Just Dial to expand overseas business, set up shop in UK, UAE

MUMBAI: Just Dial will launch in United Kingdom next month and then by October in the United Arab Emirates, after which it will look to expand into South East Asia. Just Dial is looking to expand internationally even as the local search firm goes deeper into the Indian market with its “Search Plus“ services.
Just Dial will launch in the UK next month and then by October in the UAE, after which it will look to expand into South-East Asia.

“The idea is that diehard users of Just Dial should be able to use it wherever they go. And in countries where they don't have a product like Just Dial, they will be addicted once they discover it,“ said founder & CEO VSS Mani.

The development comes at a time when Just Dial is bringing operations in the US and Canada under its direct control. It had launched operations in these markets in 2010 through a licensee. But last week, it terminated the deal as the licensee is not able to operate in those markets.

Just Dial already gets 80,000-1,00,000 visitors a month on its US website. The company said it is not in a hurry to monetise in the international markets, but the focus will be to increase the businesses listed on the platform.

“As expansion in the international market will be through mobile app only, we believe Just Dial will not spend significant cash in the initial years,“ noted Motilal Oswal analysts Niket Shah and Atul Mehra.

Mani believes that Indian consumer internet ventures should not underestimate their capabilities. “If you look at the roaring companies that are doing exceedingly well, including the most valued Indian company TCS, their markets are abroad and the talent is here,“ he said.

Sandeep Murthy, partner at venture capital firm Lightbox, said Just Dial's plans to go international seems like a logical step and good use of operational learnings that they have from India.

Other Indian consumer internet startups, like restaurant booking app Zomato, have already started expansion to other emerging markets. Refurbished products e-tailer Greendust is also looking at international markets.

But even as it is expanding overseas, Just Dial is going deeper into the Indian market with its `Search Plus' where one can book a restaurant table, doc tors appointment, get groceries delivered, book bus tickets or even call a taxi all through its application.

Just Dial is currently offering 20 services through this feature, adding services like movie ticket bookings and hotel bookings over the quarter. “We are integrating every aspect of your day-to-day life into the search plus,“ said Mani.

For the quarter ended June 2014, Just Dial saw its database of listing increasing 48% to 14.1 million while paid campaigns increasing 26% to 2,77,950 on a year-on-year basis. Operating revenue increased by 29% to Rs 135.03 crore, while net profit was up marginally to Rs 28.11 crore during the June quarter.