Interview with Sheshgiri Kamath CEO of Kapture CRM

CRMs or Customer Relationship Management software are specialized tools to assist organizations with lead generation, marketing campaigns and customer support. Several organizations use CRM for better market penetration, understanding customers and forecasting sales. However, most CRMs lack the flexibility, finesse and scalability needed to help organizations take care of their unique needs. 

KaptureCRM is a new-age software that uses the latest technology to assist modern organizations to tackle unique challenges and emerge victoriously. It uses machine learning to automate customer support and provide organizations with a hassle-free experience.

In Conversation with Mr. Sheshgiri Kamath CEO of Kapture CRM

We are elated to have interviewed Mr. S. Kamath, the CEO, and Co-Founder of KaptureCRM, and know about his and his company’s journey so far.

Here’s an excerpt from the interview:

A warm welcome from SoftwareSuggest Mr. Kamath. Our readers are keen to know what prompted you to create Emamgage? Tell us about your journey so far.

Well, back in 2011, I co-founded Kapture CRM along with Pearl Tewari (Vice President) and Vikas Garg (CTO). We were aware of the many problems faced by enterprises in the customer support sector, and we had a solution for it. The three of us were very excited about our new venture as the CRM space was (and still is) brimming with lots of opportunities. Over the years, we’ve got the chance to observe the changing trends in consumer behavior and learn from them. It has been a wonderful, rewarding journey since then. 

As first-generation entrepreneurs, we have faced and overcome quite a few challenges. With a talented team in place, 500+ customers, and 12 countries later, Kapture continues to be the preferred CRM choice among customer-centric enterprises. 

What differentiates you from your competitors, given that CRMs are abundant in the market today?

Yes, there are quite a few players (big ones) in the CRM sector. However, Kapture CRM is a unique, next-generation customer support automation platform powered by advanced technologies such as machine learning. We take pride in paying attention to the needs and requirements of every single client of ours to ensure that they’re getting the best of Kapture CRM. Our dedicated account managers work closely with enterprises to help with the required customizations and configurations.  

How have CRM solutions evolved in the past few decades?

Our integrations with 1000+ commonly used applications and a simple UI also set us apart from our competitors. Kapture CRM’s assisted implementation cycles are quick and efficient. These are just a few of the differentiating factors

With the advent of digital transformation, CRM platforms are fast adapting to changing customer experience trends. CRM solutions are no longer just about ticket management. It is now being leveraged by companies to systemize and optimize customer engagement, data management, and support automation. 

CRM solutions such as Kapture have evolved over the years to understand customers, their needs, and serve them accordingly. Enterprises are increasingly taking advantage of CRMs to forecast customer purchase patterns and ultimately deliver the most delightful customer experiences. 

How has Covid-19 impacted your business, and what is your strategy moving forward in the new normal?

2020 has been a very unusual, adventurous year for us. The widespread outbreak of the pandemic demanded an unprecedented transition to remote work, almost overnight. This has been a crucial time for all of us. Kapture CRM has been helping enterprises around the world to manage their remote sales and support teams without compromising on security or productivity levels. 

We look forward to keeping up with the “new normal” and provide enterprises with all the tools required to build strong relationships with their customers. As times and trends change, we’ll be ready to adapt and improvise. 

KaptureCRM provides solutions based on the industry and organization type. Tell us more about how the customizations work.

Businesses of different sizes across different industries have varied CRM needs. This depends on the customer base, the product, or even specific demographics. We at Kapture take time to understand the business workflow and the requirements of every customer of ours. We then help them take their customer support to the next level by providing them with all the tools they need. 

Enterprises from certain dynamic industries like travel and hospitality require more integrations than the rest, while durable consumer enterprises may require customizations. Kapture takes time to configure the product as per their requirements.

What is the biggest learning you have gained from your journey so far?

Over the years, the team at Kapture has learned the value of customer input and feedback. We can keep up with the constantly changing customer needs and trends because of the insightful input in all these years. 

Another important lesson we have learned is to. In this heavily competitive market, it’s important to focus on the end goal, be open to changes, and get complete clarity on what exactly it is that your enterprise is bringing to the table. 

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs starting out in this field?

A piece of advice I’d like to give young entrepreneurs entering this industry is not to get intimated or overwhelmed by the massive companies in the competition. There is a lot that these behemoths lack that newer CRM enterprises are offering; both in terms of technology and service. 

What is your vision and plan for taking KaptureCRM to greater heights in the next 5 years?

In the next five years, we plan on scaling our operations and expand our presence in additional markets. We already have strong footprints in the Philippines, the US, Singapore, etc. We’d like to expand our presence to other countries with growing CRM needs. 

Furthermore, we are planning to grow our revenue 10x. 

What motivates and strengthens you to keep up with the competition?

The technology that we work with is very impressive. The new capabilities of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) always motivate us to move ahead and figure out new ways of serving customers better. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, the changing trends in consumer behavior helps us look forward to further advancements in the technology we use.

What are your projections for 2021 when it comes to the CRM Software Industry, especially given the COVID-19 situation?

Remote customer support is a massive transformation that has been taking place, and I presume it will continue for a long time. Apart from that, hyper-personalized customer experiences will be a new trend in 2021, in my opinion.