10 COMMANDMENTS ON CREATING AN ECOSYSTEM TO CLOSE DEALS FAST & EFFICIENTLY

1. Train the sales team on attitude, responses, telephone / email / messaging etiquette and customer centricity

2. Slowly, steadily and continually indoctrinate a *winners mindset* in them

3. Create high learning quotient in your agents. Conduct product quiz regularly & incentivise product learning.

4. Automating your sales processes (CRM, SFA, Call centre software, Customer care solution etc) is a must BUT please do not complicate it for sales guys while entering it. Sales people enjoy winning cases than documenting them.

5. When an executive joins, she must be properly oriented through her JD, KRA and KPIs. W.r.t. KPIs, encourage her to do self reviews.

6. Do not fill up you customer / prospect database with incoherent, unintelligent data. Data must be accurate, continually updated and relevant, so that your agents are able to touch base the right contact at the right time.

7. Clean your customer data from time to time (people leave companies often) and add current data (name & coordinates of contacts) so that it is fresh and accurate

8. Feed the agent with appropriate domain based case studies and customer endorsements / references to help her close the deals.

9. Get your HR manager to come up with programs that create curiosity, excitement and positivity in your agents. Create a calendar of activities in advance for training & fun sessions. Have monthly colourful award / reward function for them.

10. The reviewing mentors & superiors must have continuous ‘one on one’ session with the agents periodically. Do reviews decently and positively. Keep negativity and criticisms out. Never hurt the self esteem of executives. Objective of the mentors must be to create a winner’s mindset in them.

KALPATHY RATHOLSAVAM 2023

All these years, one was only hearing and reading about Kalpathy Chariot Festival (Ratholsavam) but the urge to see it and experience it finally materialised this year. So, my wife & I, off we went to Kalpathy on the 16th November which was the crescendo day of the festivities. A good friend, Prof. (Dr) Rajeswari who is a resident of Kalpathy ‘Agraharam’ (the Tamil name of a traditional Brahmin village) played the role of a perfect host,

The Ratholsavam is similar to the famous Rathayatra, the annual chariot festival carrying the ‘vigraha’ of Lord Jagannath of Puri, Odisha (which gave rise to the English word, “Juggernaut”, meaning an overwhelming force). This is a unique festival, conducted in pure Vedic tradition by the migrant Tamil Brahmins (locally called, Bhattar / Pattar - പട്ടർ) who settled on the banks of Kalpathy river, a tributary of the river Nila or Bharathapuzha, during 14th century CE. The temple of Lord Shiva with consort Parvathy (addressed here as Viswanatha & Visalakshi) was consecrated sometime during 1425 CE. The progenies of migrant Brahmins from Thanjavur, Kumbakonam & Madurai, settled in 4 adjoining villages of Chathapuram, Govindarajapuram, Kalpathy & New Kalpathy; all come together in these days, carrying the Gods of their own village along with them, in hugely decorated wooden chariots. Thus the Lords; Siva with consort Parvathy, Ganesha, Vishnu & Subramanya move around Kalpathy and finally have their confluence in front of the Viswanatha temple on the last day. This, we experienced in its awesome beauty, milling with huge crowd (it is said that over a 100,000 people visit here on the last day)

It is a real sight watching the devotees pull the HUGE chariots. Men, women, children, old & young; all partake in it, singing devotional songs. The force required to pull the chariot is tremendous and while on move, the stability of the chariot needs to be keep, which can be managed only by experienced hands. All these happening with hundreds of thousand people moving around, with no untoward mishap all through these days, is a humongous task by itself.

Festivals like Kalpathy Ratholsavam manifests the legacy of the rich tradition and culture of the country and the state. Something that started 7 centuries ago, is still enacted in its pristine glory by the descendants who had significantly partaken in the progress of the country! Being there at the historic Ratholsavam, observing it with the underlying knowledge of our glorious past, was an experience in itself

A DAY @ STATE BANK INSTITUTE OF LEADERSHIP (SBIL), KOLKOTA.

Based on the invitation of the Dean of SBIL, Prof. Dr. N. Krishna Kumar to deliver a session on “Higher Leadership for Organisational Excellence” at this institute on the forenoon of 4th December, 2023 and also to partake in the Panel discussion with Dr Anil K Khandelwal, former CMD of Bank of Baroda & Shri. Arun K Jain, Sr. Vice President of SBI Capital, moderated by Dr KK by the same evening on the theme, ‘Leading in the age of disruption & transformation’.

The institute is located in the Fintech Zone of fast developing Newtown of Kolkata. In style, substance and size, SBIL is a huge edifice having all modern infrastructure to conduct multiple concurrent residential leadership programs not only for the senior managers of State Bank of India (SBI) but also for senior officers of other banks within and outside India.

The one that I lectured was an International Leadership Development Program for senior managers of multiple banks located in 5 different nations (Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Indonesia & India), a cohort of 30 officers attending it for a week. In fact the program started with my session. I had enjoyed delivering it and I hope the participants have had some good take-aways.

The panel discussion had a larger audience, in addition to the above cohorts, it was also physically attended by the close to 70 Dy. General Managers of SBI who were undergoing training here, plus close to 200 alumnus of SBIL attending in online mode from different parts of the world. The panel discussion was truly enriching with Dr Khandelwal leading it in his inimical style.

Having lectured in many similar institutions in the past, I observed SBIL to be far ahead of others, in terms of both content and delivery. Its top class infrastructure surely aids the knowledge dissemination in a big way. For me too, it was a new but pleasant experience.

Learning and development must be the key to growth and sustenance of any corporate. While this is a global understanding, it is not the way Indian corporates look at L&D. We see regular cuts being effected on L&D budgets of many companies. It is indeed heartening to see SBI standing as an exception to this.

I am very impressed by the care given to us by the multitasking Dean, Prof. N Krishna Kumar and the efficient, unassuming Director of the Institute, Shri. K.V Bangarraju, who is also a General Manager of SBI. With such committed professionals in the top, it is no wonder that SBIL is delivering world-class L&D programs to its stakeholders.

NAVARA RICE - A SUCCESS STORY

Narayanan Unny hails from a traditional farming family in Chittoor, Palakkad District of Kerala.

I had known him since mid-80’s, that was when he approached me seeking business partnership from Hindustan Computers Limited that I headed in Kerala at that time, which he set up at Calicut & Palakkad and ran fairly well for many years.

His father’s death was a turning point in his life.  He decided to go back to rice farming that his dad was following. For more than 150 years, the family owned 15+ acre paddy field. Rather than being a  ‘Palakkadan Matta Rice’ cultivator, he thought radically to revive the Navara rice cultivation, that was endemic to the place, but has been practically extinct.

Navara rice has this enormous medicinal properties and traditional Ayurveda greatly depends on it for the treatment of cervical spondylosis, low backache, paralysis, rheumatoid arthritis & neuromuscular disorders.

The book, ‘Navara Rice - A success Story’ published by ‘Trust for Advancement in Agricultural Science’, New Delhi headed by Dr. RS Paroda, briefs his struggle and endeavour of more than 2 decades. While a normal farmer would have given up, Unny, with great efforts and with the goodwill and assistance from family, friends, scientists, policy makers and industry bodies; revived Navara rice and established its supply chain as a true organic food.

Unny & I have always been in touch and are good family friends. Though fully aware of his acts, I had not considered the true value of Unny’s endeavor until I read this book and then for the next half an hour I let my mind go through his trials to establish Navara Eco Farm. It was indeed a committed but tough act.

Narayanan Unny, the one man army’s determination, patience, perseverance and toil to revive a practically extinct rice variety and the successful outcome of establishing the most valued Navara rice back in to the shelves, for people & ayurvedics to use it,  for deriving immense health benefits from it; is an epic story by itself.  

There is a Tamil novel by Jayakanthan, titled, ‘Sila nerangalil sila manithargal’. Loosely translated, it says, ‘some persona in some moments’. To me, Narayanan Unny is the really the man of the moment.

May the planet beget more Narayan Unny’s!

TRICKS PLAYED BY THE E - COMMERCE SITES ON THE ONLINE CUSTOMERS

 In order to entice/retain customers (even if they are a dissatisfied lot), and continue to increase the yield per client, ecommerce companies resort to many tactics that many a time, are identified as unethical (at times, illegal). Some of them are: 

1. Subscription Trap 

When you want to unsubscribe, the site will redirect you through a series of pages, thereby tiring you and making it technically impossible for you to unsubscribe 

2. False Urgency 

Creating, of course falsely, a sense of the urgency in your mind. E.g: while booking hotel room, message popping out saying, “ only 1 room left”

3. Basket Sneaking 

While checking out, including additional items in your shopping cart without you knowing and/or without your consent  

4. Confirm Shaming

Using an audio or video response to create a sense of shame / fear / guilt in the buyer. For e.g: when you drop a product from the cart, a video response coming from the screen making you feel cringe feeling guilty or shame 

5. Forced Action 

Forcing the user to buy additional items. For e.g: auto check mark for flight insurance while booking an online air ticket. 

6. Privacy Zuckering 

When ticking ‘terms & conditions’ during an online purchase, the same term sheet would have included a line taking your your consent for sharing your data, without your realising it. Many terms & conditions are laborious and come in fine print and buyers don’t actually read while buying online ! 

7. Interface Interference 

The design of the site that manipulates user interface, depending on the system’s buyer knowledge E.g: a) highlights certain specific information; and (b) obscures other relevant information 

8. Bait & Switch 

Advertising a particular outcome based on user’s action such as luring customers into using a product under attractive terms, then change the conditions once engaged, forcing them to accept the outcome, usually a paid service. 

9. Drip Pricing

The pricing elements are not revealed upfront. Minimal pricing information is available but when you click to buy, other pricing elements are loaded to it. 

10. Disguised Advertisement

Hiding additional inputs from buyers until they are committed to making a purchase. E.g: disguised advt. on the software download page to boost ad revenue, such as, displaying advertisements with a prominent download button that closely resembles the actual download button for the desired software.

These are called dark patterns, and these tactics are employed  by e-commerce sites when you reach out to it for buying. Many Governments, now also India, are enacting regulations against it including punitive measures. 

NARCISSISTIC GASLIGHTERS

Long ago, while employed, a colleague of mine in product marketing used to mock at me regularly, telling me that many sales managers with whom I am communicating, feel that I am not in touch with reality, whenever I send them new campaign directions. Funnily, I never heard this from any sales personnel directly within the company. 

A Marwari entrepreneur friend in the same business vertical as I was, whenever we used to meet, told me me that he genuinely feel for me and my company but my way of handing a particular principal vendor was incorrect. (It was another thing that he also had this vendor as his supplier)

A young and enthusiastic auditor friend with a good background, an associate in the movement that we are part of, used to shower me all the respect on one-on-one basis, whenever got an opportunity in a crowd with me, cut jokes at my expenses

An advocate member of the club that I had chartered, used to listen to my speeches in the club intently but once it is over, will publicly remark in the end, “what else is expected of you, as usual, you did that long winding speech”

In my professional, personal and social life, I had come across enough of such associates/friends (?) trying to upset me or ridicule me with such comments, assessing me incorrectly, trying to manipulate the reality around me, I used to wonder, ‘why they do so’? 

Upon my reading and research over the period, I had realised that these are the envious narcissistic gaslighters, doing it to upset my self esteem, thus trying to off balance me, making me think that something is wrong with me. 

Gaslighting is defined as a manipulative tactic employed by someone to gain power & control over the other, planting seeds of uncertainty thus affecting other’s self esteem through the process of self-doubt. When it is done to you by egoistic people who are jealous of your abilities, they turn out to be Narcissistic Gaslighters. 

Through outright lying, manipulating reality, scapegoating and coercion, the gaslighter tries to intentionally distort your reality, making you feel that what you are  seeing or feeling isn't real. This could even affect your mental wellness. 

The gaslighters try to show that they love / respect you but their intent is to serve themselves, whether it is to gain more power or control or to feel that they are better than others.

How do you handle the envious, narcissistic, gaslighter? 

When you recognise one, as much as possible, be away from him. You consciously stand firm in your truth even if he is trying to use communication to make you self doubt. Do not indulge him or try to outsmart him, that is what he is waiting to pile on you further. By increasing the support system around you and sharing the truth with them you can help yourself retain sanity.

Beware of the gaslighters, they are toxic!

EXCUSE PLEASE, WE ARE INDIANS

In every domestic travel (be it bus, train or plane) that I do, I get deeply perturbed by the haste, hurry and disorderliness displayed by the passengers. They hurry into the vehicle as if others are going to take away their reserved seats. Even before the end of the journey, and before the vehicle comes to halt, they jump up, pick up their luggage and stand, showing big urgency in getting out! 

The domestic transports are always noisy with people talking to each other in high decibels, passengers listening to loud music/video in their mobile phones without earphones and the like. One aways notice lack of calmness & patience and the body language, that of perpetual restlessness! 

Even outside, in driving, in the usage of public facilities &  conveniences, the lack of civility is tremendously visible. The hustle and din prevails completely on the Indian in whatever he does. We behave as if the world is going to end imminently before which we must complete the act! 

In many parts of the developed world that I had travelled, I always found a sense of orderliness in the behaviour of its citizens, be it travelling in public transports, driving vehicles, shopping, eating in restaurants, walking & crossing roads  etc. They strictly adhere to the system, rules and the policy framework. All these are built with very high level of precautions that give assurance to the denizens of highest levels of safety & security to their life and properties. And they calmly go about with their life in orderliness. 

I used to wonder, why we are built the way we are. A majority of Indians live in misery and the demography is so huge for a country of India’s size. It is like too little for too many people wanting things, and that insecurity creeps into all our acts which results in all these wanton behaviour. Though large percentage of population had progressed out of poverty, the ‘poverty in the mind’ continues to haunt everyone.

And the irritation grows more when we hear the myopic leaders tell us how good we are, what ‘sanskriti’ we had and why we should not ape the developed world. Mired in superstitions and pseudoscience, they tell us how we ‘contributed’ to the progress of the world. They intricately mix up religion & caste with the polity, to keep us tied in as parochial clans, despising others. 

It is clear that unless we free our mind, consciously get out the sense of misery and allowing to see others with empathy & positivity, we shall  continue with our clannish hooligan behaviour.