Infosys = Info-nothing

I had expected our visit to the Infosys campus to be one of the highlights of the trip. It was not. While the other companies we have visited showed us great hospitality and provided us with insights about their companies, Infosys did not. The campus, itself, is impressive, with its swimming pool, movie theatre, bowling alley, etc. The afternoon started off with a short propaganda film about the company that really didn't tell us anything about what they do or how they do it. Within five minutes of being seated, I knew this was going to be a waste of time. The company spokesperson has only been with Infosys for two years, and before that he was in the military for decades, so how they could expect him to be well informed about business and competition is beyond me. And it was evident that he was naive in the business world when he was asked who the company's primary competitors are, and he stated arrogantly that they didn't believe they had any competition. Oh brother! That is the first sign of someone not knowing what they are talking about and not knowing the industry. It is also a good way for companies to get bitten in the ass, because they are so arrogant about their success, they forget that there are competitors out there that are plotting to overthrow them in the marketplace.

He kept talking about the company core values and how everyone that works there really lives by them, but again, when asked to explain what they are, he either blew off the question or refused to answer it. I was so disenchanted I didn't ask a single question. And for me, that is not normal!

I believe he said they currently have 85,000 employees and do about $3 billion a year in business. These numbers don't impress me. In comparison, the company I work for does about the same amount of business with only 15,000 employees. To me it says that Infosys is highly inefficient in managing its operating costs. And even though the costs of labor are very low in India, the company could be more profitable if it were run more efficiently. He also stated that they are going to hire 30,000 people over the next year. You have got to be kidding me. Maybe that is why they are hiring military people to manage parts of the company - because they need people that can run the show inefficiently and won't take any guff from disgruntled employees.

I had hoped we would learn how the company got its start and was able to break into the global marketplace so successfully. None of that was shared with us. I know that the world going flat is what made it possible for Infosys to become a powerhouse, but the company reminds me of companies after World War II, that were growing quickly, for which employees had to sacrifice their personal beliefs and values in order to catch a ride on board the success train. History repeats itself.