I can never forget how my beautiful life began and how I nearly met my end before being miraculously revived. We stood in a row, a line of sparkling vacuum cleaners with freshly coated bodies, brimming with pride and equipped with various attachments, eagerly awaiting our new lives.
I was eager to spring on the exquisite floors across luxurious properties and show off my excellent cleaning skills. And I did. Swirling on different floors and turning it shiny and clean…
Years passed as different operators mishandled me, tossing, pushing, and turning me until one day, I could no longer move…
I felt choked… Unable to breathe… I was sent to the specialist, and as they opened me up, I watched in horror as dust, dirt, and grime clogged my once pristine body.
I realised I was dying. My choked lungs and flickering heart suggested that my trip to a scrapyard burial was not far off.
Lying in misery, I overheard a conversation between two experts that sparked hope in my circuits.
“Pallavi, it is appalling to see businesses today not looking after expensive assets and incurring losses due to negligence. This is such a beautiful machine, reduced to such a state.”
“Yes, Sheldon. Negligence in cleaning and maintenance seems to be the crux of the problem.”
“Cleaning machines are handled by unskilled workers and soon due to mishandling these machines become unusable. Many businesses do not employ well-trained operators who can guide and explain the proper usage of machines to their workers in a language they understand. Machines need to be serviced, maintained properly and have to be cleaned and kept properly after every use. With proper maintenance, the longevity of the machines gets enhanced,” said Sheldon.
“I have personally witnessed the misuse of backpack vacuum cleaners at cinema screens in malls. The machine capacity is for a 150-seating hall, but it is used for bigger areas and for longer times, decreasing the efficacy of the machine,” said Pallavi.
“All my career, I have been particular about maintaining machines, which has been highly appreciated by my industry friends as well. This provided the catalyst for me to jump into the restoring business. Equipment that were dismissed as scrap are now back to working condition at our workshop and get an extended life of three to 10 years,” added Sheldon.
As I was listening to them, I knew I was in the hands of “Machine Doctor”. I was gently lifted for the operation. Each part of my body was carefully removed, repaired, or replaced, resurrected, re-attached and revived. I felt a new energy surging through me as I was meticulously reassembled and given a fresh coating.”
I adored my new look, as my heart was racing to roll back on the floor again.
I could not stop listening to my doctors who gave me a second life — Sheldon Simons, Managing Director and Pallavi Gawali, Director of Radiant Hospitality Consultants LLP.
“I have come across so many instances, where the wipers of an auto scrubber are often uncleaned, leading to decreased efficiency… cracked expensive single-disc scrubber that can be repaired at nominal additional cost… and yes, every machine bought needs servicing and maintenance like any other gadget and should be budgeted for. Radiant’s vision is to start training centers to educate people on how to use a machine to get the maximum out of it. This will help businesses capitalize on their investment,” said Sheldon.
As I return to work, rejuvenated and eager, I know exactly where to find my ‘Machine Doctors’ if I ever need another miracle.
Keerthana Sundar,
Special Correspondent, Clean India Journal