 Hello and welcome to another episode of our special cities meeting all odds we are all in middle of a major crisis every day looking for solutions ways to sustain ourselves in these times of crisis there are leaders who are showing us the way forward despite all odds problems challenges that Covid-19 has thrown at us they are ensuring that the work and the economy stays moving on with me today is one such leader Mr. Shamsuddin Jasani group MD Isobar South Asia welcome to the show Shams. It's a pleasure being on the show thank you so much for doing this. Shams I always start with the first question how are you coping with the situation how is it working from home how are you managing your team. So it's a very unique experience and I think working from home is a challenge honestly it's I mean I've never done this ever before in my 20 years of my working career I've hardly ever taken a sick day I just enjoy going to office and it's a very big part of me going to office working with the team but it's a complete new revelation of working from home enjoying the time that you're spending with the family you know I have a five year old son and spending a lot of time with him it does become a challenge because both me and my wife work so working from home is not exactly that easy we'll be handling it we're enjoying the time it's actually bought the teams a lot more together I believe you know one of the things that even I used to believe a lot of these people believe that in India work from home wouldn't work people wouldn't be able to do work from home it's not in the culture you know people will take advantage of the system. So we actually in Isoba started work from home about a year back where everyone had two days work from home everyone which was working okay but this is on a very different scale so I think people have started taking responsibility a lot more I don't know if this will continue in regular process but I do believe that the productivity has actually gone through the roof I do six to seven hours of calls every day which while in office I never used to do that so yeah it's a unique experience hopefully the lockdown should end on the 14th but let's keep our fingers crossed and see where we're going from there. You just said that productivity has gone over the roof so but most of the offices are not working right now what kind of work are you currently engaging in like with your brands with your clients what exactly are you doing these days? So it's very important for us what we did was we started working from home about a week before the lockdown this was all across all the cities so not just Bombay, Delhi, Bangalore the three major cities that are there we started work from home about a week before that I think everyone did what we did was we sent all our creative machines also to everyone's homes because there are some very large creative machines which people can't you know it's not like a laptop which people can take with them so the work is already happening a lot of thinking work a lot of ideation a lot of conceptualization so we're taking this time to speak to a lot of our clients to really kind of take a breather and work on strategizing for clients so it's extremely essential to utilize this time to be able to take a step back and we've spoken to a lot of clients we've told them that we're there for them whatever they need they should utilize this time to what I call it is to make their assets better and prepare for tomorrow not for today so a lot of clients I'm not looking at a recovery plan I'm actually looking at this as a planning for tomorrow rather than planning for today so it's not a recovery plan what I'm going what I'm talking to what we are talking to our clients is that yes you have your all your earned and owned assets by earned and owned I mean your websites your you know even if your TVC is your videos you have your own assets like your Facebook pages your Twitter pages etc etc your e-commerce site what are you going with digital those are all prepared for today but are they prepared for tomorrow are they prepared for being you know relevant three years down the line so it's not about you know taking stock and saying that okay you know let's let's try to make sure that we are relevant for today what we are working on strategy is how to be relevant for three years down the line and take a breather to clients because this is a time when there isn't much work happening at the client's end a lot of them because you know production stop they're also working a lot in fact I have client calls every single day which I didn't used to have earlier because now it's not about operations it's about strategizing it's about the you know the big ideas the big thoughts that are there so I think what's happened is that the last two weeks have been spent in yes understanding what we've been doing trying to get the operations out of the way trying to make sure that when we are back on track you know we are ready to move and ready to go on day one but it helps that we are a digital agency because it means that we are we are never shut out you're always working and yes we are thinking of tomorrow so we're working with a lot of clients to make sure that they are ready for three years down the line and strategizing for them so that's where I think these past two weeks have been really working hard work has gone through the roof as I said in more in strategic terms and less in operational terms so coming back to that you're a digital agency consumption on digital has increased drastically in last few weeks because everyone is confined to their home they're all spending extra time on digital and television now so do you have brands or do you have clients who you would advise now to spend money on digital or be seen more because there is more that's where we are looking at a more strategic you know direction with a client is it really relevant for them to spend right now and to spend on yes there are some clients where it might be relevant still to be there but majority of the clients we're not looking at them spending money right now it could be counterintuitive as an agency but as I said the objective is more to look at okay you know let's take a breather now to look at the future and how can we make sure that your future is as both as isobar and working for you as a partner to a client we're not advising on a lot of clients to spend and especially clients because a lot of our clients have physical products whether you call it Apple or OPPO whether you call it you know Kia Motors or you know so a lot of large clients today they're not selling anything they're not moving up it doesn't make sense for them to advertise right now and it's we're always thinking what is best for the clients I don't want them to do COVID-19 related messages which are not relevant to them yes if I was working for a debtor or if I was working for a Savlon or if I was working for those kind of industry it's a very different kind of a thing but there are challenges so the objective right now is to mitigate those challenges work with clients to be able to deliver you know relevant messaging so if they have relevant messaging for where we are today then yes but don't force fit it don't force fit it to clients saying that okay you know there is I am just going to do this because for the sake of advertising no we're not doing that that's a clear message that we are working the clients that we are partnering with you we understand where you are there is a lot of pain that everyone is going through but we kind of looking at a longer term strategy and not be there for them see this will go and what is the kind of response you are getting from clients they are very happy with the response that they are getting because as I said for us it's important that we are partnering them on this journey this will end COVID-19 will end at some point in time this year it will end we will get back to working and what is very important is that the clients will see the efforts that we are putting with them to be able to help them overcome this crisis rather than you know saying that you know let's advertise that's short term not looking at short term the whole idea of taking the long term view is to make sure that they come out of this relatively unscathed no one is going to come out unscathed people are going to face challenges but we want to help clients come out and come out healthy and be able to take the challenges for tomorrow so I think that's and then I do see clients respecting that a lot we are having a lot of conversations across the levels with clients in terms of how we can work is continuously their clients are really working with us to say okay what can we do what can we do what is it that you know once this ends how do we take things forward everyone is very optimistic there's one thing which is very clear be it the clients be it our agencies be it our people everyone is very optimistic that you know things will start and you know there are already in the end of April there are already launches you know aligned we are ready with the plans and we'll move very quickly on that whatever happens so yes so I think we are ready with launches we are ready with launches as soon as this finishes we are still ready for it I mean if the lockdown extends then of course the launch changes but we are ready we are ready with them so what I'm trying to say is that people are optimistic people haven't given up hope in terms of saying you know things it's just one two months we'll be back in action so I think that's the idea clients are taking this quite well and the teams are taking it quite well I mean at the end of the day it's our teams as leaders we need to be able to guide them in the right direction and not lose hope I think everyone is everyone is really focused and everyone is delivering at their 100% so it's a good time chance you also manage other markets right beyond India so what is the kind of response you have from there and what is the level of crisis that you are facing in those regions not much I mean it's just two other markets Sri Lankan Bangladesh everywhere it is like the situation that is there in India everyone is working from home but what's important is that we have the right leaders everywhere they are inspiring their teams to be able to keep on doing better work and better work they are finding ways there are new innovations that are coming in this is the time to again as I said step back and innovate so I'm not finding it difficult at all to inspire people because we have amazing leaders what is going to help us really tight this is great people who are showing the way and I think that's really helping so I don't see this all countries are just raring to go I mean they are just looking at this as an opportunity not a full stop but as a comma I would say to really say okay this is something which is a breather everyone is taking a breather and now they will come back fully charged that's how I look at it although it's not a full stop it's just a comma as you said but still it will have some impact on your business and on the economy I wanted to I mean I don't want exact numbers but what is the kind of estimate that you have in your head that how much it will hamper the growth this year so it is going to hamper let's not make it let's not beat around the bush and try to you know be overtly optimistic yes I'm a very very optimistic person but also as a realist we need to understand that this is going to have a deep impact on both the economies across the world in India no one is going to no country is going to be you know safe from this it's going to be a problem it's going to take us 6 months I believe before things come back to some sort of normalcy I see I see about 15-20% at least a reduction in terms of spends across the board I have actually given interviews in terms of saying that you know during the crisis or even post crisis I'm talking about in the year when the when in 2020 when digital was supposed to grow 30% 28% was what as the Dan digital report we published I think it's going to be closer to about 15 to 17% growth so which means that the next couple of months are going to be slower of course than that and then it'll pick up you know during the valley time and of course hopefully you know hopefully IPL happens maybe if not in this country somewhere outside the country I don't know what it is but a lot of that will help so I think once this settles I think it'll be close to about September October is when we will see it maybe coming back to a little bit normal but I think at an average we're looking at a 15% drop in terms of the spend and this is across the board so I think that's where I see the industry going 15% drop in the overall business or only in spends or it's the same yeah it's the same I mean that's so it's a 50% drop technically 50% you said 5-0 so I'm saying from 30 it's going to drop to 15% so that's a 50% drop so 15% means that that's the growth that's going to happen I see that as a challenge I see that as so I think the overall growth of digital is going to be about 15-18% it was supposed to be 28-30% I think it's going to be 15-18% is what the growth is going to be so yes it's going to be a challenge but I do believe that the and then what I've spoken to a lot of the team members is that we need to be working together we need to be compassionate we need to really band together it is going to be a challenging time but I honestly feel and then I always say this that we are privileged in terms of the industry that we're working in it's not surgery it's not something that you should really lose sleep over we will recover we will we will get there there are other industries which are suffering much more I don't think as an advertising industry we will be suffering that much eventually yes it will be but I think we will bounce back both as an industry and as well as economy towards the end of the year what are some of the lessons this crisis has taught you professionally as I said the one most important thing was the you know so one of the questions that used to come to me as a leader was that you know I don't I want people sitting right next to me for the job to get done this is both the internal external clients want that even internal teams they're saying no I need my creator person or my social media person or my community manager or my art director or my copywriter I need to be in a room with them to you know do everything together yes you know that is one way of doing it or if there is one person in Delhi you know I need a person in Bombay to work in Delhi you know people who are in Delhi they will make sure the work is get done I am remote so I can't get work done from them I think a lot of myths have broken because if 200 and more than 250 people can work digitally and work together to deliver solutions to a client each in separate locations I think that's a big myth that is broken to saying that I need someone right here to deliver something to me so I think that that one big myth is broken now yes we still need we still need to bounce ideas we still need to meet but a lot of what we say this meeting could have been an evening you know that's a whole joke that happens it really can and now we've realized that that you know what is important what is not now prioritization of saying you know is it really needed to travel is it really needed to go and do these meetings so I think that from a professional perspective that whole idea is changing and I think that will change for the better than I think that's that's going to remain even after all these changes I think the second thing is I said the whole idea of work from home is going to take a larger kind of a role people used to be afraid of it we lose in any city in any given city we lose between 2 to 3 hours travelling 60 to 70% of the workforce they lose a lot of time travelling and I think this will also make sure that we we have the right mix of people who are working from office as well as working from home to make sure that we are delivering you know great products and and and the you know the the ROI is much better so I think I think those are the two big things that this has changed quite a bit how are you managing your team I mean how are you boasting them or rather so as a leader and as and then there's something that we have calls almost every day as I said I'm having a town hall in 2 days time with the entire team a you need to be upfront and honest about what is happening you don't sugarcoat it because yes there will be challenging times but as a leader you need to make sure to teach tell each and every individual that you matter and you we are responsible for where you are today and what you are doing today so so one thing is very clear that you know we are going to face these challenges but these challenges are going to face together it's not that you are alone in this we're all in this together we're all a close community I think this is just bought us closer and that's one point that I keep on reiterating is that we're all together on this together on this journey whenever this ends we're going to end together we're going to celebrate the coming out of this of course in a phased manner please don't get out and start celebrating but we're all in this together and so that's number one number two is you need to be compassionate there are certain people who will have certain challenges that are there this could be monetary this could be challenges which are you know physical in nature any kind of challenges that are there as a leader you need to understand and be compassionate and have have enough speed to be able to answer to these because a lot of people come you know you go around saying it's our policy and then trying to put as a leader I need to take decisions at a much quicker pace in this kind of a scenario keeping in mind the overall objective we've been compassionate with the team and of course at the end we're all working towards the goal make sure that they know what the objective is break down those objectives into shorter term long midterm and long term objectives and give them a reason to believe in what they're doing a lot of people are sitting at home and you know kind of losing the focus losing a little bit of hope but if you give them a goal if you give them an objective if you give them a direction and clearly have these three laid out which is the short term midterm and long term they will have some something to work towards and a regular sort of a checking saying okay how are you doing what is it that you're doing let's you know kind of are we moving in the right direction do you feel that you're moving the right direction involve them in the direction that we've always been structured as I so even though we are part of a very large group we work as entrepreneurs so the entire organization works together towards a common goal and they are responsible as much as I am in terms of doing so I think that it's a long answer but that's the answer that's how we try to inspire the team I if you had to give similar advice to those who do not work with you but are young people who have maybe they've just started their own agency recently and the lockdown has come in they are sitting direction less they don't have shums to you know give them targets or to check what should they do in a situation like this okay this might seem like going my own trumpet but I always say that your biggest supporter is you always I look for inspiration within and that's as a person so I'm gonna say as a person there will be difficult times and at the same time you need to make clear choices it's your choices which will define very good words I'm not that bigger believer in luck I'm a big believer in the choices that you make it is going to be difficult the situation is going to be difficult so as a person who is on their own starting up on their own clearly make an informed choice as to what you're going to do do you have the finances to write out the six months and you know get there it is going to be difficult the clients are not going to spend so I'm not as I said I'm not going to be very honest to yourself as to what you're going to do that's an objective that you if not just go out and see what is the best you know best way forward do you want to go back into working or not it is going to be difficult again you know everyone is slowed down but that doesn't mean that good people are not wanted good people are wanted everywhere so I don't think that's a that's a challenge make a choice stick to that choice but yes you have responsibilities you have decisions to make make those decisions with the clear focus in mind saying that this is going to be slightly different it's not business as usual it is slightly difficult so just take care of what decisions you make financial is going to be very important for everyone make the right kind of choices that are going to govern a lot of entrepreneurs are as I would say Kamakazis you cannot you cannot be an entrepreneur if you're not risk taking but in this kind of scenario just way the risks because it's the risk are slightly higher than in a normal way so I think that's the objective that's it thank you so much for talking to us Shams there's anything that you would like to add the only thing couple of things that I like to add is that we will get out of this this will come to an end 100% it will come to an end it is difficult times but understand and I keep on saying this is that if we band together we will come out of it and we will come out of it in a shining brighter than ever we are going to change as a economy as a country I do believe that we are going to change this is going to bring a good change for going forward and if you I seriously believe that we are going to come out on the other end better than what we were as a country and as people get banding together I think I just hope that that continues so I think that's something that is very important is that and so it's the only thing that I would want to leave people with is that I have compassion let's move forward together and I think that's really where whether it's our industry whether it's our country that's where we are going to move forward is together so I think that's where I would like to thank you on that optimistic note we will conclude this interview stay at home and stay safe thanks for talking to you thank you very much