For Harpreet Singh Syali, 24 hours in a day are not enough. He wishes each day he had an extra hour that would enable him to achieve all that he aspires for. “How do I get the 25th hour?” he asks, “Time management is a skill I am yet to perfect.”

Syali, who is at present the head of Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited’s (SSTL) enterprise business, brings to the job over 21 years of experience spanning multiple industries. “From paints to lifestyle products to telecom is the best way to sum up my career graph,” he says. He started his career in the consumer products industry with companies like ICI, Bausch & Lomb. Thereafter, he worked with Sify, Hutchison and Bharti Airtel.

He says his journey so far has been an exciting one. “The exposure has been fulfilling and a great learning experience. Working in the business-to-business (B2B) domain fascinated me the most. My challenges included building a rapport at the right levels and providing the customer with a quick response. This is important given that we live in an age where patience levels are reducing fast.”

At SSTL, he has had to contend with a different set of challenges. “A major task is to establish a world-class B2B practice in the company. Nearly every telecom company is focused on building its retail business. Therefore, identifying the right consumer segments and developing a strategy that hinges on offering the appropriate products and services are the key to success,” he says.

Syali is excited about his current assignment. “Having worked for leading telecom operators for so long, I felt it was time to revive my entrepreneurial skills. SSTL provided that opportunity. Its sensible business strategy encouraged me to take up the job.”

As head of SSTL’s enterprise business, Syali is responsible for setting up an efficient B2B practice for the organisation. “Our B2B practice should be able to tap the growing potential of the business segment. My task is to provide a variety of services for this segment in a manner that ensures our products offer the best value proposition to the discerning customer.”