Solus Security System : Invading success through smart technology innovation

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.