SUNDAY LEARNINGS
18th May 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders, Mr Sanjay Sindhwani, ex Business Head – Economic Times
I asked Mr Sanjay Sindhwani, ex Business Head – Economic Times – Digital, In this highly competitive market of newspaper and online information, how do you really achieve loyalty amongst your readers?
Trust and Distribution are the key here. Create multiple touch points for the consumer to engage with your brand/product. This ensures that if the consumer is not coming to your product, the product can be delivered to the consumer. That’s how newspaper subscriptions have worked; delivered every morning to your doorstep. However, you could also buy your favourite newspaper at the bus-stand, railway station or the airport, as well.
For the digital avatar of ‘The Economic Times’, we have the web and mobile site, the mobile Apps, where the consumer can come and interact with the product. All the products are highly ‘search optimised’ to lead to discovery and sampling.
When the new user comes to the site, we have several hooks with which we try to create a touch point with the reader. These are in the form of subscription to newsletters, mobile notifications, installing the mobile app, browser notifications, SMS alerts, creating watch-lists or investment portfolios, or following the product on social media etc.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
11th May 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders, Mr Sanjay Sindhwani, ex Business Head – Economic Times
I asked Mr Sanjay Sindhwani, ex Business Head – Economic Times – Digital, Your mantra to be successful in sales?
It starts with the product. You need to know what you are selling. You need to demonstrate how it can benefit your customer. If you have these sorted, your sale is half done.
Next, you must listen to the customer. So often, sales people do not listen to what the customer wants. They are just pushing what they have. If you listen to the customer, then you know the problem or the need that the customer has. If you know the need, then either your product solves that need or it doesn’t. If your product solves it, go ahead, explain and demonstrate that, and you probably have a sale. If it doesn’t, can you create the need? That’s another way to sell. But if you can do neither of the two, don’t hesitate to back out or refer him to someone who can.
In doing so, you may have lost the customer but you build a relationship. Once the sale is closed do follow up. It does not matter if the sale was closed with you or your competitor. Keep investing in the relationship. Sales is all about relationships.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.
4th May 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Ms Anjana Ghosh, Director – Bisleri
I asked Ms Anjana Ghosh, Director – Bisleri, How do you approach a situation when sales don’t happen and the competition is acquiring your customers at a lower price?
Well, it happens many times. You have instances when competition will come and disturb your market. I think those are times you have to take it in stride, and not get demoralized or react immediately. I mean the focus that we give to our sales team is “fine, at this moment somebody has come and disturbed your market.” He has done it, so let him do it, because whatever is a reaction is going to be worse. if you have lost sales, just wait, relax, because what you are giving the other person cannot give, so believe in your service.
And it has so many times happened that especially with corporates, they all go by rates: I am getting Aquafina or Royal challenge for 60 rupees, and if you don’t give me my rate, I won’t be able to give you this account. We say, okay, fine. Within three months they come back to us, because nobody can service them. So if my strength is service, I have to keep building on my strength of service. And if I get into a rate battle, there is no end to the rate battle.
https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
27th April 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Ms Anjana Ghosh, Director – Bisleri
I asked Ms Anjana Ghosh, Director – Bisleri, How does Bisleri differentiated themselves in this highly competitive market ?
We can offer various sizes and timely delivery. And that is the biggest challenge: we have to reach the trade in time. In our industry whoever reaches first to the outlet takes the giant share of the cash which is available at the outlet. We take pride in saying the trade can clock his time and say that now the Bisleri vehicle is coming.
The advantage and the differentiation that we have today is service. You tell me the time you want your product in the office and it will reach you. Some people have a 1 o’clock time, some people a have 3 o’clock time, and some will say come in the night because my office is empty at that time. We have night deliveries also. All the Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) and these offices that run 24/7, we have night deliveries for them. So I think today my differentiator is, first, of course, the brand, and the second is the service.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
20th April 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders, Mr.Harsh Bisht – Banking & Capital Markets Leader – EY
I asked Mr Harsh Bisht, banking and capital markets leader – EY, How important is networking and share your experience in networking?
Consulting is a knowledge industry. Knowledge industry works best when you share knowledge. Sharing of knowledge happens when you reach out and network with clients on a one on one basis. This can happen through sharing a thought leadership article or becoming knowledge partners at forums along with established institutes like CII, or Assocham, or FICCI, etc.
The best way to network is to be in touch with the client. I try to tell my clients, I want to have coffee and a ‘no agenda meeting’ with you at least once a quarter. In these coffee meetings, I need to add value to the client and build his Trust in me. One-to-one networking is the best form of networking which facilitates one becoming a highly Trusted advisor to the client. Once we have the ‘top of mind’ share/ recall of the client, business will follow.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
13th April 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders, Mr.Harsh Bisht – Banking & Capital Markets Leader – EY
I asked Mr Harsh Bisht, banking and capital markets leader – EY, How do you identify your target customer and how do you go about working with them?In consulting, typically one starts with identifying the key accounts that the team wants to target. These Key Accounts can come from a target industry &/ or target segment and / or propensity to penetrate the solution being proposed. for example, some consulting firms may not want to target the largest and topmost clients in an industry. Instead, they might focus on tier 2 clients where the need & impact of the Solution or Offering is more profound, whereas in stronger industries & solution set, one may identify the top 3 clients as their Key Accounts.
Once we identify the Key Accounts, the next step is to do enough research on the client – financial performance, Key Stakeholders, press releases, investor reports, CEO interviews, etc. so that we know the Key Account from all dimensions, and their public stances. Parallely, identify existing relationships within internal organisation network and outside networks to make the connections.
Our target is the CXO community, which is the head of business, the Chief Risk officer, the Chief Financial Officer, Chief HR Officer etc. We try to meet these CXOs regularly to understand their aspirations, current gaps, potential need and share our point of views on the industry trends, latest developments, benchmarks, best practices, etc. Once a basic relationship is established, then one has to actually nurture these relationship.
The key is keeping in touch with the client, dialoguing with them, appreciating them when they are doing well, staying with them when they are not doing well and then exploring any opportunity. Consulting is all about subtle selling when you are trying to create a need and win it on a nomination basis. Consulting sales is aggressive selling when the client is clear about his requirements and has an RFP.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
6th April 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders, Mr.Harsh Bisht
I asked Harsh Bisht, banking and capital markets leader – EY, his mantra on building lifelong relationships?
Consulting is all about value addition and being able to add value to the client, The simplest way to build relationship is to keep in touch with clients on a variety of subjects which would be interest to them. If one can have a continuous dialogue with clients around new regulation, new innovation, leading trends, industry insights, etc it leads to Value addition to client. Relationships are built by adding Value to client as well as employees – it starts with dialoguing on diverse subjects, giving frank point of views on how it can help or affect ones organisation.
Relationship are not built on transactional value. One has to go beyond the call of duty, and one has to be able to support clients in their larger issues. Clients typically need a sounding board—should I do this or should I do that? Consultants whom they can trust are the best people to reply on for un biased dispassionate advise.
Once you become a sounding board and a trusted advisor, who gives an unbiased opinion to a Client – the long term relationship of two individuals and organisations gets cemented.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
30th March 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders, Mr.Harsh Bisht – Banking & Capital Markets Leader – EY
I asked Harsh Bisht, banking and capital markets leader – EY, How has leadership evolved in the consulting industry over the years? What are three to five critical traits for a successful leader?
He replied, when I started my Consulting career, roughly 28 years ago, Leadership in consulting was all about showing direction, leading, motivating and binding the team together.
This has evolved with a Leader needing to add a few more skills. Let me step back & give you a context – when I joined my first job as a management trainee, I had a horizon of 10 years of gaining experience in one firm before even thinking of moving to another. Today when I interview management graduates & even laterals, their window for a job is at best two to three years & they don’t shy away from saying it explicitly. In current times, typically an entire organization changes in three to four years.
Most Consulting firms hire Engineers + MBA’s with work experience or MBA’s with industry experience. Experience of the Consultant is very important from a Client point of view. More the experienced Consultants, more is his/ her demand at client site. Hence, the evolution in consulting leadership style is all about giving more emphasis on, how do I motivate people and retain them ? Consultants are our only Assets in Consulting – who deliver assignments, at the client site. I can be at the client site once a week, once in 15 days, but the person who is going to be on the ground for eight hours a day is the most important person for the Client. Hence one of the most important trait of a leader in today’s generation is his/ her people management skills so as to (a) Motivate the team which operates from a client site & hardly comes to office (b) Retain the team of high performing MBA’s for a longer period of time and (c) bind the team them together.
Another important evolving trait of the Leader is his Relationship management & Networking skills with an objective of increasing business. Thanks to Social media, one is connected to their clients on Facebook, Linked in & other Social media, etc. This helps in understanding clients more closely, their interests, family, be part of their celebrations, etc. Today, relationship management & networking with clients – both online & more importantly offline, plays an very important role in long term success in Consulting.
Today, Leadership in consulting is about internal management – showing direction, leading, motivating, retaining and binding the team together as well as external management – Relationship management & Networking with clients for sustained business relationships.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
16 March 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Mr. Arijit Basu, ex MD & CEO of SBI Life Insurance
I asked Mr Arijit Basu, ex MD & CEO of SBI Life Insurance his thoughts on leadership today versus when he started couple of decades back?
I think the core leadership traits have remained the same. So a good leader is one who understands what is the requirement of the times. In whatever context; in respect of a company, it will be what is the need of the industry and the company, and then is he able to communicate that to the team around him. That core concept has not changed, but what perhaps has changed and will continue to evolve is the manner of leadership.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
9th March 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Mr. Arijit Basu, ex MD & CEO of SBI Life Insurance
I asked Mr. Arijit Basu, ex MD & CEO of SBI Life Insurance, How has selling evolved in banking and Financial Services over the last 2 decades ?
For me it is like a great evolution primarily on the banking side. So State Bank was and continues to be a giant, but in my first ten or fifteen years of service, all we needed to do was ensure that the customer was well looked after, after he came to the branch.
The products were also simple. It was primarily making a deposit or giving loans. But post-liberalization and with things becoming more complex in the banking sector and competition coming in, you needed to reach out to the customer.
Second, technology has played a role in the sense that earlier we would have to scratch our heads to find out who a good customer is, try to find out how we could reach out to him. Now, reaching out to a customer through technology is easy. We can do so many things: You can personalize offerings related to your core sales/products, or even the experience that a customer has with the financial services company can be totally transformative. For any service industry, the customer is at the core.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
2nd March 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Mr. Sanjiv Navangul, MD & CEO – Bharat Serums Vaccines Ltd
I asked Mr. Sanjiv Navangul, MD & CEO – Bharat Serums Vaccines Ltd, How has leadership changed in the last couple of decades?
He replied This is a misnomer because I do not think leadership principles have changed dramatically. Leadership is about enabling your employees to learn and do well, and as you grow in the hierarchy of your company, your obligation is to help them build their own careers. That obligation has not changed. The only significant change in leadership that I see today is the need to anticipate trends. Our industry is changing at a rapid pace and leaders must work hard to ensure they and their teams can preempt and embrace the evolving landscape around them.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
9th Feb 2025
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Mr. Sanjiv Navangul, MD & CEO – Bharat Serums Vaccines Ltd
Mr. Sanjiv Navangul, MD & CEO – Bharat Serums Vaccines Ltd, is a veteran and expert in the Pharmaceutical industry. I had the good fortune to interview him in my book. Mr. Navangul wore the healthcare leadership hat across countries, so I asked him to share his thoughts on how pharmaceutical selling in India is different from other markets.
He replied that the major difference in terms of the way that pharmaceutical companies sell their medicines is the way in which medicines are paid for. In some countries, medicines are reimbursed or paid for by the government via public health and insurance bodies, and companies essentially sell their medicines to these institutions.
In other countries, often referred to as “self-pay” markets, the patient covers most of the cost of their medicine, and they are the core customer for the company. This is the case in India, where the World Health Organization estimates that 70% of all medical costs are covered by the patient themselves.
Another important point to note is that technology is changing the healthcare landscape in India, and home care is becoming more and more important. Today, doctors are communicating with their patients via digital platforms to consult, monitor and provide treatment to them remotely. So, the patient need not always travel and can still get good quality treatment and care.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
26th Jan 25
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Jaideep Hansraj
I asked Mr. Jaideep Hansraj, CEO – Kotak Bank wealth, How has selling evolved in the finance industry over the last two decades?
He replied Even though the platforms for sales have evolved over the years but the cardinal rule of selling remains the same – Never sell anything to anybody unless you know they would come back for more. In the world where competition and advice are as free flowing as a writer’s wit; it is important to assign a degree of tangibility to the age-old values like credibility and trust. Towards this, the integration of scientific processes and analytics into traditional decision making and reporting has lent better transparency to the clients and thereby strengthened the trust quotient between the managers and clients. This also means selling with a refined degree of customization, in sync with the risk appetite and fund requirements, have become a prerequisite in the present age.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
19th Jan 25
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Jaideep Hansraj
I asked Mr. Jaideep Hansraj, CEO – Kotak Bank wealth, How have you handled a situation when a sales strategy fails?
He said It is like any normal drawback which you have. You have planned a lot, you have executed well, but it didn’t happen, so ultimately it’s a phase. I don’t think it should demotivate anyone to a great extent, but it’s just something which you need to take the team along with you. So it’s not that every month is going to be great month. If it does not work, it means there is something wrong with the product or situation, not with the client or you. So instead of crying over spilled milk, its best to take the learnings in your stride and focus on converting the adversity into an opportunity. As an old proverb goes – you only fail when you don’t learn from the failure.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
12th Jan 25
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Jaideep Hansraj
I asked Mr. Jaideep Hansraj, CEO – Kotak Bank wealth, How do you earn the trust and respect of clients?
He replied Trust has to be earned through consistent behaviour and performance over a period of time. One has to be patient. In my understanding, I would say the easiest way of earning trust is repose it. Take time to understand your clients, their needs, their challenges and their strengths. Focus on what’s important for them and what drives them or motivates them. I keep telling my clients and colleagues that this is not going to happen overnight. You have to keep working at it and over a period of time is when you win over. There is no shortcut to this route.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
5th Jan 25
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Madhavan Menon
I asked Mr. Madhavan Menon, Chairman & MD of Thomas Cook the role and importance of tour manager in Sales.
He succinctly replied, I call these guys our Brand Ambassadors because they accompany groups right throughout a tour and are constantly multi-tasking to fulfill/cater to the requirements of individual customers and resolve problems/complaints they may face. So we made them a part because of their experience and knowledge.
Given the vast experience/knowledge, we have embedded them through the entire experience starting with product development, sharing information during the sales process. Their knowledge is extremely important.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
29th Dec 2024
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Madhavan Menon
I asked Mr. Madhavan Menon, Chairman & MD of Thomas Cook for this thoughts on selling process & customer experience in the travel industry. He replied, We are constantly trying to give our customers “omni-channel” access using Technology. My view is that a customer will decide how they will connect with you. A customer comes to you because they believe that you can fulfill the experiences they are looking for. This belief is based on brand reputation, ability to deliver quality and are user friendly.
As a part of this changeover, we are enabling our agents with Technology that will let customers decide what they want to see. The world now recognizes that a customer is looking for an experience. The customer is going to pick and choose the experience. You are not going to tell the customer what to do. So the mantra today has changed from customer service to customer experience. You don’t determine what the customer wants to experience, but you manage the customer’s experience.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
22nd Dec 24
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Madhavan Menon
Mr. Madhavan Menon, Chairman & MD of Thomas Cook, has more than 2 decades of experience in the Travel & tourism industry. I asked him, Is an Indian customer only looking at the price, or at value, or at value at the right price? He replied; first, the concept of value is heavily embedded in today’s younger generation. They are the future travelers, so I think it’s important. Travel is an aspiration for this generation.
When I buy a holiday, it’s intangible. I have visions in my mind of what I bought for a holiday, so the chances of my being disappointed are very high. Thomas Cook is a bundler of services owned and provided by third parties. You will appreciate that fulfilment is complex, tricky and requires a lot of experience. Thomas Cook through experience, training and well-honed processes is able to deliver a balanced product. I always internally preach to people that you can never get anything 100 percent right. However, what is important is how quickly you can retrieve a situation generated. So from a customer’s perspective, it is managing expectations. We are constantly trying to inject the management of expectations and simultaneously using technology to drive it. I am not saying we have perfected the art. But I believe we have invested a lot in perfecting delivery.
My personal belief is as much as price is an indicator, people also come to you by reputation. Brand loyalty is extremely important in this industry and is determined by word of mouth. But if you are able to manage expectations and retrieve situations, trust me, that loyalty exists. The loyalty to our two brands, SOTC and Thomas Cook, are high. A benchmark of brand loyalty is repeat customers and I can proudly say that to the Thomas Cook and SOTC have good repeat rates.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
15 Dec 2024
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Vishal Kapoor
I asked Mr. Vishal Kapoor, CEO – IDFC MF (now Bandhan MF), Is Selling a Science or an Art? He replied I think selling needs elements of both: The science as well as the art. Among other aspects, the science in selling, on the one hand, provides the ever-so-important process. This can help provide a minimum level of quality and consistency. It’s the framework on which the engagement can be effectively built. It’s a “must-have” for success.
The art, on the other hand, allows for the individual’s interpretation and implementation of the process. This allows the scope for expressing an individual’s style. Appreciation of the “softer aspects” often provides the edge, when combined with the rigour of a well-implemented sales process.
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net
8th Dec 2024
Sales and Leadership Wisdom from the Leaders,Vishal Kapoor
Mr. Vishal Kapoor, CEO – IDFC MF (now Bandhan MF), would have hired many sales leaders, so when asked what qualities he looks in them, he replied,
“relevant technical skills and/or experience in the role are important. However, deciding factors include an assessment of the passion the individual has for the customer; integrity; and positive energy that can spread across the team to find and implement solutions. Cultural fit with the organization’s work ethos is important. A team-based work culture is a critical advantage.”
#salesbooster https://www.amazon.in/dp/1772046221 www.nimeshmehta.net