Imagine joining a mattress company and getting married within 6 months and enjoying the honeymoon phase with a company mattress. It is a dream come true to begin career with a sweet company and than switch to mattress company. Well I was just on a casual holiday visiting my parents, when I got a call to attend an interview for PM, in olden days Brand mangers were known as Product Manager.

My father’s old car broke down near TV tower, Blore. I just took it coolly and parked the car by the side of the road, locked it and rushed by auto and reached the office on time 12 noon. The MM’s secretary Cauvery exclaimed what a timing. So I was called in after 10 minutes and the interview went on for about 45 minutes. It was friendly and professional, and MM was impressed by my credential, he introduced me to the MD and hurray selected in the first attempt. Just the third day all India conference was organized at Taj Gateway. My Boss suggested that I attend the conference informally, if I like the team than I was welcome to join. What an opportunity I thought I will extend my leave and attend the 3 day conference at the Taj.

I was sort of rejected by MM as PM and he offered me ASM post because it Brand management was superfluous for a reputed brand in the market place and moreover they had reached the peak of production capacity. In the conference I got introduced to all colleagues from all over India. After I resigned and joined Kurl-on officially, I was asked by my boss to take charge as PM but to my horror I found that I had no work load. I just went to my boss and told him that I am wasting my time, please post me to Ahmedabad or wherever in India. He said one colleague was getting married so I could proceed to Nagpur. I thanked him and proceeded to take independent charge of Nagpur branch and warehouse.

To switch from an FMCG to durable industry was quite painstaking experience; I had to slog to understand the dealer psychology and trade practice. The brand was generic so all rubberized coir mattresses were sold under our brand. The short supplies added to our woe, there was lot of substitution taking place at the dealer counter. Many a dealers were arrogant in their approach. They felt the brand is moving because of their counters. In fact one leading dealer had challenged my colleague, that his showroom is worth more than my company’s brand. It was a real insult which we had to digest.

Meanwhile the production ramped up in the factory within 9 months. We started receiving stocks more than we indented for, our godown was getting flooded with stocks. I had to go for a bigger warehouse a 4000 square feet instead of 800 sq feet. Since mattresses are voluminous in nature and it cannot be piled up horizontally, it had to be stacked vertically.

We adopted a strategy of increasing the dealer network on the ground level, at each and every taluk level in Vidharba region. Next strategy was to participate in exhibitions, Happy Home was the most popular exhibition, and our ultimate coup was exclusive comfort exhibition with MONSOON BONANZA & WOW Comfort exhibition.