Thermax Cannot Get Out of Us
Gopal Gureja, Author and Ex-Thermaxian shares an interesting anecdote through this speech note, a part of which was addressed to the audience at a get-together of the Wanson-Thermax Ex-Employees Association. The event was held at the Poona Club in November 2023, where about 130 ex-employees had participated.
Hello Everybody! Looking at the kind of attendance and the fervour with which the old colleagues are meeting here today, it is quite obvious that whether we went out of Thermax on retirement or to grab another opportunity, Thermax has certainly not gone out of us.
You would all agree that one strong reason for our emotional engagement was the kind of work culture that the company provided us. Based on the primal values steeped in humility, openness, transparency, respect for human beings and unstinted customer commitment, it allowed us freedom of action, encouraged informed dissent and welcomed well-considered initiatives. Some of you perhaps recall the ‘Welcome to Wanson/Thermax’ letter.
We have three former CEOs with us – M. S. Unnikrishnan, Abhay Nalawade and Prakash Kulkarni who, in their own distinctive style, substantially added to the company’s growth. But I am sure they also benefitted from the company’s culture to hone their leadership skills to rise to the top position. In their own way, they ensured that the fundamental aspects of company culture that enhance employee emotional engagement were kept intact.
Some of you have gone into your own business and done well, while others are in senior positions in their new jobs. Wish you all the best in your endeavours. Also, many thanks to the core team that has made this grand get-together possible with considerable hard work and tenacity.
Let me tell you about an unnerving experience for a newly joined service manager.
Within three weeks of my joining the company, way back in 1970, I was required to get an endorsement from R. D. Aga of my plan of action before presenting it at the sales conference coming up in the following week. I was at my desk, trying to arrange my thoughts, when the Managing Director, Mr. Bhathena, joined me at my desk to have a ‘chat’ with me. He told me about the famed Voltas’ customer service and wanted me to adopt the same revenue-earning model for our company as well. He told me that the marketing manager and the sales guys from the branches are prone to exaggerating customer complaints and would aggressively demand unreasonable concessions. He suggested that I defy the pressure and stick to the Voltas model.
I was stunned because all this was an antithesis to my own assessment of the situation. This was my first serious encounter with Mr. Bhathena, and to say the least, I was feeling nervous. I debated for a while to put across my point of view, seemingly with no success. So, gathering myself, I finally said, “Well, if you insist,I will go by what you want. However, I think this approach is not in the best interest of our company. Besides, you are making my job too easy.” “No, I am not going to make your job easy,” he said and walked away.
Later that afternoon, when I told R. D. Aga about my interaction with ASB, he laughed and said, “Congratulations! You have passed the conviction test. That is ASB’s way of checking whether you have the guts to take a stand for the customer.” Rohinton endorsed my plan fully by saying, “You are free to act as ‘customer representative’ within the company and ensure that his interest is served as a matter of top most priority.”
No message could have been more empowering and far-reaching for a service manager than such an unequivocal statement of the company’s customer commitment.
(About the association: Around 15 years ago, the idea of formalising a group for the growing number of ex-employees of Wanson and Thermax was a brainchild of the hugely popular retired Factory Director, late Kersi Kabrajee. T. D. Mohanchandran and Latha Mohanchandran, supported by a group of younger enthusiasts, added momentum to the move and the association today has an all India membership of 800 ex-employees. “We used to pride ourselves as ‘mini India’ in terms of employees’ demographic origins at Pune Works and offices,” recalls Gopal Gureja fondly. This is validated by the fact that a large number out of about 350 ex-employees living in Pune are those who decided to stay back in Pune rather than return to their home towns or states)
Gopal Gureja, Author and Ex-Thermaxian (1970 – 1996)
-Gopal Gureja,
Author and Ex-Thermaxian (1970 – 1996)
