Rumours surround Navtech performance

What happens when you dismiss 17 to 18 employees of top management level
execu-tives within a year from your organization? The answer is simple: Your
company is subjected to a backlash from these employees, that too, in the form
of false rumors being spread.

According to market reports, New-Delhi based Himalayan Times, distributor of
Navtech brand of peripherals, was looking to wrap up its operations and withdraw
the brand from the market completely. Dealers in Nehru Place indicated that in
the wake of stiff competition Navtech was unable to sustain in the market.

Discarding the report completely, Nawal Sawarthia, CEO, Himalayan Times
alleged, “This is a rumor being spread by those employees whom we have dismissed
from our organization. We have dismissed 17 to 18 emplo-yees including top level
management people and sales representatives within Himalayan Times in the last
one year, and hence, this is nothing but their way of retaliating.”

Clarifying the reasons behind the same, Sawarthia stated, “We had implemented
ERP in 2006 and thereby changed our monitoring policy. With the system in place,
we were getting efficiency report on a recurring basis suggesting that many of
our branches were under-performing. We gave a notice of eight months to these
sales representa-tives and managers of the various branches to improve and
generate revenues, which eventually didn't happen.”

The company had undertaken various audit measures during that period, whereby
they found that there were stock and financial pilferages happening in many of
the branches. “We were looking for a code of conduct to be followed by our
employees, and hence, made a team of supervisors who go to these branches to
monitor the situation. Thereafter, we initiated the second phase of
implementation of ERP and the control has now become much better,” he added.

Sawarthia indicated, “When we can invest a sum of Rs 1 crore for implemen-ting
ERP and improve administration, why would we look at withdrawing a brand from
the market that has been performing well.”

Contrary to the rumors, Himalayan Times is looking at adding four more
branches to its existing 17 branch offices. These branches will be set-up in
Guwahati, Bhubaneshwar, Ranchi and Patna and one has recently been opened in
Uttaranchal.

Besides, the company will also be dealing in lifestyle products and is in
talks with agencies in Scotland for the same. In addition, the company is also
looking to tie-up with few small distributors in a bid to expand the business
further.