Sanjay Mudnaney

Identity the gaps in the market and check if what you have to offer fits the gap . This may call for you to take a pause and analyse. If you are not getting a response most probably 1. The market does not need what you have to ofer 2. You are not communicating well 3. There is intense competition and you are not differentiated . Based on what you see is the gap you need to fill that gap .

I would involve employees and their families in environmental treks , it was like a picnic where everyone would get to experience impact of our actions on nature and also involve them in planting trees and green patches of land. The other idea we implemented was car pooling , one of the employees created an app which could be used by employees to car pool . The other idea was recycling waste by involving non profit organisations. There are various ways in which you can engage your employees and their families by involving them to contribute to the environment . This could be a small step every organisation could take .

Engage your advocates , while co founding my startup I would call a few of my heavy users daily and talk to them , I would not only listen to their feedback, this helped me bring in relevant changes to my product but the other thing is I did was I gave voice to their business . I started a series of short YouTube videos where I covered their story as Heroes , I promoted these videos and the customers too liked the idea and pushed the content. By making my customers my champion’s I made the staunch advocates for the business. Listen , learn , support your good customers to become your advocates .

"Walk the Talk" this is my key learning. CSR is not something you do to look good , to build your brand or to get some recognition and awards , it is responsibility you have towards your community , employees and customers. It is not and should not be seen as a tick mark activity for the purpose of audit and legal requirements. Purpose before profits is not just a slogan it is the driver of ethical business. When your heart is in the right place , people experience that and in times of dispute this helps if you are transparent and honest with your communication.

One thing I have found useful is ' Being Aligned' to who you are. A Brand Voice is not something you put on , it is who you are. The mistake many organisations make is try to be like someone who they are not and this shows . Brand Voice is not just advertising but also how your employees and customers experience the brand . The key word according to me is being authentic to the core . For leaders this translates to don't just talk , walk the talk and this can be tough in difficult times.

In my experience every act of an organisation is linked to its values . Not spoken values but lived values. Compensation and benefits is no different . The organisation needs to ask itself - are the actions aligned to values . The basic value every organisation needs to have is honesty and transparency . Compensation is linked to 1. How the organisation performs 2. The contribution of the individual . Be consistent with feedback , be transparent and be empathetic. This is what builds strong organisation culture and stickiness. The top must lead by example , don't concentrate wealth at the top , let employees become stake holders.