As a part of our ASK RODINHOODERS series, we have on board Sushrut Munje who doesn’t really need an introduction. He is one of our “youngest-mature” founders who loves to write and attend startup events. He helps us organise our events in Mumbai whenever he can! We call him da #MopStar !!!
Ask Sushrut
“Was a good student till engineering struck! Internships helped understand I didn’t want to graduate. Dropped out to start up on my own. First project was an online magazine (because I am a writer). Bombed. Second project has been Hammer and Mop – more than 3 years and still going strong.
Ask me about: customer service, communication & branding
What did I learn in the roller coaster ride?
Customer service proves to be a major differentiator when you start up. With no one to guide you at the start, look at your customers as a key support – asking for their feedback and evolving accordingly. They do not look for yes-men, but for genuine entrepreneurs. If you’re honest, open and hard working – your customers would convert into brand evangelists which lends an intangible edge.
Is ‘effective communication’ more than just a fancy term?
Yes, because it is something we can live in our daily lives. It makes sense to talk to people once your opinion is being communicated and is being understood in the same context. It is easy to miss this, and assume all our communication is effective. This leads to gaps, and we often don’t realize what led to the breakdown. Communication (as validated by Ronnie Screwvala in his latest book) is one of the most important aspects of building an organization. I learnt it the hard way.
Isn’t branding done when I have a fancy logo?
Logo is just a start. Branding is a perception that we develop around ourselves and our organization. When you ‘train’ others to look at your company (and yourself) through a certain lens, you’re actually creating a favorable situation to sell your offerings. Right from how your website looks to what you say when you receive a call – it all defines what you are.
Am I an expert?
Hell no! I’m a fellow traveler who has learnt it the hard way, and will help you make sure you don’t make the same mistakes I did 🙂 Do feel free to reach out!”
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Sushrut is following this page – so go ahead and ask him stuff you’ve always wanted to in the comments below!
Ping him on twitter! @sushrutmunje
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Sushrut Munje
Woohoo! Thanks, Asha.
asha chaudhry
guess what – i have a question sushrut.
i keep telling everyone how impeccable your communication (both in-house and external) is. it’s always polite and crisp. your social media tone is the same (even if more than one person handles it).
and most of all, your customers happily share testimonials!! any tips? do you ask them to write one for you? or do they do it themselves??
take trhs – it’s so hard to get rodinhooders to share testimonials 🙁
we have no way of knowing, (forget measuring effectiveness) how we have helped members or startup people at large. having testimonials or case studies would help us improve ourselves or pay attention to features that work well for many.
it’s only when we go to events or meet rodinhooders at our events that folks share how they benefitted from trhs. eg alok’s funding pitch template 🙂
any suggestions?! any tips?!
🙂
Sushrut Munje
Hey Asha – thank you for the kind words!
Regarding client testimonials – We realized that frank & open communication is the crux of all business relationships. Initially, the customers were not sure of what to expect, and spoke to us as if to a wall. When we replied like humans (complete with smiles and follies), they opened up – thus boosting the competitive advantage and client engagement. Had to back this up with good service too, of course. Most of the testimonials are shared by the customers themselves, since we have been having ‘conversations’ with them while understanding their requirements. In case the client is hesitant, a gentle push helps.
Fluent communication – It’s a bit sad to see young companies ignoring design & grammar hygiene. Whatever be the mode of communication, doing it in a proper way shows that you’re serious about your work. Respecting spoken/written English/Hindi also shows your sincerity towards the business at hand and your respect towards the person you’re interacting with. Employing SMS slangs (which the person you’re interacting with might not understand) shows a certain lack of concern towards whether the other person understands you or not. If we write in grammatically correct English/Hindi – it helps.
As for TheRodinhoods – we’re doing a super awesome job. Perhaps a nudge to share a written testimonial is all that’s needed.
🙂