|
This
is the first anniversary issue of Confluence, and
we are delighted with the response that this
newsletter has generated. The positive feedback
and interest in our newsletter inspires us to do
better with every issue.
Prayag
also entered into its third year of operations on
September 1 2003
, and we take this opportunity to thank all our
clients and well wishers without whose support we
could not have come this far.
Today,
with a bank of about 20 satisfied clients across
the IT services, Products and BPO spaces, and an
enthusiastic team that brings to the table over 50
person years of industry experience, Prayag is
ready to explore new vistas.
Some
of the key shifts in thinking we have observed in
the Indian IT industry in the last year -
Companies, young and established, have realized
that a good team in the market is a “must” for
growth, and have made appropriate investments into
this function. They are also beginning to realize
that success will come to those who are
relentless, goal-oriented and systematic in their
approach to prospecting. This means that companies
are creating offshore based marketing support
teams to complement the field force. That’s not
all. Many companies have understood the importance
of staying in touch with the market and
competition. The need for influencer management is
also being increasingly felt. We have had many
discussions on putting in place analyst programs
in the last six months. Also, the need to
communicate proactively with the various target
audiences has increased the breadth and depth of
marcomm initiatives. On a similar note, realizing
that a “bird in hand is better than two in the
bush” a lot of companies have begun looking
seriously at account management and customer
relationship programs.
As
has been widely reported, many mid-tier players
have begun focusing on a few key areas / verticals
in order to differentiate themselves. While the
market need to do so is obvious, what it takes to
become a successful niche player is not so
obvious. We have featured in the “Tomorrow
makers” section, an interview with Mr. Anand
Sudarshan, CEO of Bangalore based Netkraft, a
company that has been quite successful in adopting
such a strategy.
In
line with the theme of focusing and going to the
market with an enhanced value proposition, we
carry an article on the trends in the retail
industry and what impact can IT make on retail
businesses. The article concludes with some points
to ponder for companies that wish to offer
services to retailers.
Prayag
has always opined that sales and marketing is not
as abstruse a function as it is made out to be.
Those companies that understand this, and approach
the market in a systematic, goal-driven way, are
bound to find success. Sales and marketing systems
are especially important for all companies that
address global markets with a dispersed team.
And
among systems, one that is most useful and
important is a knowledge management system. Such
systems are even more important for growing
companies, and those that are betting on a focused
strategy, and this is why-
Growing
companies may not have the most well oiled team
for sales and marketing. Most companies we have
seen have a young team, recently recruited and
needing a lot of support. On the other hand,
growing companies are also continuously building
competencies and strengthening their track record;
this information needs to be made available to the
sales team so that they can present the
capabilities of their company in the most
compelling fashion to prospects. Thus, the need
for a knowledge management system which is kept up
to date cannot be understated. However, what we
find is that such initiatives are mostly being
embarked only by larger companies.
In
this issue of Confluence, we present in the best
practices section the sales and marketing
knowledge management system used by Interglobe
Technologies, an emerging niche player providing
solutions to the global travel industry.
|
