"By June we will be entering the laptop services business and will be launching service centers in Kolkata and Siliguri. There is a dearth of proper after-sales services in the laptop segment and services provided by the OEM are very time-consuming as well as costly. Our focus is to offer quality services at a reasonable price," said Alkesh Agarwal, CEO, Re-feel.

Having majored in the cartridge refilling segment, the company will now be focusing on repairing, replacing and quarterly check-ups for laptops. Christened 'Club Laptop', the project will be headed by Rajesh Agarwal and will kick-start in Kolkata and Siliguri.

Speaking about the venture, Agarwal emphasized, "We have excellent contacts in China and Europe, and will be procuring spare parts and related equipment required from these locations. We have always been focusing on offering quality materials and it is our endeavor to offer the best services at a reasonable price."

Speaking about the laptop market, Agarwal added, "These days, laptops are outshining desktops. A laptop offers mobility and ease of use, while desktops are on a steady decline, both in terms of usage as well as in sales in the metro markets. Also, desktops have proper after-sales support team, whereas in the laptop segment, dearth of proper services is plaguing the field. It is in this realm that we are targeting to venture into this segment," Agarwal added.

With a presence across 46 locations and more than 50 outlets, Re-feel has been featured among the 'Top 100 Franchising Business Opportunities in India' and 'Top 30 Emerging Franchisers of India' by The Franchising World this year.

"Although the set-up for a new venture is in place and manpower has been allotted for the project, we may come up with a new set-up altogether instead of routing the service offers through our franchising outlets. We have also hired 40 technical employees for this project and will be entering the mainstream IT industry shortly with unique offerings," Agarwal concluded.

Sources in Re-feel suggested that the company may also offer free consultancy services for consumers to help them decide on which laptop to purchase, and may start dealing directly in laptops. Also, the company is all set to launch a web-portal in this aspect with a toll-free number and SMS services for consultancy and sales.