In Service Lies Success HDFC Bank / L&T

 

In Service Lies Success

HDFC Bank / L&T

In an online Cholakathu family meet Anoop said, “I have been with the HDFC Bank for the past 22 years. Banking is the only career I know.” Anoop is a Cluster Head at HDFC bank. He hails from the Cholakathu family, Kerala.

HDFC Bank, India’s top private sector bank began functioning in the year 1995. What it has accomplished in 29 years is astounding. Its growth parallels with the phenomenal growth of L&T over the years.

A M Naik said, “My life is L&T. My legacy is L&T”, as he handed over the reins of L&T to his successor. He had joined the company as a young man. He had worked hard. He had risen to helm the major corporate entity.

L&T was founded by two Danish engineers, Henning Holck-Larsen and Soren Kristian Toubro. They named the company Larsen & Toubro when it was formed.  They did not give it any fancy name as had been the general practice during the time. They believed, for an organization to grow, people mattered most.  L&T is ultimately its people.

A key word in the Vision Statement of L&T is ‘Trust’. You need to earn it. You need to build the trust of the people you interact with. You win trust by caring. It is, Caring for your own people, Caring for your customers, Caring for the community around you, Caring for your own country. The relationships you build are for the long haul.

The founders taught, “Truth is the best salesman.” They insisted L&T should not sell a product overstating its features. For them, integrity was primary. The tradition lingers on.

The first tagline of L&T, ‘In Service Lies Success’, underlines its customer focus.

L&T began functioning in 1938. It was importing Danish equipments. When the Second World War erupted a year later, German naval blockade had choked the trade line. The innovative founders, instead of waiting for the restoration of imports, went on to manufacture what they earlier imported.  

There are no full stops in an innovator’s mind. One successful innovation leads to another and yet another. Innovation keeps L&T on the path of growth and success.

Indeed, HDFC Bank and L&T have so much in tandem.

Abraham Jacob

November 4, 2024