BBS Speaker: P Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director, Sobha Developers

In your own words, how do you describe a `hot’ brand?

A brand which evokes strong positive feelings in the mind of maximum number of people and creates a desire to own it and aspire for it is a ‘hot’ brand.

What can be few steps taken by brand owners to keep their brand stay top in their customers’ mind?

First create a product of impeccable quality, then offer pure customer delight in service and successfully communicate its unique position to the consumers. These are some of the major steps that can be taken by brand owners to keep their brands on top of the mind of their customers.

How do you suggest that one can maintain a balance between planning for the future of your brand and investing for today?

Continuous innovation shall be the key to plan for the future. Investment for today and for the future should be based on clearly defined deliverables for the short and long term in terms of business plans, market shares, share of voice etc.

Coming to your own brand, can you tell us how you cultivate customer loyalty or talk about creating enhanced customer experience?

Responsiveness to customer needs is the first step. Taking a cue from customer feedback and incorporating their suggestions into our own processes have helped us to create lasting customer satisfaction and delight.

Personally, what are your favorite brands and why?

Apple (the most valuable brand in the world and the most innovative), Microsoft (constantly occupying consumers’ minds by launching successful products after products), Samsung (occupying numero uno position in several product categories in a short span of time) and Nike (The Brand in its category) are some of my favorites. These brands have produced some of the most highly innovative products with the most complete communication.

Any brand experience that wowed you?

The blooming of Sobha brand from a mere Rs 10 million brand to a 2 billion brand in a time frame of 10 years has indeed wowed me as I have been part of that eponymous journey. In the ’90s, I was also involved in the ‘creation’ of Unilever’s Wall’s brand in India.

P Gopalakrishnan (GK) recently retired as Executive Director from Sobha Developers Ltd, one of the leading real estate and construction companies in India. GK has over 4 decades of experience in general management, financial management, accounting, treasury, taxation, IT, audit, supply chain, sourcing, logistics, human resources, PR, media relations and administration.He worked in Unilever companies like Brooke Bond India Ltd, Brooke Bond Lipton India Ltd, Indo Nissin Foods Ltd, Hindustan Unilever Ltd and Unilever Tanzania Ltd in various commercial roles for a period spanning 21 years.