The year was 1992. Tops Security was in the doldrums. The entire security industry was shaky. Then a 22-year-old took over. And turned it all around. That braveheart: Dr Diwan Rahul Nanda, Global Chairman, Topsgrup, tells Shinjini Ganguli how he made it happen.
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| Dr Diwan Rahul Nanda Global Chairman, Topsgrup |
Tell us about Topsgrup.
What started off as a boutique firm in 1970 in Mumbai, today operates out of 125 offices around the world with global headquarters in London. Trust is at the centre of our existence. It is the single most important attribute that drives each Topsman and Topswoman everyday. Our customers trust us with their business, information and human capital and our stakeholders trust us with their wealth.
Let’s begin at the beginning. How did you make your debut in business?
When I was 15, my father Major (Rtd.) R C Nanda suffered a paralytic stroke. He was bedridden for over a year. That sudden, fell stroke changed my life forever. When most of
my peers were still deciding which stream of education to pursue, I was getting ready to face the world head on.
A chain of Chinese restaurants – Tuktuks—became the learning ground where my entrepreneurial instincts evolved while I came to grips with the nitty gritty of the restaurant business. It was no cakewalk. The mismanaged restaurant owed huge debts in the market. The quality of food, service and customer management was deplorable. But I had decided to go ahead and fight my fate; so I took it upon myself to transform the business.
Within six years, Tuktuk’s average business went up from a mere `10,000 to `2, 00,000, and the restaurant came to be known for its quality food, personalised service and customer satisfaction.
I continued to pursue my education. With time, I realised the constraints of the hospitality business. It required space and capital, and I had neither. After exploring various service options such as public relations, advertising, real estate and broking, I decided to revive the ailing family business of private security. I could foresee a lot of potential in it.
How was Tops born?
My father established TOPS Security Guards (TSG) in 1970 after taking voluntary retirement from the Indian Army. Although it ran well initially, by the end of the 80’s it was reeling under legal battles against The Maharashtra Private Security Guards (Regulation & Welfare) Act, 1981, which debarred all private security agencies including TSG from conducting the security enterprise in Mumbai and Thane district.
What challenges did you face?
When I took over Tops, it was doing a meager business of about `4 lakh a month. The company had no standing in the market. Unprofessional ‘fly-by-night’ operators had popped up and damaged the industry’s reputation at this time, so industrialists and decision makers didn’t have a great opinion of it.
How did you change this grim scenario?
In the year 1992, armed with nothing but a promising vision, a second hand Jawa motorcycle, and a monthly stipend of `600 p.m., I set out to compete in an industry dominated by players who openly violated laws, considered illegitimate business practices as healthy and who strongly endorsed ‘strong arm’ tactics.
Wherever I went, prospective customers asked “Why should we opt for TOPS and make a change-over from our existing security agency?”, “You say you are a 22-year-old company but why have we never heard your name?” and “Do you have any solid references to back your claims?”.
Under normal circumstances, answering the same questions over and over again would have fatigued me. But I was confident of my vision and knew that all these impediments were just small hurdles. The jinx was broken finally when we got our first customer – Shangrila Biscuits. Today, Topsgrup is the most preferred security brand in the country.
| Topsgrup Today |
| It was the first security company in India to get ISO 9002:1994 certification in 1999. It was also the first to get 9001:2000 certification, which has now been upgraded to ISO 9001:2008. Topsgrup’s investigation company, TOPSGRUP Risk Intelligence Private limited is the first security company that is certified not only for the revised ISO 9001:2008 but also for Information Security Management Systems ISO 27001:2005. It is the first Indian MNC to acquire Great Britain’s leading security company ‘The Shield Guarding Company Limited’. Dr Diwan Rahul Nanda was recently awarded the Indian Achievers Award for business excellence & quality achievements at the 24th Indian Achievers Summit. Topsgrup won Brand Leadership Award, 2010 at CMO Asia Awards for excellence Branding & Marketing. |
How do you deal with your competition?
We have differentiated ourselves by consistently delivering world class security solutions to complex enterprise problems with a smile. Customers don’t partner with Topsgrup just because it delivers world class security, but also because it is a completely ethical and transparent organisation accessible 24X7.
How important is it to take socially responsible initiatives in the society?
Topsgrup has always believed in paying back to the society; whether it is by pledging 1000 pair of eyes during the Bhuj tragedy or by educating 100 girls in Uttar Pradesh or by launching India’s first and fastest Emergency Response Service called TOPSLINE 1252. As we celebrate our 40th Anniversary, we have just announced a unique educational trust fund in the memory of Diwan Hari Chand Nanda, my grandfather. This trust will secure the future of children orphaned in terrorist acts across different parts of our country.
What are your future plans?
Our international foray with the acquisition of the UK’s leading security company ‘The Shield Guarding Company Limited’ has opened exciting opportunities for us in the global security market. Soon, a day will come when you will see the trusted Tops brand in almost every corner of the world.
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