Market
When people think of Singer, they usually think
of sewing machines. So firmly has the brand
positioned itself in the minds of people that it is,
indeed, an achievement that the number one
producer of sewing machines in the world is
also number one for home appliances in Sri
Lanka.
The home-appliances market is not only
highly competitive, it is also dynamic and highly
profitable. Singer competes in this market with
National, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, LG and a
host of other local and international brands.
Singer Sri Lanka, which is the custodian of the
legendary Singer brand, also markets global
brands such as Hitachi, Whirlpool, TCL and
renowned local brands like Unic and Sisil.
Singer strives to uplift the living standards of
the community. This vision has driven the
company to make investments in rural areas of
the country. The company believes in playing a
wider role in society than merely selling and
servicing household appliances. Singer’s mantra
is that it makes a house a home, which means
helping Sri Lankans enjoy comfortable lifestyles
irrespective of their socio-economic status.
Singer is not just a household-appliance brand –
it represents the art of enjoying the comforts of
a modern home.
To make this vision a reality, Singer offers
products on its Easy Payment Plan (EPP) – by
far the most popular and convenient repayment
scheme in Sri Lanka. It touches the lives of
millions of people across the country. Singer
gained the people’s confidence by giving them
the opportunity to make a small down payment
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country and managing their outcomes can be an
enormous challenge. Every retail outlet is
and walk out of a showroom with what they
needed for their homes. No other company in
Sri Lanka has been able to better this facility.
Such investments have reaped rich dividends,
making Singer the leading household brand in
Sri Lanka.
Achievements
Singer’s innovative marketing strategy of taking
home appliances to the consumer’s doorstep
has established it as the most
extensive retail chain in the
country. The company
adopted the strategy of
customising channels
according to market profiles,
to be able to satisfy consumer
needs efficiently and effectively.
This strategy has resulted in
the introduction of the
superstore concept to Sri Lanka
– and it gave birth to Singer
Mega, a novel retail concept that
allows customers to choose from
many local and international
household brands under one roof.
The depth of the product and brand
portfolio on offer soon made Singer
Mega popular in top-end market
segments, where discerning customers can
compare and contrast – and choose from a vast
array of local and international brands. This,
indeed, is a unique buying proposition.
In 1987, the company celebrated its 110th
anniversary by committing itself to building a
dedicated wholesale channel to support
independent retailers. Singer’s outlet penetration
in Sri Lanka is the highest in the South Asian
region. By the end of 2005, the company was
operating seven Singer Mega outlets, 273
exclusive Singer outlets and 417 independent
outlets, apart from eleven exclusive Sisil outlets
and nine Modern Homes showrooms.
Maintaining an extensive retail network is not
an easy task. Merchandising, researching, logistics
management and staffing requires passion,
dedication and commitment. In-store displays
need to change in keeping with current trends
and consumer needs.
Disseminating information with regard to
products, scheduling promotions across the
headed by a trained manager who is responsible
for both its performance and gathering market
intelligence. Insights extracted from the
marketplace are channelled to the head office,
and used extensively in product development,
process improvement and promotions.
Singer’s distribution equity has become a case
study for many corporates. They have realised
that effective value chain management led
Singer to market supremacy. Many companies
now choose Singer’s distribution network to
market their goods and services. In addition to
generating new revenue streams, Singer outlets
now offer an expanded range of comforts and
conveniences. Channel strength has made Singer
a retailing icon in Sri Lanka. However, Singer’s
partners are selected on the basis of a rigorous
evaluation process.
History
Singer commenced operations in Sri Lanka in
1877 by marketing sewing machines. With over
a hundred years of seeing the evolution of the
Sri Lankan consumer, Singer has developed
sophisticated processes in manufacturing and
every aspect of consumer marketing. Today,
Singer has three subsidiaries –
namely, Regnis Lanka, Singer
Industries, and Singer
Finance Lanka – reflecting its
corporate
successes.
In the 1990s,
Singer Sri Lanka
gradually downsized its
operations to reap the
benefits of new technology.
This helped the company to
focus on its core
competencies, develop a skilled
workforce, and guarantee
consistent quality and total
customer satisfaction.
More recently, Singer set up a product-
quality surveillance unit which is responsible for
in-depth checking of every batch of
merchandise that is manufactured or purchased
within or outside the country. This unit is also
responsible for minimising the cost of warranties
and enhancing product performance. These
changes have made a positive impact on the
level and quality of service – and won the
hearts and minds of customers.
Singer’s commitment to its vision is legendary:
for example, Singer does not stop at just selling
sewing machines to people; it goes many steps
further, to educate its consumers on designing,
stitching and making clothes. Singer’s Fashion
Academy has created numerous employment
opportunities. Similarly, the company initiated
Singer Culinary Schools around the country, to
support its sales of small household and kitchen
appliances.
Product
A 155-year-old brand, Singer offers a complete
product range that is a must for modern-day
home-making. The range comprises sewing
machines, consumer electronics, kitchen
appliances, floor-care items, home furniture and
traditional white goods. This is, by far, the widest
product range available to Sri Lankans today.
The sewing-machines category makes a
significant contribution to group revenue, and
Singer Sri Lanka has consolidated this category
by adding sophisticated products targeted at the
high end of the market. There is the Singer
Futura, a fully computerised sewing machine; a
semi-computerised version, the Singer Quantum
9940; and the revolutionary Singer Cyber Stitch,
which can produce images that are either
downloaded or scanned.
Singer consumer electronics took a new turn
in the recent past with the introduction of
several innovative products. For example, it
introduced a three-door Singer Ice-o-matic
refrigerator not long ago. And Singer has
extended its range of products to serve the
industrial segment – a strategy that has paid off
and resulted in rapid growth.
Recent Developments
Singer restructured its operations to improve its
management focus and customer service. This
move helped the group to optimise the use of
its resources and derive higher margins.
Retail wisdom acquired over generations puts
Singer ahead of its competition. It realised that
the era of the generalist will soon be a thing of
the past and that retailers need to be specialists
providing conveniences to customers – so the
company began moving away from retailing to
clientailing. As a result of this new management
philosophy, the company built a separate
channel for household furniture products which
have market potential. Comfort cleverly mixed
with aesthetics have made Modern Homes an
overnight success.
Singer’s retail network contributes to over
75% of the group’s revenue, followed by the
wholesale channel which accounts for almost
15% of its income.
Promotion
The combination of brand and distribution
equity has made Singer the most powerful
brand in Sri Lanka. It is a brand that has been
built over a period exceeding a century, using
every aspect of marketing communications.
Considering that cricket is by far the most
popular game in South Asia, Singer sponsored
the Sri Lankan cricket team during its most
successful years in the history of cricket. Sri
Lanka went on to become world champions in
1996. Subsequently, Singer acquired the services
of many cricketers to promote the brand,
thereby strengthening the association between
the brand and the game. Singer has supported
rugby and athletics as well. It has, in fact,
sponsored the national rugby team since 2004.
Singer is one of the biggest spenders in
marketing communications in Sri Lanka.
Advertising, in particular, has been very effective
in building equity around the theme of Trusted
Excellence. Singer believes in fortifying the
emotional bond it has with its consumers, as this
leads to brand loyalty – something that sets
Singer’s marketing ethos apart from that of the
competition.
Below-the-line advertising has been used in
combination with other interactive and
promotional offers. Singer’s household
appliances can be purchased by accessing the
company’s website. It also circulates catalogues
on a regular basis to existing and potential
customers – so that they can be a part of the
Singer dream.
According to the UK-based Brand Finance
and STING Consultants, the Singer brand was
worth Rs. 3.9 billion in 2005, a 47% increase
over the previous year. Singer was, in fact,
adjudged as the number one Power Brand in
2005 by Brand Finance, STING Consultants and
business magazine LMD.
More recently, in a survey of over 5,000
respondents, Singer was voted Brand Of The
Year, Teen Brand Of The Year and Durable Brand
Of The Year at the Power Of The People
Awards organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of
Marketing in association with ACNielsen.
Brand Values
Singer is committed to providing technologically
advanced and reliable household appliances,
whilst keeping an eye on accessibility and
affordability. The brand reflects trust,
performance and superior customer service.
Furthermore, Singer’s rich global heritage has
been effectively leveraged in the local market
and translated into high customer-service levels,
building strong and sustainable relationships with
the consumer.
Singer’s commitment and contribution to CSR
has been widely recognised. The company was
named among the ten Best Corporate Citizens
in 2005 by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
It engages in community assistance and
development, supports educational and health
institutions, offers low-cost loans and stimulates
entrepreneurship. It is involved in developing
education by offering scholarships to youth
across the country.
So Singer’s emergence as a Superbrand is not
an accident in its cycle of brand development. It
is a result of a planned consumer-centric
strategy – a strategy of keeping pace with and
meeting the needs of the modern marketplace.
This dynamic market has changing needs and
shifting values, and it is powered by a
sophisticated choice-conscious consumer. Singer,
an extraordinary brand, is certainly capable of
meeting these needs.
www.singersl.com
THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT
SINGER ®
Singer Sri Lanka has over 700 outlets across
Sri Lanka – its outlet penetration is the
highest in South Asia.
Its spend on marketing communications is
amongst the highest in Sri Lanka.
Singer was adjudged the nation’s most
powerful brand in 2005.
The Singer brand in Sri Lanka was worth an
estimated Rs. 3.9 billion in 2005.
Today, Singer manufactures computerised
sewing machines – the revolutionary Singer
Cyber Stitch produces images that are either
downloaded or scanned.
SUPERBRANDS 81