Competence, exposure helps local consultancy company

Harshini Perera

PASS Research and Consultancy Managing Director/ Chairman Samantha S Pathirathna graduated in Agriculture from the Peradeniya University.

Today he caters to the public and private sector in Sri Lanka as well as foreign organizations adopting a totally different form providing training solutions, research solutions and consultancy services to many organizations locally and internationally.

Here are the excerpts of the interview the Daily News Business had with him.

Q: How did you come up with this enterprise?

A: From my childhood I had an intention to start my own company. I realised this in July 1999, when I was studying in my second year at the University. I started a small-scale consultancy service but I could not continue that because I got a Government appointment after my graduation. Later, I shifted my involvement to a implemented project by a University after which I decided to start the company, PASS Research and Consultancy. I initiated operations with an informal support.

Since then our services are in demand by word of mouth. The exclusive feature of our company is that we started our company without reputed lecturers or professors from universities. In consultancy services, professors and lecturers from Universities are the key, but we built our name among locals and foreigners with no involvement of famous lecturers.

Our progress has been solely based on our competence and exposure. We have seen that there is a demand and appreciation for us rather than for lecturers and professors.

Q: As a young entrepreneur what are the challenges you face?

A: At the beginning finance for the company was a challenge. We started the company with informal support but when we continued for three four months we needed much capital.

The company had an impact from the economic recession as many national and international organizations slashed their budget allocations for training programs and development programs. Commercial banks and leasing companies were unable to help us. We have overcome the situation fully today. After the recession we wanted to start our company from scratch and we secured our previous losses within a short period. The economic crisis made us to learn what areas we have to focus in such a crisis situation.

Most of the other consultancy services are in operation as a second source of income whereas ours is the main source of income. The challenge we face is that most of the other consultancy services provide their services at a lesser price than ours. We, being a professional consultancy service have to keep the price much higher than theirs. We have been able to provide at least one training program in each district due to the wide-spread resources we have.

We have conducted training programs for India, Bangladesh, Cambodia and are engaged in a joint venture with Norway. The exposure we received from countries such as USA, UK and Malaysia were advantageous for our growth.

We have been in a critical situation in finding suitable consultants. PASS has only been recruiting graduates as consultants. In Sri Lanka almost all graduates focus on established organizations as their work place. Most of the graduates do not like to login their career in a small company as ours. This has been a challenge for us.

Q: What are the strengths of the company?

A: We have a group of multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural professionals. We have been working closely with foreign expatriates for the operations of our company.

We have adopted innovative tools, techniques, trainings and designing for our clients. We do not copy someone else’s work. The other strength is that our core team is competent, committed and confident in the products delivered to our customers.

We have moved along with the technological advancements in the world. We adopt the newest technologies and resources to deliver a quality product for our customers.

Q: How did you find capital initially?

A: I started the company with a small capital. I applied for a loan but it was very hard to get the loan. Then I had to negotiate with the People’s Bank Chairman on this matter. Later, we received a loan of Rs 300,000.

We did not require a large capital but since we have to be equipped with resources such as books and computers we had to avail ourselves with investments.

Q: What are your aspirations?

A: I grew up in a middle-class family but we had financial difficulties at home. Sometimes, when financial difficulties came up, I always thought of a different solution that could address the situation. I wanted a change to what prevailed. I needed to give new thoughts and do something different and then find a new solution. I always wanted to do things in a better way.

Q: What are the strategies you adopt to enhance the efficiency of your employees?

A: The first thing I do to enhance their efficiency is to give them the assurance that they have the potential. At a certain stage we will be giving them the full responsibility and authority. Meanwhile we encourage them to build their own capacity.

We trust them and we have been able to give them the ownership of the company by absorbing them to the director board of the company. Since we are a small team, we care for them individually. The best way to enhance their efficiency is to treat them personally. It will motivate them in a better way. We work as family.

Q: What is your goal in business?

A: I need to make a change and create new things. The nature of business is the intellectual marketing and to sustain in this one needs to come up with new solutions. Our customers are satisfied with our products and do not comply on recommending our products to any other party.

Q: As a young entrepreneur how do you manage your enterprise?

A: The management of the company has always been a strength for the company.

Every single assignment we undertake is focused with great care and we have been providing customised training programs for our clients through an innovative approach.

We have been keeping the standards for professional consultancy industry that we protect the copyright or strategic information of our clients.

Q: What are your future plans?

A: We are catering to the international market as well. We need to be a global business player. We have already received appreciation from the Asia Pacific region countries and we expect to expand our business to several other countries.

We have a clientele which spreads across large scale to small scale organizations. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Bank of Ceylon, UNDP, ICRC, Small and Medium Enterprises and international universities have been some of our clients.

We have a keen interest in conducting significant contribution to the North and East areas of Sri Lanka. We need to set up a regional branch in Jaffna by early next year. At the moment we are serving the North and Eastern areas successfully.

PASS needs to concentrate on creating a chamber for entrepreneur professionals. We have decided to help all the graduates to start a business in a different way.

Q: What is the support you get from your family members?

A: One of the directors of the company is my wife. We have come to an understanding to separate business from family.

She being a professional has sacrificed her professional development for a period of time with the understanding to take care our only child.

She is very understanding about my busy schedules that become a real corporation.