Taking Up The Gauntlet

The IT channel industry is dominated by men. But that did not stop Swati
Bahl from taking up the job of dealing with them day in and day out. Along the
way, she learnt some important lessons. taking life as it comes

DESIGNATION: Dy GM, eSys Information Technology

JOB PROFILE: Understanding the importance of multitasking through
perseverance can well be Bahl's biggest learning in the channel industry till
date. As the channel interface for eSys, she is responsible for understanding
the pulse of the channel. Working on market feedback, making sure her sales team
achieves its targets, even in adverse circumstances, is fundamental to her job
role. To do this she has to incessantly interact with sales personnel or the
dealer network over the phone or through e-mail. Several times a month she has
to travel, organize or attend roadshows held all across the country, bringing
the channel, vendor and eSys together. Apart from these tasks, she is also
working on brand building for the company.

BACKGROUND: Bahl completed her schooling in Mumbai and acquired her
Master's degree in Industrial Sociology from the Punjab University in Chandigarh.
Her father, who was earlier in the Merchant Navy in Mumbai, now runs his own
business while her mother is a school principal. Her husband is in the Indian
Navy (Defence). Bahl has an eight-year-old son who keeps her pre-occupied when
she is not working.

Swati Bahl

CHALLENGES: Trying to get the right market feedback through extensive
networking is very crucial for Bahl. She handles partners and ensures that her
sales team achieve targets against all odds. Over the years, she has worked hard
to gain valuable knowledge about the industry and acceptability in a
male-dominated industry. Very few women enter the field of sales or marketing as
it is a time-intensive job, which entails a lot of traveling. But Bahl accepts
this as just another facet of a fulfilling career. She feels that people
acknowledge ones capability, and are not gender biased in this industry. She
also believes that getting benefits for being a woman do not help in the long
run. One has to deliver the goods, irrespective of their gender.

STRENGTHS: Bahl attributes her success to her commitment to work, her
positive approach and openness to innovative ideas and approaches. She defines
herself as an average working woman, who attempts to balance a demandingÂ
family life and career. She claims she is no expert but has a strong sense of
responsibility in both the arenas. At the same time, she is quick to add that
one has to depend a lot on an external support mechanism to make it a success.
“One has to depend a lot on support structures as well and I attribute my
success to my very supportive family,” informed Bahl.

A staunch believer of teamwork and team spirit, the lady understands the
importance of a healthy working atmosphere. She is sensitive towards her
colleagues and maintains a cordial relationship with them. She feels it's up to
an individual whether they want to balance work and home, or pursue one only,
and it can vary from time to time, depending on the circumstances.

FAMILY: Trying to strike a balance between home and work, Bahl admits
is slightly more difficult in a nuclear family set-up where both the spouses are
working. Hence, both need to have a strong sense of joint responsibility on the
home front. She tries to spend as much time as possible with her son, after
office hours and on weekends. She has even molded her likings according to her
son's demands. Whenever she gets time, she takes her son out for a movie, to a
planetarium or a park, or whatever else her son wants to do.

HOBBIES: Bahl's hobbies and extracurricular activities are currently
accommodative of her eight-year old son's requirements. This aside, she likes to
indulge in reading and watching movies. This top-ranked executive also has a
weakness for chocolates, seafood and loves the seaside.

FUTURE: The lady believes in taking life as it comes. A sense of
fulfillment at the end of the day keeps her energized, which in turn prepares
her for accepting new challenges. Currently, Bahl is preparing herself for the
next level of responsibilities the organization would like her to shoulder.

Rachna Gupta

rachnagu@cybermedia.co.in