Iris Computers, under its original master, would now be more focused on the value-added services including cloud computing, mobility, etc. At the same time the company would work in the new areas of Solar products – including Solar Panels, Solar Tube wells, Solar Pumps, etc. Of course, the company would not shy away from experimenting with new ideas of next gen products and solutions that suit modernizing India.
Once sold to Dragon Singapore through Inflexionpoint in 2013, Iris Computers is now back to its feet as an independent company with 100% controlling stake with Sanjiv Krishen and his partners.
Aptly called the second inning of Sanjiv Krishen with Iris Computers, he is likely to take different routes now because the market is not the same after 4-5 years. There is a huge implication of Cloud Computing for everyone. Companies like AWS, Google, IBM and Microsoft Azure are changing the game of IT, providing Infrastructure to Application. Datacenter companies including NTT Netmagic, CTRLS, Sify, etc. are making enterprise infrastructure affordable like never before. So, in this situation, how far Iris would go with the legacy ideas. However, Sanjiv, as a master of the business, has his own mantra of success.
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“We are diversifying into an area which would give us a better margin as ‘diversification is the name of the game now’.”
Sanjiv Krishen
Chairman
Iris Computers
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“We are changing the flavor of distribution. We are diversifying into an area which would give us a better margin as “diversification is the name of the game now”. So, we are doing three – four new things”, said, Sanjiv Krishen, Chairman Iris Computers. “One, we are offering equipment on rent – meaning if someone has machine requirement and he does not want to pay upfront, he can now take it on rent. Second, we are entering into solar systems – including solar panels, solar tube wells and solar pumps. Third, we are getting into offering cloud services. Fourth is mobility. It means we would not only sell tablets but also the solutions that goes in it required for any organization.”
Justifying the statement, Sanjiv elaborated that there is an education institute called Narayana which offers preparatory course for medical and engineering and they have special curriculum for each vertical of studies. Iris Computers has supplied tablets to this institute with customized applications for each of the students built into it. So, it is more than selling a box which allows more margin for the distie and its partners.
Renault, the car manufacturer, has also taken tablets loaded with customized content. For Uber cab too, Iris has supplied 3000 tablets (Iris Tablets) along with Taxi Craft.
In order to supply to the large projects, the company needs in house service support which the company has already acquired over the period. In the projects where Iris branded products are involved, the company offers replacement warranty otherwise for third party products including Samsung or Lenovo, the parent company offers service support.
Another important diversification what Iris is doing is offering solar tube wells. In the newly created state of Andhra Pradesh, Iris Computers has supplied Rs.3 crore worth 100 solar powered tube wells out of 4600 tendered number. The company executes the entire project end to end. Good news is that the company has again bagged an order of 150 solar tube wells from the same state. Besides, the company has also purchased 60% stake of iValue, the Bangalore based national VAD.
So, the sense is that Iris Computers in its second innings would keep some of its old flavors including traditional distribution and renting business, it would now focus more on the value-added services. Apart from the aforesaid projects, the company has bagged orders from some of the large projects. For example, the company has bagged large orders from the IT department of government of Jharkhand and Kendriya Vidayalaya Sangathan.
When Jharkhand government has placed an order worth of Rs.60 crore Tablets with Iris Computers’ through partners, Kendriya Vidayalaya Sangathan has placed an order worth Rs.38 crore desktops with education software inbuilt. Logistically the company has delivered 8000 desktops in 320 schools across the country.
As per Sanjiv, with his efforts and bank credit limit of Rs.100 crore, Iris Computer would be able to touch a turnover of Rs.1000+ crore next financial year.
From a pureplay distribution point of view, Iris Computers is carrying all its existing brands relationships except Lenovo. At the same time, it has added Microsoft Azure, EnGenius and Meonix to address cloud computing, wireless and call centre PBX market. The company would also pursue traditional strategy of incentivisation and events to engage and motivate the partners and the customers.
Finally…
Sanjiv concludes, “Iris Computers would now be called a Value-Added Distributor for Modernising India.” This is certainly possible as Sanjiv now has all his trusted aides back into action – including Kamini Talwar, Som Arya, Sameer Chaudhary and Himanshu Chawla.
