Products
02.04.2024
Relationships at the Heart of Business
When conversing with Asha Shetty, it becomes immediately apparent: the amiable Balluff employee radiates a unique energy and is brimming with optimism. At the Mumbai logistics site, the experienced warehouse head eagerly embraces every challenge.
Asha Shetty, born in southern India and raised in Mumbai, works as the head of the warehouse at the Indian Balluff site which was founded in 2019. Together with her team of seven, she ensures that the ordering and delivery process runs smoothly — from entering orders and checking delivery dates and incoming goods to ensuring correct and timely delivery. The focus is always on the needs of the customer. "I love interacting with people. I like solving problems and am happy to take on any new challenge," explains Asha Shetty, who holds a business degree.
Many years of experience
Establishing the Indian site was not a greenfield project. After more than 25 years with an indirect presence on the Indian market, Balluff established its own subsidiary in India at the beginning of 2019, integrating the previous distributor, along with its staff, including Asha Shetty, who had been working there since 2004. “We were already familiar with the products and had a large network and many years of experience. Looking back, my history with Balluff spans over 20 years,” says Asha. Today, the subsidiary has around 50 colleagues working at various locations throughout India. “We have offices in Pune, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, and Mumbai.”
Asha Shetty loves interacting with people. Working in a committed team motivates her.
Driving growth globally
India's economy, characterized by an average growth rate of around 7%, a GDP of USD 3.75 trillion, and a steadily increasing population, ranks as the fifth largest in the world.
To cater to the escalating domestic demand, there is a shift towards more automated production processes within Indian industries. Asha Shetty concurs, stating, "India is set to witness considerable growth over the next ten to fifteen years." Owning a subsidiary allows Balluff to directly serve one of the most vital markets in the Asia-Pacific region and swiftly address customer needs. "Leading a highly cohesive team is a privilege for me, where collaboration and unity are key.”
Close customer relationships
Asha Shetty says that, with its large product portfolio, Balluff is able to offer a solution to almost any application. “This focus on innovation means that our customers keep coming back to us and we have been able to build good relationships with each other for many years. Relationships are at the heart of business. And because human relationships are very important to me, many customers have even become friends over the years.”
Global cooperation
Sometimes you have to act fast — for example to avoid downtimes in production. Normally, the delivery capacity is high, according to Asha Shetty, but nevertheless, sometimes certain components happen to not be available. During the COVID-19 pandemic in particular, there was a global shortage of electronic components, which are part of numerous Balluff products, that lasted until mid-2023. “From the customer’s perspective, that is, of course, a nuisance at first. However, we try everything to be able to deliver as fast as possible. Is there an alternative product? Can we request the components from a different site? Sometimes this is challenging, but I love solving tricky problems.”
This is when the advantages of working in a global company become apparent. During the shortage of electronic components — the so-called allocation phase — Balluff created an international task force to coordinate the allocation of the material available.
The extra mile
Asha Shetty is not afraid to go the extra mile, either. “If there is a problem, I just pick up the phone and stay on it until we have found a solution that makes sense for our customer,” she explains. “You have to keep at it. You have to talk to the right people. And you have to be empathetic and see the situation from the customer’s perspective.”
Focusing on solutions
When Asha Shetty’s is asked where she gets her positive energy from, she is quick to answer: “I watch what I eat to stay fit and healthy.” She adds that she meditates regularly, does Yoga, and tries to focus on the right things.
“In my free time, I like to read books that motivate and inspire me — for example by Gaur Gopal Das, a modern Indian monk and motivational coach.” Asha Shetty says that he shows how to live a better life by focusing on the positive and keeping negativity away, adding: “He uses the following example: The task is to move a glass of water without spilling it. If you focus your mind on the spillage, this will happen. However, if you focus on the positive result, you will find the task easier. I draw many positive learnings from this for my own life and my job. I focus on solutions, not problems. That helps me to do better at work."
Focusing on the solution rather the problem: Asha Shetty meditates on a regular basis and tries to focus on the positive.