Women to Watch: The force behind Impel Group's integrated service centre

Impel Group, a player in the bookbinding, digital post-print, packaging, and tube-filling industries, has made a significant step in improving customer service with the launch of its first integrated service and spare parts centre in Mumbai. This facility is designed to address the needs of over 4,000 customers across India, providing faster and more reliable service. The women who played pivotal roles in bringing this centre to life are shaping the future of after-sales support, ensuring seamless delivery of critical parts across the country.

Sophia Bugree, Shanta Tingre, and Sony Nair were the three women who led the project and made it a success.

Tackling the challenges of integration
Setting up the Mumbai service centre was no small feat. Each woman brought her unique expertise to overcome the hurdles they faced in this ambitious project.

Sophia Bugree, who was responsible for ensuring cross-functional collaboration, highlighted the nature of the challenge. “Beyond coordinating the teams, I worked closely with the contract team to design and reconstruct the facility, ensuring it could house the diverse inventory required for all our verticals,” she explains. Her focus was on functionality and scalability, ensuring the facility could grow with the company's future needs.

Shanta Tingre, with her experience in warehouse management, faced the challenge of accommodating spare parts from different business lines. “I had to understand how to store and locate the diverse inventory in a way that was both efficient and easy to manage,” she says. Her approach to inventory management was crucial, ensuring a well-organised system to quickly retrieve parts when needed.

Sony Nair, who managed the logistics system for nationwide delivery, faced the task of creating a system that would meet the 48-hour delivery promise. “India’s vast geography and logistical limitations were a significant challenge, but working with our supply chain leaders, we created a seamless process to ensure quick dispatch across the country,” she recalls.

Understanding customer needs
The new Mumbai facility was designed with a clear focus on customer pain points, a task that required input from all stakeholders.

Bugree explains that customer feedback was central to the planning process. “We gathered years of feedback and service logs to identify recurring pain points, such as delays in spare parts delivery. This data directly influenced the design of the Mumbai facility,” she says. Integrating the Wimco tube-filling parts was also an additional task, which required careful planning and coordination.

Tingre took a practical approach to understanding customer requirements. “By working closely with service engineers and knowing which parts were most in demand, we were able to plan the inventory more effectively,” she says. Her familiarity with Bindwel’s parts gave her a strong foundation, although she admits that integrating Stelda and Wimco parts presented a learning curve.

Nair, drawing from her experience managing the Wimco brand, focused on analysing service histories. “We studied peak demand periods and identified parts that frequently caused downtime, which helped us stock parts more efficiently,” she notes. Sony’s experience with Wimco allowed her to transition smoothly and implement effective solutions.

Key roles and responsibilities
Each woman had a distinct but equally crucial role in the execution of the project, with responsibilities that ranged from operational planning to compliance.

As the lead for cross-functional teams, Bugree ensured alignment between various departments and kept the project on track. “I worked with the contract team on the design and construction of the facility, but my role also involved recruiting new service engineers and keeping the team motivated,” she explains.

Tingre’s role was focused on the physical organisation of the warehouse. “I ensured the parts were stored and retrieved efficiently, coordinating with service engineers when necessary,” she says. Her attention to detail ensured that spare parts could be quickly dispatched without delay.

Nair’s responsibility was to build a customer support framework and integrate an ERP system. “I was involved in developing a logistics network and ensuring the ERP system linked all regional centres. This integration has been key to streamlining operations,” she explains.

Overcoming logistical and regulatory challenges
The integration of the Mumbai centre with Impel Group’s other locations in Bengaluru, Noida, Chennai, and Kolkata was critical to ensure smooth operations across the country. The ladies worked closely with teams from all centres to ensure a seamless flow of spare parts and services.

“We conducted extensive planning sessions with teams from each regional centre to ensure smooth integration. By linking all locations through the ERP system, we could synchronize inventory and operations effectively,” says Bugree.

Tingre adds, “I’ll work with the warehouse teams in other locations to align processes and share knowledge. This consistency is crucial.”

Nair highlights the importance of workshops and training to familiarise all teams with the new processes. “Real-time ERP integration has allowed us to streamline operations and avoid overlaps or delays,” she says.

Bhama Doraiswamy, who managed legal and regulatory aspects, ensured that all documentation was in place. Her work behind the scenes guaranteed that the centre met all compliance requirements, which was essential for its successful launch.

Transforming customer service
The impact of the Mumbai service centre on customer service has been significant. The facility has already started to deliver on its promise of faster, more reliable service.

“This centre raises the bar for after-sales support by providing faster, more reliable service,” Bugree says. “It demonstrates how a customer-centric approach can drive innovation in after-sales infrastructure.”

Tingre agrees, noting that the centre enables quicker fulfilment of customer needs, reducing downtime and boosting satisfaction. “I’m happy when I know we’ve sent out a part on time. It feels like a small victory every time we can help our customers,” she says.

For Nair, the 48-hour delivery promise is key. “Customers can now rely on us to meet their spare parts requirements within 48 hours, which enhances their trust in our brands,” she says.

Looking ahead
Reflecting on the project, each of the women has learned valuable lessons that will inform future initiatives.

Bugree stresses the importance of clear communication and collaboration. “Involving everyone from the start ensures alignment and smooth execution,” she says.

Tingre highlights the power of simplicity. “Focusing on what customers need most and streamlining the process was essential,” she says.

Nair emphasises the importance of feedback, both from customers and internal teams. “Listening to feedback ensures that future projects will be even more efficient and impactful,” she concludes.

Together, these women have created a service centre and set a new standard for after-sales support within the industry.