A philanthropist, a life coach, a multi-millionaire – CEO of AM Infoweb, India’s leading Health Information Management Outsourcing company, Mr. Ali Merchant is a name to reckon with. He is a firm believer in personal and corporate ethics and has built an empire on the foundation of his strong ethics. Being a busy man, we consider ourselves fortunate to have had the opportunity to interview Mr. Merchant. Considering his strong predisposition with business ethics, we decided to get a firsthand account of how Ali Merchant perceives ethics and its bond with success.
How do you perceive the importance of ethics in the business world?
“What is a business after all? It’s the interaction between people for mutual benefit. People like to deal with people and not robots, irrespective of the extent of the ongoing digitalization. Unlike humans, robots often do not have spontaneous discretionary wisdom. It takes a person to judge another person in terms of ethical compatibility. And what is ethical compatibility but sharing similar values? The humane aspect of business can never be discounted and as long as this is the case, ethics will matter.” We agreed, he couldn’t have said better.
What is the relation between ethics and branding?
He says, “The industry is known for its shrewdness and hence, it’s unforgiving nature making it beyond impossible to rebuild a tarnished image from scratch. Your reputation is the precise definition of your brand. How others perceive you and your organization creates a form of a bubble that floats around the industry. This bubble is safe as long as you work with integrity. The moment you become vulnerable to any form of unethical behavior and lose your hard-earned trust, the bubble breaks and everybody knows. Now, who would intentionally want to get embroiled in a scandal when there’s so much at stake? So, in a way, your ethics have a huge impact on your brand.
Would you share pointers for employers in this context?
Mr. Merchant obliged, “I have noticed, no amount of competence, motivation or top-notch infrastructure works without ethics. Among a multitude of well-deserving competitors, how can you ensure to be the first choice of your clients? Clients will always seek ethically strong businesses to associate with because they know the level of transparency and integrity that will be a part of all interactions. This earns their trust and loyalty. Even within an organization, with an ethical system in place to protect employee rights, faster decision-making, and dedication towards work become the norm. This is a great way to earn long-term business relationships and the security of a sustainable ROI. Isn’t it the goal of every business?” Absolutely to the point!
We are truly impressed with the kind of insights Ali Merchant has shared and also with his humility in being kind enough to elaborate in layman’s terms for the wider benefit of all reading this article. He is truly inspiring! Know More: www.alimerchant.me
