In an interview with TimesTech, Rohini Ahluwalia, COO of Blaupunkt Audio, shares her journey from the corporate sector to audio entrepreneurship. She discusses Blaupunkt’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and consumer trust, highlighting their vision for AI-driven audio technologies, challenges in brand revival, and their focus on delivering exceptional quality. Rohini reveals how Blaupunkt is redefining the audio space in India with cutting-edge advancements and a consumer-first approach.
Read the full interview here:
Question: What motivated you to transition from the corporate sector to the tech-driven world of audio entrepreneurship?
Rohini: I have always loved a challenge. Right from the start I knew the corporate sector was a place to learn and gain experience. I always had the entrepreneur bug so you could say subconsciously I was preparing myself for the move. While I knew this is what I wanted to do leaving the corporate world and all the security it offered was not easy. But it was worth it. We went through all the ups and downs. We fought against the big boys. And it was this endeavour that makes the success we have today even sweeter.
Question: Can you share any key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics that reflect the technological growth or market share of Blaupunkt Audio?
Rohini: I will keep this simple and not bore you with numbers and data, though those are important. The KPIs are simple. We need to be better than what were yesterday. Now this reflects on everything we do. From launching new innovative products, pioneering new technologies, making sure we have the best tech powering our organisation to getting the most efficient Customer Care system in place. These are the tangible factors that can be measured. There are the intangibles that are more important.
I constantly monitor how consumers feel about Blaupunkt. I am talking about the brand connect. Being an aspiration brand that people move up to this is the most important factor. We need to keep surprising consumers without innovations and tech and delighting them with the performance.
Question: What are the technological priorities or innovations your company plans to focus on over the next 3–5 years?
Rohini: Blaupunkt globally is poised for big things. One the last 100 years we have established ourselves as innovators in the audio industry. Now we are ready to widen the range to include, lifestyle, health and fitness, and more. The common thread running through this expansion will be our commitment to innovation. This is part of our DNA. Added to this will always be Blaupunkt’s commitment to quality and reliability.
Question: Does your company have any tech-driven sustainability or eco-friendly initiatives, particularly in audio product design or manufacturing?
Rohini: As a company and as people we have always been committed to protecting the environment. I have seen it is the small things that make the biggest difference. To start with we are practically 100% paper free organisation. We have invested in different digital tools and technologies to ensure this. And it has made us more efficient in so many ways.
Then comes the products. We keep the packaging requirements to the bare minimum. Products that have been scratched or marred in any way are not thrown into some landfill. We have a separate vertical that makes sure each and every one of them finds a good home by selling them with amazing discounts.
Even in product design we ensure that less is more. We use the best materials and components so that can ensure reliability and a long product life.
Question: How has your experience across diverse tech industries influenced your leadership approach in driving innovation at Blaupunkt Audio?
Rohini: Of course, it has. I have been lucky to have worked with some of the finest bosses. This experience has given me insights into managing a team. Since I have been on every floor, D2C, B2B, etc I have understood that every team has different goal and working styles. The trick is to get everyone to actually have the same targets. Apart from that I believe in leading from the front. In our open office environment this makes a big difference. It shows people that no job is too big or too small.
Question: What were some of the key technological challenges faced when establishing Envent WorldWide Private Limited and bringing Blaupunkt to market?
Rohini: When we started the online channels were just getting established. Everyone was on a steep learning curve. We had to stay ahead of it. This is where my experience in Canada and other countries came in handy. I had seen this and knew what to expect and what was needed. When we decided to bring Blaupunkt into the market we knew we had an issue. The brand was only recognised by a much older target audience. Today’s youth dd not know or have any emotional connect with it. We knew we had to build this right from day zero. We spent a long time making the brand relevant and building bonds with today’s youth. Fortunately, all our efforts paid dividends and today consumers place Blaupunkt up there with the best audio brands in India.
Question: What is your vision for the future of consumer electronics, particularly in the audio technology space, in India?
Rohini: There are exciting days ahead for the Audio space. We have already started investing in Spatial audio and AI driven products. This is where we think the future lies. Products that learn and adapt themselves to your life. For example, it is now possible to convert your earbuds into universal translators. That is you can have a conversation with a person in a language you do not speak and the earbuds will translate it into a language of your choice in real time. Then there is a device that you wear that will monitor your health, fitness and even your mood. This will allow it to choose music using this data. So, if you are all excited and return home your audio system will automatically create a playlist that reflects your state of mind.
Question: How does brand reputation impact consumer trust in new, cutting-edge audio technologies or products?
Rohini: Brand Reputation is everything in the marketing world. It takes years to build and a lot of hard work to keep it up there. Blaupunkt is a brand that you move up to, an aspirational brand. Consumers get into a category with an ordinary brand only to be disappointed with the actual performance of the product. This is when they decide to move up to Blaupunkt. Here they know they are assured of the best quality, performance and reliability. The decision to move to Blaupunkt happens because of its reputation. This has taken 100 years to build and is based on technological developments and a reputation for being exceptionally well-built products that last a lifetime.
Question: How do you balance pushing the boundaries of innovation with meeting current consumer demand in the rapidly evolving audio tech market?
Rohini: Today’s youth is well informed. They know what is happening in the tech world and are fully aware of the possibilities new tech offers. In addition, the youth today is all about wanting more. This comes from a desire to stand out as individuals. So, they are constantly looking for better design and features. This is where innovation comes in. We constantly monitor and try and understand what the youth wants. We try and stay one step ahead by innovating and developing technologies. This is a constant endeavour as the competitions catches up fast. And when it does, we have to be ready to take another leap to stay ahead of them.
Question: Based on your experience with Blaupunkt, how likely are you to recommend your products to others in the tech-savvy consumer audio market?
Rohini: I always recommend Blaupunkt products to everyone. I totally believe that we make the finest products and then price them right. To prove this, I only use Blaupunkt products. What I constantly tell people is not to compare Blaupunkt with the Boats and Boults of the world. We compete with the big names like JBL, Bose, Marshal, etc. And we don’t just match them in performance but actually go past what they deliver.
