NAVIGATING THE FUTURE: Insights from Tushar Vaidya on working in sales for Kampf Machinery in India
Based in the western region of India, Tushar Vaidya has built an impressive career, rising from an automation engineer to a leading sales position at Kampf Machinery India. His journey is marked by a deep understanding of the industry and a passion for driving innovation. As the responsible person for secondary slitters, he handles the market for machines of 1-4 meter web width in the Asian flexible packaging market.
Mr. Vaidya, you have been working for Kampf Machinery India for two years now. How has your experience of working for Kampf been so far?
Kampf is the world leader in the market. They are very well known for providing all the solutions for critical problems. Innovation is at the core of Kampf’s strategy. We are constantly improving our products and processes to offer the best solutions to our customers.
To represent a big company like that is a great honor to me.
In the last two years, I have experienced that team management and support are exceptionally well here - everyone is very supportive. This support makes my work life easier and gives me a sense of ease. I can express myself freely and get accepted for being myself. This is something I value about working for Kampf.
A big plus for me is also the fact that the office I work at is relatively close to where I live. That makes it easy to meet work friends even outside the office and helps create a special bond within the team.
Why did you choose to work for Kampf Machinery India?
Back in the day, I used to be a programmer, where I did the coding for Siemens software for 10 years. This allowed me to understand the basic logic of the machines. I understand how to do the laminating, the printing, and the
slitting - I know the machine’s heart, I know how it works.
In 2015, I joined the Jagenberg Group as Head of Automation at Kusters Calico in India, where I gained experience in mechanical engineering. This role gave me valuable insights into the industry and laid the foundation for my career at Kampf Machinery India.
Working at Kampf allows me to use my technical knowledge, as well as the managing skills I got to learn at my previous job, and to do exactly what I love, which is helping people find the best solutions for any problem they might be facing.
Innovation is at the core of Kampf’s strategy. (…) To represent a big company like that is a great honor to me.
Tushar Vaidya,
Sales Director, Kampf Machinery India
What fascinates you about your professional field?
I love to meet people! To understand customers, and to understand their requirements is what fascinates me.
One of my hobbies is traveling and my job profile here at Kampf allows me to also make traveling a part of my professional life. For me, sales is all about travel – you are here to meet people; you are here to understand them and their technical requirements, as well as help them to solve problems they might be facing.
It is my responsibility to find out which one of our services they can benefit from.
This aspect of my job allows me to improve myself as well. Especially from a communication and understanding point of view.
In your opinion, what are the most important elements of sales?
First and foremost, it is curiosity. If you are a naturally curious person, you can explore something new. You can travel, you can meet people – as I have mentioned before, maintaining relationships is the most important part of the job.
You must be interested in the customers’ products, especially the end product and how they manufacture said product.
Secondly, you must be able to realize the expectations of different customers. To excel in sales, it's crucial to understand and meet customers' needs. If you can't grasp their requirements or offer the right solutions, you won't succeed as a salesperson.
In India especially, the third most important element of sales is to build and maintain a good relationship with the customers. "Indians are emotionally connected to companies they trust, but more so to individual salespeople. Building strong personal bonds is crucial in the Indian market, making it easier to interact with customers when you understand and connect with their feelings."
You have mentioned that Kampf is the world leader in the flexible packaging industry. In your opinion and based on your experience, what sets Kampf apart from other competitors?
100% quality. Many European companies could be considered competitors in India. However, Kampf offers products of the highest quality standards, which sets us apart in the Indian market. Customers here understand that as well.
The customers can use the machine they buy from us for years to come and even when something seems outdated or even broken, they do not necessarily need to be replaced. Instead, you can upgrade them which plays a big role in the Indian market.
Kampf is currently having a real effect on the Indian flexible packaging and films market – if customers here buy a Kampf machine, they never sell it. Our products never deteriorate.
Mr. Vaidya, would you say that there are differences in sales between Germany and India?
In India, as I have previously mentioned, relationships are key.
It's not just about selling a product - it's about understanding the customer's business, and their challenges, and working together to find the best solution.
The Indian market is unique - customers here have high expectations, and the market is constantly evolving. The challenge is to stay ahead of these changes and deliver solutions that not only meet but exceed customer expectations.
In my experience, in Germany, the approach is very direct and focused on efficiency. In the Asian market, however, pricing is crucial. Regardless of the customer relationship, high prices deter repeat purchases. Understanding customer needs and offering affordable solutions is key to ensuring customer loyalty.
From what I have seen, Germans prioritize finding quick solutions over price, which differs from the Indian market.
You must adapt your approach depending on the market. What works in one region might not work in another. It's all about being flexible and understanding the needs of your customers.
You have been working in the industry for 19 years now. What is something that you still want to achieve in the next years?
I want to create awareness.
Kampf is a very well-known company, however, there are still markets far away from our reach. My main goal is to create brand awareness and reach those emerging sectors we have not been able to reach yet. My focus here is the new energy business and the solar energy market. I am convinced that they would be a very beneficial add-on to our portfolio.
Tushar Vaidya's commitment to the further development of the Kampf brand underlines his passion for the industry and his tireless commitment to innovation and quality.
Mr. Vaidya, thank you very much for the informative interview!
