IT makes it possible: M&M

For Suresh A Shan, national head, Information Systems and Technology, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd that won the Pioneer Enterprise Connect Award in the individual category this year, using IT to touch India’s hinterland was a unique challenge and success story.

Pratima Harigunani from CyberMedia News catches up with him on the road to rural India.

CMN: What prompted the idea of using a mobile device to gain access in India’s rural nooks for your company?

 Suresh A Shan:  The hand-held device was originally deployed for collection. But now, it is almost a mini-computer. It is further helping in improving connectivity and in generating remote information for the management.

CMN: What was the main hurdle?

SAS: Initially, there were hiccups. But everything depends on the demand. If that exists, rest of the work, falls in place. And then we had our partners to make the road smooth.

CMN: Are you happy with the achievements?

SAS: Yes, not only has this solution accomplished the initial collection target but gone to other levels like cross-selling and on-time decision making information from the field to directly the manager’s cubicle.

CMN: What applications are you now planning?

SAS: We are planning for more investments in bringing more information to branches, more standardization, local language delivery etc. But there are three main areas of focus where we want to use IT in covering the distance between – the employee and the office, the customer and the office and also when the office itself reaches out to them.

© CyberMedia News