PAKISTAN
Co-author Professor Dr. Ehsan ul Haque with his labour of love at its Karachi launch by the Marketing Association of Pakistan The 13th edition of the Principles of Marketing, the seminal work of Professor Dr. Philip Kotler, is dedicated to the South Asian Perspective. Through the decades Kotlers work has held the fort as the primary text on marketing for business schools all over the world. In the 13th edition Kotler has shared the credits in equal measure with co-authors Professor Dr. Gary Armstrong (University of North Carolina), Professor Dr. Prafulla Y.
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In the New Year may Allah give us the strength and resolve to become pillars of support for our less privileged brethren, Ameen. I wish our readership health, wealth and happiness in the New Year.
Khalid N. Awan
Chairmans
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The resilience of the Pakistani nation has been put to the test time and again, and each time we have proved more than equal to the task of dealing with and overcoming daunting odds. In our continuous effort at improving the service that we provide to our esteemed clientele, TCS has initiated a consultative forum in the shape of Town Hall meetings. These meetings are scheduled every month, and will bring together with the TCS Management Committee the senior and middle management levels at the Head Office, with their replication down the management hierarchy to include in their fold TCS frontline functionaries throughout the TCS Network countrywide. This tighter interaction amongst the TCS people will help clear the decks in the running of a tighter ship to the great advantage and benefit of our valued customers. Along with the internal streamlining, the countrywide launching with great vigor of the TCS Franchise and Agent Networks, as also a quantum
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CEOs
expansion in the TCS Network of Express Centers, is enabling enhanced intimacy with the TCS customer through a highly perceptible increase in the TCS footprint and elimination of our out-of-service areas. Our Aviation Division is adding new ports of call within the country, contributing to the generation of further efficiencies. TCS is fully cognizant of the role express logistics is playing in reversing the slide in Pakistans economic activity. We have made huge investments in infrastructure that has vastly increased our ability to handle volumes, a fact that we are now leveraging in our quest for continuous improvement in the service of you, our esteemed and highly valued customer. Thank you for giving TCS your vote of confidence and we look forward to serving you with the best of our ability. Saqib Hamdani
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Welcome to another edition of TCS CONNECT. Through high and low, through thick and thin, through hail and high water, TCS has forged an unrelenting trail in the service of its esteemed clientele. We have shouldered with great humility and gratitude more than our share of the burden each time the nation has called out for a shoulder to lean on in times of crisis. In return we have been blessed with the continuity of our enterprise that has gone from strength to strength in even the most challenging of business environments. The diligent pursuit of our profession has brought for us rewards hitherto unimagined. For that we are thankful to Allah, Who has viewed with favour our dedication to the service of His Mankind. Allah be Praised. In this issue we visit in very vivid manner the trials and tribulations of the Flood affectees through a first hand account obtained from Ahsan Jamil, the young and very dynamic CEO of Aman Foundation, who led from the front his team of international water paramedics during the most destructive phase of the Floods. It is a very sobering account that reveals the extent of governance gaps which magnify the downside to disasters. Also in this issue is a very interesting interview of Mr. Adnan Afridi who served until recently as the managing director of the Karachi Stock Exchange. His three years at the KSE read like a fast paced, exciting narrative of Pakistans recent history. The fine art of effective articulation received much attention during Voice Coach Lucy Cornells tour of Pakistan of which we carry a very illuminating account. Parenting and mentoring of the newer generations is in focus as well in this issue, and we highlight four different sets of very worthwhile efforts that definitely require replication. Karachis quality of life is all set for a gear change with Port Grand giving its harbour area a breathtaking facelift. We do a curtain raiser of the project and carry the thoughts of its moving force Shahid Firoz. Human resource development in all spheres of business endeavour remains an enduring concern at TCS, and we carry the views of leading proponents in this area that include Omar Khan, Ramiz Allawala, and Andre Verdier. We also carry an account of the 150th monthly Meeting celebrations of the Trainers Resource Group that carried on for two days under the banner of LearnFest. On the TCS front Salman Akram (Vice President, Sales) and Rehan Ally Agha (Regional Director South) take a bow in our sections HeadSpeak and Spotlight. We also take a look at our Information Technology division that has made great strides in upgrading the tools at the disposal of TCS in the service of its customers. We highlight the new revenue streams made possible by MMS Print Shop and the Warehousing & Distribution divisions within TCS. The TCS Safety & Security division has also come in for review, given the turbulence of the times. Customer service remains a top-ofmind concern, and we cover the launch of the CMC II software and its rollout nationwide. Let me end by saying what a great pleasure its been putting this Newsletter together for you, our most valued customers. Thank you for taking the time and going through its pages. jamil janjua
janjua05@gmail.com
Chief Editors
Whats Inside
Corporate Scene
Adnan Afridi (former MD KSE) Aman Foundation in flood rescue Port Grand Shah Sharahbeels Bombay Dreams Malir Garrison Polo Clubs inauguration 8 10 26 33 36
World of TCS
Chairmans Message CEOs Message Chief Editors Message Warehousing & Distribution Infotech Spotlight - Rehan Ali Agha Editorial HeadSpeak - Salman Akram MMS PrintShop Safety & Security Dubai Happenings Customer is King 2 2 3 6 13 14 14 15 16 18 19 38
Editorial Board
Patron Khalid N. Awan Chief Editor jamil janjua Editor Adil Ahmad Graphic Designer Syed Shahbaz Members of Editorial Committee Saqib Hamdani Salman Akram Rizwan Hafeez Ali Leghari
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network made up of the company, suppliers, distributors and ultimately customers who partner with each other to improve the performance of the entire system. Ehsan ul Haque is Associate Professor of Marketing at the Suleman Dawood School of Business at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). He received his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from the University of Engineering & Technology , Lahore, and spent some time in the oil service industry in Pakistan and the Sultanate of Oman before pursuing his MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Haque received his PhD in marketing from the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. Haque has played a founding role in the establishment of two important institutions in Pakistan LUMS where he spent 20 years in a variety of administrative positions culminating in dean of the business school; and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA) of which he was the founder CEO. He has been involved in consulting work for the public and private corporate sector and international agencies like the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Development Program. For this particular effort it took Dr. Haque one and a half years to collect the data from managers, and he had to leave out a lot of case studies to keep the size and cost of the book in
Principles of Marketing South Asian Perspective is an exhaustive compilation spread over 20 Chapters and three Appendices contained in over 500 pages that cover the entire gamut of the marketing discipline. While I am still in the process taking it all in, the one thing that has stood out in my read so far is the spin that the co-authors have given to an area of business that has increasingly captured the attention of managements all over the world and become a central issue in the business worlds search for efficiency and competitive advantage. I am talking about Supply Chain. The section that immediately follows the TCS Case Study is titled Supply Chains and the Value Delivery Network, and in it the co-authors assert that the term Supply Chain may be too limited. It takes a make-and-sell view of the business. It suggests that raw materials, productive inputs, and factory capacity should serve as the starting point for market planning. They suggest that a better term would be Demand Chain because it suggests a sense-and-respond view of the market. Under this view, planning starts with the needs of target customers, to which the company responds by organizing a chain of resources and activities with the goal of creating customer value. Even as the reader is adjusting to this challenge to a long established terminology, the co-authors challenge their own creation! Demand Chain view of the market may be too limited as well, they say, because it takes a stepby-step linear view of purchase production-consumption activities. With the advent of the Internet and other technologies, however, companies are forming more numerous and complex relationships with other firms. Most large companies today are engaged in building and managing a continuously evolving value delivery
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check. In response to a number of questions posed long distance from Karachi to Dr. Haque in Lahore, he had the following to say. In Pakistan the faculty has to reinvent the wheel due to paucity of resources. Marketing is about making value exchanges possible, and is specially crucial for societies with less empowered consumers. Bringing the distribution cost down is an essential part of marketing, and the marketing function does not add to the cost of the product. There are a large number of companies that go bankrupt in response to consumer apathy. Demand arousal as a result of marketing is not as lethal as it is made out to be. The job of the marketer is to educate the consumer on his available choices. The masses are not morons and have the capacity to decide. There is a need for strong consumer protection, no doubt. If the marketing manager does not have the interest of his customer at heart, then he or she is a swindler. Integrity, and giving value for money are huge issues. Dr. Haque is married with two daughters and a son. His wife is a designer of clothes. He prefers a meaty diet which he has had to scale down for reasons of health. He goes out for a regular brisk walk, and cites Waheed Murad, Zeba, and Dilip Kumar as his favorite movie stars. We thank you Professor Dr. Ehsan ul Haque for putting Pakistan right up there with the best in the world.
Masood Hashmi, President Marketing Association of Pakistan (MAP), presents Co-author Professor Dr. Ehsan ul Haque with a mememto at the book launching ceremony in Karachi.
Andre N. Verdier on
Andre N. Verdier is CEO of MRMGlobal. MRM-Global has signed a Strategic Alliance Agreement with Octara to market and deliver its Training Services in Pakistan. MRMGlobal will deliver its entire range of Public as well as In-house Training Programmes in cooperation with Octara. MRM-Global was founded by Dr. Dermot Carey and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with offices in London & Dubai. MRMGlobal is dedicated to support the industry providing change management and business process improvement services with a specialist knowledge in Procurement, Supply Chain and Logistics. Through the aegis of MRM, Octara is looking forward to accreditation from the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) for Certificate in Integrated Procurement & Supply Chain Management. The Program consists of 7 modules of 2.5 days each, and the candidates must complete these modules at regular intervals over a period of 18 months, and submit a thesis at the end of it. The program is meant for industry professionals with working knowledge in the field. It will benefit people working in supply chain positions, in procurement, operations, and even people in finance, human resource and information technology, said Andre on a recent visit to Karachi to conduct an Octara workshop.
Supply chain sustainability and intelligence are key factors. People are finally talking about supply chain instead of just talking of procurement. Efficiencies today are in the movement of products. Collaborative and integrative are buzzwords of great consequence. If you look at an operation as an activity between the supplier on one hand and the customer on the other hand, then in between you have modern management where you capture what the customer wants. Then there is forecasting where you plan what you are going to do, and then you have procurement logistics where the raw material is bought, followed by manufacturing logistics. Thereafter follows the logistics of distribution. All these activities have to happen in sequence, and there must be collaboration and integration. You dont want a silo situation where people are doing very well internally, but are not communicating with each other at the different steps, and therefore are denying the organization the benefits of a seamless process. In his last assignment Andre was the Head of Supply Chain and reporting to the CEO. We basically run everything except Finance, HR, IT, and Sales. We do forecasting, procurements, activities within the manufacturing environment, transportation, warehousing, and distribution. Its becoming increasingly fashionable for organizations to have a Chief Supply Chain Officer or the Senior Vice President of Supply Chain who reports to the CEO and takes ownership of all Supply Chain activities within the organization, working together with Sales, Finance, IT, and HR.
Very successful models have outsourced the logistics part, says Andre. The moment you finish with manufacturing you outsource it to your logistics partner who warehouses for you, and who distributes and transports it to the final retail points. There are very good and strong logistics organizations who can handle this function in a more efficient and cost effective manner than the manufacturing company could do on its own. I like the people of Pakistan, and the culture, and I see the opportunities. All the time that Ive been here I have had some really good times and learnt so much along with making many good friends. Its a shame that people are afraid to come here because of whats been happening, says Andre who is married with two sons and a daughter, with his family living in Antwerp, Belgium. He can fluently speak five languages, and is very passionate about photography, specially Nature photography which requires a lot of patience. He likes Pakistani food, having grown up with Indonesian food which can be quite spicy, but he doesnt like it spicy to the extent that one cant taste the food anymore. Understandable!
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Supplychain Specialists
With the most modern and efficient tools in warehouse management and out-of-the-box distribution models, the TCS W&D division has achieved Key Performance Indicators (KPI) set by its customers - Qasim Qayyum,
Strategic Business Head, TCS W&D Warehousing & Distribution Division is a specialized 3PL setup formed in 2004 and is setting new benchmarks in providing Total logistics and Supply Chain solutions in the country. In this relatively short time span, it already had its presence felt on the supply chain canvas of the country. TCS W&D has an envious clientele in the Telecommunication, FMCG, Pharma, I.T and other sectors and is providing its customers extra-ordinary services in their respective segments anywhere in the country. TCS W&D has over 100,000 Sq ft multi-user Warehousing facilities in the country, which offer efficient and economical warehousing services by employing carefully thought out material storage (racks and equipments) and management (web based, in house developed Warehouse Management System WMS software). With the most modern and efficient tools in warehouse management and out-of-the-box distribution models, the TCS W&D division has achieved Key Performance Indicators (KPI) set by its customers. TCS Logistics has also implemented ISO 9001 in Warehousing as an assurance of the quality of service provided to its customers. TCS W&D is not fixated in its approach and
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the
believes fully in offering customized solutions to its customers that best fit their specific logistics and supply chain needs. The Inventory Management & Warehouse process has been automated with an in-house, webbased management system WMS that provides online access and realtime information to customers for ordering and monitoring their stocks. The current range of specialized services includes: accreditation from the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) for Certificate in Integrated Procurement & Supply Chain Management. Andre was in Pakistan recently and conducted a series of Workshops for Industry professionals.
Warehousing Transportation and Distribution Value addition and Stock Repacking Barcoding & labelling Warranty Management Reverse Logistics
Very successful models have outsourced the logistics part, says Andr N. Verdier the CEO of MRMGlobal. MRM-Global has signed a Strategic Alliance Agreement with the TCS sister enterprise Octara to market and deliver its Training Services in Pakistan. MRM-Global was founded by Dr. Dermot Carey and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with offices in London & Dubai. MRMGlobal is dedicated to support the industry providing change management and business process improvement services with a specialist knowledge in Procurement, Supply Chain and Logistics. Through the aegis of MRM, Octara is looking forward to The moment you finish with manufacturing you outsource it to your logistics partner who warehouses for you, and who distributes and transports it to the final retail points. There are very good and strong logistics organizations who can handle this function in a more efficient and cost effective manner than the manufacturing company could do on its own. Clearly TCS W&D has a vital role to play in generating efficiencies across the industrial landscape in Pakistan. Qasim Qayyum qasim@tcs.com.pk
State of the art, fully racked, multi-user warehousing facilities 220 + satellite tracked vehicle fleet for your FTL (Full Truck Load) & LTL (Less Than Truck Load) requirements Extensive countrywide network and infrastructure including aircrafts, offices in 154 cities and professionally trained HR Customized logistics and Total supply chain solutions Technologically advanced, automated and efficient systems Web based inventory management system and shipment tracking options One stop solution for warehousing, inventory management, bar-coding, repacking, transportation, distribution, reverse logistics etc. Above all, a highly committed and capable team of Logistics professionals to add unique value to your Logistics & Supply Chain needs
bags 6th
Consumers Choice Award 2010
The Consumers Association of Pakistan (CAP) held a grand Award Ceremony based on Consumers Choice Survey. This was the first of its kind in Pakistan, and also marked the launching of the CAP website www.consumersassociationpk.org Consumers may now log on to the site to register their complaints or appreciation for various consumer products and services available in the market. If all consumers understand how to act for empowering themselves CAP will achieve its goal, said Kaukab Iqbal (Chairman, CAP).
Arif Ansari
Senior Sales Manager Aviation TCS, Lahore.
TCS Vice President for Business Process Reeingineering & Special Projects, Jamil Ahmed, receives the Award from Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim www.tcs.com.pk 07
Every market in the world is susceptible to some form and degree of manipulation
Adnan Afridi
As a barometer of the national economy, the KSE must have taken a big hit from the floods? Adnan Afridi recently completed a three years contract with the Karachi Stock Exchange wherein he served as its managing director. Prior to this assignment he was managing director of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry. A Harvard University graduate in Applied Economics and Law, he trained as a corporate lawyer, and then went into strategy consulting in the USA and Europe for several years before moving back to Pakistan 12 years ago. Here he ran his own strategy and corporate advisory company for many years involved in privatization transactions and investment banking type transactions, and then joined the OICCI as its MD. It was there that Mr. Shaukat Tarin, the then Chairman of the KSE, recruited Adnan primarily for converting the KSE from a mutual, non-commercial entity to a corporate commercial entity for de-mutualization. He accepted the assignment and joined the KSE on the 1st of November 2007. When TCS CONNECT caught up with Mr. Afridi in mid August 2010 he still had two months to run in his three years contract, and although he hadnt quite made up his mind yet, it was fairly evident that the draw of new challenges would have him relocate at the end of his tenure. The devastation wrought by the floods in Pakistan had everyone staggered and stunned, and we opened the interview with the concern uppermost in peoples minds.
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markets. However, if foreign aid flows in as we expect it eventually will, then pressure on the Rupee will be alleviated to that extent. If the construction phase is managed well, and good governance is a key issue there naturally, then the silver lining in all of this is that our farming infrastructure, that is probably decades behind any advanced country, can actually leap frog and join those countries if we set up modern infrastructures in place of what has been lost now. I know I have said if many, many times, but as a member of the economic team one has to be optimistic and hope that some of this will materialize. Let me stress that in the short term we do see dislocation on a number of fronts in the economy. What have been the highlights of your tenure with the KSE? I joined on the 1st of November 2007. There is a Chinese blessing that says may you live in interesting times. I think someone has wished that on me! I took over at a time when the market was doing very well, as also was the economy, but political changes were beginning to happen. On the very second day of my job Emergency was imposed by General Musharraf on the 2nd of November 2007. So it was not a particularly auspicious start. Within six weeks of that was the Benazir assassination. Within another
I must stress on behalf of the KSE that we share the sentiments of everyone in the country and around the world that this is an unprecedented natural calamity. One of the key reasons why aid has been slow in coming is that the nature of the calamity is such that it is very difficult to assess the scale and magnitude unless youre deeply involved in it. Fortunately as we live in Karachi we have not been directly hit. However, as the media coverage comes in the scale of the disaster is becoming evident. The KSE is very sensitive to the humanitarian aspect, and we were amongst the first corporates to offer one days salary to flood relief. We have an ongoing Dastarkhwan project that provides food to the hungry, and money has been diverted from that as well. As far as the economy is concerned we believe that the floods will have serious implications that will be very challenging in the short run, but if managed well they could be turned into an opportunity in the medium to long term. In the short term there will clearly be a reduction in our GDP growth rate. We will see an increase in inflation and government spending. This will result in pressure on our currency. Interest rates will remain high and go higher. Both of these will have negative repercussions on our equity
six weeks of that were the Elections. Within another six weeks of that was the break up of the Coalition. Therefore my first six months at the KSE were spent managing the business of the KSE while Pakistan was going through tremendous political change. This also saw the golden period when the market exceeded 15,000. This was also the beginning of the financial crisis. So when the political crisis was over around April 2008, we began seeing unfold the global financial crisis. The remaining eight months of 2008 were dominated by a significant fall in the indices worldwide and in Pakistan, devaluation of the rupee, and a severe liquidity crisis in the banking sector. All of this culminated in a very controversial decision by the KSE to put a floor on the market. That floor was intended for a few days but stretched for a few months because the IMF programs were under discussion and there was a change in the Finance Ministry. A whole host of unrelated and uncontrollable factors from the KSEs point of view led to the extension of the floor. Following the upheavals of 2008, 2009 was a year of rebuilding. It was a relatively quite year with the markets consolidating, and with the KSE trying to recover the loss of investor confidence as well as its image. As a part of this process, and for the first time in our history, we expelled five members of the KSE. It must be noted the members are also the shareholders of the KSE, and therefore it was a particularly difficult decision to take. We did that, and we did it successfully. We had several thousand investor complaints against those members, more than 75 percent of which have been resolved. Towards the end of 2009, and in the first six months of 2010, we have seen a revival of foreign investor confidence. In the preceding year we had seen a net outflow of half a billion dollars. In the last one year we have seen an inflow of three-quarters of a billion
dollars. This shows that the steps that the KSE has taken have revived foreign investor confidence. Unfortunately, domestic investor confidence remains very low, partly because of the situation in the country, but also because of the massive de-leveraging that took place in our market and all the other markets. It has not been replaced by any appropriate mechanism to provide liquidity and leverage to the domestic investor. Talking about investor confidence, there is a general impression that the KSE is highly susceptible to manipulation by a few big players. How do you respond? First of all this is not a new perception. Its an old perception and things have actually improved. Ten years ago our market was very small in terms of capitalization, free float, and the type of investors who used to operate in the market. Let me also say this that every market in the world is susceptible to some form and degree of manipulation. The individual stocks around the world can be manipulated and therefore you have insider trading laws and so on and so forth. To manipulate a large part of the market was possible perhaps ten years ago when our market was very small and dominated only by brokers holding proprietary positions. In the last 10 years several things have happened. New investor classes have emerged who are equally powerful, if not more, in terms of deep pockets. These are mutual funds, financial institutions, and foreign investors. Its not rational to assume that all four categories will get together and decide that the market must behave in a certain way. Its not possible to do that. Secondly, our market three years ago had a capitalization of $75 Billion. Even today, in these depressed times, it has a capitalization of $30 Billion. Our free float is small at $10 Billion. It is not possible to manipulate a market of this size through individuals. Yes, it is possible to influence the price of an
individual script, but that is different from influencing the entire market. So it is important through your magazine to educate the investor that this is empirically not the case anymore. KSE is not a listed company, but we follow the code of corporate governance, and we are fully compliant for the last two years. So the internal controls are very strong from a risk, financial and governance perspective. What are your key challenges as MD KSE? First and foremost is the image deficit and the perception issue that faces the Exchange. Unless the investors believe that the market is transparent and fair, no matter what one does investment will not be attracted. Then there are two types of structural challenges that we have. On the investor side we are largely dominated by institutions with retail investment forming a very small percentage in our market. The challenge is how to increase the retail participation in the KSE, particularly domestic. On the issuer side we have noticed that while IPOs do take place, entrepreneurs tend to offer very few shares to the market and keep the bulk themselves. What ends up happening is that the free float, which is defined as the freely available shares for trade, is very small. Take OGDC for example. Its a huge company so it adds to our market capitalization, but the number of shares available for trade is very small because the government is holding the majority. When you have a small free float the large global investors like mutual funds will not be open to trade in your market because their buy and sell orders will be too large to execute. Therefore they lose interest. That is why in Pakistan we see portfolio investment to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars whereas our counterpart in India sees it in tens of billions of dollars. Thank you Mr. Adnan Afridi.
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Jacobabad was an incredible experience from a number of perspectives. One had heard about it as the town where Pakistans highest temperatures are recorded. At the forefront of ones mind was that the entire city was surrounded by water with no land access. So we had to fly in, and we had a team of water paramedics who had come in from the UK. We had imported 20 boats of which 4 were deployed in Jacobabad and another four in the Kambar Shahdatkot area, with the rest given to the Pakistan Navy. In Jacobabad we were working with the PAF who operate an airbase there. The problems were constantly shifting with a very small window of relief work. When the waters hit a certain place people had to be shifted. In a lot of cases they were adamant not to be moved until the very last moment when the situation became completely hopeless. People did not want to leave because they were fearful of losing their property to which they probably had no legal title, possession being nine parts of the law. We werent experts at this kind of work, and basically made the quick decision to get what we thought would be needed. It took us a week to get the boats. Seeing what had happened in the Punjab, and knowing that all of this would come down to Sindh, Arif Naqvi took the initiative and ordered 10 boats and got the paramedics organized. When I went to Dubai to meet with him he said that the boats from UK were experiencing delays so another 10 boats were purchased from Dubai.
We had problems of Customs clearance that were really quite silly. We had a UN approved team of very skilled volunteer coordinators who helped us arrange the C-130 transport through UN channels. Granted that nobody can be prepared for something like this, but we found the PDMA and NDMA to be a bit slow in their reactions. To boot the NDMA declared in the middle of it all that they were no longer legal! Their ordinance had lapsed and they could not issue any letters of authority. This was bizarre! We lost two days before getting into action. At that point the flood waters had hit only the northern part of Sindh in Shikarpur and Jacobabad. All in all there were about 80 boats operating in Sindh of which 20 were ours. The Navy naturally played the lead role operating in some very tough conditions. In Jacobabad it was 47 degrees Celcius and the rescuers were in the water for 7 to 8 hours every day. It was the month of Ramazan, and the advice from the Commandos with us was not to fast. It was hard to
keep oneself hydrated. The sheer heat was incredible. As far as one could see there was water. I felt like I was in the Arabian Sea. There was over eight feet of water in most places, and not a drop to drink! There was a certain amount of chaos naturally. Jacobabad was without food and clean water. Snakes and cholera were issues to be dealt with. Then there was the task of coordinating with the PAF, DCO and DPO. People working on the same problem were not talking to each other! There were tensions between the civil and military bureaucracies. Our presence helped facilitate dialogue. The big learning concerned the poverty of communications and teamwork amongst those officially charged with the task of administration.
If we didnt get to a town within 48 to 72 hours of the water hitting it, the rescue time is essentially over. There is a preparedness that one must have. The rescue trip lasted five days, with the British paramedics becoming more of a liability than an asset. There were threats by the Punjabi Taliban against foreign relief workers, and while the PAF provided the security on the behest of the UN they were limited in how much they could do in the fast changing crisis environment. There is so much confusion in the country regarding the flow of authority. With these 20 boats that we now have we are looking at whether we can extend our ambulance service from the streets of Karachi to the shores of Karachi. In the Monsoon season we have so many cases of drowning. So, in collaboration with the Navy we will keep these boats functional year round rather than just waiting for a disaster to happen. The skills sets need to be kept active otherwise they get lost.
Infotech at
Goes Ballistic
To be the courier of choice to clients requires attention to detail, direct interactive service, delivering beyond the promise, ensuring flexibility in service, and remaining focused on the core business. IT staff is passionate and service driven. The brand new, very modern and customdeveloped IT office comprises the Server room; UPS room; Library; Conference room; Boardroom; and user-friendly Workstations. The TCS Management is committed to improving operational processes, and the new generation Operating Management System (OMS) is another milestone in the evolution of the Company to top flight global competitiveness. OMS is our core application and required updating to meet market needs. The new generation OMS will work in centralized online mode all over the TCS network, and assist the customer in the online tracking of his or her shipment in real time mode, thus ensuring a far greater level of customer satisfaction. The new generation Operating Management System is designed to optimize business and IT processes. It can support end-to-end business processes for operation, human capital management, sales, and other essential corporate functions. It will also communicate with our different core applications. The Expense Web Application is another complete and comprehensive centralized application which allows the user to record expenses and budget more efficiently and economically. The new Customer Automation Module (CAM) is
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individualized and offers customerspecific solutions and business functions on the Oracle platform covering the life cycle of services to develop and support custom solutions at every stage. Inventory Control runs interactively and can be implemented as a stand-alone system, or it can be integrated with other Operating Functions for Windows systems. Fleet management includes a range of functions, such as vehicle financing, vehicle maintenance, vehicle telemetric (tracking and diagnostics), driver management, speed management, fuel management and health and safety management. Security by Firewalling is always a concern for any organization, as also TCS. We at IT are aware of the urgent need to provide secured tunnels and channels for business data to flow to any location. The MMS Printshop is where customer data needs to be highly secure from both external and internal interference, and demands access through Firewall with virtual network protocols leading to ISO 27001 ISMS certification. Getting Connected on Wire, Wireless or Satellite, and making available the data to decision-makers and the Head Office is no longer a challenge after establishing connectivity with more than 300 locations throughout the TCS Network. Bravo TCS IT!
Spotlight
Rehan Ally Agha
Regional Director Sales, South Region Born in Quetta, Rehan graduated from the Commerce College Karachi in 1991. His family responsibilities preempted further education, and after college he started his own business dealing in service contracts of commercial and industrial air-conditioning plants. Rehan is very technically inclined, and really into American cars and heavy motorbikes. The business lasted for about four years. He says he found business too hectic, and joined DHL as Territory Manager in 1996, staying on until November 1999. Then Rehan joined FedEx as Business Development Manager for Karachi and stayed until January 2001. He joined TCS in March 2001 as Sales Manager for TCS Overland, and got promoted in 2004 as Regional Manager for Overland for the South region. In June 2005 he was promoted again as Regional Manager Sales for all products in the South region. Rehan left TCS to broaden his worldview and experience base in 2006, and rejoined TCS four years later in March 2010. Between 2006 and 2010 Rehan worked with Agility Logistics for 10 months (April 2006 to Feb 2007) before joining the JS Group in their asset management business JS Investments as VP Regional Sales. It was totally different work than that which I had been doing in TCS, says Rehan of his stint with the financial sector. He spent two and half years with asset management, and then joined JS Bank as VP and national manager sales for wealth management. In 2010 Rehan was back with TCS as Key Account Head, and after 6 months got promoted as Regional Director Sales for the South Region comprising Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukker and Quetta. Married with one daughter whos 4 years old, Rehan has a twin brother (not identical) who works in showbiz, and one elder brother working in Citibank in Korea. Rehans hobbies include off-roading, and he owns a 1994 model three doors Toyota Landcruiser equipped with mean tyres and a 3 litre turbo engine. As a 19 years old he owned a GS750 Suzuki motorbike. Rehan swims to keep fit, and says he is crazy about Sushi and has a fondness for Thai food and Mutton Karahi. Russel Crowe and Jennifer Aniston are his favorite actors, and Ghost in the Darkness his favorite film featuring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas going about hunting two African man-eating lions. Stupendous movie! Ladies and gentlemen! Rehan Ally Agha at your service! rehan.agha@tcs.com.pk
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Salman Akram
Vice President, Sales salmanakram@tcs.com.pk
Salman Akram joined TCS in June 2004 as Head of Retail, having spent eight years with Phillips prior to that. He joined Phillips as Assistant Product Manager in the Lighting Division, and received promotions to Product Manager, Group Product Manager, Marketing Manager, Marketing Head and Member of the Management Committee. Salmans first job was with Paktel, however, which he joined as Marketing Executive after having acquired his MBA from Karachis prestigious Institute of Business Administration in 1994 with a major in Marketing. At TCS Salman was soon promoted as Head of Marketing, and then had Sales added to his portfolio. In 2010 he was promoted to Vice President for Sales, a responsibility he continues to enjoy. Salman describes the business challenges TCS faces today in a very matter of fact manner. The high growth period in the Telecom sector is tapering off, and there is increasing cost consciousness in Banking sector. This has naturally affected the TCS growth rate. Its become a very price competitive market out there. Compounding the problem is the operating cost escalation, with Diesel prices having gone up by 78% in the last three years. Ours is a highly fuel intensive industry, and passing on price increases to the customers are a tough call in this present environment. On the plus side TCS has two distinct competitive advantages, says Salman. Infrastructure and line haul on the ground and in the air make available capacities to capture industry business. TCS has diversified into segments like print and warehousing, and as our mature businesses slow down to a single digit growth, these new businesses are growing in double digits. The new revenue streams are helping us stay ahead of the game. Meanwhile, our competitors have not diversified as we have. Talking about his management philosophy, Salman says that giving value for money makes a big difference. If this equation can be managed properly good business is assured. Born in Sargoda, Salmans father was a doctor called into the army during the 1971 war. He did his O Levels from St. Peters Convent in Karachi, his Intermediate from the PAF College in Sargoda, and got his BA degree from the Government College Lahore. Salman is married with two sons Taimur (4) and Raza (3). He says that chasing after them gives him all the exercise he needs! Although he jogs regularly to keep fit, and has played a reasonable level of squash. He plays golf over the weekends and is found of reading Management and Marketing related books, being a big fan of Anthony Robins and Steven Covey. Salman admits to being fond of eating, and prefers all delicious foods! Ladies and gentlemen, Salman Akram at your service!
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TCS MMS is an end-to-end solution delivering value all the way Our services include Printing, Stuffing & Insertions, Delivery, Mail Room Management, and Bulk Mail Projects
Rao Salman
these bill days we are running at one hundred percent capacity. So we have our highs and we have our lows. On average we have achieved 55 percent capacity in Karachi. There are a lot of customers that are based in the central and northern parts of Pakistan. These customers do not wish to come to Karachi for the printing because that involves a delay of at least twenty-four hours which are required for the physical movement of the printed documents from Karachi to Lahore, Islamabad or Peshawar. To cater to such customers we now have the Print Shop in Lahore. Its a huge value addition for our customers. Mobilink, Ufone and Telenor have their offices in Islamabad and Lahore. Previously they would send all their data to Karachi and incur a sizable time, effort and money expense. Now we are catering to them out of the Lahore Print Shop and effecting substantial savings for them. Our Lahore Printshop is both demand driven and a part of our expansion plan. There are a lot of utility companies based in Lahore that we would like to have as our customers. There is WASA, LESCO, PEPCO, PTCL, and others who have huge volume. There is also the Education sector. Recently we won a very big contract to print 26 million pages for the Punjab Education Board. We are also exploring openings in the Punjab Textbook Board. SNGPL has 16 million customers. Then there is the Banking sector. There are almost 35 million bank account holders in Pakistan, and all of them by law must receive their bank statement at least once in a year.
At TCS innovation is a norm, and the only objective in view is the creation and delivery of business value to customers. TCS MMS stands upon the single largest investment in infrastructure made by TCS for the continuous delivery of value. MMS is equipped with state-of-the-art printing and sorting technology that has been sourced from the best suppliers across Europe and Asia Pacific. This makes TCS the only end-to-end solution provider in the category with the largest delivery network in Pakistan. After the successful launch of its Print Shop in Karachi, TCS MMS is poised to unveil its second facility in Lahore. TCS CONNECT caught up with Rao Salman, the Strategic Business Head, TCS MMS Print Shop, to gain an insight into the dynamics of a process yet to be recognized as a source of value in our local business environment. The Print Shop has business cycles, explains Rao Salman. Every customers bill or invoice or letter has a particular cycle. Mobilink, for example, has five bill days. On every bill day an invoice data is generated which we print and distribute. During
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Data Processing & Formatting | High Speed Digital Printing | Automatic Stuffing | Mail Room Management | Project Management | Nationwide and International Deliveries
Standing upon the single largest investment in digital print technology, TCS proudly announces the inauguration of Digital Print Shop in Lahore, after successful operations in Karachi. Now all we need is data that will be customized to your required format and quickly transformed into documents, letters, bills, statements or books, what ever you may need. TCS offers an end-to-end Mail Management Solution (MMS) right from printing to delivery, saving on precious time and resources, delivering value all the way. For further information, please call 0300-8465706 or email: printshop@tcs.com.pk
For further information, please call 0300-8465706 UAN: 111 123 456 email: printshop@tcs.com.pk www.tcsmms.com
seen the creation of more administrative units, and Colonel (R) Tanvir has been hired to handle matters in Multan and Sukkur, while Flight Lieutenant (R) Nazeer has been inducted as manager security for the TCS Aviation division. Major (R) Murtaza terms Terrorism and Narcotics as the two big issues. We regularly war-game worst case scenarios of explosives onboard aircrafts, and have signed a contract with government agency Shaheen Airport Services to scan 100 percent of the air cargo material. It entails a substantial recurring cost, but this is a price that we gladly bear. In addition, we are running a nationwide campaign in easily understood language to pass the message to all TCS employees that security is everyones business. Truer words were not spoken. gmurtaza@tcs.com.pk
www.tcsuae.com
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www.tcsuae.com
Pakistan Womens Forum Dubai organized a gala in September 2010 for collecting donation for Flood affected of Pakistan. TCS Sentiments Express was one of the sponsors and provided bouquets to all the dignitaries & ambassadors wives who honored the event by their attendance. Mrs Mazhar Ayub Khan along with Roya SE & Marketing Coordinator & Humeirah Imtiaz CSD Executive attended the event.
SM Mr. Asam & Mr. Naushad With Mr. Albert Regional Manager of Etihad Cargo
TCS signed a contract with City Link UK to send direct shipments to UK. Mr. Adam Dawood from City Link and Mr. Mazhar Ayub Khan from TCS UAE signed the contract. Initially it will begin operation from TCS Pakistan & later on TCS UAE will also be connected. City Link established in 1969 is the UK's leading premium express delivery company, providing high quality, flexible and innovative service solutions across the UK, Ireland and Worldwide. Cargo Ball 2010 that comes with all its fineries of a normal social gathering, is organized by NAFL (National Association of Freight and Logistics) in October 2010 - TCS EXPRESS UAE sponsored the event. Station Manager Mr. Asam Maqsood attended the event with Sales team members. Mr. Mazhar Ayub Khan with Mr. Adam Dawood of City Link
Mr. Asam of TCS and Mr. Saqib of Nirala Sweets ponder logistics
www.tcs.com.pk 21
form of rhetoric, said Lucy. The audience is moved emotionally, intellectually or physically by an eloquent argument, vision and insight. Being an inspirational speaker demands that you resonate through three layers of voice simultaneously. These comprise the inner voice, the physical voice, and the inspirational voice. Lucy referred to Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, who wrote the guiding thesis Rhetoric in 330 BC. Rhetoric is the use of language to persuade, and his great work has been the backbone of persuasive argument to this day. Aristotle outlines three fundamental elements for persuasive argument. There is Ethos, the speakers power of evincing a personal character which will make his or her speech credible; Logos, or the speakers power of proving a truth, or an apparent truth, by means of persuasive arguments; and Pathos, the speakers power of stirring the emotions of his or her hearers. Generating Ethos requires commitment, courage, connection, passion, and conviction; Logos requires structure and the clarity of ideas; and Pathos requires presence, breath, energy, vibration, physical voice, catharsis, elevated language, core human values, purpose, and the getting to the heart of the matter. There is an unwritten contract between you and your audience, said Lucy, even as she put the assembled group of young high achievers through their paces with a series of physical and mental exercises geared to limbering up the body and mind. You have asked them to listen to you, and they expect to have their time respected, to be moved, and to have their intelligence honoured. As inspirational speaking is about moving intellectually, ethically, and emotionally, consider speaking as a conversation rather than a presentation.
alumni of the TCS Hyde Park Juniors Public Speaking Program. The occasion was dedicated to the memory of late Brig. Sadiq Awan, a great patron of the youth who, at the time of his passing, was the President of the English Speaking Union's Islamabad Chapter. Bright and early on a Friday morning the Karachi Sheraton Hotels Bela & Chambeli conference room was brimful with bright sparks, eager to polish their speaking skills with techniques that this most amazing lady from Australia was about to impart. Many moons ago the Aussie Rodney Eyles, along with his notable forbearers Rodney Martin and Geoff Hunt, had been titled in Pakistan as the Thunder from Down Under! The squash world had seen Pakistan and Australia rule the roost and engage in many an epic rivalry. Lucy was no squash play, but she was here to steal Rodneys thunder. Given the dire need of Pakistani youth to free up the natural resonance in their voice so that their intelligence and heart could be heard, voice coach Lucy Cornells impact upon the Pakistani landscape was going to be far more profound than anything the Aussie squash brigade had managed to accomplish. Inspirational speaking is an elevated
As examples of inspirational speaking Lucy showed video clips of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Benazir Bhutto, Queen Elizabeth the First, Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Junior. In any art form there will be a phrase that describes the concept of being present. In sport it is called being in the zone. In music it is being in the groove. In performance it is being in the moment. You may also know this as being in flow. For a speaker to be in flow requires an alignment of body, breath, thought, feeling, and voice. When one of these facets dominates or is weak, your presence is compromised. Lucy quoted Master voice teacher Kristin Linklater who said that the perfect communication for the actor or speaker implies a balanced quartet of intellect and emotion, body and voice; a quartet in which no one instrument compensates with its strength for the weakness of another. So the more present you are, the more presence you have. Lucy Cornell was present right through the Workshop! And her presence generated the kind of enthusiasm amongst her young charges that made time fly on supersonic wings. The kids would have gladly stayed on for the rest of the day and through the weekend listening to her, absorbing her pearls of wisdom, and practicing to perfection the fine art of inspirational speaking, but alas! While all good things need not necessarily come to an end, there comes a time to move on to the other necessities of life, like lunch! Thank you Lucy! And Bon Appetite!
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Speak to
Claim your voice and move your audience
Lucy Cornell
The TCS Connect Forum came alive once more and brought together a distinguished gathering of Pakistans corporate elite to welcome Lucy, and get some inspired coaching from her in optimizing the use of their voice. Saqib Hamdani, the CEO of TCS, was present along with his Top Team of seasoned executives to welcome the invitees. TCS MMS, represented by its National Sales Manager MMS & Print Business Rao Salman, took the kudos on behalf of the sponsors TCS, with Jamil Janjua opening Ismail proceedings in his Kodvavi role of CEO Octara, the event managers for the evening. The ability to properly articulate ones thoughts is central to effective communication, and the development of self-confidence Saad and self-esteem, Hussain said Jamil Janjua, as he welcomed the guests and Lucy Cornell. This has been an area of great interest for TCS, and, in pursuance of our corporate social responsibility, we have sponsored and organized for the past many years public speaking workshops and competitions for school and college going young adults. This we have done under the banner of TCS Hyde Park Juniors. We set up the TCS Connect Forum in 2003 to
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celebrate 20 years of TCS, and invited thought leaders and opinion makers from around the world to share their experiences in various disciplines that contribute to a successful conduct of business, and indeed life. This activity received an overwhelmingly positive response from our esteemed clientele such as you, and that has given the TCS Connect Forum a permanent and prestigious
rapport with the captains of trade, commerce and industry present. She positively glowed, her eyes sparkled, and her words flowed with practiced ease giving full expression to her vocal zoo, harnessing four octaves and more as her voice dipped and rose, mesmerizing the audience and holding it captive not against its will. The fact that she was in a skirt and displaying a pair of very shapely legs may also have had something to do with it. Lucy Cornell was definitely in Fatima the moment, and Malik in flow. Amidst a lot of very good advice from her, what caught ones attention is what Lucy described as the ABV of Speaking. Arrive, Breathe, Vibrate. When you arrive, Lalarukh Rashidi ensure that you get over the speaking jetlag inherent in a business culture that is full of distractions. The more present you are the more presence you will have. Breath helps keep you in control and makes for inspiration, and carries you from the inside to out. Your breath is the fuel for your voice. The power of the voice is that you can literally vibrate your audience on a cellular level, and move them into action.
Ahmed Nawaz
niche in the TCS public relations effort. Cornell took the stage in the midst of generous applause, not so much for her content which was yet to grace the ears of the audience, but for the vote of confidence she had given Pakistan by being there that evening. One could see that she had established an instant
CEO Octara jamil janjua introduces Qasim Awan and invites him to distribute the Workshop certificates.
Rao Salman (TCS National Sales Manager MMS & Print Business) gives the vote of thanks
So the more generous you can be with your voice the more your listener is likely to hear you and literally resonate with you. Your vocal birthright is to have at least a four octave range, but most of us live in a one octave range, particularly politicians. This is specially true if the culture you find yourself in allows only for a restricted range of expressivity. Earlier in the day during the Young Voices workshop, Lucy had short listed four young bright sparks to demonstrate inspirational speaking at the TCS Connect Forum. Fatima Malik (University College Lahore), Ahmed Nawaz (Fazaiia College for Boys Islamabad), Lalarukh Rashidi (Westminster School and College Karachi), Saad Hussain, and Ismail Kodvavi (Karachi University) had spent anxious moments preparing and rehearsing through lunch and tea. Each one delivered his or her piece with conviction and aplomb, and earned a rousing round of applause. Lucy beamed with pride. These had been her children for half a day, and she had transformed them. The program ended with a presentation to Lucy of a small Afghani carpet. Fond of meditating as she is, some wondered whether she would ride her flying carpet on the return journey Down Under. The high-tea that followed was set upon with great relish and gusto, and feedback indicated that the mini-pizza and chicken wing won joint first prize, with the Marriot staff hard pressed to replenish supplies.
TCS VP Sales Salman Akram connects with Lucy in Lahore as Arif Ansari (Senior Sales Manager) and Mohsin Ansari (Regional Director Ops Central Region) look on
TCS CEO Saqib Hamdani connects with Lucy in Karachi and presents her with a magic carpet! www.tcs.com.pk 25
The Food Boulevard that contain both popular international food franchises as well as Pakistani food kiosks with a sense of hygiene and the Boat Quay Side with stationary up-market boat restaurants. There is also the Port House Galleria Mall and a centrally air-conditioned grand lobby. Sprinkled over the entire development are water front retailers that comprise novelty stores, souvenir and childrens shops. A Boutique Hotel, Cineplex, Ice Skating Floor and Gym make Port Grand a complete one-stop shop for a family outing and a place to entertain out-oftown visitors. www.portgrand.com Entrepreneurship in Pakistan is alive and well. The new trail being blazed is along the seafront in what has come to be symbolic of Karachis descent into ruin and chaos. The Karachi Harbour area has been laid low by the discharge of untreated sewage into the sea in mind boggling quantities, the downside of a runaway population that makes Karachi rank amongst the worlds largest mega-metropolises. Increasingly, Karachis once posh downtown areas now wear a downtrodden look as the Citys elite retreat to their own enclaves behind gated communities. In the view of one visionary it is time to launch a counter offensive, and reclaim lost ground, and return to the grand old city of Karachi the magic and majesty it once possessed. That visionary is Shahid Firoz (CEO, Port Grand Ltd) and amongst his many credentials and claims to fame are Envicrete, the largest pre-cast concrete company in Pakistan, and the Grand Leisure Corporation, a pioneer in the leisure and entertainment industry. Shahid has also served as the Vice Chairman of the Economic Development Council for Karachi, and Chairman of the Task Force on Urban Revival in Sindh. In addition he is permanent participant at the Glocalization Conference, based in Rome, whose aim is to cultivate an
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inter-city relationship amongst urban citizens and municipal leaders of different cities around the world to play a constructive role in bringing local values and identities into an increasingly globalized world. Shahids philosophy for the rejuvenation of Karachi is simple. Make a high impact development in rundown neighborhoods and let the ripple effect take over. His major achievement in this regard has been the pedestrianization of Karachis Bohri Bazaar that has transformed the place into a shoppers paradise as opposed to the shoppers nightmare that it had become. The PAF Museum on Karachis Shahrae Faisal, a very dynamic social platform for the citys entertainment starved population, also had Shahid as one of its prime movers. Port Grand is Shahids latest venture, a grand vision indeed that has been a few years in the making. A joint effort of the Karachi Port Trust and the Grand Leisure Corporation, Port Grand constitutes an adaptive reuse of the historic Native Jetty Bridge, in the lap of the Jinnah Flyover. Port Grand is spread over an area of approximately 10 acres taken on lease for 40 years from the Karachi Port Trust. Theres a carefully cultivated party feel about the place with the Theatre, the Stage, the Brand, and Live Shows complementing
Livable circumstances make for productive and successful societies, says Shahid Firoz. People need to feel a pride in themselves. More and more people need to be encouraged and facilitated into doing more. This is a very challenging environment that we operate in. Vision needs to be married to experience for positive outcomes. Originally envisioned as a collage of 20 and 40 feet containers, Shahid raised the stakes dramatically, and the Project has cost over one billion rupees with zero government funding. It wont qualify in most boardrooms as a business project, admits Shahid who sees it as a social enterprise with a return on investment spread over a minimum of 30 years. Shahid is no stranger to social enterprise, being amongst the first three signatories of the Acumen Fund Pakistan. Salute!
www.trg.org.pk
Celebrating The Trainers Resource Groups (TRG) 150th Monthly Meeting with a 2 days Extravaganza of Training Sessions Galore!
The mood at TRGs Committee of Founding Members was ambivalent. Some would have called it a case of all Chiefs and no Indians. Others would have seen it for what it was, a plethora of opinions, often at odds with each other on how to go about commemorating what clearly constituted a landmark event for this informal assembly of corporate trainers and human resource development practitioners. Jamil Janjua, CEO Octara and current President of TRG, wasnt sure whether he should be thrilled, or concerned about the situation obtained. A plethora of opinions is a good thing provided their holders are willing to back them with action. The 100th Monthly Meeting had exceeded most expectations with Iqra University as the host venue, and an impressive brochure brought out by the TCS Management Development Services at much expense of time, energy and money to mark the occasion. The problem with corporate trainers is that theyre hard at work all the time, not surprisingly, given the state of Pakistans corporate sector. All concerned parties earnestly wanted to be involved with organizing the 150th monthly meet Party in a befitting manner. But nobody, it seemed, had the physical hours to contribute that an undertaking of this magnitude would require for a successful staging. Then TRG founding member Shireen Naqvi
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stepped into the breach. Over the years she has put together a valuable resource of energetic and intelligent young adults at her School of Leadership (SOL). She also had the requisite experience in pulling off extravaganzas, year after year, given the unqualified success of the SOLs annual Young Leaders Conference that ran for 6 glorious days, playing to some 400 delegates from across Pakistan. She was so obviously the cat that the TRG founding members were looking to bell, and did. Shireen took up the challenge in right earnest, bringing to bear upon the enterprise her formidable store of energy and talent. Torque, the SOLs spin-off that had event managed the TRG monthly meets of late, was in the hot-seat as well. Reflecting Shireens energy and commitment were Umair Jaliawala, Saquib Niaz, Sumaira Salamat and Zain Goplani, her able bodied lieutenants running the show at Torque, and in them fine protgs she has developed. Shireen and her team put together a two days extravaganza that featured 149 training sessions of 75 minutes
each, 50 trainers, 13 exhibitors, and 600 attendees, give or take a few. The Karachi Sheraton Hotel, cited by some as perhaps being too upscale a venue for such an occasion, provided a befitting setting for an area of endeavour that depends on the corporate world for its flourishing. Going by the large number of training organizations that signed up for LearnFest, specially the number of new outfits, corporate training is a thriving industry indeed. A few veteran trainers like Arshi Ahmed Aziz were conspicuous by their absence.
the key power blocs, people who hated each other, rivals and worse, were assembled. They were led by US conflict resolution experts to connect, to express their feelings and views, and to create possible future scenarios for South Africa. They were not to judge the scenarios, simply align on the most probable ones. These were published far and wide. And it became clear that the rabid pursuit of private agendas would lead to meltdown. Only Phoenix from the ashes as a scenario offered hope. And somehow, it was invested with support, from past enemies who found a way to move forward together, however grudgingly. South Africa today still has many problems, but it survived that existential moment, and found a way forward. Corporate leaders could help organize such an effort in Pakistan. I would happily show them the case-studies of what happened in South Africa, and Chile, what has and hasnt worked elsewhere, and we could replicate our own version of this in Pakistan, with foreign and local facilitators, if we have the will, spirit and guts for it.
We have to get our talent out there in all fields. We have to compete globally and show we can really collaborate and build relationships, not just be professionally capable and then hide in self-constructed ghettos. And then we need to provide enough opportunity to attract talent back. But that will require a new cadre of leaders back home we can learn from, who will transform our corporate cultures into progressive hotbeds. It will mean start-ups that will give people a stake and a shot at making it for themselves. Exportable talent should be a key performance indicator of any corporate leader thereby we bring the outside in. Will people come back? Lets make it worth it for them to do so by having the best employee value propositions in the region. If we cant pay the most money, we need the best cultures. What is planted will grow.
towards them by showing new role models, by providing new images and realities. So did the Germans. So has any nation or people who have managed a turnaround. Lets give people something else to look at, listen to and talk about.
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Negotiations start with a no. If they start with a yes then there is nothing to negotiate
RAMIZ ALLAWALA
a no. If it starts with a yes then there is nothing to negotiate. When you look at a disagreement you see an opportunity to create an agreement. If there is already agreement then very little growth can take place, and there is no room for new ideas. Try and not come to a quick agreement. Try and tease apart the disagreement where you can find common ground and common interest. One of the biggest hurdles to overcome in this area is for people not to take things personally, and not permit their fears and phobias to drive the negotiations. Conflict management is the fastest growing industry in Pakistan! People have realized that because the legal system does not work so they are forced to work things out or accept a bad outcome. Generally people accept a bad outcome and attribute it to fate. It helps them accept that the world is not fair.
Octaras illustrious clientele engaged with senior Octara associate Ramiz Allawala in a one-day Workshop where they learnt vital lessons that make for successful hardnosed and soft-nosed bargaining in the marketplace. Octara is an independent enterprise and a business information management company of the Tranzum Group specializing in Corporate Management Training and Workshops, Consulting, Seminars and Conferences, and Publications. As a premium training solutions provider, Octara offers a diverse portfolio of training courses ranging from strategic and technical modules to simple yet effective managerial and motivational courses.
Interviewed by Adil Ahmad, Editor, TCS CONNECT
For the very few who possibly have not heard of him, Ramiz consults and trains widely on coaching, team performance, and leadership for hypergrowth organizations. After running businesses in the USA and Pakistan he founded Gulfstone Training which highly influenced new thoughts and approaches getting introduced to business training and changing managerial performance. He stresses that goods and services provided in a compassionate and ethical manner
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TRGs 155 th
with Javed Jabbar
Bombay Dreams
Javed Jabbar, exInformation Minister and Film producer, was the TRGs 155th speaker on Tough Choices: Followership and Leadership
comes to town!
Tehrik-e-Niswan
Conference celebrates
31 years of blood, sweat, and tears
www.tehrik-e-niswan.org.pk
Andrew Llyod Weber produced Bombay Dreams seven years ago with the music composed by A.R. Rehman and the lyrics in English. It is a fusion of Eastern and Western music, and played in London for two years, with the Queen of England gracing the play with her presence. Shah Sharahbeels Centre Stage Productions staged Bombay Dreams in Islamabad in 2006 and Lahore in 2007, following it up with Moulin Rouge in Karachi in April 2010 which ran, indeed sprinted for 20 days. Back in 2005 Shah Sharahbeel did Phantom of the Opera in Karachis Finance & Trade Center that saw TCS book the opening night for its esteemed clientele. Bombay Dreams will run from 27th Jan until 20th February 2011 for 25 nights, which will set a record for the longest duration of any English play done in Pakistan. The musical has a cast of 50 people, all amateurs who are either corporate employees or youngsters drawn from schools and colleges. Shah Sharahbeel has done 9 plays in last 5 years in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. He now lives in London where he has opened what promises to become a successful chain operation of cafs called Freddys Chicken and Pizza with two outlets in Northampton and a third planned in Milton Keynes. Sharahbeels main business is still in Lahore where he owns and operates a mini-golf course and amusement park. In his free time he watches movies and attends theatre. He loves food and is doing a chefs course in London. Sharahbeel says he is still single and ready to mingle! His long term goal is to come back to Pakistan in 10 years time and join politics and fix the country. Bravo! www.shahsharahbeel.com
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Sheema Kermani illustrates a point as Ameena Saiyid of the host venue OUP, Dr. Asif Farrukhi, and Prof. Kamran Asdar Ali listen in.
www.
Giving Parenting and mentoring a formal structure is WELDON MOMS!, a support group run by Anila Weldon whose mission is to empower, support and facilitate women during the transition to parenthood. Anila has a 5-year old boy, Mustafa, who became the basis of her forming the group in 2006 from her living-room. Today it has a membership of over 2200 members, and has become the basis of numerous TV shows and live transmissions for mothers with young babies. Catering to the progressive women of Pakistan, especially those juggling between career, home-making and motherhood, the group serves as a useful platform to help connect and network with other moms, and form lasting friendships that enrich the parenting experience. From conception to early child-rearing years, Weldon Moms provides a variety of services to help women face the daily challenges of life and motherhood, with wisdom, dignity, and courage. And most importantly to promote value of all the work mothers do.
weldonmoms.com
Mothers are enrolled with babies who are as yet unborn to those that are 36 months old, and the activities on offer are socializing, guest speaker sessions, group discussions, outings, and the sharing of experiences. Well done! Anila!
a housewife, and her two young ones Amir (10) and Alisa (7). Theres invariably a coach on hand to provide guidance and maintain the seriousness of the training. These days Mohammad Abbas Dhanji is volunteering his time. Settled in Manchester (UK) with his wife and two daughters, his claim to fame is a gold medal at the 2001 National Games in the 100 meters freestyle relay. Its up to the parents to provide the kids with the opportunity and encouragement, and for that they need to free up their own time. When these kids become good swimmers and successful individuals in later life, the credit will go entirely to their mothers who bring them to the pool everyday, says Abbas, who cites
parental neglect as the single biggest factor in the youth going astray. Dr. Sabina says that a full agenda of curricular and co-curricular activity leaves her kids with no time to waste on computer games or needless chatting on the phone with friends. Bilal is a black belt in Taekwondo and an accomplished violinist as well. Great going, Swim Moms!
Moms make it happen for their kids even as their Dads go about earning the daily bread. The Equestrian Riding School opened its doors in 2004, and today has over 1000 registered students and 350 active riders engaging in horsemanship twice a week on average. There are junior polo players under training as well as parents who ride along with their kids to keep fit. Sehr started riding herself at age 4, and owned her own pony at age 5. Sehr is assisted by Fazal Manan and Saifullah. Riding is a healthy and confidence building activity for the kids, and not quite as expensive as some people think, says Sehr who, along with her husband Samee Ibrahim, has dedicated herself with a single mindedness of purpose to the promotion of equestrian activity amongst the youth. Samee is an accomplished polo player, and along with wife Sehr co-owns the Equestrian Riding School situated adjacent the Karachi Grammar School on the main Boating Basin Road. equestrian@cyber.net.pk
Moms!
Saddle
MAKs Reading Room & Educational Tours for the Less Privileged add great value
Our resident artist at TCS, Muhammad Arshad Khan, known to both friend and foe as MAK, serves TCS as manager administration. MAK has been pursuing a program of visiting schools and giving the kids demonstrations of drawing and painting, and through this medium of expression diverting their attention to constructive pursuits and the development of self-confidence. His next step was to create a space within his residence with a reading environment comprising stools and tables. It provides kids with an environment conducive to academic pursuit which he likens to the reading halls of Liaquat Library and the KU library. A couple of times a month he takes kids on field trips. They have visited the National Museum and the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum, and archaeological sites. Q&A sessions with celebrities and intellectuals at MAKs readingroom are also a great attraction for the neighbourhood kids, as also are the public speaking occasions that he organizes. There are about 60 kids who benefit from MAKs activities. They are welcome to come and go as they please, but must log in their entries each time through which MAK keeps track of each individuals interest level. He stocks no books or magazines, and the kids bring their own reading material. There own homes are tiny, noisy and crowded with people, and do not offer a conducive environment for studies. In my reading-room they find the peace and quiet so necessary for mental work. All these kids are drawn from different schools, and range in age from 10 years old to 25 years old. TCS has acknowledged the relevance to society of MAKs activity and sponsored him. Other than that MAK relies on the sales proceeds from his paintings. Keep it up, MAK!
Lead Saddle Mom Sehr Ibrahim with her students and their Moms.
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Customer is
Attending to customer queries, concerns and complaints promptly and with a genuine desire assist lies at the heart of TCS Customer Satisfaction. It calls for incorporating a customer-friendly mindset at all levels within the Organization, and it is this fact that drives the TCS Management in search of continuous improvement in its offerings. The logging, review and updating of customer complaints at TCS began in right earnest some four and a half years ago with the commissioning of the TCS Call Center equipped with the first generation Complaint Management System (CMS I) software designed by the TCS IT Department. On the 1st December 2010 TCS rolled out the new generation CMS II which will centrally log 95 % of the TCS Networks customer complaints in one application. It covers all the different businesses being run under the TCS brand name, and once a complaint is launched CMS II automatically routes it to the concerned area for resolution. The Complaint Management System II also allows a user to send in via email, SMS, Fax and Print the Delivery Details, and monitor them with the various tracking options that TCS has made available. The TCS Call Center deploys a staff of 50 people who undergo rigorous training and have a fluency in languages. The development & implementation of this CMS II is one more step towards the key TCS objective of ENHANCING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION through a flexibility in tailoring our services to our customer requirements.
King
Alia Hasan (Head of Customer Services) rolls out the new generation CMS II