Kellogg Professor Mohan Sawhney (left) gave a joint presentation with SAP President and CEO Bill McDermott (EMP-37) to the Kellogg Alumni Club of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia
Alumni Club of Philadelphia

The Northwestern and Kellogg alumni clubs of Philadelphia hosted an event at SAP America Inc. headquarters in Newtown Square, Pa. Featured speakers included Bill McDermott EMP-37, president and CEO of SAP America, and Mohan Sawhney, the McCormick Tribune Professor of Technology at the Kellogg School. Nydia Han, consumer/investigative reporter for WPVI-TV, Philadelphia, and an alum of Northwestern's Medill school, served as moderator.

About 100 people attended the event, which included a brief networking period prior to the talk and a networking reception afterward at SAP.

McDermott discussed owning and running a deli in New York many years ago that was located near a 7-Eleven store. He talked about finding ways to offer unique customer service to set his deli apart from 7-Eleven, including treating children like adults instead of like children. He also catered to senior citizens by offering delivery, a service that 7-Eleven did not offer.

McDermott also talked about how SAP had seen five presidents/CEOs in the previous five years before he stepped in, as well as five new strategic plans, making it difficult to "sell" his plan to employees due to the constant leadership change the company had experienced. With his plan in place, SAP grew and became more successful than it had in the past — and it continues to do so today. McDermott also talked briefly about being passionate about one's work. It is necessary to be passionate, he said, or a person will not be motivated to do his/her job.

Professor Sawhney discussed topics related to customer service, education and innovation. He talked about the importance of education for employees, and not only being good at one's job, but also having a good understanding of the market for which one works to stay ahead of change. It is also important, he said, that employees have a good sense of what their co-workers do to fit into the big picture of the company. Employees need to understand a broad spectrum of ideas — the more, the better. He told his audience that employers should value their employees and invest in them accordingly.