Interview with Mr Salim Ghauri – CEO, NETSOL Technologies Inc
[box type=”shadow” align=”” class=”” width=””]PROFILE:
Mr Salim Ghauri is a technologist by profession and a software developer by choice. He has been working in the IT industry for last 39 years. He founded NETSOL Technologies in 1996. NETSOL Technologies is a provider of IT and enterprise software solutions. The Company’s primary source of revenue is the licensing, customization, enhancement and maintenance of its suite of financial applications for businesses in the global lease and finance industry.[/box]
PAGE: KINDLY TELL US ABOUT THE LEADING PRODUCTS OF YOUR ORGANIZATION:
SALIM GHAURI: NETSOL is focused on a very niche market i.e. asset and finance lending. It’s a very niche area of software application. We have worked on this for last 20 years. We are the very few global providers of this software. Our customers include banks and finance companies. Our biggest customer base is automobile industry. It’s an ERP solution, which helps in the transaction of lending against an asset. We have a complete lifecycle of the transaction. It is a very complex system that’s why there are very few companies in the world providing this software. We are very well-placed in the world.
PAGE: HOW MUCH IMPACT DO THE ADVERTISING STRATEGIES HAVE ON BUILDING BRANDS IN PAKISTAN?
SALIM GHAURI: Building strong reputable brands has been the key driver for success in the competitive market place for both profit and non-profit making organizations. In order to grow and develop successful brands, marketers have over the years used advertising to enhance brand equity. The biggest investment of any organization especially in a consumer market is on advertisement. Brand building is very costly but without advertisements, you will not be able to build your product in the market and your brand will not be recognized. Advertisement is critical and it is the key to the success of any product.
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PAGE: WHAT ARE THE UPCOMING PRODUCTS/BRANDS OF YOUR ORGANIZATION AND WHAT KIND OF STRATEGY IS BEING FOLLOWED FOR SUCCESS?
SALIM GHAURI: As we mentioned we are very focused on a very niche product line, which is based on financial ERP for asset lending. We have completed the development of our new generation product, which is now being marketed. There is a large segment of the market, which is being explored. We are looking for new geographical regions and we are spending our budgets on marketing it globally. It is now being accepted by the market.
PAGE: YOUR VIEWS ON THE BRAND DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COUNTRY AND THE SUBSEQUENT BENEFIT OF IT FOR THE ORGANIZATION:
SALIM GHAURI: Good branding gives a company several advantages including establishing a positive reputation and building an image attractive to consumers. Proper branding can yield higher product sales, and higher sales of products associated with the brand. We have seen some very new names in last few years, which have come up and established their brands very quickly. Pakistan is a very voracious consumer market and we need more new names and brands to establish themselves in Pakistan.
PAGE: HOW WOULD YOU COMMENT ON BRAND COMPETITION IN PAKISTAN?
SALIM GHAURI: Like any other country, there is severe competition among brands in Pakistan. Market is very large and the ability of middle class to spend is good. So brands have a bigger market to explore. I see competition as a healthy approach in providing quality products to the consumers. When brands knows that they have strong competition, they put in their best efforts to make something better in quality and class which eventually benefit the end customer. So I take brand competition as a positive sign in Pakistan.