Manpasand Manpower Pvt Ltd – On educating the customer

Night-time cleaning has its own challenges. While it could be most suitable for street cleaning, it is definitely not a cost-effective option when it comes to cleaning a company premises, says Angad Luthra, Director Manpasand Manpower Pvt Ltd

It is most challenging and an expensive proposition to do cleaning, say in a telecom company, during the night, says Angad. “One of our clients had insisted on permitting us to conduct only night cleaning at their campus.” This posed many challenges and including availability of transport for staff to reach the site. Frequent absenteeism, increased consumption of energy were some of the problems faced.

Here is where, client education plays an important role. “We approached the customer and explained about the benefits of daytime cleaning.”

In educating the customer, there are a lot of other advantages and benefits.

1. First of all, daytime cleaning can help to address issues of corporate social responsibility (CSR) like saving energy. Power will not be needed in the evenings just for the cleaners.
2. Additionally in CSR terms, daytime cleaning is taking a more responsible stance to social trends with regard to one’s own employees and contract employees by treating them better.
3. Daytime cleaning can also result in a more bespoke level of service as the cleaner is able to see what is being done at each person’s desk, rather than simply dealing with empty desks in the evening.
4. Finally, daytime cleaning raises productivity levels, which can reduce costs to the customer.

“For us too the benefits have been extensive. The staff turnover for daytime cleaning is now at 9%, compared to 54% at night.” All said and done, Angad feels that finally, the customers must be willing to recognise the benefits of daytime cleaning, and be prepared to take the risk of trying something new.

Having started in 2000, Manpasand Manpower Pvt Ltd today has established a brand and expanded overseas as well, says Angad. “We are operating in around 20 cities across India and have overseas offices in Dubai and Umm Al Qwain (UAE). We currently have thousands of front line and supervisors; working in over 400+ sites.” Some of the sites include real estate, education institution, hospitality & healthcare, telecom, banking and IT.

“Our plans for the next five years, include tier II and tier III cities and capitalising on the business opportunities they offer. The projected turnover for the year 2015 is in excess of र500 crores, which will be backed by reputed investors. Also included in the plans is overseas expansion.

“We look at ourselves as a Manpower Marketing Organisation with the primary objective of improving the quality of life of Indians. We want to bring about awareness and to help the cause, we have founded a charitable trust – Ravi Luthra Foundation.”

There is need to provide education for the poor which this Foundation has been trying to establish.

During the decade in business there have been many changes in the dynamics of the Indian economy, says Angad.

“Firstly, the cleaning market, once an ignored sector, is a fast growing industry. With vast changes in cleaning and importantly in the way it is perceived, the cleaning industry has been able to increase turnover and profitability. There have been acquisitions, leading to market consolidation. For example, the Sodexo-RKHS takeover.

“Secondly, the next time you step onto the polished floor of a glitzy mall or building, you will be curious to know who is responsible for the mirror finish or the impeccable arrangement of facilities. All of these come under the broad term of facility management which has undergone a sea change from its original concept. What earlier may have just meant a function being essayed on an in-house basis has now evolved into various value added services, using advanced levels of technology and cost-saving measures.”

FM providers are now increasingly taking on the cleaning themselves rather than sub-contracting the traditional way. “The question that arises with this changing trend is: Will the cleaning contractors’ famous people skills convince clients to stick with them or is it inevitable that the country’s leading FM companies will take on the larger chunks of the big-ticket cleaning business?”