Addressing Product Failure for a Far-East Company in the Indian Market

Problem Statement

A Far-East company, selling consumer products in India through its local subsidiary, faced significant challenges due to high product recall rates. The products were failing miserably in the Indian market, leading to a loss of customer trust and increasing costs associated with recalls. The company was in urgent need of an Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) partner that could help manufacture their products locally and improve their reliability to better suit the Indian market conditions.

The Struggle

The Far-East company entered the Indian market with high hopes, anticipating strong demand for its consumer products. However, the reality was quite different. The products experienced frequent failures, leading to high recall rates and a tarnished brand image. These failures were largely attributed to the harsh and variable electrical conditions in India, which the products were not designed to handle.

Voltage fluctuations in India can be extreme, often ranging from as low as 90V to as high as 300V. The company’s products, designed for more stable electrical environments, could not withstand these fluctuations, resulting in frequent breakdowns and dissatisfied customers.

This situation posed a significant challenge. The company needed to find a solution quickly to avoid further damage to its reputation and financial losses. They began searching for a reliable EMS partner in India that could not only manufacture their products locally but also help in redesigning them to withstand the challenging Indian conditions.

Solution Offered by InYantra

The Far-East company identified InYantra as a potential partner and initiated discussions to address the product issues. InYantra’s engineering team conducted a thorough analysis of the product failures and identified key areas for improvement. They suggested several design changes, focusing on components such as surge suppressors and enhancing the product’s operating range to handle voltage fluctuations more effectively.

Key Recommendations by InYantra:

  1. Design Changes: InYantra engineers recommended incorporating surge suppressors to protect the products from sudden spikes in voltage. This addition was crucial in preventing damage to sensitive components during power surges.
  2. Operating Range Adjustment: The team suggested increasing the operating voltage range of the products from 90V to 300V. This adjustment was essential to ensure the products could operate reliably under the typical voltage conditions found in Indian households.

The Far-East company’s design team collaborated closely with InYantra’s engineers to implement these changes. They adapted the product designs according to the recommendations and set up manufacturing at InYantra’s facilities.

The Outcome

The collaboration between the Far-East company and InYantra proved to be highly successful. The design changes and local manufacturing significantly reduced product failure rates. The products, now better equipped to handle India’s voltage fluctuations, experienced far fewer breakdowns, leading to a dramatic decrease in product recalls.

The success in the Indian market also had a ripple effect on the company’s global operations. The improvements suggested by InYantra not only benefited the Indian subsidiary but also helped reduce product failures in other markets with similar electrical conditions, such as Africa.

Conclusion

This case study highlights the importance of local expertise and adaptation in overcoming market-specific challenges. By partnering with InYantra, the Far-East company was able to transform its product reliability and regain customer trust in the Indian market. The strategic design changes and local manufacturing not only solved the immediate problem of high product recalls but also enhanced the overall quality and durability of their products globally.

The collaboration with InYantra underscores the value of listening to local partners and being willing to adapt products to meet the specific needs of different markets. This approach not only improves product performance but also ensures long-term success and customer satisfaction in diverse environments.