Mr. Prashant Jain, Head-Demand Generation & FBS leader, Fluke Technologies Pvt. Ltd. in conversation with CNCTimes.com
Please tell us something about Fluke Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Fluke is a USA based MNC and is a pioneer in hand-held portable test and measurement instruments. It was established in 1948 and now the products are available in more than 100 countries across the world. Fluke is known for their safety, visionary reliability and the highest level of accuracies we maintain in all our products.
How do you see the importance of safety in the SME sector, in India?
For Fluke, safety is of paramount importance. Our logo says safety, ruggedness, and reliability, so safety comes first. Whatever we do, we have to ensure that the instrument the person is using is safe for him to use and at the same time safe for installation. All the Fluke products are designed with at least a 50% margin of safety above the specified standards.
Can you tell us more about your products?
Fluke offers the widest range of test and measurement products. It caters to customers who might need a simple product like a multimeter
or a clamp meters to an SME customer who requires a little complex product like Thermal imagers to large corporate houses who require the entire range of our products. We have tools that can be used on a everyday basis and advanced diagnostic tools that can be used for advanced troubleshooting.
We have an extensive range and are one-stop-shop for the entire needs of our customers.
Do you provide customized solutions to your customers?
Our products are general purpose test tools and there is not a high level of customization required in the hardware. The software
that we use can be customized as per customer specific applications. We have provided customers with products where the hardware is
standard hardware but the software has the flexibility and the customer can customise the tool as per his requirements.
Do you think the Indian market is price sensitive and have you faced any challenges?
Yes, it has been a challenge especially because we do not compromise on the safety and quality of our products. Our price points
have been a little higher than the products available in the market. Customers also need to keep in mind that their are operational costs +
maintenance costs whenever they buy a product. The initial cost of our product maybe a little higher but keeping in mind the life
of the tool, the cost of our tool is 50-70% cheaper than our competitor. We are offering tools that last longer with no compromise on safety and accuracy.
Overall our tools are much cheaper when you keep the operational cost in mind.
Has Fluke created any products using IOT or Industrie 4.0?
Fluke had started working on products that use IOT 5 years ago, even before these technologies became a buzzword. Customers are now moving from one point to a connected solution and we have launched such a solution which uses the technology. The solution is a combination of various tools that are interconnected and can talk to each other. The entire status of the factory can be accessed through your smartphone, tablet, computer anywhere in the world. We are talking about transparent factories, Cloud-based monitoring of your factories.
How are exhibitions like Industrial Engineering Expo helping Fluke to establish a brand name in the market?
Fluke is an already established brand and people who are from this industry, already know about us. Exhibitions like these offer us a platform to connect with our customers on a one-to-one basis. Customers can come and see the tools, hold them and see how they feel. Our experts are available in one place at such exhibitions and the customer can come and clear any doubts or difficulties they are facing. Exhibitions are also a great opportunity for us to launch a new product and get better insights into our customers' requirements.