[AMG Power]

He was different from the pack. Within BMW he had planned quite a few moves over the coming year to further extend BMW's reach to potential markets that were not served.

Most Indian car manufacturers usually needed personalities to promote the brand. He didn't believe that helped. And for this reason he discontinued Sachin Tendulkar as a brand ambassador for BMW.

Sachin was paid a large amount and he felt that this could instead be used for better marketing initiatives that he had in mind. I am one of those who love cars and abhor cricket. In my books the BMW brand gets hugely diluted with a cricketing personality. There would be quite a few who think on those lines.

Among his proposed strategies was to use the money thus saved to access clusters of high net worth individuals located in rural areas and hence not served by BMW. An outlier branch / service centre was proposed be set up to access these customers. India has several rural locations with clusters of HNI's and this would have meant that the money saved on removing the brand ambassador would work better for the company.

He had also worked out the ratio of cars sold to sales executives and found that the sales centres didn't need so many executives and that there were obviously non performers. He wanted to reward the performers with a higher package than their current ones and remove the non performers. This would have worked on so many levels - better customer interaction, knowledge levels of sales executives, accurate response times to requests and of course more closures.

All of this and more would have certainly helped BMW. It's sad that he didn't get to see the complete roll out of his initiatives.

With the Group CFO coming on board I hope he doesn't take a wrong turn and remains in the right gear.

RIP Rudratej.

[BeamerBoy]

Originally Posted by AMG Power

He was different from the pack. Within BMW he had planned quite a few moves over the coming year to further extend BMW's reach to potential markets that were not served.

Most Indian car manufacturers usually needed personalities to promote the brand. He didn't believe that helped. And for this reason he discontinued Sachin Tendulkar as a brand ambassador for BMW.

Sachin was paid a large amount and he felt that this could instead be used for better marketing initiatives that he had in mind. I am one of those who love cars and abhor cricket. In my books the BMW brand gets hugely diluted with a cricketing personality. There would be quite a few who think on those lines.

Among his proposed strategies was to use the money thus saved to access clusters of high net worth individuals located in rural areas and hence not served by BMW. An outlier branch / service centre was proposed be set up to access these customers. India has several rural locations with clusters of HNI's and this would have meant that the money saved on removing the brand ambassador would work better for the company.

He had also worked out the ratio of cars sold to sales executives and found that the sales centres didn't need so many executives and that there were obviously non performers. He wanted to reward the performers with a higher package than their current ones and remove the non performers. This would have worked on so many levels - better customer interaction, knowledge levels of sales executives, accurate response times to requests and of course more closures.

All of this and more would have certainly helped BMW. It's sad that he didn't get to see the complete roll out of his initiatives.

With the Group CFO coming on board I hope he doesn't take a wrong turn and remains in the right gear.

RIP Rudratej.

When he joined, BMW already had 41 touch points. With the mid term volumes hovering around 10,000-14,000 I wonder how many touch points Rudy would have additionally set up.

Sachin...his contract was long in tooth. Already the marketing team that put the contract in place is long gone.

Rudy was a great guy but BMW has had its fair share of great guys. Phillip Von Sahr being an exception.

Its unfortunate that we lost a good leader from the Automotive fraternity. But it is important to understand that burning yourself out doesn't serve anyone in the long run. Rudy had a reputation to stretch things. Even at RE, he was known for working till midnight and at BMW...things weren't much different. Data hungry, information hungry to the extent that it was tough for the organization to keep up the pace.

Learning for everyone. And may his soul rest in peace.

[MaanSingh]

Originally Posted by BeamerBoy

it is important to understand that burning yourself out doesn't serve anyone in the long run.

Learning for everyone. And may his soul rest in peace.

Yeah, definitely.

Although not in the same industry, but heard that HDFC Bank's Aditya Puri who is another great leader, works from 9 to 5 strictly and goes back home for lunch also.

[AMG Power]

Originally Posted by BeamerBoy

When he joined, BMW already had 41 touch points. With the mid term volumes hovering around 10,000-14,000 I wonder how many touch points Rudy would have additionally set up.

That's something a competent Rudy would have figured out. He didn't bring BMW to number 1 by waiting in the wings. At last count, there was an additional 7 touch points identified and counting.

Originally Posted by BeamerBoy

Sachin...his contract was long in tooth.
Already the marketing team that put the contract in place is long gone.

That speaks volumes for the erstwhile management of BMW India who were sitting around with contracts that were long in the tooth.

Originally Posted by BeamerBoy

Rudy was a great guy but BMW has had its fair share of great guys. Phillip Von Sahr being an exception.

There is a world of difference between the situations that existed when Phillip von Sahr and Rudy came on board. Phillip rose from the ranks within BMW and came in at a time when BMW was already number 1 and Merc hadn't put its act together so all he had to do was hold the fort which meant less pressure. Rudy was a lateral recruit, and had to establish himself within BMW and also face pressure of bringing the company up from number two in sales against a formidable competitor who had pulled out all the stops to become number 1. These two bring with it completely different levels of performance requirements and stress levels.

Originally Posted by BeamerBoy

But it is important to understand that burning yourself out doesn't serve anyone in the long run.

That is, unfortunately, wiser after the event speak and something that everyone including Rudy knew.

Here is Rudy giving the same advice to his colleagues - to be careful about their stress and take a breather every now and then to reduce stress levels.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VVbwlkTzGMg

Originally Posted by BeamerBoy

to the extent that it was tough for the organization to keep up the pace.

When you want to bring an organisation to the top you lead from the front. Those who cannot "keep up the pace" have obviously been used to a relaxed work ethic (an example being long in the tooth contracts) and would have had to up their performance or be left behind. This happens in every organisation - read up on the situations that existed Amazon, Apple and more - you will find the very same story. BMW reached number 1 in India only because of these efforts and you will find such comments from laggards in every organisation that seeks to become no: 1.