Hisense: The world's No. 3 TV brand

The television experience in terms of form and tech design is changing rapidly. Ordinary TVs have become smart after the advent of Internet, and today is very much a part of everyday life. Hursh Agrawal, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Hisense Middle East FZE, says in an interview with Khaleej Times: "In 2016, High Dynamic Range (HDR) televisions were introduced and most leading brands had products with HDR as well. Following this development, local dimming was added. This is a feature of LED TVs that controls the dimming of different zones in each  image independently. Local dimming combined with peak brightness enhances contrast and brightness to ultra levels and this enables the consumer to enjoy HDR content and picture quality like never before." 
The COO continues, "The best-selling product category is the 4K UHD TV, which includes normal and ULEDs (Ultra LEDs). These products have up to 560 local dimming zones giving ultra contrast, peak brightness of up to 1,600 nits and a colour gamut of up to 110 per cent on a NTSC scale. The main size is 55" followed by 65" and 75" respectively." 
Two of the exceptional offers at Hisense are the ULED TVs in 65" and 75" value-for-money products.  "We want to offer customers something better - the best technology at a very competitive price. Hisense has received several reviews for its ULED TVs as the best in industry.  The reason we are offering this at a subsidised price is because we want consumers to appreciate the best. We believe a satisfied consumer is the best ambassador for a brand.  With a tie-up with the main players regionally and internationally for Video on Demand, these TVs are an entertainment media and not just a screen," says Agrawal. 
He agrees that the sentiment in the consumer electronics market is evolving. "We feel the sentiment is more of a 'cautious approach' where consumers are waiting to purchase. However, some are also buying bigger and better televisions. This is a true sign of maturity in the market. The acceptance is more for technologically advanced products from the world's leading brands. We are amazed to see more and more customers are now educated and research the product before coming to the store." 
Winning developments  
The winners, according to Agrawal, will be better Over-The-Top (OTT) content. This is a term used in broadcasting and technology business to refer to audio, video, and other media transmitted via the Internet without a cable operator or direct-broadcast satellite television systems (so-called multiple-system operators). Also important is life-like picture (brightness, colour and contrast) and superior sound. The key development in OTT is licensing and app integration. Consumers want to watch content at the time they decide. Hence, OTT content is key and investment per customer is increasing fast. In terms of hardware, the latest development is peak brightness and local dimming. These deliver a difference that users can appreciate in a normal home setting. 
"The UAE is one of the key markets for our expansion strategy. We have businesses in almost all countries of the world and operate through 17 overseas companies, UAE being one of them. The office in the UAE has all functions including sales, marketing, logistics and finance that further underlines the importance and investment Hisense has in the UAE and the region. Hisense has set up a call centre (800-Hisense) in the UAE and is an active participant in various exhibitions and shows."
Elaborating on market trends, he says, "I would say that the market is now moving to the next level and will behave like other mature markets. As the world's third biggest brand in TVs, we will also not focus on re-exports and wholesales. We will focus on consumption within the UAE in the replacement market and in segments where customers have an aspiration to upgrade to a better, bigger and affordable product.  The TV penetration rate in the UAE is already at a maturity level (approximately 86 per cent) and we do not see much growth in increase in TV penetration." 
Hisense has a worldwide strategy to strengthen its brand. Among the many activities is the sponsorship of the 2018 FIFA World Cup to be held in Russia. "Hisense is planning to grow by 50 per cent in 2017 in the UAE and challenge the number two market share by 2020. This aggressive plan rests on a strong foundation of Research and Development (R&D), services and brand building activities. Hisense invests five per cent of its revenue every year into R&D products. This is being translated to ground level with the support of our partners, distributors and retailers. Since the establishment of our office in the UAE, our partners have started to believe in the vision and capability that Hisense has," he concludes. 
- suchitra@khaleejtimes.com