Sanjay Rajbhandari: A ‘roller-coaster career’ of two and a half decades in branding

KATHMANDU: DishHome, which entered the fiber internet service sector roughly three years ago, became the country’s second-largest internet service provider in the first month of the current fiscal year. Current figures demonstrate that DishHome’s decision to launch internet services by changing the company after the DTH television industry shrank during the COVID was truly ‘correct’.

On top of that, DishHome has now emerged as the cheapest internet service in the country. Despite not having a very thick presence in the institutional sector, its customer base has grown exceptionally.

DishHome, which occupied 6% of the entire internet market a year ago, has now spread to about 12%. Many people in management and directors have an important role in the company’s rapid growth. One of them is Sanjay Rajbhandari.

He is currently the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for Dish Media Network. He has had good success managing the market for all of the products there, including Dishhome FiberNet and IP TV, which have attracted over three lakh consumers. To help a new firm grow quickly, various factors must be considered, including ‘branding’, promotion, presence, and advertising.

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Today, we have become the most rapidly expanding company. We have been able to win a lot of support and trust from customers”, he says. He and his team’s contribution to this success is huge. “The way we broke through in digital marketing and digital communication, today many other competing companies (ISPs) have followed it”, he added.

DishHome, which is known as a brand that uses a small umbrella on the roof of the house to run TV, has now become the second-largest company in the fixed internet market.

Rajbhandari, who has dedicated over 24–25 years to the brand’s development and progress, emphasizes that a brand is not merely a product; it is a commitment, and it is trust.”

He compares the brand to lassi. “When making lassi, everything must be kept in the proper proportions for it to be tasty. A brand is the same,” he argues. “Just being exceptional at advertising does not make a brand.” First and foremost, the product must be good.

The market for selling it should be good. The pricing should be competitive, and the promotion should be effective. He refers to it as the ‘Four P’s. By combining these four factors, the consumer develops an impression (perception) of a product.

Business travel

Rajbhandari, with extensive experience in branding and corporate communication, has a background in working across various sectors, including NGOs, INGOs, and industries. Born in Asan, he completed his SLC at Siddhartha Banasthali in 2045. With the restoration of democracy in the country, he obtained a competency certificate in commerce.

In 2054, he earned his degree and also pursued a year of studies in public communication and journalism. During this educational journey, he explored diverse options for his future.

Following the completion of SLC, he embarked on exploring different employment opportunities and trades. Initially, he took up a role teaching computer skills at an institute in Baghbazar and simultaneously considered venturing into retail by surveying shops in Asan.

After completing his studies in ICOM, he contemplated the idea of traveling to Delhi and Bombay for business endeavors. While his brother pursued a career in engineering, he harbored no inclination to become a professional in technical fields such as a doctor, engineer, or pilot.

Despite being a member of the Newar community, my parents weren’t particularly enthusiastic about entering the business realm.

Born into an academic family, there was minimal interest in establishing a shop. Growing up in a well-educated household where my mother holds a professorship at TU and my father works for Nepal Rastra Bank, I, however, envisioned a future in branding. After several years of exploration, fate led me to my eventual “Luck.” I entered the domains of media, communication, and brands, and flourished in that environment.

In 2052, his dedicated professional journey commenced when he joined the Nepal office of Johns Hopkins University in Ashadh. His mother’s recommendation led him to this opportunity, aligning with his career trajectory in ‘Corporate Communication,’ which has persisted to this day.

Within that organization, efforts were directed towards creating awareness about ‘family planning’ through programs broadcasted on television and radio. His proficiency in english and eloquence set the stage for early success. After spending four years there, he dedicated 5-6 years to Metro FM, taking on roles as an English news editor, presenter, and recitation specialist. Even in this role, he actively contributed to marketing initiatives.

He left his radio job to work in an advertising agency. Worked in a variety of roles for companies such as Prisma, Thomson, and ANS. He worked as the head of ‘Marketing Communication and Brand Management’ in the Chaudhary Group’s electronic division beginning in October 2065. During his two and a half years there, he was in charge of promoting all electronic division brands, as well as retail sales management and communication.

He then returned to the development partner organization, where he worked on ‘family planning’. He began his new employment at Population Services International (PSI). He works in media and social marketing for an organization that promotes family planning products. He also helped sell and market such equipment. After 16 months, he rejoined the Chaudhary Group.

He worked at the CG for more than 7 years beginning in Kartik 2069, when he entered for the second time. While at CG, he worked hard to popularize the LG brand among Nepalis. He was responsible for marketing, brand promotion, and developing market strategies for domestic items such as LG smart TVs, refrigerators, and CG.

Rajbhandari has made important contributions to the development and growth of the CG TV and CG Home Appliances brands. He flew to South Korea and India for ‘Brand Shop’ training. After that, he went to Nepal and attempted to establish numerous brand stores. He was responsible for the coordination, operation, promotion, and management of over 200 such businesses.

Accompanying DishHome

In Mangsir 2076, he left his long-term career at CG to join DishHome. Even after joining DishHome, he has taken on significant duties such as developing various strategic action plans, expanding the market, and strengthening credit. He has worked with Indian and Singaporean television stations as a representative for DishHome. He plays an important role in developing, operating, branding, and promoting DisHome’s ‘Over the Top-OTT’ mobile application.

His diligence and hard work have helped in preparing the top management and operators for bringing IP TV to Dishhome, gathering the necessary processes and infrastructure, and marketing it. Today, Dis Media’s Internet service and App Television have now caught a good rhythm. Rajbhandari says that he plans to expand his ISP to commercial establishments in the coming days.

“We are expanding our presence from Soaltee Hotel to large-scale media, schools, banks, and financial institutions,” he says. “Our reach to domestic consumers has significantly increased, and now we are moving forward in strategies to enhance our institutional customer base.”

In a technology market where many innovations lack stability, he emphasizes the need to quickly embrace new discoveries and, if not, promptly address and adapt to these changes to avoid falling behind. In such scenarios, where new opportunities arise, he asserts that they not only assimilate but also actively participate, focusing on the company’s sustained growth. “It’s about applying this approach, and that’s what we are concentrating on,” he adds.