Sony launches sensational showroom

Monday, 14 November 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Devin Jayasundera

Siedles (Pvt) Ltd. in its attempt to expand the Sony customer base in Sri Lanka and to provide a world class service to its cutomers launched a state-of-the-art Sony showroom at 150/3, Ward Place, Colombo 7 last week.

The flagship Sony showroom equipped with the latest modern designs and sleek interior is to offer a variety of services where customers are able to experience the devices first hand before purchase of their preferred product.

The new layouts of the showroom give customers the opportunity to ‘touch and feel’ the models and understand the benefits of their features. The ‘Experience Corners’ of the store are designed to give access to customer to familiarise themselves with these high tech devices.

This would enhance the user experience and enable customers to select the device which suits their taste and expectations. More importantly the indication of features and benefits of the product will assist the customer to understand the product better and hence make an informed buying decision.

Siedles (Pvt) Ltd. Managing Director Nimesh Udeshi told the Daily FT that the Sony flagship store was the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. With regard to the status of the electronic retail business, he said: “Even though Siedles has had a satisfactory performance in the last quarter as a whole, the demand for electronic devices is growing and we are optimistic about it.” He also pointed out that one of the biggest reasons for this growth was the tax reduction for electronic items in the last budget and praised the Government for creating the opportunity for Sri Lankan consumers to have access to high tech electronic items at an affordable price.

The showroom offers the latest range of Sony products from Sony Internet TV, Bravia LED and LCD with 3D TV, Dynamic DVD Home Theatre Systems, Hi-Fi Systems, Blu-Ray Home Theatre Systems, Blu- Ray Players, Handycam Video and Projector Cameras, Alpha SLT Cameras, NEX Interchangeable Lens Cameras, Cyber Shot Digital Cameras, VAIO laptops, Tablets and Sony Playstations.

Inside the Sony showroom customers have the ability to interact and evaluate the latest Sony products. They can check the image quality of the camera and interact with Skype and various other features through Sony Internet TV. The showroom also provides customers the opportunity to experience and immerse themselves in 3D technology with the latest Bravia range of TVs.

The line-up display counters showcase the full product as well as full colour range and with the assistance of comprehensive comparison charts, it aids the customer to better identify the difference between models.

Sony, which recorded a massive loss of US$ 346 million in the last quarter, is still optimistic and resurgent, according to Razali Yaacub, an official of Sony Singapore.

“Sony went through immense challenges this year due to the tsunami in Fukushima, Japan and the recent floods in Bangkok, Thailand, but Sony like always will emerge amidst these crisis and rise up to the occasion because that ability to recover is in the DNA of Sony.”

He also stated that doing business with Sri Lanka was an opportunity to expand the Sony customer base and opening this showroom would help to increase the presence of Sony in Sri Lanka.

—Pic by Upul Abayasekara