By Business & Finance 
Target Integration CEO Rohit Thakral takes the Business & Finance 60-second challenge.
Q. What was your first job?
After I finished my Diploma in Electronics Engineering from Pusa Polytechnic in New Delhi, I was selected at a campus interview to work for RT Outsourcing Services, which provides customer support and hardware repair services for Hewlett Packard and Compaq computers.
After I finished my degree in Electronics Engineering from Dublin Institute of Technology, my first job in Ireland was in Data Edge as a product specialist of telecom test equipment.
This is where the professional journey in Ireland started.
Q. What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date?
Professionally, Target Integration has sales offices in three countries and development centres in Dublin, Patras (Greece) and Gurgaon (India).
This is something beyond what I could have expected when we started Target Integration and it gives me great satisfaction of achievement.
But with every achievement, there is always a greater target to achieve.
Personally, I was fortunate enough to marry a girl who understands me very well and is the biggest supporter in helping me make important decisions when it comes to life or business.
Q. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
The best piece of advice was to join the Plato programme, which came from one of my friends who introduced me to Marion Walshe who manages the Dublin programme.
The programme included monthly meetings with facilitators from Microsoft and Pfizer.
It helped me understand how larger organisations were addressing the issues that SMEs face.
Q. In three words or less, how do you define success?
Enjoy the journey.
Q. In three words or less, how do you define success?
Enjoy the journey.
Q. If you could step into the shoes of one business person for the day, who would it be and why?
Richard Branson. The man has charisma and presentation skills which every business owner should possess. He also thinks out of the box, like a toddler, who looks at every problem as an opportunity and jumps upon it.
Whether it comes to starting a new business or buying another business, he is always the forerunner.
Q. How do you motivate yourself and your staff?
I believe in leading by example. I lead by doing it first myself, from delivering sales targets to taking care of my customers. This productive leadership approach motivates the team and, in turn, motivates me to reach higher goals.
Q. How do you relax?
If you had asked 1.5 years ago, I would have said, meditation. But now I have a son and spending the evening and weekends with him is my best relaxation exercise. I also do a couple of radio shows on Dublin City FM and I love listening to music.
Q. What’s your motto?
What you become is the result of your thoughts. So always think positive.
Q. What are your aspirations for the future of your business?
Target Integration has been delivering CRM and ERP implementation services to clients from as far as Houston in US and Yokohama in Japan. But the growth plan in 2017 is for Ireland and UK market. The short term plan is to develop our partnership with Odoo, Microsoft, SAP, Zoho and CloudYogi further and deliver enhanced value to businesses that are exporting or importing in the country.
As a long term plan, we will look at growing in the Indian market further. The Indian market is slow at delivering results, but it is a growth market and something to keep a close eye on.
But with every achievement, there is always a greater target to achieve
BACK OF THE NET
Target Integration is a leading CRM/ERP implementation and support provider in Ireland.
It is the only partner for Odoo ERP in Ireland and also works with Microsoft Dynamics 365 as well as SAP Business One range of products.
Target Integration has worked with AIB, Colliers International, Mazars, Credit Union Development Association (CUDA) in the Irish market, as well as a number of SMEs in both UK and Ireland, providing them business solutions of choice.
