How 3 self-driven entrepreneurs created an “Indian Salesforce” equivalent
The entrepreneurial journey is full of highs and lows. Sometimes hearing other people’s accounts on how they built their business from a start-up to a company of many employees is just what one needs to initiate their journey.
To have the vision to become an entrepreneur is great, but making it a reality is another story.
In that frame, we had the pleasure to interview Ravindra Warang, Pragnesh Lodaya and Kailash Vele. Ravindra Warang, Pragnesh Lodaya and Kailash Vele are founders of edge CRM. edge CRM has been conceptualized by a team of sales experts who are on a mission to build business through long-lasting relations. edge CRM believes CRM is always a strategy, an approach to build and nurture relations with customers. CRM for edge CRM is a modus operandi of any business that aims to elucidate the customer-sales team relationship, alleviate the sales process, and consequently enhance team’s productivity.
1. What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e what’s your source of motivation?
Kailash: Well, besides a good cup of coffee, the chance to add value for someone in a tangible way is a big thing that gets me up in the morning. We like to be able to work on something, see and measure the result, and understand the impact it has on people, the business, and ourselves.
2. Why should people choose your product/services?
Ravindra: Nowadays, CRM tools don’t provide the facility of being mobile friendly. But, edge CRM is different from the rest. We focus on having a mobile first approach. The edge CRM mobile app, available on Google Play Store and App Store can be seamlessly used without any hassles.
One of the biggest reasons why edge CRM is loved by salespeople globally is its simplicity. We are disrupting the sales market by simplifying all the sales and services. For instance, you can automate all the sales processes within a few clicks. No more worries seeking help on navigating within the platform.
The implementation and training provided by team edge CRM is simple and effective. Our sales heroes are ever ready to help customers with their queries.
3. What’s your competitive advantage and why can’t it be copied?
Ravindra: We don’t think sales is just another run-of-the-mill job. We, at edge CRM believe, sales is science; partly. If done with the right dedication and commitment by an enthusiastic group of individuals can create wonders.
edge CRM always believes in sharing knowledge. Our platform is a knowledge center wherein people from the sales and marketing industry can come and get informed about the different aspects about sales as a whole.
Unlike our competitors, we like to treat our clients as a part of our global family. Our team provides personal assistance to serve the customer more effectively and solve their queries efficiently and in a short time span.
4. What risks are you facing?
Pragnesh: There has always been the risk of not meeting the customer’s demands. And as we all know an unhappy customer is a worrisome problem. So, our team is always on its toes to try and meet the customer’s demands.
Another risk for us is that currently there are many VC-backed startups that believe in a cash burning model to achieve their goals and disrupt the market on the basis of cost and aggressive marketing and false claims. This can create risk for honest and hardworking startups like ours who believe in fundamental morals and ethics.
5. Have you considered any alliance/partnership?
Ravindra: Yes, we are considering partnerships which can be beneficial to us. In fact, we are running a partner program on our website and looking for partners across the globe.
We would like to inform you that we have already collaborated with companies such as Route Mobile and Covve, a Cyprus based organization. Besides, there are multiple collaborations with organizations that are in the pipeline.
6. What are your cash flow projections? When will you break even? How much will you need in investments?
Pragnesh: We are a bootstrapped startup. And are currently not looking for any investors.
7. What comes first for you, money or emotions?
Pragnesh: I will always prefer emotions over monetary benefits. Any business is built by the team that is working behind the scenes. And the team puts in their blood and sweat to make this business run. There might be times when I may not agree with my team’s suggestions. But I need to respect their emotions and understand their thinking.
But at the same time, money is also important. Money lets you buy things that bring happiness. Happiness is also an emotion. But it cannot replace the laughter you share with your team members after a hilarious joke cracked by a colleague.
8. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Kailash: The biggest strength of our organization is the dedicated and hard working team that puts in efforts day in day out to get the things done. Our team is young, dynamic and 100% committed to the task which enables us to tackle any challenge. As far as weaknesses go, being a very young team of individuals, we keep on learning from our mistakes.
9. Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.
Pragnesh: The biggest accomplishment for us has been the awards and recognitions given to us by Software Suggest. We have been awarded the “Best Value CRM of Fall 2020” and the “Top trending CRM software of Fall 2020” awards for our high popularity and tremendous growth statistics.
edge CRM is a favourite of the salespeople across the country. Currently, over 2200+ sales and services professionals prefer edge CRM for their sales processes.
10. How do you handle the pressure?
Kailash: We don’t see pressure as a negative thing. We take it as a challenge. And use it to motivate ourselves and our team members.
11. If you sold your company today, what would be the tone of the conversation? What would you want to gain? What would you want to avoid losing?
Pragnesh: Firstly, we would never like to sell our company. I have given my blood and sweat to this company. To answer your question, if we ever face the dilemma of having to sell the company; we would like to sell it to a person having the same morals and ethics as us. At edge CRM, we valued the customer no matter what. We would like to see the same treatment being given to the customer as us.
12. What advice would you give to someone starting out?
Pragnesh: Keep Patience, Follow the right processes & Believe in your dreams.
