“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” - Abraham Maslow
APML is the market leader in household shifting. Known for its Innovation, APML has been recognised by Limca Book of Records as Largest Mover of the Household Goods in India for 5 consecutive years. Putting behind my dilemmas and in a bid to be a part of this exciting and fresh sector, I joined APML.
Right from Day 1, we were taken to the warehouses, surveys and workstations involving house packing, truck loading and unpacking. It involved a lot of travelling to customer’s houses, factories, workshops etc. The task wasn’t made any easier by the scorching heat and unbearable humidity. Multiple dehydrations later, I got used to it.
My primary role was to work towards innovation which APML had made itself famous for. I handled multiple projects during my time there, right from implementing GPS tracking to seeking companies for advertising on our trucks. Along the way, I also attended meetings with the HRs and Administrative staffs of major corporates to discuss and enter into contracts. This helped me have a quick peek into the administrative side of an organisation - how contracts are formed with vendors (me being the vendor in this case), the subsequent negotiations and contract building.
A lot of my tasks involved communicating and moving around with blue collar labour (Yes, I did travel in a lorry once!). The labourers always had stories to tell, work processes to explain and grievances to share. In a matter of minutes, I would become a part of their small yet magnanimous lives. The interactions were majorly in Hindi or Marathi at times, another contrast from the English-speaking culture at Accenture.
The supervisors taught me the skill to manage a blue-collar workforce. The skills required to manage such a workforce were entirely different from what we are taught in the comforts of our institutes. Winning their trust is the first lesson in this book. Their problems, which for us are unimaginable, are actually real and pressing. Listening to their problems in itself goes a long way in establishing the trust factor. Some tough decisions also need to be taken in such environments where the workforce is constantly on the move. Juggling between being a kind-hearted manager to a strict boss is what needs to be practised.
APML gave me the feeling of satisfaction on receiving appreciation from the customer. It exposed me to a sector which I didn’t know mattered. It gave me some wonderful people and their simple, yet powerful ideas which we tend to overlook in search for glory. It gave me invaluable life lessons which I take forward with me.
From English to Hindi;
From Office Cabs to Tempos;
From Engineers to blue-collar labourers;
From a bug in the code to a scratch on the Dining Table;
From the comforts of a 4×4 cabin to the toils of a 600 Km2 city;
In the end, I wonder had I taken the right decision?
Certainly YES!
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