A thirst for innovation
Indian Management|October 2016

“The world is changing, and it is changing fast. If you can change before others, you will be the leader.”

A thirst for innovation

When we entered the Indian market in the 1990's, just a handful of brands were selling conventional water purifiers through door-to-door marketing. The industry has come a long way since. Today, it is one of the most lucrative sectors for national and international consumer durable brands, all of whom are looking to capture the over R3,500-cr industry. And, it is the genesis of the brand Kent RO—born in March 1999—that has contributed significantly to this growth.

I conceptualised the RO water purifier, which is a combination of three technologies, including reverse osmosis. This makes it suitable for treating water irrespective of its source. Innovation is basically functionality. We have the end consumer in mind, and we provide what he or she desires. But I feel that product or process, as long as you are the first person to do something, is innovation.

Over the years, the focus on innovation and design has remained a priority at Kent. When we initially entered the market, we immediately understood that existing purifiers would not work in India because of the way people got water in their homes. So, we designed the first RO purifier that could be mounted on a wall.

This story is from the October 2016 edition of Indian Management.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 2016 edition of Indian Management.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM INDIAN MANAGEMENTView All
Trust is a must
Indian Management

Trust is a must

Trust a belief in the abilities, integrity, values, and character of any organisation is one of the most important management principles.

time-read
6 mins  |
July 2023
Listen To Your Customers
Indian Management

Listen To Your Customers

A good customer experience management strategy will not just help retain existing customers but also attract new ones.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2021
The hand that feeds
Indian Management

The hand that feeds

Providing free meals to employees is an effective way to increase engagement and boost productivity.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2021
Survival secrets
Indian Management

Survival secrets

Thrive at the workplace with these simple adaptations.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2021
Plan backwards
Indian Management

Plan backwards

Pioneer in the venture capital and private equity fields and co-founder of four transformational private equity firms, Bryan C Cressey opines that we have been taught backwards in many important ways, people can work an entire career without seeing these roadblocks to their achievements, and if you recognise and bust these five myths, you will become far more successful.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2021
For a sweet deal
Indian Management

For a sweet deal

Negotiation is a discovery process for both sides; better interactions will lead all parties to what they want.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2021
Humanise. Optimise. Digitise
Indian Management

Humanise. Optimise. Digitise

Engaging employees in critical to the survival of an organisation, since the future of business is (still) people.

time-read
5 mins  |
August 2021
Beyond the call of duty
Indian Management

Beyond the call of duty

A servant leadership model can serve the purpose best when dealing with a distributed workforce.

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2021
Workplace courage
Indian Management

Workplace courage

Leaders need to build courage in order to enhance their self-reliance and contribution to the team.

time-read
5 mins  |
August 2021
Focused on reality
Indian Management

Focused on reality

Are you a sales manager or a true sales leader? The difference, David Mattson, CEO, Sandler® and author, Scaling Sales Success: 16 Key Principles For Sales Leaders, maintains, comes down to whether you can see beyond five classic myths that we often tell ourselves about selling.

time-read
5 mins  |
August 2021