Tapping & Shaping Talent- Reinventing HR Architecture for Organizational Excellence

3rd August 2008, Pune

Reema Sarin

AVP - Marketing and Corporate Communications

AppLabs

Organizational Excellence

The journey towards organizational excellence is critical for any organization to tremendously to improve its competitiveness in an ever changing marketplace.

What is it?

The capability of an organization to drive business results is based on:» Leadership» Strategic Planning» Process Management» Knowledge Management Excellence » Work Collaboratively » Benchmark for Excellence» Enhance Brand Visibility

Leadership

Qualities needed:

» Vision» Discipline » Commitment» Systematic Approach

Strategic Planning

Align the organization's hierarchy design, culture and people to its business strategy, objectives and corporate values.

Process Management

Operate, Control, Evaluate and Improve the teamwork and interconnected tasks with the goal of maximizing organizational effectiveness and efficiency

Knowledge Management Excellence

Share, maintain and institutionalize the intellectual wealth and capabilities of the employee base

Benchmark for Excellence

Measure, analyze and assess the performance of your employees against the agreed objectives every Quarter.

Work Collaboratively

» Cooperate, collocate and synchronize work tasks with the employee base globally, clearly articulating all facts and the end objectives of the programs.

» All internal communication should focus on effective ‘brand positioning’ amongst employees and should clearly communicate the organization’s corporate values and USP.

Employees globally should identify them selves with the Brand.

Enhance Brand Visibility

Re-Branding!

Successful Re-branding –

A Case Study

The Vision of the company was to be the undisputed global leader in independent software testing, quality management and certification solutions company by 2010.

Vision

Old Brand Image New Brand Image

The Company Re-Brands!

» Earlier known as AppLabs Technologies – one of the independent testing companies in India, providing a range of testing services across different verticals.

» Brand Associations:

» Bold, strong colours (purple & orange)» A young company

» High volume testing

» Brand Imagery:» Youthful energy as opposed to ‘Mature and as a Thought Leader’

The Old Branding

Why Re-Brand?

» The company had grown rapidly since its inception in 2001, through strong organic growth and global expansion as a result of strategic acquisitions of market leading organizations.

» As a testing company, it also had many ‘firsts’ in attaining key accreditations like CMMI Level 5 and ISO 27001: 2005, the highest information security certification

Hence:Re-Branding became necessary as:

The company now had a compelling STORY TO TELL!

The company wanted a logo to represent Confidence and Reassurance

Hence in May 2007 it launched its new ‘Brand identity’ or ‘Logo’, based around the theme of a ‘Sunrise’

Why Sunrise?

The ‘Sun’ is synonymous with ‘life, growth and optimism – And we can all be sure that the sun will rise every morning!

What Re-Brand?

» Logo color – ‘blue' symbolizes ‘trust and honesty’and favoured by those whose advice is sought and highly valued

» Typeface (font)– Serif indicates ‘gravitas and substance’

» Strap-line ‘no doubt about it’ signifies ‘consistency, reliability and confidence’, which summates the ultimate

promise of the company – a confident statement that communicates the business benefit of the level of service and quality that the company aims to provides to its customers and partners

The New Branding

A new dawn in the software testing industry

The Company’s new dawn!

The new AppLabs

What is Brand Development

» Developing a new brand is not just designing a new logo - you have to ‘Live and breathe the Brand’

» Brand is another word for ‘reputation’

» Reputation:» Doing what say you will do and doing it well» Meeting deadlines and promises across all markets and

amongst current & prospective clients, industry partners and businesses

» Make every ‘Employee a responsible Brand Ambassador’ through consistent internal marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs

Re-branding Audio-visual» Used effectively among media» Customers» Employees across the globe» Other stake-holders

Media ( Mainline, Business, TV, Online)» Press Conferences and Press Releases on: Global expansion; Global

Re-branding, as well as on all the key milestones and achievements of the company

» Participation in editorial opportunities» One-on-one interviews with key journalists» Corporate profiling » Business specific media stories

Re-Branding Tools

Branding» Launch of a new company Web-site» Development of new branded Collateral – Company Brochures,

Literature and materials (Banners, Booth Stands)

Events» Participation in the speaking opportunities for senior management and

subject matter experts from the company in key industry events globally

Marketing» Direct / Email Marketing to the different target audiences, e.g.

Customers, Prospects, Analyst Community, Media» Online or Web Marketing» Special Customer, Partner and Analyst Meets

Re-Branding Tools

Key Learnings

» Ensure a good ‘buy in’ from senior management by integrating PR and Marketing exercises with the company’s Business objectives.

» This will ensure result in better Return on Investment (ROI) from a ‘measurement of success’ perspective

» For optimum and wide visibility, roll out all Marketing and Media exercises at a Global / Regional level

» Map out a quarterly but flexible Marketing & Communication plan to adapt to the company’s changing and evolving needs

» It is no great achievement to get media mileage when you have news to give to the Press

» You know you have a successful PR program when the Press calls you for a company quote ‘as a Thought Leader in your industry story’

A successful Marketing practitioner is one which keeps his/her company in the news consistently and reaches out effectively to all target markets to meet business

objectives

Key Learnings

Employee Engagement Program

» Launched Coffee with the CEO where select mid and senior level associates get an opportunity to interact with the CEO informally over a cup of coffee every month

» ‘Bollyfit Program’ , Aerobic classes for fitness freaks

» AppLaud – ongoing every month

» Collaborated with 92.5FM for on-ground games

» CSR -» ‘Traffic Awareness’ program in collaboration with Government of Andhra Pradesh» Visited Spoorthi Foundation and donated books and bags » Conducted Fifth Blood Donation Camp with CCT » Collaborated with Project 511 to teach at Government schools in Hyderabad and

Secunderabad» Recognizing the good work AppLabs is currently undertaking in combating HIV infection

and caring for those living with HIV/AIDS, Confederation of India Industries (CII), the leading industry body of India has invited AppLabs to be part of CII National CSR Panel

Public Relations

“To establish AppLabs as the world’s largest independent testing, quality management

and certification solutions company as well as the

preferred employer in the testing industry”

Public Relations

» Objectives

» Give the ‘AppLabs brand’ visibility globally

» Raise profile of AppLabs with current customers and prospects

» Educate and engage the Media Community globally (Print, Electronic, Online)

» Project AppLabs as the pioneer and thought leader in the testing industry

» Communicate new employee initiatives and CSR activities through the media

» Measures

» Engage with the PR agencies globally on our Corporate Communication strategy and implementation

» Consistently educate the PR agencies on our strategic positioning, new company developments and trends in the testing industry

» Provide new media pitches to highlight the ‘AppLabs story’ for brand recall

Internal Blogging

“Global Testing Village (TBD), a testing community site for which will have blogs, forums, training, and more resources for the testing professional...”

Internal Branding

“For increasing AppLabs brand awareness amongst employees and improving employee interaction and engagement”

Internal Branding

» The AppLabs Online Store to be launched by April 2008:

» Mugs» T-Shirts» Caps» Denim Shirts» Backpack Bags

» Launch of the ‘AppConnect’ application by June 2008

» ‘AppLabs Walkathon’ - April 2008

» ‘Crayona – the Kiddy Worx’ in the US & UK offices

» Employee Wellness Programs to be launched bi-monthly, starting April 2008 ( Blood donation camp on 18th April)

» ‘Coffee with the CEO’ – Monthly, starting from April 2008

Internal Branding

» Internal Survey of all sales and senior management – Q1 2008

» Objectives:

» Obtain feedback on what is working and what is not in terms of the messaging, marketing and company profile

» Understand what ideas/suggestions are given on how people would like to see marketing work (and understand common gaps)

» Provide people with the opportunity to provide input and help marketing deliver the company objectives

» Prioritise the feedback alongside the current plans to ensure that the business, sales and marketing are aligned in meeting financial and development objectives

» Develop an update mechanism (quarterly) on ensuring that marketing is continually integrating and supporting the business

Internal Branding

» To increase the 25,000 media exposures globally in 2007 to 40,000+ in 2008

» Media outreach goals

» 12-15 Press Releases annually; 3 interviews – standalone/industry per week globally in order to reach the magic figure of 40,000+ hits in 2008

» To get more print exposure in top financial and business publications such as Wall Street Journal; Financial Times, CNN, Business Week

» Coverage in technology media such as C/NET, eWeek, InfoWorld

» Coverage in vertically focussed trade media such as Insurance Networking News, American Banker, ComplianceWeek

» Media Tools

» » Press Conferences and Press Releases on: Global expansion; Key milestones and new Initiatives

» Participation in editorial opportunities

» One-on-one interviews with key journalists

» Corporate profiling

» Business specific media stories

“For increasing AppLabs brand awareness amongst employees

and improving employee interaction and engagement”

» Objectives» Increasing internal branding» Creating a sense of belongingness within employee community» Communicate regularly to create a sense of stability » To help drive ownership and shared engagement» Encourage knowledge sharing

» Measures» Monthly company newsletter – AppLaud» Meet AppLabs portal for client visibility» Internal events – Crayona, Aakruthi, Kairos, Wellness programs» ACT (CSR) Activities » Poster Campaigns» Regular email updates on News coverage

» New Initiatives

» Online Store» Mugs» T-Shirts» Caps» Denim Shirts» Backpack Bags

» Showcasing Customer Quotes in AppLabs Premises» More Internal Events e.g. Crayons – The kiddy art Worx» Naming Conference Rooms

Speaking Opportunity

“Position AppLabs as a thought leader in the testing space”

» To pitch AppLabs senior leadership for participation in key testing conferences and leadership summits globally

» Objectives» Increase Brand Visibility» Raise profile of AppLabs within the Testing Community » Lead Generation » Attract Talent

Awards

“To showcase AppLabs’ Leadership position in the IT industry”

» Objectives

» To reiterate AppLabs’ leadership position in the testing industry» Raise the profile of senior management as business leaders

» Measures

» To participate in key awards and surveys to better our performance from 2007

» To track and pitch for new categories in awards submissions in the IT industry globally

Marketing Campaigns

To generate sales opportunities through technology and industry focussed campaigns, client focussed messaging and marketing activities across the globe

CSR

CSR

Thank You

Any Questions?