From Lending Pioneer to Digital Innovator: Lessons in Customer-Centric Leadership and Growth
CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Chandra Mouli, Chief Growth Officer at Mobicule Technologies Private Limited
You’ve had an illustrious career spanning over 25 years in the lending sector, with experience at major companies like Kotak, ICICI Bank, and Paytm. What key lessons from those experiences have shaped your leadership approach?
Answer: The lending landscape has changed dramatically. This landscape has changed dramatically from the earlier model of being dominated by lenders to the present model with an intermediary and then to the customer-centric model. The lenders used to have all the authority regarding the approval of loans. But today, the influence of channel partners has grown over the decision-making process. Now, it is the customers who are in the center. Transparency and informed choices empower them. This has increased the amount of awareness among borrowers, improved financial literacy, and helped create a healthier ecosystem within the lending industry.
How did your time at Paytm, especially as the head of Paytm Creditmate, prepare you for your current role as Chief Growth Officer at Mobicule Technologies?
Answer: My time at Paytm as the head of Paytm Creditmate has significantly improved my understanding of the end-user and has given me significant insights into the needs and preferences of the customer. Today, in this competitive environment, the success formula will only be to recognize the customer journey and tailor our offerings accordingly. I have learned that technology and product development are the two fundamental elements for any successful organization’s needs. This way, we can build a frictionless user experience that exceeds customer expectations using innovative technologies. Besides, a firm focus on product design assures that we address the unique pain points of our users, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty.
Mobicule is known for its niche in debt collection and digital transformation. What strategic initiatives are you focusing on to drive growth and innovation at the company?
Answer: Mobicule is known for its advanced capabilities to develop products and deliver innovative solutions in an agile style. The core focus area is agile, innovative delivery of solutions relevant to lender’ needs that grow their success. It is in Mobicule’s DNA to provide best-of-class products which helps in improving efficiency as well as reducing the cost.
With your expertise in both lending and collection, how do you see the future of digital collections evolving, especially with technologies like AI and automation entering the scene?
Answer:The lending space in India is moving rapidly to digital solutions with digital awareness and increased transparency through the lending process. Digitalization would redefine the future of collections as it would ensure increased efficiency and effectiveness in its operations. With AI, and access to the Indian lending ecosystem’s complexity, customers would be more granularly segmented. Apart from operational efficiency optimization, organizations will now be able to address an extensive range of clienteles and tailor their approach thus, there would be deepening customer relationships and growth in the lending business.
As someone with extensive experience in setting up lending businesses at various organizations, what unique challenges and opportunities did you encounter while transitioning to Mobicule, a company focused on full stack debt collection?
Answer: It is a massive challenge for lenders to be able to understand the nature of customers and price the loans based on the respective risk profile of each customer. Mobicule is specialized in the area of risk categorization and customer profiling to help lenders arrive at informed decisions.
Our sophisticated solutions implement their effectiveness to allow organizations to maximize collection efficiency and loan pricing from the very onset. This reduces risk and puts lending practice in step with the profile of every customer, which ultimately brings in a healthier financial outcome both for lenders and borrowers.
How do you envision Mobicule’s role in revolutionizing Full stack debt collection, digital KYC and the integration of internal and external systems within BFSI?
Answer: Mobicule is the only company in India that has provided full-stack collections solutions. Our Neeti, Netra, and mCollect offerings can be integrated into a single module for end-to-end onboarding and collections capabilities. The integrated model now allows an organization to have streamlined processes, greater operational effectiveness, and end-to-end user experience. Our innovative solutions help clients optimize their collections strategy and, therefore, improve overall financial performance.
With Mobicule’s emphasis on R&D and emerging technologies, what technological advancements are you most excited about, and how do you see them transforming the way businesses handle collections and KYC processes?
Answer: Mobicule is very aggressive in terms of research and development, particularly in emerging technologies that may transform the operation of the business. AI, ML, and blockchain are most interesting to grow. The future belongs to technology-driven innovators.
What has been your biggest accomplishment at Mobicule so far, and how do you plan to contribute to the company’s growth in the coming years?
Answer: Our main focus is on enhancing the overall experience of our customers and we at Mobicule are working towards that. Our product has improved continuously and though in a strategic manner too, it keeps delivering better value to customers. This includes not only the latest technological advancements but also the changing needs and preferences of users. Through the use of data analytics and market research, we can identify areas to improve and innovate, thus keeping our product competitive and relevant.
Having worked across both traditional finance giants and cutting-edge fintech companies, how do you bridge the gap between established banking practices and the agility required for digital transformation?
Answer: My experience cuts across multiple models of traditional lending, fintech, and collections technology companies. So, in my opinion, innovation and product enhancement in a flexible technology framework form the critical backbone to take on an industry leadership position.
This is primarily because by integrating state-of-the-art solutions and continuously refining what we offer to the public, we come closer to the changing demands of the customers and sustain our operations in a continually changing marketplace. Innovation focus makes operational efficiency better and gives customer satisfaction, hence our positioning in the marketplace as we anticipate sustained growth.
As Chief Growth Officer, how do you ensure that Mobicule’s rapid growth aligns with its vision of adding value to customers, employees, and stakeholders? What’s your long-term vision for the company’s market position?
Answer: As has been mentioned above, Mobicule is the only full-stack solution technology company in India. We are the number one collections technology company in the country. With my expertise, I would make sure we continue to stay at the top in this segment. We will continue to innovate and improve our offerings to build a sustainable competitive advantage and support that is unmatched for the clients who drive both our own business success and the ultimate goal of their businesses.