Electronic hearing aid services vendor, Electronic Ears International, is on the look out for franchisees willing to invest Rs 3.5 lakh, excluding space, in a bid to expand the retail operations of its Quality Hearing Care centers.

Promoted by Dr Prem Victor and Dr Prabha Unadkat, Electronic Ears International is the exclusive country partner of the Germany-based hearing aid manufacturer Hansaton Akustik GmbH.

Currently, Ears runs Quality Hearing Care centre in eight locations – Delhi, Bangalore, Goa, Chennai, Mysore, Vellore, Kolkata and Jammu. These centers diagnose, implant, as well as give counseling to patients afflicted with hearing disorders.

“We even communicate with patients’ employers regarding the likely psychological fall-out of the hearing aids implanted in our patients,” said Dr Prem Victor, managing partner, Electronic Ears International.

“Hansaton’s products are priced at one-third of the original German price. It has also created special products for the Indian market, bearing in mind conditions like heat and humidity, as well as the purchasing power of Indians. Hansaton is also the closest competitor to Siemens hearing aids.

From a counter sale product, we have made it a customized product. Our team of repair engineers at various Quality Hearing Care centers, have been trained in Hansaton GmbH, Germany. Our clinic staff has also undergone courses recognized by the Hearing Aid Academy of the University of Luebeck, Germany,” Dr Victor claimed.

The company also claims to maintain a high standard of customer satisfaction, creating a service trademark called “Quality Hearing Care” for its chain of retail outlets.

“We also provide services like repairing with original German spare parts, during warranty period, as well as post-warranty period. Hansaton gives a one-year warranty on manufacturing defect. Our Quality Hearing Care centers also counsel and help patients regarding battery-replacement as well as diagnosis,” he added.

Hansaton hearing aids have a full range of instruments in the conventional and fully digital categories. Its conventional hearing aids costs from Rs 6500 to Rs 12,000, while fully digital instruments cost from Rs 12,000 to Rs 58,000. These instruments range from behind the ear (BTE), in the canal, (ITC) and completely in the canal (CIC).

Hansaton has recently launched its Dynamic series of fully digital instruments (BTE, ITC & CIC), which covers everything from mild hearing loss to the very serious. The company is in the process of launching six new models globally in the Rs 12,000 to Rs 19,000 range.

Hansaton considers India as one of its very important market, which has a tremendous potential. Hansaton hearing aids currently form about 10 per cent of the Indian imported hearing aid market segment and its expects to develop this to 20 per cent next year, according to Dr Victor.