quantity of each product and strategy to sell the same. At present, BlackBerry and Apple are the only brands marketed by Redington in India.
The two areas, which are
given special attention are -'customer focus' and ‘after sales service.’
.
Corporate Office Redington
Internal Audit
Purchase
Accounts
Commercial Function
Marketing
HR
Product Management
Logistics
Size and Hierarchy Chart of Redington: 8
Information Systems
Commodities
Quality Assurance
Advertising
Managing Director CGM
EXECUTIVES (450)
GM AGM Manager
Total Employees => 750 (100%). Executives => 450 (60%) Field Sales Representatives => 150 (20%)
Deputy Manager Asstt. Manager Sr. Executive Executive Junior Executive
STAFF (150) • Clerks • Peons
Field Sales Representative (150)
Organizational Structure of Redington:
9
MD
Selection through advertisement
CHAIRPERSON Board of Directors (Also includes nominees and invitees) Zonal Officers (4) Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Gurgaon. De facto members from the member Unions and the invitees (e.g. NDDB Chairperson) Branch Officers (47) To cover the maximum area they are strategically placed, 2 in all states and Corporate Office is in Chennai.
HISTORY OF BlackBerry
10
The first BlackBerry device, the 850, was introduced in 1999 as a two-way pager in Munich, Germany. The name BlackBerry was coined by the marketing company Lexicon Branding. In 2003, the more commonly known smartphone BlackBerry was released, which supports push email, mobile telephone, text messaging, Internet faxing, Web browsing and other wireless information services. It is an example of a convergent device. The original BlackBerry devices, the RIM 850 and 857, used the DataTac network. BlackBerry first made headway in the marketplace by concentrating on email. RIM currently offers BlackBerry email service to non-BlackBerry devices, such as the Palm Treo, through its BlackBerry Connect software. The original BlackBerry device had a monochrome display, but all current models have color displays. All models, except for the Storm series and the all-touch Torch 9850/9860 had a built-in QWERTY keyboard, optimized for "thumbing", the use of only the thumbs to type. The Storm 1 and Storm 2 include a SureType keypad for typing. Originally, system navigation was achieved with the use of a scroll wheel mounted on the right side of phones prior to the 8700. The trackwheel was replaced by the trackball with the introduction of the Pearl series which allowed for 4 way scrolling. The trackball was replaced by the optical trackpad with the introduction of the Curve 8500 series. Models made to use iDEN networks such as Nextel and Mike also incorporate a push-to-talk (PTT) feature, similar to a two-way radio.
HISTORY OF RESEARCH IN MOTION (RIM):
11
Prior to the manufacture of the BlackBerry, RIM worked with RAM Mobile Data and Ericsson to turn the Ericsson-developed Mobitex wireless data network into a two-way paging and wireless e-mail network. Pivotal in this development was the release of the Inter@ctive pager 950, which started shipping in August 1998. About the size of a bar of soap, this device competed against the SkyTel two-way paging network developed by Motorola. RIM's early development was financed by Canadian institutional and venture capital investors in 1995 through a private placement in the privately-held company. Working Ventures Canadian Fund Inc. led the first venture round with a C$5,000,000 investment with the proceeds being used to complete the development of RIM's two-way paging system hardware and software. A total of C$30,000,000 in pre-IPO financing was raised by the company prior to its initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange in January, 1998 under the symbol RIM. Since then, RIM has released a variety of devices running on GSM, CDMA, and iDEN networks. The ubiquity of these BlackBerry devices in the corporate environment and the compulsive use of its ability to quickly send and receive e-mail have earned it the nickname "Crackberry" in a reference to crack cocaine as users feel they cannot live without it. In 2006 Research In Motion and Information Appliance Associates reached a licensing agreement whereby RIM would offer the complete version of PocketMac for BlackBerry to Macintosh users free of charge. In October 2008, RIM was named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers" by Mediacorp Canada Inc., and was featured in Maclean’s newsmagazine. RIM announced in February 2009 that they were expanding their global operations by opening an office and training facility in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Just across the Harbour Bridge, ten minutes from the Sydney CBD, the new RIM offices were formally unveiled by Mr Thomas A. MacDonald, Consul General of Canada, at a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the New South Wales Government and North Sydney Council, as well as RIM’s partners and customers. The new office features training facilities, a research and development centre, a strategic partner marketing centre and technical support services. Total workforce provides 12,000 jobs world wide.
In June 2009 RIM has announced they were acquiring Dash Navigation, makers of the Dash Express. In August 2009, RIM acquired Torch Mobile, enabling the inclusion of a Webkit-based browser on their Blackberry devices.
12
On August 18, 2009, Fortune Magazine named RIM as the fastest growing company in the world with a growth of 84% in profits over three years despite the recession. On March 26, 2010, the company announced acquisition of BlackBerry applications developer Viigo, a Toronto-based company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. RIM reached an agreement with Harman International on April 12, 2010, for RIM to acquire QNX Software Systems. "RIM is excited about the planned acquisition of QNX Software Systems and we look forward to ongoing collaboration between Harman, QNX and RIM to further integrate and enhance the user experience between smartphones and in-vehicle audio and infotainment systems," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at RIM. "In addition to our interests in expanding the opportunities for QNX in the automotive sector and other markets, we believe the planned acquisition of QNX will also bring other value to RIM in terms of supporting certain unannounced product plans for intelligent peripherals, adding valuable intellectual property to RIM's portfolio and providing long-term synergies for the companies based on the significant and complementary OS expertise that exists within the RIM and QNX teams today." On September 27, 2010, RIM announced the long rumoured BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer. The BlackBerry PlayBook was officially released to US and Canadian consumers on April 19, 2011. As of May 2010, RIM OS held 10.4% of the smartphone operating system market. On June 30, 2011, an investor push for the company to split its dual-CEO structure was unexpectedly withdrawn after an agreement was made with RIM. RIM announced that after discussions between the two groups, Northwest & Ethical Investments will withdraw its shareholder proposal before RIM's annual meeting. In September 2011, RIM decided to build assembly factory (hardware) in Malaysia rather in Indonesia, but Indonesia will become the Blackberry's application and market research centre (software).
On October 10, 2011, RIM experienced one of the worst service outages in the company's history. Tens of millions of BlackBerry users in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and North America were unable to receive or send emails and BBM messages through their phones. The outage was caused as a result of a core switch failure, "A transition to a back-up switch did not function as tested, causing a large backlog of data, RIM said." Service was restored Thursday 13 October, with RIM announcing a $100 package of free premium apps for users and enterprise support extensions.
13
On January 22, 2012 RIM announced that Co CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis have stepped down as CEOs and announced the new CEO to be Thorsten Heins. In March 2012 it was announced that RIM awarded a patent for placing fuel cell behind mobile phone keyboards. Through the system, which RIM has been registered as a patent in 2009, the mobile phones would be able to recharge itself.
On March 29, 2012, RIM announced a strategic review of its future business strategy - A plan to refocus on the enterprise business and leverage on its leading position in the enterprise space. The RIM Chief Executive, Thorsten Heins said, "We believe that BlackBerry cannot succeed if we tried to be everybody's darling and all things to all people. Therefore, we plan to build on our strength." As part of the management shake-up, it was also announced that the former co-chief Jim Balsillie has resigned from RIM's board along the departure of David Yach, CTO for software, and Jim Rowan, COO for global operations.
Mike Lazaridis 14
Lazaridis at the BlackBerry Bold launch party in London, England
Born: March 14, 1961 (age 51) Istanbul, Turkey Residence: Bamberg, Ontario, Canada Alma mater: University of Waterloo (dropped out in 1984, honorary degree in 2000) Occupation: Vice Chairman, RIM Net worth: $800 million (2011)
MIKE LAZARIDIS Mihalis "Mike" Lazaridis (born March 14, 1961, Istanbul, Turkey) is a Greek Canadian businessman, founder and Vice Chairman of Research In Motion (RIM), which created and manufactures the BlackBerry wireless handheld device. He is also a former chancellor of the University of Waterloo, and an Officer of the Order of 15
Canada. With an estimated net worth of $US 800 Million (as of June 2011), Lazaridis was ranked by Forbes as the 17th wealthiest Canadian and 651st in the world.
Personal, education, and career history Born in Istanbul, Turkey, to Greek parents (specifically Pontic), Lazaridis was five years old when his family moved to Canada in 1966, settling in Windsor, Ontario. At age 12, he won a prize at the Windsor Public Library for reading every science book in the library. In 1979, he enrolled at the University of Waterloo in electrical engineering with an option in computer science. In 1984, Lazaridis responded to a request for proposal from General Motors to develop a network computer control display system. GM awarded him a $600,000 contract. He dropped out of university that year, just two months before he was scheduled to graduate. The GM contract, a small government grant, and a $15,000 loan from Lazaridis's parents enabled Lazaridis, Mike Barnstijn, and Douglas Fregin to launch Research In Motion. One of the company's first achievements was the development of barcode technology for film. RIM plowed the profits from that into wireless data transmission research, eventually leading to the introduction of the BlackBerry wireless mobile device in 1999, and its more well-known version in 2002.
Donations On October 23, 2000, Lazaridis founded the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics with $100 million of personal funds, along with $10 million contributions from fellow RIM executives Jim Balsillie and Douglas Fregin. On April 30, 2004, Lazaridis and his wife together donated $33.3 million to the University of Waterloo for its Institute for Quantum Computing.
On May 3, 2005, Lazaridis gave an additional $17.2 million to the University of Waterloo, primarily to aid the construction of a new building jointly shared by the Institute for Quantum Computing and the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology
On June 4, 2008, a further donation of $50 million to the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics was announced.
16
As of June 5, 2009, by contributing a new gift of $25 million, Lazaridis and his wife have donated over $100 million to the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo.
Awards and accolades On October 21, 1999, Lazaridis received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Waterloo, and in June 2003, he became its eighth chancellor. He was named Canada's Nation Builder of the Year for 2002 by readers of The Globe and Mail newspaper. In 2006, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of Ontario. He received a Science and Technical award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1998.
Business positions: Preceded by: Company Founded 1984 Research 1984-2012
in
Motion
Co-CEO
(with
Jim
Succeeded by: Thorsten Heins
Research In Motion (BlackBerry) Executive Team • • • • •
Thorsten Heins (President and CEO) Robin Bienfait (Chief Information Officer) Brian Bidulka (Chief Accounting Officer) David Yach (Chief Technology Officer, Software) Jim Rowan (Chief Operating Officer, Global Manufacturing & Supply Chain)
Current devices • •
Bold Curve 17
Balsillie)
• •
PlayBook Torch
Discontinued devices • • • • • • • •
Charm Electron Pearl Quark Storm Storm 2 Style Tour
Services • • • •
App World Enterprise Server Internet Service Messenger (BBM)
Annual Revenue - $14.95 billion (2010) Employees - 12,000+ Stock symbol - NASDAQ: RIMM, TSX: RIM
Values It is said strong values are substitute for formalization in the organizational structure. Its really true as we found in GCMMF. The organization has a rich history, the great
18
architect being Dr. Varghese Kurien, the father of white revolution in India. The organization has the following core values: •
Customer Orientation
•
Commitment to Producers
•
Integrity
•
Co-operation
•
Excellence
•
Leadership
•
Quality
•
Innovation
•
Growth Orientation-New Products
•
Belongingness
•
Pride in Organization
•
Employee Satisfaction
19
PRODUCT PROFILE
PRODUCT PROFILE
20
Operating system The operating system used by BlackBerry devices is a proprietary multitasking environment developed by RIM. The operating system is designed for use of input devices such as the track wheel, track ball, and track pad. The OS provides support for Java MIDP 1.0 and WAP 1.2. Previous versions allowed wireless synchronization with Microsoft Exchange Server email and calendar, as well as with Lotus Domino email. OS 5.0 provides a subset of MIDP 2.0, and allows complete wireless activation and synchronization with Exchange email, calendar, tasks, notes and contacts, and adds support for Novell GroupWise and Lotus Notes. The BlackBerry Curve 9360, BlackBerry Torch 9810, Bold 9900/9930, and Torch 9850/9860 feature the most recent BlackBerry OS 7 as of October 2011. Third-party developers can write software using these APIs, and proprietary BlackBerry APIs as well. Any application that makes use of certain restricted functionality must be digitally signed so that it can be associated to a developer account at RIM. This signing procedure guarantees the authorship of an application but does not guarantee the quality or security of the code. RIM provides tools for developing applications and themes for BlackBerry. Applications and themes can be loaded onto BlackBerry devices through BlackBerry App World, Over The Air (OTA) through the BlackBerry mobile browser, or through BlackBerry Desktop Manager.
Supported software BlackBerry Messenger
BlackBerry devices use the proprietary BlackBerry Messenger, also known as BBM, software for sending and receiving encrypted instant messages, voice notes, images and videos via BlackBerry PIN. Some of the features of BBM include groups, bar-code scanning, lists, shared calendars, BBM Music and integration with apps and games using the BBM social platform. 21
Third-party software Third-party software available for use on BlackBerry devices includes full-featured database management systems, which can be used to support customer relationship management clients and other applications that must manage large volumes of potentially complex data. In March 2011, RIM announced an optional Android player that could play applications developed for the android system would be available for the BlackBerry PlayBook, RIM's first entry in the tablet market. On August 24, 2011 Bloomberg News reported unofficial rumors that BlackBerry devices would be able to run Android applications when RIM brings QNX and the Android App Player to BlackBerry. On October 20, 2011 RIM officially announced that Android applications could run, unmodified, on the BlackBerry tablet and the newest BlackBerry phones, using the newest version of its operating system.
CPU The latest Blackberry devices such as the Bold 9900/9930, Torch 9810, 9850/9860 feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8260 CPU clocked at 1.2 GHz. Entry-level models, such as the Curve 9360, feature a Marvell PXA940 clocked at 800 MHz. Previous Blackberry devices, such as the BlackBerry 9000 series, were equipped with XScale 624 MHz processors. The BlackBerry Curve 8520 featured a 512 MHz processor, while the Bold 9700 featured a newer version of the Bold 9000's processor, but is clocked at the same speed. Early BlackBerry devices, such as the BlackBerry 950, used Intel 80386-based processors. BlackBerry 8000 series smartphones, such as the 8700 and the Pearl, are based on the 312 MHz ARM XScale ARMv5TE PXA900. An exception to this is the BlackBerry 8707 which is based on the 80 MHz Qualcomm 3250 chipset; this was due to the PXA900 chipset not supporting 3G networks. The 80 MHz processor in the BlackBerry 8707 meant the device was often slower to download and render web pages over 3G than the 8700 was over EDGE networks.
Connectivity BlackBerry Enterprise Server BlackBerry smartphones can be integrated into an organization's email system through a software package called BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES). Versions of BES are available for Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise. Google has made a Connector for BES which makes BES available for Google Apps 22
as well. While individual users may be able to use a wireless provider's email services without having to install BES themselves, organizations with multiple users usually run BES on their own network. Some third-party companies provide hosted BES solutions. Every BlackBerry has an ID called a BlackBerry PIN, which is used to identify the device to the BES. BlackBerry now provides a free BES software called BES Express (BESX). BES acts as an email relay for corporate accounts so that users always have access to their email. The software monitors the user's local Inbox, and when a new message comes in, it picks up the message and passes it to RIM's Network Operations Center (NOC). The messages are then relayed to the user's wireless provider, which in turn delivers them to the user's BlackBerry device. This is called push email, because all new emails, contacts, task entries, memopad entries, and calendar entries are pushed out to the BlackBerry device automatically and instantaneously (as opposed to the user synchronizing the data manually or having the device poll the server at intervals). BlackBerry also supports polling email, through third party applications. The messaging system built in to the BlackBerry only understands how to receive messages from a BES or the BIS, these services handle the connections to the user's mail providers. Device storage also enables the mobile user to access all data off-line in areas without wireless service. When the user reconnects to wireless service, the BES sends the latest data. An included feature in the newer models of the BlackBerry is the ability for it to quickly track your current location through trilateration without the use of GPS, thus saving battery life and time. Trilateration can be used as a quick, less battery intensive way to provide location-aware applications with the co-ordinates of the user. However, the accuracy of BlackBerry trilateration is less than that of GPS due to a number of factors, including cell tower blockage by large buildings, mountains, or distance.BES also provides handhelds with TCP/IP connectivity accessed through a component called MDS (Mobile Data System) Connection Service. This allows for custom application development using data streams on BlackBerry devices based on the Sun Microsystems Java ME platform.
In addition, BES provides network security, in the form of Triple DES or, more recently, AES encryption of all data (both email and MDS traffic) that travels between the BlackBerry handheld and a BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Most providers offer flat monthly pricing for unlimited data between BlackBerry units and BES. In addition to receiving email, organizations can make intranets or custom internal applications with unmetered traffic. With more recent versions of the BlackBerry platform, the MDS is no longer a requirement for wireless data access. Starting with OS 3.8 or 4.0, BlackBerry handhelds can access the Internet (i.e. TCP/IP access) without an MDS – formerly only email and WAP access was possible without a BES/MDS. The BES/MDS is still required for secure email, data access, and applications that require WAP from carriers that do not allow WAP access. 23
BlackBerry Internet Service The primary alternative to using BlackBerry Enterprise Server is to use the BlackBerry Internet Service. BlackBerry Internet Service, or BIS is available in 91 countries internationally. BlackBerry Internet Service was developed primarily for the average consumer rather than for the business consumer. BlackBerry Internet Service allows POP3 and IMAP email integration for an individual personal user. However, the integration features only one-way synchronization; changes to messages on the device are not reflected back to the email server. BlackBerry Internet Service allows up to 10 email accounts to be accessed, including proprietary as well as public email accounts (such as Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo and AOL). BlackBerry Internet Service also allows for the function of the push capabilities in various other BlackBerry Applications. Various applications developed by RIM for BlackBerry utilize the push capabilities of BIS, such as the Instant Messaging clients (like Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger). The MMS, PIN, interactive gaming, mapping and trading applications require data plans like BIS (not just Wi-Fi) for usage.
Phones with BlackBerry email client Several non-BlackBerry mobile phones have been released featuring the BlackBerry email client which connects to BlackBerry servers. Many of these phones have full QWERTY keyboards • • • • • • • • • •
AT&T Tilt HTC Advantage X7500 HTC TyTN Motorola MPx220, some models Nokia 6810 Nokia 6820 Nokia 9300 Nokia 9300i Nokia 9500 Nokia Eseries phones, except models Nokia E66, Nokia E71 24
• • • • • • • •
Qtek 9100 Qtek 9000 Samsung t719 Siemens SK65 Sony Ericsson P910 Sony Ericsson P990 Sony Ericsson M600i Sony Ericsson P1
BlackBerry Smartphones for use at a museum in Canada.
Models
BlackBerry OS7 Devices: • • • •
BlackBerry Bold series (2011): BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930/9790 BlackBerry Torch series (2011): BlackBerry Torch 9810 BlackBerry Torch series (2011): BlackBerry Torch 9850/9860 BlackBerry Curve series (2011): BlackBerry 9350/9360/9370/9380
BlackBerry OS6 Devices: 25
• • • • •
BlackBerry Torch series (2010): BlackBerry Torch 9800 BlackBerry Curve series (2010): BlackBerry Curve 9300/9330 BlackBerry Style 9670 (2010) BlackBerry Pearl series (2010): BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9100/9105 BlackBerry Bold series (2010-2011): BlackBerry Bold 9780/9788
BlackBerry OS5 Devices: • • • • • •
BlackBerry Bold series (2008-2010): BlackBerry Bold 9000/9700/9650 BlackBerry Tour series (2009): BlackBerry Tour (9630) BlackBerry Storm series (2009): BlackBerry Storm2 (9520/9550) BlackBerry Storm series (2008): BlackBerry Storm (9500/9530) BlackBerry Curve series (2009-2010): BlackBerry Curve 8900 (8900/8910/8980) BlackBerry Curve series(2009): BlackBerry Curve 8520/8530
26
Blackberry OS4 and earlier Devices: • • • •
BlackBerry 8800 series (2007): BlackBerry 8800/8820/8830 BlackBerry Pearl series (2006): BlackBerry Pearl 8100/8110/8120/8130 BlackBerry Pearl Flip series (2008): BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220/8230 BlackBerry Curve series (2007): BlackBerry Curve 8300 (8300/8310/8320/8330/8350i)
• • • •
Early pager models: 850, 857, 950, 957 Monochrome Java-based series: 5000, 6000 First color series: 7200, 7500, 7700 First SureType phone series: 7100
27
BlackBerry PIN BlackBerry PIN is an eight character hexadecimal identification number assigned to each BlackBerry device. PINs cannot be changed manually on the device (though BlackBerry technicians are able to reset or update a PIN server-side), and are locked to each specific BlackBerry. BlackBerrys can message each other using the PIN directly or by using the BlackBerry Messenger pplication. BlackBerry PINs are tracked by BlackBerry Enterprise Servers, and the BlackBerry Internet Service, and are used to direct messages to a BlackBerry device. Emails and any other messages, such as those from the BlackBerry Push Service, are typically directed to a BlackBerry's PIN. The message can then be routed by a RIM Network Operations Center, and sent to a carrier, which will deliver the message the last mile to the device. Example 2732E6DB
RIM patent infringement litigation In 2000 NTP sent notice of its wireless email patents to a number of companies and offered to license the patents to them. NTP brought a patent-infringement lawsuit 28
against one of the companies, Research In Motion, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. This court is well known for its strict adherence to timetables and deadlines, sometimes referred to as the "rocket docket", and is particularly efficient at trying patent cases. The jury eventually found that the NTP patents were valid, that RIM had infringed them, that the infringement had been "willful," and that the infringement had cost NTP $33 million in damages (the greater of a reasonable royalty or lost profits). The judge, Jame R. Spencer, increased the damages to $53 million as a punitive measure because the infringement had been willful. He also instructed RIM to pay NTP's legal fees of $4.5 million and issued an injunction ordering RIM to cease and desist infringing the patents. This would have shut down the BlackBerry systems in the US. RIM appealed all of the findings of the court. The injunction and other remedies were stayed pending the outcome of the appeals. In March 2005 during the appeals process, RIM and NTP tried to negotiate a settlement of their dispute; the settlement was to be for $450 million. Negotiations broke down due to other issues. On June 10, 2005, the matter returned to the courts. In early November 2005 the US Department of Justice filed a brief requesting that RIM's service be allowed to continue because of the large number of BlackBerry users in the US Federal Government.
In January 2006 the US Supreme Court refused to hear RIM's appeal of the holding of liability for patent infringement, and the matter was returned to a lower court. The prior granted injunction preventing all RIM sales in the US and use of the BlackBerry device might have been enforced by the presiding district court judge had the two parties been unable to reach a settlement. On February 9, 2006, the US Department of Defense (DOD) filed a brief stating that an injunction shutting down the BlackBerry service while excluding government users was unworkable. The DOD also stated that the BlackBerry was crucial for national security given the large number of government users. On February 9, 2006, RIM announced that it had developed software workarounds that would not infringe the NTP patents, and would implement those if the injunction was enforced. On March 3, 2006, after a stern warning from Judge Spencer, RIM and NTP announced that they had settled their dispute. Under the terms of the settlement, RIM has agreed to pay NTP $612.5 million (USD) in a “full and final settlement of all claims.” In a statement, RIM said that “all terms of the agreement have been finalized and the litigation against RIM has been dismissed by a court order this afternoon. The agreement eliminates the need for any further court proceedings or decisions relating to damages or injunctive relief.” The settlement amount is believed 29
low by some analysts, because of the absence of any future royalties on the technology in question.
Certification A first generation BlackBerry Bold • BCESA (BlackBerry Certified Enterprise Sales Associate, BCESA40 in full) is a BlackBerry Certification for professional users of RIM (Research In Motion) BlackBerry wireless email devices. The Certification requires the user to pass several exams relating to the BlackBerry Device, all its functions including Desktop software and providing technical support to Customers of BlackBerry Devices. The BCESA, BlackBerry Certified Enterprise Sales Associate qualification, is the first of three levels of professional BlackBerry Certification.
• •
BCTA (BlackBerry Certified Technical Associate) BlackBerry Certified Support Associate T2
More information on certifications is on the Blackberry.com website.
The BlackBerry Technical Certifications available are: • • •
BlackBerry Certified Enterprise Server Consultant (BCESC) BlackBerry Certified Server Support Technician (BCSST) BlackBerry Certified Support Technician (BCST)
Use The advanced encryption capabilities of the BlackBerry Smartphone make it eligible for use by government agencies and state forces alike.
30
President Barack Obama's use The President of the United States, Barack Obama, became known for his dependence on a BlackBerry device for communication during his 2008 presidential campaign. Despite the security issues, he insisted on using it even after inauguration, becoming the first President of the United States to use mobile email. This was seen by some as akin to a "celebrity endorsement," which marketing experts have estimated to be worth between $25 and $50 million.
The use by government forces An example is the British police, which has allowed the increase in the presence of police officers along the streets and a reduction in public spending, given that each officer could perform the work desk directly via the mobile device, as well as in several other areas and situations.
Organized crime use The Italian criminal group known as the 'Ndrangheta was reported on February 2009 to have communicated overseas with the Gulf Cartel, a Mexican drug cartel, through the use of the BlackBerry, since the texts are "normally difficult to intercept".
Competition The primary competitors of the BlackBerry are smartphones running Android, the Apple Phone and Windows Phone. BlackBerry has struggled to compete against Android and Apple and its market share has plunged in recent years, leading to speculation that it will be unable to survive as an independent business. However, it has managed to maintain significant positions in some markets.
Nicknames BlackBerry is widely referred to as "CrackBerry" in the United States, which alludes to its excessive use by its owners and is a reference to the addictiveness of crack cocaine. Use of the term CrackBerry became so widespread that in November 2006 Webster's New World College Dictionary named "crackberry" the "New Word of the Year." 31
Criticism In October 2011, BlackBerry users could not connect to the BlackBerry servers due to a major failure. The services were interrupted for almost 3 days in many parts of the world. RIM had announced that it would give all its users free apps worth $100 in an attempt to express apology for its service disruption.
32
SALES STRATEGY IN INDIA
SALES STRATEGY IN INDIA RIM Plans First BlackBerry Store In The Middle East, in latest International Sales Push:
33
Will Blackberry maker RIM go the Kodak way? It’s a spectacular fall from grace for the iconic company, which just a few years ago was worth $70 billion. Now, it’s worth less than $10 billion and its shares have plunged to eight-year lows. The company that invented the email smartphone has struggled in the face of stiff competition from Apple and a slew of snazzier devices operating on Google’s Android platform.
India, the bright spot At the moment, only one thing is going right for the company: it’s doing pretty well in emerging markets, especially India, where more than a million people use the device. As a recent Reuters report notes, RIM has established a strong, but not dominant, foothold in the price-sensitive market thanks largely to its cheap models. A large corporate user base that relies on its enterprise email system, the huge popularity of RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger platform among young people and competitive pricing mean it outsells Apple’s iPhone by around five to one in India, the story noted. In fact, estimates suggest that by the end of 2011, Blackberry will have grabbed about 20 percent of the smartphone market, up from 6 percent at the start of 2010, according to this Forbes report. The question is, in an ever-changing tech world, how long will that popularity last? According to latest data, RIM lags significantly in the apps race as it falls a distant third with about 43,500 apps. In comparison, Apple boasts close to 600,000 apps, while Android has about 320,000 of them.
STRATEGY TO PUSH THE SALES UP: RIM slashed Playbook rates by over 50% in India DEC 28, 2011: Research in Motion (RIM) the Canada based makers of Blackberry Playbook is offering the tablet at a highly discounted rate of over 50% in India.
34
The 16 GB model can be bought at Rs.13,490 ($254) in the Indian market instead of Rs.27,990 ($527) as it was originally priced. The 32 GB model is available for Rs.15,990 ($301), the 64 GB model is being offered for Rs.24,490 ($461) against their regular prices of Rs.32,990 ($401) and Rs.37,990 ($462) respectively. This could be the much needed push towards gaining a part of the market share in emerging markets like India where Apple products like iPhones and iPads are just beginning to make their presence felt. RIM has just been able to sell 800,000 Playbooks globally during the first 9 months of its launch which is dismal when compared to Apple, which sold over 11 million iPads till September. With a growing middle class having a disposal income, gadget shopping is fast becoming the favourite pass time of Indians.
BlackBerry PlayBook
RIM slashed BlackBerry Smartphone prices by up to 26% : BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion today slashed prices of its handsets by up to 26 per cent as it looks to grab a bigger share of the smartphone market in India. The reduction in prices of handsets comes after the Canadian company cut prices of its tablet PC PlayBook in December last year. RIM as a brand has moved from just an enterprise device to as a more consumer device. Be it our services or the product, we have seen a strong uptake by the youth and therefore, to get the devices 35
into more hands, we are cutting the prices", according to RIM India Managing Director Sunil Dutt. The move will help us tap a wider base of the large market that India is, he added. While the price of entry-level model - Curve 8520 - has been reduced by over 18 per cent to Rs. 8,999 from Rs. 10,990, the price of Torch 9860 has been reduced by over 26 per cent to Rs. 21,990 from Rs. 29,990 earlier. The retail price of Curve 9380 and Curve 9360 has been reduced to Rs. 16,990 and Rs. 18,990, respectively. The handsets were earlier available for Rs. 20,990 (Curve 9380) and Rs. 19,990 (Curve 9360). However, market analysts said mobile handsets are generally available at a price lower than MRP. "These four handsets comprise a bulk of sales in the country, it is 60 per cent of the business from India," Dutt said. According to a CyberMedia study, smartphone shipments touched 11.2 million units in calendar year 2011, recording a year-on-year growth of 87 per cent. While Nokia was the leader in the smartphones segment with 38 per cent share, Samsung followed with 28 per cent share in CY 2011. RIM stood at third place with a 15 per cent share. Dutt said the company aims to further enhance its presence and leverage the demand for its products. "The focus is not just on reducing prices, but we want to address a larger number of people and give them the overall experience of BlackBerry. We will continue to
focus on bringing locally relevant products, services and applications to Indian consumers," he said. In December last year, RIM had slashed the price of its PlayBook by more than half to Rs. 24,490 for the 64GB version under an offer from the original price Rs. 37,990. This was further reduced to Rs. 19,990 earlier this month. A report released by Cybermedia Research indicates 21 per cent market share for BlackBerry PlayBook in India, he added. The price of the 16GB version was however raised marginally to Rs. 13,990 from Rs. 13,490 (available under the offer). The device was originally launched at Rs. 27,990.
36
37
Facing stiff competition from the iPhone and Android smartphones, RIM may further reduce prices of its Blackberry handsets in India.
Sunil Dutt, MD, RIM India, who took over the company a few months back spoke to Times of India, stating that further price cuts are on the cards, helping RIM garnering the benefits of economies of scale via increased sale volumes. To quote Dutt, “The objective is to reach out to more consumers and, therefore, make our devices affordable for both the consumer segment as well as for our enterprise customers.” This is quite in contrast to the policies adopted by the market leaders Nokia and Samsung who, instead of favoring price cut as a business model, are constantly looking to widen their product portfolios. The TOI report has quoted industry experts and analyzers who believe that the average price of Rs. 21,000 of a BlackBerry smartphone was rather too high, as compared to some of the other more popular brands in the country. G Rajeev, the senior market analyst, Mobile Devices & Tablets, IDC India was quoted as saying: “The price cuts will give them volumes but it is unlikely to have any impact on market shares. There is room to further lower prices as well as broaden its portfolio specifically in the Rs 10,000-15,000 range and also in the sub-
38
Rs 10,000 segment, which boasts of multiple domestic vendors such as Micromax, Karbonn and Lava, which have already launched low-cost smartphones in a bid to drive future demand as they attempt to move up the value chain from low-cost feature phones.”
RIM OFFICE IN TORONTO, CANADA
Samsung, for example, has 17 models in the smartphone segment, out of which, there are 6 devices in the sub-Rs. 10,000, 7 in the Rs. 10,000-20,000 range and only 4 models over Rs. 20,000. Research In Motion’s BlackBerry, in contrast, has only 1 model in the sub-Rs 10,000 range- the BlackBerry Curve. And the huge success of the BlackBerry curve in India highlights RIM’s failure to tap into the sub-Rs. 10,000 market in India. Further, Dutt added, “We are increasing our investment on the brand, distribution, products and on people here.”
39
TARGETING THE YOUTH:
RIM as a brand has moved from just an enterprise device to as a more consumer device. Be it our services or the product, we have seen a strong uptake by the youth and therefore, to get the devices into more users, we are cutting the prices and this move will help us tap a wider base of the large market that India Is.”, said Sunil Dutt, Managing Director at RIM India. All leading Indian cellular network providers show enormous growth of BlackBerry subscribers past 8months & the latest BBM exclusive plans released recently results to be the best deal in mobility for country’s youth. “No other smartphone can provide such affordable yet classy solution to stay connected” says Abhilash, a local law student. RIM seeks to gain high stakes in India leaving behind the worries of trolling market in the west.
40
ADVERTISING YOUTH:
&
USAGE
PATTERN
OF
Last year, RIM’s BlackBerry joined hands with another telecom giant Vodafone and launched a campaign called ‘BlackBerry Boys’ which insisted on a new segment of the brand users- the youth. In its promotional music video, suit-clad men are singing praises for Blackberry who are slowly joined by a horde of youngsters who start singing about chatting and surfing. With the campaign, BlackBerry successfully established that its service is not exclusive ‘only-for-the-corporate’ and created a young image targeting the youth who is known for heavy data usage. India, which is on its way to become a superpower, have almost half the population under the age of 25. Along with the increasing personal disposable incomes and job availability, the youth of India is the throbbing bank of consumers and a virtuous target for the marketers, advertisers and brands. For the telecom operators in India there are definitely many reasons to focus on data services amongst young population. According to a 2010 report by IAMAI, 70 per cent of the total number of mobile internet users in India is youth. Another report London based research agency mobileYouth, the operators in India will earn US$7.7 billion from data usage by the youth in India, whereas spends by the latter on mobile internet will cross US$9 billion by 2012.
Time spent and activities on Smartphones:
Total Time spent on the SmartPhone Total Time spent on Browsing & Entertainment Total Time spent on Chat & SMS
15-24 yrs 3 hrs 2 hrs
31 + yrs 2 hrs 1 hr
31 mins
15 mins
Apps and gaming behavior by Operating System:
No. of App downloads in a month Gaming Usage Primary Download Location
Android Users 19 84% Android Market App
Symbian Users 10 59% Ovi Store Site
BlackBerry Being Offered In Prepaid For Youth: 41
Blackberry followed its tradition of offering its smartphones only to the “Big Boys” i.e., to the business people for enterprise use and business and so has always been famous as the best Business Phone of the world. Although, carrying this image in the Indian Market hasn’t been too successful for this Canadian Technology giant. Therefore, to spread it to the Indian masses which mainly consists of young generation, Blackberry not only cut down its prices but also introduced prepaid services for youth which enabled almost everyone to enjoy a BlackBerry smartphone in the hands and in the pockets. Postpaid Plans have 3 types of services: Blackberry Services (Instant Messaging & Emails) for Rs. 299/month. BlackBerry Internet Services (IM, Emails, Unlimited Browsing & Downloading) for Rs. 499/month. BlackBerry Enterprise Services (IM, Emails, Unlimited Browsing & Downloading & Enterprise Emails and Solutions) for Rs. 899/month. Therefore, these services weren’t affordable for the young generation so BlackBerry introduced Prepaid Plans: Blackberry Services (Instant Messaging & Emails) for Rs. 199/month. BlackBerry Internet Services (IM, Emails, Unlimited Browsing & Downloading) for Rs. 399/month. This gave additional benefit of Rs. 100 without the Enterprise Plans.
“In April, 2012, BlackBerry introduced BBM at just Rs. 5/ day in prepaid exclusively with Vodafone.”
TELECOM COMPANIES OFFERING BLACKBERRY SERVICES:
42
BlackBerry companies:
provides
internet
services
with
the
following
telecom
KATRINA KAIF LAUNCHES THE NEW BLACKBERRY CURVE
43
In order to increase the sales of BlackBerry Smartphones in India, BlackBerry India’s Managing Director Sunil Dutt pulled in the Bollywood Queen Katrina Kaif to launch the new BlackBerry Curve 9220 in Delhi. This brand new launch of BlackBerry Curve supports the new OS7.1 which supports Android Market, has a 2 megapixel camera and also a Radio feature that makes this model different from other variants of BlackBerry. The price at which the new Curve 9220 would be available in the market is Rs. 10,990. With this Sales Strategy, RIM is quite confident that there will be a convincing rise in the sales of their BlackBerry Smartphones.
44
RESEARCH METHODOLO GY
45
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This section include following things: 1. Research Objectives 2. Research Duration 3. Sample Size 4. Sample Unit 5. Data Collection Method 6. Data Analysis Method 7. Area of Survey
Research Objectives:
46
1. To estimate the market potential, demand & perception towards “BlackBerry Smartphones.” 2. To know the Sales Strategy of “BlackBerry Smartphones” in India.
3. To know the awareness & problem among the retailers for the “BlackBerry Smartphones.” 4. To do market analysis in order to study the usage pattern and buying behavior of “BlackBerry Smartphones.” 5. To know the awareness level of the consumers for the “BlackBerry Smartphones.”
Research Duration: Approximately 4 week
Size of Sample: 150 Retailers 300 Consumers
Sampling unit: Retail shops and consumers 47
Data collection method: Primary data (Direct Interview through Questionnaire)
Data analysis method: Graphical method (Frequency table and pie chart)
Area of survey: Lucknow city
48
Findings, Analysis & Interpretat ion
Data Interpretation and Analysis 49
This section includes Data Interpretation and Analysis of Consumer Response. Q1. DO YOU USE BlackBerry? YES : 10% NO : 90%
Frequency on consumption:
Valid
Y
Frequency Consumecy Percent 30 10.0
Valid Percent 10.0
Cumulative Percent 10.0
Pie Chart of Consumption:
ANALYSIS: Out of 300 consumers, 10% of them use BlackBerry i.e., 30 consumers.
Q2. WHAT TYPE OF SMARTPHONE DO YOU USE? ANDROID: 50% 50
QWERTY: 23% BAR: 27%
Type of Use:
Valid
Android Qwerty Bar Total
Frequency 150 69 81 300
Percent 50 23 27 100.0
Valid Percent 50 23 27 100.0
Cumulative Percent 50 73 100.0
Pie chart on Type of Use:
Bar 27% Android 50% Qwerty 23%
ANALYSIS: Out of 300 consumers, 50 % of consumers use ANDROID, 23% use QWERTY and 27% use BAR phones.
Q3. HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT BlackBerry? Yes : 100% 51
No : 0%
Frequency on awareness:
Valid
Y
Frequency
Percent
Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent
300
100.0
100.0
100.0
Pie Chart on Awareness:
100% Awareness
ANALYSIS: Out of 300 of consumers, 100% of them are aware about BlackBerry.
Q4. HAVE YOU TRIED IT? Yes : 50%
52
No : 50%
Frequency on Trial:
Valid
Y
Frequency 250
Percent 50
Valid Percent 50
Cumulative Percent 50
Pie Chart on Trial:
50% Did Not
50% Tried
ANALYSIS: Out of 300 consumers, 50% of them have tried BlackBerry.
Q5. FOR WHAT WOULD YOU USE A BlackBerry?
BUSINESS: 70% 53
FUN: 30%
Frequency on usage form:
Valid Business Fun Total
Frequency 210 90 300
Percent 70 30 100.0
Valid Percent 70 30 100.0
Cumulative Percent 70 100.0
Pie chart on usage form:
30% Fun 70% Business
ANALYSIS: Out of 300 consumers, 70% of them used for Business and 30% for Fun.
Q6. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A BlackBerry? A. SOUND QUALITY: 15% B. CAMERA QUALITY: 10% C. PRICE FACTOR: 30% D. SECURE BROWSING & EMAILING: 45%
54
Frequency on attributes in butter milk: A. SOUND
Frequency 45
Percent 15
Valid percent 15
B. CAMERA
30
10
10
C.PRICE FACTOR
90
30
30
D. BOWSING
135
45
100
Pie chart on attributes:
15% Sound
45% Browsing
10% Camer
30% Price
ANALYSIS: Out of 300 consumers , 45% want BROWSING, 30% want PRICE, 15% want SOUND and 10% want CAMERA while purchasing a BlackBerry.
Q7. DO YOUR NEIGHBOURS HAVE A BLACKBERRY? A. YES: 18% B. NO: 82%
Frequency on point of Neighbors having it: 55
Vali d
Yes No Total
Frequency
Percent
Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent
54
18
18
18
246 300
82 100.0
82 100.0
100
18% Yes 82% No
ANALYSIS:
OUT OF 300 PEOPLE’S NEIGHBOURS, 18% HAVE A BLACKBERRY SMARTPHONE.
Q8. WHAT IS THE POINT OF PURCHASE? A. SECURITY: 25 % B. TYPING: 10% C. TECHNOLOGY: 15% D. STATUS SYMBOL: 50%
56
Frequency on point of purchase:
Vali d
Security Typing Technology Status Symbol
Frequency
Percent
Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent
75
25
25
25
10 45
10 15
10 15
35 50
150
50
50
100
Pie chart on point of purchase:
15% Technology
50% Status
25% Security 10% Typing
ANALYSIS: Out of 300 consumers, 50% want it for STATUS SYMBOL, 25% want it for SECURITY, 15% for TECHNOLOGY and 10% for TYPING.
Q9. ARE YOU WILLING TO PURCHASE IT? A. YES : 99.7 % B. NO : 0.3 %
Frequency of willingness to purchase: Frequency
Percent
Valid Percent 57
Cumulative Percent
Valid NO 1 YES 299 Total 300
.3 99.7 100.0
.3 99.7 100.0
.3 100.0
Pie chart on Willingness to Purchase:
ANALYSIS: Out of 300 consumers, 99.7 % of them are willing to purchase BLACKBERRY SMARTPHONES which means 100 % of them are willing to purchase.
Q10. IF YES, PRICE OF BLACKBERRY SMARTPHONES IS MORE THAN THE PRICE OF OTHER SMARTPHONES AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET. ARE YOU WILLING TO PURCHASE IT NOW? A. YES : 96.3 % B.
NO : 3.7 %
58
Frequency on willingness after price:
Frequency Valid NO 11 YES 289 Total 300
Percent 3.7 96.3 100.0
Valid Percent 3.7 96.3 100.0
Cumulative Percent 3.7 100.0
Pie chart on willingness after price: NO 4%
0%
YES 96%
ANALYSIS: Out of 300, 96.3% of people are willing to purchase it, and 3.7 of them are not willing to purchase it.
Q11. WHAT IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE SOURCE OF AD IN YOUR OPINION ? A. NEWSPAPER : 39% B. MAGZINES : 7.3% C. TELEVISION : 19.7% D. HOARDINGS : 13% E. OTHERS : 21%
59
Frequency on ads:
Frequency Valid Hoardings 39 Magazine 22 s Newspape 117 r Other 63 Television 59 Total
300
Percent 13.0
Valid Percent 13.0
Cumulative Percent 13.0
7.3
7.3
20.3
39.0
39.0
59.3
21.0
21.0
80.3
19.7
19.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
Pie chart on ads:
60
ANALYSIS: Out of 300 consumers, 39% of them are using newspapers as source of advertisements for knowing about BLACKBERRY SMARTPHONES, 21% of them are using other source, 19.67% of them are using TV, 13% of them are using hoardings and 7.33% of them are using magazines.
61
LEARNI NG
LEARNING 62
My Training proved to be a very fruitful lesson for me. I learnt a lot during my Training at REDINGTON
INDIA. By doing it, I got an opportunity to apply the
theoretical concepts of Management to real life of Corporate World. The demand analysis, market estimation and Sales Strategy of BlackBerry has been very helpful in enhancing my analytical skills. Since my Training is even related to face to face conversation with consumers, so it has definitely increased my confidence level, convincing power and query handling. •
To learn about the working of RIM.
•
Able to know how a commodity market works.
•
Learn how to deal with consumers and retailers.
•
Learn the demand process.
•
Learn how to make profit at very low margin product.
•
Learn the mindset up of consumers & retailers.
•
Learn the consumer behaviour.
•
Learn the advertising, promotion and sales strategy to establish in and capture a new market.
63
SUGGESTIO NS
64
SUGGESTIONS On the basis of the findings of my study, I want to give following recommendations to the organization:•
There should be increase in the market of BlackBerry Smartphones.
•
Good and timely distribution of smartphones to the retailers.
•
Commission rate of retailers should increase.
•
Should advertise more of this product targeting the youth.
•
Should bring in more useful apps in order to beat the competition from Windows, Nokia Ovi, Apple Inc. and Android.
•
Should check on regular basis that there should be no problems among retailers with distributors.
•
After sales service should improve.
•
Try to give more low cost schemes to telecom companies in order to increase sale.
•
Improve distribution line and channel of distribution of smartphones.
•
Should provide 3G services for prepaid users and cut down the price of 3G services for postpaid users.
65
CONCLUSIO NS
66
CONCLUSIONS From the survey it was found that everyone has heard about BLACKBERRY SMARTPHONES (100%). The price of the product is high as compare to its competitors. Smartphones with front camera should be there in market. Generally people buy the product because of better quality and brand name which enhances their status symbol.l Advertisement should be given to increase the level of awareness and sale of the product. From the consumers view, people will buy this product more if prices of the data services are reduced. From the retailers view, their commission if increased, they will try to increase its sale.
67
During the survey it was found, most of the people who use BlackBerry Smartphones belong to Business class, i.e 53%. After Sales Service of Redington should improve a lot. App Store should be improved with more apps to reduce competition from Apple Inc., Android and Nokia Ovi Store.
APPEN DIX 68
APPENDIX
Consumer Response On BlackBerry Smartphones: This section includes Consumer response on BlackBerry Smartphones. It includes: Questionnaire based on Consumer response.
Sample of questionnaire: Name: ................................................. Date:.................. FamilySize: .................... Area: ................................................. Telephone: ............................ Socio Economic Class: .......................................
69
Sex: Female.............. Male...............
Consumer response:-
Q1. DO YOU USE BLACKBERRY? C. YES............. B. NO.........................
Q2. WHAT TYPE OF SMARTPHONE DO YOU USE? A. QWERTY.......... B. ANDROID........ C. NO SMARTPHONE..........
Q3. HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT BLACKBERRY? A. YES..................... . B. NO...................
Q4. HAVE YOU TRIED IT? A. YES ........................ B.NO.............................. 70
Q5. FOR WHAT WOULD YOU USE A BLACKBERRY? A. BUSINESS....................................... B. ENTERTAINMENT.................
Q6. WHAT ARE THE ATTRIBUTES THAT YOU LOOK IN A BLACKBERRY? A. SOUND QUALITY.......... B. CAMERA QUALITY................... C. PRICE FACTOR.................. D. TELECOM SCHEMES...................................... E. SECURE BROWSING & EMAILING....................
Q7. DOES YOUR SURROUNDINGS HAVE A BLACKBERRY? A. YES........ B. NO...........
Q8. WHAT IS THE POINT OF PURCHASE? A. SECURITY.................. B. TYPING.................. C. TECHNOLOGY...........D. STATUS SYMBOL................................ 71
Q9. ARE YOU WILLING TO PURCHASE IT? A. YES................. B. NO..................
Q10. IF YES, PRICE OF BLACKBERRY IS MORE THAN OTHER SMARTPHONES IN THE MRKET. ARE YOU WILLING TO PURCHASE IT NOW? A. YES.................. B. NO.................
Q11. WHAT IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE SOURCE OF AD IN YOUR OPINION ? A. NEWSPAPER.................... B. MAGZINES.......................... C. TELEVISION................
D. HOARDINGS........................
E. OTHERS........................
72
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE
BIBLIOGRAP HY 73
BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. www.rim.com 2. www.thenextweb.com 3. www.wikipedia.org 4. www.in.blackberry.com 5. www.firstpost.com 6. www.hindustantimes.com 7. www.phonearenaindia.com
74
