ENTERPRENEUR OF YOUR CHOICE

KUNWER SACHDEV
..

an entrepreneur born to be succeed

3/29/2010 Su-kam inverters and batteries

BY: ASHISH SAWANT

Kunwer Sachdev
An entrepreneur born to succeed How do you take Rs 10,000 and convert it into a Rs 200 crore (Rs 2 billion) company that is all Well you need to be taken hostage by your client, be locked in a room for a few hours and also promise to give up your bike in exchange for a job half done - at least that is what Kunwer Sachdev, CEO of Su-Kam, a Rs 200 crore Delhi-based company engaged in the business of power inverters UPS and batteries says as he recalls the time when he began his entrepreneurial venture in the early '90s. set to complete a major US acquisition in a year?

Defining moment that prove to be turning point in his career

Kunwer Sachdev started out as a cable TV operator and recalls an incident that took place in his initial years, which incidentally was a turning point in his career. During the early years of struggle he was into the cable TV business and did not have any domain knowledge. He took up any and all types of projects from people. There was one such project that he could not complete on time. It was for a hotel and seeing that he could not deliver, the owner locked me in a room. He stayed put in the room for two hours until owner opened the door and asked for his advance money back. But since Sachdev had spent that in buying the equipment, he told him to keep his bike instead should he fail to deliver. Eventually he did complete the job and owner was happy. Now he is a very dear friend of Sachdev. People say entrepreneurs are not taught, they are born and perhaps Kunwer Sachdev is one person who perfectly fits this theory. Additionally, as any entrepreneur would testify, failure is not only an important ingredient but also a very important aspect in any successful venture.

how he started
Su-Kam was not always at the top of the Power Electronics industry. Mr. Sachdev began his business career in 1992 with a small-scale unit for the production and marketing of Cable TV accessories. How he arrived at this idea. It was the advent of Cable TV in India, and he realized the potential of providing this industry with top-of-the-line products such as dish antenna, modulators, satellite receivers and amplifiers. Soon, Su-Kam had exclusive distributorship rights in India for products of Echo Star, USA. Several important projects followed and in no time at all, Mr. Sachdev had steered SuKam into becoming a top brand in its category.

Challenges he faced
Ever on the quest for newer challenges, Mr. Sachdev entered the field of Inverter manufacture in1997. It was a time when local inverter manufacturers had started to mushroom in every nook and corner of the streets. Once again, Mr. Sachdev took the lead and set the standards for others to follow. Not only did he transform Su-Kam into Indias No. 1 Inverter Company, he also challenged the entire industry into becoming an organized, hi-tech sector. He did this by making his entry into this hitherto unorganized sector in a systematic and organized manner and set about to perfect his products in every way possible. He was the very first to introduce technologies such as Mosfet, Micro controller based, and DSP Sine Wave into his inverters. He also laid great stress on power saving and other convenient features to make his products more

relevant and cost-effective for consumers than ever before. As a result, todays Inverters are an exceptional transformation from the earlier local products available to consumers.

Brief overview
When Kunwer sachdev started making invertors in 1997, they experimented with new technologies. They didn't have any idea what they were doing and they kept borrowing components from different products. Money doesn't matter in any entrepreneurship, he started with only Rs 10,000. There were a lot of negatives in the beginning. Like going to a bank for a loan of Rs 5,000, and they took so much time that he said forget it. From that day he didn't go to banks, and have raised funds in his own way. Mr. Kunwer Sachdev , MD is a young and dynamic professional and the main force behind the companys phenomenal growth. Within a short span of just a few years from the time he set up Su-Kam, he has catapulted it to the top league of companies in its class. With Innovation as his mantra, he has introduced a wide range of the finest Power Electronics products, using the worlds most advanced technologies. Indias No. 1 Inverter and Sine I, Indias first and only DSP Sine Wave Inverter are two fine examples of his innovative approach. Mr. Sachdev is a graduate in Mathematical Statistics (Hons) and an L.L.B, from Delhi University. Although, academically he is not from a technical background, he keeps abreast of the worlds latest technologies. His passion for everything technical has given him a thorough knowledge of the scientific aspects of the business. Learning on the job, he makes certain that he acquaints himself with the minutest of technical details and mechanism of his products. As head of Su-Kams professional electronic unit, he is constantly conceptualizing and testing the production of innovative products, which can revolutionize peoples lives.

Investment:
Reliance India Power Fund, a joint venture sponsored by R-ADAG (Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group) and Temasak Holdings, headquartered in Singapore has invested INR 45 crores in Su-Kam. The trust reposed in Su-Kam by two of the most powerful business groups in the world is indicative of its standing and potential.

From Modest Beginnings to Great Heights

Awards and nominations:

Mr. Sachdevs achievements, Ernst & Young nominated him for their Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2003 and 2005. This is the worlds most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs.

CREDENTIALS Mr. Kunwer Sachdev S. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Particulars Bharat Shiromani Award 2006 & 2009 Co-Chairmanship Electronics & Computer Software Export Promotion Council Haryana State year 2005 2006 Co-Chairmanship Electronics & Computer Software Export Promotion Council Haryana State year 2007 2008 Co-Chairmanship Electronics & Computer Software Export Promotion Council Haryana State year 2009 2010 Ernst & Young Nomination for Entrepreneur of the year 2003 Ernst & Young Nomination for Entrepreneur of the year 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award 2007 Hindu College Old Students Association. Indira Super Achievers Award 2008, Instituted by Indira Group of Institutes.

Su-kam. Current situation..

Su-Kam the leading Power Back-up Solution provider in India, with its consistent focus on technological innovation, has attained heights unheard of, in the largely unorganized industry. Having a clear technological edge, creating new benchmarks and upgrading standards for the industry, comes naturally to Su-Kam. Today, Su-Kam is the established leader in product innovation, design sensibility and sales distribution network. An ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified company, Su-Kam - is the only power Back-up Solution provider in India, with a stateof-the-art in-house R & D facility, recognized by Government of India. Su-Kam has several state-of-the-art production facilities, systematically planned and built to modern construction standards. The plants are equipped with sophisticated assembly lines and are backed by completely integrated in-house component manufacturing facilities and R&D Centers. Building Su-Kam into a Complete Power Solutions Company. Today, Su-Kam has transformed itself into a Complete Solutions Provider in the Power Electronics. Kunwer Sachdevs focus on new technology has become the motto of his Company. He does not believe in traditional methods of work and constantly seeks innovative techniques of functioning. This is the predominant reason behind Su-Kams relentless effort to introduce newer, more technologically advanced products into the market. It is also the motivating force behind Su-Kams constant effort to upgrade and redesign its existing product lines. Su-Kams product range includes 150+ products. The entire range comprises Inverters (Home & Industrial), UPS (Online, Off-line &Line Interactive), Home UPS, Batteries (SMF & Lead Acid), Solar products (Inverters, Chargers, Charge Controllers), Power Conditioning Units, Power Protection Units) Su-Kam today provides an array of solar products and high capacity inverters (Standard and customized) for Industrial usage.

Responsibilities towards associates..

Being a firm believer in the importance of honoring pre-set goals within their time frames, Mr. Sachdev motivates his team to achieve levels of performance, which at first may seem unachievable. And his philosophy about the importance of teamwork has transformed the Company into a family of competent, result oriented professionals. He enjoys challenge that competition brings. It is his personal opinion that unless one is put in a race, one will never learn to run.

5 PS of marketing..
PRODUCT: Su-Kam is a leader in the power back-up industry in India which has created new benchmarks for the industry and upgraded standards for the entire sector. It is the only power back-up company in the country whose R & D is recognized by the Government of India. Through its consistent focus on technological innovation, this ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified company is today accepted as the market leader with a range of top-of- the-line products based on quality, reliability and safety. Their product portfolio includes Inverters, Online UPS Systems, Line Interactive UPS Systems, Batteries (Lead Acid and VRLA) and Solar Products. Our wide channel partner network, the largest for a company in the industry in India, ensures complete and efficient service to our customers.

Our products are CE & UL certified.

PLACE Su-Kam has established several state-of-the-art production facilities, at: Gurgaon near New Delhi (INDIA), and at Katha & Baddi in Himachal Pradesh(INDIA) all these manufacturing facilities are located strategically to serve different markets. Each facility is systematically planned and built to modern construction standards. The plants are equipped with sophisticated assembly lines and are backed by completely integrated in-house component manufacturing facilities and R&D Centers.

Su-Kam is constantly establishing new facilities to cater to emerging markets. Su-Kam Corporate Office at Gurgaon, India with facilities at par with the world standards. Battery manufacturing facility at Himachal Pradesh, India will be at par with the preeminent in the world.

R & d centre

battery plant

transformation unit

PRICE: They target the customers from low pricing to premium pricing. Their products range varies from ,600VA to 40 KVA, that is targeting small price for domestic range upto high price in industrial use. Eg.Su-kam Inverter Price List India

Su-kam 600VA Inverter Price Rs.4,200 Su-kam 800VA Inverter Price Rs.4,750 Su-kam 1KVA Inverter Price Rs.5,500 Su-Kam 10KVA Home DSPSW Inverter 180VPrice Rs.72,600

SU-KAM High Capacity Inverter 1-Phase In 1-Phase Out

7.5KVA 1-Phase In 1-Phase Out Su-Kam Inverter 120V-Rs.58,900 10KVA 1-Phase In 1-Phase Out Su-Kam Inverter 120V-Rs.75,700

SU-KAM High Capacity Inverter 3-Phase In 3-Phase Out

25KVA 3-Phase In 3-Phase Out Su-Kam Inverter 360V-Rs.2,22,500 30KVA 3-Phase In 3-Phase Out Su-Kam Inverter 360V-Rs.2,45,900 40KVA 3-Phase In 3-Phase Out Su-Kam

Inverter

360V-Rs.3,33,300

Promotion:

Press Releases Media Coverage Advertising Campaign Electronic Media Innovative Media

how they differentiated their product and positioned in the market ?

Su-Kam is perhaps only Indian company in the industry whose R&D is recognized by the Government of India that gives Su-Kam a distinct edge in terms of quality, innovation and new product development. Kunwer sachdev was the very first to introduce technologies such as Mosfet, Micro controller based, and DSP Sine Wave into his inverters. He also laid great stress on power saving and other convenient features to make his products more relevant and cost-effective for consumers than ever before.

Very important Strategies adopted:

Kunwer Sachdevs 7 mantras for success:
His views were published as a curtain raiser for the 1st ET Entrepreneur and Innovation conclave. Some of the enlightening points are briefly discussed. 1. Less Money, Minimized Risks- Challenging as it may sound, yet as a novice, avoid involving big money. Use less capital and gain more experience to get you evolving. 2. Take Baby steps, Dont Leap- Learn as a child, walk slowly, fall, learn more and then start to run. Start building confidence in yourself after every rise and fall. Dont be taken aback after a loss incurs, list the things learned from it.

3. Strategize your Marketing- Primarily; focus on Sales, marketing and servicing for a product. Concentrate on what customers have to say about your product line and services. This can yield you abundant business in future. 4. Assure Quality- Ensure the quality of the product and services before venturing, as it will play a profound effect on the customers satisfaction and bring you more business. 5. Become a Role-Model- To motivate your organization continuously, become a role model. If you are stuck somewhere in between, ask yourself what my role model would have done under the same situation, The answer will approach right in front of you. Focus on hiring process and become a trainer from time to time. As a solution maker, think Big, act bigger. 6. Transparency stands above all- Check for clarity of your employees role towards organization, if they are confused you can remedy them regarding their tasks. Also ensure whether you are meeting with the teams expectation or not. Incentives, bonuses and appraisals should be done at regular basis. Keeping them constantly motivated lies in your hands, use it well. 7. Creating Excitement among the masses- Creativity and continuous innovation should be the master stroke when developing new product line. A human touch is needed when dealing with clients, vendors and distributors to ensure proper feedback regarding your products. If you practice these points with precision, youre ready to reap the harvest. Strong perseverance blended with right moves makes your business flourish.

Way forward:

Su-Kam, the leader in the power back-up industry with products like invertors and online UPS systems, is planning to move away from traditional invertors to tailor-made power back-up products for other industries like telecom, internet and media. With more tailor-made and diversified products, the company aims to touch a turnover of Rs 5,000 crore in four years, from a turnover of Rs 600 crore at present. According to Kanware Sachdev, CEO of Su-Kam, Traditionally power back-up products would be used in homes which have to put up with a lot of power cuts regularly. But with the growing economy, power cuts in homes is coming down and may soon become extinct. We are therefore looking at selling other products to address the power back-up needs of industries like telecom, internet and media. The company is looking at venturing into manufacturing products like mobile chargers. It is planning to manufacture power back-up products for telecom towers. It also plans to introduce high-end technology products for telcom service providers. Su-Kam is making fresh investment of Rs 250 crore for setting up a plant in Himachal Pradesh where the company plans to manufacture 2V cell batteries for telecom companies. Currently, Su-Kam has four manufacturing units in Himachal Pradesh and two in Gurgaon. With the growing energy needs and rising concerns about the environment, Su-Kam also plans to focus on renewable energy while developing products. The software allows consumers to monitor all the system parameters such as PV voltage, battery voltage and charging current over a selectable period of time. Salesforce.com gives Indias premier power backup solutions provider Su-Kam the power to manage customers more effectively in the cloud

Challenge

No single, consistent process in place across all of customer service agents to efficiently handle complex information-based customer interactions Requirement to provide contextual information to call centre agents during live customer calls Month end reporting was a painstaking and time consuming process Traditional CRM systems not an option due to huge upfront costs and a need for infrastructure changes

Solution Su-Kam implemented Salesforce CRM for the Service Heads within its 33 service centres around India to introduce a single, company-wide solution for managing and tracking customer data. Salesforce.com partner Lister Technologies carried out the installation, integrating the companys existing call centre application and Oracle ERP system. Salesforce CRM went live in January 2009. Results

Su-Kam users have access to the same real-time data updates in the cloud from any location at any time Task of monthly reporting reduced from a full days work to a matter of minutes Su-Kam has an in-depth view into the productivity of individual users, to ensure targets are met Customer enquiries captured through the website, by phone and by email automatically routed to the appropriate agent and tracked through the service centre without ever getting lost in the system or forgotten Escalation rules ensure that Su-Kam is able to address customer complaints effectively. Salesforce.coms intuitive solutions call for minimal formal training for users Su-Kam employees completed basic training within two to three days workshop