SMEs, better late than never. IT Pros, better now than later.

It's my earnest request to all the Indian IT professionals to share this information with local businesses and if possible also spare some time to educate the emerging businesses to manage their operations through a minimal process based ERP.

Refer this link for an interesting debate where I have posted my comments too. IT for the unwashed masses

While Zudha, the company I represent, is busy positioning Samooha as a whole new way of implementing ERP, CRM, SCM integrated in one platform for all levels of the enterpise pyramid in the advanced markets I would be equally aspiring that Indian small and medium businesses although very slow in adopting ERP systems can make the best use of this new offering Samooha-S available as FREE download to position themselves to be visible in the global markets with their product/service offerings.

My experience in Indian scene indicates that emerging Indian businesses need to arrive at a very different mindset to view the benefits of streamlining their operations right from the beginning at very affordable cost or even no cost on software before they begin with serious investments on IT during their growth phase.

On the other hand, the flamboyance of Indian IT professionals, supporting their overseas clients while literally neglecting their responsibility to educate their neighbourhood wholesaler or grocery store about the importance of establishing a transparent system to run their business efficiently with minimal paper work, is calling for urgent shift of mentality in both IT provider and IT consumer in India.

If India has to be known as IT superpower there should be more consumption of IT and ITeS by the core industry to catalyze overall growth instead of creating a Dutch Disease or Bangalore Bug like situation which is more dangerous than one could understand during happy hours and days.

It should also be noted that only serious and forward thinking businesses such as emerging visionary brands and manufacturers with long term goals may get the best benefits over a period of time while evolving with any ERP or Business Information System. Others may simply use Samooha-S as an accounting and inventory management system without spending on the cost of License.

Samooha-S is the first ever ERP for small business that is modelled on advertising revenues and sponsorships by large brands to offset the cost of license. Further earnings are through training, implementation and support by all implementing cooperative members including Zudha.

Making Samooha everyone's admired and beloved business platform would be a great satisfaction to me personally. I would be glad if I could contribute for bridging the gap between IT and Manufacturing sector in India as I started my career working (read slogging) in the manufacturing sector and am now with IT.

My experience says that, it's very easy for an individual to be in IT while it is a greater challenge to be in manufacturing or other core sectors and delivering quality day after day while reducing the cost of goods quarter by quarter through process innovation. IT adoption may provide some of the best ways for the non-IT companies in India to get a strong foothold to improve their operational efficiency. The question that comes repeatedly is who will bear the cost of education and implementation? If the IT industry facing the West has to get some acceptance amongst the local industry then the cost should be borne by itself for atleast an year or two before claiming for its pie from the growth of these sectors. Even the non-IT SME industrialists are at loss if they fail to allocate a decent IT budget say 2% of turnover to begin with IT and then onwards a minimum of 1% every year. This cost is nothing if they check on their annual expenses on wastage, stationery, A/c bill, recreation and travel!

Not that nothing is happening, as I am aware of efforts in isolation to get things going for Indian small scale industry in their IT adoption. However, I am looking at how this should be expedited to reach the larger portion of the lower segments of the entire Indian industry, be it cottage, rural or even agro based sectors in a more professional and quality oriented manner.

Samooha-S can be downloaded from http://www.samooha.com and bundled by any hardware channels or redistributed in CD form by interested parties within India with prior intimation to Samooha managers.

Act fast, move ahead, help the Indian industry to go global irrespective of the age and size! Save the nation from a potential disease known as Dutch Disease that seems like an epedemic that spreads through Bangalore Bug! Let's prove Atanu "Dooms' Dey wrong!