FCML Projects Takes The Franchising Route

Jyoti Koul - New Delhi

Realising the importance and the popularity of one-stop shops for hospitality equipment, New Delhi-based FCML Projects has adopted the franchising model. The decision by the company is been observed as a move to enhance its presence in the hospitality products and equipment segment besides expanding its penetration to new markets.

In another development, FCML has recently tied up with National Panasonic to supply plasmas (flat screen televisions) to hotels.

Speaking exclusively to Express Hotelier & Caterer, Nirmal Khandelwal, director, FCML Projects, said “We have recently tied up with Panasonic to sell the plasmas (flat screen televisions) to the hotels in India. This tie-up makes us exclusive agents in the country for Panasonic for its institutional sales.”

On the franchising front, the company plans to open at least five new stores in the next two years. These new stores will be hospitality equipment warehouses. The promoters have already identified locations in Ludhiana, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai and the first franchised store in Ludhiana is slated to open by June end.

Elucidating the unique selling propositions (USPs) of FCML Projects as a hospitality equipment company, Khandelwal asserted that FCML wants to service and facilitate the hospitality industry across the country with its exclusive range of equipment.

“FCML houses a host of hospitality products and equipment under one roof. Besides, latest technology, innovation, designs, colours and techniques is what we mostly focus on. In fact, these are the aspects that differentiate FCML from the others. Since we offer imported items, for the hotelier, investing heavily into stocking these products and equipment is obvious.

“Our USP is offering clients products off the shelf. Importing directly would not only be time consuming for the hotels but they will also have to pay the necessary import duty to order few more pieces of the same product. Hence, making the stocks available as and when they require is what makes our clients turn to FCML time and again.”

FCML offers products like toothbrush caps, mirror heating pads, cutlery, crockery, carpets, chaffing dishes, mattresses, beds, bathrobes, toiletries and vases amongst others, the list is never ending. The store also provides hospitality solutions besides, the equipment and other products. These solutions are not only being offered in the form of consultancy but also in the form of options as the store offers a new product at regular intervals to the Indian market.

Citing an example of the effort being put in by the company to introduce and educate the users about new products and equipment, Khandelwal said, “When we introduced the mirror heating pads no one was aware of this product and its use. We had to educate our clients that the pad is being used to remove the frost from the mirror and it actually proved to be a solution for the hotels who, till date, did not realise how to cope with the problem,” said Khandelwal.