Ryans Computers: From floppy disks to the era of smart computing

Not often do we get to meet a man who has everything figured out - someone who knows what he is doing; someone who is calm and composed in his interactions. Ahmed Hasan seemed to be one of those men.

When Covid-19 lockdowns were announced, every business went into a frenzy as they did not know how to cope with the damaging consequences of a rampant pandemic. However, Ahmed saw an opportunity amid a situation where every other businessman foresaw despair. 

"As soon as the lockdowns were announced, I ordered one of my employees to go and buy five delivery wagons. The automobile shops had already been shut down so we pestered them into opening the shops to get our cars," said Ahmed.

But why go through all that trouble? 

When the lockdown was imposed, Ryans e-commerce system was not as developed and Ahmed could foresee the increasing demand for home delivery services. So, he wanted to ramp up their home delivery system during the pandemic, and he did. 

Resulting from his decision, Ryans continued to provide their services and thrive while every other business suffered during the pandemic. 

Entrance to Ryans Computers showroom. Photo: Courtesy

Ahmed is the Managing Director of Ryans Computer Ltd. He founded Ryans Computers in 2000. Over the past 21 years, Ryans Computers has become a household name in the computer retailing market and does not require an introduction. 

What is rather interesting is the story behind one of the largest computer retailers in the country and their arduous journey towards excellence for the last two decades. 

"I was very clear from the beginning about my objective. There was no room for illusions. I knew which consumer segment to target and I did not lose focus," said Ahmed. 

He added, "I got into the computer business at least seven years before I started Ryans. My siblings were also affiliated with computer hardware and software in some way or the other. So the family environment was quite welcoming to my venture."

However, like every other enterprise, the journey towards Ryans's success constituted an uphill battle against heaps of contingencies. 

For starters, when Ryans Computers first launched in the 2000s, there were not many retail outlets for computer accessories. So, launching a computer retailer was basically diving into uncharted waters.

Ryans Computers first launched in the 2000s. Photo: Courtesy

"Back then, the very concept of computer showrooms weren't a thing. Although there were a few computer retailers, the environment often felt like a bureaucracy. Consumers used to come to their offices and the salespersons would then write them a quotation. Then, someone would have to go to their homes, set up the computers, train them and then they would get their payments given the customer was satisfied with all the services. Sometimes, the customers even paid in instalments," said Ahmed.

Ahmed laughed as he recalled one of his experiences, "Some customers couldn't use the mouse properly. They used to say that these were like the real mouse as they could not control the cursors."

All these efforts would have been worthwhile if there were a lot of customers and a higher market demand. Unfortunately, the consumer base for retail computers was very small. 

"If any computer retailer could sell 15 to 20 computers in a month back then, the retailer was considered a success," Ahmed added. 

In essence, Ryans Computers needed to mould a nascent market in order for its own business to thrive. Since most brands such as HP, Asus and Dell did not have official operations in Bangladesh, retailers like Ryans had to lay the groundwork to encourage them to build business here.

An employee working on a laptop. Photo: Courtesy

To develop that consumer base, the foremost task was to change the mindset of the consumers and make them more comfortable with the mode of payment. That means that they had to convince the customers that computers could be a consumer product. Ryans had to convince their customers that buying a computer was a smart and sustainable decision. 

So how did Ryans go about it?

"We were the first ones to declare the prices of the products beforehand. We used to buy space for advertisements in the prominent dailies declaring the prices of our computers. It may seem odd now but most retailers did not declare the prices of their products mainly because of price fluctuations. We also decided that we would keep our prices as low as possible," Ahmed told the correspondent.

One of the aspects Ryans Computers focused on was their customers. They developed a customer-centric business model where no matter what happens, the customers would receive their services. 

"We designed an impartial, objective management system that would automatically serve the customers. There was no room for subjectivity. Even if I, one of the managerial members of Ryans Computers, decided otherwise, our system would not leave room for me to intervene. The customer is always the priority," Ahmed said, proudly describing their management system.

He added, "We also prioritised customer complaints. We take customer dissatisfaction very seriously. We have an entire department dedicated to customer complaints and to resolve the issues that caused them problems. This has been a built-in component from the very beginning."

Ahmed Hasan, managing director of Ryans Computer Ltd. Illustration: TBS

So, what really was the secret to Ryans Computers' consistent rise to the top? Apparently, it was focus. 

Ryans Computers never lost focus of their target. There were lots of untested opportunities. Most other companies jumped on those, and their failure to manage and optimise according to the increasing pressure led their services to decline. 

Ryans strictly jumped on opportunities only when they could maintain the quality of previous services. 

Another aspect of Ryans Computers' success was the level of reliability of their products. 

"We never brought in products from brands we did not consider reliable, no matter how profitable it was. We did not want to shift our focus to profit. We always believed in quality first," Ahmed voiced. 

Additionally, Ryans Computers has been adapting to changing circumstances excellently. When the pandemic hit the IT market, the supply chain was heavily disrupted. Companies could not resume offices in-person or keep the showrooms open for long hours. Ryans Computers addressed this issue by immediately introducing home delivery services. 

An employee of Ryans Computers working on a camera. Photo: Courtesy

"When the pandemic hit, we prepared our drivers with protective gears and sent them for home delivery. We made sure our customers received their products even during the lockdown period. In terms of management, we had a central control panel that made sure we could maintain the same rate of efficiency despite working from home," Ahmed said.

As if the demand shock was not enough, for three to four months no new shipments of the products came to Bangladesh. So, when it came to counteracting the disruptions in supply chains, Ryans Computers relied on its distributors. 

"Although no new shipments came, there were lots of products available in the distributor's warehouses they had previously brought in. So, we immediately came to an understanding with them and they supplied us with their products during the pandemic. It was a win-win scenario for both parties," Ahmed added.

We wanted to know more about the future of Ryans Computers and whether they would expand beyond the retail market. 

In response, Ahmed said, "As I said earlier, we do not want to lose our focus. So, we want to expand vertically and not horizontally. We do not want to get into too many things. Rather, we want to stick to what we are good at and improve based on that." 

Customers viewing products stacked on shelves. Photo: Courtesy

Ahmed's conviction bore some truth given that in the 21 years of Ryans Computers' existence, they did not open any parallel ventures, despite opportunities. In fact, they only opened their second branch in Mymensingh in 2011. 

But every nascent industry requires a hospitable ecosystem and steady support structure developed by the government. Hence, the correspondent presented Ahmed with a question regarding the sort of support Ryans was expecting from the government. He was not shy about giving some pointers to the policymakers.   

"More than 90 percent of our products are imported. However, there is no regulatory mechanism to protect consumer rights. Consumers often do not know about how much cover they have against the products they buy. Companies such as HP run their operations in Bangladesh from Singapore and often take very little responsibility in terms of warranty and covering after-sales services," Ahmed informed.

When asked if he wanted to say something to the customers, Ahmed replied, "We want to study our customers and understand their needs. Customer care is not just a marketing buzzword for us. Rather, it's a philosophy we believe in. Our customers also know that and I think that's what sets us apart."