Pune-based software firm develops solutions which convert standard ERP into local languages, foresees big opportunity in the auto domain. Amit Panday logs on.
It’s been some time since global automakers have queued up to set up production and R&D facilities in India. The drive to not just be a part of a growing economy but to also support their global business operations and the anticipation to understand the automotive production trends and patterns in India has undoubtedly grown substantially.
In such a scenario where local semantics are gaining importance, there are certain challenges as well. OEMs do face hurdles specifically when it comes to completely transparent communication systems between the management and shopfloor workers. Though Hindi and English are the prevalent languages across India, local languages too stand as a strong platform of communication among the people, across all hierarchies. With multiple automotive manufacturing facilities spread across auto hubs like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat where Tamil, Marathi and Gujarati respectively are dominant, OEMs are left with no choice but to adapt to the local languages.
Local lingo helps
This is where the Pune-based software developing firm named LinguaNext logs in. The company has developed language-specific solutions which can be installed on any system or respective datacentres using enterprise resource planning systems, also called ERPs, by translating the content onto the end screens into the desired local language without disrupting operations. The ERPs are the software that integrate information from all verticals such as accounting and finance, sales and marketing, operations and logistics, manufacturing and inventory, customer relationship management and others within a company. The core LinguaNext solution that is transforming language management is called Linguify. It enables enterprise, desktop, mainframe, mobile and cloud applications to work in any language, any terminology along with all the customisations required without modifying the source codes or the database. For example, Linguify.S is a multilingual layer for SAP-specific solutions; Linguify.O is a multilingual layer for Oracle-specific solutions used worldwide.
Linguify.ERP acts as a multilingual layer for most of the ERP solutions developed by the IT companies such as SAP, Oracle, Sage, Microsoft and others applicable worldwide.
LinguaNext works as one of the sources of the system integrator that implements and maintains the ERPs in companies and business setups. The system integrators are the companies which source different software and hardware from various companies and provide a turnkey solution to the demanding company. For example, the ERP system may come from SAP or Oracle but the firm which may implement it at the required destination may be Wipro or Tata Consultancy Services.
“We are one of the sources for the system integrator. We are an independent software vendor (ISV), which is similar to the OEM in the auto domain. We have our own products which add onto the existing ERP. So a company may have a SAP-specific ERP or an Oracle-specific ERP or even a home-grown ERP which does not give the needed language support. Our software can fill that gap by layering on the top of the existing layouts of various ERP systems and provide the local language interface,” explains Atul Tulshibagwale, CEO, LinguaNext.
The company is already a leading player in enterprise application language management (EALM). With a roster of over 70 large firms, it has been catering to the banking, IT, mining, food processing and other industries.
Auto focus approach
Anticipating a sizeable, ucrative opportunity in the automotive sector, LinguaNext has recently forayed into the domain and aims to break into the global supply chains with localised Indian operations of the auto majors.
“We already work with the system integrator partners such as Wipro, HP, TCS and others in sectors like banking. We want to replicate the same strategy in the auto sector as well,” says Tulshibagwale.
When queried on how his products can add value across the auto sector, he clarifies that “today in a number of companies, workers use paper processes and there are intermediary employees who key in the logs. This does lead to issues such as language-specific gaps and leaves a huge scope for miscommunication. Companies spend fortunes on management software (ERP) while they do not get an apt return on their investment. Given the focus on cost efficiency in India as well as globally, our solutions can ensure removal of language-specific hurdles, thereby boosting the return on investments by utilising the ERP systems to greater efficiencies and empowering workers as well.”
Tulshibagwale adds that “when you are a part of a global setup, you need to integrate with the systems of your principals, wherever they may be. If they are in Korea, Japan or Germany, chances are that they are not going to be in English. Your workers may not understand English and at times even your management may not understand English. We provide a simple solution that does not impact the data centres of those global supply chains. Without modifying any settings of the data centres, our software can be easily installed at the local end in India and you can get to see those same screens in the language that you understand such as English, Hindi, Marathi or Tamil. So in a way, the operations can be localised within weeks.”
Two-fold strategy for automotive
Focussing on boosting productivity in day-to-day functions of the auto businesses such as the display terminals on the factory shopfloor which list factors such as target number of vehicles to be rolled out, time-specific status, backlogs, shift number, assembly-specific numbers, quality control, inventory and others details or the dealer management systems which record bookings from various regions are LinguaNext's immediate priority areas.
The company has a two-fold strategy for its growth in the automotive domain – first to break ground with success stories by getting into priority areas, and then gradually to take on larger roles such as translating local business reports for global supply chains. LinguaNext already supports all official 22 languages spoken in India; it has thus far worked on the most popular eight languages, thanks to its in-house translators. The implementation time ranges from one month to six months, depending upon the complexity of the project. “We are in the various stages of a sales cycle with less than 10 four-wheeler manufacturing companies. We are surprised with the receptiveness of the automotive companies and have figured out that the requirements are immediate in nature,” reveals Tulshibagwale.
Without naming one of his auto clients, he discloses that LinguaNext came across a luxury carmaker experiencing language-based hurdles where they had the dealer staff, unfamiliar with English, feeding the wrong data into the customer relationship management software. This resulted in unqualified leads leading to low sales.
“While the management at the head office wondered how to analyse the skewed data coming from India, the dealer staff would only use the system when the sale was about to close. Hence, the manufacturer completely missed out on the useful analytics,” he reveals. LinguaNext is also working on installing and running its software in one major auto unit in Gujarat.
Though Tulshibagwale estimates a far bigger annual market size of this domain, he has set a target of Rs 5-10 crore in the coming years from the auto sector. “Our real starting point would be 2013-14,” he concludes optimistically.