TheCconnects: Can you tell our readers about your professional journey & how you came to your current position?
Krishna Kumari Datla: Like most truth seekers, my journey began with an intrinsic hunger for finding an answer to one “WHY”!
I worked for 20 years in the Insurance Industry (both sides of the fence – biz and tech) and witnessed a multitude of technology failures, with millions of dollars invested. Why do these failures repeat, instead of successes? What are those underlying reasons? Can those be addressed?
Answer to that “Why” – that business and technology must understand each other deeply, and work together, for business to realize maximum value from technology – turned out to be the beginning of my journey as an entrepreneur. With business technology liaison, as an exclusive focus, for the Insurance Industry, I founded Manomay. With one primary lever “aligning technology right for business” along the way, the team and I, together, built Manomay to what it is today! And great foundation for tomorrow!
TheCconnects: What are the biggest challenges you faced in your life & how did you overcome them?
Krishna Kumari Datla: The challenges I encountered were both personal and professional.
Personally, the biggest challenge was leaving a very high-paying, globetrotting job to start something on my own– that coming out of the comfort zone.
Professionally, it was all about convincing the market of a need that was neither consistently recognized nor perceived.
Traditionally, the market operated with insurance companies focusing on “Tech driving business” rather than the other way around. Our realization is that Insurance Companies need a dedicated representation for ensuring right coverage of their interests in technology.
The market did not have this model. Companies did not realize the need. We strongly believe that BizTech Liaison is at the heart of Technology success for Business. However, it’s not just about your belief – does the market trust you, and why?
One of the top global market influencers in the insurance industry gambled his faith in us (Sometimes, it makes all the difference – the one who’s by your side) and that trust helped us with the beginnings. As they say, “If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” And that’s exactly what happened. Our vision pulled us through the challenges, transforming obstacles into opportunities and turning doubts into determination.
TheCconnects: How do you think Manomay transitioned along with you in your journey?
Krishna Kumari Datla: Success by design is infinitely better than a win by chance! We’ve come a long way, evolving from Tech Consultants to Solution Providers, to solve customers’ unmet demands. We boldly ventured into new territory to simplify processes, enhance communication, ensure 24/7 availability, empower customers, and deliver intelligent insights. Rooted in the “aggregation of marginal gains,” our journey has been inspiring, with much still to achieve. If we can provide peace to customers, why not be ambitious in our approach?
TheCconnects: What have been some recent developments in your Company to give more value to your customers?
Krishna Kumari Datla: Our recent focus has been around “How to make the Insurance Companies Data Led?” With our core strength and in-depth understanding of the Insurance business processes, technology and data, we are developing accelerators and solutions that can help Companies work better, easier and faster. Our data services focus is to help find right answers to questions around topline, bottom line, happy employees and great customer experiences. Pre-built AI/ML based Analytics libraries, External Data Management Tools and Data Migration Accelerators are some of the initiatives that we have been working on in the context. Feedback from the market is great and we are very excited about the way forward.
TheCconnects: How do you plan to scale your business? Can you describe the culture at your company and what role it plays here?
Krishna Kumari Datla: About a year back, we took a step back to review all the dimensions of the Company for scale – where we are and what we need to do – offerings, market, team, processes, and technology. Gearing up for 11X growth needs all those insights and readiness for mutation! This exercise helped us set the course right for way forward. In all this churning, the only thing that remained constant is our focus – “Technology for Insurance Industry”
While everyone understands what’s needed for scale, our focus is primarily around three things –
- Standardization and flexibility
- Organization leadership development
- Entrepreneurial streak for new beginnings
About our culture – do I have to explicitly say it is learning culture and the role it plays in Manomay??
TheCconnects: On a completely different note, what do you see as the biggest challenge for brands in the digital space?
Krishna Kumari Datla: The biggest challenge for brands here is how to stay continuously relevant and competitive. (Tech is evolving by the second – luring us. Humans take time to change – cognitive & behavioral science in itself).
At Manomay, we are on the constant lookout for changes in consumer behaviors, trends; tech advancements and their influence on consumers, Insurtech influence on legacy debt, regulatory changes; data privacy & security omnichannel experiences, etc. from two contexts – our customers & our offerings. The most important consideration for us continues to be “what’s in it for our customers in terms of ROI.” This approach has been helping us separate hype from reality, so we continue to serve our customers right. We think that’s the case with everyone out there!
TheCconnects: And finally, what’s your advice for those who want to be an entrepreneur/C-suite executive?
Krishna Kumari Datla: There’s a lot of advice out there . From my experiences, all I can say is there is no magic pill. Whatever you want in life, you have to earn it. Remember, being an entrepreneur/C-suite executive is not a game; it’s a way of life. Obstacles and adversities add to the euphoria of triumph. Focus, pace, self-belief, learning from experiences – all are needed, in the right doses. You will figure that out – just tame your impatience if you are serious about it!
Connect with Krishna Kumari Datla on LinkedIn here
