Interview: Eric Lallier, Hewlett Packard Group

We will continue investing in Serbia and the region

If you look at the region, all the national markets are currently declining, narrowing, but HP's market share is growing. We enlarged our presence in almost all markets in the region - Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia


By MARKO ANDREJIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA
Article from Magazine BUSINESS


We always do step by step, in Hewlett Packard. We want to be available in all markets, but when we talk about introducing a new product it is not only about being available in stores. We have to build support and service, because we must have a fast response and complete service for our customers. This requires time, construction of some specific partnerships and meeting the specific criteria in order to provide the highest quality - explains Eric Lallier, CEO of HP group for personal systems for European emerging markets, the reasons for the right moment for HP to enter a new segment of the market in Serbia.

- When you look at the number of units (all types of products), which we already sell and if you make a simple calculation: the number of residents in relation to the number of Internet users, it shows that it is, in long term, an excellent opportunity for further growth in sales of our products. Therefore, the market is here, though today everyone has problems in business and economic environment is not the best one. But we believe that everything will be back to normal soon.

You are a regional director of the HP group for the European emerging markets. What is the situation in our region, can you make a comparison with Serbia?

- If you look at the region, all the national markets are currently declining, narrowing, but we continue to grow. Market share of HP is increasing. We enlarge our presence in almost all markets in the region - Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia. This also applies to products for home users, the results are really good. There is no some specificity for the countries of the region. We have done the localization of products, customized them to users and that's it.

You enter into a new segment of the market in Serbia - products for home users - does it require change in HP sales strategy and distribution network?

- There is not really a word about the change, but about building the right channel for the right products, at the right market segment. When talking about products for home users, they are almost exclusively sold through the retail network or in large shopping centers, it is a specific channel. In the segment for business customers we will also continue to innovate and bring different products, which are different in terms of support, too, because needs are not the same. (...)

Original version on website of Magazine BUSINESS.


(Published: 15.01.2010.)