Dr. Anil V. Pillai |CO-FOUNDER
Human behaviour can, at many times, appear erratic and unpredictable. We frequently find ourselves saying one thing yet acting in a way that contradicts it. But while humans may seem like irrational beings, their irrationality often follows recognisable patterns. And understanding these patterns is crucial for a business to grow.
In a world where data and technology dominate, companies often overlook behavioural and psychological factors, leading to inefficiencies in customer outcomes, experiences and decision-making. When building a product or service, it’s essential to create solutions that address the needs of your target audience. That’s where the human engagement and behavioural science consulting industry comes into the picture.
Terragni Consulting, co-founded by Dr. Anil V. Pillai, Ms.Harsh Kapur-Pillai, and Ms.Dipti Sapatnekar, all industry veterans, is a leader in this space. The firm leverages behavioural science, consumer neuroscience, and data analytics to enhance both employee and customer engagement. By optimising processes, promoting leadership development, and aligning human behaviours with business objectives, Terragni positions itself as the problem-solver in this complex landscape, driving organisational transformation and boosting overall business performance.
Dr Anil V. Pillai’s professional journey began in the early 90s with Forbes Group, where he spent a significant time in core manufacturing, leading global operations across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. It was during that time technology began to take a firm hold in India, serving as a backbone for various enterprises, including manufacturing and retail. “I started to question what insights technology and data could provide for decision-making,” Dr Pillai explains.
This curiosity drove him to switch careers, leading to the founding of RapidEffect in 2001, India’s first product-led data and analytics company. “The company grew dramatically, and we were in the Nasscom Top 50 Innovative Companies list at that time,” he recalls. However, he soon realised that data must be coupled with an understanding of human behaviour to drive effective decision-making. Dr Pillai shares, “We had a concept to provide strategic consulting with a clear focus on the intersection of human behaviour and technology.” This marked the foundation of Terragni Consulting.
With a background in engineering and doctoral research in cognitive sciences, Dr Pillai’s expertise is deeply rooted in understanding how people think and act. “We wanted to understand what people think about a brand or product, not just what they say, and neuroscience is the way to do so,” he says. In 2016, Terragni built a relationship and stake in Buyer Brain, a London-based company that specialises in consumer neuroscience. Dr Pillai asserts, “Our work is rooted in science and traceability, giving us a powerful framework to understand how customers and organisations feel and think.”
Ms Harsh Kapur-Pillai, Director of Terragni’s People Engagement Practice, drives the development of people-centric solutions that impact three vital areas for their clients: attracting and onboarding leadership talent, building a reliable succession pipeline, and fostering a customer-centric mindset across roles. “Our strength lies in weaving these elements into powerful, integrated solutions,” she explains. For instance, when Terragni assists clients in hiring leaders for support functions, they prioritise customer-centric competencies, giving clients a competitive edge through a unified, customer-first vision. This alignment promotes a shared understanding of customer-centricity across roles, enabling clients to maintain a consistent, market-responsive focus.
Ms Dipti Sapatnekar, Director of the Customer Engagement Practice, complements this approach by focusing on driving business outcomes through human behaviour insights. She shares, “We uncover conscious and non-conscious drivers of behaviour using behavioural science, neuroscience, and evolutionary insights to foster meaningful and lasting behaviour shifts. Our work empowers organisations to achieve measurable outcomes by moving beyond surface-level engagement.”
Both leaders highlight that innovation is fundamental at Terragni. Ms Harsh notes, “Every project incorporates a novel element that hasn’t been tried before, making our solutions both effective and unique.” Ms Dipti adds, “We track advancements in behavioural sciences and apply these learnings to business strategy, ensuring that our work remains cutting-edge and scientifically grounded.”
The premium consulting space in India is dominated by International consulting giants. Dr Pillai notes, “In India, it is often assumed that for high-quality consulting, one must look outside. There’s a perception that Indian consulting companies lack the capability or willingness to provide top-tier consulting services.” Terragni, however, is rooted in the Indian context, understanding the nuances of Indian consumers and employees.
What truly differentiates Terragni from its competitors is its commitment to business outcomes and practical implementation. Dr Pillai recalls, “As a client of many large consulting firms, I often received extensive slide decks filled with recommendations that the organisation couldn’t implement due to a lack of internal capability.” Terragni, on the other hand, delivers results that organisations can genuinely implement. He adds, “We provide the same rigour and structure as any of the big-name consulting firms.”
Another cornerstone of Terragni’s approach is its strong foundation in science. “We are extremely rooted in science—be it general science, behavioural science, or data science. We have invested significantly in building these capabilities,” Dr Pillai explains. This scientific underpinning allows the firm to provide insights that are not just theoretical but backed by research and data.
Ms Harsh further elaborates on Terragni’s approach, saying, “Our work breaks down silos, fostering a shared understanding of customer-centricity across all roles. This alignment creates a consistent, unified focus, ensuring that everyone from leadership to support functions is on the same page, ultimately driving impactful results.”
Additionally, with over 15 years of experience, Terragni has developed deep domain knowledge across various sectors, including insurance, banking, financial services, and manufacturing. “We understand the challenges that Indian companies face when it comes to implementing solutions and achieving a return on their consulting investments,” Dr Pillai adds.
“We build solutions that blend scientific insights with commercial objectives, ensuring practical, long-term impacts,” shares Ms Dipti. This integration of behavioural science into business strategy execution helps our clients thrive in a dynamic marketplace,” she adds. Rather than simply delivering a report, Terragni is dedicated to ensuring that their recommendations lead to tangible outcomes, setting them apart from other players in the industry.
Building any business from the ground up comes with its share of challenges, and Terragni Consulting was no exception. Reflecting on the early days, Dr Pillai shares, “When we started Terragni, we made a conscious decision not to follow the traditional path most consulting firms in India take. Typically, consulting companies are founded by individuals who have spent decades in a company, retire or take a voluntary exit, and decide to offer their knowledge as consultants. We didn’t want to do that.”
Instead, Terragni chose a different path. “We focused on developing our own models and frameworks,” Dr Pillai explains. In the first few years, they invested heavily in testing these models with clients—often without charging for their services. “Those were tough times for us because we didn’t have much revenue coming in,” he admits. “Imagine being a relatively new brand in India, offering high-end consulting. We’re a premium player, but convincing clients that we were worth that investment was no easy task.”
Dr Pillai explains, “It was only recently that large Indian companies started opening up to working with homegrown consulting firms. There was this notion that foreign brands, because they’d done work in Europe or the U.S., were more relevant.” This created an uphill battle for Terragni, as they often found themselves competing with international giants. “We were very confident, won major contracts and delivered fantastic work. But overcoming that inertia and proving ourselves was not easy,” recalls Dr Pillai.
Talent acquisition was another obstacle. “While India has a high unemployment rate, the employability of people remains a challenge. There were many people available, but they lacked the skill set we needed. We had to invest a lot in training to build a strong and capable team,” Dr Pillai says.
As the role of AI and automation continues to grow across industries, consulting has not remained untouched. Dr Pillai explains, “We have been at the cutting edge of technology of behaviour science and have been using generative AI for the past few years, especially in areas like deep research and correlating data. We’ve even developed our own models around it.” However, he remains cautious about the broader adoption of AI. “There’s a lot of hype, but in my view, AI still has a way to go before it becomes fully pervasive.”
On the other hand, automation is something Terragni frequently encounters, especially in industries like financial services, where automation is widely prevalent. Despite this, Terragni’s core focus remains on human behaviour, which, as Dr Pillai points out, is timeless. “Human behaviour and emotions haven’t changed over the last 6,000 years, and it won’t change in our lifetime. The context and tools we use may change, but the human behaviour remains the same.”
Terragni Consulting is currently engaged in several transformative projects. One of their main initiatives is their collaboration with major banks to design premium banking services for rural and “rurban” India, a crossover of rural and urban markets. Dr Pillai explains, “We’re creating differentiation strategies and experiences for these untapped segments.”
Another key focus of Terragni is humanising digital journeys. In the post-pandemic era, companies invested heavily in digital solutions but not user experiences. “We’re now helping clients to redesign these digital experiences by making them more intuitive and tailored to different customer demographics,” says Dr Pillai.
Looking ahead, Dr Pillai sees vast potential in human engagement. He states, “As AI and technology continue to evolve, and as attention spans shorten, there’s a heightened need for eliminating friction in customer and employee experiences.” While the Indian market offers substantial opportunities, Terragni Consulting is also exploring international avenues for growth. They already operate in Europe and are exploring opportunities in Southeast Asia. Dr Pillai reflects, “Global expansion is something that excites us, but you would be surprised by the potential that is there in India itself. In fact, we are currently maxed out.”
He continues, “The potential of our work is endless. We are just scratching the surface.” In the coming years, Terragni plans to focus beyond the corporate world and address societal challenges, such as water conservation and community engagement.
Ms Harsh and Ms Dipti are equally optimistic about Terragni's future. Harsh mentions, “Our upcoming projects are set to push the boundaries of traditional consulting practices, integrating deeper elements of customer-centricity and employee engagement.” Dipti adds, “We look forward to harnessing new advancements in neuroscience to make our insights even more actionable and impactful for our clients.” Together, the team at Terragni is committed to reshaping the consulting landscape in India, one client at a time.
To anyone aspiring to enter the consulting space, Dr Pillai advises, “First, get out of the notion that just because you have 20 or 30 years of experience in a consulting company or any other industry qualifies you as a consultant. The consulting industry has evolved far beyond that.”
“Every consultant should realise the importance of knowing what to focus on. Start investing in a specific area or body of knowledge and stay laser-focused on it. Building a specific body of knowledge is vital. It is what allows you to provide genuine value to clients and grow your business,” he concludes.
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