Q. Tell us about your journey from a start-up to a successful entrepreneur?
It wasn’t different than any other first-generation start-up. initial hiccups, cash crunches, operational hardships, we have passed through all. We are thankful to friends, family and well-wishers and early stage customers who risked their projects on us and because of their support we could sail through all that easily.
Q. How and Why did you choose this industry / sector / product line?
Security Automation, despite being a very sensitive need; was very heavily dependent on imported / foreign components specially in the area of electronic security. We identified this niche and realised the potential for any domestic company who could bring in successful innovations to the market. We have been fortunate to see a couple of initial successive successes.
Q. Tell us about the unique points of your products / services
“Doing it First”; so, to be Solus, it was such a tempting motivator that it keeps us running even today. We feel happy to remember many such firsts that we brought to the market, the first local made access controller, the first IP ready controller, the first mobile app in security domain and many more. Easy to use and operate, value based pricing and an extraordinary after sales support are the most valued USP’s offered by Solus.
Q. What is your brand and what are its principles and what does it stand for?
Solus means Unique or One of its kind, we continue to live this mantra in not only in the new versions of our products but also in the services we offer as well the way we conduct our business. Customers now expect something new coming up from the Solus stable and we strive all the time to live up to that energising expectation.
Q. How do you ensure quality
Quality in everything we do is a Prime Priority at Solus, and it comes by habits, we involve an entire ecosystem of “development-to-delivery” to contribute to it. Planning it right and adhering to stringent quality plans ensures that today we have less than .01% failures from the field and 70% + Business from repeat customers.
Q. List the facilities and services offered to your customers?
Solus offers Access Control, Workforce Management, Visitor Management, IP Surveillance and Managed Services to its customers.
Q. As a business what are your major achievements.
We feel pride in being the first and bringing in many innovations or import substitutes to the country. The First Multi-Reader Access Controller with Advanced Access Control Software was our most popular product amongst the System Integrators. First Indigenously made Biometrics reader and now the Security Management Platform iSOLUS are a few of the significant achievements that team Solus has accomplished so far.
Q. What are your major innovations and how have they helped?
Multi Reader Access Controllers with Advanced Software helped system integrators to win the projects that were otherwise locked to foreign brands and were very expensive to end users. Advance Features of iSOLUS helped the end users to manage their security operations more efficiently.
Q. What sets your business apart from the others?
Most mature product features, well informed after sales support and value based pricing sets Solus apart from the others.
Q. What is the vision of the company?
To be the Best Security Automation Products and Services Company. Globally.
Q. How do you handle Customer support / redressal?
We have very mature customer support system. A choice of service level agreements is available for customers with a pre-defined Response and Resolution commitment, Customers can log their service request online and receive an instant acknowledgement number. The tech support department internally works for earliest closure of these service requests. Customers Feedback is monitored by an independent Quality enhancement team for process and delivery improvements.
Q. As an Entrepreneur what are the most important 5 things that helped you grow?
We will rate the founders Meeting (Hariom and Swamy) itself at Number 1, followed by a sequence of available opportunities, getting a brilliant team, a conducive marketplace and a very supporting set of initial customers.
Q. Which are the 10 major points that helped you succeed?
A Series of Innovations, a Supporting and competent Team, a Supporting Industry and Ecosystem, an Early Market Acceptance, Smart Marketing and Sales Practices, Branding, Product Quality, Exemplary After Sales support, Great Tech Support and the Tech Support’s Reach in the marketplace are the ten that are worth mentioning.
Q. Looking back, any moments of your journey as an entrepreneurial journey that are worth remembering?
Being recognised as one amongst the Top 100 SME’s of the country is indeed a memorable event of this journey.
Q. What were the issues faced by you and how did you overcome them?
Getting the customer to agree to bet on us as a complete solution provider specially when we were New and Unknown was one of the most challenging issue. We somehow convinced them to give us a try and then there was no looking back. We are indeed thankful to all our early stage customers who risked their projects on us.
Q. How do you ensure employee retention?
We ensure that all Solus employees at each role enhance their capabilities to deliver with each passing year by way of continuously challenging assignments, most of the Solus-ites enjoy this challenging and rewarding journey. The fact that Solus is the best platform for their career growth is proven by many employees who re-join Solus post their small tenures elsewhere. That’s indeed a very happy feeling for the whole Solus team to know that collectively we create such a lovely environment to work with.
Q. How do you give back to the society and the ecosystem?
Solus believes in giving back to the society and owns many corporate social responsibilities, We extend our active support for Girl Child education and Medical Aids.. Solus also Actively supports environmental protection initiatives through NGOs like FABGA.
Q. What are the processes and systems that you have implemented and how do you use technology?
Process, Systems and Use of Technology are critical for any consistent service delivery. We at Solus believe in this and extend our utmost respect to the efficient use of Processes and Systems. We use world’s leading CRM and ERP to manage our operations and continuously invest time and effort to an improved use of technology.
Q. Tell us 10 things as an advice to new and current entrepreneurs who would like to setup a business and make it large like yourself.
First and fore most the important step is to START somewhere. And that’s often the most difficult one too. Once you start you will see the whole universe assist you to achieve your goals. Being humble and agile, keeping your Ego parked far off, taking prudent financial decisions especially at the beginning, learning to delegate. Cost Reduction and ROI are something that must be on the Top of mind always. Innovate ways and means to bring an efficiency in operations. These are the few of key traits that we recommend that every early stage entrepreneurs should have.