In an engaging dialogue with, Shemin Nurmohamed, President of Sending Technology Solutions at Pitney Bowes, the eminent leader pours her arduous best while sharing insights on leadership, innovation, and the evolving landscape of technology. With a career marked by adaptability and a commitment to inclusivity, Nurmohamed discusses her leadership style, the unique challenges faced by women in tech, and the critical role of human oversight in AI implementation. As Pitney Bowes navigates the complexities of digital transformation, she emphasises the importance of fostering a collaborative culture that embraces change and prioritises client-centric solutions. This interview offers a valuable glimpse into the mindset of a leader dedicated to driving progress in an ever-evolving industry.
How would you describe your leadership style, and how does it align with the company culture at Pitney Bowes.
I would define my leadership style as adaptive. I believe that there isn’t one set style that works for all teams. My default style is one of coaching and collaboration. This allows for longevity of the company and for teams that are aligned with the overall direction. However, when we have a critical, time-sensitive item, I convert to a decision-oriented style. This allows us to move with speed.
At Pitney Bowes, we do the right thing the right way and that never changes. This includes providing people with the time and space for diversity of thought, experience and point of view. I think we as a company are known for being nice and polite, and although that certainly has its advantages, it can mean it slows things down. To tackle that, in our decision cadence meetings we have become comfortable in having a dissent and a voice to be heard and accepted. However, once a decision has been made everyone commits and executes.
In an interview, you said, “Adaptability is crucial.” Can you share an example of a recent challenge Pitney Bowes faced and how the company adapted to overcome it?
Our company was founded in 1920, so naturally there are changes that occur in the market requiring our business model to also change. Recently, we faced a significant challenge in the logistics sector, which prompted us to reassess our strategy. We made the strategic decision to exit the physical logistics business for the ecommerce segment. This was not merely a reaction to market pressures but a proactive step to refocus our efforts on a much larger opportunity: the digital space for ecommerce.
In this context, we launched ShipAccel, a cutting-edge SaaS solution specifically designed for ecommerce shippers. This new platform not only aligns with our long-standing expertise in technology but also enhances our ability to provide innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. By pivoting towards digital solutions, we are better positioned to support ecommerce businesses in streamlining their operations and improving their shipping processes.
These changes are a testament to the resilience and commitment of the teams across Pitney Bowes. They illustrate our ongoing dedication to not just keeping pace with industry trends but leading the charge in areas where we have always excelled. Adaptability is not just a concept for us; it is ingrained in our culture and essential to our continued success in an ever-changing marketplace.
As a leader yourself, what challenges do you think are unique to women in tech, and how can these be addressed by industry leaders? Could you describe a situation at Pitney Bowes where your perspective as a female leader brought a unique solution to a challenge at Pitney Bowes.
I’ve always said that opportunities are all around us if we are open and receptive to them.
I feel as a female leader that I am in a unique position to make that extra effort of encouragement to women who are earlier in career. I will take one-on-one meetings with new hires and have an open-door policy where people can meet with me to discuss their career, or I can share my story. As someone who did not have a linear career path, I find it helps sharing how your idea of success can change over time. However, the biggest lesson is that you won’t know what that success looks like until you try.
Throughout my career, I have observed how networking is an important steppingstone to success.
The India Center has been pivotal in Pitney Bowes’ innovation efforts. Talk about its progress. How do you envision its role evolving in the next few years, particularly in global operations?
The India Centre has grown to become a strategic innovation centre for Pitney Bowes and a core driver of strategic innovation with an emphasis on client centricity. The teams provide 24/7 support, enhance operational efficiency through automation and foster a collaborative ecosystem that helps the entirety of the company. It is because of the prioritisation of culture and ongoing investment in our employees that we are recognised with awards like Best Company to work in India 2024 by Great Place to Work, a list we’ve been included in for eleven years.
Going forward, they will continue to spearhead new ventures in AI, generative technologies and other transformative solutions, effectively positioning itself as a global leader in technology and innovation.
A recent study talked about the global workforce facing a ‘techsistential’ crisis due to the shortage of AI expertise, with the current supply of AI skills falling short of future demand. How do you believe employers, particularly in the shipping and mailing sector, can proactively address this skills gap and ensure their workforce is prepared to thrive in an AI-driven environment?
As with any innovation, those unique skills are always in demand. Our philosophy at Pitney Bowes has been to acquire people with the best skills around a new technology and then have them train our other employees to use that technology too. First and foremost, it’s important to attract people who are eager to learn, want to work hard, and have done their research and therefore understand the opportunity we have with AI. That talent is crucial—but not only those with the core skills but also the ones who have character, competency, and curiosity in general. Specific to the shipping and mailing sector, AI is a key skill for taking large volumes of data and information to generate sending recommendations that deliver value. Since there is a shortage of people with that level of AI expertise, we hire a few that have the desired knowledge and skill to train the many others on our teams. Then, they can execute collectively and apply those skills in unique ways that deliver specifically for our clients and our business.
Everyone talks about AI’s benefits, but have you had a ‘not-so-glamorous’ AI moment at Pitney Bowes? Something where the tech didn’t quite live up to the promise, but it provided a valuable lesson along the way?
We implemented a chatbot powered by AI on our website to assist clients with their inquiries. Initially, we encountered some challenges; there were instances where the chatbot provided incorrect or overly vague responses. While these inaccuracies were minor, accounting for less than 1% of total interactions, they highlighted the necessity of human oversight. Such an experience reinforced the idea that while AI can enhance efficiency, it isn’t infallible. We learned the importance of regularly reviewing and refining the chatbot’s interactions to improve its accuracy and effectiveness. Additionally, we recognised that user expectations often exceed what AI can deliver. Rather than aiming for perfection, we focused on continuous improvement, using insights from human interactions to guide the chatbot’s development.
Ultimately, this ‘not-so-glamorous’ moment highlighted our commitment to integrating AI as a complementary tool to human expertise. By ensuring that our teams remain involved in the process, we can leverage AI to enhance customer experiences while mitigating its limitations. This has become a key part of our approach, ensuring that technology serves to empower our workforce rather than complicate it.
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A Randstad report from this year revealed that 56% of talent leaders feel unprepared, with digital transformation moving at a pace they find difficult to keep up with. Do you share this concern? If so, how do you think employers can better embrace this rapid shift while ensuring they aren’t left behind.
You don’t get to be a company that lasts over a hundred years without some sort of transformation. Whether it be a transformation of business model, market disruptions, client changes, acquisitions and divestitures or leadership changes, there are several factors that can lead to necessary transformation. What stands the test of time is prioritizing innovation. When I say innovation, I mean investing in innovation that has an ROI and outcome for the business and the client, or as I internally call it practical (vs academic) innovation.
At Pitney Bowes, we have an annual tradition of celebrating the top innovation across the company in three categories—continuous, process and disruptive innovation. Those nominations reflect a number of innovative products, systems, solutions, etc. and demonstrate how important it is to both transform and embrace those transformations. Our innovation is also being celebrated externally. This year we were named to Fortune’s 2024 America’s Most Innovative Companies list.
With AI progressing at breakneck speed, do you every think we might reach a point where we are training AI to solve AI-created problems? It’s an intriguing paradox. How do you see Pitney Bowes ensuring that AI continues to serve, rather than complicate, your business processes?
I think it’s important to remember that AI is not new. It’s been around for decades, but GenAI is new and how it’s incorporated into everyday language.
Together, they constantly iterate to solve the client’s problem with the help of AI and without creating new layers of complexity.
However, what’s important is that the human stays involved throughout, which is what prevents AI-created problems. This ongoing collaboration allows us to adapt quickly to any issues that arise and ensures that AI applications are aligned with our strategic goals. By fostering a culture where human insight complements AI capabilities, we can continue to enhance our business processes and maintain a focus on delivering value to our clients.
A Harvard researcher’s famous quote, “AI won’t replace humans—but humans with AI will replace humans without AI” has sparked widespread conversations. While future jobseekers will likely possess AI fluency, today’s reality sees thousands of employees facing layoffs under the guise of ‘workforce realignment.’ How do you think we can bridge this gap and support employees until widespread AI-based education becomes the norm? What steps can organisations take to ensure that the workforce transition is more humane and inclusive.
First and foremost, data is crucial. I think companies need to first unify their data and create a single source of truth so that when combined with AI, it will be more effective. This will require people who understand the data to be heavily involved. It’s important to think bigger picture and build that roadmap so that you have your sights set firmly on desired outcomes and can therefore accomplish goals more quickly.
I think the positioning of AI is also important. It should be considered a tool that companies leverage to optimise their business objectives so they can achieve more, faster. This would give them differentiated advantage. By achieving goals more quickly, a business can move into other growth areas more quickly. The equation should not be, “can I do the same work with AI with less people?”—it should be, “how can I execute more of my roadmap with the same number of people with the addition of AI?” Again, that aspect of human intervention is key in preventing AI-created problems.
Shemin Nurmohamed is the President of Sending Technology Solutions (SendTech) at Pitney Bowes, where she leads innovation in mailing and shipping technology. With a career spanning over two decades in technology leadership, she has a proven track record in driving digital transformation and fostering inclusive workplaces. Shemin is passionate about creating equitable opportunities in the tech industry and leverages her experience to champion diversity, innovation, and customer success. Her leadership reflects a commitment to empowering teams to navigate the evolving landscape of technology with a strong focus on operational excellence and inclusion.
