- As an Organisation how did Godrej Infotech leverage their core strengths to deal with the COVID situation and what were the new learning?
At the onset of the pandemic, we were clear that Business Continuity for our Customers and the Health & Wellbeing of our employees were our 2 top priorities. Since we already had a process for supporting employees working remotely, moving to a WFH model for all employees happened seamlessly. Our infrastructure team enabled remote access VPN with Two Factor Authentication (2FA) and scaled up the private cloud server while rolling out Remote Desktop Servers in the span of just 1 hour. A mobile helpdesk center was also setup and employees started using Microsoft Teams for secured collaboration with multi-factor authentication and geo-tagging. We sent out communication to our Customers globally assuring them of our 24x7 support availability and aligning project activities through on-line discussions and sessions. During the last 12-months of this pandemic situation, we have executed multiple implementation projects, working remotely and while supporting more than a million users worldwide.
Our HR team connected with each employee to offer every kind of support wherever needed and conducted several learning and collaborative sessions to give employees the much-needed comfort and confidence.
The commitment of our associates made a huge difference in ensuring that none of our Customers’ business were impacted during this difficult phase. This also ensured that as a business we were able to do more new things in collaboration with our Customers to enable them to run their business more efficiently and effectively.
- When talking about Digital Transformation – What are the top 3 offerings by Godrej Infotech to customers
On the digital front, we have a dedicated business unit. The top 3 technology areas I would say are:
We see a lot of excitement with many organizations wanting to shift towards automation and omni-channel operations. The pandemic possibly made it more relevant, wherein Customers explored multiple options to enhance their business operations. Our technology offering includes Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Ecommerce & Analytics providing services including advisory and consulting services, followed by detailed implementation and support.
Our Infrastructure Management Services provides implementation and migration on Microsoft Azure cloud solutions followed by 24*7 application support. We are a Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform Partner globally, which gives us access to the latest upgrades and developments coming in from Microsoft. We have engaged with several Customers globally to migrate them to the Cloud platform in the last few years.
The Customers worldwide are looking for opportunities to adopt the enhanced features & functionalities of the core technology solutions and improve their business operations through digital solutions. We are working closely with the technology principals like Microsoft, Infor, LS Retail and Oracle and enabling the Customers to undertake a Transformation journey to adopt the new features and implement solutions like CRM, RPA, IoT, Analytics, etc.
- How is Godrej Infotech supporting customers in different regions across the globe given the travel restrictions?
We were quick to align to the new normal and moved to almost 100% offshore execution model for all our Customers. We have used virtual communication tools like Microsoft Team effectively for requirement analysis and UAT which were earlier done onsite. Regular video conferencing has cemented our connect with Customers. Our teams have worked extended hours to ensure that besides collaboration, our delivery timelines are not impacted. Our nearshore team worked in tandem with the Customer and Offshore teams to build the connect without any impact.
- Godrej Infotech provides IT solutions to its parent company – one of India’s leading conglomerates. Would you like to provide some highlights on GITL notable contributions in this area?
Our parent company Godrej & Boyce (G&B) is a USD 4.1 Bn conglomerate having diverse presence across 10 industries – from building complex bespoke engineering solutions to making branded consumer goods like appliances, furniture, locks and security solutions, with a Mission of “Making India self-reliant since 1897”. To capture new opportunities emerging in a Digital-first, Industry 4.0 world, G&B is reimagining and reengineering its portfolio by investing in digital technologies and processes, building new skill sets among employees and engaging with customers across social and online platforms.
Being part of this group, Godrej Infotech has been involved in this interesting Digital & Transformation journey. Over the last 2 to 3-years G&B journey has increased its momentum towards digital transformation to improve their operational efficiency and optimize cost. For example, for the Tooling Business we have a predictive dye maintenance solution that has been built using IoT. This solution has resulted in minimizing machine breakdown & unplanned outages by as much as 85%. Similarly, for the Process Equipment division we have implemented a solution for real-time tracking of machine performance using SCADA interface tables and Infor Mongoose. The Digital Initiative team from G&B has been exploring multiple solutions to which Godrej Infotech engages as a partner to deliver value. We have deployed RPA solutions across multiple business operations and recently went live with SalesForce CRM as part of “OneCRM” project across business units as a single platform for sales operation.
- The Godrej Group has always been known for great contributions on the CSR front. What are the focus areas of Godrej Infotech for this year?
Employability has been the focus area for our CSR initiatives. In the past as an IT company we had set up Computer Labs for schools in rural areas and imparted training in Graphic Designing for students in metros. In 20-21, partnering with Don Bosco Technical Institute we have run courses in Hardware & Networking and Computer Programming for underprivileged students which would make them readily employable in the industry. We would continue to contribute for the betterment of the Society with the objective of “Creating Employability” as the core theme.
- From people perspective, what changes has the organization brought-in to keep the employees motivated and encouraged during these unprecedented times?
We are an organization that believes in “Employees are our biggest strength” and we have a diverse mix of employees, across multiple age groups and locations. Our HR has done a tremendous job in ensuring that the varied needs of all these groups were effectively addressed. Enhancing learning for building future skills took centre stage and it was very encouraging to witness immense participation from our employees in the Learning Saturday initiatives even during weekends. “Knockdown the Lockdown Talent Hunt” series was another very popular Engagement initiative. Employee Wellbeing which covers both physical and mental health during this period became a key area for our Engagement Initiatives targeting specific groups like women employees, young employees etc.
- Please share your vision for the future of Godrej Infotech in the coming years.
Amongst the strategic initiatives planned many are already underway. Godrej Infotech plans to be a full-service provider with industry specific end-to-end solutions. On the Digital Solutions front. technologies such as Cloud, CRM, RPA, Analytics and Mobility are playing an important role. Given the remote working situation, we will continue to work more on the offshore model and will work on improving our services further based on our learnings in the last year. We have defined our growth areas related to Technology and Geographies in our Strategic Business plans and our Managed Support Services Model too is well prepared for handling multiple Customers across various geographies and industry verticals, I am confident of us doing well in that area. From a long-term perspective, we are also focusing on global enterprise Customers and working more on annuity contracts. In the days to come, I am quite optimistic of GITL making a mark as a full-service global player.
