Intoday’sdynamicbusinessworld,leaderswhodriveinnovation,fostercustomer-centric cultures,andinspireteamstoovercomechallengesarethosewhotrulystandout.Aswe celebrate shinesas The Most Iconic Business Leaders to Watch in 2024, NileshBorgharkar astellarexampleofleadershipexcellence.
Asthe of Nilesh SeniorVP CustomerSupportandServiceatPeopleInteractive, exemplifiestransformativeleadershipwithacareerspanningover30years.Knownforhis abilitytoturnchallengesintoopportunities,Nileshhasareputationforbuildinginnovative businessstrategiesthatrevolutionizeindustries.HispivotalroleintransformingShaadi.com’s offlineoperationsintoatrustedmatchmakingfranchisenetworkisatestamenttohisvision, adaptability,anddetermination.
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Department Store: Why Are They Still Relevant in the E-commerce World?
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Sr VP Customer Support and Service
NILESH BORGHARKAR
A Journey of Leadership, Innovation, and Customer-Centric Excellence
Great leaders are those who drive transformation and inspire excellence through their vision and relentless dedication. They understand that true leadership is not merely about holding a position of power but about inuencing change, fostering innovation, and cultivating a culture of success. They navigate complex challenges with agility, turning obstacles into opportunities and setting new standards in their elds. Their impact is felt not only through the results they achieve but also through the lasting legacy they create for future generations.
Among such iconic gures stands Nilesh Borgharkar, Sr. VP of Customer Support and Service at People Interactive. Nilesh is a seasoned executive, boasting over 30 years of impactful leadership experience in renowned organizations. His career has been dened by a dynamic approach to business development, operations, and strategic planning. Nilesh’s expertise extends across channel sales and franchising, marketing, and customer experience, marking him as a versatile leader adept at navigating complex challenges. His ability to transform challenges into triumphs and inspire his team is nothing short of extraordinary, making him a beacon of leadership in today's dynamic landscape.
Established more than 20 years ago, People Interactive has grown from a small, passionate team into a leading company transforming the matchmaking landscape. The agship brand, Shaadi.com, has consistently focused on customer-centric strategies, setting itself apart from competitors. Nilesh credits this success to the company's commitment to putting customers at the center of every decision.
People Interactive's longstanding success is also a result of its sense of urgency and bias for action, qualities that have driven the company's growth year after year. The team's ability to innovate while maintaining simplicity in operations has ensured their leadership position in the market.
Throughout his career at Shaadi.com, Nilesh has worn many hats, each contributing to the company's growth and success. His initial focus was on developing a franchise network to bring Shaadi.com's services to a wider audience. However, over time, his role expanded to encompass much more.
After successfully establishing the franchise model, Nilesh transitioned into managing the customer-facing operations for both sales and service. This included overseeing the design and implementation of systems that would streamline customer interactions and improve overall service quality. For a decade, he managed these operations, ensuring that Shaadi.com's reputation for exceptional service continued to grow.
Nilesh's leadership was further demonstrated when he was tasked with setting up a complete customer experience unit for the company. Today, he manages end-to-end customer support and service functions, including the retention of Shaadi's personalized service customers—an important growth driver for the company. His focus on customer experience has been instrumental in driving business success, reinforcing Shaadi.com's commitment to putting customers rst.
Accolades and Achievements
Nilesh's journey has been marked by numerous accolades and industry recognition, a testament to his leadership and contributions to the business world. In 2023 and 2024, he was featured in the TOP 100 CX leaders at the World CX Summit organized by Trescon, a signicant achievement in the eld of customer experience.
His other accomplishments include being recognized as one of the TOP 10 CXOs of the year by Tradeock in August-September 2023, receiving the Quality Leadership Award in the IT and ITES category at the Asian-African Leadership Forum, and winning the CX Personality of the Year Award at the CX Summit in 2022.
These accolades, among many others, reect Nilesh's ability to not only lead but to innovate and create a lasting impact on the businesses he has been a part of.
Why Are They Still Relevant in the E-commerce World?
Online shopping is the go-to mantra for people in today’s digital world, but this boon in technology has raised the question whether department stores are still relevant in today's time. Yet, these large stores have found a way to adapt and succeed despite the competition from online shopping. Imagine walking into a lively store that offers everything you need, from everyday household products to fashionable trendy clothes, all in one place. In this blog, we will learn more about the departmental store, its history, types, features, and challenges it faces in this digital age.
A departmental store offers several features, some are listed below.
Modern departmental stores offer many services and aim to provide excellent service to consumers.
These stores are usually found in the center of a city, making it easy for many people to visit.
Because they are large, these stores are often set up as companies run by a board of directors. A managing director oversees everything, with help from a general manager and department heads.
Departmental stores buy products directly from manufacturers and have their own warehouses. This helps cut out unnecessary middlemen between the producers and customers.
A central purchasing department makes all buying decisions, while sales happen in different store sections.
Types and Examples of Department Stores
Departmental stores are convenient for consumers but they come in various types. Here are some of the main types.
• Departmental stores are usually located in busy areas, which helps them draw in a lot of customers, especially during peak shopping times.
• By offering a wide variety of products all in one place, departmental stores make it convenient for customers to nd everything they need without having to go to multiple stores.
• Department stores aim to provide excellent services to their customers. This includes home delivery, taking phone orders, offering credit options, and providing facilities like restrooms, phone booths, restaurants, and salons.
• Departmental stores can invest a lot in advertising and promotions, which helps them boost their sales and attract more customers.
Challenges Departmental Stores Faces
• Because department stores are so large, it's hard for staff to give individual attention to each customer.
• These stores spend a lot of money on services, which makes their operating costs high. This can lead to higher prices for products,
• making them less affordable for people with lower incomes.
• With high costs and large inventories, department stores can face signicant losses. For instance, if customer preferences change or fashions go out of style, they may have to sell outdated items at a discount to clear out stock.
• While department stores are often in busy areas, this can make them less convenient for quick purchases or for people who prefer to shop at nearby smaller stores.
Despite the rise of e-commerce, department stores are still thriving in the retail sector. Their ability to offer a wide variety of products, coupled with exceptional customer service, makes them a desirable shopping destination for many consumers. In the future, departmental stores that embrace sustainability and technology will have higher chances to survive among their competitors.
Theobroma, a beloved name among chocolate and dessert enthusiasts, has carved a niche in the Indian bakery scene. With its roots in Mumbai, this bakery chain has expanded rapidly, captivating customers with its delectable treats.
However, the journey from a single outlet to a prominent bakery chain was not without its challenges. Theobroma's founders faced obstacles related to operations, marketing, and adapting to a growing business.
This article explores Theobroma's history, the challenges it overcame, its effective business strategies, and its customer-centric approach. By understanding these factors, we can gain insights into the company's remarkable success and the factors that have contributed to its growth.
Anchored core strengths in high-quality ingredients and innovation.
Continued to experiment with new recipes to keep the menu fresh and exciting.
Differentiated from competitors by maintaining quality even at large-scale manufacturing, avoiding cost-cutting measures that compromised product integrity.
Operational Excellence:
Invested in staff training and optimized supply chains.
Standardized processes across outlets to ensure consistency in product quality and customer experience.
Strong backend support allowed the company to focus on customer-facing strategies.
Effective Marketing and Customer Engagement:
Leveraged social media and word-ofmouth to promote new products and outlets.
Emphasized storytelling in marketing campaigns, sharing the brand journey and showcasing products made with passion.
Highlighted customer testimonials that resonated with the target audience, enhancing brand loyalty and engagement.
Expansion & Future Plans
A major landmark was passed when the expansion of Theobroma beyond Mumbai began, with outlets opening in Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, all replicating the successful Mumbai model. By 2020, the brand had scaled up to over 70 locations across India, securing a place as a national name. Further expansion in the years to come will likely aim at consolidating this across-the-nation presence and making forays into high-potential tier-2 markets. Theobroma might also go international, focusing on regions with large Indian communities. It has plans for diversifying into vegan, gluten-free, and lowsugar offerings, among others, while improving its online and e-commerce platforms in preparation for the surge in demand.
The journey of Theobroma stands as an epitome of vision, persistence, and a constant drive for excellence. From that small bakery in Mumbai to becoming a household name across the nation, this journey has only strengthened them and sharpened their eyes for focus. Looking ahead to the future- it is only better poised to keep an upward graph. While following its inherent values, the brand can shape itself according to the changing market dynamics, and it is likely to achieve not merely sustained growth but perhaps new benchmarks in the Indian dessert industry. Be it through expansion to new geographies, diversication of the product portfolio, or enrichment of the customer experience, the future of Theobroma appears as rich and rewarding as the desserts served.
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