Even though the corona virus-triggered pandemic led to various challenges, USTER India took this as an opportunity to become a little bit more reflective, selective, and adaptive to plans to bring real value to customers, says V R Rathnam, President, USTER India in this article penned exclusively for Textile Magazine
The widespread impact of the corona virus has left no sectors unturned, and the textile industry is no exception. Being a part of the textile industry, the year 2020 was a challenging year for USTER as the pandemic affected both professional and personal lives. However, USTER has been able to face the challenge fairly well. The company’s priority through the crisis has been and continues to be the health and safety of employees, at the same time ensuring customer satisfaction. When the nationwide lockdown was implemented, USTER used this period effectively to engage with customers and associates through online application training programs, which were well received.
USTER also participated in virtual trade shows and virtual buyer meets to network and interact with customers globally. The pandemic has showcased the value of digital operating models, and USTER being aware of this is ready to explore digital solutions and virtual platforms extensively for various purposes, including product launches in the months to come. The pandemic has taught one valuable lesson – theoretically the management was aware of it, but practically now they are exercising it – is to implement short-term planning. USTER used to run on a yearly plan with some milestones for calibrating.
Now, the company is running on a shorter-term planning, like a three-month plan with even shorter milestones for calibrating. USTER is focussed on progressing with relevant innovations while being very mindful about costs. USTER sees also points where the pandemic period has a positive contribution. In normal times, everyone is running behind the clock, but this crisis has provided the company a unique opportunity to become a little bit more reflective, selective, and adaptive to plans to bring real value to customers. It is also a good time to test the company’s values, which drive the organisation, and to live them more vividly than before.
So, it is a good opportunity to reflect, to distill and to become a little bit more human. Business is seeing gradual improvement in the past few months, and if the present trend of preference for Indian cotton and yarn, fabric and garments continues then this positive trend will push investments in new machinery – and in quality management. We are optimistic also because the year 2021 marks the milestone for USTER, as USTER India celebrates 25 years of service to the textile industry as a most trusted and reputed company and brand with several successes and landmarks over the years.