Context & business objective
From 2012 to 2017, I worked under Aleksei Riazantcev's leadership in the Smartphone Department at Texet and Flamefox. This was during the rise of MediaTek, a Chinese company introducing cost-effective processors, which disrupted a market led by giants such as Motorola, Samsung, and LG. The major "A" brands hadn't yet entered this arena, as their primary focus was challenging the iPhone's dominance.
The goal was to sell approximately 30,000 smartphones in the first year of the department's operation (2012) and 150,000 in 2013.
Strategy
Instead of merely importing Chinese phones, we saw an opportunity to establish a sustainable presence in the low-end market. I focused on enhancing the Android UX, establishing robust customer support, and demonstrating care for our customers. At the same time, Alex was responsible for sourcing suppliers, negotiating contract terms, and securing agreements with retailers.
To drive sales, we implemented the following strategies:
We developed devices with highly customized internal and external designs to cater to specific target groups:
Elderly users: created feature phones with large icons, an accessible user interface, an SOS button, and a shortcut button to call family members
Active users in rural areas: develop ruggedized feature phones and smartphones with weak specs. In fact, we were the pioneers in introducing such phones to the market, a concept that still even after a decade
Main target audience: improved UX, providing proper localization, and selecting proper combination of tech specs. For instance, prioritizing cheap IPS screens over memory
Mid segment: released limited quantities of higher-spec phones to assess various selling points and gather customer reactions
I established a proactive support team, launched a support page with a contact form, and introduced a dedicated hotline for elderly users to seek assistance. This approach significantly boosted trust, as evidenced by questionnaires conducted in retail stores
We provided geeks and tech-savvy users access to all software writing tools, enabling them to experiment with different Android builds or even perform repairs
Results
In 2013, the GSM Department at Texet was recognized as the Best Department of the year. We sold 514,000 phone units (290,000 mobile phones and 224,000 smartphones), marking a doubling in sales volume compared to 2012 and a tripling in revenue.
The X Basic model, in particular, achieved remarkable success, with 300,000 units sold. This phone is a personal achievement for me, as I streamlined its internal structure to make it nearly indestructible, optimized Android 4.2, and persuaded suppliers and management to install IPS panels.
Launched products
The following devices were the result of my personal involvement, covering technical and external design, software development, and collaboration with suppliers. All launched:
