Finlatics Business Analyst

Experience Program

Submitted by:
Parth Jain
23P160

Management Development Institute

Gurgaon 122 007

September, 2024
 To Whom It May Concern:

This is to state that I have known Parth Jain for past 2 months, working as an Business Analyst on
the Finlatics Business Analyst Experience Program.Fincrux is recognised as a 'Start - Up' by
Department of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of
India. It is one of start - ups selected for the prestigious incubation program at Atal Incubation
Centre - NMIMS, supported by the Atal Innovation Mission, under the aegis of NITI Aayog,
Government of India

I was supervising Parth Jain for the Finlatics Business Analyst Experience Program. I found Parth
Jain to be very diligent and hardworking Business Analyst. Parth Jain has deep interests in data-
driven decision-making and has a unique way of looking at business problems. The Business Analyst
role was aimed at solving case-based projects using the MECE method of problem-solving, MS
Excel, and Power BI. Parth Jain tackled a range of business cases - ranging from enhancing
profitability for a multinational technology business to analyzing the feasibility of a proposed
tourism project.

Parth Jain is also an able implementer of Power BI as it was used in the role to analyze consumer
behavior.

Mumbai - 903, Atrium 2, Andheri Kurla Gurgaon- 012, Awfis, 6th Floor, Suncity
Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai 400093. Success Tower, Sector 65, Gurgaon 122005
 Introduction

As part of the Finlatics 'Business Analyst' Live Project, I had the opportunity to gain hands-on
experience in applying data-driven solutions to business cases. The project was designed to
enhance my understanding of various types of data analytics and their application across
industries such as Consumer Goods, Tourism, and e-commerce. It also focused on solving
business problems in technology-oriented companies by using data to make informed
decisions. Additionally, I gained practical experience with Power BI, a widely-used business
intelligence tool, to analyze data and extract valuable insights.

In this report, I will cover the key aspects of the three projects I completed during the live
project, along with insights into the tools, frameworks, and approaches I employed
throughout.

Project 1: Analyzing Acquisition Strategies for Margin Improvement

Objective:

To assess whether the proposed acquisition strategy would help improve the company’s
profit margins, and if not, to suggest alternative approaches.

Key Findings:

Acquisitions, while often seen as a way to boost revenue and profitability, are not always a
guaranteed path to margin improvement. Their success depends on several factors such as
revenue generation, cost savings, and integration efficiency. The analysis focused on both the
potential benefits of acquisitions and the risks involved, providing a balanced view of the
viability of the strategy.

Potential Benefits of Acquisitions:

Enhanced Revenue Streams: Acquisitions can lead to new revenue streams by enabling the
company to offer a wider array of services and products. Acquiring smaller organizations
specializing in niche technologies allows the company to diversify its portfolio, which could
boost overall profitability by addressing previously untapped customer segments.

Expanded Customer Base: Acquiring companies with established customer bases opens
opportunities for cross-selling and upselling. This could lead to increased revenue per
customer and better profit margins, especially if the acquired company operates in high-
margin sectors like healthcare or BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance).

Economies of Scale: One of the most immediate potential benefits is cost savings through
economies of scale. By combining operations, the company can streamline processes,
eliminate redundancies, and optimize resource allocation. This consolidation could lead to
significant cost reductions, directly impacting profit margins.
Geographical Expansion: Acquisitions in high-margin regions, such as the US and Europe, can
provide the company access to more lucrative markets. This geographic diversification can
offset the lower-margin businesses in regions like India and Asia Pacific, allowing the company
to better balance its global revenue streams.

Risks and Challenges:

Integration Complexity: Mergers and acquisitions often face operational hurdles during the
integration phase. Aligning different organizational cultures, harmonizing technology
platforms, and integrating business operations can be time-consuming and costly. Poorly
executed integrations can lead to disruptions, reducing the expected margin benefits.

Financial Burden: Acquisitions generally involve significant upfront costs, including acquisition
premiums, due diligence, and integration expenses. If these costs aren’t managed efficiently,
they could negate the anticipated margin improvements, especially in the short term.

Execution Risk: The success of an acquisition depends heavily on post-merger execution.

Failure to realize the anticipated synergies, or mishandling post-acquisition management, can
lead to financial losses and eroded margins instead of the desired profitability.

Alternate Strategies for Margin Improvement:

In cases where acquisitions may not be the best path forward, alternative strategies could
focus on improving operational efficiency and exploring new revenue streams:

Operational Efficiency: To address the company’s lower margins compared to competitors,

improving operational efficiency should be prioritized. Streamlining internal processes and
optimizing resource allocation can lead to lower operational costs, thus boosting margins
without the risks associated with acquisitions.

Revenue Diversification: The company's revenue is heavily reliant on two sectors: BFSI (46%)
and Healthcare (21%). Diversifying its revenue base within these sectors or exploring new
high-growth sectors like e-commerce or retail could help mitigate the risk of sector
concentration and improve margins.

Market Penetration: High-margin markets such as healthcare in the US and Europe, as well as
BFSI in India, offer potential for growth. Penetrating these markets through organic growth
or strategic partnerships could provide the company with a margin boost while limiting
acquisition-related risks.

Innovation and Differentiation: Investment in research and development (R&D) could help
the company enhance its existing products and services or introduce new, differentiated
offerings. This would enable the company to command premium pricing and improve profit
margins by capitalizing on innovative solutions tailored to market needs.
Growth Opportunities by Region:

India:

BFSI Sector: The growing digitization of financial services and the adoption of technologies
like UPI (Unified Payments Interface) present significant growth opportunities in India.
Continued investment in this sector, which already contributes to 46% of the company’s
revenue, could yield promising returns.

Healthcare IT: The healthcare sector in India is also ripe for investment, particularly in areas
such as electronic medical records (EMR) and telemedicine. These technologies are gaining
traction as the Indian healthcare system modernizes.

US and Europe:

Healthcare Sector: The case highlights the potential of the healthcare sector in these regions.
By expanding its offerings in healthcare IT, the company can capture higher-margin business
and increase its foothold in these markets.

Technology and Sustainability: Apart from healthcare, sectors like technology and renewable
energy in the US and Europe present opportunities for growth, particularly for businesses
focused on innovation and sustainability.

Recommendations:

Acquisition Strategy: Acquisitions should focus on smaller organizations specializing in niche

technologies or sectors with high-margin potential, such as healthcare and BFSI. The company
should prioritize acquisitions in markets where it already has a presence, leveraging local
expertise and synergies to boost profitability.

Focus on Operational Efficiency: In parallel with acquisition opportunities, the company

should continue focusing on improving operational efficiency, particularly in regions and
sectors where margin performance lags behind competitors.

Revenue Diversification and Innovation: Expanding into new high-margin sectors and
investing in R&D will provide the company with additional avenues for margin growth,
reducing reliance on existing sectors and ensuring long-term sustainability.

This comprehensive analysis provides a balanced approach to improving margins through

acquisitions while offering alternative strategies focused on operational efficiency, market
penetration, and innovation.
 Project 2: Excel Dataset-Based Analysis

Objective:

This project involved analyzing a dataset using Excel and answering a series of questions based
on the insights derived from the dataset. The aim was to gain a deeper understanding of how
raw data can be transformed into valuable business information.

Dataset:

The dataset contained information on state tourism, ticket sales, customer details, no. of
hotels and more, which had to be processed to identify trends, outliers, and key performance
indicators (KPIs). It involved

Analysis Process:

1. Data Cleaning: The dataset was cleaned to remove any inconsistencies, missing
values, and errors. This step is crucial as inaccurate data can lead to misleading
insights.
2. Descriptive Analysis: Basic statistical methods such as mean, median, mode, and
standard deviation were used to summarize the dataset and identify patterns. For
example:
o Top-performing products: By analyzing sales data, the highest-grossing
products were identified.
o Geographical performance: The data was segmented by region to determine
which areas were driving the most sales.
3. Data Visualization: Various charts and graphs were created in Excel to present the
data visually. This made it easier to understand trends and compare different data
points.

o of otels

a rna ta a a dhya ra des h u a ra t a rya na

Ta mi l na du es t enga l a ha ra s htra

Key Findings –

• State with the Highest Number of Hotels: Kerala leads with the highest number
of hotels (67,200), as visualized through a bar graph.
 • Climatic Conditions Analysis: States such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu, and others were identified as experiencing three distinct types of
climatic conditions.
• Investment Recommendations for Northeastern States: Arunachal Pradesh
was recommended as a promising destination for hotel investments based on
its favourable climatic conditions and relatively low competition.
• Pivot Chart Customization: Pivot charts revealed that states like Haryana,
Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh, with diverse climatic conditions and fewer
hotels, are ideal for new hotel setups.
• Best State for Hotel Development: Madhya Pradesh stood out as the best
location for setting up hotels due to its varied climate, limited competition,
and high tourism potential.
• Rainy Season Analysis: The average rainy season across Indian states lasts 120
days, from June to September, providing insights into seasonal factors
affecting hotel demand.

4. Conclusion: The analysis concluded with actionable insights that could help the
business optimize its operations. For example, the data may have shown that certain
product categories were underperforming in specific regions, leading to targeted
marketing strategies for those areas.

Key Learning:

The project highlighted the importance of data cleaning, descriptive statistics, and
visualization techniques in extracting insights from raw data. Excel’s functionalities were
leveraged to answer specific business questions, demonstrating its utility in small to mid-sized
business analytics tasks.
 Project 3: Power BI Dashboard

Objective:

The final project involved creating an interactive Power BI dashboard based on a dataset. The
aim was to use ower I’s capabilities to visualize the data and provide an insightful overview
of business performance.

Dashboard Elements:

1. Sum of Sales by Country: This visualization displayed the total sales figures segmented
by country, with the United States being the highest contributor followed by Canada
and France. The graphical format (tree map) helped in quickly identifying geographical
trends.
2. Sales by Product Category: A bar graph depicted the distribution of sales across
different product categories such as Bikes, Components, and Clothing. Bikes were the
dominant category, contributing the most to the total sales.
3. Average of Standard Cost: A semi-doughnut chart was used to represent the average
standard cost of products. This helped in understanding the cost distribution across
different product categories and provided insights into product profitability.
4. Discount vs. Order Quantity: A line chart demonstrated the relationship between
discount amounts and order quantities. The data revealed that higher order quantities
often corresponded to lower discounts, indicating potential bulk-buying strategies or
promotional offers.

Process:
 1. Data Cleaning: The dataset was cleaned and pre-processed to ensure it was suitable
for visualization. This involved removing duplicate entries, handling missing data, and
ensuring consistency in data formats.
2. Visualization: ower I’s visualization tools were used to create the dashboard. The
choice of visual elements such as tree maps, bar graphs, and line charts was based on
the nature of the data and the insights required.
3. Insights: The dashboard provided a comprehensive overview of sales performance,
cost distribution, and discount strategies. This kind of visualization is highly useful for
decision-makers to track KPIs in real-time and make data-driven decisions.

Key Learning:

This project was a deep dive into Power BI, demonstrating its utility in creating interactive
dashboards that provide valuable business insights. It showed how large datasets can be
visualized effectively to uncover patterns and trends, enabling data-driven decision-making.

Conclusion

The Finlatics 'Business Analyst' Live Project provided a well-rounded exposure to different
types of data analytics and their practical application in business contexts. The projects
covered a variety of tools and approaches, from case studies and Excel analysis to Power BI
dashboards. The ability to assess real-world business problems, apply analytics frameworks,
and use cutting-edge tools like Power BI are crucial skills gained from this experience.

In summary, this project reinforced the importance of:

• Identifying the right type of analytics for the problem at hand (descriptive, diagnostic,
predictive, prescriptive).
• Leveraging tools like Excel and Power BI to analyze and visualize data.
• Applying data-driven decision-making to propose actionable business solutions.

These learnings are highly transferable to various industries and will be invaluable in future
business analysis and consulting roles.