Viewed as a premium home and personal care brand, dyson Demand for its products has seen a rapid rise as the country goes through a pandemic, where homes were turned into offices and schools during periods of lockdown and mobility restrictions.
The British consumer electronics giant, which has invested £100 million in India in the nearly four years since entering the market, has had a strong run since then, and is now not only getting global launches but also getting products here. but also expanding its retail sector. Presence on sales platforms – both online and offline.
TOI spoke to Tomas Centeno, Dyson’s president of Asia-Pacific region, who says India is one of the key markets for the company globally, and trade and investment will only grow in the years to come:
How does Dyson view the Indian market in terms of business prospects?
For Dyson, India is one of the key priority countries not only for the Asia-Pacific region, but globally as well. We see immense potential in India. Not only because India has an estimated population of around 1.3 billion, but also because of the relevance and value that our products add to the lives of people in the country.
Within just four years of our foray into India, we have seen an ever-increasing love for our technology and products.
However, this is still the beginning, and as we grow, we continue to learn in terms of our consumer mindset, their preferences, challenges and solutions that we can offer. The growth potential is certainly phenomenal.
Through our portfolio of products across the range of hair care, air purification and cord-free vacuums, we are bringing the latest global launches to India and have received an overwhelming response so far.
Has this pandemic caused an increase in Dyson products – air purifiers and vacuum cleaners in particular?
As consumers opened up to adopt the technology, the pandemic led to a turnaround. As the issue of cleanliness is undoubtedly growing, we have seen an increase in the awareness of indoor air quality and the frequency of cleaning. Whether it is opting for vacuum cleaners to clean their homes on their own or people want to style their hair at home because they were not able to go to the salon.
According to our recent Global Dust Study, the pandemic is still making Indians cleaner more often—three quarters (76%) in India have cleaned up more often in the past year. Around the world, we saw a boom during the pandemic as people wanted their homes to be safer and cleaner. India saw a similar opportunity and we have seen increasing demand for our products, capturing the hidden dust that traditional cleaning leaves behind.
What are the reasons for the growth of Dyson products in India over the years?
Our technology, research-based approach and high quality engineering have enabled us to invent products that can truly make a difference, thus making Dyson machines a sought-after solution for Indian homes.
In addition to our technology, we find that Indian consumers are demanding more for proof of concept. Hence, through our 19 Dyson Demo Stores, and our partner stores including Croma, Reliance Digital etc., we are able to offer our customers a first-hand experience of our machines.
We are creating awareness on the key agenda – impact of indoor air quality, fine dust or heat damage to hair, which is an ongoing conversation and there is a huge task ahead of us.
Do you see Dyson’s growth in India as sustainable compared to other Western markets?
For Dyson, reaching the right audience is more important than reaching a large audience. India is a very dynamic country, and the consumers here are as aware as a consumer in any other part of the world… We see that there is a substantial appetite for our technologies among Indian consumers.
What are the challenges faced by Indian households regarding air quality and dust, based on the studies done by Dyson?
In India, there is a lack of awareness about indoor air quality, dust or hair health. If we talk about vacuum cleaner then it is not developed as a category in India as compared to west. Indians prefer traditional cleaning methods over vacuuming. Little do they know that despite regular cleaning, traditional cleaning methods leave behind dust, especially fine dust. Therefore, we need to help consumers understand hidden dust and live display of products and provide proof of concept for the presence of dust in their homes.
The results of our recent Global Dust Study, conducted by 32,282 respondents from 33 countries across the world, show that a higher proportion of Indians are among those who clean their homes more regularly than average, thus compared to other countries. Most often I become the cleaners. ,
The pandemic is still making Indians cleaner – three quarters (76%) in India have cleaned how often in the past year. However, the irony is that almost 40% of Indian respondents see dust as something that is relatively harmless compared to other countries – even though they do the most cleaning!
When it comes to air purifiers, one can take it as a seasonal problem or assume that only the outside air is harmful. But the home is not always a safe haven and indoor air pollution can be worse than outside. Having an air purifier with both HEPA and an activated carbon filter to capture both pollutant particles and toxic gases can help improve the air quality inside your homes to a great extent.
When it comes to hair care, a fundamental problem with traditional styling tools is the use of excessive heat. Dyson seamlessly marries the world of science and technology with health and beauty.
What is your expansion plan in India?
We started with just three stores in the country and currently we have 19 demo stores in India, with more to open by 2022. We have also expanded our retail presence with partners including Croma, Reliance Digital, etc. We not only sell through our own website, but also on the likes of online companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa, etc.
In the near future, we will further expand in India with more demo stores, building a strong retail presence. We have a great line-up of global launches including the Dyson Zone Air-Purifying Headphones, Dyson’s first foray into wearable technology. The Dyson Zone™ is a set of noise-canceling, high-fidelity over-ear headphones that simultaneously deliver immersive sound to the ears, and pure airflow into the nose and mouth.
From a larger business perspective, we are setting up a Dyson Business Services (DBS) Global Center in New Delhi. The special center will provide an increasing number of services to support Dyson’s growth ambitions and will work with other DBS hubs in Poland.
What are your manufacturing plans for India?
I cannot comment on country-specific manufacturing plans. We are currently focused on understanding consumers in India and raising awareness in the areas of indoor pollution, household dust thus enabling people to achieve healthier homes with Dyson solutions.
How much has Dyson invested in India so far?
From 2018, we have continued to invest in India. We currently employ 200 people apart from specialists working in third party retail. We are setting up Dyson Business Services in India, where we expect to hire more people serving Dyson’s global teams. We started with just three stores in the country and currently, we have 19 demo stores in India, with more opening by 2022. We will continue to invest in India by bringing the latest technology to our consumers in India.
The British consumer electronics giant, which has invested £100 million in India in the nearly four years since entering the market, has had a strong run since then, and is now not only getting global launches but also getting products here. but also expanding its retail sector. Presence on sales platforms – both online and offline.
TOI spoke to Tomas Centeno, Dyson’s president of Asia-Pacific region, who says India is one of the key markets for the company globally, and trade and investment will only grow in the years to come:
How does Dyson view the Indian market in terms of business prospects?
For Dyson, India is one of the key priority countries not only for the Asia-Pacific region, but globally as well. We see immense potential in India. Not only because India has an estimated population of around 1.3 billion, but also because of the relevance and value that our products add to the lives of people in the country.
Within just four years of our foray into India, we have seen an ever-increasing love for our technology and products.
However, this is still the beginning, and as we grow, we continue to learn in terms of our consumer mindset, their preferences, challenges and solutions that we can offer. The growth potential is certainly phenomenal.
Through our portfolio of products across the range of hair care, air purification and cord-free vacuums, we are bringing the latest global launches to India and have received an overwhelming response so far.
Has this pandemic caused an increase in Dyson products – air purifiers and vacuum cleaners in particular?
As consumers opened up to adopt the technology, the pandemic led to a turnaround. As the issue of cleanliness is undoubtedly growing, we have seen an increase in the awareness of indoor air quality and the frequency of cleaning. Whether it is opting for vacuum cleaners to clean their homes on their own or people want to style their hair at home because they were not able to go to the salon.
According to our recent Global Dust Study, the pandemic is still making Indians cleaner more often—three quarters (76%) in India have cleaned up more often in the past year. Around the world, we saw a boom during the pandemic as people wanted their homes to be safer and cleaner. India saw a similar opportunity and we have seen increasing demand for our products, capturing the hidden dust that traditional cleaning leaves behind.
What are the reasons for the growth of Dyson products in India over the years?
Our technology, research-based approach and high quality engineering have enabled us to invent products that can truly make a difference, thus making Dyson machines a sought-after solution for Indian homes.
In addition to our technology, we find that Indian consumers are demanding more for proof of concept. Hence, through our 19 Dyson Demo Stores, and our partner stores including Croma, Reliance Digital etc., we are able to offer our customers a first-hand experience of our machines.
We are creating awareness on the key agenda – impact of indoor air quality, fine dust or heat damage to hair, which is an ongoing conversation and there is a huge task ahead of us.
Do you see Dyson’s growth in India as sustainable compared to other Western markets?
For Dyson, reaching the right audience is more important than reaching a large audience. India is a very dynamic country, and the consumers here are as aware as a consumer in any other part of the world… We see that there is a substantial appetite for our technologies among Indian consumers.
What are the challenges faced by Indian households regarding air quality and dust, based on the studies done by Dyson?
In India, there is a lack of awareness about indoor air quality, dust or hair health. If we talk about vacuum cleaner then it is not developed as a category in India as compared to west. Indians prefer traditional cleaning methods over vacuuming. Little do they know that despite regular cleaning, traditional cleaning methods leave behind dust, especially fine dust. Therefore, we need to help consumers understand hidden dust and live display of products and provide proof of concept for the presence of dust in their homes.
The results of our recent Global Dust Study, conducted by 32,282 respondents from 33 countries across the world, show that a higher proportion of Indians are among those who clean their homes more regularly than average, thus compared to other countries. Most often I become the cleaners. ,
The pandemic is still making Indians cleaner – three quarters (76%) in India have cleaned how often in the past year. However, the irony is that almost 40% of Indian respondents see dust as something that is relatively harmless compared to other countries – even though they do the most cleaning!
When it comes to air purifiers, one can take it as a seasonal problem or assume that only the outside air is harmful. But the home is not always a safe haven and indoor air pollution can be worse than outside. Having an air purifier with both HEPA and an activated carbon filter to capture both pollutant particles and toxic gases can help improve the air quality inside your homes to a great extent.
When it comes to hair care, a fundamental problem with traditional styling tools is the use of excessive heat. Dyson seamlessly marries the world of science and technology with health and beauty.
What is your expansion plan in India?
We started with just three stores in the country and currently we have 19 demo stores in India, with more to open by 2022. We have also expanded our retail presence with partners including Croma, Reliance Digital, etc. We not only sell through our own website, but also on the likes of online companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa, etc.
In the near future, we will further expand in India with more demo stores, building a strong retail presence. We have a great line-up of global launches including the Dyson Zone Air-Purifying Headphones, Dyson’s first foray into wearable technology. The Dyson Zone™ is a set of noise-canceling, high-fidelity over-ear headphones that simultaneously deliver immersive sound to the ears, and pure airflow into the nose and mouth.
From a larger business perspective, we are setting up a Dyson Business Services (DBS) Global Center in New Delhi. The special center will provide an increasing number of services to support Dyson’s growth ambitions and will work with other DBS hubs in Poland.
What are your manufacturing plans for India?
I cannot comment on country-specific manufacturing plans. We are currently focused on understanding consumers in India and raising awareness in the areas of indoor pollution, household dust thus enabling people to achieve healthier homes with Dyson solutions.
How much has Dyson invested in India so far?
From 2018, we have continued to invest in India. We currently employ 200 people apart from specialists working in third party retail. We are setting up Dyson Business Services in India, where we expect to hire more people serving Dyson’s global teams. We started with just three stores in the country and currently, we have 19 demo stores in India, with more opening by 2022. We will continue to invest in India by bringing the latest technology to our consumers in India.