2. Pudhuaaru KGFS Vol. 1 Issue. 6
OUR MISSION
“To maximize financial well being of every individual and every enterprise by providing
complete financial services in remote rural Thanjavur and Thiruvarur”
Learnings from the field … Awareness levels of existing and potential customers
Sunitha Paithankar, an intern from IFMR, Chennai carried out a customer satisfaction study for
PKGFS as a part of her internship. This article is based on the findings from her study
Duraisamy, Karambayam - A potential customer Rasathi - An existing customer
Duraisamy lives with his mother, wife and 2 sons Rasathi lives with her daughter, son-in-law and 2
aged 4 and 2 respectively. His only source of grandchildren aged 5 and 3. She is the breadwin-
income is from farming. He grows paddy/ ner of the family. She works in fields as a laborer
groundnut/dal/coconut in his farm. His wife is a and does household chores for some people. Her
PKGFS member and has availed a JLG loan. He is son-in-law who has studied till Class 12 is trying to
aware of jewel loans and JLG loans but is not find a job abroad. They live in their own house - a
aware of other services offered at PKGFS. thatched house - and Rasathi is planning to build
Currently he does not have any additional need a better house. She has been a PKGFS customer
but in future he wants to make his children study for almost a year and has availed JLG loan and
well, so he wants to start saving for it. He is happy jewel loan. She has not taken accident insurance.
with the service of PKGFS to his wife and feels that She is aware of all the products and services of-
JLGs are not a problem for him. He is aware that fered by PKGFS. She wants to have a higher credit
customer enrollment can be done free of charge limit so that it will help her to send her son-in-law
but since he does not have any additional need, abroad. She also borrows from local money
he does not want to enroll. lenders at 36-48% for big amounts.
Implications: Here is a potential customer who Implications: Rasathi is also into borrowing money
wants to save but is not fully aware of the from local lenders. Rasathi is the sole breadwinner
products that are being offered at Karambayam and DOES NOT have the accident cover.
Creating much more awareness about the other products besides JLG and Jewel loan is necessary -
described not only by Duraiswamy, but also many others. Furthermore, understanding in detail through
ethnographic studies provides for better understanding of the customers and their needs and also
provides space for new product ideas and development.
I feel that weekly installments are good
An organization which gives loans to women in JLGs
I don’t feel that I’m paying a substantial amount
It would be great if PKGFS conducts some workshop on career options in our village
I relate PKGFS to JLG and Jewel Loans. Is there any other services offered
Other Customer and Non Customer One-liners
I would like to have a higher loan limit than the currently set ceiling
I don’t know that enrollment process can be done free of charge
It also brings in a sense of responsibility in me
I can’t go and register to an unknown person in office
Pudhuaaru KGFS, II Floor, No.66/2999, No.1, Trichy Main Road, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu-613 007
3. Pudhuaaru KGFS Vol. 1 Issue. 6
The study was a quantitative research that The study focused on the awareness of the
lasted for more than a couple of months in- products offered by PKGFS, the degree of
volving as many as 252 respondents responsiveness of WMs to customer queries,
(customers and non customers) – both at the the waiting time at the branches and product/
branches and the villages in the service areas. service awareness and requirements of
customers.
Please find below the findings in a tabular form.
Questions Count of YES Count of NO Some
Are you aware of all the Products of KGFS ? 145 20 87
Were your queries answered properly by the WMs ? 252 0 0
Are you made to wait for a long time at the branch ? 8 213 31
Recommend KGFS to neighbor ? 244 1 7
Avail new KGFS facilities again ? 239 0 13
Experience with Pudhuaaru KGFS Services availed @ Pudhuaaru KGFS
0.00
40.00 300
239
95.00 250 217
200
152
150
117.00 100
50
3
0
Excellent Very Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
JLG Jewel Loan MMMF PAI
Pudhuaaru KGFS, II Floor, No.66/2999, No.1, Trichy Main Road, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu-613 007
4. Pudhuaaru KGFS Vol. 1 Issue. 6
Happy Birthday Pudhuaaru KGFS
One year after the first branch of PKGFS was In this issue, we have focused on the first
launched, we have attempted to come up with a Anniversary celebrations at our Karambayam
write-up that showcases KGFS’ dedication to its branch and attempted to get a brief insight on
mission and its contribution to inclusive growth. how PKGFS has transformed the lives of our
WMs and more importantly the customers
1st June 2008, Karambayam Branch
The people who took all the effort in
setting up this first branch of KGFS at
Karambayam, Thanjavur
Customers queue up the Karambayam
branch on the day of inauguration of
KGFS’ first branch at Thanjavur
A week long celebration - June 2009
On 1st June '09 Pudhuaaru KGFS stepped into The Prizes were distributed by the Wealth
its second year of operations. The first anniver- Managers (WMs) of Karambayam branch, in
sary celebrations held from 1st to 6th June 09 the presence of the School Principals,
started off by greeting the customers with Teachers & PKGFS team.
sweets when they walked into the Karambayam
branch (1st branch of PKGFS). On 6th June '09, a celebration was specially
organized for the PKGFS employees wherein the
The anniversary celebrations continued by in- first five employees of PKGFS were felicitated.
volving the local community and conducting This celebration had all employees assembling
drawing competitions at four panchayat union at a marriage hall located close to the head
primary schools around Karambayam branch on office of PKGFS @ Tanjore. The celebrations be-
4th & 5th June ‘09. The competition saw as gan with a sumptuous lunch, followed by a wel-
many as 400 primary school students from the come address by the CEO. The afternoon then
rural community participate enthusiastically. saw a lot of events, games and loads of fun. One
The bubbling school children who stood out of the Wealth Managers Suresh (Black Belt)
with their drawings were awarded school-bags exhibited his talent in Karate by performing
& certificates and all students were given a some extraordinary stunts along with his
pencil, eraser, sharpener & Crayons. students.
Pudhuaaru KGFS, II Floor, No.66/2999, No.1, Trichy Main Road, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu-613 007
5. Pudhuaaru KGFS Vol. 1 Issue. 6
One year of hard work, One year of empowerment, One year of pride & One year of fun ...
Pudhuaaru KGFS, II Floor, No.66/2999, No.1, Trichy Main Road, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu-613 007
7. Pudhuaaru KGFS Vol. 1 Issue. 6
IFMR Rural Finance lending a hand to SEWA
Very recently, IFMR Rural Finance embarked the products, processes and technology
on a knowledge sharing session and under- involved.
took for the first time a training program for
SEWA Gram Mahila Haat, an external group Furthermore, the visiting team was shown a
from Gujarat, about KGFS at the Pudhuaaru live demonstration at the Model branch, on
KGFS Head Office. Incase if you are wondering how things work at the local branches thus
who or what is SEWA, please read through; enabling them to get a first-hand feel at the
grassroots level.
SEWA is a trade union registered in 1972.
These are women who earn a living through Inspired by the learnings and with keenness
their own labor or small businesses. They are about KGFS only increasing by the day, the
the unprotected labor force of our country. visiting team returned to Gujarat with a
SEWA’s main goals are to organize women resolve to share the knowledge and experi-
workers for full employment. SEWA organizes ence they had gained with their team. The
women to be self reliant and by self-reliance training was provided by Chandrachudan V,
they mean that women should be autono- Kanak and Arun Vats.
mous and self-reliant, individually and
collectively, both economically and in terms of
their decision-making ability.
For more info: visit (www.sewa.org)
The training which lasted for 2 weeks was
provided in Hindi and covered topics on the
KGFS business model. The focus was mainly
on the mission and operations strategy in pur-
suit of the former, the organization structure,
the HR policies along with a small talk on the
exclusive training and development practices
Pudhuaaru KGFS, II Floor, No.66/2999, No.1, Trichy Main Road, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu-613 007
8. Pudhuaaru KGFS Vol. 1 Issue. 6
Leading from the front
I have worked in 4 branches of the bank, in-
cluding the challenging International Banking
Division. My primary experience is in Retail
operations covering all areas of branch
banking. When CUB implemented Core
Mr. Balaji C Banking solution, I was entrusted with
COO, Pudhuaaru KGFS
overseeing the work in our branch and the
“I am a Commerce graduate from University entire operations was carried out smoothly.
Of Calcutta. I worked briefly in a textile unit My last assignment was as second in charge of
before joining City Union Bank (hereon re- Tiruppur branch one of the major revenue
ferred as CUB) in the year 1992. generating branches of CUB.”
The Pudhuaaru KGFS Team
We love to hear from you ! Write to us at pkgfsnewsletter@gmail.com
Coming up ... In the next issue ...
PKGFS Grows - A special focus on the new branches opened and the proposed expansion.
Recruitment, Training and Development in full swing - A process study.
Standardization - Short term objective for a long term dream run.
A branch story - Karambayam.
One year of change - Discussions with the first set of customers. and much more ...
Pudhuaaru KGFS, II Floor, No.66/2999, No.1, Trichy Main Road, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu-613 007
