To build the finest interior and to give homes a unique look, HouseOme organization comes with a plethora of splendid interior designing options. The company is well-known for its cutting-edge home-designing styles and immaculate customer service.
In an interview with Insights Success, Pradeep Singhvi, the Founder and CEO of HouseOme, gave his insightful and thorough views which highlights the unique, innovative, and high quality interior designing solutions the company offers to its customers.
- Answers to the following interview questions.
- Tell us something about your company?
Buying a property is everyone’s dream and designing it to suit their personality is ours. We help customers to understand their requirements and provide them end to end solution, viz., designing to planning to procurement to execution. While deciding the name for our company, our initial idea was to have a single word that would describe a ‘beautiful home’ and should also appeal to the end-consumer. After coining various names we zeroed down on ‘Houseome’, which means an AWESOME HOME. All credit goes to my wife Garima Singhvi (Vice President, Bank of America – Merrill Lynch) for suggesting this name.
Interior Designing space in India is most unorganized sector which is worth USD 30 Bn (as per Technopak) and online share is mere 5%.
Houseome started its journey in June 2016 in Mumbai and got good traction. We have expanded to Ahmedabad and Chandigarh in 2018 and looking for few other cities by the end of 2018.
- What kind of ‘unique interior’ solutions, services or products are offered by your company at par with the current industry standards?
We have a virtual reality tool application where floor plan of the customer’s place can be created and he can visualize the final outcome before the work has even begun. It helps customer to understand the ideas that are shared and also saves their time. This is also important from a point that initially customer is confused on placement of furniture and other stuff, with our VR tool he can immerse into layout and visualize possibilities.
Once customer is clear at ideation stage we prepare complete working plan so that work can be done at smooth pace. It help us in controlling time line as well.
- Tell us something about the Founder/CEO of your company.
Pradeep Singhvi (age 39 years) is the Founder and CEO of Houseome.com – an interior designing platform that leverages technology to create dream home for new-age buyers. Pradeep, originally from Jodhpur, is a seasoned Finance professional turned Entrepreneur with the aim to disrupt the current interior designing space in the country.
Prior to commencing his entrepreneurial journey, Pradeep was spearheading the business planning and budgeting of the Trent Hypermarket Ltd. – Star Bazaar – a TATA & Tesco Enterprise. He is a Chartered Accountant and has worked as Finance-head for financial and corporate companies including Times Television Network, Capgemini and Raymond Apparel.
- What is the current scenario of ‘Interior Solutions’ segment according to you? How are you contributing to making it better?
As per Technopak market size of Interior Designing space is $30B and online share is mere 5%, which is growing at CAGR of over 25%.
Interior Designing space is most unorganized space in India, these are the segments under which it can be classified further –
- Conceptualization
- Designing
- Execution
- Well Managed time lines
- Best material sourcing
Getting one person providing all services along with standard processes & technology with well managed time lines is difficult. We ensure that customer needs to have one point of contact that understand his requirements and ensure that all work is done as per agreed scope of work with best quality.
- What tool/technique does your company use to deliver the safer, economical, and efficient Interior solutions to the customers?
We have VR application using that customer can visualize their dream home and it help us in understanding their requirement as well. We use latest material which are environmental friendly and safe. We also do home automation to ensure that home designed by us has lesser carbon footprint.
- What strategies/techniques do you follow to surpass the various building disciplines such as fire-safety, security, building automation, lighting, and more? How are you shaping yourself to become extraordinary in this sector?
We use latest material which are environment friendly for designing our home. We also see that company is ISO certified so that products have good shelf life and is safe. We have collaborated with Coimbatore based company for our home automation segment. They also provide products that sync with voice command and provide better user experience.
- What were the major challenges you faced at the initial phase and how did you overcome it? What were the opportunities that came your way through these challenges?
On a micro level, while designing our first Website we shared complete plan/ prototype with one designer. The outcome was not satisfactory and we had to shelve that piece. We were looking for a platform that will be the one stop shop for all kind of customized home designing solution. Later, we met with Mr. Avnish Sharma of Syscraft Information System and shared our idea. He took the challenge and shared the first draft in next 2-3 weeks. Then it was easier for us to focus on other aspect of business, like hiring right talent, marketing etc.
On a macro level, Interior Designing space is an unorganized sector in India. Challenges like lack of professionalism from contractors to carpenters who take up the work but do not have requisite skill of designing and eventually they end up giving product, which consumers do not like.
At Houseome.com, the first step is to understand our customer’s requirements. We ensure to give them a realistic cost estimate of the work and timeline to complete the project. Once the cost estimate is approved we move onto the designing phase, providing the complete design on a virtual platform. Once this is approved we commence with the on-ground execution of the design.
- Where is your company heading? How your company is benefiting your clients in this competitive world? What is your success mantra?
We have created our own cliental who believe in our services and know that we do not stretch time lines. We have many customers who have recommended us since we have finished their work within agreed time lines with best quality. For any customer there are 3 important factors, viz, Designing Options or ideas, Times Lines and Finishes basis which he decides whether he should get work done by us or not.
We use these strength to our benefit while suggesting time lines. We have regular contractors who works with us for many years and know how to ensure that work is finished in agreed time lines with best quality.
- Share with us your piece of advice to the young entrepreneurs in the Interior Decoration Solutions space.
Interior Designing market is huge and people look for professionals who manage time lines and provide best output. For young entrepreneurs who are joining this space, it is advisable that they should use latest technology to show case their talent and ensure that time and quality is not compromised at any cost. If they are able to master this mantra then getting good customer will be easier.
- How do you see the future of ‘Interior Decorations’? Tell us something about your upcoming products/services/plans.
Home is the basic need of a man and everyone wants to design it at its best, as per their budget. We believe in customization in this space so that customer has infinite options. We have tied up with few real estate agents and developers so that customer get best services.
To have wider reach, we have opened our offices in Ahmedabad and Chandigarh, these are franchise model offices where customer gets the same experience and services even setting thousands of miles away.
