Raman Singhal is an MBA graduate from Australia, and he continued working as a financial analyst in a few MNCs in Australia for a couple of years. He started a business in Singapore for a few years but he already had a family business of food running in India. He had to leave everything behind and come back as the family food business was unfortunately closed. Then came the realization that nothing can be better for him than working in the food business as he had this in his blood since the very beginning. He came back to India, restructured the entire brand, and gave birth to what today is known as the famous Singla’s Sweets. Singla’s Sweets is a common name in the households of Delhi, and it is incredibly famous for its sweets and savory snacks.
In Conversation With Raman Singhal Of Singla’s Sweets
In an exclusive conversation with The Restaurant Times, Raman Singhal talks all about his brand, the importance of locations, inventory management and more.
Importance Of Location
According to Singhal, for all those who are in the restaurant business, location is a term people hear more times than they care to count and it is for a good reason. Selecting the ideal location is essential, ignoring it can quickly turn a concrete, well-conceived plan into a failed restaurant. In addition to being one of the most critical aspects for the financial viability of the brand, decisions regarding location aren’t easy to undo. Changing the mind and the idea will be expensive, complicated, and damaging to the approach of the brand.
Accessibility of the restaurant should not be restricted only for the convenience of the customers, but also for the employees.
Everyone has a target employment market just as they have a target customer market. The restaurant should be located at a place which is easily accessible for the employees as well. If the restaurant is operational during the night, there must be access to public transportation at those hours or a nearby parking lot if most people drive.
‘I always select location which may be secluded and far but it should have a potential front area, with a huge parking space. The parking should be sufficient. All our outlets are located in places where we provide parking for about 100 cars. Real estate in Delhi is very expensive, so if one is paying a considerable amount for the rentals, it is crucial to choose a location that is worthy and big enough.
Staff Happiness
According to Singhal, employee turnover hurts the business more than one can imagine. Not only does it create a dearth of employees, but it also costs restaurants a lot of money to market, interview, and train the new employees. Add to this the cost associated with limited abilities when new members are learning the job.
‘Employees always want to feel that there is an opportunity for growth and advancement, within the brand they work for. If they feel they have a solid career path ahead of them, they’ll be more inclined to provide great service to customers knowing it will also benefit their long-term goals. 50% of our staff have been working with us for the last 30 years, and this is because we never let them feel unimportant or hinder their growth,’ says Singhal.
Cultivating employee assurance can help restaurants create positive customer experiences and reduce costly turnover. By centralizing on the core elements of employee engagement, restaurants can create a competent workforce of brand ambassadors that take ownership of the customer experience.
“We have staff who are working with the brand for the last 30 years, since its inception. Singla’s sweets are famous for its consistency in quality and quantity, and it is all because of our hard-working and sincere staff. For our customers, Singla’s Sweets is a synonym for quality.”
Inventory Management
According to Singhal, for any restaurant business, it is vital to effectively handle the orders, menu items for proper restaurant inventory management. Though that doesn’t mean restaurant advancement and other procedures are less crucial elements. Each of these has a specific role to play in making the brand a great success. It is vital to keep an eye on your storage of the food inventory management.
‘We at Singla’s sweets are very focused on managing the expiry dates of products. We make sure that no item passes its expiry. Purchasing items for inventory consciously are the first thing to keep in mind. And the second thing is the immediate use of these materials. We have an expiry check after every fifteen days’, says Singhal.
Singhal concludes by sharing that right now, they are focusing on opening outlets in Faridabad and Noida, and are also coordinating with the aggregators. They are pitching in terms of marketing a well along with funding the initial setting cost. ‘We hope that this will increase our revenue by 30%. We plan to open about ten more outlets in the coming years,’ says Singhal.
