To those on the outside, the role of a product manager is somewhat elusive. They are positioned at the intersection of technology and business, with a fundamental responsibility to prioritize the customer's needs above all else. Satisfying the customer is the key to reaching business goals. Deep Nishar, Vice President of Products at LinkedIn, said, "A great product manager has the brain of an engineer, the heart of a designer, and the speech of a diplomat."
For expert product manager Manoj Suryadevara, finding the balance amongst it all is what keeps the work so interesting. With more than ten years in the business, he has experience in every facet of the job. He studied to be an engineer, earning his bachelor's degree in electronics and communication. He then completed his master's degree in software engineering at the University of Houston, which became the launch pad for his impressive career working with US-based companies.
In his current position with retail giant Walmart, Manoj is the driving force behind the strategy and vision for new and mature products. From inception to completion, he oversees application and data product initiatives. Thanks to his wealth of knowledge and experience, he has effectively utilized the company's massive intake of data to strategize and iterate products and services more effectively, leading to a significant increase in annual incremental value.
More specifically, his work with customer data has helped to create personalization and segmentation for the company. This means more personalized marketing campaigns, product recommendations, and more effective customer service interactions. These data products also facilitate predictive modeling and churn analysis, allowing Walmart to be more strategic about future campaigns and targets. Behind the scenes, warehouse management and store operations have also improved thanks to a more robust understanding of space usage and stock. His work has even led to fraud prevention and reductions in invalid returns by helping to identify customers who abuse the system. The reality is that Manoj's data products and analysis have led to improvements in every business sector.
Prior to his work with Walmart, Manoj Suryadevara brought his talent to some of the world's biggest corporations - American Express, Expedia Group, and AT&T - to name a few. Not only did he enhance the B2B products for each company, he also transformed the affiliate program at AT&T, thanks to his understanding of the marketing trends and his expertise in automating mundane manual processes.
His perfect product recipe
Once the initial idea for a product is born, product development must always begin with research. This is how a company can evaluate its target customer and market and understand its competitors. When asked about his approach to product management, Manoj first emphasizes the importance of a product strategy: "A product strategy is not a one-time activity but an ongoing process that evolves as [the] product and market evolves. It's imperative to keep refining the product strategy and staying focused on customers and goals, enabling a thorough and solid foundation to create a winning product."
Once this foundational blueprint is established, the team has a clear direction and focus. Next, the product development stage requires decisiveness, as it is essential to prioritize the most important features for your minimum viable product (MVP). According to Manoj, priority should be given to aspects most impactful for both the client and the business goals, particularly creating incremental revenue. From there, execution is more streamlined, and product testing can begin as soon as possible. With early testing and feedback from real customers, there is clarity and insight into necessary improvements. The sooner in the process of development that an issue is detected, the more simple it is to address.
He adds: "Another way to streamline the product development journey is to use the right tools. There are many tools available that can help manage the product backlog, conduct customer research, create wireframes and more. By selecting the right tools for the process, repetitive tasks can be automated, and work can be done more efficiently."
Lastly, as an expert product manager, Manoj has found an approach to leadership rooted in collaboration and communication. Working with a solid and multi-talented team, he takes the initiative to step up proactively and push the product forward when needed. However, more often than not, his strategy is to provide support and step back so that his team members can focus on their best work.
Passion beyond the office
Manoj is SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) certified and is also a certified Scrum Master (CSM). In 2022, he completed his certification as a Scrum Product Owner (CSPO). As an industry leader, he serves as an advisory board member for Dev Network, mentoring new and budding product managers. He is also a thought leader and mentor with 3AI, India's largest platform for AI and analytics leaders and professionals. He has served as a judge for some prestigious business awards, including the 2022 Globee Awards, the 2022 CODiE Awards, and the Stevie Awards. He is passionate about nurturing the next generation of product leaders and enjoys publishing his insights on Medium. Furthermore, he has also been the recipient of several esteemed awards, including the 2023 Nationwide Award for Most Prominent Industry Professional, as well as the IARC's Business Leader of the Year for 2022.
For Manoj Suryadevara, product management is more than just a job. His work deeply fulfils him and he approaches each project with a curiosity that encourages innovation and creativity, not only in himself but also in his team. This is what makes him a true leader and problem solver. No challenge is difficult for this product expert and any enterprise will be fortunate to have him on board.
