Devi

My father is a part of grinder associations.

Top 3 priorities for my business: Social media, improve internal communication which is lagging and then logistics.

Yes, we try to give offers (customer discounts) always; if they buy 3 liter we give 1 liter juice jar free. We cannot give offers for commercial but for domestic we do. Commercial equipment is high budget and they don’t expect the free items. My father decides on discounts.

I am D. I completed my B.Sc in IT and joined my father's business. Initially, I received a job offer in Bangalore, but due to some health issues, my parents advised me not to take that job. Instead, we decided to start another branch with a different name, focusing on bath and kitchen equipment. My father has owned Kovai Lakshmi Grinders for 40 years, and this new branch is just a year old and is a recent addition.

My father gave idea to start a new branch with different name. I initially had no interest in entering this field, but my parents suggested that it's better to work in our company than for someone else. I entered this field because I aspired to be an entrepreneur from a young age. However, I didn't want to rely on my parents for investment, so I decided to work and earn on my own. I also struggled to find the right job. Eventually, my father stepped in to help me start a new business.

What I like about the business is that I can easily connect with people, and we can face many individuals, which allow us to learn various things. Having a basic foundation in business is essential, as it helps us face any challenge. Each customer reacts differently, and in the beginning, their responses used to trigger my emotions. However, I've learned how to handle it; perhaps it's common sense. Initially, I didn't know how to manage situations or customers.

My mother makes the decisions, and I trust her. Whether it's something as significant as my life or any other matter, I let my parents take the lead in decision-making.

We specialize in manufacturing kitchen and hotel equipment, with a primary focus on grinders, ranging from domestic to commercial, including 20 and 40-liter models. We also export our products to foreign countries. While there are many popular products originating from Coimbatore, grinders hold a special place as they were first introduced here. In addition to grinders, we manufacture advanced TLC-controlled Muruku machines and Adirasam machines. Our factory produces a comprehensive range of kitchen and hotel equipment, from A to Z.

During my initial stages, there was an incident where I reacted harshly to a customer because I was concerned about maintaining my self-respect. They mistakenly assumed I was a staff member and didn't treat me as the owner. I informed them that I'm not their maid servant and requested respect. I also made it clear that I was not interested in their business and refund their money. Whoever it is equal respect is important; we consider all our staffs as siblings and address them as brother and sister.

My father and I operate in the same business, but I primarily focus on the rural demand. In rural areas, there is a society where customers receive 30 to 35% subsidies for their loans. We reach out to such places through our firm to raise awareness. Our primary concentration is on rural areas. Within the city, people are generally unaware of the government scheme through which they can receive 30 to 35% subsidies on bank loans for kitchen equipment. Rural residents are to some extent aware, but city people are often unaware that the government provides subsidies, especially to women entrepreneurs.

It was my idea to focus on rural area. During my college years, my friends were primarily from rural and interior areas. Our perspectives and thoughts often differed from one another. They had chosen our college because it was a women's college. The customers who visited us also had distinct viewpoints. It was then that I decided to focus on serving both rural and interior areas. We approach women committees and even they approach through google search. We are working on the web sites also.

I awake up 7.30am because I sleep late; I go for a walk then bath have breakfast and leave to office. By 9.30, I or my employee will open the store. I then offer pooja and start working. I carry my food if not I go to home for lunch as it is walkable distance. In my absence, my employee attends to the shop/customers. Later in evening, I leave by 7.30 or 8pm. Even after reaching home, sometimes work remains as our business doesn’t follow a 9 to 5 schedule. Sometimes if I am stressed, then I will put my phone in silent mode at night. We are customer-oriented company, we meet all their requirements.

Mornings are usually the peak hours for my shop. This is because many of our customers travel from their places and arrive early, around 7:30 am. Our important customers come from Kerala. We often suggest that they take some time to relax, perhaps by having breakfast or visiting the nearby Lulu mall. In that case, we open our store and begin our business operations a little early, at 9 am.

Transportations/Logistics is the biggest challenge in daily operations. We dispatch our products through private transports. We take care to pack the items properly, but sometimes the transport companies mishandle the products, resulting in damage. We, as the direct business deal, we are held responsible for these products, and we must address any issues that arise. Dealing with these challenges can be quite pressure-filled, especially when we need to communicate with customers and provide them with replacements. We replace the product through other transport.

Walk-in customers are around 6 to 8. We have more online customers who find out about us through Google, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube.

We have customers from entire South of India. We get bulk orders from foreign countries and we have dealers there. As we provide even commercial equipment. we receive order from north India also, we sell grinders there and we purchase from them too.

We have been fortunate to experience significant growth through social media, which has granted us global recognition. Recently, one of our videos went viral, and as a result, we've been getting continuous calls and inquiries. The video has got over 1.3 million views, and it has increased demand for our products. Initially, I believed that our grinders would only last for 5 or 6 years, and I thought that people wouldn't need them frequently. However, after witnessing the video's viral success, I've come to understand that there is a consistent demand for our products, in fact, for any products. Meeting this demand is now is our top priority.

Our Wholesale business is always in bulk, there is finance and they always place orders with us- 100 to 200 pieces- but margin is less but continuous orders will be there. But in retail, we have more profit but sales are rare.

Consistency is important; weekly we upload three reels and through that we reach our customers. We post reels displaying our product and its functions. We have a team to help record and upload the videos to our channels. They will ask my suggestion before uploading the videos I approve it and some videos are good and some are bad and average. We consider the good ones. This is the conversation we have and in month end we make payment.

I initiated our social media presence after joining this firm. While we already had a website, it was still under construction at the time. I strongly insisted for our presence on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Being well-versed in social media, I understand the vast reach and potential it offers.

Though Vyapar app we are billing and only in month end we consolidate it. My cousin advised this app and he also comes to firm and helps us too. We have recently started handling our accounting in-house. Previously, we had outsourced our accounting; in Chennai we have a firm and also a  factory so we could not channelize it well, therefore, we made the decision to shift our accounting to this app. Billing is channelized well some time the staffs miss to update before and now we can track the billing.

Customers see the machine image on social media and ask if we have it. We confirm that we do, and then you proceed with the order. We also customize machines for them like oil dryers, atta kneaders, etc.

Quality and the way we talk to customers, how we present is also important. We often have customers requesting immediate product delivery. While we can't always guarantee instant delivery, we do our best to prioritize all orders and meet their needs. We aim to handle such situations effectively, maintaining patience and providing excellent service.

People who already purchases suggest to their relatives and in commercial they might have a hotel and they might ask for customize products and we meet that.

When you buy a product, such as coconut oil as you mentioned, you can assess its quality based on factors like purity and fragrance. Similarly, with grinders, you can gauge their quality by the sound they produce. Many people, especially our mothers, have a deep understanding of quality in this regard. It's important to note that even for a lower price point, some manufacturers use aluminum motors, which can lead to burnt smells and overheating in the long run, indicating lower quality. While cost is a factor, quality is priority. Our walk-in customers often visit multiple stores before coming to us, and they may attempt to negotiate our prices. For instance, if they bargain for a product priced at 7,000 rupees while our rate is 9,500 rupees, they might not initially comprehend the motor difference, such as aluminum versus copper. Often, customers only learn about these distinctions through their own experiences. Unfortunately, some may initially opt for lower-quality products and later require servicing. We try to show them the motor and explain the difference; this is copper and gives two year warranty.

Customers have increased in the last one year. Sustainability; we are in this field since long time; new business people want to become rich overnight; but we serve people first.

Negotiations are a regular part of our interactions with customers. While we do have certain limitations and may not always be able to meet their desired price, we often provide discounts and leave the decision to purchase up to them. Sometimes they even walk out. I stand firmly by my decision to maintain high product quality. While I could produce lower-standard quality items, I don't want customers to compromise on quality. It's a long process – when customers choose low-standard products, they often end up returning to the store for repairs. I often explain to them that it's similar to hiring a laborer; if you want them to perform well, you should pay them regularly.

To express our gratitude to our happy customers; I send voice messages through WhatsApp, as we may not be able to thank each one individually. Recently, a customer commented that the video was 'super' and mentioned that the wait was fruitful. We also interact with customers through Whatsapp. But I have not put any whatsapp status.

Customers often return with new requirements, and that's when we know they are satisfied with our products and services. Some customers go the extra mile and create review videos, sharing them with us. This kind of feedback provides a significant boost to our business.

I wanted to concentrate on domestic demand. Domestic is important; many family, kitchen, women are there and I want to do something for them; my father does commercial. I am collecting data for that and getting feedback through social media. I am researching now on a modified version of grinder. I design and upload and watch the number of views. How many people watch it or comment; people invest their time in watching it so it is a good sign to me.

We have supplies SS (stainless steel)products are supplied to us. All products are covered in this from equipments to machinery, we cannot use aluminum for food products; 304 grade steel is used and we purchase in bulk and manufacture.

A trustworthy employee is someone who is very transparent. By that I mean, they provide answers without hesitation, as if it's at their fingertips, and they excel in accounting. They are honest and trustworthy; I have a good ability to identify people, a trait I've inherited from my mother.

My father recruits staff; I interact well with all. I guage their potential based on their response to me. For example, I often ask a staff member to share a picture, and while some agree initially, there are cases where I receive no response on the matter. However, there are also staff members who promptly send me the requested pictures. These are noteworthy highlights

We will first explain the customers about the time and duration to avoid the misunderstandings. We then take the order and make new and deliver to them in 15 days.

We offer the following payment modes to the customers: Paytm, credit card, Google Pay, Bajaj finance, PhonePe.

Yes, we give offs on all government holidays and Sundays to our staff. If we are open on weekends, then they can take offs on weekdays as well. Other that that, we also grant holidays to them if they are going to village. We do not maintain any record for staffs.

Yes, we provide assistance (advance payments) to staff, when they ask, and we consider them like siblings. They feel comfortable sharing their problems with us, and we help them. My father has the same approach.

Cash management is a personal matter; I'm not the main breadwinner of the family, so it (cash crunch) won't affect me. It can be challenging for someone whose family depends on their income, but in my case, my family is not dependent on me, so I don't feel burdened. Whatever I earn is a result of my talent.

Yes, customers address me as Papa [baby / young girl] the way I explain they will know, if the bulk order is getting confirmed then I forward it to my father. I feel I have to win and change their thought; I explain them well they even confirm the order too. I don't take it too seriously. There is another aspect to consider – we have a family as well. In this field, there are predominantly more men, whether it's in manufacturing or delivery, whereas I am the only woman here. Working in IT from 9 to 6 this is much better.

Customer credit: Yes, many did not repay yet we are still following that. Once we give them they don’t repay. Sometimes, we offer the option of paying in EMI. However, once my mother considered and as a result there have been cases where customers are yet to complete their payments and are not responding to our calls. This situation results in losses for us.

Very frequently we talk to the accountant, every evening we discuss about the day's business. He checks daily expenses and check invoice; monthly we consolidate.

The shop is on Google maps. Yes, I reply frequently to reviews too. Customers find us through google search and come to us in person, they use maps.

We have insurance for the factory.

I am scared about loans; monthly we have to bear that money even if we are at a loss. That thought of paying loans will always be in my mind, it is a tension; at 21 years I am not interested in loan.

Most of the time we try to sort customers’ problems; or even replace a particular product. We want to reach out to them positively. One person left a review on Google, and we reached out to them to provide a replacement. However, we've also encountered instances where reviews were fake. In our field, there is significant competition, and it's a concern when a staff member starts a new store next to our store. We've also noticed many instances of people using fake names associated with our brand. These concerns highlight the importance of showcasing one's talents and not engaging in unethical practices or stealing from others. In my view, it's crucial to respect and protect the talents of others.

Facebook is a more important tool; this generation looks for Instagram and old people look for Facebook.

On Social media, our goal is to get viewed by consistent customers; we will have a customer base. When our customers come forward to place orders, they mention to us that they found us on social media

Youtube Channel for store: I started it as we did not have one. We already had a YouTube channel (personal) so we were interested in starting one for our store.

Google is an important tool. SEO is the reason for that.

We forward messages to constant customers on Whatsapp. We forward only to known people basically.

I believe that Amazon provides warehouse facilities, but they seem to do so based on specific requirements and offer credit accordingly. I'm not entirely clear on their procedures in this regard. We are not interested in ecommerce as we used to hand over our products, and only after they were sold did we receive payment. It was a lengthy process. However, outside of this, Amazon is incredibly useful, particularly for items like skincare and kitchen products. We often make purchases during events like the 'Big Billion Days.'

I use GST calculator app for business.

I aspire to make our company one of the most significant in Coimbatore. I want our company to be top-of-mind when people think about Coimbatore, and that's my goal. To achieve that, we must maintain the consistency in our work and the way we communicate and present things.