GBS driving Gen AI-based Microsoft Co-Pilot adoption: Happiest Minds

Happiest Minds Technologies acquired Sri Mookambika InfoSolutions in 2023, and has since enhanced the overall strategic positioning in the digital transformation space within the healthcare industry group.

Venkatraman Narayanan, MD and Chief Financial Officer, Happiest Minds Technologies, tells us more. Excerpts from an interview: 

DQ: How has the acquisition of Sri Mookambika InfoSolutions enhanced Happiest Minds Technologies’ overall strategic positioning in the digital transformation space over the past year?
 
Venkatraman Narayanan: We had acquired SMI in January 2023, and it has enhanced our digital profile in the healthcare industry group. For its largest customer, which, is a healthcare supply chain platform connecting providers and suppliers, facilitating electronic transactions of medical supplies and services, SMI provides product engineering services. 

For the past many years, SMI has built a trustworthy relationship with the customer. SMI has been entrusted with building the various mission-critical modules for this platform. Through Happiest Minds Healthcare and Life Sciences Industry Group, which is now amongst the top three industry groups for the company, we were able to broaden our offerings with the customer in the areas of analytics, AI, and infrastructure management, and security services. 
 
DQ: Can you share specific examples of synergies realized between Happiest Minds and SMI across different business verticals and global markets?
 
Venkatraman Narayanan: SMI traditionally used to provide product engineering services to its anchor customer. Ever since being part of Happiest Minds, we are able to take broader offerings like infrastructure management and support services. 

We have tapped into the vibrant talent pool at SMI’s Madurai development center, and successfully deployed them into Happiest Minds customers. Our Madurai center (from the SMI acquisition) has grown to 375. We have moved into a larger office space, and it is now amongst our top development centers by head count. 
 
DQ: What notable improvements in delivery capabilities have been achieved since the integration, and how have these impacted customer success stories?

Venkatraman Narayanan: SMI has been integrated under our Product & Digital Engineering Services (PDES) business unit, which contributes to 80% of revenues for Happiest Minds. Under a unified delivery organization, we are able to proactively tap into the opportunities as they arise, and enhance our wallet share amongst its customers, while demonstrating quality delivery. 

Our Net Promoter Score (NPS), a measure of customer satisfaction, has increased from 50 at the time of acquisition to 89 for the last reported period, demonstrating our client’s continued trust in Happiest Minds. 
 
DQ: Are there any new innovations or solutions that have emerged as a direct result of combining Happiest Minds’ and SMI’s expertise?
 
Venkatraman Narayanan: Our newly-created Gen AI business unit (GBS), which operationalized in the last fiscal year, is taking rapid strides to achieve technology leadership in Gen AI. The GBS Business Unit successfully drove Gen AI-based Microsoft Co-Pilot adoption amongst SMI customers.
 
DQ: What does the future roadmap look like for this integrated offering, and how do you envision it driving growth and value for clients going forward?
 
Venkatraman Narayanan: Through the acquisition of SMI, and access to a couple of marquee healthcare customers, efforts are now underway to establish Madurai as a healthcare-focused delivery center for Happiest Minds, while building practice teams focused on Java for the Madurai location. We are also testing a Center of Excellence (CoE) for our Chennai location.