I joined the TVS Group straight out of my MBA. The realities of working in a Non-Banking Financial Company was a crash course in understanding people, financials, and life in general. This happened whether I was collecting cash from a lorry driver who has a hire-purchase contract or talking to a pensioner who depended on the monthly interest from the deposits he had with us. Each one was a different story.

I played many roles from being a general manager for the NBFCs -hire-purchase/ leasing /deposit management; to running business process transformation; executing the digitization initiatives to setting up share market operations.        

The TVS Group’s values & culture were its brand and core to working. Customer service was at the heart of everything and an oft-quoted example was that ‘people used to set their clocks when the TVS bus stopped outside their house’! The stories of the founders – the sons who would not be allowed to sit for dinner until the customer deliveries were completed and the financials were tallied. As a company, we aspired for zero tolerance for errors as they impacted lives.      

Strategic business transformation and digitalization – I had the responsibility of first creating the standard operating processes for hire-purchase/leasing/deposit & loan management which evolved into Total Quality Management, Kaizen, and finally into business process transformation to align with growth & change leading to computerization (digitalization). This was rooted in the real world; for example: that we truly understood that we were custodians when managing deposits (or giving loans) and ensured business continuity even during serious disruptions of floods, civil unrest, or data corruption.  

‘People matter’: whether they were customers or employees it was vital to connect, understand and empathize. I learned the importance of leading by example. I realized that people will unlock magic when empowered and inspired and as a leader, I need to do that. Years later I was asked if I had gone for sensitivity training and I will always credit my People understanding to this time.

I learned that no job was too menial, it’s the outcome that one needs to focus on not just the activities.

Everyone was my teacher – the oldest employee was 64 years and he was the most enthusiastic student as we rolled out automation, and he was my gentle, kind mentor. Yet there were others who were not comfortable with me for various reasons ….and I had to find a way to engage and get results. I also realized that I could learn anything through books, people, and by applying myself. I truly learned the power of surrounding myself with people smarter than myself.      

Finally my sincerest Gratitude to my Teachers from this time. I can never truly do justice to all that they have given me.

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