In an exclusive interaction with Express Computer, Ayesha Katgara, Head – Transformation Office, Jeena & Company, and Deepak Pargaonkar, VP – Solution Engineering, Salesforce India, share how one of India’s oldest logistics firms is embracing the next phase of its digital journey. Jeena & Co. is investing in technology as a long-term enabler of efficiency and customer delight, from building in-house systems in the early 2000s to implementing Salesforce CRM in 2024. The spokespeople discuss the challenges faced, the rationale for choosing Salesforce, and how agility, data-driven insights, and cultural values are shaping the roadmap for the company’s next decade of innovation.
Jeena & Co. has a remarkable 125-year legacy. How has the company evolved over the decades to stay relevant in such a rapidly digital and customer-centric world?
Ayesha Katgara: Our digital journey began in the late 1990s, early 2000s, with a shift from paper to digital. We saw technology as an investment, not a cost. Back then, several tech providers offered ready-made systems for forwarders like us, but none matched the meticulousness we needed to measure efficiency and service quality. We decided to build our own system from scratch, involving both operational and digital teams. That system is still unique in the industry. Now, our move into Salesforce is simply the next step in our ongoing journey, especially as we had not focused on CRM before. With our growth, we need instant access to customer data to engage effectively and scale our business.
Every digital journey has its roadblocks, specially for legacy organisations. What were the key challenges or gaps that prompted this transformation, particularly with Salesforce?
Ayesha Katgara: We saw one major gap was efficiency. If a salesperson needed a report, they had to contact multiple people, taking days before data reached them. This slowed decision-making. We explored many CRMs, but Salesforce offered capabilities unmatched by others, backed by global expertise. Yes, it’s costlier, but when growing, we wanted to partner with the number one system in the world.
How is Salesforce helping Jeena & Co. enhance customer experience and streamline operations?
Ayesha Katgara: We’re at the very start and our first 20 users went live a few days ago. But we’ve invested in making this a success with in-person workshops and highly interactive training. The excitement among staff, seeing all their data in one place, is encouraging. I believe this will empower our salespeople with the information they need instantly, enabling them to sell better and improve customer interactions.
From Salesforce’s perspective, what made Jeena & Co. a compelling partner, and how did you tailor your offerings to such a traditional yet dynamic model?
Deepak Pargaonkar: Even as a 125-year-old business, Jeena & Co. has always been customer-centric. Their leadership has been committed to operational efficiency and client service. Our platform aligns with that vision, first by empowering their sales staff with data to improve acquisition and engagement, and later by extending that service to end customers. We also bring capabilities in data, AI, and analytics to build on this foundation.
More broadly, how does Salesforce enable traditional businesses like Jeena & Co. to become agile and leverage data-driven insights?
Deepak Pargaonkar: We remove barriers to technology adoption through our cloud-based model where there’s no need for heavy infrastructure. We handle the ingestion, consolidation, and analysis of both structured and unstructured data, including document-heavy customer interactions. Sales teams can access summarised customer insights instantly, improving responsiveness and personalisation. This is crucial for companies without large IT teams, yet with high data demands.
Looking ahead, what are the key goals for this partnership and Jeena & Co.’s digital roadmap for the next decade?
Ayesha Katgara: For us, it’s twofold, one externally, to service customers more efficiently and give them relevant data for decision-making; internally, to make our employees’ lives easier by reducing manual effort. Efficiency drives satisfaction, and satisfaction drives performance.
Deepak Pargaonkar: Go-live is just the first milestone. Next comes adoption, and then tangible results like increased acquisitions and productivity. Beyond that, we’ll focus on better data management, analytics, value-added services, and personalised customer experiences, keeping both internal and customer efficiency at the forefront.