Cartoon Dating Day 4

SS: I joined Jain College in Bangalore for doing my BCA. I was living without pocket money.. My parents gave only as much as i needed.. I got Rs 25 per day.. 25 * 30 = 750.. included everything.. My father’s argument was go eat at Aunts place.. go in bus.. why u want money..

My dad is a highly disciplined man.. He always had a fixed schedule.. He wakes up at 4:45 in the morning.. If I had any stains of discipline.. it is only because of him.. He sleeps at 9:30 in the night sharp come what may! He always told me that If I do things on time.. I will be already half successful.. I started incorporating what he said and I saw changes.. After that I have been doing things on time.. Even now.. I reach office first.. It worked wonders for me.. If there is one message I would like to tell even today.. it is “Work on time”

So, to make up for the pocket money, my friend & I decided to work in the night.. I joined AOL.. I had a very interesting interview there.. I was reasonably at good english.. They asked me What I was doing.. I told full time graduation.. Later they come & tell us.. that they cant take full timers.. I asked the HR what if I tell correspondence.. The HR told.. correspondance is ok.. So We went again.. to the SAME PERSON. He recognized..

We were laughing.. He was very serious.. Actually interviews get recorded and interviewers are also assessed for their skills.. So he cant laugh I guess.. I told him that I did my graduation by correspondence.. A BLATANT LIE.. Finally HR came & told that both of us were selected.. The friend the same day.. I joined a week later. He is now doing his MBA in Australia..

AOL was an amazing place.. We had great training.. We also got 2 hours in play station.. etc.. AOL had lots of games.. so we must know the products well to support the customer requests.. to tell the good things about the product etc

Work was very cool… Office was in ITPL and it was a big thing for us to be at ITPL.. I was earning 6000 a month..

At AOL.. I was put in a dept called SAVES – Whenever a customer calls for cancellation, we have to retain them.. Hence the name SAVES.. Actual AOL model is like this.. they give a CD for free trial for 21 days.. And you have to cancel before 21st day.. Else on 22nd day you get automatically charged.. Only then customers would call to cancel.. It was also very expensive.. 23.95$ per month.. lot of money.. compared to 6-7$ per month provided by others. And We had saves target of 80%..

Before I left .. i was at 90%.. So, I was promoted to join Platnium club based on my performance.. But people in Platnium club worked day shifts only.. Majority of Irate customers.. called in US night i.e., day time in India.. But obviously I had college and So I couldnt continue.. Hence I left AOL give some fake reason… you see my manager doesnt know that I was studying..

Me: Cool.. So after AOL.. what next?

SS: After AOL, I was dabbling with a few things before the next big thing happened.. It is called the UTHBLIGHT.. It was a network of jain college students.. Those were the days when orkut/facebook were not there.. UTHBLIGHT was a common platform to talk anything.. science.. culture. debates.. It was a Get together sort of a thing.. It expanded quite soon and we had a student rep in every college.. jain.. jnc.. mcc.. We had editors to make articles of the meets.. We soon had a formal body.. We had election & I won the election and was made the President.. That is where I met Rohit (Partner at Dream Gains)..

We grew UTHBLIGHT a 8000 student body from various colleges.. Infosys started coming to us & sponsored some part.. We got around 10,000 – 15,000/- and called people for internships.. That is when one of the big mistakes we committed as a group.. There was some personal misunderstanding due to 1 girl and 3 or 4 guys.. Someone proposed the girl and the girl accepted.. And there was some politics etc.. We lost in the mess.. And we shut down UTHBLIGHT.. That is when we learnt what big mistake we committed.. Things shouldnt depend on individuals.. And I learnt that next time I build something, it must be built to last.. beyond the individuals..

Me: That was a lesson learnt the hard way I guess! What after this?

SS: Yes, we learnt it the hard way.. and it was big network and we let it disintegrate due to personal reasons.

Then I joined as a HR traine in LYCAS.. My work was to type resumes for candidates who come.. We used to recruit till 1 or 2 in the night.. They wanted me to relocate to Chennai… As usual, I couldnt. So I Quit..

Then I applied for DELL for job.. I went to final round of the Interview.. But I did get through.. I asked the HR Why didnt get through.. HR didnt give reason.. The interviewer there was a senior manager..

I asked them how do I apply again.. They told apply after 6 months later.. I did well in the interview.. I wanted to get into Dell because it was a more of a challenge..

Me: Ok.. But you did join Dell right!

SS: Yes, that was much later. After this incident, I applied to Transworks.. I used to be in credit card sales experience.. I was working for Canada.. Basically had to make a lot of Cold calls… It was one of the best learning experience..

I was doing 1 sales per hour. We were having targets in the range of o.7-0.8 sales per hour.. That was the first time I saw how a process in place.. How process shapes the sales behaviour.. The role of a good team leader etc.. Infact, I have incorporated some of the practices of these process here in Dream Gains.

In between all these.. Jain college principal calls our gang.. We were a group of 3 girls & 3 guys.. we were like “which movie what time” gang..We always had a Gala time..laughing at the foolishness of people who are attending college..

1 girl is daugther of Kuberan silks owner.. Another one is a model.. One guy’s father was a health minister in Mauritius.. He is now a professor in Mauritius. We take a dig at him even today..

our TOTAL ATTENDANCE was also < 75%

We had 68% put together.. They asked us to leave.. It was becoming a pain.. In other colleges.. we just had to only pay fine.. But Jain was not giving TC

We wanted to go..

We just had one semester left.. I joined Venkateshwara College..

I told them strictly… “I am not going to come”

This principal asked.. “Can you atleast come to the lab.” I said.. No way.. I have work.. I will pay full year’s fees.. You cant expect me to come college I said & paid fees.. I still worked with Transworks..

Me: Can anyone’s life be more eventful than this?

SS: Oh.. There is more to come.. Check this out..

I had a girlfriend when I was there in Transworks.. She was in microsoft.. She was my friends’s wife’s friend.. She got fired for some random error.. They took her back after 2 days.. One evening I got a call from her telling that she is going back home.. I spoke to my manager in the cafeteria.. I wanted to go back.. My manager told that it was the last 2 days of month.. he told “I am seeing u in the floor..”.. I went & took the lift & I went home.. That was my last day at Transworks.. As I said.. 2 days later.. she got job… she was called back.. But I didnt want to go back..

Me: So.. what did you do after that?

SS: Well nothing..

I spent 3 – 4 months.. idle.. My only work was to watch friends.. order food.. sleep.. go out.. one day she got bugged.. She said.. “what are u doing with your life” I also decided enough is enough.. I thought I should apply.. I applied after 6 months to dell & got through.. The interview started at 5 in the evening.. and it ended at 12.. I almost walked away.. I was upset that they made me wait soo long..

In the end.. they asked “do you have any questions” I said.. “Will I atleast go home now..” The interviewer was a director.. she told sorry and asked Will you take the job if I ask you stay for 1 hour more.. Thats when I told her about my past story.. and I badly want to talk to that guy.. and I will take this job come what may!

Me: You wont leave that poor guy! Will you ?

SS: No way! After joining dell.. in 1 week I searched for him and I asked him.. obviously he couldnt locate..He finally gave the reason that in my resume, I had mentioned objective as Customer service.. and didnt mention sales… he told sorry..

I got the Rookie of the quarter.. I went to him..

I got the best sales performer.. I went to him & showed him.. Some 5-6 times I told him..

But in all these… I learnt a lot at DELL.. I learnt what “Superior cusotomer service” is all about.. They value customer experience.. I learnt the way they teach.. They taught us to put the customer first.. Every banner spoke of customer.. Today my customer focus comes only because of dell. Even the way the organization is structured here in DG is based on the model followed at Dell..

Me: In your whole career was there anyone who influenced you the most?

SS: Yes! After Dell, I started looking out to move on in my career. I got a job in Google & Strategic Outsourcing. I chose strategic outsouring because I got a people management role. There I had a manager by name Enok. He is one of the best managers I have ever had.. Under him, I learnt the team management skills & people management skills.. Infact, I called him recently told him about the feedback which I got from my team… I owe it completely to him. He was very friendly.. He was the only manager.. who used to hang out with his team.. when most of the managers used to hang out with other managers.. He supported us a lot and gave us a lot of motivation..

Me: People say that you dont leave job.. You leave managers.. You had a great manager.. but you didnt stick to this job for a long time.. why was that so?

SS: I didnt belong there.. somehow.. I was working only for 3 days a month.. The systems work like this.. as long as your hitting ur targets.. you can do whatever you want.. I even used to take 9 hour breaks.. Today the productivity management software which we have now at dream gains.. are some of the ideas which we were discussing in the coffee table discussions over there.. about on how to track our coffee breaks..

Also.. Night shifts was taking a hit on me.. It was 4 years of less sleep also I track markets in the day.. So it started affecting my health and I needed a break.

Me: Oh so you moved on to a new job?

SS: Yes! Then PTC happened.. Interview was good.. Manager was good.. Role was good.. they gave me “Strategic accounts”..

The company had 3 sets of teams… One of them focussing on sales at the bottom pyramid with reseller & channel partner… Another set of team for middle of the pyramid.. dealing with only one channel partner.. The third set of team focussed on top clients.. Only direct sales handled by PTC..

I was a completely new world for me.. I was learning about sales by relationship.. sales in a B2B space.. How to startegize sales.. how to sell after 6 months.. We also had a number of case studies on strategic sales of PTC which was an incredible learning experience… I got an exposure to how to build value and more importantly how to sell services.. It was a hard core b2b space..

When dealing with Indian customer.. one should know the purchase guy very well.. It is difficult to get money of Indians.. You need to build good rapport with them.. You shouldnt just treat them as purchase guys.. give them respect.. You may have to do some exception for them.. like one month trial extended to 3 month etc.. But it is like investing in a long term relationship.. When you are in a cruch.. He will certainly give you orders.. It was amazing amazing learning..

Me: Oh wow! That seems to be a second innings in sales for you… So when did DG happen?

SS: True it was a second innings in sales especially in B2B space.. But at the end of the day basics of sales is the same…

1 year into PTC.. 3 of us were in UB city.. I was telling them that we should profile customers for a sister concern.. We were only targeting only low values players.. We should do something to focus on high end traders who trade more than x lakh rupees everyday.. We must also bring in processes.. One process can change a lot of things.. That is when rohith said.. I knw you dont have much information on stock market.. but why dont you look after Dream Gains.

Me: And thus began Dream Gains How were your early days?

SS: It was very interesting.. I was on my own.. Setting up the a new business from scratch.. Setting up a whole new team.. It was exciting..

Me: So what are plans hence forth..

SS: I am inclined to the vision of the group.. which is to create employment & to make a difference.. I am working towards that.. It is my small but sure contribution to the Indian economy..

Personally at some point I want to get into training.. We have a lot of entrepreneurship courses etc.. But there are very few TRAINERS. I want to get into that.. It could be as trivial as discussing issues on difficult it is to find an office space to how to build a pitch book.. I want to share my learnings.. Lets when the time comes.. Right now I want to grow Dream Gains..

Me: Sure Suraj! Any final message that you would like to share..

SS: I would like to share an incident today.. I was interviewing a candidate who was a district level football player.. he had applied for sales job.. I asked him why he discontinued his football to study further.. He said.. his parents wanted him to quit football to pursue MBA.. Today he is now looking for sales job after his studies. I think he would have been much better footballer..

Formal education is a just one way of reaching your dreams.. It is not the only way to accomplishing it!

Me: Thank you Suraj! That was an amazing interview with an amazing message! Good luck for Dream Gains!

SS: Thanks Sundar! I hope CWS audience will find it useful!

Me: Readers, hope you enjoyed this edition of coffee with experts!

Suraj Sreenath, Head – Sales & Operations, DreamGains – Part 1

Let the river flow

Aha Moment of the Week – 6: Suraj & Sundar at IIMB Convocation

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Suraj Sreenath, Head – Sales & Operations, DreamGains – Part 1

Author: Sundar Rajan G S

28 Feb

Hi All,

I am very happy to introduce Mr. Suraj Sreenath – Head – Sales & Operations at Dream Gains Financial Pvt. Ltd. Before taking over the sales & operations at DG, Suraj has played a number of sales roles at Transworks, Dell & finally at PTC.

A salesman has a number of stories to share and Suraj has been kind enough to share a number of anecdotes from his career and personal life.

Coffee With Suraj Sreenath – Head – Sales & Operations, DG

Me: Sundar Rajan G S

SS: Suraj Sreenath

Me: Hello Suraj, Welcome to CWS Season 2! It is a previledge to have you here on the show!

SS: Thanks Sundar, the pleasure is mine!

Me: Suraj, the interview is based on single big question. Tell us YOUR STORY! If I remember right, you did your first sales when you were in 10th Std.

SS: Sure.. I will share all I can..

Actually, my first sale was in 3rd std

I was in Hassan then.. Opposite to my house, there was a tree with boat shaped leaf.. I sold it to a guy who was staying a couple of lanes ahead for 10 paise each! He had a drain in front of his house

This was covering my icecreams without informing my parents.. But the business was shut when the guy’s mom found out.. I dont know if she took the money back

My pocket money was reducing after it closed.. But I was still proud of my sales.. I gave me confidence at a very young age!

Me: Wow! You were a sales man in 3rd standard Anything else you managed in your early school days?

SS: Yes! I started my next sales work in 4th std

This time it was a bit more sophisticated.. At that age, students in school used to collect stickers of super heros.. gods.. etc as hobby.. So, I thought there was huge “opportunity”. I researched the whole of Hassan to find out where the cheapest stickers were available.. So I would buy at Rs 2 and sell it at Rs 2.5 making money in between.

That is when I learnt the power of research while doing sales.

Me: So were in Hassan only all your childhood?

SS: Yes.. from 3rd standard to 12th I was in Hassan..

Till 7th.. I used to get a pocket money of 200 rs a month.. I was a 70 – 80% “normal” guy.. My sister was in a different zone all together.. 98 – 99%

Me: Sure.. You have compensated ur academic scores with your sales target scores Carry on with your sales story…

SS: I was in my 7th std when I first got a computer.. My dad got it for himself.. Till 8th std I wasnt very interested.. 8th I joined St.Joseph. There is something special about St. Joseph.. They always set the toughest tests.. I only managed to get some passing marks.. I reduced from a 80% student to 40-45% of 8th std.. Obviously not acceptable to by any std..

They cut down my pocket money till scores improved..

Instead of studying.. I was wondering.. how to make pocket money.. not why was it cut..

I put a Rs 100 catridge for printer… I foundout that it costs 30 rupees refill.. I started typing jobs

I had a dot matrix printer.. So I could take loads of printout… Regular typist would charge Rs 6 – 7.. I was charging Rs 15 for a printout + softcopy.. I started getting lot of customers.. I used to do this 3-4 hours after school.. full of sundays etc.. My dad saw that I was doing some good work… he started giving some of his office work.. My working in PWD (Public Work Dept).. PWD had a document called the SR document.. It had the complete schedule of records.. what task has to be performed.. how much to charge etc.. And having a softcopy of that document would be very invaluable.. So he said, he would give a bulk order

and instructed me not to take any other orders.. I took 3 months & finally gave him in a good format..

Me: But were you excited with Typing? Wasnt it monotonous?

SS: Yes! I agree.. Somewhere I Realized.. that there is no future.. I wondered what can i do after typing.. So started learning how to assemble computer.. more about computers.. Installing OS etc.. I charged Rs 1000 for installation

I can go easy on typing if I get an installation order.. My interest started developing towards programming.. The Computer teacher was a good friend.. He started teaching C, Fotran.. I started developing small softwares.. education database.. for a school etc..

Me: oh cool.. So you got into the geek side of it

SS: Yes.. In 9th std… We (a friend of mine & I) started thehassan.com.. Internet was very new then.. The website was meant for local advertsing.. We launched with a rock show.. It was a portal.. motivation was from Rediff.. We even found a sponsor.. – Oxemberg

It was an exciting phase.. I had a business card as Founder, Thehassan.com

We gave cards in IT.com and other gatherings.. People used to ask.. are you a founder..

Me: So how did it go? How was the venture..

SS: I was going ok for some time.. But the problem was management.. I was going to schoool.. Ravi had a MIRC.. (Internet relay chat version) He was running the admin of that site.. Dont remember how it got shut down.. But great experience.. newspaper & tv coverage.. those were the days when DOT COM companies got a lot of coverage..

Me: What next ?

SS: Next was when I was in 10th std.. I had fair idea about web design.. 2 – 3 friends had excellent design skills.. they were not getting jobs.. mainly because of language problem.. Only today the communication skills have increased.. I proposed them to start something on our own..

We knew one thing.. from my past experience.. Indian customers dont pay.. So we decided to focus on international customers.. So we didnt want an Indian name.. for our venture.. Hence we called it.. “Manifesh Technologies” The idea was we shouldnt have any dictionary meaning..

No Indian connection even through that.. It took off well.. I was in 1st PUC (11th std).. Major way to catch customers was by yahooo chat group.. I was hooked onto many chat rooms. A UK company had information of hospital docs/nurses.. they gave us big orders.. We had many global group of companies.. A China company etc..

The understanding with my friends was I will do sales.. They will do coding.. We also got registration done.. It was a Small Scale industry registration.. actually it was free.. We didnt even know about taxes at that time..

We had 10 – 12 clients.. By the time I was in 12th.. We made our first 1 lakh

I couldnt focus on exams.. So I didnt write my 12th exam

Me: What.. You didnt write 12th? Then what happened?

SS: My father was working for PWD. My uncle was a commissioner..

I didnt want to write 12th.. My reason I gave at home was attendance.. I had 18% attendance.. So I may not able to attend exam.. My father used his network.. FORTUNATELY FOR ME.. My princi was strict and I was barred

I was “Shifted” to Moodbidre – 30 km from Mangalore to hostel.. So that I could get some discipline instilled..

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise.. My company grew faster as one of the parnter there..

We used to meet and lots of brainstroming.. We stared something called “electrifying pages”. It is exactly same as Justdial.. This was done when we had some free time.. A local yellow pages company brought us for 2 lakhs.. In the mean time.. UK company started giving more & more projects.. They asked our designers to shift inside… We had a meeting and I told them that they should go ahead.. They got to go UK

They were job less here.. They both took up.. One of them is a chief designer there.. He started a 50 seater design house.. based out Mangalore..

Stay tuned for part 2! and also watch out for the next interview with Padma Bhushan Roddam Narasimha – India’s leading scientist.

Suraj Sreenath – Head Sales & Operations, Dream Gains – Part 2

Aha Moment of the Week – 6: Suraj & Sundar at IIMB Convocation

I will Survive – Sunil Robert

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Filed under: coffee with experts, sales, suraj sreenath

Let the river flow

Author: Sundar Rajan G S

26 Feb

And thus passes out (unofficially) from this esteemed institution..YET ANOTHER student.. who is beaten & bruised.. but definitely managed to SURVIVE the ride.. with some dreams shattered.. but many new dreams formed.. with some losses.. but with some gains as well.. Will he go out to the real world “and CREATE HISTORY” – the dream of EVERY OTHER student who stepped into the hallowed halls of IIM Bangalore with a sparkle in his eyes.. Or Will he be “just ANOTHER MYSTERY” Well.. know one knows.. ONLY TIME WILL TELL..

But for the moment.. as Subroto Bagchi says.. LET THE RIVER FLOW..

Unofficially done with IIMB

Life Experiments

Roddam Narasimha – Leading Aerospace Scientist & Padma Bhushan Awardee – Part 2

Coffee With Kanishk Swarup – Equity Derivatives Trader from Credit Suisse

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Remotely Sachin.. Definitely Male..

Author: Sundar Rajan G S

25 Feb

Hi All..

What a day it was yesterday! Amazing stuff.. Sachin scored a 200*.. Unbelievable..

One man can bring so much happiness to the entire nation.. Everywhere there sachin.. Twitter.. Facebook.. Orkut.. Gtalk.. Sachin Sachin everywhere…

What a man! rather.. what a GOD..

Sachin not only brought us so much happiness..

but also brought out the poets.. & the writers.. in people.. Some really cool stuff on text feeds yesterday!

Oh Sachin! You are such an inspiration.. I always love you for you humility..

And to make the day more especial.. I tried my hand in pencil sketching..

I always try to make every occasion special.. or something to remember.. and Sachin’s double hundred was something too big to miss out

So here you go..

See the pencil sketch which I made below..

It is remotely sachin.. but definitely male!

Poem on Sachin Tendulkar

Hope continues..

Sachin to Quit?

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The Rejection

Author: Sundar Rajan G S

23 Feb

The Rejection

“I love you Vandana,
Give me a chance!
I want to be your partner
For a life long dance!!”

It took you by surprise,
When I proposed
But you hardly took a second,
My poem got disposed!

“You know me not..
and you love me why!”
I mumbled something..
feeling very shy!!

“Vandana, I seriously like you..
Give me a chance”
You were emotionless and
you took a strong stance

“There is LOVE
and there is LIKE
Dont be stupid
and act like psyche”

You convinced me..I will find an angel,
while you depart!!
Why cant you be my damsel,
My heart fell apart!!

Communications died
My heart cried..
But somewhere I did try
And wont repent when I die!!

What wrong did I do
cringes my heart!!
Vandana, I sincerely love you
But I will respect your thought!

Hope you guys like it.. Like every time I am sure you are going to ask who is Vandana.. Vandana is an imaginary girl.. whose name I use whenever I write about a girl on CWS..

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