Dhananjay - Personal Touch To Every Deal

Born to an advocate couple, Dhananjay believed that he was the chosen one to give a different direction to his family profession. With a brother and a sister already settled in the US, Dhananjay had other ideas. He wanted to establish his identity in the PC market. "I always wanted to be on my own and make it big with my own ideas. Starting a business of my own was the answer," says

Dhananjay.

His ambition to start a business took shape when he worked with the Bangalore-based The Computer Point as the branch manager. Here, he got his first view of the IT world - a world that attracted him from the very first moment. When he was still with The Computer Point, he came in touch with Moses Lawrence who was managing the company’s branch at

Chennai.

When Dhananjay discussed his plan of venturing out into his own business with Moses, the latter showed a keen interest. Pooling their determination and hardwork, Dhananjay and Moses created their own market value while working for The Computer Point.

The duo decided to venture into IT retailing in 1989 with an investment of Rs 70,000. Thus was born Computer Factory at Chennai with two guys who were determined to succeed and five helping hands. The name ‘Computer Factory’ was inspired by the successful stores of the same name in the US which Dhananjay and his friend came across while on a tour there.

Shiva PC, which was the hottest product in the market then, was the first PC that they dealt with until the company shut shop. Along with Shiva PC, Dhananjay also witnessed PCL and Unicorp, which were branded as the top PC manufacturers at that time, folding up their businesses.

It was then that Dhananjay decided to try his luck at PC manufacturing. With the brand CFDiscovery, Dhananjay wanted to make his mark in the PC market. "Our computers are manufactured at a state-of-the-art factory in Pondicherry, where each system goes through a 24 hour burn-in process and is tested for its reliability to ensure that it gives problem-free performance," says he.

CFDiscovery gradually gained popularity as it offered quality performance and was competitively priced. Its main competitors were the national brands as well as the gray market PCs. Within a short duration of its launch, CFDiscovery sidelined competitors and became a hot item in the market.

The success in the PC venture boosted the promoters’ confidence and they decided to venture into peripherals, networking and software marketing. They now have a committed and dedicated team of 70 people. But even though the number of employees has increased over the year, Dhananjay makes it a point to take personal interest in each and every member of his team. "He treats us as a part of his own family," says one of his employees. "His faith in us is a big motivating factor. We are sure that Computer Factory, with Dhananjay at the helm, would reach greater heights."

The customers of Computer Factory are a satisfied lot. Says one of them; "We are loyal to Computer Factory because of their services and their hospitality. We do not have any complaints. Even the technical problems are attended to promptly."

Within a decade, Dhananjay has been able to spread his wings from Chennai to Bangalore, Pondicherry and Hyderabad. Plans are afoot to open a branch of Computer Factory in Mumbai shortly. The company registered a turnover of Rs 8 crore last year. "I’m targeting Rs 12 crore this year, which I’m very confident of achieving," says

Dhananjay.

Over the years, Computer Factory has entered the maintenance business. Today, the company maintains over 100 LANs and over 4,000 computer systems. It has networked over 40,000 nodes.

Within the astute and dedicated businessman lives a lover of music, an avid reader and an affectionate and caring father. When not at work, Dhananjay loves to spend his time with his son or play guitar or organ. Those around him had their glimpse of his passion for music when he released his first album.

Computer Factory is now poised for an exponential growth. The board of directors who include Dhananjay, V Radhakrishnan and Moses Lawrence want to spearhead this. Plans include an IPO within 12-15 months down the line, as well as business growth through software exports and turnkey solutions.

A CI Report

from Bangalore