Rewinding back a decade, companies were juggling with disparate systems while working on diverse platforms. Applications were running on different unstructured platforms and to keep track of the entire process was a baffling task. Managing the entire process was consuming enormous time and energy. Such disparate data lead to duplication, lack of authentication and processes which were not clearly defined. At Finolex, we too faced this chaotic data management, and the need was met with an ERP system that we implemented in the year 2000.

We chose SAP as our ERP system but finding the right partner was a real defy. The solution providers mainly lack domain expertise. They only focus on the technology (ERP) part overlooking the business side. If the solution implementers are aiming for effective solutions for end users, they should hire right people on board with right kind of expertise. Customers many times settle down with solution providers who provide solutions at low cost. But the real need for the customers is to take part in the implementation process to fetch effective end result. Ultimately, whether the ERP package is SAP or Oracle, the way it is delivered makes all the difference. The application software manages the entire process but the mechanism needs to be understood by the customers.

Challenge of Finding the Right Talent

The role of CIOs over the years remained the same. As a CIO, my role is to attend to the technical aspects wherein I handle the entire gamut of information management - its generation, processing, messaging and its delivery. My role as information management remained unchanged over the last decade though I feel finding the right people and retaining them in the organization is one of the biggest challenges. To resolve this, we at Finolex have come up with service agreement policy, where we ask for a commitment from the candidate for a longer time. The end result of such practice is fruitful as during his stay in the organization, he starts to learn & grow, and gradually contribute more to the organization.

Our main focus is on the process engineering which is ultimately the core of everything we do. We continuously look for the points where our business processes need improvement & what can be done to achieve productivity by process improvement using the right technology. We wish to generate a lot of new innovations to support the complex processes in the coming future.