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The future of customer-centric digital product management: Varun Milind Kulkarni leads the way

With his expertise, Varun looks closer at the future of customer-centric digital product management and how his approach paves the way for the industry.

Varun Milind Kulkarni
Photo courtesy Varun Milind Kulkarni
Photo courtesy Varun Milind Kulkarni

Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.

Digital transformation has recently become a buzzword in the business world, garnering significant attention and reaching a market size of USD 731.13 billion in 2022. In response to the rapid evolution of technology, businesses across various sizes and industries are embracing digital transformation to ensure their competitiveness. One area where digital transformation is particularly evident is in digital product management.

As businesses continue to pivot towards a digital-first approach, understanding and meeting customers’ needs is paramount. This is where digital product management plays a crucial role. Varun Milind Kulkarni, an accomplished technology and healthcare digital product management expert, has made significant contributions in this field over the past six years. His responsibilities include ideation, conceptualization, strategy formulation, design implementation, strategic management, advanced operations research, statistical analysis, and comprehensive product life cycle management. With a keen focus on customer and stakeholder engagement, Varun has successfully launched innovative products across the healthcare, technology, B2B, and consumer services industries.

With his expertise, Varun looks closer at the future of customer-centric digital product management and how his approach paves the way for the industry.

Customer-Centricity in Digital Product Management

Designing and delivering products and services that align with customer needs and expectations forms the essence of customer-centricity. Varun emphasizes that prioritizing customer requirements enables businesses to create engaging, intuitive, and genuinely valuable offerings. By streamlining the development process and improving product development, companies can reduce operational costs, accelerate time-to-market, enhance customer retention, and foster loyalty.

Technological advancements, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and cloud modernization are pivotal in shaping the future of digital product management. Varun underscores the transformative role these emerging technologies play. His vision, business, and technical skills related to product management have proved decisive in launching mission-critical products using these cutting-edge solutions. 

Leading the future of digital product management

Varun is currently a Senior Product Manager at Cisco Webex, leading the company’s digital B2B SaaS global products, including next-generation Webex Collaboration and Cloud Contact Center Reporting & Analytics that leverage cutting-edge technologies of AI and cloud modernization.

With a solid foundation gained during his tenure as a Senior Consultant at Deloitte, a renowned Big 4 consulting firm, Varun has acquired expertise in building and launching data-driven technology products. His pioneering work in digital product management has yielded tangible benefits, including improved patient outcomes and cost reductions for public-assistance healthcare programs like Medicaid, LTC, and SNAP.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Varun played a critical role in conceptualizing, designing, and launching a telehealth product that provided state-of-the-art virtual care to Medicaid recipients across various US States. This solution has significantly benefited elderly individuals in long-term care facilities, nursing facilities, and hospice care. By streamlining healthcare assessments and benefits, the product has saved lives, enhanced operational efficiency, and minimized risks and costs; improving community welfare and health equity across these US States.

With his AI and cloud modernization expertise, Varun has pioneered next-generation Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) platforms for B2B US and EU enterprises. These products improve data-driven decision-making and business operations for hybrid work planning, workforce optimization, and collaboration, decrease operational costs of physical infrastructure and allow real-time or historical custom reports to make better forecasting and predictive decisions.

The digital products also paved the way for the seamless integration of advanced communication technologies, streamlined workflows, and significantly reduced operational costs associated with physical infrastructure in the B2B enterprise. 

Varun believes his strong foundation in utilizing data-driven decision-making and operations research skills with stellar educational background, possessing advanced degrees like an MS from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, gives him an edge to build more digital products to improve people’s lives. His expertise in digital product management, such as strategic analysis, operations research, business management, leadership, and customer-centricity make him a valuable asset to any business looking to launch successful digital products that meet customer needs and drive business growth. 

He shares, As a digital product manager, I am driven by the opportunity to create products that positively impact end-users and communities.”

Emerging Technologies in Digital Product Management

Imagine a world where businesses have an in-depth understanding of their customers, thanks to AI-driven insights. Picture having products and services designed with precision, effortlessly addressing each customer’s unique needs and preferences. Through AI, machine learning, and cloud modernization, businesses can unlock a treasure trove of customer data and transform it into actionable insights. 

The future of digital product management hinges on prioritizing customer-centricity and embracing the potential of emerging technologies. By listening to customers, leveraging AI-driven insights, and embracing agile development, businesses can create products and services that exceed customer expectations, foster long-term loyalty, and ensure sustainable growth in the digital age. 

Varun Milind Kulkarni’s expertise and vision in this domain exemplify the transformative power of customer-centric digital product management, paving the way for a future where businesses thrive by putting their customers at the heart of everything they do. Varun is at the forefront of leading significant customer-centric digital product management initiatives that positively impact the US technology, healthcare, and consumer services sectors.

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Written By

Jon Stojan is a professional writer based in Wisconsin. He guides editorial teams consisting of writers across the US to help them become more skilled and diverse writers. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife and children.

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