 Hello and welcome to a very special episode of our series beating all odds all these weeks We have been bringing to you agency heads have been discussing with us What marketers should do in these times of crisis today's episode is particularly special because we have a marketer himself Telling us how he's managing his business in these in this over 19 let's lock down And the marketer we have is also a very renowned one someone who's very difficult to get hold of someone who has walked away with most Marketer of the Year Awards and with me today is Mr. Ravi Santhanam Chief Marketing Officer HDFC Bank. Thank you to the Welcome to the show sir and thank you so much for doing this for us. Oh, thanks a ton. Thanks for your kind words. Also I hope you are safe. I always check my facts so so Yours is a sector that is kind of essential services You have to run your business irrespective of lockdown over 19 or whatever. So, how are you managing your your business from home? First, I would like to thank all our employees Big stuff which in spite of whatever be the situation on the ground Have the courage to actually go and open 5,500 branches day in and day out And all the back office staff which ensure the cash reaches the ATM and all the checks are cleared and in their bank Continues to work. It's a hell a lot of a job and lots of our colleagues are Doing it day in and day out in spite of what the situation on the ground is and This is an opportunity for me to thank them And I'm sure almost everybody who watches this show and whereas they're in the world along with the medical staff along with other people Along with the police and the law enforcement authorities the bankers are also doing a great service to the country And this is a time for me to first acknowledge their contribution not only from htfc bank from all the other Banking industry person. I think that's where we'll start off with and as we started in this Maybe around March 15th or so. We would we were very clear that things are not going to be the same because in various states and in various countries to start with we have seen that happen and So we were a little bit Prepared that yes, this is going to happen and we need to be aware of what we need to do So the first thing which we all did together was how to take care of employee safety And how to make sure that if the branches are going to be operational, which we were sure that it would be operational majority of the time Unless one or two days it will be not operational. Maybe Otherwise it is going to be operational. So how do I make sure that the entire missionary works? So the company kicked off its business continuity planning framework and A lot of people in the bank came together to make sure Employee safety is given the top most priority employee communication is given the top most priority and That's what we have no incidents so far in spite of the fact that we have been operational for the last 25 days And I hope it stays that way not only for us and the whole country it stays that way And that's where we are and it's a lot of hard work And the first and foremost thing that we have put is employee safety employee safety employee safety We learned on the way. It's not as if like everything was known to everybody on day one And on a daily basis our admin teams and our Improved structure teams learned a lot in terms of trying to figure out where to source mask where to source sanitizers and and almost everybody was learning Reacting to what is the new fresh information that's made available And we also reached out to some of our counterparts in other countries to know what they have done because some of these people like in Italy they had taken a little bit of They had a little bit of a head start in terms of this incident that happened So we'll also call them up. We also learned them alone from them in terms of what they had done to take care of it and Very many stuff as a bank we have done and All for the service of the nation and without compromising on employees So can you tell me some things certain things that you have done as in what you learn from IT experiences? What actually has been done on ground? Like for example, the first thing is like ordering sanitizers And having the logistics to reach the sanitizers at least in all the branches This is not something because it's a normal thing. It happens But suddenly when there is a lockdown and it doesn't move How do we actually make sure giving the empowerment to the branch managers to make sure that they can do it and procure it chosen locally and Ordering for masks How do I make sure the masks are available and training the people on what is the right behavior? So that they don't behave on the basis of what I need in a newspaper or Other places So there's a hundreds of small small things and I have to give a lot of credit to my admin team They did a phenomenal job of making sure that all these things are done The HR team swung into action to train all the people the branch banking team took the lead in terms of getting the message And putting it together and making sure that there is one source of information to the end employee Because we don't want to bombard the employees with hundreds of communication also So there was a channelization of all communication from one source So that they are all aware of what needs to be done And the multiple conference calls multiple zoom calls multiple blue jeans calls or multiple other WhatsApp calls Make sure that everybody's on the same page with respect to what needs to be done We also took some conscious call into the most interesting thing for us was how do I handle teller cash Because we found that one of the biggest areas where you actually touch and feel a lot is the handling of money So how do I actually make the teller counters a little bit more? In terms of protected was one of the big discussions and debates with the branch banking team the admin team We took some help of some of those Big doctors in the country to figure out what else we can do So extra sensitive gloves extra sensitive all those stuff We did manage to get to ensure that there are plus row string of employees because the bank does not operate Just on the basis of one person there has to be a maker and a checker So lots of logistical things that we all need to overcome to understand the branch continues to operate So we have to make sure that when the part of the stuff is available, but still the bank can operate So that it one day Monday somebody comes Tuesday somebody comes. So even if there is an incident There are protocols to be set for example One is our one employee is falling sick The other is a customer that we Here later was a covid positive has visited the brand. What do we do? What do we do? And if I know that the visit happened on Monday, then I can quarantine people on Monday So all these things we have to think learn and keep continuously working on the ground and Do everything to make sure that things work smoothly and yes so far so good and we hope and pray that it stays the same way I'm sure you'll you'll continue to do well. I mean we've almost worked Three weeks or more than four weeks now into it So you have also recently launched campaign a safety grid campaign Which is about You know what to do in the sense that you've used your logo to maintain social distancing. What do you want to talk more about it? Yeah, this is some very interesting concept and before that I'll give you the context of where we started off See as a bank we were looking at what we can do at this stage of Whatever situation that we are passing through and for many of us at least in my lifetime This is the first time I've seen situation like this. Otherwise, we all have seen One financial crisis in 2007 a dot-com bust in 2000 and before that these are all Crises which we were sure We're coming to that stage and then we also know the world will come over many of these crises It's not a problem. But this is the first time that all of us are seeing I think many of us working professionals right on top to bottom Would have been seeing the first health crisis as such So none of us are prepared for any of this That's a reality and we all are learning across the world on the fly in terms of how to go and respond to this As a bank, we have done a lot of things for our customers. First is Yes, the branches are operational To make sure that if you still need to go to the branch and do something. Yes, you can go ahead and do it Luckily, we had invested in advance on the digital technology and our platform So most of the things that you would be on a regular basis, whether it is a fund transfer or whether it is a bill payment Most of the things are even investments and FDRD mutual fund direct equity you can do on our digital platforms So we made sure that our digital platform is strengthened further if people cannot come into the branches Who are wants to do they should be able to do on the digital platforms The third thing is we have more than 13,000 ATMs We have made sure that all these ATMs are functional cash is loaded on a daily basis and we keep continuously watching it Our ATMs are doing a great job In terms of taking the cash out from the cash test and then going into various ATMs across the country and managing to make sure the ATMs work without any hassle and We also started the mobile ATMs So across Bombay, for example, it started today And and when you're talking about containment zones, which are being brought in by the municipal authorities across various places and people from the containment zone Cannot get out but they still have to pay for Their groceries and vegetables and medicines and all this stuff. So where do they get the cash from? So we have mobile ATM bands now Clearly started whether it is in Chandigarhi started We have started in Kainbaturi started in Bombay and in many more places we will start it and these mobile ATMs are going into the Societies and going into many places for people to withdraw cash in addition to our fixed ATMs operational We are also ensuring that there is a lot more mobile ATMs, whichever we can engage and put it on the ground We're doing it. The third thing we have done is we have made sure that on any ATMs you can withdraw cash without any charges So that also we have done so that in the lockdown period You don't have to walk Maybe one kilometer two kilometer to find a nearest HTFC bank ATM If you think that there is any other bank ATM go ahead and withdraw cash We will not charge you for this The fourth thing we have done is we have removed minimum balance Requirements for this three month period. So up to June, we're not going to charge for anybody if they're not holding minimum balances with us The fifth thing we have done is we have ensured the RBA mandated moratorium that we have RBA had announced we have extended to all our customers across corporate SMB as well as on the retail side across all customers across all facilities We have launched it and we are the first ones to make sure The opt-in of that particular moratorium is relatively easy to the web enable for the digital So they don't have to run around on how to lock in or write an email to us or walking to our branches or anything like that So you've done a lot of things on the financial side To make sure that the consumers whether it is the retail or the corporate consumers are taken care of during this period But we're also thinking what else we can do outside of the financial services schools and We are thinking what is it that we have as assets that we can leverage on And one of the thoughts that our agency came out with is hey, Ravi You are known as HDFC Bank. That's the most trusted for the last 25 years and people trust you with their money You are the number one bank in terms of market capitalization by far And you have the highest number of highest amount of retail assets and everything and The whole thing is a social the whole thing is a health issue How can this brand be relevant and empathetic to what is happening on the ground? We will say everything is done digitally but for the purpose of buying a grocery now, you still have to go out You still have to go to your medicine. You have to walk. You have to still go out and buy vegetables So what is it that we can do? Yes, we can enable digital payments But people are still going and there is a risk involved in when you're going into these kind of places in this lockdown Okay, you don't know who you're going to meet. You don't know what is happening So at this point of time, everybody was talking about social distancing also Saying that please maintain social distance and you always saw a lot of these circles coming up in many places Suddenly somebody in the agency had a brilliant idea. Why can't this circle be our logo? If the standing in that circle is all about feeling safe and if HDFC Bank's logo Which is our grid is all about safety. Why can't we put the two together? So obviously, they were very Worried when they came and approached us with that kind of an idea because the first reaction anybody will have Which I also had is what we want us to put the brand on the streets and people going to stamp on it I sure that you have thought about it Then lots of debates. So Started thinking about it. We said, okay, we'll sleep over it. We'll come back and We also started talking to a lot of other seniors within the bank in terms of what's your view? What are the pros and cons of this? There's a huge sensitivity when it comes to these kind of things, particularly from the employees Because many of these employees are the ones who are given their Blood and sweat to build up the bank in the last 20 minutes And there are lots of lots of sensitivities many consumers will have because they love HDFC Bank as a brand And they may not want a brand and they've never seen a brand on the ground where you can stand You can stand on it The other school of thought was like no brand is bigger than the society in which it operates Okay, so we are operating in a society and This society is having a health issue and my brand stands for safety and security And if there is a way in which I can take what my brand stands for which is safety and security To another sphere, which is a social social sphere and hell Society overcome or at least manage this problem a little bit better. Why not? And that thought actually we'll all like yes We are not bigger than our consumers We're not bigger than the society in which we are operating Society does this is going through a problem and we can do something about it And since any way people are Going to the grocery shops vegetable shops and pharmacies Why not we put our logo on the ground where with social distancing people can stand on them and feel the same sense of security that they feel with their money Big big decision. We finally decided yes This is something worth doing because it is for our consumers It is for the country in which we are living in and if you are going to help in social distancing And for that our brand has to go under the feet of our customers and Indians So be it we will do it because it is for the good of the country It is good for the society. It is good for our consumers also So on that basis when we went ahead and did it we did a pilot and we also because when we started actually deploying this and Doing this as a pilot in Calcutta first The first thing is like who will actually go down on the ground because there is a lockdown We're not allowed to go out and do all these stuff in the lockdown period So we have to approach the local authorities and we approach the police there and they were very kicked about the idea And they said yes, we will send people with you To actually do the implementation on the ground And we got a lot of cooperation from all the places across eight cities. We are doing it now And in all the eight cities we started doing it and we have completed almost in five six cities And we will cover four thousand outlets across eight cities to start with and we're getting a great cooperation from the police In actually helping our teams Go and do it on the ground They are sending people along because they are helping us making sure with all the passes And they are giving us very clear numbers to call if somebody is stopping us And even if the local authorities wherever we are doing it may not be aware of when they see the concert they say wow This is very good. Go ahead And so we are very happy with the response that we are getting from All the people and they are also happy that in our small way We're also aiding social distancing as it is required for the family So you in coming days, you may replicate it into more than eight cities, right? Yeah, yeah, we will we'll keep seeing how the response is and we'll keep moving It's also a question of getting the logistic right for us Yeah, yeah, that's also one more day of looking at it. I don't have to replicate and the virus is gone You've taken a lot of initiatives as an hdfc Cmo you're doing a lot about marketing and other things What in general would you want to advise to other marketers maybe younger than you? new into the domain who who are little Because this is a very unique situation where The consumption has gone up. I think this is I think this is one of those situations Where I don't think you should listen to anybody because nobody has seen this So everybody is learning on the fly Everybody is learning on the fly and everybody is trying to see how And what they can do. Yes consumption is found. There is no point in trying to communicate at this point of time But what is also important is the consumers are available the consumers are there and It is the time for us to be empathetic to our consumers I'm sure everybody is sitting at home Some people are on the ground. Some people are working Some people many people are sitting at home. Many people are working from home And the entire whole thing is a new norm and that's the policy cliche word now But that's what is happening. So this is the time for you to engage with your customers There's a time for you to actually Get to connect right with your customers and like for example, when we started thinking we said, okay People are going to spend a little bit more time on social media people are going to spend a little bit more time on the consumption of stay for example platform OTT platform. So Using this opportunity. What can we talk to them from our perspective? It is all about digital security Because at the point of time when it all started many people would go back into digital mode for transactions And we wanted to make sure our consumers are safely doing the digital transactions. So we continuously invested in Ensuring there is enough social media campaigns around and we reached a lot of customers to talk about what And what should not be done during this period of time Because of the fact that you are sitting at home and you might be doing it for the first time You might be doing some new transaction for the first time which have always gone back to the same branch or something So we did a lot of effort. We did a lot of work on making sure people Understand well what to do and what not to do on the digital media So that's one thing which we thought is relevant from a bank's perspective So if you extend it to any other industry, that's what I will try and ask everybody to think and do it And one definite answer for me is Don't listen to anybody because nobody has seen this in their life So everybody is going and thinking about what is best for them from their brand perspective What does brand stand for for the consumers and how they can communicate with their consumer And how they can be empathetic and relevant to that consumer. So for your brand For your consumer how you can be relevant and what you can show at this point of time What empathy you can show think about it and do it as no one the mantra There is no there's no hard and fast rule that you can do this I don't think anybody has that view You spoke a lot about what the safety measures that you have taken for your employees But these are also very gloomy times, you know people are feeling very anxious people are feeling very low They do not know there's so much uncertainty around Are there other other kind of initiatives that you guys are doing with your employees, you know speaking to them or So we we we have a very clear Directional view on Where we are going what we are going to do on a daily basis like for example We start with a daily video call and this I think is a cadence across x2fc band And one of the things is see we are a widespread organization. We operate almost in 3 000 cities And we would not be in a position to get in touch with every employee across the entire 3 000 cities So the first and the foremost thing as I started talking about communication is we said every employee should do at least Talk to on a video call using whatever mediums which people have on their personal Stuff whether it is a zoom or a blue jeans or a whatsapp or an iphone pacetime or any other skype or whatever it is We said starting from top to bottom. Please do that So we have a cadence like for example every day in the morning at 10 o'clock I have my call video call and people have to come and show their face on the video Initially it was tougher a lot of people But then they said no the idea is to make sure that everybody sees and in the same way All my team members directly do within their team members on a appointed period of time So that we all see each other at least once so entire htfc bank is seen by somebody who's Sitting as their team member or supervisor and that goes up all the way So we are sure that at least somebody from the bank has gotten in touch with you as another colleague And if there is anything that you can be asking for looking for we can be of help So that's one thing that we have learned Yes, other things we are learning in terms of how to use this medium because too many times You are actually sitting in front of the screen to see a person Which you've never done in your life. You never sit in front of a screen to see another person So this is the first time we are also learning work to home certain functions certain Are relatively easy for us to do and certain other functions and areas are relatively Finding it difficult for the first time because we're using it for the first time Some data as a bank we cannot access them outside. We have to go back to the branch We have to go back to offices to do so those that need a lot of data related work Yes, we struggle But most of the people we have been able to get a lot more VPN access a lot more Movement in this work to home direct thing and compared to where we started off Maybe march 15 to where we are in april 15 I think we have progressed a lot as a bank in terms of enabling more people to work Now we're kind of settled into this lockdown We don't like it. We don't want it Because nobody wants it now. I mean initially it was fine, but now it's too much for everyone So before we close, I would want to know that one thing that these unprecedented times that nobody had seen before has taught you as a professional or as a person As a person don't take anything for granted Okay, I think the biggest learning for me as an individual has been that This is one thing which I never thought will happen With this kind of science and technology that we have I never thought we are going to be Countdown by some unknown threat like this because we have seen and I personally gone through swine flu In terms of having a sun intact with swine flu in 2009 when we were in Pune And we never had this kind of massive Pain and all because we had swine flu somebody say tummy flu You have to be isolated and quarantined We were isolated and quarantined My son and my daughter were given the tummy flu and that's it one week later. We are back to normal So it was not a kind of first thing that we talk about it You don't see it much And all the doomsday scenarios that people have been talking about at least in my lifetime HAV 8 so many people will get it and all those stuff finally at the end of the day Whatever they said in one year will happen in 35 years. It does not happen So we have seen that and we never believe that this thing can happen So first time you are seeing that wow don't take everything for granted Don't take life for granted Don't take life's things And you are also figuring out a lot more on a personal level There are many things which you can live without So there are lots of things that you are thinking from a personal level And it's also a great time to reflect in terms of what one has done In their career, in their life, in their work And a lot of time to reflect And I think that's what we have encouraged people to do Saying that be in touch and use your to re-skill yourself Upskill yourself And I see a lot of my team members doing a lot of interesting and innovating stuff Upskilling themselves And I think the respect for women have gone up That's one thing which I should definitely agree in this call That is we all were saying a lot of stuff but we never did it Now I know that I will never buy a house which I can't sweep myself I'll never buy a flat which I can't sweep for myself That's all learnings because once you do it one day it's fine But then you have to do it repeatedly When you see the pain that you have to go through Can you see the pain on my face? Yeah, yeah, yeah I am short for every working male Who has been doing some household work during this time The respect for the working women would have increased in norm And I think that would be great if that continues And my wife works so I really feel good if people are going to go Sorry? We can go on So that's one thing which I strongly believe would happen But the personal level if that happens And people understand the trouble women go through In managing both house and many women are also managing both And that would be a great learning for all of us Thank you so much for talking to us This is really an inspiring session And I am sure not just marketers even in people like me Who are not in this domain will have learned a lot from this So thank you again for joining us And stay at home and stay safe Yes, you also stay home, stay safe Thank you for watching this, listening to this, stay home, stay safe Thanks a lot sir, thank you very much