Huawei plans major retail rollout

Chinese mobile phone brand Huawei is planning a major Asian regional retail rollout.

“Our brand building budget will be doubled for the Southeast Asian markets since there’s a strong possibility of growth in market share,” says Huawei Consumer Business Group CEO Richard Yu.

Huawei will add about 1500 customer service centers worldwide – and more than 100 of those will be in Thailand, which is Huawei’s regional hub for the Southeast Asian region.

Yu said Huawei recognises Southeast Asia as a high-potential market, and the company is planning to beef up its investment in brand building activities in this region.

“Our products have good quality, so we have no doubt that we will reach our aims,” he said.

Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group*Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, holds the impressive new Huawei P8 at his recent visit in Bangkok.

As an example, Huawei’s market share in Myanmar is 50 per cent “because the products meet the demands of the consumers, and the sales increase by word of mouth”.

Yu said Thailand will be the focus of Huawei’s investment in the region. The company has chosen Bangkok as the venue for a regional press launch for its new Huawei P8 handset and its wearable devices next week, (May 28).

“Our revenue is very good in Myanmar, India, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Thailand is also a big market with a lot of potential, so we are now focusing on it,” said Yu. “Thailand is admittedly a complicated market, but also an attractive one, so Huawei is willing to enter this market. Although it takes time, we are determined to succeed here. We are ready to invest all year round.”

According to an IPSOS Global Research report covering 32 countries, Huawei’s brand awareness rose from 52 per cent in 2013 to 65 per cent in 2014, representing a year-on year increase of 25 per cent.

As an Asian brand, Huawei’s brand awareness in the global market easily rivals other Western brands. In Western Europe, Huawei recorded brand awareness of 61 per cent in the Netherlands, 60 per cent in Spain, 57 per cent in Germany and 54 per cent in Italy.

Huawei has become the first Chinese company to successfully enter Interbrand’s Top 100 Global Brands of 2014 list, taking 94th position.

Huawei started out so small almost 30 years ago, and has grown into a multinational telecommunication giant today. Founded in 1987, the China-based company is now known as the world’s third largest smartphone vendor, following Apple and Samsung. But in its China home market it is already lagging behind fast rising recent entrant Xiaomi which is the top selling brand currently, ahead of Apple and Samsung.

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