by Suman Gupta
Air conditioning and commercial refrigeration major, Blue Star Limited, has launched75new models of room air conditionersin its Platinum Jubilee year. These superior and stylish modelsalso include energy-efficient inverter ACscapable of delivering 30% extra cooling over and above its rated capacity. This enables faster temperature pull-down even in larger rooms during peak summers thereby consuming less power and leading to significant savings on account of lower electricity bills. This superior performance is due to Blue Star’s unique heavy duty design of the outdoor unit that weighs around 46 kg for a 1.5 ton 5-star inverter AC. The range of theseinverter ACs starts from Rs33,790.Further, consumers can also avail attractive 0% finance with easy EMI options and cash back offers vide tie-ups with leading banks and finance firms. All Blue Star inverter ACs are backed with an assured comprehensive warranty for the first year, and a long term warranty of 10 years for the compressor.
Blue Star has also unveiled a new line-up of super-efficient inverter ACs with a high ISEER of 5.30 which consumes 18% less power compared to the existing 5-star ACs with an ISEER of 4.50, thus setting a new benchmark on the energy-efficiency front.
In addition, the new innovative range offers distinct features such as precise temperature setting in steps of 0.1°C and 0.5°C,soundproof acoustic jacket for the compressor for extra quiet performance, Dual Rotar Technology for faster cooling, and a built-in voltage stabilizer designed to operate smoothly from 160V to 270V without the aid of an external voltage stabilizer.
Blue Star’s inverter ACs with Wi-Fi enabled feature are smartly operated through its customer-centric mobile app which, in addition to its capability to remotely monitor and control the machine, also allows consumers to personalise their AC profile, group the ACs for better control, and optimise settings as well as integrate this app with home automation systems.Besides, this app also has ’Smart Budget Management’ embedded in it which enables users to smartly manage their budget, track their AC usage trends, as well as schedule their ACs with respect to different time and sleep curves.
Blue Star’s share in the 5-star air conditioners segment is higher than that of the industry, signifying that the Company enjoys a preference amongst discerning consumers who purchase premium products. The complete range of inverter models is equipped with eco-friendly refrigerants.
Blue Star, which is celebrating its Platinum Jubilee this year, forayed into the residential segment in 2011 and has since,grown from strength to strength, year-after-year by outperforming the industry.Blue Star’sair conditionersare well known for quality, reliability and durabilityearning the trust of millions of customers.
Air Coolers and Air Purifiers
Blue Star has also launched a new range of air coolers under its ‘Windus’ sub-brand which is equipped with a unique Cross Drift Technology that helps in faster cooling in harsh and dry summers. The range comes with different water tank capacities starting from 35 litresto
75 litres and a price range from Rs8,990 to Rs13,490.
To combat the rising pollution levels in many cities across India, Blue Star has also introduced a new range of innovative air purifiers with SensAir Technology, along with Nano-e, Plasma, and UV purification systems. The price for these air purifiers ranges from Rs8,990 to Rs23,990.
Research &Development
Blue Star has a world-class, AHRI-certified R&D facility which develops products of international standards that are best-in-class in the industry. Two psychometric labs for air conditioners have received accreditation from National Accreditation Board for Testing
and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). With enhanced capability in reliability and electronics, it has a strong foundation for digital and smart products. Blue Star has developed in-house capabilities to test and certify safety compliance of its products. The R&D function continues to have an approved status from Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). The Company intends to increase its investment to Rs 50 crores in FY20 as against Rs 40 crores in FY19 on new product development as well as on its research and design initiatives. Blue Star is committed to develop customised, modern and sophisticated products which can compete with the best globally.
Distribution
As regards to distribution, in FY20, Blue Star’s room air conditioners will be available at 5000 outlets in 575 locations spread across the length and breadth of the country, vide exclusive as well as multi-brand sales outlets, sales &service dealers, retail showrooms, modern trade as well as on major e-commerce platforms. The Company has a strong installation and service franchise network to support retailers. Currently, Blue Star has 200 exclusive brand stores in the country, and plans to increase it to 250 stores by the end of FY20. Around 52%of Blue Star’s room air conditioner sales are from smaller towns since consumers in these markets are aspirational and prefer premium brands.
Service
Blue Star continues to be the largest after-sales air conditioning service provider in the country. All its services are ISO 9001-2008 certified. Currently, there are 800 expert service associates across the country, which the Company intends to increase to 1000 associates in FY20. As part of its Gold Standard Service Programme, the Companyoffers superior after-sales service equipped withseveral customisedsmart applications, modernisation of tools and tackles as well as remote monitoring, besides others.
Advertising and Brand Communication
Consumers in the room air conditioners segment are brand-conscious, preferring specialist air conditioning players. This has worked to the advantage of Blue Star since it enjoys the reputation of being a premium and aspirational brand, and its rich pedigree and high quality product array has been in conjunction with this image.
In terms of advertising and brand communication, the Company has plans to invest about Rs55 crores in the forthcoming summer season as against Rs 45crores in FY19, with a set of TV commercials supported by ads in mainline dailies, cinema and hoardings. It also intends to enhance its digital marketing efforts in social media as well as the internet. The differentiated value proposition ‘Nobody cools better’ has resonated well with the residential audience, and will continue to leverage Blue Star’s superior expertise in cooling.
Blue Star has been persistent with its strategy of Integrated Marketing Communication comprising mass media, field promotions, digital platforms, Press, events and social media, apart from one-to-one marketing which has helped fortify its brand equity amongst customers and consumers.
Speaking to the Press at a conference held at Mumbai, B Thiagarajan, Joint Managing Director, Blue Star Limited, who will be taking charge as Managing Director with effect from April 1, 2019 said, “As in the past, we have again launched a stellar array of new products which are differentiated and stylish. Blue Star has always been committed to provide consumers with products that are highly energy-efficient and deliver extra cooling while consuming less powerand has products at all price point in order to cater to a larger set of consumers.We continue to make significant investments in product development, after-sales service as well as brand building and are confident of enhancing our market share to 13.5% in this financial year.”
