Revitalizing Growth for a Pune-based Software Company in the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry

Background

In the heart of Pune, a software company was making significant strides in the consumer packaged goods industry. Their sales and distribution management software was a favorite among big brands, known for its reliability and customization options. Despite their market presence and impressive client list, the company was stuck.

The founders, a dynamic duo, were passionate and hands-on, deeply involved in day-to-day operations. They were constantly putting out fires, addressing customer issues, and managing an overstretched team. Their robust product was aging, burdened by extensive customizations for key accounts, resulting in high technical debt. Maintenance became increasingly cumbersome, with long turnaround times for bug fixes and frequent service disruptions.

Revenue was good, but growth was elusive. The founders felt they weren’t tapping into their full potential. They dreamt of launching a new cloud-based product and migrating their loyal customers to this modern platform, but they were stuck in the planning phase. Their vision seemed distant and unachievable amidst the chaos of daily operations.

Adding to their challenges, the founders wanted to bring the next generation into the business. They envisioned a seamless transition, with their children taking on pivotal roles, but they were overwhelmed by the demands of the present to focus on the future.

Exhaustion was taking its toll, not just on the founders but also on their team leads, who were overworked and stressed. The entire organization needed a breath of fresh air, a clear path forward, and a renewed sense of purpose.

That’s when they reached out to Coach Tabish Bibikar. They needed someone to help them navigate through the quagmire, redefine their roles, and bring their strategic vision to life. With Tabish’s expertise, they embarked on a transformative journey, ready to overcome the stagnation that had held them back for so long.

Transformation Journey

Organizational Restructuring:

The first step was to rework the organizational structure. Tabish helped remove role overlaps, allowing team members to work more independently and efficiently. KRAs and KPIs were defined for all roles, providing clear expectations and accountability. Staff were trained in customer communication, enabling them to handle escalations on their own, reducing the daily firefighting that the founders were involved in.

New Product Development:

A dedicated team was formed to focus on new product development. The founders’ roles were redefined: one took charge of the new product, while the other focused on customer service and account management for the existing product. This clear division of responsibilities allowed for a more focused approach to both maintaining the legacy product and developing the new cloud-based solution.

HR Overhaul:

The HR function was overhauled to better support the company’s need for talent acquisition and employee service as they grew. This included developing second-line leadership to reduce dependency on the founders, creating a sustainable and scalable organizational structure.

Strategic Reprioritization:

A strategic reprioritization of the product mix and market segmentation was conducted to align with the company’s long-term goals. This helped refocus efforts on the most promising areas for growth and innovation.

Meeting Rhythm and Time Management:

Tabish established a regular rhythm for account and project review meetings, ensuring consistent tracking of progress and early identification of issues. The founders were also coached on effective time management and delegation, helping them to let go of day-to-day tasks and focus on strategic initiatives.

Limiting Beliefs and Mindset Shifts:

Addressing and overcoming limiting beliefs was a critical part of the transformation. Tabish worked with the founders to enhance their delegation skills and shift their mindset towards growth and innovation.

New Talent Acquisition:

An engineering senior manager was hired to lead the new product development team, and additional team members were recruited to ensure the project could move forward effectively.

Induction of Second Generation:

The founders’ daughter was inducted into the company, marking a significant milestone. She took on the task of establishing a marketing function, which had not existed before. With training and coaching from Tabish, she set up lead generation processes, email campaigns, overhauled the website, organized webinars, and coordinated trade shows. She also took charge of product license sales, adding additional revenue and realizing one of the founders’ key dreams.

Outcome

The results were remarkable. The existing legacy product was stabilized, reducing maintenance issues and improving customer service. Within 15 months, the company successfully launched their new cloud-based product and transitioned a large client to it – a goal they had been striving towards for years.

Business growth followed, bolstered by the new product’s success. The company acquired a modern new office space, creating a fresh, motivating environment that attracted top talent. The second generation was successfully inducted into the business, with clear roles and responsibilities.

Throughout this journey, Coach Tabish Bibikar worked closely with the founders, helping them navigate challenges, redefine their roles, and realize their vision for growth. The collaboration not only revitalized the company’s growth trajectory but also reinvigorated the leadership team, setting the stage for sustained success and innovation.