January 5, 2024

In September last year, Ajay Kalra, Branch Manager, Mapusa branch, achieved a big feat, he and his team were behind the highest ever DP asset transfer in our Goa region. They not only acquired a new client and but also transferred the client’s assets from the latter’s former brokers. It was not easy to even meet the client to explain the benefits of opening account with Sharekhan but Ajay and his team persevered and obtained an appointment after rigorous follow-ups. The client, a doctor by profession and active in the stock market for nearly four decades, transferred assets worth Rs.156 crore and started trading immediately with an initial margin of Rs.35 lakh. The team is now following up with him for transferring more shares worth Rs.3-10 crore and cash margin. The record still stands in the region and the achievement must be shared. So here is Ajay’s success story in his own words.

Internal Communications Team (ICT): How does it feel to be nominated in the Sharekhan Success Stories?

Ajay Kalra: It feels really awesome. I thank almighty god for blessing me with the opportunity to achieve the feat and to share my story with the rest of the Sherus.

ICT: Tell us a little more about your achievement.

AK: One day the client visited our branch to know about Sharekhan’s services, account opening process etc. I attended to him and explained the benefits of trading with Sharekhan. I was simply struck silent when the client told me that his portfolio was worth Rs.156 crore. At that moment, I decided I would not rest until I had won him over and transferred his portfolio to Sharekhan.

After the first meeting, it was tough getting in touch with him again as he was not responding to our calls due to personal commitments. After many sleepless nights and continuous follow-ups, one morning I decided to send a WhatsApp message to the client, stating that we would meet him that evening to complete the account opening process and take the relationship forward. Fortunately, the strategy worked. The client responded with a big “yes” and on a late rainy evening that very week, Senior Relationship Manager (RM) Arpita Gore and I visited him and completed the account opening formalities.

Once the account was opened, we gave him a copy of the client master list so that he could share the same with his other brokers, Kotak Securities and Religare Broking, to close his accounts with them and transfer his assets to Sharekhan. It took some time to transfer the shares as the client got busy again and was not reachable. But we continued to follow up with him politely. Then, one day the client called and confirmed he had submitted the documents and that his assets would be transferred to Sharekhan in a few days. I remember I was in hospital on September 30, 2023 when I just thought of checking if the assets had been transferred and lo and behold! Assets worth Rs.156 crore had indeed been transferred to Sharekhan! I had to count the figures several times to make sure it all added up to Rs.156 crore. We had finally clinched the deal and carried out the biggest asset transfer in the history of Sharekhan’s Mapusa branch. It was also the biggest deal of my career.

ICT: Did you face any challenges? If yes, how did you overcome them?

AK: Yes, sure, we encountered quite a few challenges but I am happy to say that we overcame them all, thanks to a collaborative effort and the right approach. We placed complete trust in the client at the time of onboarding him. He was a high-profile client with aggressive thinking and his assets were worth crores. Our approach was positive all the time and we were very clear in our communications. We also assigned a senior RM to him for quick and fast account opening. Lastly, we made sure he is always serviced by either the Branch Manager or a senior RM.

We are very grateful to our Zonal Head Anahita Vora, and Group Head, Satyarth Pandit, as we couldn’t have done this without their support. Apart from the above business, we are expecting from the client more business in future including additional margin, brokerage and, as part of diversification, mutual fund investments.

ICT: Your message to Sherus?

AK: Sharekhan, its clients, its Business Partners and its staff, all are highly blessed. Sherus rock, we can achieve whatever we set our mind to.

If you too have a success story to tell, please write to us at priya@sharekhan.com.