Esconet unveils aggressive business plans for 2023 and beyond

Esconet Technologies, based out of India’s capital Delhi is a leading system integrator in the IT infrastructure, cloud computing, managed services and data security sectors. Esconet is well-poised to be recognised as one of the best, technically equipped partner with ethical business practices in the India’s enterprise technology space says Santosh Agarwal, MD & Founder, Esconet. My dream is to have Esconet rated with an NPS of 95+, adds Santosh as he accentuates on the business climate, technology landscape and future outlook, for Esconet and the IT industry at large.

Here are edited excerpts from the interview with Santosh

Question:

As we step into year 2024, what are the new challenges for CIOs and IT decision makers across India Inc.?

Santosh:

From a Systems Integrators and Service Provider’s view, we see the immediate challenges for CIOs and IT decision makers in India

• Containing and taming Cyber Security Threats: This has been a constant challenge for IT decision makers for quite some time now and the focus on Cyber Security is growing due to Increase in sophisticated ransomware attacks. The concern becomes large due to new privacy laws and CERT-IN guidelines for business in India.
• Cloud Optimisation: Over the last two or three years, there has been a significant increase in the number of companies that have rushed to the cloud. Companies which chose the ‘lift and shift’ route are now finding themselves unable to take full advantage of everything the cloud has to offer. Moreover, many CFOs of companies have started questioning the ever growing large amount of spend on the Cloud Services.
• Balancing Innovation with Stability: Balancing the need for innovation with the need for stability is a challenge that many CIOs and IT leaders are facing. And it’s a constant challenge, which, many forward-thinking CIOs and CTOs are able to strike the balance and edge out competition.

Question:

What do Indian organisations expect from technology partners like yourself? How has Esconet scaled in terms of customer acquisitions, verticals focus and team alignment in past few months?

Santosh:

Customers and CIOs are expecting technology partners to provide innovative solutions strategic consultations, and manage vendor/OEM relationships. They also want to keep themselves secured and compliant as well as help the customer maintain security and compliance. Of course, they want team Esconet to provide efficient implementation and support, and engage in long term Partnerships.

Esconet has gone aggressive in the Government, PSU and education space since 2022. In fact we are receiving a lot of traction for high-end servers specifically for AI and ML workloads from the higher-education segment. We are also focussing on BaaS and DRaaS with small and mid-market customers through it’s subsidiary Zeacloud Services which helps customers to reduce costs and still protect their data against cyber threats.

Question:

You have been in the industry for over two decades and there has been lot of technology churn happening. What are the top three tech trends you foresee in 2024 and why ?

Santosh:

Generative AI shall be the most trending technology in 2024, and it will be game changer. We are already witnessing a preview of the same as AI will definitely change the way workforce is supposed to work in offices and business. We should witness new trends in edge computing as customers who have got used to public clouds are repatriating from public clouds but still want pay as you go model for various financial reasons and data security. AI and ML shall also compel customers to deploy edge computing for faster decision making and cost effectiveness. ‘Sustainable Technology’ trend is driven by the increased awareness and need for environmentally friendly practices in the tech industry, as it includes everything from energy-efficient hardware and servers to software designed to minimize carbon footprint.

Question:

Which are the new products, services and solutions that Esconet is focusing on in next few years and why?

Santosh:

HexaData is our own brand and hence our major focus is converting it into an established brand in the market. In fact we are getting a lot of attention on the same from many customers due to a very high demand on AI & ML enabled hardware and frameworks. Besides other products and solutions from various OEMs, Esconet shall focus on Cisco Security products like Umbrella and Duo which offer some unique features at very reasonable prices versus competing vendors.

Esconet is also focussing largely on managed services on Security, Network and Infrastructure due to availability of in-house skills, profitability and it also leads to new customers’ acquisition.

Question:

Enlist your major goals - professional and personal - for Esconet in 2024?

Santosh:

As a promoter of the company my personal goals are very much aligned with the company’s goals which includes financial growth and debt reduction, market expansion through geo-expansion, new customers’ acquisition, new partnerships and innovative product and service offerings.

I am a firm believer of nurturing a positive and productive work environment and hence invest in employee training and development to ensure that the team is equipped with the skills needed to excel in the rapidly evolving technology landscape, becomes a must.

Another goal is to prioritize customer satisfaction and retention as we continue to implement strategies to enhance the customer experience, gather feedback, and address any issues promptly.

Question:

How can your OEM partners like Dell, VMware, Cisco to name a few help your company grow faster? How do you want Esconet to be recognised in the India’s enterprise technology space ?

Santosh:

Esconet expects OEM partners to offer cutting edge technology and innovative products, better low-cost/subsidised trainings and certifications and maintain partner’s profitability in large deals. And its an ongoing process with all our OEMs.

My dream is to get Esconet to the space where customers can say we are working with one of the best, technically equipped partner with ethical business practices. We want Esconet to be rated with an NPS of 95+ by mid-2024.