Manoj T: Leading With Example As A Go-To Person
Manoj T
Director - Sales
Please walk us through your educational & professional journey.
I secured a Diploma in Electronics and Communications initially and then augmented myself over time as a MS Certified Professional. This helped me to grow from a support engineer to Branch head. Over the course my 24+ years of rich professional experience, I have gained expertise in Sales & Marketing, Business Development, Key Account Management, Team Building and Operations. A Master’s Program in Business Administration further expanded my vision. My vast experience in working with Government Projects enabled me to establish myself as a go-to person for IT projects ultimately leading to my present role as Director Sales at Coconics Private Limited, a PPP enterprise.
Please share us about your journey as Director of sales at Coconics. What are the challenges you encountered during your professional journey?
Coconics is India’s first Public Private Partnership (PPP) enterprise that is engaged in manufacturing and sales of IT equipment Laptops. Establishing an OEM company manufacturing Laptops in Kerala is a very daunting task. Coconics is a PPP company with 49% ownership by Kerala Government, which brings more challenges.
The major challenge was to create a world manufacturing enterprise in a largely consumption-oriented society, even though we have qualified resources. Added to that, are the challenges of setting up a
unit from scratch. You’re met with issues as basic as infrastructure availability, governmental approvals, skilled manpower availability. One other stubborn challenge was creating visibility for the brand in an already crowded market.
Having joined as Director Sales in April 2019, I set about liaising with respective agencies, suppliers, vendors to quick start the production of laptops. We were able to not only commence production of Laptops in October 2019, but also bagged our 1st large order from Government of Kerala to supply laptops to various Government Departments. I also charted the e-commerce channel for B2C business parallelly to become a nationwide OEM.
Our achievements include being able to list our products in all e-com platforms along with Government of India’s mart – GEM. Recently, in June, 2021, we launched our products in CSC e-Grameen to enable the availability of our products through 4.50 Lakhs VLE’s in India.
Amongst all the roles you have honed so far, which ones turned out to be a challenge and milestone, both.
All the roles that I have taken up so far have been incrementally challenging. A few of the top challenges were setting up a complete educational channel for Students of Kerala and an interactive channel to train the teachers in Kerala. This involved a great deal of coordination and agreement within the IT department and Education department and being focused on the outcome and ability to convey the same to the stakeholders ensured a smooth success of the project.
Being a known achiever of sales target, I was entrusted with the role of Sales Head South of Tata Consultancy Services. Ensuring timely revenue collection from Government customers is a very difficult task and I was able to achieve the timely collection by ensuring timely delivery of solutions while keeping an open channel of communication.
Who do you look up to for inspiration? What’s your success mantra?
An individual’s ability to succeed increases multifold when there are inspirational people to look up to and mentors to guide you through. In that aspect, my inspiration has always been Shri. APJ Abdul Kalam, whose simple demeanor and laser focus on perfection has been a
Having joined as Director Sales in April 2019, I set about liaising with respective agencies, suppliers, vendors to quick start the production of laptops. We were able to not only commence production of Laptops in October 2019, but also bagged our 1st large order from Government of Kerala to supply laptops to various Government Departments. I also charted the e-commerce channel for B2C business parallelly to become a nationwide OEM.
An individual’s ability to succeed increases multifold when there are inspirational people to look up to and mentors to guide you through
Our achievements include being able to list our products in all e-com platforms along with Government of India’s mart – GEM. Recently, in June, 2021, we launched our products in CSC e-Grameen to enable the availability of our products through 4.50 Lakhs VLE’s in India.
Amongst all the roles you have honed so far, which ones turned out to be a challenge and milestone, both.
All the roles that I have taken up so far have been incrementally challenging. A few of the top challenges were setting up a complete educational channel for Students of Kerala and an interactive channel to train the teachers in Kerala. This involved a great deal of coordination and agreement within the IT department and Education department and being focused on the outcome and ability to convey the same to the stakeholders ensured a smooth success of the project.
Being a known achiever of sales target, I was entrusted with the role of Sales Head South of Tata Consultancy Services. Ensuring timely revenue collection from Government customers is a very difficult task and I was able to achieve the timely collection by ensuring timely delivery of solutions while keeping an open channel of communication.
Who do you look up to for inspiration? What’s your success mantra?
An individual’s ability to succeed increases multifold when there are inspirational people to look up to and mentors to guide you through. In that aspect, my inspiration has always been Shri. APJ Abdul Kalam, whose simple demeanor and laser focus on perfection has been a
leading light. I have also maintained that the success of an individual is underlined by the team that is behind. I have been blessed to have a team that is highly supportive of my visions. Coupled with ability to see the big picture, yet being able to plan at a micro level to execute the vision has been a key success mantra.
Professional endeavors are one thing. What else does Manoj T also care about as a leader who has a responsibility to make a difference for the society?
As Trustee, Secretary & Treasurer of Punarjani, I immerse myself in transformation of young minds. Being the Secretary of LION's club of Trivandrum Ananthapuri, my endeavour is to encourage increase in efficiency in personal and professional areas through a pro-bono approach from like-minded individuals. Additionally, as technical advisor for Rapid Response Brigade, an NGO, involved in finding long last solutions to victims of disaster. All this is possible when we realize the value of fellow humans. To enable this, Swasthi Foundation is my platform where I am a Technical Member to revive the humanity among our people.
Last but not least - Nature! I believe that goodness starts with the small choices that each one of us makes every day. I have taken various initiatives ensuring that the local communities reap Multifood benefits; besides restoring the green cover, the trees also provide them with fruits, flowers, leaves etc. commonly used in the community life.
With this vision, we have started a farm in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram City, on the borders of Kerala around 5 years back. We are in the process of converting the farm into an Eco tourism place with a ‘Pet Zoo’. The location is near to Western Ghats and at an altitude of 1343 feet MSL. In the last 5 years, I have planted more than 7000 saplings, 6500 of which are surviving well, 3000 and more are above 10 feet, more than 1000 are fruit yielding. I have planted variety of species on our property, creating a semi-forest in our farm. I am very happy to be able to do this and make the environment a better place. I look forward to people appreciating the varieties of flora created in a small area.
Manoj T, Director, Coconics Private Limited
With his 24 and above years of experience in the segments of Business Development, Govt. Purchase Procedure, Solutions for Sales and Marketing, Key Account Management, and various major sections, Manoj is an accomplished team player. Manoj completed Masters in Business Administration and acquired excellent skills in business studying, management, marketing and respective support services.
Professional endeavors are one thing. What else does Manoj T also care about as a leader who has a responsibility to make a difference for the society?
As Trustee, Secretary & Treasurer of Punarjani, I immerse myself in transformation of young minds. Being the Secretary of LION's club of Trivandrum Ananthapuri, my endeavour is to encourage increase in efficiency in personal and professional areas through a pro-bono approach from like-minded individuals. Additionally, as technical advisor for Rapid Response Brigade, an NGO, involved in finding long last solutions to victims of disaster. All this is possible when we realize the value of fellow humans. To enable this, Swasthi Foundation is my platform where I am a Technical Member to revive the humanity among our people.
Last but not least - Nature! I believe that goodness starts with the small choices that each one of us makes every day. I have taken various initiatives ensuring that the local communities reap Multifood benefits; besides restoring the green cover, the trees also provide them with fruits, flowers, leaves etc. commonly used in the community life.
With this vision, we have started a farm in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram City, on the borders of Kerala around 5 years back. We are in the process of converting the farm into an Eco tourism place with a ‘Pet Zoo’. The location is near to Western Ghats and at an altitude of 1343 feet MSL. In the last 5 years, I have planted more than 7000 saplings, 6500 of which are surviving well, 3000 and more are above 10 feet, more than 1000 are fruit yielding. I have planted variety of species on our property, creating a semi-forest in our farm. I am very happy to be able to do this and make the environment a better place. I look forward to people appreciating the varieties of flora created in a small area.
Manoj T, Director, Coconics Private Limited
With his 24 and above years of experience in the segments of Business Development, Govt. Purchase Procedure, Solutions for Sales and Marketing, Key Account Management, and various major sections, Manoj is an accomplished team player. Manoj completed Masters in Business Administration and acquired excellent skills in business studying, management, marketing and respective support services.