From Power Packs to Network Uptime...

Emerson Network Power (India), is part of the $15.5-billion Emerson Group.

Previously known as Tata Liebert Ltd, the company has transformed itself from a

UPS vendor to providing network availability solutions. An interview with Anand

Ekbote, managing director at ENP

l ENP is under

transformation. What does it involve?



We have made a conscious effort to align ourselves with our $ 15.5 bn global

parent, Emerson. This has meant bringing together world-renowned brands under

the Emerson Network Power (India) aegis. Now, ENP has moved from being a UPS and

Precision AC manufacturer to a network availability solutions provider. Our

target of powering companies through a ‘grid-to-chip’ approach means

straddling various products, which include UPS, precision ACs, DC power

supplies, automatic transfer switches, and surge suppressors with a high level

of service offerings.

l How does it

change the way you interact with customers?



ENP begins work at a pre-sales stage where our experts actually understand the
company needs, plans and business and help develop a blueprint for the solutions

required as opposed to "pushing boxes". This is then followed by

implementation and then the final stage of post sales service, which is one of

our core competency areas, so much so that we have branded services within this.

Based on this point of view, we are actually developing the market, ahead of any

possible competition.

l So from a

strategy perspective, what is your positioning?



We are internally repositioning from being a product focus company to a

vertical focused one–primarily Telecom and Internet, IT and Software, and

Industrial Process Control. The verticals will allow us to focus on and develop

cross-selling opportunities based on the solution that suits these segments

best. We will continue to develop our products and ensure they match and surpass

international standards. Our aim is to be the pioneers in providing our

customers the best value-for-money proposition with a comprehensive network

uptime solutions package.

l Apart from

marketing and distribution, ENP is also involved in manufacturing. What are the

best practices here?



As part of aligning itself to the parent company and the sharing of best

practices, ENP is scheduled to go live on Emerson’s e-procurement initiative,

Material Information Network (MIN). Emerson defines the Material Information

Network Program, or MIN, as an attempt to implement an Enterprise-wide Decision

Support System to enable Strategic Sourcing Management and leverage Material

Procurement in a decentralized organization. Put simply, MIN allows the 80

Emerson group companies to share information on purchased product pricing,

quality and delivery time, and to buy on a common platform thus creating immense

cost savings for the group.

l What else

does the transformation involve?



Helping companies customize solutions adequately, the company has also

devised a unique organizational structure to better support its new vision. The

restructured team is such as there is no direct line reporting in a traditional

manager and subordinates model. Instead the more senior a person is the more

number of people he is expected to provide support to depending on his area of

expertise or experience. The team members to be supported cut across a

horizontal section of the organization as opposed to being a fixed group. To

this end ENP has also termed its senior people specific area champions as

opposed to directors/ managers/ supervisors. This would increase productivity

and increase the company’s responsiveness to customers.

Easwardas Satyan