The Customer I Look Up To

It's been a month trying to install the bluetooth adapter I bought at Low Yatt and it didn't work. It was much easier to just go to the nearest handphone service shop and get the pics in my phone burnt onto the CD.

For the memories, this is a picture of one of only four gentlemen whom I look up to very much since I started working in my company. Mr. Dulles Krishnan, then the Resident Director of ICICI Infotech (M) Sdn. Bhd., second sunshiny smiling man from the left is someone I knew early last two years. He headed a team of a very well known software developers which specialises in the financial sector back in India which is brought here to M'sia.

For those who have been to the cities in India, you may have noticed their house brand, 'ICICI Bank'. Perhaps, the mind share it develops is way more thorough than Maybank and RHB in this country. And that explains why they won the Best Bank of the Year by Business India. Still not impressed? Well, ICICI Infotech, (the system provider of ICICI Bank, also owned by it) is rated by IDC as being the top 3rd to 5th ERP players in various parts of MENA (Middle East North Africa region). Still not impressed? Their financial solutions is so powerful that they managed to generate leads out of just using telemarketing tactics.

Their first real deal in M'sia was last year with Takaful Ikhlas, mind you, the telemarketeers operates remotely from Singapore which calls out to even Brunei and Phillipines. They touched prospects through phone calls and while it's still hot a team is sent right over.

Of course, their Asia sales hub is here in KLCC. But isn't it a remarkable accomplishment? A brand new Malaysian organisation buying a software from India all started out from just a phone call? They went straight into 4th gear after that, winning projects in Phillipines, just recently also with Bank of Brunei and also with our Bank Muamalat to name a few. That's in a span of only two years.

Do you know if the IT systems used in Bank Negara or Maybank being used elsewhere? Our local homemade software developers are largely still very lost.

I am sorry to have stereotyped, but this organised structure does not match the picture in my head about the super cluttered country called India.

The first time we met Dulles and his team, I was explaining the ICI paint just to break the ice and he didn't break a single smile. So I quickly shut the hell up and when he started explaining their wins, market plans and company background, I literally applauded coz it blew my mind. They, on the contrary thought I just watched the circus. This is the first instance in 7 years I didn't have to explain how marketing strategies works with niche products with regards to both IBM and any ERP solutions. And Dulles showed nothing but professionalism. What do I mean by that?

Now I'll sound prejudice straight till the end. When a Chinaman company approach us, they'll ask first, for money, if possible, fund everything and they want it faster than lightning. A bit later comes the news that they need our resources to get the whole paper work done and better still, we are completely accountable for the results of the so-called collaborative marketing. Not done yet! There's a hardly any thank you even through the silent mode of emails even though sponsorship comes repetitively.

When a Melayu company approach us, they'll first ask if we have any T-shirts to give out. Tak cukup baju ke (not enough clothing)? And then they'd hint that they love to go for karaoke sessions. They'll speak a little bit about their products, and then a few weeks later it's forgotten... becaaaauuuse they are waiting for the karaoke or makan treat first, if not, it's hard for them to get inspired on how to kick start any marketing plans. Hell, I won't even bother to tell them how it should be done if they don't bother ask what not to think tank. It will mean I have to work with lazy blokes who wouldn't care to make ends meet.

Of course, not all of our partners are like that.

We treat our customers like super VIPs, a handful of fun events in a year, send diaries, sponsor their annual dinner gifts yet we're hardly even invited to any of their do's or handed anything in return. I guess it's just a suppliers' job to provide, therefore they only provide to their customers.

That's why our sponsorships were handed unconditionally to ICICI Infotech since. They are on their own for the rest of the actions as it's common sense that only they know their product best. To cushion things up, for every social events we held, we'd bring their representatives around to be introduced to other IT players.

Nevertheless, after every event, every cheque issued to them and even festive card they'd say 'thank you'. Most of all, we received unconditional loyalty in return to both our company and the IBM brand, it's literally uttered to us.

There's always well wishings for new years. Finally, the God blessings wish came right before he leaves for his homeland. It's such a pleasure treating this bunch of people who's truly such sincere sellers and at the same time sincere partner.

Lynn and me will really miss you as a very good business figure Dulles. I wish you'd write a book, not on how people should sell their software products in Asia, but just how you and your company simply did it.

I hope this too hampers the points I was trying to make in my article below.