Reseller of Apple SPVi focusing on service
Authorised Apple reseller SPVi plans to invest Bt30 million this year to establish two full-scale service centres and five service corners, plus one or two iStudios by SPVi, targeting revenue of Bt3 billion.
Chief executive officer Trisorn Volyyarngosol said SPVi this year was focusing on service to differentiate itself from the other Apple resellers. It plans two full-scale Apple service centres, as well as five service corners in IT City outlets.
“In May, we will open one iStudio and one full-scale service centre at Digital Gateway Ekamai,” Trisorn said.
Currently, SPVi has three full-scale service centres, at Town-in-Town, IT Mall, and Central Chaengwattana.
Last year, the company invested more than Bt20 million to set up almost 60 Apple shops, including 40 Apple Corners in IT City outlets, nine U-Stores in seven universities, five iStudio shops, and two iBeat shops. It plans to have 80 outlets in a variety of formats within the next couple of years.
SPVi has registered capital of Bt120 million. It is a 40:40 joint venture between SPV Advance and IT City, with the remaining 20 per cent held by individual investors.
SPV Advance has been Apple’s authorised reseller in Thailand since 1989, when it focused on the corporate market. When Apple products expanded into the Thai consumer segment seven years ago, SPV followed suit. Last year, it joined with the country’s largest information-technology outlet, IT City, to set up SPVi. “SPV Advance has become the holding company of SPVi,” Trisorn said.
Of the Bt3 billion revenue targeted this year, 20 per cent is expected to come from the corporate segment and the rest from consumers. Four companies operate iStudio shops in Thailand: SPVi, Comseven, Copperwired, and UFicon.
