Leading With Fortitude and Fire
By The Hammer
AT the recent Malaysia Media Conference, Andreas Vogiatzakis, MD of OMD and OMG told of a survey asking responsdents which they would rather have – a mobile phone or their wallet. Guess what? Most chose the phone.
The mobile phone was a luxury just for the uber-rich business mogul types as recently as twenty years ago. But now this little gadget has so completely infiltrated our modern lives that most people feel partially paralysed when away from it even for a few hours.
One man who definitely knows the significance of mobile technology for the contemporary creature is Celcom CEO Datuk Seri Shazalli Ramly. Tasked with halting the slide in sales and slipping market share of Celcom for the past two years, he has had an eyewitness view to the intricacies behind running one of the biggest telecommunications companies in the country. This ex-CEO of NTV7 has been instrumental in turning the company 180 degrees around into a bonafide success.
In fact, when its parent TM International Bhd recently announced the group’s first quarter performance since the de-merger from Telekom Malaysia Bhd, “stellar” was the word used to describe the amazing turnabout that Celcom has achieved. One of the most significant growth areas is in postpaid customers, with subscriber growth increasing by more than 30% yearly, a phenomenal rate, especially considering that they had lost lots of ground in postpaid previously.
One point may easily be lost now – Celcom was actually number one in the telco industry in 2000. But the gradual downward spiral and various legal issues meant that by 2002, major competitor Maxis had taken over pole position. The critics were certain that the company had lost its standing for good.
But when Datuk Shazalli took over the helm in 2006, he came with a plan: the Performance Improvement Program (PIP) with 28 initiatives aimed at plugging the holes and restructuring for the future. The main principles of the PIP are reliability, simplicity and ubiquity and it became more than just clever-sounding words because the 3,700-strong staff was made to live by this credo, too.
Several smart and courageous decisions were made such as utilising popular English soccer stars such as Michael Owen, Robert Pires, Ryan Giggs and Steven Gerrard as Celcom’s power icons. Although the CEO knew cosmetic changes alone weren’t sufficient, he also had the foresight to realise that it was nonetheless a necessary component. Those huge blue billboards with strong yet handsome footballers were sure to be noticed and, together with Hong Kong artist Wang Lee-Hom, formed the basis of a very successful branding campaign for Celcom.
Another ingenious move was to partner with Vodafone, the world’s largest mobile network operator. By tapping into Vodafone’s estimated 150 million subscriber base through a roaming package collaboration, Celcom secured the maximum amount of Vodafone connectivity. It also meant that large numbers of frequent-flyer business executives switched to Celcom, broadening its customer base.
But the experienced and suave Datuk Shazalli also realised that the company had to up its capacity in order to improve coverage and connectivity in GSM, GPRS and 3G.
“These are the little things that we pay attention to. A slight tweak has brought us a lot of mileage,” he says.
Under his wing, Celcom also takes its commitment to social responsibility more seriously. This is clear from their special “Platinum Plan” for people with disabilities. Their headquarters has also been renovated to accommodate the less fortunate.
The gradual yet stunningly consistent resurgence that Celcom has shown of late is the culmination of all Datuk Shazalli has worked for these two long years. It’s no wonder that his smiles seem a little broader and his steps are a little lighter these days; the man is now reaping the just rewards of his concentrated efforts, after all. Celcom clearly values his contribution as they have renewed his contract for three more years.
During his presentation at the MSC Malaysia Creative Industry Dialogue earlier this year, Datuk Shazalli used mamak stalls as an analogy for good content developers, citing how Malaysians chose to dine there over fancy restaurants because these casual stalls knew how to treat customers as kings, and urging content developers to follow suit. This simple illustration encapsulates the basic human insights that Datuk Shazali has gleaned in his years as a corporate figure. He gets it; and therein lies true power.
With their catchphrase “It’s in your hands”, Celcom is constantly forging forward to get a bigger piece of the cellular service pie by focusing on giving their customers what they want and need. With a visionary leader such as their current CEO, it’s very likely that they will surpass their own goals.