Efficient & Effective Sales Organizations

Is an efficient sales organisation an effective sales organisation too?

Are they different or the same?

An efficient sales organisation has a set of predefined processes and principles that lead to faster customer acquisition or increased sales revenue. An effective sales organisation is the one that re-aligns or modifies its processes, sales channels, promotions depending on the market conditions, consumer behaviour and life-cycle stage of the product.

An efficient sales organisation is like a well oiled machine that has its own market, customer segments and channels and that sells what has been produced in bulk with a margin that is pre fixed. It is constructed as a’ push marketing ‘ organisation.

An effective sales organisation is like going on a high way but taking alternate routes if the highway is blocked or crowded and finds out new markets to push its produce. It is in-built with market intelligence on pricing, differential margins, competition, product variations and communication. It is constructed as a ‘pull marketing’ organisation.

A start-up would need to start with an effective sales organisation and move towards an efficient sales organization as the product matures and gets into a large market.

#effectivesalesorganisation
#pushmarketing
#pullmarketing
#salesstrategy

How are push and pull marketing strategies deployed and how are they different?

You may read an interesting comparison:

The Difference Between Push and Pull Marketing Strategies

3P’s of Profession, today – Passion, Priority and Paycheck

It is always a question for everybody at some point in a professional career.

  • Should I follow my passion and not bother much about my pay-check?
  • Should I prioritise my monetary needs only and continue work unhappily for an uninterrupted pay-check?
  • Should I combine my passion and my needs to earn a decent pay-check yet balance my personal life?

The answer to each of these questions determines how our career requires to be re-shaped.

For a moment, let us leave aside these questions and ponder over the reasons for the ‘The Great Resignation ‘syndrome that has thrown up a huge challenge for both employees and employers the world over. In US 41% of working people have quit their jobs. In India, nearly 25% in Tech Sector have quit work since last year and millions have lost jobs in both organised and unorganised sectors. They are either jobless or transitioning to new jobs, some going back to their family business or vocation and a very few of them are starting on their own. The scenario, post the pandemic, is posing new challenges in our profession and is making us think of options that are good for our career and family life in the long run. The employers too are grappled with resignations and the vacant positions are getting hard to fill-in,unless the job description makes a few concessions to an aspiring employee.

As per a LinkedIn study, there is a 50% increase Y-o-Y in profile updates, and it is true for every job portal. People are unhappy in their present jobs and quit them for various reasons – burnouts, no recognition, uninspiring work, low pay-check, gender disparity, no employee care, inflexible work hours etc. Gen Z leads ‘The Great Resignation’ pack at 80%, followed by millennials and Gen X.

The pandemic has posed a serious question about the definition of work and is now being re-written to include what is best for a work-life balance and priorities in life. People are switching jobs for flexibility, better employee perks, work location, family needs or for pursuing their favourite field of work. The brave ones oozing self-confidence in their skills and savings, go on their own to create their worlds.

Going back to those three questions, what would we pick? 

The first option is riskier but not so if we have saved enough to wither away the possible tough times that we could expect with this option. The second one is for prioritising money over an uninspiring job, bad boss, stagnating career, yet pay- check is regular and mortgages / EMIs are paid on time. The 3rd option also looks to be an interesting choice for it helps to meet family needs with lesser work hours and remote work with just enough pay but more time to pursue a field of work or hobby that we are passionate about, or we could also pick up new skills or pursue an academic course that we have been postponing for a long time.

We are the one to decide what works best for us. There is no single prescription for all.

Cleaning the mind – my way

A struggle always goes on inside me. Am I doing the right thing? Is my action a reflection of what I think and how I change myself toward a cleaner and clearer way of mending my mind? When I say a ‘cleaner or clearer way’, it is about my conscience of doing the right things in a transparent, logical way.

Introspection is always the best tool to see the weak and bright spots in our journey, whether personal or professional. It is a way of doing a course correction of weak spots which is so essential that we re-align ourselves back towards fulfilling our objectives or goals. We can’t afford to wait till the end as enough resources or time may not be available for the last mile push that is much needed to taste success.

I believe success or achievement is always a process, staying clear of cobwebs in our mind and you never get there by only luck or favours. For me, it is a continuous process.

Happy Diwali !

It’s a War – Artificial Vs Natural

Marketing is all about enhancing both the innate and absolute needs of human population – sensual, egoistic, pompous, lustrous, gobbling, auditory, bodily and mental. Today, AI is helping the marketeers to visualise these needs and also create them with wide variations. The result is that you have a plethora of options that tempt you to empty your wallets.

Our daily personal and work lives are going to be more controlled and tightly scheduled to get the best out of the gadgets that we experience.

We will not be allowed to deviate from the way these products guide / control us but the software developers or product designers are the ones who will re-write how they will have to function or change based on how we perceive our thoughts or needs. There is constant innovation of products from tech giants, hand-held device or electronic appliance manufacturers, auto or machinery makers; and a marketing war is on our hands with artificial intelligence overtaking our natural intelligence. There is no doubt that AI is an evolution of human intelligence and a machine algorithm works on itself to multiply the possibilities of AI in a wider canvass.

With all these developments, we still have the option of moving away as a subject in this marketing blitzkrieg and we could lead a blissful life that resonates more with nature and that quells materialistic expectations to achieve an inner peace.

Are we game for this life today and in the future?

Cherry picking the right talent

A talent war is on in IT sector today. When one rejects a talent, another picks it up. Sign-on bonus, flexible working, remote working and freelance work models are encouraged to get the right talent.

There are a few trends that shape up the process of hiring talents in IT sector today with technology and human elements largely coming into play.

  • Increased need for new-age skills
  • Emerging need for freshers to help mould the young minds to learn new talent needs
  • Engagement of contingent or freelance labour
  • Rise of fully remote and hybrid working models
  • Talent scouting beyond geographies

#employeeengagement #talenthiring

Read an interesting article about this emerging trend in the industry.

https://www.peoplematters.in/article/employee-engagement/five-trends-that-have-emerged-following-the-talent-war-in-the-it-sectors-31040

-Bhavana Jain, Director & Chief Human Resources Officer at Netcore Cloud.

Future Proof your life

20 years ago, we lived in a phase of life with all gadgets around us to communicate with others, take pictures, store data,copy documents etc. But 20 years from now it will be fascinating and exciting for us to learn how our life is going to be easier with technology pervading into our daily life determining what and how we should do.

I came across an interesting article by Sandeep Parasrampuria that lists some of the technological wonders that we will learn to accept and move on with our life.

https://www.digit.in/features/general/20-thrilling-technologies-that-will-change-lives-20-years-from-now-59663.html

Sandeep Parasrampuria, CEO, Fingers sheds light on 20 thrilling technologies that will change lives 20 years from now

Industry leader | Published on 10 Jun 2021

We’re celebrating our 20th birthday this month, and we’ve invited industry experts, researchers and scientists to write in and paint a vision of the future, 20 years from now. Here’s what Sandeep Parasrampuria, CEO, Fingers had to share about his vision of the future.

Before we look at 2040, let’s take a quick trip down memory lane to 20 years past. Life at the start of the new millennium was completely unalike today and filled with technology that is no longer known to the modern generation. Landlines, Floppy Disks, VCRs, Phone Books, Copiers, Film cameras went from awesome to obsolete real quick. 

It is interesting to see where the digital world will be headed by 2040. Digital enhancements and innovations may leave us baffled in 2040, wondering how we lived 20 years ago!

Let’s ponder on how fascinating 2040 could possibly be!

One – Virtual cloud on-the-go. Data and information might be available virtually as air. Everything on the go will take on a literal meaning and the word “connect” in your gadgets will be out! Imagine wherever you are – in elevators, or car, or airplane; data will move seamlessly without a thought.

Two – AI will make you believe the world revolves around your choice! As you talk, discuss, act – all around you will be your discussions and at fingertips or, perhaps a wink! AI will resemble RI (Real Intelligence) 

Three – Driverless and automated intelligent cars will move, self-park and may fly too! 

Four – People’s job profiles will change. They will need to work less! Most routine work will be covered by robotics.

Five – Typing or working on gadgets my get redundant and will be replaced by voice commands and gesture movements.

Six – Local/Vernacular languages will no longer be barriers to trade and travel. On the go translations of spoken and written language will ensure a global world and smoother travel. 

Seven – Green energy will be affordable and freely available. A quieter lifestyle will actually be a reality with vehicles running on clean, renewable power sources.

Eight – Virtual charging surfaces will be ubiquitous, allowing effortless charging of gadgets on table-tops or car dashboards/surfaces.

Nine – Space Tourism will turn from fantasy into a reality! Holidays to Mars, round trip around Venus and perhaps, some may prefer to settle in outer space!

Ten – Medical treatments will be robotics driven for high precision needs.

Eleven – All gadgets will be connected to the cloud. IoT will be way of life.

Twelve – Robots and Cobots – Most of the routine workforce will be replaced by robots partially or, completely giving rise to the term Cobots i.e. Colleagues that are Robots.

Thirteen – Personal banking and professional banking will see massive developments with blockchain technology making it cheaper, faster and secure. Won’t be surprised if physical money and physical banking concepts may vanish or will be limited to specific requirements. 

Fourteen – Physical credit cards will be replaced by virtual limits in your wallets.

Fifteen – Computer/Laptop will be thin and practically weightless. Even foldable, like a sheet enabling you activate it any place and anywhere. 

Sixteen – Remote business meetings will be conducted virtually as a standard. People may travel just for rejuvenation. Business travels will be limited to physical installations or luxury to spend physical time with partners/colleagues.

Seventeen – Wearable gadgets will be indispensable. They will be miniaturised and may be even inserted in ones’ body. Information and entertainment will revolve around these gadgets.

Eighteen – Wearable gadgets will pre-empt possible body disorders to take required actions in the nick of time.

Nineteen – Theatres will be at every home with at least 60”+ display installed with plethora of content on the cloud. This will be economical entertainment at its best!

Twenty – 3D Printing will be used to construct buildings, structures, and some products within a matter of hours/days which are taking months and years to do presently.

Welcome to 2040 – A New Digital World – more comfortable, connected, and effortless living!

– By Sandeep Parasrampuria, CEO, Fingers

Little thoughts….

Sometimes the wrong train takes you to the right station.

Situations don’t make you happy, we make them happy and memorable too at times.

We chase dreams, nightmares chase us. Choose the right approach towards life.

Reality is like a clear water, you see it only after a long & patient wait.

Don’t try to pretend to be clever all the time. It is good to be dumb at times to know the truth.

Street smartness works well at sales but it doesn’t with friends or loved ones.

Chance and opportunity are two extremes. One arrives unexpectedly and the other is found out after you put in considerable effort.

Mediocre men are tolerated in organisations but mediocre women aren’t. Women have to make huge effort to stand out.

Excellence requires hard work to achieve and harder to maintain for a longer time.

Buying Peace is all good but it needs huge effort to work towards it.

Everything in this world is bought over a trade, including peace and enmity.

Governments could be reckless and squander people’s money but not the head of the family.

What is good for you is good for your society and country too.

All over the world governments work towards making poor poorer and rich richer.

Inefficiency is not measured in any manner, it shows up in the results.

Love for the country is not shown only when look up at the flag, but we show it when all people are treated equal and happily co-exist. Happy society, Happy country.

Economy and Confidence

Economy is about confidence. When a bond is issued by a Government, it promises to pay back the bearer in future. The bearer is confident that his/her money will be paid back by the Government. 

The world relies on confidence between people, banks, governments and countries. If a link is broken in a chain of transactions between any two players, then it is breach of confidence that creates enmity, hatred, litigation and bankruptcy.

Governments all over the world try to ensure the wheels are running, the chain intact, ensuring the economical and financial parameters are always kept in balance. So when a government borrows money to spend on its people, it is expected that the borrowings never cross a threshold limit. If it does, the burden of debt it borrowed falls on its people.  Not only that, people are forced to pay more taxes when the government hikes up the tax rates to increase revenue to pay back its debts.

An efficient government spends money only on developmental related work, GDP growth initiatives and upliftment of needy but most of the time the funds go for appeasement of certain sections of people and other wasteful expenditure. Recently a state government in India came out with a white paper on its financial status that revealed that each household in that state carries a debt burden of Rs 263000 ( approx $3500). What a sorry state of governance! In Indian ethos, borrowing beyond one’s personal repayment capability is always frowned upon and people have grown imbibing the culture over many generations until credit card and personal loan offers came into their life and made them spendthrifts.

A Government needs to be extremely prudent in managing its revenues and debts and work towards a path of growth of its economy and people. The day the politicians and bureaucrats realise they are duty bound to keep the people happier that will be the day the true meaning of good governance is felt. Until then, it is a life of misery and sorrow.

Business Sustainability over a century – An Indian Model

There are numerous business houses in India that have survived many decades and some of them are older than 100 years. The founding fathers of these businesses had such a great vision and foresight of how their businesses needed to survive long years in the interest of community and economy of the nation. They had built their business on a strong foundation of values – ethical, social relevance, economical sustenance and environmental awareness. A sustainable business does not need any newer definition of Corporate Governance. These Corporate houses and the then Indian Governments co-existed so purposefully, unmindful of global competitions and resource crunch. The unselfish entrepreneurism of the founders, always keeping the consumers in mind, amply underlines the need for businesses to be always customer and people centric. They created lakhs of employment opportunities for successive generations to earn, live, thrive and prosper.

Business sustainability is the buzz word today in the corporate world but every business must be aware that there are business groups and entities like Birla Group, Wadia Group, Times of India, Shalimar Paints, TATA Group, Shapoorji Pallonji Group, Dabur, Kirloskar Group, Godrej & Boyce, ITC, TVS Group, SBI etc are living examples on how they have sustained their existence over many decades.

Not with standing two World Wars, the Great Global depression, India’s independence struggle, the population growth, the licence-permit raj, controls on foreign exchange and expansion, and the reforms of the 1990s: a handful of Indian companies have seen it all, and adapted along the way to do well. India has around three dozen century-old companies that are listed and still actively traded. One will be surprised to see such a long list of corporations that have weathered many storms and are still standing tall as a true testimony to the indomitable spirit of their leaders, their business acumen and ethical mind set.

“Response to change is the first condition for survival in business,” says Dwijendra Tripathi, a former IIM professor who authored The Oxford History of Indian Business

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_companies_in_India