But that was just the beginning. Lahiry's grasp of the subject and his technical understanding of intricate design issues impressed both the Indian management and its Korean collaborators (S K Telecom and Samsung). He was sent for advanced training in paging technology overseas and was subsequently rated as outstanding in two of the three appraisals that he had in DSS. Today, Lahiry is working as senior general manager (Projects) and is recognised as one of the few outstanding paging technology experts in the country.

Such examples of extraordinary growth within the company is not uncommon at DSS Mobile Communications Ltd, providers of the Mobilink paging services. Says PraveenKumar, managing director of DSS, `'We consider people as our best raw material. Training our manpower and their career enhancement is a way of life at DSS.'' Anjali Pawaskar, senior marketing executive, couldn't agree more. Pawaskar was a front office assistant at Hotel Holiday Inn at Mumbai. During one of the company programmes at the hotel, she was spotted by the HR manager and offered a job at Mobilink, Mumbai, in the customer care department.

Impressed by her performance, the company shifted her to the pre-sales section within a year. As the location head noted her flair for creative work, she was then transferred to the marketing department and today she is a senior marketing executive. All this has taken her just under three years.

Hariharan, senior manager (Sales), would also affirm what the MD says has some substance. He joined the company in March 1995 as deputy manager (Sales) at Hyderabad. In just three years since then, he has received three promotions besides being sent for training at XLRI.To his credit was a superlative performance in achieving a very high market share as well as the best realisation of dues among all the regions of the country. As a result of the excellent growth opportunities in the company, the average turnover rate is around 4.25 per cent. At the staff level the attrition is 2 per cent and at the executive level, it is slightly over 2.3 per cent.

Training is also a major component in the company's strategy. Says Kumar, `'At Mobilink, training is perceived as the most critical intervention as in a service industry like ours people are the only raw material and customer delight is the only acid test.'' The total expenditure on training at DSS in 1997-98 drives home Kumar's point.

Typically, identification of training needs is done through performance appraisal forms. The company has incorporated a separate section in the appraisal format, which provides for a detailed need assessment and this becomes a primary input for design and conduct of the training event. Afterthe appraisal process is over, a comprehensive analysis of the training needs is made and training strategy is formulated.

Functional training in the company is organised on a need basis. Whenever there is technology upgradation or new products are introduced or new procedures are introduced, training is organised.

Behavioural training is conducted in the areas of team development, interpersonal effectiveness and leadership development. Around 60 per cent of DSS's workforce consists of young boys and girls with average age group of around 22 and they are mostly matriculates with some diploma in operating computers. The motivation and morale at the middle level of management is extremely critical, as it is this layer which provides for continuity and future leaders. The company has a fairly objective system of obtaining both the qualitative and quantitative data on the performance of the officers. It is this input that forms the basis for promotion and career progression in the company. `'We alsoconsciously try to communicate to all that promotion is not the be-all-and-end-all for them. The promising officers are provided lateral experience and sometimes cross-functional exposure,'' points out Kumar.

The company has also instituted some `Centres of Excellence' across different locations and are also consciously developing regional experts who perform the role of regional troubleshooting and mentoring. DSS has also initiated a comprehensive employee satisfaction survey as a planned operational development intervention, which serves as a diagnostic tool to find out various areas of concern of its employees.