Blaupunkt has always followed a strategy to keep competing: Sukesh Madaan

A company named “Ideal” was first founded in Berlin when radio was still in its infancy. Every unit was carefully tested by technicians and labeled with a seal for quality – the blue dot. It did not take long before customers simply asked for the “bluepoint” (which means in German BLAUPUNKT) products. The blue dot quickly became a symbol of outstanding quality.

Today, Blaupunkt sells wireless and wired earphones, Bluetooth speakers, wireless headphones, boomboxes, soundbars, party speakers, etc., all over the world, including India.

Sukesh Madaan, CEO, Blaupunkt Audio tells us more. Excerpts from an interview:

DQ: Brief us about Blaupunkt and unique offerings that your company provides to the customers?

Sukesh Madaan: Blaupunkt is a 124 year old German brand. It is one of the pioneers and innovators in the Audio World. Through the years, Blaupunkt has created and developed numerous technologies that today are part of every system.

Globally, Blaupunkt has achieved the status of an iconic brand. Its range includes the finest that are coveted by audiophiles everywhere. In India too, Blaupunkt has been one of the most sought after brands. Just a generation ago it was synonymous with car audio systems. After a few years of not being present it came back to the Indian market with a range of soundbars, headphones, earbuds, neckbands, BT speakers, party speakers and a lot more. Over the last few years it has grown rapidly and now has claimed its rightful place as one of the premium brands available.

Blaupunkt has always followed a strategy to keep competing. Not with other names in the markets, but with itself. This has led to the constant development and introduction of newer and more advanced features and capabilities. This is reflected in the way it steadily launches model after model in the Indian market. Each of these products has an advantage in terms of tech and also the price. I truly believe that great products do not have to cost the earth.

DQ: What were the company's goals and objectives when it was founded? Tell us about your journey since the company's foundation.

Sukesh Madaan: When we were founded, we had a very simple and clear goal. We wanted to be the brand that was known for brilliant sound and that offered real value for money. We knew that if we stick to our core strengths, superior technology, design and durability, we could achieve this in a very short time. We launched with a complete range.

There were soundbars, earbuds, headphones, BT speakers, wired earphones, etc. These products helped us tune into the Indian consumer’s needs and desires. As time went by we fine tuned our range and launched newer products that were a result of these consumer insights.

Today, we have a range that spans across segments and price points. While all these products are different they have one common thread and that is they all deliver what the Indian youth wants and a little more.

To illustrate what we mean by this, we understood that audiophiles in India loved full-bodied sound. So, we pumped up the bass. They wanted more features, so, we added new technology like Moksha Mode ANC that had never been seen before. They wanted greater durability, as we all know conditions are tough so we gave every product the ability to stand up to a few knocks. In short, we got our German DNA to evolve and become perfect for India.

DQ: What are your growth plans for 2022?

Sukesh Madaan: In one word, BIG! The year 2022 is very important for us. We all know that the pandemic slowed down things but we have risen strongly and left it all behind us. There is a new positivity in the market and this is what fuels us right now.

Already, we have started with a string of new launches. There is a Dolby Audio 600 Watts 5.1 soundbar. This system is our flagship product and has already created a stir in the market. We launched it at a price point that literally took the competition's breath away. So much tech and power had never been available at this price.

In addition, we have announced our entry into the ANC segment with a range of earbuds and headphones. The tech here is Moksha ANC and is Blaupunkt’s version of this technology. Needless to say it is ahead of the rest in terms of performance. In addition there are innovative BT speakers, standalone soundbars, party speakers and a lot more.

The exciting part is that all these have already been launched. The rest of the year will also have more launches. And for that you will have to wait, as we don’t want to spoil the surprise. What we can assure you of is that it will be way beyond expectations.

DQ: After expanding the horizons, what were the major challenges faced by the company?

Sukesh Madaan: Honestly, we think the only challenges that we face are the ones we set for ourselves. The market is looking up and consumer confidence is returning to normal. We have seen the competition putting out a lot of products but that is not what we focus on.

We focus on what we already have, and how we can make it even better. To do this we are developing newer techs and products. Design is another aspect that we give a lot of importance to. Our design school has always been European with a very sleek and sophisticated touch. We are taking this forward and making the range even more premium in terms of looks.

So, the challenges that we faced while we grew were set by us. And we enjoyed meeting them and overcoming them. We continue to set even more challenges and are sure the results will ensure an even brighter future for the brand.

DQ: Do you think consumer feedback is the best way to identify your product-market fit?

Sukesh Madaan: The consumer is the ultimate judge and jury! Every brand builds products for the same consumers, unfortunately very few are willing to listen to the feedback they get from the market. Blaupunkt, globally, has always been consumer focused, and has ensured all its ‘senses’ are listening and understanding what this feedback means.

We test all our products in the real world with real people. And incorporate suggestions and observations into our range. This has helped our R&D team and also our manufacturing process become more efficient and deliver solutions faster. To give you an example, we entered the ANC market after a lot of brands had already launched their products. Why? It is because we needed to get a better understanding of what the Indian conditions were and what the man on the noisy streets wanted.

The wait was worth it as we developed Moksha ANC. This is way ahead of regular ANC tech that is out there. It gives better sound cancellation for cleaner audio for way better calls and entertainment. All this would not have been possible without the feedback we got from customers. The real world teaches you more than any laboratory, so always listen to what consumers are saying and try to understand what they actually need.