Q: Could you give us an insight into the principles that define the company’s services?
At Handiman, the understanding of ‘service’ is based on the foundational concept that: Service is not just a job, it is a cause. We don’t sell service but peace of mind; we do this by emulating the attitude of ‘mothers’ and not ‘maids’; we take on the role of caretakers and not just service providers. As such, we understand the underlying concerns and anxieties of uncertainty weighing on the customers’ minds, address them at the root, and help reduce the psychological load weighing on a customer as a caretaker.
Service is not just about solving issues but creating effective solutions. Hence one needs to understand and define the problem correctly, and to do so, listening is very critical.
Customers are at the core of the company’s existence:Â Handiman exists for and because of the customer – to understand his/hers needs, service gaps, and pain points. Here, the team works for and is accountable only to the customers. They are the customer’s representatives at Handiman. Â
High-speed of response:Â Being responsive is very important and holds a lot of significance. Speed of response and promptness is required in the service industry because half of the problems are solved by being responsive.Â
Custodian of customer interest: Each of us should protect customer interest. If necessary, fight and challenge internal teams, and not hesitate to challenge even the customer if that is in his best interest. In other words, protect the customer’s interest and not his request.Â
Q: What is the USP of Handiman Services that sets the firm apart from others in the market?
As an organisation, we are lean and quick at decision-making. There is no need for lengthy approvals that get lost in departmental hierarchies and internal protocols that come with larger organisations. All our internal processes are bound by timelines and set norms that are internally followed. Â
We don’t work with other service providers as third-party contractors. Hence, our complete focus and concentration is to do meaningful business directly with end clients. Right from our MD to the ground staff – all are totally clued on to what is happening daily through reports and dashboards published to our senior management members for their reviews and actions. We take pride in our customer longevity period and the high renewal rates of > 96%.
Manpower training is also another important aspect we look into. At Handiman, we have a three-pronged approach to training. Pre-deployment training happens in advance i.e, before a worker is enrolled into the system. Only on passing the pre-deployment training workshop does a worker get allotted to work at a project. Then we have on-the-job training, which happens periodically at the client location. Lastly, we have something called mobile training, which occurs on the go. A trainer comes on surprise visit to the project and trains people on the go as the work progresses at the project.Â
Our transition management teams will ensure a smooth transition of systems and processes so that the client feels the minimum impact of changing their service partners. An independent transition manager will work in sync with the client and the existing vendor to ensure zero downtime in work-related matters – ensuring a smooth takeover of all issues.
Project monitoring:Â We have built a professional backend team to manage the operational process we have designed. Regular project visits by our area and operation managers and customer service excellence teams are a standard practice we adhere to. We shall be providing a dedicated Client Relationship Manager at no additional cost.