Vaneeta Punchvedi | 19 Apr, 2014
Among the toughest challenges faced by Small and Medium Enterprises, managing funds and hiring talents top the list, said Ramesh Chandar Sharma, owner of MannatBeautyFurniture.com, an SME that manufactures beauty salon furniture. In exclusive interview, he also told SME Times that Indian small businesses, despite some level of government supports, are still lagging far behind when it come to technology. They also lack platforms to exhibit and market their products.
Excerpts of the interview...
Please tell us something about Mannat Beauty Furniture?
Ramesh Chandar Sharma: We are a specialized supplier of all types of beauty salon furniture products, including barber chairs, chairs, facial beds, manicure tables, massage tables and chairs, salon mats, pedicure equipment, and even salon reception desks, shampoo units and chairs, shampoo cabinets, shampoo chairs, salon stools, trolleys and carts. Besides quality products and competitive pricing, great customer service also helps us to stand out in the industry. We also offer customized products on request. On-time delivery is available for majority of our items. We also offer local pick-up from our warehouse, if a customer prefers.
What make you to start this business?
Ramesh Chandar Sharma: I have almost 25 years of experience in the furniture industry. In my early days of life I had worked for several other companies. I know everything about the furniture making. My experience and creativity make my mind to start my own furniture making company.
As a manufacturer what are the main problems do you face in your day today schedule?
Ramesh Chandar Sharma: According to me manufacturing is the alternate name for money for any organization. For the manufacturing setup, you need lots of money or credit from market but initially you will not get that supporting hand from the market.
Second major problem is of hiring talented people who are highly educated, As you know SMEs are having small budget so we are unable to hire them. This is the one of the major reason for backwardness of SME sectors.
Manufacturing sectors are suffering from some of most important as well as nominal problems like high rates of electricity, space for factory, scarcity of water, labor problems and corruption. The government is not supporting us from their level best. For manufacturing we need to use machines and that machines use electricity. We want that government should decrease the electricity prices for us. There should be low rates of lands for the industrial purpose. The government gives relaxations to the big businesses but not to SMEs.
Furniture industry is a quite competitive industry, so how do your company compete with others?
Ramesh Chandar Sharma: Yes, furniture industry is competitive as there are many small and big companies in this sector. Competition is tough as well as good for all of us because it makes its compulsion that your work and product should be best.
Nowadays, our major competitors are Chinese products. They have captured all the market with their low-price products, but they too have various setbacks as Chinese products always come with same colors and pattens. If anyone wants some different sort of products Chinese companies are unable to provide them that option. Chinese products are also low in quality and they don't provide any type of service after selling their products. These are the major demerits of Chinese products.
Who are your target audience and how do you connect with them, how you made them satisfy?
Ramesh Chandar Sharma: As the name says itself, our all furniture are related to the beauty salon so our clients are fixed and from the same industry. We make our clients satisfy with quality, creativity and service. These are the most important things to satisfy our target audience.
Do you know about SMEs? If yes then according to you what are the merits and demerits of being a SME?
Ramesh Chandar Sharma: Yes I know about SMEs -- small and medium enterprises. I don't think there is any demerit of being an SME if the government supports us fully.
What do you expect from the government to do for the Small and Medium Enterprise owners for their growth and development.
Ramesh Chandar Sharma: No doubt the government has done lots of work for the SME sector but this sector is still very far in the in the race of technology, talent and money. We expect from our government that they should provide us easy loans, better technology and a platform where we can show our products and services.