The Marketer of the Month
A truly global perspective on Marketing
From being a core team member for a successful M&A of Novelis Inc (Atlanta based Global leader in Aluminium Rolling) by Aditya Birla Group to leading Hindalco’s marketing he has seen it all.
A truly global experience of working with companies such as Novelis Asia Paific and ALCOM , Malaysia in the leadership positions gives him a distinguished perspective of marketing across the globe.
Currently, as the CMO of Hindalco and on the board of Almex Aerospace, Sachin is responsible for driving revenue of Hindalco Aluminium. Hindalco today is one of the largest vertically integrated Aluminium company in Asia and its subsidiary Novelis is the largest Aluminium rolling company in the world with a combined Revenue of over $15 bn.
Yuktee talks to him about what stays unchanged and where is the role of marketing changing.
What should be the goal of marketing function of a company?
Marketing is one of the most important touch points with the company’s customer.
It allows you to sense the business opportunities and its function involves creating the customers, understanding them and delighting them. Remember, this is a cycle and an eternal one!
What’s peculiar about B2B marketing today?
Today, B2B marketing is more of relationship building. It is about providing Customer delight through Customer Buying Experience.
In B2B, there is no ‘individual’ customer. The entity termed as customer is an aggregate of roles:
So, the key characteristic of B2B marketing is having a multi-level, multi-function relation building. Often, it’s not that easy as it sounds.
For instance take aluminium. When we supply aluminium to companies involved in manufacturing Automotive and Aero planes, it is designed to fit on that particular customer’s assembly lines. Thus, it is a tailor made product and not a commodity. When aluminium is sold at a metal exchange, it is a commodity. What we sell is a value-added product.
How do you plan and strategise for value selling?
We monitor three major parameters:
Sales growth
Profitability
Cash
We apply multiple customer-centric strategies to achieve the pre-decided levels of these crucial parameters like Net Promoter Score, Technology, Digital, Key Account Planning.
The ultimate aim is to differentiate. Without differentiation you cannot de-commodify; you cannot sell!
Our key marketing goal is to provide a differentiated buying experience to our customer and we make sure that it is achieved.
The second most important aspect is to think about what the customer will expect out of you beforehand. Be pro-active about sensing customer requirements.
Customer Experience: Is it a practicality or a mere jargon?
Of course, it is practical and it matters a lot in B2B.
What is ‘customer experience’ ultimately?
It is what the buyer experiences at various touch points.
Even your response to the call he/she makes to your reception is customer experience and it matters big time. We have a Solution Centre in Hindalco. In case of any customer dissatisfaction issues we deal with them as an organisation through multi-level engagement. Customer is always involved in the process of reaching a solution & that’s how we deliver great customer experience.
Advice to the fellow CMOs
1. Customer is not the exclusive property of marketing.
Customer belongs to the entire organisation. So, design your process such that you can engage the customer at multiple levels, multiple touch points and build a strong relationship.
2. Offer a quantified value proposition. Communicate your value proposition in a subtle way.
Let him feel the value. Do not brag about it.
