Sharp Consulting and Implementing Company (SCICO) is a consulting organisation that helps its client launch, relaunch and restructure their businesses. The company not only advises business heads on the direction their businesses should take but also help them implement the same.
The brand is considered to have a core expertise in the field of consulting for FMCG businesses. They handle everything from pre-launch planning, the actual launch and post-launch analysis.
“The USP of SCICO is that it bridges the gap between consultation and implementation. We don’t just consult. We hand-hold you till your reach your goals,” says Vijay Sokhi, Founder Director, Sharp Consulting and Implementing Company.
One of the key challenges that the company faces is to prevent itself from being typecast as one of those consultancies that only closes clients for businesses.
“In the past, business advisors have been looked at from the perspective where the consultants join and dissect. However, dissection is rarely the answer; it only rips the business apart. The traditional consultant will work on fancy numbers and buy more time for himself instead of looking into the reality. Plans are made, investors put their money but more often than not, they hit a roadblock. There are only a handful of consultants who actually make things happen. The number of people who have actually succeeded is extremely low; this suggests that those who do actual work face immense challenges. Most business owners have a habit of looking at consultants with speculation,” explains Sokhi.
He says that one of the most important ingredients for any brand to become successful is overlooking the obvious.
“Sometimes, a solution is looking at us right in the face, but we don’t see it. My experience over the past has proved that the key ingredient is patience. It is going to take time. There will be mistakes that are made. The market is very dynamic. Things that are new today will become obsolete tomorrow. When you are implementing a plan, any sudden unforeseen change in the market forces, will make you relook at and re-strategize things. You may have to restart again. All this takes time. If you are impatient, you might not succeed. It is very important to be steady and strong,” he states.
Talking about working with start-ups, Sokhi says that to establish a start-up is a very big challenge in itself. There are sleepless nights and a lot of hard work. For a start-up venture to be successful, owners need to emotionally attached to it, be dedicated and persevere – and most importantly, keep accounting out of the mix. He also says that every start-up needs to keep investing in the business for at least the first 3 to 5 years. Once the operational costs are covered by the business, a start-up can consider its first target met.
He says that his company’s role is to keep businesses profitable and this can lead to a lot of pressure. He says, “Accounts is all about logical thinking looking at balance sheets and providing answers. If the business is at loss, we as consultants know it right away. If we ask the companies for sales figures, they know the answers right away but if we ask them about brand value, then many companies are at a loss, and will need to hire an agency to come back with brand valuation. This is where one needs to understand how to keep the business moving and to keep the pressure at bay.”
Sokhi adds, “Creating a new brand is all about emotions. It’s not something that can be done only calculatedly. If a company’s decisions are based only on accounts, then the chances of success are extremely low. Accounts are important, but they only tell you where and how to save money. From a brand building perspective, what truly motivates marketing and sales people is the drive to win, and not just the cash flows. As long as the business venture is being accepted by the consumers you must keep moving.”
He explains that his company needs to limit the number of projects that they take up since they go the whole hog – helping the company through both planning and implementing stages.
“We need to be present in the arena, where the action is, not sitting in an air-conditioned room and advise over the phone,” he says.
“The best way to look at success is from the perspective of growth and customer retention. When a start is completely focused on sales, it will find its path. The more the start-up focuses on the customer, the faster they will taste success for success is a matter of time and providing the best solution,” he adds.
SCICO’s services can be availed by any company ideating on a project, or in the process of launching a new project. Companies who need revamping of their businesses – those who haven’t had a successful first launch but want to try again because they still believe in their product/ service and have the right attitude can also reach SCICO at [email protected].
