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  • MF News Lockdown diaries: Tough times don't last, tough people do, Manish Mehta

    Lockdown diaries: Tough times don't last, tough people do, Manish Mehta

    Manish Mehta, Head of Sales & Marketing, Kotak Mutual Fund shares with us his work from home experience.
    Team Cafemutual Apr 13, 2020

    How are you engaging with your team and distributors considering the nationwide lockdown situation? Which app do you use for video conference and file sharing?

    With the current lock down and market volatility, there are lots of distributor partners and investors who would like to know impact of this on the economy, earnings, investment portfolios, should they continue SIPs, invest lump sum and so on. In these times, it is important that we continue to engage with distributor partners and investors and collectively send out a message of positivity. Fortunately, there is technology support available in the form of conference call facilities and webinars to remain connected with our partners. We have also been consistently sharing our presentations, write ups through e-mails and Whatsapp to stay connected with our partners and investors.

    How are you managing your time? Tell us more about your work from home routine.

    It's not very different when compared to a normal day at the office. There are internal review calls with teams to take stock of the situation. Calls with external partners on market outlook. We are ensuring that the discipline of work is maintained.

    Do you think working from home compromises productivity and quality of work?

    I don't think so. In fact, I believe there is enhanced productivity especially with external clients like our distributor partners and investors. With help of technology, we are probably reaching out to more participants. One conference call / webinar gives one access to over 1000 touch points. In normal course of work it would have been a challenge to reach out to this size of audience.

    What is the most important thing that you are missing at office?

    The one-on-one connect with teams. We are all used to style of working where we are constantly meeting, personally engaging with distributor partners and investors. The personal touch that is so critical to our business is something I miss.

    What are the two biggest lessons for you during this phase?

    We hope and pray that we overcome this crisis but some of the learnings of this is never assume that things are normal and have a backup plan. As an industry, while we have been reiterating that one should embrace technology and digital, it has tested many of us past few weeks. Fortunately, many of us had a backup plan in place. So despite a few days of operational glitches, work flow has smoothened and we have been able to move on. Our business is all about managing the savings of the investors. Market risks is something all understand but in such unplanned situation to be able to manage an investor’s requirements - be it a purchase, switch or redemption, without a glitch give us confidence. So keep evaluating our backup plan has been a good lesson.

    Finally, what is the one thing that you would do differently once the work from home phase ends?

    I believe usage of technological tools to reach out is going to be the new normal.

    What is the one advice that you would give to distributors in the current scenario?

    There is a saying which says that tough times don't last. Tough people do. As custodians of client money, we need to ensure we continue to engage with them, keep giving them the right advise, follow asset allocation discipline and use technology to stay connected to respective clients. Stay safe stay healthy.

    Have a query or a doubt?
    Need a clarification or more information on an issue?
    Cafemutual welcomes all mutual fund and insurance related questions. So write in to us at newsdesk@cafemutual.com

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