Amara Raja_English_Inner_Kala_3T-ilovepdf-compressed

GUIDELINES • To be innovative, a person has to challenge, question everything: QuestionSet innovation goals…let them know it the present, think of the future. Ask “whymatters. Help them adapt new thinking not?”Do small safe experiments; Buildtools and processes. Encourage connections, convince on the benefits andbreakthrough thinking: let them believe then try on a larger scale.that “There has gotta be a better/different way” • Yet discipline is a must: The process of change management is always with in aMake our team members aware of the context. Ensure that the innovation processimportance of Innovation. Communicate is tracked, documented, validated.this in your meetings; create projectsthat demand innovation in your team • Focus even on small things. It need notmembers; create events that can bring be about chasing big opportunities only.forth expressions on innovation. Innovation is also to have continual improvement on simple and regularSome team members have it but do not processes.demonstrate innovative streaks easily!Look at each team member carefully • Stop moaning: Do not just complain or crib;for that little indication: Encourage face the problems and ask courageouslycreativity; Evaluate creativity of the “how can we solve it?”people in the organization. • Speak out without fear or apprehension.Train employees with innovation and If you think there is an innovative way,creativity practices; Allow people put it to a small test. Don’t try too much ofto question the status quo-let them revolutionary or out of context thinking.challenge or rebel but let them thinkdifferently and courageously. Not all new • Innovate in your personal life. It willattempts succeed. Please tolerate failure, help you to internalize better…It bringsas long as the intent is honest and sense consistency in life when you deeply believeof purpose is strong! Create internally that there’s “Gotta be a better way”!a competitive spirit towards innovation;Reward innovative approaches/recogniseinnovators publicly, openly! 51 Gotta be a better way

SummaryINNOVATIONInnovation, to us is proactivelyrebelling for better ways ofdoing things leading to newerpossibilities.Burgundy symbolizes Innovationwhich, like the vastness ofSpace, provides us limitlessscope to transcend boundaries. 52Gotta be a better way

• It makes a difference in all that we do and offer• It makes us different, makes our employees proud• It is about rebelling: challenging the status quo, with a positive mind• INNOVATION is to be new, to be different, to change• INNOVATION leads to better products, services, experiences• INNOVATION is an ongoing journey• Let innovation become a work mantra! 53Gotta be a better way

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With a synthesizing mindour Innovation is aslimitless as space… 55 Gotta be a better way

EXCELLENCEto us is continually enhancing our performanceto consistently produce outstanding results withlasting impact 56Gotta be a better way

We are recognized for what we deliver NOWand not for our past history!We live and operate in a global economy today. The market has openedfor all and no individual organization is any more safe or protected.With information being so easily and widely available across the world,we have customers who are aware and well informed. They have highexpectations and very strong demands in all aspects of products andservices they receive. To meet this expectation, we need to be betterthan others in all that we offer: Be it processes, technology, branding,communication, product quality, services or customer relations...we need to excel in just about everything! 57 Gotta be a better way

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They had the We need to QUANTA UPSpast, we have the differentiate and BATTERYpassion! lead in all that we Quanta Ba ery - while Amara Raja has made its name in catering to telecomWhen Amara Raja entered the business do! and railway business segments, theinitially there were many others in the UPS ba ery market con nued tofield. Some of them were well established We are world class by technology, quality, elude and remain a sour grape lltoo. We had to compete with the best of business practices, plan and processes. 2002 without a strong product tothat time in quality, in delivering service, The impact on customers is made through offer. However, the success within all our promises. They had a past, a our high value products & offerings, Amaron product development andtrack record, but we only had our hopes, delivered with pride by our employees branding has put renewed vigor anddreams and our desire to excel. We had with world class services. This makes us confidence in the company’s effortto be different, better than the best, even stand apart from others. to develop a superior Medium VRLAif we were not the biggest. We soon monoblock product line. In 2002learnt that we are recognized for what we This applies to our factories & facilities Quanta was born. Quanta, a resultdeliver and not for our past history! too. Look at the way we built our of a innova ve deployment of our manufacturing units right from the learnings and exper se in developingThis realization soon transformed into beginning. They were the best in class, Amaron product line has went ondetermination to be the best: in all that even in those times. From then, till now to become a benchmark product inwe do, in all aspects of our organization - to our recent infrastructure, electronics terms of performance excellence andand offerings; as we started making and food businesses - we keep ensuring has soon become a market leadingour mark, as customers recognized the that we are a class apart and not another brand in the UPS segment.value we created, the spirit of excellence “me – too” player. We need to keep uppermeated across the organization. Today that reputation! Excellence is a culturalwe are passionate about excellence. process to retain our name, fame; to make a difference.Do you know that almostevery second taxi inSingapore has an Amaronbattery? 59 Gotta be a better way

Excellence makes us wholly greatIn the competitive world in which we live Though it is a bit intimidating to live up At the heart of excellencetoday, people at all levels—just about to this expectation, it is essential that we is the constant urge to doeveryone in the organization—need to set a very high standard for ourselves, better and “not settlingpursue excellence. In the book In Search for delivering only the best to all our down” at any point of time.of Excellence Tom Peters indicates that stakeholders. We need to establish and“Excellent organizations are filled with sustain this belief: “Only the best fromordinary people who do extraordinary Amara Raja.”things.” For us, too, it is a constant questtoward perfection. It is getting ordinarypeople to do extraordinary things. Overthe years our people have understoodthis idea to perfection, realized theircontribution and now appreciate why wepursue excellence. 60 Gotta be a better way

FORD CUSTOMER What is Excellence is toThe Ford Experience - in 1997 when EXCELLENCE? constantly improveAmara Raja diversified into automo vebusiness we looked around a partner At the heart of performanceand signed agreeement with JCI. The first excellence isassignment under this partnership was discipline! At the heart of excellence is the constantto develop and supply for Ford Escort urge to do better and “not settling down”vehicle. It’s a great challenge for the team Excellence means “this is the best at any point of time. When one gets thethat never made a automo ve ba ery way.” It is to embrace perfection as feeling that “this is the ultimate level ofbefore. We started from scratch, learnt our standard, as our only standard, all performance and nothing more can matchbasics, absorbed technolgy, designed the time! Perfection demands flawless it”, a sense of indifference sets in. Thisproducts, manufactured and delivered execution in everything we do and is the typical “comfort zone” syndrome.the product in Oct 98 to Ford Nasik such execution produces results of This leads to complacency. We needplant. Simultaneously Ford was working the highest order. Individually also, to move on, to go beyond the currenton Ikon model and we were asked to excellence is about performing to the standards of performance, constantly.develop ba ery for that applica on too. best of one’s ability consistently. When Through this, striving “to be the best”It involved coordina on between Ford this becomes “our way,” then it becomes becomes a habit. As much as excellenceIndia, Ford Dunton Engg Centre, JCI a benchmark for others to follow as the will position us ahead of others and makeMilwaukke and Amara Raja team. We “best practice.” us “market leaders”, the real focusdelivered the product on me - a er should be a constant endeavour to berigourous evalua on and tes ng that How do we make it our way? Here comes “ahead of ourselves”. This is possible ifmet customer expecta ons. Very soon the role of systems and processes. we recognize that it is all aboutwe were recognised for the product Systems are the backbone of excellence.performance and manufacturing quality They create reliable and sustainable • Doing it right, in everything that weand received world excellence award ways of practicing the right way. It helps dofrom Ford in 2004 - the only Indian us to ensure repeatability. It makesCompany to receive that year. A proud quality so much more predictable. A • Getting the best performance,moment for us and true reflec on of our system is a self-assuring syndrome. consistently all the timecommitment to Excellence. Excellence is heavily dependent on our ability to create the right work habits • Continuously improving - as an through proper systems and processes. “ongoing mission” and • Adherence to a very high standard - in all that we deliver as results • Moving from a fixed standard to a moving target; a continuously raising bar/norm. 61 Gotta be a better way

Excellence is to Sustain excellence How do we “LIVE”make lasting impact and it sustains our EXCELLENCE?and stay in the mind uniqueness Culture of Excellence :of customers Capability is to show that we can do Treat quality as the king : something outstanding; credibility is toExcellence is commitment to high quality repeat that capability at will. Such is the Excellence and quality culture areperformance that produces outstanding truth about excellence. It is a process in inseparable. At Amara Raja excellenceresults of lasting value. Even though we which we constantly observe, understand is considered part of our quality journey.may believe that “what we have created & learn from our experience, and use the The 5S approach, TQM, TPM, Six Sigma,has value, finally it has to be experienced learning to become better. This is not to QCC, the HR Excellence and Businessand appreciated by the receiver. Hence be considered as a “special quality” by Excellence initiatives, all these are partto deliver Excellence to the customer, us because such excellence is the bare of it. Our quality initiatives and practices,make him experience it is the key success minimum required for survival in the such as Six Sigma, have helped us tofactor. times that we are living today. make things error free. We have received many awards for achieving excellence,At an individual level Excellence is an Excellence is an ongoing pilgrimage. including the best employer awards.attitude displayed through persistent Excellence is not a flash in the panaction, to do things in uncommon way by brilliance, which happens once in a Benchmark, Compete forthe individual. BUT it needs to become while and disappears. It is continuously quality:every ones agenda. How do we ensure ensuring greatness in all that we do. It isthis? By making excellence as a “habitual to ensure sustainability in whatever good Like our batteries, which are benchmarkedresponse” of the total system! things we strive for. with Johnson Controls, every process must be benchmarked with the equivalentOrganizational excellence implies Excellence has got to be our way of life, right reference and we should strive tosystems, operations, activities and the lowest common denominator for meet those high standards. We need toprocesses which are necessary to go every Amara Raja employee. have continuous internal competitionsbeyond the individual. Effective systems and also have audits, or surprise checksprovide reliability. Such reliability in all processes and functional areas. Wecreates deep impact in the minds of all must be constantly in a state of alert andconcerned. This leads to an overall sense preparedness for ensuring quality, as aof assurance, dependability in all that we pathway toward excellence. constantlyoffer for the customers and creates trust: in a state of alert and preparedness forWe are seen as a “culture” of excellence! ensuring quality, as a pathway towards excellence. 62 Gotta be a better way

Systems are a must EDUCATION SOCIETY We need to have, in all functional I joined Mangal Vidhyalam as the other big schools are far away from areas (including support functions) our village. I had to spend lot of money and me to travel to school. the following: Though my school is situated in a remote village, Amara Raja company has created very good facili es for the students like class rooms, • Quality and continuous advanced lab facili es etc. we have best teachers in our school who improvement. take care of the students and coach them very well. I am proud to say that I have achieved State Rank in Inter 1st year, Four of my friends also • Employing scientific tools achieved within top 10 ranks in Andhra Pradesh state. I am thankful to the excellent teachers, facili es and support given by them. Thank you • Benchmarking with the best in class Amara Raja. • Quality assurance and quality RECOGNITION FOR EXCELLENCE control practices in all processes.. Our excellence in what we do is demonstrated by variousCommunicate and Clarify recogni ons we received from me to me. As heads of departmentsEXCELLENCE: and sec ons, we have a unique responsibility to translate the organiza on’s objec ves into reality. With the excellent leadershipWe truly recognize that excellence is from the top management and support from the people across thenot a matter of luxury or “extra” favor organiza on, we have acheived many awards in the interna onalor contribution to the customer but an and at the na onal levels. The awards received are in areas of“essential” for being special. This is a Entrepreneurship, Quality, Excellence, Branding and Marke ng, HRbelief that must be reinforced repeatedly. Excellence, QCC compe ons, 5S, Supply Chain leaderhip, ExcellenceThe employees need to be reminded in employee development, people strategy to name a few.and reinforced with these ideas aboutexcellence: • It is a precondition for our constant growth • It is a system based improvement • It gives us strategic advantage over competitors in the marketplace • It gives us competitive advantage over others Excellence is not a matter of luxury or “extra” favour or contribution to the customer but an “essential” for being “special” in what we do 63 Gotta be a better way

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Role of managers supervision as the control mechanism LADY EMPLOYEEand leadership of ensuring quality. The analogy isin pursuit of “Tasting food”. When it comes to I grew up in the village of Diguvamagam,excellence: making food, the one who cooks is dreaming about a great future. Like the one who checks the taste. He many other girls however, I was not sureDiscipline of excellence: practice of is the quality checker and insurer. what my future held for me. I alwayshigh standards and prevention of low Why in organization should others wanted to study and work in a companystandards. supervise & check an employee’s as I did not want to go through the same job? Excellence should come from hardships my mother went through in • Let us widen our canvas of excellence: within. the agricultural fields. We did have a We predominantly deploy scientific small factory opera ng in a shed near tools for shop floor operations. This • Encourage everyone to be our village. There were some women needs to be horizontally deployed customer centric. Don’t make your working in this factory; however li le to all other areas of organization. customer come to you and demand. did I know that I will also become a part We should practice it even in Understand customer requirements of this factory. Started as a small shed, administrative and non-operational and proactively provide them the Amara Raja Electronics grew stead- areas. necessary service. ily into a huge factory making world class products. The building and the • Keep raising the bar/benchmark • Teaching excellence is important: Do factory premises are comparable with practices: Benchmark in business coaching/mentoring as required at the best in the industrial ci es across and learn from others—find out what different levels, and build a mindset the country. The company explained to other companies have done: What for excellence. At the task and us that the construc on methodology did we do in the previous year? What activity levels we may have to make and the equipments and machinery are have the best in the world done?—to it more vivid (like films, activities, imported from across the world and are benefit our ordinary shareholder. slogans and demos) and less subtle of the highest quality. (messages, concepts etc.). Create • Clearly disapprove or negate any a knowledge base for people to low standards: One way of ensuring understand excellence and create this is to reward and punish pride in self-leadership and self- appropriately. Even if maturity and management. affordability are key questions, we need to take corrective action, to • Make excellence an anthem: We’ve ensure that there is alignment to got to be better, before “gotta be excellence. a better way” is our mantra of excellence. This must become our • Publicly appreciate high standards: daily chant We need to actively do things for encouraging, recognizing and • Build competencies – make people to rewarding excellence. understand that without knowledge and skills one cannot excel – • Promote “self directed excellence”: continuos learning should be our Towards this we need to avoid habit 65 Gotta be a better way

GUIDELINES• Work with Passion, Not just how to gain mastery over • Be keen and passionate for pay! Improve efficiency, processes—will be a good about making a effec veness and ensure grounding for excellence as difference in anything customer sa sfac on a habit. you do. Excellence is a all the me, be it for ma er of heart (a tude) an external or internal • Determina on and to begin with before it customer. Con nuously persistence is required; becomes a ma er of strive to improve. Can we need to be more intellect (learning) and you show progress/ disciplined to achieve finally a ma er of hands improvement over your excellence. Enable and (prac ce). past standards? Do not be ensure doing the things sa sfied with what you right and prevent/prohibit • Don’t ever se le for achieved. Learn from your doing the wrong things. mediocrity. Refuse to do achievements and non- anything less than the achievements. • Be mindful in all that you best. Get things done, do; full a en on, focus, complete the task as• Create a simple involvement in whatever expected, without having approach to any process one is doing is a founda on to be told or supervised. improvement: this is for quality and excellence. fundamental to master We cannot daydream • Let excellence be a excellence. The ability and achieve excellence… lifestyle for us! Let’s do to understand processes you need keen a en on, it at home, in our family, how things work, how observa on and quick in our neighbourhood. sequences flow, what are response. What we consider as cri cal success factors, our best prac ces at the how to have a con nuous workplace, we should monitoring, to measure prac ce at all mes: in with metrices and finally the workplace, a social se ng and at home. 66 Gotta be a better way

• Demand nothing less than the best from yourself and others. Help others change from an average mindset to excellence by gently reminding, coaching and teaching about it. They may need me to come up to standards, so be suppor ve. To be tough on ourselves to deliver the best is the secret of excellence. 67 Gotta be a better way

SummaryEXCELLENCEExcellence to us is continuallyenhancing our performance toconsistently produce outstandingresults with lasting impactMagenta denotes Excellence which,like the strength of Wind, lifts anddrives our ceaseless pursuits. 68Gotta be a better way

• We are recognized for what we deliver NOW and not for our past history• We need to differentiate and lead in all that we do• Excellence makes us wholly great• At the heart of excellence is discipline• Excellence is to constantly improve performance• Excellence is to make lasting impact and stay in the mind of customers• Sustain excellence and it sustains our uniqueness• Culture of Excellence • Treat quality as the king • Benchmark, Compete for quality • Systems are a must • Communicate and Clarify EXCELLENCE 69Gotta be a better way

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With a disciplined mindour Excellence lifts all ourpursuits like wind… 71Gotta be a better way

ENTREPRENEURSHIPto us is leading with courage and conviction to convert gaps intoopportunities, create wealth and contribute to growth. 72Gotta be a better way

Adds value to the business, contributes togrowthAt the core of entrepreneurship is the ability to see an opportunity. Thisis not restricted to the creation of new products or business.For example, if a shop floor worker spots an opportunity and takesrisk to implement an idea aimed at achieving high results, she/he hasdemonstrated entrepreneurship similar to a higher level executive whodevelops a brand idea or a market opportunity.Value creation can be in many ways: Creating new processes orpossibilities, making a beginning, creating something or enhancing thevalue of a service that already exist, all these require an ability to see agap and sense an opportunity. 73 Gotta be a better way

Develops leaders It gave the youngsters opportunity, and again! We introduced the concept learning and confidence. We need to of “pro rated warranty” in Automotivefor organizational sustain this quality, so that we constantly Batteries, the first in the country. We have develop more leaders for the future, as adapted, restructured the organization,continuity and we grow our businesses. It is crucial that created SBU and Group structures to at Amara Raja we bring out the hidden bring focus and drive synergy.succession leader in all our employees. We have created opportunities in fieldsAt Amara Raja, our practices on people Encourages ‘what ranging from infrastructure to industrialdevelopment have helped to encourage services, from Power Solutions toentrepreneurship. In the early days, our is right, even if not Electronics, from precision componentsFounder Chairman used to give young to food business; we have tapped ajunior engineers significant levels of perfect’. wide range of possibilities! All theseresponsibility. This was clearly willingness businesses create more avenues for theto take a risk with inexperienced people. Many of the organizational decisions are diversity, growth and development ofMany of our senior managers are those dependent on business needs, strategic the organization and constantly enhanceyoung junior engineers the beneficiaries moves, seeing albeit at a distance “what opportunities for local employment,of that experimenting and exposure. is right, even if not perfect.” This calls especially of a non-migratory nature.It was an act of courage, a matter of for courage of conviction in the decisionconviction. maker, for some sensible risk taking. Amara Raja has demonstrated this again 74 Gotta be a better way

Entrepreneurshiphelps people toadapt, to evolve, totransform!The process of entrepreneurship withinan organization is called intrapreneurship.In our experience many of our employeesat Amara Raja are intrapreneurs. Theydisplay the following qualities:• The attitude: determination to try something new and find a way to build new competencies.• Focus: ensuring the economic benefits of the idea and being cost- efficient while developing processes, and delivering the results.• Effort: experimenting boldly to change things in areas where outdated techniques and experiences count for little.• Courage: being willing to invest that extra effort to overcome challenges rather than succumb to them, the determination to overcome hurdles.• Persistence: Constantly working towards enhancing the quality to create customer delight. 75Gotta be a better way

THE SPIRIT OF CourageENTREPRENEURSHIP A true entrepreneur is one who takes the Sensing and seizing risk of converting an idea into a reality opportunitiesLeadership despite the fact that there might be no Entrepreneurship is not merely a guarantees of success. Many enterprising process of identifying a gap and exploiting it. About the quality ofEntrepreneurship is the ability of an people are discouraged from following “enterprising” CK Prahlad, renownedindividual to lead other people through their dreams by people who do not share management guru, says: “If yourhis or her actions and motivate them to their beliefs, but a true entrepreneur aspirations are not greater thanachieve together at a higher level. stands up to his critics, endures ridicule your resources, you are not an and stands true to his or her faith- in entrepreneur.” He noted that an entrepreneur’s aspirations andWhile the motives of business what they truly believe in! This calls for dreams were his most important tools. It is not possible to initiateentrepreneurship are primarily financial, courage. activities without possessing these qualities: the ability to sense a gap,his business goals cannot be achieved Entrepreneurship is the process of take initiative, always find a way, andwithout characteristics such as the driving a business while bearing all convince others and to move forward.ability to envision the future, undertaking potential associated risks, and acceptingpersonal risks, and possessing the fact that one might fail occasionally. To be enterprising, therefore, is toorganizational management skills. But his He is often a lone ranger. What he sees possess the ability to see thingscapabilities and skills are not limited to others do not; what he is willing to go differently from others, the uncannyinvesting money and reaping the returns; through others are not willing. Patience, ability to identify a latent need andit is as much about finding ways to deliver Perseverance, the ability to take risks visualize it, to intuitively know whatextraordinary results by inspiring a by venturing into unknown territories … works in a particular situation, andcommunity of people. such qualities are all integral qualities of to convert that opportunity into a business, and to stay steadfast withAn entrepreneur has to be a true visionary such entrepreneur. a constant focus on one’s purpose.in order to recognize opportunities when Entrepreneurship is a long-haul journey; A true entrepreneur isthey present themselves and possess there are no shortcuts. If one has a feeble one who takes the risk ofthe motivation to exploit them. The mind, this is not possible. One needs converting an Idea intoemployees – his team of people- look conviction that it can be done, and “I can a reality despite the factfor both security and growth possibility. make it happen.” that there might be noThey had bold aspirations in their life! guarantees of successWith it comes, for the entrepreneur, thechallenge of creating conviction within theorganization about the future, about thevision and the purpose of the organization.He must also inspire people through hisbeliefs to evolve a coherent work culture.He needs to promote collaboration anddirection through the journey of theorganization. A successful entrepreneuris expected to possess such qualities ofleadership. 76 Gotta be a better way

“If your aspirations arenot greater than yourresources, you are not anentrepreneur”.- Dr. C K Prahlad 77Gotta be a better way

Creating wealth and GALLA FOODS How to practiceenabling growth ENTREPRENEURSHIP? Situated at Chi oor in AndhraAt one level, entrepreneurship is the Pradesh, the mango belt in Role of managers incapacity and willingness to undertake the India, Galla Foods, is into the encouraging entrepreneurship:conception, organization, management business of processing Tropicaland execution of a productive venture Fruit Purees, Concentrates 1. Create a supportive workwhile being mindful of all its potential and Fresh Fruits. Galla Foods atmosphere:risks, with the ultimate aim of achieving was started keeping in mindgreater profits. the local farming community. Encouragement: The farming community is anPrior to the creation of profit and integral part and the backbone This calls for identifying the E-capabilityamassment of wealth, the entrepreneur of the organiza on. In it’s in people and encouraging them to useneeds to focus on the development of the effort to be a forerunner in it. Often, in a culture where servitude isorganization, and creating the products the chosen areas of business the norm, employees are hesitant to takeand services to offer to the market: He in terms of best prac ces in bold initiatives. A good leader spots suchhas to create value. quality and technology, Galla possible talent and encourages them to Foods was started to benefit take initiatives.The entrepreneur creates value for all farmers, the industry and thestakeholders: to the customers’ value na on. Empowerment:through products and services; to theemployees through income and security; Galla Foods plant is equipped In order to encourage our team membersto the government through taxes and with state-of-the-art fruit to influence the organization with theirlevies; to the shareholders through puree processing asep c filling enterprising qualities, it is essentialreturns on investments; to the society line of SIG- Manzini, Italy to that we must let them feel empowered.around through his social responsibilities. produce natural fruit pulps & They need authority, resources,Money making, earning profits and concentrates. The plant has one encouragement and engagement to feelincreasing collective organizational of the India’s single largest fruit empowered.wealth is a precondition for all such value processing line -10 TPH ripencreation as mentioned above. Wealth fruit processing with Asep c Allow honest intentions:creation supports value creation. And Packaging.then it becomes a cycle of growth. We need to work within the organizational framework while challenging conventions and taking risks. We need to do so with the right intentions and not hold ourencourage risk takingby removing the fear offailure; but let people beclearly accountable. 78 Gotta be a better way

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enterprising tendencies back due to the • He constantly engages with all “impractical” when he comes withfear of consequences. Take away the elements of nature and withstands ideas? How often in the last 6looming fear of consequences: their vagaries and yet is optimistic months he had a hearty chat with for his results. his ideas and suggestions?Enterprising does not mean a free runfor all. It is essential to try our best and • He consistently takes chances in • Do we encourage entrepreneurshiptake risks; however we need to have the face of constant uncertainty. in ways that do not conflict witha backup plan ready, just in case ideas From harvest to harvest, he LEADS the organizational goals throughdon’t work out as expected. We need to an enterprising life. special initiatives? What have yousimultaneously have both: encourage risk done?taking by removing the fear of failure; but However, when such people become partlet people be clearly accountable. of an organization, we seem to lose this • Are we strongly seen as quality, and this is true even of people “Entrepreneurship positive”? CanTrust them with power and who work at managerial levels. people be supported in ways toposition: become entrepreneurs in support We need to ensure that this skill is of Amara Raja businesses?This is the great lesson from our chairman: preserved, and not lost.to trust people, have faith in their learning 4. Encourage people tocapability, bet on their hunger for results 3. Have a Checklist: question: listen caringly toand assign responsibility beyond normal Do you encourage what they say:thinking. This is the most dynamic way of entrepreneurship?encouraging entrepreneurial qualities. A passive, submissive mind never • Supporting entrepreneurship is questions. Such mind will never lead,2. Facilitate the native not an easy act. Yet the managers challenge or create new possibilities.curiosity & leadership will have to be facilitative and But an enterprising mind? It is full ofquality: answer the following questions, questions! with hard data and evidence: CanMost of our employees come from rural every worker/employee be an The defining quality of anbackground. And there probably lies our entrepreneur? What are his unique entrepreneur is the abilityadvantage! The Indian farmer is a great value adding capabilities? What to face & accept failures, andexample of enterprising spirit. It is from has been done to identify this? to learn from themthe simple rural farmer that we can learnthe most. • Are the employees being encouraged to be entrepreneurs • He is almost completely dependent and develop entrepreneurial on nature yet he takes risks without qualities? Do we have an evaluation great technology and scientific system that helps this? support systems. • Are we curbing his enthusiasm? Are we listening to him actively? Are we seen as keen and encouraging? Has that worked for you? • Are we giving signals that he is 80 Gotta be a better way

“Why”, “Why not?”, “Why not me?” and • Encourage decision making at lower INTRAPRENEURSHIP“Why not now?” …such are the questions levels. This can be done by force-asked by an enterprising mind. To become fixing decisions and reviewing the Intrapreneurship is encouragedsuch a person, It is essential for one to impact of responsibility on lower in Amara Raja at various levels.be courageously questioning. Managers level employees- either randomly When the Carriage and Forwardcan encourage their team members to or by rotation. agents were not able to managequestion the “conventional practices” warehouses efficiently, theand challenge current ideas. • Even though employees may not company decided to own the always make the right decisions, warehouse but managed by theManagers should mentor and encourage this is the defining quality of an warehouse team of the company.others by lending an ear to new ideas; they entrepreneur the ability to face &should avoid any preconceived beliefs or accept failures and to learn from The Group wanted to providejudgements that kill the enterprising spirit them. round the clock customer serviceof the employee. They should provide through toll free numbers. Thethem with useful, supportive feedback. original idea was to give it to an call-center company. This5. Create events and was proving to be an issue aspractices to encourage the company’s scale was lowentrepreneurship and large call centres were not adequately focusing on the same. • Cultural change is a must and Then the management decided therefore, people need to be to run its own call center, serving motivated to experiment and the customers of Amara Raja. innovate at all times. This can be This experiement proved to be achieved through incentives in the a success resul ng in increased form of recognition and rewards. customer sa sfac on levels. • Events that highlight the value The Indian farmer is of entrepreneurship can be a great example of conducted. For example, an enterprising spirit. It is Entrepreneurship month in which from the simple rural employees are encouraged to make farmer that we can learn interesting products to sell can be the most. held every year. 81 Gotta be a better way

Be curious, Be keen towiden your horizon: 82 Gotta be a better way

GUIDELINES• Recognize your importance: • Learn to create a project based approach: You are a crucial link in the value chain called the “organization”. You It is very effective when any your idea can make a difference to the whole can be presented as a project. Learning to chain by your influence. set Goals, time lines, cost estimates and business justification will go a long way in• Seek, Search, Read, Know: gaining support to your ideas. Be curious, Be keen to widen your horizon: Have you seen what is happening in other industries, organization? Are you aware of the global trends and practices in your area of work?• Clarify, Question and Communicate with confidence: All opportunities in life begin with a search and search begins with a questioning mind. Have conviction and communicate your ideas seek answers to your confusions- You may open a new window to the world!• Bring up new ideas which can be practical too: Make your ideas different, interesting yet useful for our organization In some ways at least! 83 Gotta be a better way

SummaryENTREPRENEURSHIPEntrepreneurship to us is leadingwith courage and conviction toconvert gaps into opportunities,create wealth and contribute togrowth.Orange stands for Entrepreneurshipwhich, like the energy of fire, fuelsour creativity. 84Gotta be a better way

• ENTREPRENEURSHIP adds value to the business, contributes to growth• Develops leaders for organizational continuity and succession• Encourages ‘What is right, even if not perfect’• Entrepreneurship helps people to adapt, to evolve, to transform!• THE SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP • Leadership • Courage • Creating wealth and enabling growth• Create a supportive work atmosphere • Encouragement • Empowerment • Allow honest intentions • Trust them with power and position• Facilitate the native curiosity & leadership Quality• Encourage entrepreneurship• Encourage people to question: listen caringly to what they say• Create events and practices to encourage entrepreneurship 85Gotta be a better way

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With a creative mind, we ignitethe spirit of entrepreneurshipthat grows and spreads likethe fire… 87Gotta be a better way

EXPERIENCESto us are what we create for our stakeholders which make themfeel part of something special, leading to endearing relationships. 88Gotta be a better way

Human beings crave for good experiencesWe are living through a technology driven era. Human connectivity isso much impacted by electronically driven communication systems: TheWorld Wide Web, the Internet, the mobile world, and computers…allthese have become essential parts of all our lives. Most of the timethere is no need for physical connectedness between the people whoare in a transaction. Human touch and real time experience get reducedsignificantly in the modern way of living.But there is the other reality too! The fastest growing economy is theexperiential economy—the service economy. The crowds at the Disneyand Universal Studios, the footfalls in the mushrooming shopping mallsthat provide enjoyable “ambiences” and the jam-packed “live musicconcerts” across the world stand as evidence of this. Why have theygrown so popular? Why do people love them?At a deeper level people want positive experiences: good, touching,enjoyable experiences. For them these live experiences are morevaluable than what any product or impersonal mechanized service canprovide. When a person buys a product, many aspects of the productcould be just like any other product with similar features. But if hisexperiences related to that particular product are positive and different,then the product stays in his mind.That’s the REAL challenge! The branding, the communication, thepromise, the reaching out- Can all the experiences related to that productbe different? We have some global brands that create this experience.Our aim at Amara Raja is to create positive experiences for all ourstakeholders. 89 Gotta be a better way

Amara Raja issensitive to thehuman needs andexperiences:Our company treasures the human care,and is committed to creating positiveexperiences. Even as we started the firstfactory near Tirupati, we wanted to createboth business and social impact with adifference. Over the years this attitudehas developed into a work culture: Tocare deeply for all stakeholders. Wewant every stakeholder to feel good inour interactions. We want to constantlyexpand the horizon of best experienceswe can offer. We want to constantly expand the horizon of best experiences we can offer. 90 Gotta be a better way

Our values are We have many Experiences offocused on being a internal customers the past build the“customer centric” who have “culture” of theorganization EXPERIENCES with organization:At Amara Raja the customer is one of us! Amara Raja as an organization hasthe most important stakeholder. Across a distinct history. A majority of ourthe organization what the customer Our managers: We begin by creating employees, in the initial stages, weremust experience becomes everyone’s for them the right environment to locally recruited. Employees who havefocus. Like the great Indian philosophy work and do business in that helps our joined the organization at the early stageof “Athithi Devo Bhava!”—“The guest managers take up challenges: create are aware of the values, beliefs and theis equivalent to God”—we treat our enriching roles, growth possibilities and culture, since they have experienced themcustomers with the greatest care. new opportunities, which are valuable during the journey of growth. experiences.When every employee practices this We have more and more of panvalue, creating a great experience Our employees: We create the right work India employees. As compared to thefor the customer, it will impact their atmosphere for employees; ensure that predominantly male employees of theminds, enhance our image and leave a the workplace provides an invigorating earlier stages, in the electronics businesslasting impression. That experience will experience that they look forward to 80% of our employees are women! Todayultimately contribute to the betterment coming into every day. we have many more employees whoof the business; contribute to the growth have come from other work cultures too.of our organization. All our other values All other stakeholders: We focus on They need to experience Amara Raja,converge to create this value. making all our stakeholders—vendors, experience the culture of the organization. government, support service providers— Until then they may even feel left out.Our efforts in innovation and excellence feel valued, positive, motivated. Theyshould lead to creating outstanding experience us as a different organization. Once they get involved/ immersed in theexperiences for our customers. The This further leads to our shareholders, DNA of the organization, that experiencecustomer—our revenue contributing the society we live in, and the local makes them feel welcome, valued andentity—has the highest priority in administration experiencing us differently comfortable. They need to be treated asreceiving positive experiences. This and getting impacted positively. internal customers deserving the bestleads to relationships strengthening, of experiences. Further we would wanttrust increasing and business growing. everyone to create such experiencesInterestingly, while working toward for all stakeholders which will lead toreaching this objective, there is a chain winning/engaging relationshipsof positive experiences created along theway! At a deeper level people want positive experiences: good, touching, enjoyable experiences 91 Gotta be a better way

Finally, it is AR Speak - Employee Experiences PITSTOP survey for improved employeeabout creating engagement, Success story of ARIPL. Amaron Pitstop was an innova on that provided a never before experience toexperiences for all ARIPL the customers. In an industry where the sales process was not customer friendly,stakeholders Being a new organiza on the Role Amaron provided an experience to the clarity dimension is very important customer that was user friendly, uniqueBe it product, brand or services of and was successfully implemented and with tremendous func onality. Thethe organization—Can we treat all by the team for the FY 09-10. We customer could get into a clean shopstakeholders to positive experiences? felt the “team work” dimension and get their ba ery changed.Be it the offices/factories/locations of will give very good impact for thework: can we create an invigorating work business and selected accordingly we would want everyoneenvironment? We want our partners for the FY 10-11. A er collec ng to create such experiencesand service providers to feel positive the ini al feedback from the to all stake holders whichin our dealings with them. Similarly we par cipants the senior management will lead to winning /have financial, legal partners, service team of ARIPL along with their engaging relationship.providers, many vendors; we want them HR department sat together andalso to experience positivity and wish to prepared ac on plan to improve themake them experience us as a caring yet dimension TEAM WORK. The ac onsystem driven, ethical and professional plan was implemented me culouslyorganization. with the help of the HR team. The benefits were remarkable. It is evident that there is a remarkable improvement within the ARIPL team members on “Team Work”. Each individual improved their efficiency and skill in team work in project management . 92 Gotta be a better way

EXPERIENCES: the most valued Experiences are what we want ourassets of life! customers to gain from us:Experiences are “FEELINGS & All human beings look forward to positive, joyful, valuableLEARNING” through life: experiences in life. Whatever be the situation, the human beings present have an important role to play in creating theExperience is what we go through when we are interacting with experience for others. Given the same environment and otherothers, exploring the world in our transactions, moving across compulsions, our positive attitude, human sensitivity, caringin time and space in the journey of life. Whatever happens to us gestures and our generous outlook of “giving” can make a bigthrough the actions and events—the feelings evoked in us, the difference to the other person who is interacting with us.consequences of the incidents, the learning left with us—allthese belong to the package of our “experiences.” Experiences are what stay in our memory over time:The process of experiencing essentially is taking in through oursensory capabilities, soaking in the feelings evoked and storing Experiences are also the foundation for all learning. Wethe resultant emotions/feelings in our memory. Good music learn about things, subjects but more importantly we learnprovides a feast to the ears and the soul. A good photograph about what caused for us “good feelings” or “bad feelings.”or painting is a treat to the eye. A gentle breeze is something They are stored in our memory and we are reminded of themthat causes a cozy, warm, caressing feeling. Similarly a good whenever a trigger or a connection happens with our past. Itinteraction or dealing with another human becomes a source of is the knowledge and exposure gained over a stipulated time.joy. All these are cherished. Diverse experiences create the feeling of learning, maturing and evolving. 93 Gotta be a better way

How does an employee practise creatinggood EXPERIENCES on an everyday basis? 94 Gotta be a better way

How do we will follow. He will be made to wait at the opportunities to employees to experiencecreate positive entrance… till an HR guy appears. Then the highest quality/services and enhanceEXPERIENCES? an HR assistant will come and there are their own standards of experiences. For few more questions asked. He is asked example, some world class Hotels makeAmara Raja should be able to offer positive to wait. For the candidate this hanging the employees stay in a guest room toexperiences to all the stakeholders who around for a long time and repeated experience their service standards. Suchrelate to us, in all our touch points. The questions leads to exhausting, tiring and exposure to the employees to highercustomer—the buyer of our services—is de-motivating experience standards and experiences helps themthe most obvious one yet we must keep in enhance the quality of their offering.mind all stakeholders as our customers. Or can there be a better way of doing ?….On the other hand if HR briefs the Energize work atmosphere: Provide/How does an employee practice creating security in advance, and the security create excellent workplaces andgood experiences on an everyday guides the candidate promptly to atmosphere in terms of: Layout, hygiene,basis? Does he keep the end user, the receptionist, if she smiles, addresses support facilities, logistics management.customer—the experiencer—in mind him by name and guides him to HR... All these enable creating an experiencethrough the entire process? Let’s look at Makes him comfortable and hospitable of a high energy work atmosphere;a possible scenario. and the HR person meets him on time. therefore motivating the people to give He goes through pleasant and positive their best.A typical scenario of experiences! The candidate feels ‘valued’customer experience: and the experience of Amara Raja is Ensure punctuality: Always respect the etched in memory. He is already an other person’s time, stick to schedulesLet us assume that a candidate comes for ambassador for our organization. and be on time; Let people know inan interview: He reports to security, they advance if there are changes. Ensure thatcheck him…ask some basic questions Role of managers to such communication is delivered in time.“why did you come? Official or personal” reinforce the value ofwho has called you?” and so on. The “experiences”: Walk around to feel the place: Walksecurity has no idea that a candidate is across to colleagues and find out if yourcalled for interview. Then with a flurry of Set HIGH standards: Ensure that you delivery was okay; don’t just sit back andhis hand, the security will “instruct him” stand for excellence as a “minimal think that it was OK. Go that extra mile.to go to the reception. standard” –be it in your product, service, communication, hospitality, environment Provide opportunities toThen he will search for reception and or processes. They are the basic enablers employees to experiencediscover where it is. The receptionist is of good experiences. Let your team “the highest Quality/not aware that a candidate is expected members know that “to provide good Services” and enhanceto come for an interview. More questions experiences, a lot of ground work is first their own “standards of essential. experiences” Teach by creating experiences: Provide 95 Gotta be a better way

Respect all commitments: We create GUIDELINES • Go the extra mile topositive experiences by respecting our make a difference. Hecommitment; first to delight the customers Here is a 5-step approach has already done thatand then to all stakeholders. This leads to for crea ng amazing to us: He is talking toa mutually beneficial relationship and a experiences for all us instead of somewin-win situation for all, with all. stakeholders other supplier!Provide timely and relevant feedback: • “Relate well” • Recognize that everyIn order to improve experiences solicit stake holder hasfeedback from the stakeholders and We need to relate choicetake corrective actions to clarify the deeply with everyright way. It must be a conscious effort: stakeholder in all our • Every customer has1. Define with clarity the experience we dealings as if it is “the a choice of manywant to create, 2. Educate how to do it, 3. transac on”- the game suppliers, of manyEncourage positive experiences and then changer- for him. products and services,multiply such positive experiences. and the choice of • We need to dealing with us orBe sensitive, be alive to people: Every EMPATHIZE so someone else. Bymoment counts: All the interactions— as to completely exercising the choicepersonal or professional—are understand his needs of dealing with us aopportunities to create a positive and perspec ves. customer is honoringexperience. For example, when the Put yourself in his us.worker/team member/leader goes to shoes. That will give Secondly, recognizework by bus, does he make the bus driver us an idea of his that percep onfeel good? Does he make the driver feel assump ons and ma ers. It is not goodimportant to the organization? Does he expecta ons. enough if we havebring in joy and cheer? Similarly, can he inten ons of providingbe alive with co-workers, team members, • We need to good experiences. Wewith vendors/government or public EARNESTLY listen to need to demonstrateservants? The intent should be to deeply him. Great People are our inten ons in aengage and create experiences. good listeners. clear perceivable way for the customer. • Show enthusiasm in his needs, issues and • We need to make problems. Do you the “possibility” of really care? Make him him looking at us as feel “Yes, this one does!” 96 Gotta be a better way

special or looking ANNUAL CELEBERATIONS forward to dealing with us. This should The Annual Celebera ons event has consistently seen a par cipa on happen in all possible of 10,000 people and is on the increase year a er year. This is a ways: through unique opportunity where the organiza on and the leadership our research, our communicates and interacts with its people. The employees along reaching out, regular with the families also get an opportunity to get together and share the communica on, joy of being in the big Amara Raja Family. Various sports and cultural impressive branding, ac vi es are conducted within the company and prizes are distributed. and warmth in our Chairman, MD and their family members have lunch along with all encounters. Hence employees and their families during this annual celebra ons “strengthen posi ve impressions about us”. • Reinforce • When we say yes, we need to ensure that we• Realize that every Here comes the stage of deliver 100% of what one of us can make a engaging rela onship. was promised or was difference. expected. • We need to listen with • We have the choice of all our heart and look • Retain: remember, being posi ve, passive for even the hidden or reach out, and remind or pu ng him off- in hinted messages. everything we do or Once a transac on is say. • We need to stretch over, it is not the end of if needed, to see the show, it is just the • It is not mere agreeing if we can fulfil beginning. or disagreeing that his expecta ons. ma ers as much as Even when we lose • We need to follow “how we say” what transac ons let’s up seeking post we say. see if we can gain transac on feedback. “apprecia on”. • If the statement • We must ensure that comes from deep • In spite of our best we had served him caring even a inten ons, some mes most sa sfactorily. disagreement or we have to say no nega ve statement to a customer or • We should therea er, can look facilita ve. stakeholder. Even a gently proac vely be in “no” from us should touch. He must be able be so warm that there to keep us in his radar is good feeling about at all mes. us in future. 97 Gotta be a better way

SummaryEXPERIENCESExperiences to us are what we createfor our stakeholders which make themfeel part of something special, leadingto endearing relationships.Blue signifies indelible Experiences wecreate which, like the serene and deepWater, engulf all our stakeholders. 98Gotta be a better way

• Human beings crave for good experiences• Amara Raja is sensitive to the human needs and experiences• Our values are focused on being a “customer centric” organization• We have many internal customers who have EXPERIENCES with us• Experiences of the past build the “culture” of the organization• Finally, it is about creating experiences for all stakeholders• EXPERIENCES: the most valued assets of life • Experiences are “FEELINGs & LEARNINGs” through life • Experiences are what we want our customers to gain from us • Experiences are what stay in our memory over time 99Gotta be a better way

100Gotta be a better way