Ramco Systems
Ramco is a well-diversified and highly respected industrial conglomerate. Ramco Systems Limited, established in 1989, is a global provider of personalised enterprise solutions with 1,000 customers in over 30 countries.
What sets Ramco apart is the internal capability to assemble applications using Ramco VirtualWorks, a groundbreaking, model-based development and delivery platform.
In an interview to Sify.com, Ramco MD and CEO P R Venketrama Raja speaks on the technology that drives Ramco and his vision for the company.

Excerpts from the interview:

You took over direct control of operations of the company more than a year ago under very difficult circumstances. Do you agree that you took over at a difficult period?
I wouldn't say it was a difficult period. I took over at the height of development of our technology. We were deep in the development of technology. Our selling was limited because our technology had to come out. It was around this time I took over, that's all.

But the company was in the red, when you took over?
That's right. We are in the red, even now. The point is we have been investing a lot in technology. Now is the time when you start to market your technology, your product. So we are at the peak of our development and our market is just taking off. We are in that flux now.

In retrospect, do you think it was the right strategy to have invested so much time and money in developing technology (Ramco VirtualWorks), at a time when other companies were looking at growth?
I think it was great strategy, because the kind of technology which we have created could have great influence in the entire way IT solutions are being developed and deployed across industries.
It is a platform on which you can specify your business process and your solution. Actually you get the entire IT application in a fraction of the time it normally would take if you do it in the conventional way. Typically it speeds up the entire process by at least 50 percent from conceptualisation to delivery.
So going after our vision of developing such a technology and making it happen, I think, was really worth it.

So are you confident that all your investments in this technology in the last few years is going to pay off in the near future?
Yes, I think in the next three four quarters.

What is the kind of turnover you are looking at?
If it really catches on, we could look at 30-40 per cent growth. It is feasible.

Are you looking at any tie-ups in marketing?
We are also working with consulting companies. The technology we have developed enables us to give services and products like ERP in a much more powerful way than anyone else in the world. We are looking at the initial step of working with consulting companies. We are planning to host the entire platform on the Internet for our customers. So, any company can choose to use this platform to speed up their engagements. Initially, it is the consulting companies who are showing a lot of interest.

What are your plans in the next few months? Do you have other plans or is your entire concentration going to be on pushing this technology in the market?
We are not pushing this technology but products based on this technology. We are pushing it to make sure that people start using this concept so that it dramatically changes the way solutions are developed and provides enhanced benefits in terms of cost, time and quality to the customer. I don't sell this technology like a tool. Number two, we are looking at many projects based on this technology. Our major marketing efforts started just about four months ago.

Unlike in the past, will you be continuing to invest a lot of money to develop products?
We did invest a lot and that's why our ERP II product is coming out. We are one of the few companies in the world to have such a major project on a completely web architecture. Secondly, we will continue to invest but our peak investment is done. With just a fraction of the people involved in the work, we can continue in the same pace. Major work is done. Now people will all be focusing on projects.

There was a dramatic drop in turnover in the last few years? What kind of money went into developing this technology?
Quite a lot of money…Maybe $30 million.

What's the vision for the company?
We want to play a key role in dramatically reducing the complexities in developing business solutions. And make developing business solutions a much easier affair. And through that occupy an important economic position in the IT industry.

How do you relax?
I enjoy my work. I travel a lot but I make it a point to spend time with my family. I like chess and I play chess as a hobby. And I read books on science and fiction. I don't have any favourite author, though.

Did any book make a strong impact on your life?
No specific book but I admit what all you read changes your attitude to how you look at things.

Who was your major influence in life?
I think everybody contributed. You are continuously learning. So many people influence you. You owe so many things to so many people. So you can't say you are self-made.

P C Vinoj Kumar