Driving Digital Value Beyond Borders! | Prabhu [PK] Karunakaran | Exterprise
Prabhu [PK] Karunakaran is a pragmatic leader who believes in servant-leadership and strives to lead by example. PK is extremely empathetic towards his coworkers, which allows him to look through the lens of others’ situations to define their strengths and understand their perspective. He is quick to recognize excellence and awards team members for their contribution towards client satisfaction and organizational growth. With teams in multiple time zones, PK works round the clock to collaborate with his colleagues and is available regardless of his busy schedule.
Being a risk-taker himself, PK encourages and motivates budding entrepreneurs to get out of their comfort zone, take calculated risks, and positively impact the community. He spends time with young talent to understand their passion and offers ideas and resources to execute their goals. PK has invested in startup companies in different fields such as technology, mental wellness, and home remodeling services.
PK has learned many lessons over the years when he worked for his first employer for 9 years and after going into his own business in 2009. Before Exterprise, PK built and had successful exits at two companies that focused on technology and outsourced services. “Whether we work for someone or work for ourselves, always remember that we work for our customers, colleagues, and our families. It is a common misconception that we do not have to answer anyone if we run our own business. We always need to answer our customers, and we must be answerable to ourselves at the end of the day,” says PK.
Delivering Unique Solutions for Positive Business Outcomes
Exterprise (http://www.exterprise.us/) was founded in 2015 to make US-based organizations more efficient and cost-effective by extending their operations/service delivery to teams in India and Central America. Exterprise offers an ideal blend of on-shore, off-shore, and near-shore delivery capabilities.
With teams in the US, India, Honduras, and Eastern Europe, Exterprise has reached 350 plus employees and has been growing steadily. Exterprise’s focus areas include:
- Enterprise Service Management solutions built on the ServiceNow platform
- Digital Transformation solutions
- Technology-enabled services for Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management, Records/Data Processing for County Government, Oil and Gas, Financial Services, and other industries
Exterprise believes in Continuous Process Improvement. We have deployed AI (Artificial Intelligence), and ML (Machine Learning) based technologies and digital workflows to increase the efficiency of our processes and solutions. Exterprise will continue to invest in technology that will make our workforce more productive, directly contributing to our customer success. We also use the latest messaging and communication technologies to connect people across the globe.
Evolving with Time
During the pandemic, Exterprise launched the V2E – Virtual Employee Empowerment program. Exterprise recognizes the importance of ensuring that employees maintain good health and safeguard from contracting and spreading the Coronavirus. “We launched our proven V2E program to enable continuous delivery of our client services, while keeping our teams safe. We provided best-in-class hardware, software, and tools to enable employees to work from home efficiently. We implemented remote monitoring capabilities to measure employee productivity. We offered counselling sessions and at home entertainment for employees and their families,” says PK.
When asked about competition, PK said “Competition is what drives us and makes us better in what we do. We also see competitors as our partners as we genuinely believe there is enough business out there, especially in the ServiceNow ecosystem.” Exterprise has been open to partnering with other ServiceNow implementation partners and has established relationships with few of them. The company is constantly looking for talent and makes sure the resources have access to needed training and certifications. Exterprise also focuses on industry-specific knowledge as it helps them better position their story and drive tangible business outcomes for the customers.
Enabling customer trust is extremely critical in their business. The company’s SOC II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and other regulatory certifications further validate its credibility. Operating in different continents in multiple shifts allows them to deliver services round the clock at competitive commercial models.
“Relationship is the magic word for us, and we strive to build a professional and healthy relationship with both customers and colleagues. In the end, delivering on promises is the most crucial factor. It is no longer about the US or even a global economy, it is about creating a digital economy,” says PK.
Towards the Future
Exterprise helps several organizations streamline their processes and generate more revenues. Their technology platform and services have rapidly increased success rates and improved employee experience.
With their ServiceNow practice, Exterprise helps companies with their digital transformation journey. They have implemented omnichannel enterprise service management solutions that helps improve customer satisfaction, employee experience, and operational excellence.
Exterprise’s current focus is to grow the ServiceNow practice and expand their BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) services. PK added, “We are hiring people across all locations with skills in all the core ServiceNow products such as IT Service/Operations/Asset Management, Customer Service Management, Field Service Management, Security, and the Platform in general.”
The company has partnered with New Apprenticeship (NEW) in building early-career ServiceNow talent throughout the U.S. The partnership will utilize Exterprise’s leadership in ServiceNow implementation and NEW’s curriculum and talent development knowledge to train new talent in the marketplace to become leaders in the tech space. Apprentices in this program will benefit from the collaborative expertise and gain access to hands-on experience with ServiceNow. Exterprise will guide learners in executing implementation and help equip them for a successful apprenticeship and future career in tech. Over 400 apprentices have been onboarded to the program so far.
“One of PK’s most used phrases is “It is ok to fail! Failures teach us valuable lessons that make us stronger, sharper, and wiser.” “