Shunyaev not put off till tomorrow

We bring to your attention the favorites fragments of curious article published in "The Secret of the firm." It tells about the history, present day and the prospects for development of new powerful players of the domestic market of mobile computers - the company Rover Computers. The above passages are devoted to our vision for Rover PDA business in Russia and their involvement in it. Full version of the article can be read here. "Most often, I sit and think up all sorts of ideas" - says the owner of the company Rover Computers Sergei Shunyaev. One such idea is his, about the beginning build notebooks under its own brand, has made the company a leader in this market. Now Mr Shunyaev wants to become the first in the segment of handheld computers, and then do the production of smartphones - a hybrid mobile phone and PDA. In general, the strategy of "first player" - this is his strategy. And so far it justifies itself. For information: the company Rover Computers enters production unit "Infomash" service unit "In-Service, six regional offices, East European and Baltic subsidiaries. Owner, number of employees which makes about 500 people, is its president, Sergei Shunyaev. Rover Computers turnover last year amounted to 5 billion rubles. Furthermore Rover Computers, Mr. Shunyaevu owned salon for sale Harley Davidson motorcycles and the company TCI, organizes concerts of groups working in the style of heavy metal. Range in Rover Computers are, above all, depending on which models offer a co-branders. Although the development of models of laptops and handheld computers the company takes a part - in the first case this occurs at the level of selecting the configuration of components in the second - at the choice of software. Rover Computers in this by a small department (of five), who reports to the Vice President of Production. Now the company is cooperating with five plants, but their number varies. "We focus here, rather than on the enterprise, and the model that it offers. Keep track of all the proposals, and if something suits us, come and say that that's the model we buy at such a price and in a certain amount, but for you it provides us a three-month exclusive on Russia and CIS countries - said Sergei Shunyaev .- Well, if the next model of the same manufacturer is not very good, we can give the time to cooperate and work with someone else. " Approximately every six months the company meet with partners in production, which show the new models, show what technologies emerged during this time from the leading manufacturers of filling »- Intel and Microsoft.

Great Expectations

Currently the product line of Rover Computers includes several items. Portable computers and monitors RoverBook RoverScan take up to 90% in the turnover of the company. Other products - desktops WindRover, handheld computers (PDAs) RoverPC, digital cameras RoverShot, multimedia projectors RoverLight and PC-cards RoverCard - gives a total of 10% of sales. The total turnover last year amounted to 5 billion rubles. The plans for this year - 40 percent growth. "Of course, the biggest successes we have achieved on laptops. But now, for instance, LCD monitors on the market, we still occupy about 10%, and this is a lot, considering that is dominated by Korean manufacturers Samsung and LG. Compete with them is very difficult, given their advertising budgets, - says marketing director, Andrei Andreev .- In the market of multimedia projectors, we enter the top ten producers. Now we focus on the promotion of PDAs and LCD monitors. PDA Rover Computers RoverPC to have begun to produce last year. According to the head direction PDAs companies Elena Simonova, Rover Computers plans to sell this year to 25 thousand "handhelds" and occupy about 25% of the market."We are not trying to win the consumer's only due to price factor. When purchasing such equipment people oriented including its cost and if it is significantly lower than the average for the market, there may be doubts about the quality, - says Ms. Simon .- Now, our "handhelds" cost from $ 300 to $ 370, at Western manufacturers - not much more expensive ($ 350-500). We believe that we can qualify for a substantial market share because we offer a higher level of Russification of these products than other manufacturers. " Oleg Kolesov, director of marketing DVM Group: «That course of action, which has selected Rover Computers, is very correct. Laptops are increasingly replacing the world's desktop computers, sales of "Pocket PC" grow although not as rapidly, but still growing. Market for LCD monitors in general is moving forward by leaps and bounds. " Mrs. Simon believes that a significant role in promoting new products on the market plays a service organization: "We have a technical support service, where users can contact in case of any problems with our computers, as well as client support service, where accepted the claim and wishes. In addition, there are service units "In-Service, which coordinates the work of 135 service centers in different cities of Russia and some CIS countries. By year-end number of such centers should be increased to 150.

Mental case

Sergei Shunyaev argues that initiated the beginning of production of a new product often turns out to be exactly it. "I generally spend the most time that I sit, come up with different ideas" - recognized Shunyaev. I must say that these ideas are concerned not only the computer business. Shunyaev - a man with a very extravagant interests. He is a fan of heavy metal musical genre and a great lover of motorcycles Harley Davidson. As aptly put it one of the employees Shunyaeva, people enjoy life in full. And, characteristically, all his hobbies, he turns into a business.

CF: And what about new products, handheld computers, for example?


NL: Honestly: the sale of "handheld" do not grow as fast as we would like. Perhaps we all rushed to exit this segment. The fact that the program, which delivers Windows for Pocket PC has a number of difficulties. Not every user can cope with the various nuances that arise at work. This all hinders the development of the market, and I think that not only us but also in the West. But what to do - just entered the market, we have to work so far.


Now beginning to develop a segment of smartphones, which are projected to gradually supplant the CCP can do. As seems to be no longer in that place, then we will raise for this product. The first samples of smartphones RoverCom appear in Russia to test a few nedel.My're now negotiating with Intel for commencement of smartphones in Russia.


SF: This will be the co-production?


NL: Do not share, and our support for Intel. Although in general, have not yet decided who will invest in the opening production - we or Intel.


SF: A segment of laptops and PDAs can be something special to offer?


NL: Of course. The fact that the number of platforms for manufacturers of these products in the world is limited. It is only 10-15 companies, which are based in East Asia. Generational change happens very quickly, and if you have the opportunity to buy new technology, it has the unique ability to offer the right product at the right time.

Tomorrow Never Dies

According to Gennady Sochilin, director of business development, "NCA-Group, which produces branded notebooks iRU, remain in the top three Rover Computers each year will be harder:" The competition intensifies, increasing promotional activity of western manufacturers.So that they will be forced to build ever more expensive billboard advertising to reflect the aggressive competition. " Sources, Materials:

The journal "Secret Firmy"