Date: 16 & 17 December 2023 (Saturday & Sunday)
Organizers: Placecom Committee students
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Deepak Gupta and Prof. Gopakumar V
Event: Alumni Boot Camp – II
Venue: Amrita School of Business, Coimbatore.
Alumni Guests:
Session 1: How to Succeed Beyond Your Imagination In Sales: A Masterclass
Guest: Mr. GangadharKondaraman (Chief Revenue Officer, Vernacular.ai)
Gangadhar Kodandaram, Chief Revenue Officer at Vernacular.ai, emphasizes the importance of learning and adapting to the current business market. The main challenge in selling is not just the product itself, but also the satisfaction and feedback from after-sales. He emphasizes the importance of asking questions to understand oneself and finding the right answers. He also shares his placement journey at ASB, Coimbatore, and his success at HCL, emphasizing the importance of unique responses in interviews and the thought process in securing a job. He emphasizes that efforts are worthless unless there is an output, and it is crucial to express growth in numbers rather than words. TGK’s key takeaways include equipping oneself according to the current market, taking steps toward career growth, and demonstrating growth in numbers rather than words.
Session 2: The Consultant’s Toolkit: Insights From How Consultants Work For Acing The Work You Will Be Doing
Guests: Mr. AswinNambiar (Associate Product Manager, Rently) and Mr. Srinivas (Market Insights SpecialistMarket Insights Specialist University of Canberra)
Mr. Srinivas’ presentation on “The Consultants Toolkit” delivers invaluable insights and practical guidance for aspiring consultants and enthusiasts in market research. He underscores the significance of incorporating secondary research into consulting projects and stresses the importance of comprehending market trends through diverse research methodologies. Mr. Srinivas anticipates a growing reliance on advanced analytics tools to expedite insights and enhance decision-making. However, he underscores the indispensable role of human expertise in navigating digital systems and generating data.
The presentation covers essential analytical tools crucial for effective market research, encompassing competitor evaluation and assessments related to financing and acquisitions. Mr. Srinivas introduces the concept of “structured thinking” and elucidates the research process through a compelling case study. Additionally, he introduces two distinct approaches to customer engagement: the bottom-up and top-down strategies. Valuable tips for crafting impactful PowerPoint presentations are shared, enhancing communication skills within the consulting realm.
Furthermore, Mr. Srinivas recommends leveraging visualization tools such as Power BI for efficient statistics management. In sum, his presentation serves as a comprehensive guide to the intricacies of market research and consulting, offering practical advice to empower consultants to thrive in this dynamic field.
Session 3: Being Your Own Boss: Entrepreneurship As A Career
Guests: Mr. GangadharKondaraman (Chief Revenue Officer, Vernacular.ai), Ms. Vibhooshana L (Management trainee HR in Yamaha Motor India Pvt Ltd.), Mr. Sairam Krishnan (Head of Marketing, Atomicwork)
The session showcased insights from Ms. Vibhooshana, Mr. Sairam, and Mr. Gangadhar. Mr. Sairam shared his 2011 startup journey, providing valuable insights into organizational dynamics. Stressing the importance of comprehensive knowledge, he highlighted key domains such as supply chain management, marketing, pricing, logistics, and more. Mr. Sairam advised aspiring entrepreneurs to work in their intended business domain, underscoring the three to four years typically required for a profound industry understanding.
In contrast, Ms. Vibhooshana, a serial entrepreneur with four ventures, detailed her success in diverse fields—gifting consultancy, event management, baking, and detergent manufacturing. Bridging rural-urban gaps through self-help groups, she advocated for eco-friendly practices. Mr. Gangadhar shared his startup journey, commencing with a cotton candy machine. Overcoming hiring and cost challenges, he expanded by introducing items like a popcorn machine, delivering portable setups to events like birthday parties. He emphasized the entrepreneurial imperative of continuous innovation and perpetual strategic contemplation.
Collectively, these narratives illuminated various aspects of entrepreneurship as a career. Mr. Sairam’s emphasis on foundational knowledge and industry expertise highlighted the importance of professional grounding. Ms. Vibhooshana’s multi-industry ventures showcased adaptability and customer connection, while Mr. Gangadhar’s story underscored resilience and innovation. Their experiences provided a holistic view of entrepreneurship, offering practical guidance for those navigating this challenging yet rewarding path.
Session 4: Champs of Marketing Channel
Guests: Mr. Harikrishnan VP (Area Sales ManagerArea Sales Manager Bajaj Auto Ltd )and Mr. John IllampalilKoshi( Brand Specialist at Amazon)
Starting their career with a passion for sales, they excelled in the field, sharing insights into the journey and the responsibilities of a sales manager. Their primary focus is on cultivating strong relationships with distributors, bridging the connection to distributors and retailers, and territory management. Their key role involves leaving a positive impression on the company and ensuring profitability for retailers, distributors, and themselves.
Central to their work is the art of convincing, emphasizing inclusivity in continuous interactions with a diverse background of people. New startups leverage competitive pricing and product quality to establish a market presence. Demonstrating new products becomes pivotal in convincing distributors, and product variation, such as different colors and shapes, adds appeal.
Retaining distributors is crucial, given the challenges of attracting new ones in a highly competitive landscape. Meeting weekly, monthly, and quarterly targets is imperative, with a careful approach to avoid hurting distributor sentiments. Incentivizing distributors, conducting customer segmentation, expanding the retailer base, launching digital awareness campaigns, and offering exchange benefits are strategies to foster relationships.
Essential skills for success include convincing abilities, proficiency in data analysis, effective communication, Relationship Building, Resilience, Leadership, Time Management, and a knack for numbers. The role demands a strategic approach to maintaining and enhancing relationships with distributors and retailers.
Session 5: Acing Summer Placements
Guests: Mr. John IllampalilKoshi(Brand Specialist at Amazon), Ms. RiniVincy(Senior Product Manager at Microsoft), Ms. Vibhoshana L (Management trainee HR in Yamaha Motor India Pvt Ltd.)
The distinguished panel of the session included Mr. John Koshy, a Brand Specialist at Amazon, Ms. VibhooshanaLakshmanan, an HR Management Trainee at Yamaha Motors India Pvt. Ltd., Ms. RiniVincy, a Product Manager at Microsoft, and Mr. Sairam Krishnan, Head of Marketing at Atomicwork. Mr. Harikrishnan V.P., an Area Sales Manager at Bajaj Auto Ltd., also enriched the session with his valuable contributions. This informative event, orchestrated by our esteemed Dr. Deepak Gupta and the Placecom members, offered a comprehensive overview of the transformative impact summer internships can have on one’s professional journey.
The session discussed the importance of internships in a career, with speakers Mr. John Koshy, Ms. Vibhooshana, Ms. RiniVincy, Mr. Sairam Krishnan, Dr. Deepak Gupta, and Mr. Harikrishnan sharing their experiences. Mr. Koshy highlighted the value of internships as learning opportunities and the need for compelling narratives. Ms. Vibhooshana emphasized the importance of dedication and genuine interest in one’s work, while Ms. Vincy urged students to seek mentors and understand job roles. Mr. Krishnan emphasized the need for ongoing learning and a clear vision of career goals. Dr. Gupta emphasized the transformative nature of summer internships, stating they are the foundation for one’s professional reputation. Mr. Harikrishnan added that placement interviews often delve into the interviewee’s internship experiences and learning.The session provided a profound glimpse into the realm of summer internships, with alumni emphasizing that these experiences are not merely stepping stones but valuable opportunities for personal and professional growth. As aspiring marketers, let us internalize these lessons and approach our internships with enthusiasm, dedication, and a keen sense of self-discovery.
Session 6: Product Management Session – Navigating The Profession Of A Project Manager
Guests: Mr. Sandeep Pillai (ML Product Manager, Salesforce), Ms. Priyanka Malkan (Product Manager, Google), Ms. RiniVincy (Senior Product Manager at Microsoft), Mr. AswinNambiar (Associate Product Manager, Rently)
Ms. Priyanka Malkan, serving as Google’s Product Manager, led the way, followed by Ms. Rini, the Senior Product Manager at Microsoft, Mr. Sandeep Pillai, ML Salesforce’s Senior Product Manager, and Mr. AswinNambiar, Rently’s Associate Product Manager. As these accomplished product managers graced the stage, the audience was momentarily taken aback, and ushered into a transformative realm of product management. The takeaways shed light on the fundamental pillars: the program manager overseeing the complete product management function, the engineer detailing product manufacturing, the product manager articulating the product’s purpose, and the user experience designer addressing questions about its essence.
A product manager, skilled in persuading people to desire a product, underscores the importance of maintaining robust relationships within and outside the organization. The daily fulfilment in this field becomes an enduring allure. The analogy of a ship’s captain and the product management team as the ship’s crew vividly captures the product manager’s role – navigating the course of action and ensuring each team member’s success.
Entering the field of product management is optimally achieved by starting in small teams, seeking companies with a commitment to high-quality products, continuously refining skills, contemplating entrepreneurship, and harbouring an insatiable hunger for improvement. The key lies in remaining unsatisfied with the status quo, recognizing that moments of dissatisfaction propel the investment of time and energy toward making the product even better.
