CHANGING PARADIGMS

Autumn Edition, 2015 / Volume 14 / Issue 1

Contents
02 Chairman’s Message
03 M.A. Mannan - Changing the rules
04 China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
06 TCS Supply Chain Advisory
10 ‘We Move You’ campaign
12 Yayvo.com
18 Peter Senge in Pakistan
20 Clients Testimonials
24 Heart to Heart with Director HR
27 Celebrating Ali Asghar Kayani

The 60 Minutes Man!

Delivering beyond customer expectations
 TCS Customer Newsletter

Chairman’s
Message
On behalf of the TCS people, I extend warm greetings to our valued
customers.

TCS is committed to serving you with utmost endeavour, where-ever you

live in Pakistan, and what-ever is your business or occupation.

It has been our privilege past three decades to have been part of your
every-day life; and there are many heart-warming stories of affection and
trust built across generations.

As the country's leading logistics services provider, TCS is deeply conscious

of the challenge and opportunities of the new global era.

We firmly believe that for our country: 'the best is yet to come'. An article
in this edition on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) gives a
glimpse of the opportunities ahead.

TCS has accordingly geared itself, and this month marks the first anniversary
of a major re-structuring aimed at positioning TCS as a regional and global
player, through upgrades in human-resource, technology, and operational
facilities.

Our Group President and CEO, M.A. Mannan completes his first year at

Editorial Board the helm, having injected a new spirit in the team with passion for high
achievement.
Patron Khalid Awan
This issue I hope will give you a glimpse into the world of TCS. We introduce
Chief Editor M.A. Mannan
you to some of our new services and a valued customer. We also celebrate
Editor Naiyar Saifi
Director Marketing & Public Affairs deeds and achievements of Pakistanis that make our nation progressive
and vibrant. Last but not the least we showcase some amongst us who
Members of Editorial Committee
serve you.
Shairose Ukanji
Manager Corporate Communications
I hope you enjoy reading this and look forward to your feedback through
Syed Shahbaz
our corporate website.
Designer/Manager Creative Services

Adil Ahmad
Correspondent

Jamil Janjua
Advisor
Khalid Awan

02
 PAKISTAN
TCS Customer Newsletter
POISED FOR ECONOMIC TAKEOFF
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’s paradigm changing
impact on the transportation & logistics sector
By Qasim Awan
When Chinese premier Xi
Jingping visited Kazakhstan in
2013 he made a speech
envisioning a Silk Road
Economic Belt to bring new
prosperity to Asia; a concept
which has now become the
centerpiece of Chinese foreign
and international economic
policy. Known as “One Belt, One
Road” it is claimed that this
project will bind together 65
countries and 4.4bn people from
Xi’an in western China across
Central Asia and to the Middle
East, Russia and Europe.
The maritime part of this road is
designed to link China to the
Indian ocean, East Africa, the
Red Sea and the Mediterranean.
Pakistan is hence the first
testing ground for the “One Belt,
One Road” strategy, which will
promote regional stability,
expand China’s economic
footprint and boost the country’s
exports through lessening
transit times to the Middle East,
Africa and EU.
Turbocharging the
Logistics Sector
Out of the $45bn Chinese investment
promised for Pakistan, it is said that
$34bn will go towards energy projects,
while $11bn will target infrastructure
projects such as roads and railways.
03
In addition to energy and infrastructure
sectors, it is forecast that the logistics
sector will benefit immensely owing to
the flow of goods between Gwadar
and Kashgar so as to boost Chinese
trade in South and Central Asia.
New Highways, Airport,
& Railway Lines
So, what will be the impact of this
investment within the transportation
industry? Government data shows that
key projects include the Karachi-
Lahore Motorway’s (KLM) Multan-
Sukkur section ($2.6bn), Karakoram
Highway Phase 2 Thakot-Havelian
section ($920mn), Gwadar Eastbay
Expressway ($135mn), Gwadar
International Airport ($230mn),
Peshawar-Karachi railway line
including a dry port at Havelian, and
the Orange Line Metro Train
Lahore($1.6bn).
Gwadar Port & grand
economies
Arguably the most prominent project
related to the transport industry is
Gwadar Port which will house container
handling facilities, a major highway
and the aforementioned international
airport.
When first envisioned more than a
decade ago it was said that Gwadar
would “change the shipping map of
the world” in the words of then PM
Shaukat Aziz. Whether that happens
or not remains to be seen, but one can
Qasim Awan is a
graduate of York
University (Toronto)
and holds a Master’s
degree from Cass
Business School at
City University London.
He is a part of the
Supply Chain Advisory
and E-Commerce
Innovations teams at
TCS and is a keen
observer of global and
regional supply chains
issues.
be sure that Europe and Africa will be
better served through Gwadar. The
cost of shipping from Western Europe
to China will be halved by shipping
through Pakistan. In addition it is
forecasted that Gwadar can benefit
the Middle East as it takes a ship one
day to reach Gwadar from Dubai while
Dubai-Shanghai takes up to two weeks.
Container costs are also $250 from
UAE-Pakistan while they are $1500
from UAE-China. According to the
Express Tribune, the first ever
consignment comprising fish exports
departed Gwadar for Dubai in May
2015. Kashgar and Urumqi in western
China are poised to be the two main
urban centers to benefit from this
economic corridor as Xinjiang becomes
a trading hub within China.
Within the transportation and logistics
industry the rail and air links are
scheduled to be developed in phases
- firstly will come the highways, followed
by rail links and finally airports and
data connectivity.
Along with the physical infrastructure
it is anticipated that CPEC will impact
corporate culture and lead to a
transformation of mindsets as business
leaders from Pakistan interact with
their counterparts abroad on a frequent
basis.
Industrial zones along the Corridor will
lift economic growth, and pioneers in
the logistics industry will become the

prime beneficiaries. With Gwadar
already operational, it is suggested
that trucking companies gain a foothold
there as education and healthcare
projects are stimulating the local
economy. Pakistan and China
currently have a $16bn trading
relationship, of which $4bn are made
up of Pakistani exports and $12bn of
imports, the bulk of which passes
through the Karakoram Highway. This
long, meandering highway carved high
into the mountains is the route
Pakistani truckers undertake in their
journey to the Khunjerab Pass, a
border crossing located more than
15,000 feet above sea level.
Balance of Trade
Exports to our neighbor, currently
consisting of textiles, leather, surgical
instruments and minerals, are of a
semi-finished nature or raw materials,
hence fetching lower prices. Having
said that, the border city of Kashgar in
Xinjiang province has Pakistani goods
present in its markets, with shops
selling precious stones from
Balochistan, and cutlery, utensils and
medical equipment from other parts of
the country.
The flow of goods and commodities
from China to Pakistan consist of
electronic goods, machinery and other
industrial equipment. With this flow set
to grow it is imperative that the
Karakoram Highway go through
upgrades that strengthen its
construction and make it an all-weather
road.
All of this has to happen whilst
protecting the local wildlife whose
ecosystem includes endangered
species such as the snow leopard.
Some damage has also been done to
the route owing to the disruption
caused by the creation of Attabad Lake
in Hunza. However economic planners
estimate negative fallout on trade
figures to have been restricted to
$250mn.
Pakistani truckers currently transfering
their merchandise over to Chinese
vehicles at Khunjerab will now proceed
further into China itself, saving precious
time and energy.
TCS Customer Newsletter
The formidable heights at which the
Karakorum Highway presides means
that an upgrade of this strategic road
will not be an easy task. Not
withstanding the enormity of the
challenge, there can be no escaping
the building of capacity to handle
increased traffic flows.
Once prepared it is forecast that a
sizeable proportion of China’s trade
with Europe, the Middle East and Africa
will pass through these routes, with
the majority of goods being made up
of sectors such as electronics,
machinery, furniture, textiles, garments,
medical/technical equipment, plastics,
vehicles, gems, precious metals and
iron/steel products.
With road and rail links being of prime
importance in the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor, the importance of
air links cannot be underestimated.
Pakistani commercial cargo has flown
to Kashgar before, so it is conceivable
that air links between Islamabad,
Gwadar, Urumqi and Kashgar will be
promoted, depending on demand and
loads. Railways and highways,
however, enjoy top priority in the
medium term.
Indigenous labour
employment
According to Global Times, an English
language newspaper from China, the
labor hired in Special Economic Zones
(SEZs) constructed in Africa contains
more local labor than Chinese. Hence
it can be assumed that the Chinese
government will follow a similar
paradigm in Pakistan, with the bulk of
the manpower recruited from within
Pakistan, and Chinese workers also
helping out owing to their technical
knowhow and deadline pressures
associated with sensitive projects.
The gates are now open for the private
sector to participate in the development
of one of the world’s most important
trade lanes, with early movers likely
to reshape sizeable sections of
Pakistan’s logistics industry.
04
 TCS Customer Newsletter

A
tthecuttingedge

TCS Supply Chain Advisory

From Trucking to Warehousing and Inventory
Management, from Express Delivery to Retail
Distribution, Mail Room Management, Bulk Printing
and Stuffing, we offer flexible end-to-end supply
chain solutions to customers to expand their
businesses and improve their operating efficiencies.

Each stage of the process has
been designed to add value
to the product as well as
guarantee its smooth
transport from point A to point
B. These stages include:
a. Raw Material Storage
andWarehousing
b. Inventory Packaging
andValue Added
Services
c. Mail Management
d. Order Fulfillment
e. Tracking and Technology
f. Distribution
g. Warranty Management
h. Cash-on-Delivery services
i. E-com Retail Platform
Digital Printing and Bulk Mail
Solution
TCS has state-of-the-art facilities
capable of printing up to 2 million
impressions and 600,000 stuffing of
envelopes in less than 24 hours. This,
along with duplex printing (the
effective printing of both sides of one
paper) and customized printing
solutions such as data receiving,
designing and formatting as per
customer preferences, aim to ensure
maximum ease and flexibility at
minimum cost. In addition, the
company’s stuffing machines,
equipped with digitized optical mark-
reader, allow the printing of virtually
any kind of document in an efficient
and smooth manner.
Tracking Technology
TCS provides an array of varied
transportation services that are
spread nationwide and ensure the
effective transport of shipments to a
customer’s desired location. The
company boasts 401 satellite tracked
vehicles that help move up to 129
million shipments every year. The
company’s tracking technology
enables both TCS as well as its
clients to keep track of the shipments’
movements at all times.
Automated Warehousing and
Distribution
TCS’s multi-user warehousing facility
is spread over 650,000 sq. ft and
offers an inventory management and
warehousing process that is entirely
automated. Customers are also able
to monitor and manage their stocks
in real-time using the company’s
Web-Based Inventory Management
System (WIMS).
Race to Rural Program
TCS’s Race to Rural Program helps
to expand clients’ network and
customer base by establishing
distribution pockets in far-flung areas
that were previously inaccessible. In
addition, customers are provided a
state-of-the-art infrastructure to help
connect with their customers in both
rural and semi-urban areas.
Web-based Customer Facilitation
Portal
Customers interested in managing

05
 TCS Customer Newsletter

their business online are able to benefit from TCS’s Customer

Facilitation Portal that provides them with a one-stop solution
to all their supply chain needs.

The online facility allows clients to easily place an order with

the company, track it at different times of the day, register a
query or a complaint related to the shipment and even chat
with a TCS representative over business transaction details.

With this new development in its business frameworks, TCS

plans to further strengthen its integration with other companies
in Pakistan and become a preferred long-term and integral
supply chain partner for them.

Supply chain management holds high significance, especially

in today’s fast-paced world, where companies are vying for
the customer’s attention. This is because effective supply
chain management ultimately helps to boost customer service
as it involves a process that guarantees the delivery of the
right product and quantity to the right consumer in a timely
fashion. In addition, effective supply chain management helps
increase the bottom line. A firm’s supply chain managers can
decrease the use of large fixed assets such as plants,
warehouses and transportation vehicles, thereby decreasing
the organization’s cost of production and increasing its liquidity.

Let TCS align your ‘wagon’ for optimal results!

Call us Now! 111 123 456
06
 TCS Customer Newsletter

Introducingournewservice

TCS Hazir
Time is money; Time is of the essence; Time sensitivity is at the heart
of the TCS success story that puts the TCS customers at the center of
the TCS universe. Small wonder, then, that TCS is focused on getting
to the customer ever faster, torrential rain and high water
notwithstanding.
TCS Hazir (‘Hazir’ is an Urdu word which, in literal terms, means ‘present’) is a pick-up and delivery service available
24/7, where the courier comes for the purpose of delivery or pick-up right to the customer’s doorstep in 60 minutes,
and no more. We would personally prefer to be there in 60 seconds, and be for our valued customers that which
the Lamp and its Genie were to Aladin. Time and Technology are driving paradigm changes in our times, and the
possibilities are limitless. Teleportation may yet make TCS Hazir the 60 Seconds Man!

Need for speed in the
global village
TCS Hazir acknowledges and
celebrates the fast-paced lives of
people today for whom time is of the
essence, providing them with what
they want, when they want it. TCS
Hazir is a concierge service devoted
to delivering beyond customers’
expectations.
Through TCS Hazir, customers can
call a courier to pick up the shipment
from their home or office. TCS Hazir
is tasked with collecting and booking
the shipment from the customer’s
location in a matter of just 60 minutes.
The service is applicable to all kinds
of shipments, including general,
international and Sentiments Express.
Aladin-ka-Chiraag!
We have launched TCS Hazir in
Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and
Islamabad. In the first phase,
customers can summon us via:
• TCS Call Centre
• TCS Web App
• TCS Mobile App
The second phase will provide
customers with the additional option
of SMS, making the chore of shipping
packages all the more convenient and
easy. In the third phase we’d in all
probability see the TCS Teleport App,
turning TCS Hazir into Aladin-ka-
Chiraag!
According to data from the latest
Economic Survey of Pakistan,
transport, storage and communication
enjoy the second biggest share of GDP
at 13.7%, next to the retail sector. The
collective contribution of the services
sector – at 57.7% - is more than that
of agriculture and industry combined.
One Window Operation
TCS has a total of 14 businesses which
encompass Express & Logistics, Mail
Management Solutions, Gifts &
Greetings, Air Freight Solutions, Supply
Chain, Visa Delivery, Travel Services,
and Corporate Training & Event
Management.
With a nationwide network of 10,000+
professionals (including over 4000
couriers), over 740 TCS Express
Centers (retail outlets) and nearly
2000+ online and offline locations,
TCS is the first preference for those
using courier services. Now, you don’t
courier a package; you simply ‘TCS’
it!
Designer Lawn & Cricket
Jerseys in 60 minutes!
TCS Hazir created magic by offering
customers never-seen-before 60
minutes deliveries at their doorsteps
in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and
Rawalpindi during the World Cup 2015.
It was without doubt a huge success
as the 60-minute online shopping
model was the first of its kind in
Pakistan; customers ordered online
during the matches and could wear
their World Cup Jerseys in 60 minutes
or less! The same excited customers’
response was witnessed when the 60-
minutes delivery was offered for one
of the most famous lawn brands in
Pakistan which launched its first
collection of 2015.

07
TCS Customer Newsletter
TCS Customer Newsletter
Thethoughtbehindourrecentadvertisem
ents
The TCS ‘We Move You’ campaign has connected at a
deeper level with millions of Pakistanis across the country
A young girl on her wedding day
is a bundle of nerves; a
businessman’s aspirations for
future success have him on
edge; a boy’s wish to express
his affection to his one true love
has butterflies running riot in
his tummy! And a mother’s
desire to provide the best for
her child is making her anxious.
No matter what the distance,
these are just some of the
occasions that many people
hold very close to their hearts,
and because of that they need
reassurance that their needs will
be met with care and
consideration.
In Pakistan, where there is an
emotive element attached to
virtually every aspect of a
person’s life, the sentiments
behind such events increase
tenfold as each represents an
important turning point.
Every shipment super special
Each one of the 129 million shipments
that TCS moves every year has a
08
special significance, and this fact is
not lost upon us. We at TCS are highly
sensitized to the all important human
factor behind each and every shipment.
In our pursuit of excellence we are
committed to nurturing high
performance teams that can bring
down to zero the margin for error, and
get it right first time, every time in the
service of our most valued customers.
M.A. Mannan, the President & CEO of
TCS Holdings says that he did a lot of
research on the global logistics and
courier industry before he joined TCS,
and came to the conclusion that
customers were looking for on-time
deliveries and shipment packing. It’s
that simple, he felt, and in that simplicity
he thought that the TCS universe was
at stake.
Mother’s tender & loving care
“However, during an orientation session
I witnessed something firsthand at an
Express Center which changed my
perception of the service industry,” he
says. “As I was standing there I saw
a mother come in to ship a shirt to her
son a thousand miles away. As our
Express Center staff quickly put it into
the Red Box, she leaned over the
counter and fixed that shirt just a little
bit. I thought to myself that this shirt
was going to travel via truck to an
airplane, to another truck, onto a
courier’s motorbike, and then be
delivered. But all the mother cared
about was just that one little crease
on the shirt which she wanted to be
just right for her son.”
In that one moment M.A. Mannan
realized that TCS was not in the
shipments business, nor the parcels
business, but that TCS was, and is
in the emotions business.
Age of personalized
relationships
“We live in a world which is getting
commoditized very quickly,” said M.A.
Mannan. “In my previous career as a
banker I came to know what
commoditized means. Each branch
offering the same thing, but the branch
offering greater service gets more
deposits and assets.” That has never
been truer than right now, with the
marketplace maturing at a rapid pace
and demanding a personalized
relationship with those who seek to
serve it.
We at TCS provide the assurance our
customers seek with generous service
guarantees, regular follow-up and
speedy follow-through on any queries
or complaints. That is how ‘We Move
You’.
TCS Customer Newsletter
TCS Customer Newsletter
O
urnewbusinessinitiative
TCS’s
galvanizes e-commerce
One-of-a-kind online shopping experience courtesy TCS
For the purpose of allowing
Pakistani consumers to benefit from
access to a wide range of products
via a convenient and easy-to-use
system, TCS has launched a one-
of-a-kind online shopping
experience, aptly titled, ‘Yayvo.com’.
it’s a name that is based on a loose
translation of ‘This and That’,
Yayvo.com provides customers with
the ease of either choosing from
the range of products already
offered on the site (Yay) or
requesting the Yayvo team to get
you what you want (Vo).
E-commerce and mobile commerce
have dramatically changed the way
brands reach customers, making it
faster and easier for consumers to
make purchases on the fly while
avoiding the hassles of going to the
store” says Hil Davis, Co-founder,
online men’s retailer J. Hilburn.
The ‘Yay’ and the ‘Vo’ of it!
A representation of what is fast coming
to be known as the future of
09
e-commerce in Pakistan, Yayvo.com
follows a unique strategy of stocking
up on items which have popular
demand (or which get a ‘Yay!’ from
customers) and adding the ones that
aren’t frequently ordered to the Vo
section. If a particular product in the
Vo category becomes a popular item
amongst customers, it is immediately
added to the shelf for the Yay category.
Amid so many other online shopping
sites that have cropped up in recent
years, Yayvo.com stands out as
perhaps the only online shopping
website to offer customers a multi-
dimensional shopping experience while
simultaneously allowing them to
choose from a broad range of products,
including electronics, mobiles and
gadgets, beauty items, apparel (for
both men and women), home décor,
lifestyle items, books, edible items and
more.
With specially trained customer service
staff, cash on delivery of up to Rs.
100,000, an extensive network
including places such as the U.S, UK
and UAE, three-way ordering process
and a 7-day return policy,
customers are now getting
the chance to benefit from
online shopping like never
before.
At ease with shopping
online
In today’s technologically
advanced age, it has
become incredibly easy to
gain access to virtually any and every
type of information related to a person’s
interests. All it takes is a click of a
button or a swipe on the screen and
presto! Anything you could possibly
want to know about is there for your
viewing pleasure.
The same holds true for online
shopping; with increased access to
attractive products and services via a
highly convenient and user-friendly
process conducted entirely online,
many customers are now at ease with
shopping online.
Greater customer satisfaction
The arrival of Yayvo.com signals a
turning point in what leading
businesses today know about e-
commerce. Presently, various experts
have highlighted a number of potential
e-commerce-related trends for 2015,
many of which center on customers’
increased use of smartphones and
their calling the shots, thus compelling
many a retailer to bring something new
to the table.
With Yayvo.com TCS gives customers
a unique proposition amidst a range
of options already present in the
market. By offering them with only what
they want, when they want it, and
allowing them to interact with the site
via a seamless, user-friendly process,
TCS is bound to capitalize on the
changing trends of e-commerce and
attain success in terms of greater
customer satisfaction and increased
revenue.
 TCS Customer Newsletter

G
oodSam
aritan

Aman Ambulance Service

Ready for Gear Change
Habib Bank Foundation & Government of
Japan Lend a Hand
Aman’s EMS service continues to Foundation, going
expand as more and more strategic into the purchase of
alliances are formed between Aman adding new
Foundation and entities, both locally ambulances to the
and internationally. Since its inception existing fleet.
in 2008, Aman Foundation has
established an ambulance fleet now The Government of Japan
consisting of more than 80+ Advanced through its embassy in
Life Saving (ALS) ambulances Karachi made a donation of two
throughout Karachi. However, the need new ambulances to the Aman
for more ambulances persists; if Aman Foundation in collaboration with Toyota
foundation is to cater to the whole city’s Indus Motors. Aman Health’s EMS
emergency-care needs, an anticipated
services Best in Asia!
quadrupling is ‘Best Asian Emergency
required. “An anticipated quadrupling of Advanced Medical Service’ Award for
Among the first
Life Saving (ALS) ambulances is required Aman Health’s 1021 Aman
few organizations for Karachi to close the existing gap in Ambulances
to recognize the services needed”
dire need to In October 2014 the Asian
augment emergency ambulatory care, Slowly, but surely, the Aman Emergency Medical Service
the Habib Bank Foundation, and Foundation is finding its feet in the Council selected Aman
internationally from the Government service of suffering humanity. Foundation to receive the
of Japan, have taken the initiative to prestigious award of the ‘Best
make local grants to the Aman Asian Emergency Medical
Service’ for Aman Health’s 1021
Aman Ambulances. The award
recognizes the contributions of
Aman Health’s EMS services
as compared to its peers across
Asia. This is the first time a
Pakistani institution has been
recognized by the AEMSC, and
is an ode to the operational
excellence and credo of service
with dignity that Aman
Ambulance personifies. This
Pan-Asian award was
presented by Professor
Hideharu Tanaka in Goa, India.
Bravo!

10
TCS Customer Newsletter
 TCS Customer Newsletter

Em
pow
eringPeople

Peter Senge
on Learning
Organizations
The biggest factor
that drives the desire for
increased learning is
aspiration

Octara Training Consultancy is a
subsidiary of TCS which specializes
in corporate training, workshops,
seminars, conferences and
publications. A premium training
solutions provider that offers a
range of training programs, Octara
is affiliated with many leading
industry practitioners from the UAE,
UK, U.S, Australia and Bangladesh.
Octara organized recently a seminar
featuring the living legend Dr. Peter
Senge, American systems scientist,
senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan
School of Management, and founder
of the Society for Organizational
Learning famous for his book ‘The
Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice
of the Learning Organization,’ a
publication many consider to be a
revolutionary piece of work in the
area of business management. In
the book Dr. Peter Senge has
spoken of the need for organizations
to adopt an approach that is geared
towards learning for self-
improvement, leading to long-term
success.
Here Peter Senge talks about the ways
in which an organization can move
forward by adopting certain learning
standards as well as overcome the
challenges that are sure to arise.
In what ways can an
organization abide by the
standards of learning as
described in your book?
The biggest factor that drives the desire
for increased learning is aspiration; the
ambition to be better and perform better
in order to reach a position that
guarantees success and prosperity.
Once that is in place, the next elements
that are involved are trust and
openness. More often than not,
problems remain unresolved because
people are either hesitant or just refuse
to talk about them. In order for
constructive discussion regarding
relevant issues to take place, it is
necessary to create an environment
of openness which encourages people
to engage in dialogue with each other,
regardless of what role they may
occupy in a particular organisation.
How important is learning,
especially in the business
world?
The implications of not learning are
plain and out there for everyone to
see. If there is no learning, there is no
change. If there is no change, there
can be no progress. It’s that simple.
One only has to look at several
examples in the corporate world of
organizations that got too comfortable
with their positions in the market only
to lose out in the end, all because they
did not possess the aspiration to learn,
nor the openness and trust within their
corporate environment to facilitate the
exchange of relevant information. No
other industry has held fast to this rule
as much as the IT industry. Over there,
there is a general rule; to fail fast and
early. There is no limit to the number
of mistakes a business can make as
long as they learn from it early on.
What is your view of
organizations in Pakistan? Do
you believe some of them are
adhering to the learning

12

principles you have outlined in
your book?
In Pakistan, people in a position of
power are generally given authority
over processes and decisions while
participative decision-making is kept
to the bare minimum. Many
organizations in Pakistan also fear
uncertainty and are, hence, risk-averse.
They tend to go for those practices
that are tried and tested rather than
attempting something new. Finally,
familial values have a high standing in
Pakistani society; elders are given the
utmost respect and are, hence,
charged with making sensitive
decisions with regard to business and
other matters. A lot of these elements
have a huge bearing on the way
Pakistani organizations do business.
Still, there are many organizations that
are breaking out of that mould and
adopting a more progressive approach
towards business. This includes
adapting to changing circumstances
by learning more about their internal
capabilities and their surrounding
environment, which ultimately enable
them to develop innovative business
practices that guarantee success and
growth.
What can be done to overcome
the challenges related to culture
that inevitably come in the way
of doing business?
What is needed is a reflection on past
performance and the need to inquire
in order to get to the root of the problem
so that real issues can be opened for
discussion. Currently, there is too much
emphasis on the need for a heroic
leader who can inspire people to
change. Such situations result in the
creation of grand strategies that are
then never fully developed. The effort
to change creates resistance that finally
Courtesy
TCS Customer Newsletter
overcomes the effort. In addition, there
are certain misconceptions regarding
the initiation of change, which ultimately
act as an obstacle to that very change.
The first misconception is that there
must be a compelling case for change.
The second misconception is that there
must be time to change. The third
misconception is that there must be
help during the change process. The
fourth and final misconception is that,
as the perceived barriers to change
are removed, it is important that some
new problem, that was not considered
important earlier or was even
recognized, doesn’t become a critical
barrier. Organizations must do away
with these common misconceptions if
they wish to initiate change within their
corporate environments and create a
platform to instill positive learning.
13
 TCS Customer Newsletter

W
hatourcustom
erssay

TCS Thanks You!

14
TCS Customer Newsletter

15
 TCS Customer Newsletter

16
 TCS Customer Newsletter
Cruising the corridors of power
comes easily to Mohsin
Raffique, our man in Islamabad.
His route is in G-5 in the Red
Zone, and he has experienced
first hand over many weeks the
state of red alert when the
Constitution Avenue was
hosting a cross-section of
Pakistan intent upon paradigm
change. What it meant for
Mohsin was a mile long quick
march on a daily basis. Due to
the security arrangements
around the Cabinet Secretariat
motorcycles were prohibited
from entering, as per orders of
the Pakistan Army that was in-
charge of the area’s security.
Only cars with the green number
plates were allowed in. So
Mohsin would park and lock his
bike at the Federal Board of
Revenue’s Headquarters where
a space had been provided, sling
his TCS bag over his shoulder,
and hit the road on foot.
17
Thosew
hoserveyou
Frontline Staff
Mohsin Raffique Code # 40422, Islamabad
The ‘dharnas’ didn’t affect his Division, Ministry of Information and
work as such, he says, but Broadcasting, Establishment Division,
his earnings declined because National Security Council, Inter-
the people working in the Provincial Coordination Council (IPCC),
affected areas weren’t turning and the Federal Cabinet.
up for work, and the quantum of
outbound mail had declined. Mohsin For someone who rubs shoulders with
has delivered packets to both Tahir- the highest in the land on a daily basis,
ul-Qadri and Imran Khan at their Mohsin has a pleasantly down-to-Earth
containers. humility. It takes him two and a half
hours to service the route, getting free
by 11am. He returns to office and
On Mondays Mohsin takes an early
updates the record sheet, has lunch,
start to his day because he doesn’t
relaxes for a bit, and leaves on the
have to wait for the mail to arrive from
pickup rounds by 2.30pm. Pakistan
Karachi since Sunday’s shipments are
already there awaiting his attention.
He leaves home at 5.45am and checks
into office by 6am. On other week days
I face no
he gets to work by 6.30am, and it takes
30 to 35 minutes for him to sort out
problems entering and
the documents. leaving this very high
security area. The TCS
The TCS Islamabad Office is located brand is highly
in Sector G-8, and Mohsin’s route takes
him first to his main delivery point, the
respected and trusted
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Then and I am in uniform
come the Pakistan Engineering Council with proper
(PEC) and the National Database and identification displayed,
Registration Authority (NADRA) HQ,
after which Mohsin enters what is
so no problems. Over
possibly the broadest boulevard in the years I have
Pakistan, the Constitution Avenue, developed good
home to the Pakistan Council of relations with all the
Scientific and Industrial Research
(PSCIR), Science Foundation, Election
agencies and their
Commission, COMSAT, Academy of personnel, including
Science, Federal Shariat Court, Auditor the bomb disposal
General of Pakistan, Federal squad.
Ombudsman, National Assembly,
Senate, Aiwan-e-Saddar, Cabinet

Engineering Council, a key account
with a lot of outbound mail, is his first
port of call. Mohsin retraces his
footsteps of the morning and gets to
NADRA by 5pm. The Chairman
NADRA keeps sitting until 6.30pm so
he has to stay back until then, reporting
back to TCS Operations by 7pm.
Mohsin’s been doing this route for the
last 6 years. Sajjad Alam used to
operate this route earlier, he says, and
when he became BDM Mohsin took
over the route. “I face no problems
entering and leaving this very high
security area. The TCS brand is highly
respected and trusted and I am in
uniform with proper identification
displayed, so no problems. Over the
years I have developed good relations
with all the agencies and their
personnel, including the bomb disposal
squad.”
Mohsin joined TCS in 2001, but spent
two years working for MMS. He shifted
to General in 2003, and is presently
31 years of age. TCS was his first job,
and he has completed his Intermediate
education, obtaining his FSc with
Mathematics, Statistics and
Economics. The desire to pursue
money made him discontinue his
education, but now better sense has
prevailed and he realizes the value of
education, and has taken the decision
to enroll soon in the Allama Iqbal
University. Also, it has dawned upon
him that as a graduate his promotion
prospects within TCS will improve.
TCS Customer Newsletter
Mohsin Raffique is married with two Ali treats me like a younger brother.”
sons, Mohammed Hussain (5 years)
and Mohammed Hasan (3.5 years), Ladies and Gentlemen
and has one elder brother. He is fond Mohsin Raffique at your
of singing, and has sung at TCS service!
functions and also in the presence of
well known artists. Mohsin played
cricket in college, and still does
sometimes. He is fond of playing
snooker, and indulges in it during
holidays. His wife is an educated
housewife, and Mutton Karhai, the way
his wife cooks it, is his favorite food.
Shahabnama counts as his favorite
book, with Shan and Shahrukh
Khan as his favorite actors,
even though his preference
is for English horror movies.
TCS has been a great
experience, and after the
death of his parents TCS
has been both his
mother and father,
says Mohsin. “I got
married from my
TCS earnings
and, having
started from
scratch, now
consider
myself well
set. Mr. Tauqir
Alam (Area
Business Head)
has been a great
source of
inspiration as well,
and the Operations
Controller Abbas
18
 Quote
“We have to build up the character of our future
generations which means highest sense of honour,
integrity, selfless service to the nation, and sense of
responsibility, and we have to see that they are fully

We Believe in You qualified and equipped to play their part in the various
branches of economic life in a manner which will do
honour to Pakistan”

(Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s Message to All Pakistan

The proof of the pudding lies in its eating, they say. At TCS the Educational Conference, Karachi, 27th November 1947)
‘pudding’ is conjured up by ‘chefs’ extraordinaire who travel the
extra mile on a routine basis to get exactly right the formulation
that will WOW our valued customers.

Leadership Tip
With TCS CONNECT we keep our valued customers in the loop
with the world of TCS. The world of TCS is witnessing a revamp
of epic proportions under its new stewardship that is committed ‘Good leaders develop ideas and people. Great leaders
to breaking new ground in the service of its most valued customers. develop other leaders’
(Anon)

We have a set of beliefs at TCS that we strive to abide by in our

pursuit of excellence in the service of our valued customers. We
believe in making life simple, convenient and easy for our people
and customers; We believe in embedding ethics and transparency
in everything we do; We believe in giving it all we got and being Dubai - UAE
fearless in the process; We believe in being humble and respectful; TCS Express Worldwide LLC
#5, Abdullah Rashid Muhammad Saif Building,
We believe in trusting and empowering our people; We believe Rashidya, Umm Ramool, P.O. Box 29575, Dubai, UAE
in creating happiness for ourselves and for others; We believe Tel: +(971) 4 285 8556, Fax: +(971) 4 285 8560
that what we do is more important than who we are; We believe www.tcsuae.com

in enabling our people to align their personal goals with their

Abu Dhabi - UAE
career aspirations; We believe in building a team of passionate
TCS Express Worldwide LLC
people; and, above all, we believe in delivering beyond our Fardous Building, Al Salam Street
customers’ expectations. P.O. Box 54525, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Tel: +(971) 2 677 8600, Fax: +(971) 2 6779800
That’s a whole lot to believe in, and living our core values, and www.tcsuae.com
walking our talk, needs men and women made of sterner stuff,
something we at TCS pride ourselves for. We try and get it right Sharjah - UAE
the first time, every time, and consider that the par for the course. TCS Express Worldwide LLC
Al Arooba Shop # 24 & 25, Al Arooba Street,
It may not happen on occasion, we admit, but we strive to conquer
Behind al Ansari Exchange, Rolla Square, Sharjah
and overcome any performance gaps that might occur.
Tel: +(971) 6 563 0563, Fax: +(971) 6 563 0562
www.tcsuae.com
Pakistan is determined to forge ahead, the turbulence in its
operating environment notwithstanding. For TCS there can be London - UK
no greater honor than to be an integral part of Pakistan’s engine TCS Express Worldwide (UK) Limited
of growth. We are primed and positioned to operate out-of-the- 1000 Great West Road, Brentford,
box, and innovate our way out of difficult situations in the service Middlesex TW8-9HH, London, UK
Tel: +(44) 208 263 5715, Fax: +(44) 208 263 5716
of our most valued customers.
www.tcsexpress.co.uk

Thank you for giving TCS your vote of confidence and we hope
Karachi - Pakistan
that you will continue to do so into the future. TCS (Private) Limited
TCS Headquarters
101-104, Civil Aviation Club Road,
Karachi - 75202, Pakistan.
Tel: +(92) 21 111 123 456, Fax: +(92) 21 924 2830
www.tcs.com.pk
TCS: ‘Hazir SubKuch’—Making
Everything Present
Abstract
The case describes the journey of TCS as it
became Pakistan’s leading logistics service
provider. It highlights how and when TCS
acquired different logistics and other value-
adding capabilities and how these capabilities,
in turn, complimented the diverse logistics
services that TCS offered to a wide variety of
businesses.
TCS had been offering a top-notch Express and
Logistics service around Pakistan for 30 years.
TCS started as a company providing secure
distribution of letters and packages. Customers
perceived TCS as a shipping solution provider
for all their goods transportation needs which
included parcels, documents, E-commerce
products and even their groceries. The case
TCS: ‘Hazir SubKuch’—Delivering
study highlights that TCS had taken up some
Everything
unique and new initiatives. TCS handled four
main clientele areas: Corporate, Consumer,
International and E-commerce. For consumer
wing, TCS oversaw bookings of documents and
parcels at the express centres, door-to-door
containerized shipments, domestic and
international air ticketing, visa application drop
box facility for various countries and financial
services in the form of insurance plans. On the
corporate side, TCS provided warehousing and
distribution, digital printing and bulk mail
solutions. International and e-commerce both
catered consumer and corporate segments.
Over the last decade, TCS had established a
warehousing and distribution wing and a mail
management and printing facility. Other
ventures and services that TCS offered were
Visatronix, Hazir, Home Movers, E-COM, TCS
Aviation, Mail Management System, Warehouse
and Distribution, Intiana, Sentiments express
and Octra.
The case focusses on the decision of whether
or not to run an ambitious new logistics service,
that is, Hazir SubKuch (HSK), meant to deliver
anything non-prohibited that a customer wanted,
on a crowdsourcing model. In the proposed
crowdsourcing model, after training and
evaluation, anyone could assume the role of a
customer service provider by connecting to the
system remotely. Similarly, pickup and delivery
jobs could be performed under an Uber-like
model by anyone who owned a ride and had
smartphone connectivity. The service was a
brainchild of the new CEO, hired by the founder
and chairman as part of the new management
team to bring a fresh dynamism in the company.
M. A. Mannan, the President and CEO of TCS
Holdings, analysed and assessed the proposal
handed to him by the business and marketing
team. The plan was based on his direction to
review and undertake a feasibility study of
running the new and ambitious logistics service
named ‘Hazir SubKuch’ on a crowdsourcing
model. The name Hazir SubKuch was
developed after intense brainstorming within the
company and its stakeholders and the Urdu
term ‘Hazir’ literally meant ‘present’ and
‘SubKuch’ translated to ‘everything’. Using this
service, the customers could ask TCS to source
and deliver them anything legal and
halal1 across Pakistan.
This step was taken in view of the existing and was the level and consistency of service quality.
potential competition in the evolving A compromise on quality could hurt TCS’s hard-
transportation and logistics sector of Pakistan earned reputation and customer trust.
and aimed at disrupting the market by
introducing innovative new services for
Industry Background
customer delight. The launch of Hazir SubKuch
Pakistan was experiencing political stability, a
was a key element of Mannan’s plans for TCS’s
sense of security and greater confidence in the
expansion and future portfolio.
economy.2 There were smooth democratic

M.A. Mannan, President and CEO TCS transitions and a significant drop in terrorism-

Holdings said: related incidents. Moreover, in the light of the

Hazir is an Urdu term, which in literal terms,
means ‘present’. This is exactly what Hazir
[SubKuch] aims to do, to be PRESENT in our
customer’s lives and to provide them with
whatever they may require… It eventually aims
to become a concierge service devoted to
delivering BEYOND our customers’
expectations. It is a truly one of a kind service
that is a symbol of innovation.
Although the service was still in the soft-launch
phase, the word about the service had already
reached the market. Mannan was considering
two options for this: (a) use TCS’s own
resources for providing the service, as was
being done in the soft-launch; or (b) develop a
system under which anyone could register, and
after a training and evaluation process,
undertake paid customer service provider or
courier roles through remote connectivity. Under
the crowdsourcing model, that is, the latter
option, TCS could tap anyone who had free time
ongoing work on the China–Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC) project, a part of China’s ‘One
Belt, One Road’ initiative of reviving the Silk
Road in order to develop Western China, a
significant increase in economic and logistics
activity was forecasted.3 Some major
infrastructure works were initiated to revamp
and extend the existing transportation networks.
The CPEC project was estimated to directly
create some 700,000 jobs by 2030.4 The
economic activity along the corridor was
expected to create a high demand for
warehousing and transportation. The logistics
industry of Pakistan offered a substantial room
for growth and lucrative opportunities. 5
There were already quite a few national and
international players in the logistics market.
Leopards Courier Services and Overseas
Courier Services (OCS) Pakistan, started
operations in 1983 and 1986, respectively. They
were the prominent local players besides TCS.

to log into the system and take customer service

Leopards had 150 express centres6 while OCS
calls. Similarly, people who had their own rides
operated 230 plus. OCS had recently attained
could take up the available pickup and delivery
more significance after its acquisition by Muller
jobs through the mobile application. The
& Phipps (M&P), a well-established
crowdsourcing model had advantages in the
multinational distribution house and a part of
forms of low expenditure and practically no
Getz Group International. It was speculated that
capacity constraints. However, the main concern
 this high-profile acquisition would boost OCS’s
operations and credibility. Federal Express
(FedEx), DHL and Agility were the major
international logistics players operating in
Pakistan, though the former two mainly
focussed on international shipments, while the
latter focussed on overland transportation and
warehousing.
The Beginning
Initially, Britain set up postal systems across
their empire, including, what is now, Pakistan,
with the government retaining the sole monopoly
over the distribution of mail. On its
independence in 1947, Pakistan inherited the
Post Office Act of 1898, which stated that the
transportation of ‘letters’ was an exclusive
The Banking Project and the 1980s
privilege of the Federal Government.
Khalid Awan, the Chairman of TCS, recalled:
This effectively left no scope for the courier
companies. Similar acts were adopted by other
countries, but the monopolies were
subsequently suspended through specific
interpretations of the term ‘letters’. For
example, in the USA, anything posing a loss if
delivered late could be transported through
private services. It was based on a negotiation
by the industry that Pakistan liberalized the
interpretation of the law, creating a room for the
courier services.
TCS was founded by Khalid Awan, an engineer
by qualification, in 1983 with financial and
operational support from his elder brother
running DHL Pakistan at that time as its
chairman.7 Khalid had worked at DHL Pakistan
as the Managing Director. The inception of TCS
came as a joint venture with DHL, in which TCS
handled domestic operations, while DHL
managed international operations. TCS
pioneered the courier services for urgent
deliveries in the country, filling the vacuum to
provide fast and reliable deliveries. TCS’s
connection with DHL provided the initial boost
with the advanced capabilities and leading
international exposure. The engagement with
DHL was short-lived. Within 2 years, TCS
started operating independently as a result of
DHL’s move to focus only on international
deliveries.
The Growth of TCS
When TCS started, its main business was
concerned with the secure and fast distribution
of packages and parcels through outsourced
transportation mainly between the major cities.
In 1985, a significant development happened in
the national banking sector, which provided a
breakthrough for TCS. At that time, five public-
owned banks were functioning under the
Ministry of Finance, and governed, coordinated
and regulated by a body called Pakistan
Banking Council.8 To curb the lethargy and
bring in efficiency at these banks, the then
finance minister, Dr Mehboob-ul-Haq,
developed a charter document and obligated
the banks to process the outstation cheques in
less than 72 hours, as opposed to the 3 weeks it
used to take. The banks were given a 6-month
period to deliver results. This served as a critical
issue for the Banking Council. Due to the
nonexistence of electronic banking, the cheques
had to be physically posted to the
corresponding bank branches in order to get
cleared. The new processing time-window
meant that this had to be done overnight. There
were around 6,500 branches to be covered, with
some being more than 2,000 km apart.
The Banking Council invited courier companies,
including TCS, at their head office to know their
interest in establishing the overnight delivery
service for the banks. The companies were
provided all the relevant information and were
asked to return for another meeting in 1 week
with their proposals. It was a large scale and
complex project. The courier company that
would take on this project would be entering into
a logistics partnership with banks, which meant
that all their processes had to be aligned with
those of the banks’ across the country. TCS,
represented by Khalid and a team of operational
managers, with the willingness to take on the
task, was the only company that showed up in
the next meeting at the Banking Council.
Khalid agreed to take on the project while
lacking the required transportation
arrangements. Arranging the vehicles was his
first focus after the meeting. He solved the
problem by speaking to the owners of the
workshop where TCS motorbikes used to go for
maintenance who agreed to arrange and finance
the required vehicles.
Elaborating the challenges and opportunities,
Khalid stated:
We were a small company. A large number of
people and equipment [vehicles] were required
to carry out this big operation. It was a very big
operational challenge but with an
understanding of how FedEx did it, I believed
that it was doable. It took around four years to
cover all the bank branches. Along the way,
TCS managed to build a strong and extensive
logistics network. There was though a cost for
it. We knew that the company would be out of
profit for a long time; for up to ten years.
Meanwhile, the company also established a set
of core values around quality, efficiency, ethics,
and creative growth. The focus was to attain
profitability via efficiency, be fair with the
customers, and grow by means of constant
innovation.
At the time TCS started, it had around 350
personnel, and by the time it completed the
project implementation for the banks, it had
around 1,500; a threefold increase in 4 years.
By 1989, TCS managed to set up twelve
computer centres across the country,
exchanging data using the dial-up
connection,9 started a unique gift delivery
service, named Sentiment Express, that
delivered items like cakes and flowers (booked
from the express centres) at doorsteps, and set
up international operations by establishing a
company in the UK.
The 1990s
In the early 1990s, TCS incorporated an email
system for streamlining operations and more
efficient information sharing. Besides this, TCS
saw a major development in the form of its own
aviation setup. In 1991, TCS placed the bid for
the first private airline licence in the country,
subsequently starting the air operations in
support of its courier services by inducting an
AN-26 (a twin-engine transport aircraft).
Towards the end of the decade, TCS expanded
its international business by establishing
operations in UAE and Canada.
The 2000s further connected smaller surrounding cities,
TCS managed to get to 600,000–700,000 touch
By 2000, TCS was a well-established and points10 daily.
trusted courier company with twenty-four
express (retail) centres, and around 600 two-
wheelers and eighty four-wheelers fleet. This
was the decade of the reinforcement of the
capabilities, standardization and the inclusion of
several new services. In the first half, the entire
setup was revamped with standardized outlets
and courier uniforms. A low-priced parcel
service, known as the Red Box service, was
launched to allow express delivery of boxed
packages of up to 25 kg. Also, a dedicated
logistics/transportation company was formed.

In the TCS twentieth anniversary report, Khalid

wrote:

Where is the relationship between TCS and its Figure 1. Network Connectivity
customers headed? Like all successful
Source: Company records.
relationships, it is headed towards greater
maturity and fulfilment. Whereas up until now,
Through its well-established network, TCS was
we have focused on earning the trust of our
handling mail distribution for the booming banks
customers, by fulfilling their needs, from now
and telecommunication companies. Letters, bills
onwards, we aim to go beyond this, towards
greater customized solutions for our rather and statements were collected from these
diversified customer base. At the heart of it all, organizations (TCS’s corporate clients) and
in our customer success, rests our own future, delivered to their customers. Similar services
and the greatest asset we can ever build is were being provided to different examination
customer confidence. bodies, for whom TCS ensured secure
distribution of examination papers to exam
TCS wanted to provide various value-adding
centres. Identifying MMS as an area of
services along with its courier and transportation
opportunity, in 2006, TCS set up a state-of-the-
business. In the latter half of the decade, it had
art MMS and printing facility, allowing TCS to
established a warehousing and distribution wing,
electronically source data from customers, print
a mail management solutions (MMS) division
their documents and dispatch the documents
and a printing facility. Larger cargo aircrafts
from in-house, thereby saving time, logistics
were inducted into TCS’s aviation fleet. Through
costs and customer overheads. Securing the
the well-connected network of distribution
Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP)
facilities in the major cities (Figure 1), which
 general election project (Mehdi, 2013) proved to
be very favourable for this particular business.
As Shafiq Malik, Director Operations, explained:
In 2006, we launched the MMS and print shop
setup. We got lucky because the country’s
elections followed soon. As soon as we
launched the printing shop, we got a PKR 80
million worth ECP printing project. The total
cost of investment got covered by this project.
They [ECP] gave us the data, and we did
everything else: papers, cover pages, printing,
bookmaking, sequencing, complete quality
check, delivery, and boxing. Not only was our
printing shop new, but before it, we hadn’t
launched any production facility. We were
experts in logistics, not experts regarding
production facilities. More than 80 million
impressions in a 6-month time span were
record-breaking printing in Asia, according to
our suppliers.
was being neglected. This country had a
consumer base of 180 million, providing a huge
potential. We had to strengthen the consumer
side because, firstly, it generated more cash
business, and, secondly, it had high margins.
This allowed TCS to bring in more products
and value-added services. We had to move
into new lines of business apart from parcels
and documents. Generally, we had to move
away from being a shipment company and
embark on a journey to expand horizons. As
the company had grown into a 30-year phase,
quite a few of the employees had become old
and lacked the relevant skill sets. Yes, as far
as the logistics industry was concerned, we
had the most experienced people, but, more
updated and a diverse skill set was required to
move forward.

The high-security printing facility, was certified to

the international security standards, was
Pakistan’s fastest and most efficient document
printing setup, with a capacity to print 3.5 million
pages and stuff up to 1.35 million envelopes per
day.
Figure 2. Shared Vision and Mission Statement
Post-2010
Source: Company documents.

It continued to grow in various business fields in

line with Khalid’s high ambitions and vision of
innovation and diversification (Figure 2). Further
development faced challenges, as Khalid
explained:
To be world-class, we had to keep on doing
things that would keep us cutting edge.
However, TCS wasn’t moving forward in this
way. TCS had gone into a comfort zone, which
could have taken it down. The consumer side
In 2012, a new department named Voice of
Customer (VOC) was set up with a prime focus
on enhancing customer satisfaction. This
department collected and consolidated
customer feedback from different sources. The
feedback was used for quantitative and
qualitative research to produce a meticulous set
of prioritized customer wants and needs for
business managers.
Several ventures started post-2010. Besides
courier, gift delivery, mail management and
general logistic (warehousing and distribution)
services, TCS was also providing home moving
solutions, travel services, visa application drop
box facility (handling document delivery service
for foreign diplomatic missions) and training
solutions. A significant step was to move into e-
retailing. TCS had won new large-scale projects,
thereby highlighting market confidence on the
company’s reliability and coverage. It had
started a passport delivery service for the
Ministry of Interior, with the passport applicant’s
Human Resources—Post-2010
fingerprint verification at doorstep delivery. TCS
had also secured the bill distribution task for
TCS enjoyed a trend of long-term commitment
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited
from its employees. There were several
(PTCL). A government-owned company until
examples, including that of Shafiq and other
2008, PTCL was the largest telecommunications
senior management, where an employee had
company in Pakistan with a countrywide
joined TCS at an entry-level and made it
customer spread—almost every household
through to a top position. This, according to
being its customer—as quoted by Shafiq. To
Shafiq, inculcated a greater sense of ownership.
test the performance before awarding their
project to TCS, PTCL had allocated it some A new human resource development (HRD)
specific inner-city areas that had a dense plan was introduced. It emphasized (a) retaining
population and ill-defined addresses. TCS was the human resource already present within the
printing bills in-house; producing bundles for company and further developing it through
delivery in such a way that delivering bills in the several training initiatives, and (b) inducting
bundle sequence resulted in overall efficient experienced people from different industries so
delivery. Deliveries by TCS significantly they could bring fresh ideas, thinking and
improved PTCL’s bill recoveries due to bills initiatives based on their exposure.
being delivered at the right addresses and in a
short time. Along with the introduction of a new HRD plan,
the employees who had served for a minimum
of 8 years were offered a franchise scheme in
2011. Under this model, the employees got a
decent revenue sharing formula, and TCS got
partners who were familiar with its working,
knowing the processes and the dos and don’ts
of the organization. An employee singing-up for
the scheme had to pay the cost of the outlet in
easy instalments once the franchise was up and
running. This was usually after 4–6 months of
the start.

To bring in diverse experience and a fresh

perspective, TCS inducted M. A. Mannan as
President and CEO in 2014. Hailing from the
banking sector and familiar with the talent pool
there, he brought in several other management
team members from the same sector. Banking
happened to be one of the most developed
sectors in Pakistan in terms of management
skills, and bankers were familiar with various
industries due to their interactions. TCS also
began to hire young people as graduate
management trainees, service ambassadors
(exclusively trained customer service advisors)
Figure 4. Presence of TCS Nationwide
and couriers.
Source: Company records.
Since its establishment in 1983, TCS had come
a long way and had a diverse service portfolio in The Organization of TCS
both the corporate and consumer domains. It
had more than 800 express centres (retail TCS had four main units: Consumer, Corporate,
outlets for walk-in customers) and covered over International and E-commerce (E-Com). In

2,000 destinations associated with regions, contrast to the Consumer and Corporate units,

areas and stations that were connected through the International and E-com units extended their
road and air links (Figure 4). It handled around services to both consumer and corporate

130 million documents and parcels, and moved customer segments. The consumer wing

140,000 metric tonnes of freight annually, targeted individuals and small businesses. For

deploying 4,500 courier field force, over 500 individuals, the consumer wing oversaw

modern satellite connected ground vehicles, bookings of documents and parcels at the

dedicated cargo aircraft and a staff of 12,000 express centres, door-to-door containerized

plus individuals. TCS had a state-of-the-art transportation of bulky goods, home moving

warehousing facility spread over 655,000 sq. ft. services (packing and transportation of home

in the major cities of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad items), domestic and international air ticketing,

and Sukkur, and cargo storage and sorting visa application drop box facility for various

facilities in twenty-eight other cities. countries and financial services in the form of
insurance plans. Individuals could also opt for a
24/7 pickup (within 60 minutes) and delivery
service for documents and parcels. Besides
 this, the consumer wing catered to small traders
and businesses that could not afford tariffs for
individual customers, and also lacked the
monthly volume to opt for the fixed price
corporate accounts. Such customers were
offered cargo services with reduced rates from
and to selected TCS premises.
On the corporate side, TCS had 15,000 or so
clients in almost every industry in the country.
There was a separate service setup for the
corporate clients; top-tier customers had direct
access to TCS’s customer relationship agents
for issues and enquiries. The corporate wing
served clients mainly by providing them with
facilities including warehousing and distribution,
digital printing and bulk mail solutions. It had a
well-rounded assortment of services under the
banner of TCS Supply Chain Advisory, which
offered raw material storage and warehousing,
inventory packing, mail management, tracked
order fulfilment and distribution, air freight,
warranty management (reverse logistics) and an
e-commerce platform through TCS’s E-Com
wing (Figure 5). According to an estimate by
TCS, 70 per cent of the banking industry, 90 per The Revenue Breakdown
cent of the telecom industry, 70 per cent of the
textile industry, 75 per cent of the automotive
industry and almost all of the established e-
retailers used TCS’s logistics services.
Figure 5. Supply Chain Advisory
Source: Company records.
The International unit was set up to handle the
distinct customer service requirements for
international shipments to and from Pakistan. It
served regular walk-in customers and the
corporate clientele (multinationals, financial
institutions and exporters), who needed services
to help move their documents and parcels
around the world. The international customer
services team took a more proactive approach
to monitor the shipments and resolve any kind
of obstruction during the course of delivery. The
E-com unit, in its infancy, was established as a
separate unit in view of the enormous potential
of e-commerce in the country. It had Yayvo.com
and Sentiments Express as its main business
lines. Yayvo.com was the e-retail website with a
wide assortment of items listed on it.
Sentimentsexpress.com listed selected gift
items and was the online counterpart of the
Sentiments Express gift delivery service
available from the express centres. E-com was
positioned between the corporate clients, using
TCS’s platform for ebusiness, and consumers,
shopping at the platform.
The revenue share from the consumer and the
corporate businesses was around 55 per cent
and 45 per cent, respectively. In terms of the
services, the major contributors to the revenue
were the express delivery service for letters and
parcels, transportation of larger item, MMS and
Print, and warehousing and distribution service,
generating around 45 per cent, 15 per cent, 15
per cent and 10 per cent of the total revenue,
respectively. Financial services, visa and travel
services, home moving service and the e-
commerce business had nominal contributions
to the revenue. TCS’s actual muscle was
 manifested in the business from the walk-in
customers at the express centres for personal
shipments. Here TCS was the market leader
and commanded somewhere close to 65 per
cent of the market share. We provide the most
expensive service, but people are willing to
stand in a queue at TCS instead of going
elsewhere because they trust us—Adeel Azhar,
the Head of Strategic Planning. As quoted by
Naiyar Saifi, the Director of Marketing and
Public Affairs, ‘TCS Kar do’, that is, ‘do TCS’,
was a household Urdu phrase in Pakistan for
couriering.
The Focus and Future Aspirations
TCS wanted to move out of its comfort zone by
engaging in new lines of businesses, rather than
heavily relying on document and parcel
shipments. The idea was to leverage its massive
number of touch points with the customers. On
average, 40,000 customers walked into TCS’s
express centres daily. Very few companies in
Pakistan were in this position; not even the top
banks—Khalid. The vision was to target all
Pakistanis by expanding the service horizons.
TCS wanted to strengthen its consumer side—
as it generated more cash business and high
margin business—by bringing in more products
and value-added services.
E-commerce
The ‘dot com’ culture had taken off in Pakistan
over the last decade with significant growth in
commercial websites. 3G and 4G mobile
services were being offered by the telecom
companies and internet penetration was
increasing. TCS realized that there was a great
deal of scope in the e-commerce business,
where it was already providing the last mile
delivery service to major e-retail businesses.
Salman Hasan, the CEO of TCS E-COM,
explained:
Logistically Pakistan is far better than the other
third-world countries that are engaged in or
trying to engage in the e-commerce business.
For instance, certain countries don’t even have
addresses, and there are also certain
countries, e.g., Vietnam, that lack the presence
of premium logistics players. E-commerce was
truly struggling in these places due to the
absence of logistics. Here we have a
comprehensive platform.
Enhanced Customer Service
Customer service was deemed to be a strategic
issue. TCS was investing a great deal in the
people that it hired for customer service. A new
class of graduate customer service
representatives, labelled as service
ambassadors, was being raised by undergoing
an intensive training and assessment
programme. Multiple channels of customer
communications were set up. Customers could
call the helpline, email, use a mobile application
to open a chat or request a call back by TCS.
There was an emphasis on direct customer
contact, for example, customers calling the
helpline did not have to go through various pre-
recorded messages before being able to
connect to a customer service representative.
Innovations and Technology
Although progressive amongst the local players,
TCS operated in a fairly traditional manner
when compared to the advanced international
practices. An innovations department was
established to bring in enhanced use of information to plan the deliveries on the
technology. It was working on a number of following day.
initiatives related to information management for
the eventual deployment of an optimization
Courier Operations
system for the overall network.
The courier operations were planned under a

One of the main initiatives was related to geo- hub-and-spoke model, in which shipments were

coding. Although the addresses in Pakistan collected and consolidated at the centralized

were well defined, a proper postal code system facilities and then dispatched for delivery.

(e.g., the postcode system in the UK and zip Letters and parcels were transported from

codes in the USA) was not put into place by any collection sites (express centres or customers

government. This served as a hindrance for sites) to the main hub, and from the main hub to

TCS in terms of logistics planning and the delivery address via station offices and

optimization, both of which required precise regional hubs (Figures 1 and 9). Consumers

definition and location of addresses. To resolve normally dropped their shipments at the express

this issue, TCS had started coding the centres. On the corporate side, shipments were

addresses itself by recording the GPS locations collected by couriers from clients’ premises and

of delivery addresses at the time of delivery. For dropped at a station office or a hub. In some

this reason, TCS was also in talks with Google, areas, there were dedicated teams for pickups

which could code a whole street if the codes for and deliveries, while, in others, the same team

two property numbers on that specific street of couriers performed pickups and deliveries

were provided to them. Addresses throughout during different halves of a workday. The

the country were planned to be coded this way couriers had a good first-hand knowledge of

within the next 8 months. their respective areas, which included

unorganized and ill-defined addresses (Figures
Another important initiative was to equip the 10 and 11).
couriers with handheld devices. To be done
phase-wise, this initiative was to help shipment
tracking and advanced information gathering.
Identity cards with unique bar codes were being
placed at corporate clients’ premises. During a
pickup, the rider scanned the client’s identity
card, pasted and scanned a unique code for the
package and captured the package’s
photograph. This information, which was initially
available at the end of the shift, when riders
dropped parcels at the consolidation centre, was
instantaneously transmitted through the device
to the backend, enabling the use of the
Figure 10. An Inner City Area of Lahore—Pakistan’s
Second Largest City
The Challenges
Figure 11. A Business District of Karachi—Pakistan’s
Largest and World’s 7th Largest City.
Source: Dawn.com.
Hazir SubKuch
The Concept
The features of Hazir SubKuch were partly
inherited from the Hazir service and the
Yayvo.com venture. Hazir was launched as an
after-hours service for shipment pickups. The
service was advertised on the shutters of the
express centre so that the customers were
aware of the service if they found the centres
closed. The service also offered a one-hour
pickup and delivery window within the main
cities besides the option of time-choice delivery
(delivery at the customer’s specified time).
Yayvo.com, ‘Yay’ meaning ‘this’ and ‘vo’
meaning ‘that’ in Urdu, was a distinct e-retailing
platform not only providing the items listed on
the website, the ‘Yay’ items, but, on request,
sourcing and providing any non-listed item that
could be procured, the ‘vo’ items.
What had initially started as the ‘Vo’ part of
Yayvo.com eventually took the form of Hazir
SubKuch with an added problem-
solving aspect. Let’s position this as the
problem solver. Why are we still thinking just
about the procurement part of things––Mannan.
Mannan and his team were very enthusiastic
about Hazir SubKuch as a service that aimed to
go beyond anything TCS had ever done before.
The idea that anyone, at any point in time, could
get anything they wanted was remarkable for
the team. However, offering to
deliver anything effectively made the demand
unpredictable; what would TCS do if a customer
asked for blood, an organ, alcohol or pork? Was
TCS going to deliver it? On the other hand,
putting restrictions on anything would kill the
concept. After considerable thought and
brainstorming, it was decided that anything halal
and legal could be provided. This still left the
order possibilities wide open and the demand
forecasting difficult. If observed in isolation, it
seemed to be a very challenging product;
however, there was a realization that the other
services that TCS offered complemented Hazir
Subkuch and made it relatively more
manageable. For example, if someone asked
for help to move to a new house, TCS already
had home movers. If someone wanted to get a
bouquet delivered, TCS had Sentiments
Express for that. There was also a concern that
if TCS did not, then Uber and Careem taxi
services,11 having thousands of vehicles
enrolled, could move in this concierge services
domain first.
 TCS’s middle management was also initially
hesitant about the launch as they thought that
the service might not be compatible with the
company’s image. Adeel explained:
A company that took pride in the fact that it was
the largest courier company in Pakistan and
catered to 80–90% of the country’s corporate
sector would now be delivering eggs and
bread, among other things, to households.
Mannan though stressed that this was a new
market, untapped and brimming with
potential. All we need to do is to leverage our
strength and we will be the leaders in the
market—Mannan. Eventually, the entire
management went on with the idea rather firmly
and Hazir SubKuch went into its soft launch.
The Soft Launch
The service was tested within the organization’s
12,000 people and their social circles within the
main cities. Service requests came to the
contact centre through phone calls or mobile
application access. A request was handled by a
service ambassador, who worked out the total
price and the way to meet the requests in
coordination with the operations, business and
international teams. In complicated cases, an
ambassador could consult the teams for costing service. A small-scale marketing campaign ran in
and inform the customer about it later. The
ambassador then contacted and gave the
details to a supervisor who operationalized the
service delivery through his riders by planning
the route, giving directions and tracking. The
hiring of service ambassadors started awhile
back, but its concept fit well with Hazir SubKuch.
Service ambassadors were a level above the
typical call centre operators. They were not just
order-takers per se but could provide
recommendations to customers, for example,
suggesting an anniversary present. They were
selected based on a criterion around general
knowledge, graduation from decent colleges,
etiquettes, teamwork and street smartness. The
ambassadors were paid better than standard
call centre operators.
During the soft launch, TCS gauged that most
requests were for food items. A distinct request
came from a person who was travelling abroad
and wanted to arrange for his daughter’s
birthday. The contact centre team suggested
and arranged a cake and presents, to the
family’s pleasant surprise. There was also a
request in which a person wanted to have an
electronic storage device picked up from his
home, delivered to his office for copying data
and get returned to him at a third location. There
were not many unexpected requests though.
TCS was receiving around 250 orders a day,
engaging ten to twelve contact centre staff
members out of the total ninety. A study was
conducted to help ascertain the optimal and
acceptable price ranges on a sample size of
300 successful surveys.
The word about the service had gotten out during
the soft launch. Many people were aware of the
forms of advertisements on the company’s vans,
express centres and on social media. There was
no reasonable forecast about what the demand
would be after full-fledged marketing.