Nokia: what it currently offers and its projections in the market

Before smartphones hit the market, brands like Nokia, Through their iconic 1100, they had conquered the Colombian consumer thanks to the functionality and durability of their cell phones. Today years later, when new technologies press, this firm of Finnish origin continues betting on innovation and gaining more participation in the local field.

Camilo Forero Gómez, country manager for Colombia and Ecuador of HMD Global (Nokia Mobile), He talked about how the company has been growing in recent years in the country, about its new e-commerce channel, launched last May, and about its new cell phone focused on sustainability.

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What is the balance you can make of the operation of the company in Colombia?

We have been working in the country for six years. And since we resumed the business of the firm HMD Global, the only company authorized to sell the Nokia brand, two years ago, we have been growing significantly in Colombia. For example, from 2020 to 2021 we grew more than 100% and doubled the number of units in sales and money.

For the end of 2022, we project a growth in units of 25% and in value of 15%. This growth has been driven by work with new clients and new sales channels. Although two years ago we only worked with two operators, today we work with all four operators; we are also in the nine most important retailers or chain stores in Colombia, which has led us to cover more than 90% of the potential market.

How many products do you have in the country in your portfolio?

Currently, we have 15 products in the country, divided into three different segments. The first segment is the entrance, where the famous ‘arrows’ are located, in this line we have six teams. In the smartphone segment we have three series: C series, G series and X series. It is noteworthy that as the letter increases, the cell phone is better, here we have eight different phones. We also have a tablet on the market, the T20, and we are close to launching the T10 in the Colombian market. Finally, we have the accessories.

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Nokia has always been among Colombian consumers. But, how much has the profile of the local consumer changed?

There are undoubtedly several profiles, there are those who are looking for cell phones like the ‘arrows’ because they definitely decided not to migrate to a smartphone, because they only need to communicate by voice, and there are others who are looking for equipment with more tools. Likewise, consumers look for equipment at affordable and very competitive prices, for example, in the market we have cell phones from $349,000 to $2.5 million.

Do ‘arrow’ cell phones still depend on 2G connectivity?

Our phones are 4G, regardless of whether it is a ‘little arrow’, all references are 4G in order to provide the complete solution to Colombian users.

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How have tablet sales behaved after the pandemic?

At a business and educational level we still see a use of this type of tools. However, it does not present the same rhythm that was seen in the pandemic. In fact we have the offer so that boys and girls can use tablets.

Do you think that the dollar and inflation will be important in your sales this year?

We handle very affordable prices for the Colombian market, which is what users are really looking for in these times of economic crisis, where purchasing power is no longer the same. It is at this point that players like Nokia are key to consumers for their offer.

What is your new release that you present to Colombians?

We bring to Colombia the Nokia G60 5G, a product designed to be friendly to the environment. This is how 60% of this phone is developed with recyclable materials, it is very light and its casing is 100% generated with recyclable materials. This makes us different, and today our message is to connect the world without costing the planet. Colombian users will be able to find this new equipment on all platforms, in operators and chain stores.

Colombia is a very important market for the brand and that is why we wanted to launch this new equipment here. We know that this country has all the potential to continue growing.

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How has your ecommerce channel gone in the country?

We launched our ecommerce in May and month after month we have been growing. Today this channel represents 5% of our sales, but the goal is for it to represent 10% of our total sales. We certainly see the potential of online sales.

What other surprises do they bring for Colombian consumers?

Our equipment has been characterized by its durability and quality, which is why we bring a two-year warranty on our phones from the X series, which is a mid-range and a high-mid range. Although the market standard and by law is a one-year warranty, we want users in Colombia to feel confident in Nokia’s portfolio.

JOHANA LORDUY
Journalist Portfolio