Interview with Shivnath Thukral – Group President-Corporate Branding & Strategic Initiatives, Essar Group
PW: How important do you think technology is for marketers?
ST: I think it is extremely important. While we are an old economy company in terms of the sectors that we are in like steel, oil and gas , infrastructure etc, but everything is led by technology. We look for technology to amplify our initiatives. For us technology is not just an enhancer but a driver.
Our marketing function is also on a technology platform and internal communications as well as HR are technology-led. External communications comprise of social media, web analytics, SEO, SEM and microblogging. Our internal web-based TV platform that reaches 75,000 employees is also a pioneering technology platform that allows us to communicate and engage with our growing global workforce. CRM, salesforce automation, supply chain are all critical technologies for our business.
PW: Do you have a separate budget for the IT component of marketing?
ST: IT is a corporate function, driven from the top, and so it is a way of life for the organisation.. We have an IT management committee in which marketing has a seat. Our IT budget allocation is simple – we allocate the cost of it across employees and then apportion the budget. So, for example, when we’re putting in place a cutting-edge intranet platform on a cost-per-employee basis it comes out as a very small investment of Rs. 100 per employee and the ROI is easily justified.
PW: How do you see the role of technology in the future?
ST: Our investment in digital marketing is growing though on a low base. Our visibility through digital media is constantly increasing. Customers and employees are now coming to us through technology platforms like our websites, intranet, YouTube and social networks. Whether it is our employees or customers, interfacing through a tech-led channel is now 60-70% of our total interaction. The challenge is to constantly ensure that we’re using the right tools to reach the right audience. Our real marketing arms and legs are also through tech, in the form of e-commerce.
Technology adoption can be a daunting task for people who have not seen the benefits of it. When we launched our internal TV platform there was skepticism. But when we made it an iPad app, people were instantly connecting with the initiative. Tech allows me to derive ROI much faster.
I think the next level of marketing for a B2B corporate like us is using social media more effectively. How can we generate more value through micro-blogging, how can we be a more important player in the community; these are questions that we need to answer. We are now moving to Social Media 2.0, which will be a new phase of reinforced corporate investment and commitment to technology based platforms.
About Shivnath Thukral – Shivnath Thukral is the Group president, Corporate Branding and Strategic Initiatives at industrial conglomerate Essar Group. Shivnath has rich experience analyzing Indian businesses, financial markets and economic state affairs. His key skills and expertise have been invaluable for positioning the Essar brand strategically with its various stake holders while aptly guiding Essar’s journey from a domestic manufacturing company to a respected global entrepreneur. He was earlier the Group Business Editor, NDTV having won several accolades as a journalist including being voted the Business Anchor in India by News Television Awards.
