Customer Story
Local pest control and fumigation company, Ensure, keeps up with compliance and accreditations to stay competitive
Government guidelines and upgrading programmes play an important role in facilitating progress in industries.
Walking into the office of Ensure Pest Control and Fumigation, one will undoubtedly notice the rows of certificates adorning the walls, alongside pest control equipment neatly stacked on shelves.
The company’s Managing Director Mr Iskandar Shah Bin Rahmat started out as an apprentice in the pest control industry more than 20 years ago, before striking it out on his own at 46. Nine years later, his business has moved from a home office to a small, cosy office in Jurong, with 10 employees and its own fleet of vehicles.
When speaking to Mr Iskandar, one can easily sense the passion he has for his trade and his support towards his employees.
Besides providing numerous anecdotes from his years of experience in pest control, Mr Iskandar also cleared up common misconceptions regarding pest control and fumigation, as well as the importance of using government-approved chemicals during these processes.
When asked about the rack of soccer gloves that was spotted in his office, he beamed, explaining that it was a business idea he started with his employees. A believer in investing in his staff, Mr Iskandar has been supportive of their dreams outside of work, even funding their pursuit of higher education.
Growing his people and advocating professionalism in their operations
Professional certifications and accreditations are important to Mr Iskandar, despite Ensure being a small company. By staying up to date with the latest developments in pest control and technology, he wants his team to continuously achieve better customer satisfaction.
“I encourage my staff to constantly upgrade themselves. Some of them do not have O-Level qualification, so we encourage them to study and take the examination. Alternatively, we send them to obtain a pest control or a fumigation license,” Mr Iskandar elaborated.
“They have my full support in doing all of this. I also try to send them to WDA (Singapore Workforce Development Agency) courses. Rather than hoarding profits, I prefer to give them a chance to learn.”
This quest for self-improvement applies to himself as well, as he continually attends workshops in areas such as horticulture and botany conducted by various agencies.
Admitting that the process of complying with new industry standards and policies can be demanding on small businesses, Mr Iskandar nevertheless believes government guidelines play an important role in facilitating progression in competitive industries.
Keeping abreast of rulings and adapting to new requirements
Learning, growing and changing with the times is Mr Iskandar’s life philosophy. As the managing director, he is steadfast in meeting the challenges involved in these processes, including the adoption of technology to help his team work more efficiently.
Ensure has been utilising Singtel’s Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) app, E.Payslip, to automate the computation of staff salaries and generate payslips, reducing time spent on issuing hardcopy payslips.
“Yes, it was partly because of the government’s requirements [of issuing itemised payslips to employees]. But it was also of benefit to us,” Mr Iskandar explained his decision to use E.Payslip.
“We discussed internally whether we should use it, and we eventually decided it would benefit us, making it easier for my accounts team to do their work rather than do things manually.”
Open to new solutions and opportunities, Mr Iskandar and his staff try to keep abreast of such technological offerings or industry developments by participating in the activities organised by the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce & Industry, or events such as Singtel’s inaugural 99% SME held last year, where he learnt about the new itemised payslip requirements.
Reflecting on his company’s adoption of technology, he confides, “It takes time for us, small enterprises, to move forward. We need to do things step by step, and so we started with [the adoption of] E.Payslip.”
“We learn new things about the business every day, and that encourages me to keep going, and gain more experience.”
“In the same way, as the government sets new laws, we have to take up the challenge and try to advance,” Mr Iskandar stated.
Caring for customers is the way to keep them
The success of his business also has much to do with the attention that Mr Iskandar dedicates to his customers, to ensure their well-being.
Citing a specific case, he explained why it was especially important for pest control businesses to avoid being negligent with their clients.
“The previous pest controller (commissioned by the client) sprayed their entire external floors with chemicals and insecticides every month. When we took over, we analysed the situation and did a treatment by spraying only along the sides,” Mr Iskandar shared.
“He [the client] wanted to know why we didn’t spray the entire floor, so I told him that the previous company had been using the wrong method to treat the problem for years. We were trying to control the situation by spraying only along the sides where the ants were coming from.”
Mr Iskandar elaborates further on the approach his team takes, “We encourage our staff to solve the customer’s problem on the spot, rather than to call back to the office. They must be knowledgeable enough to assess the situation when they meet the customer.”
With the support of his long term customers, and new clients that have found their way to Ensure via Facebook and their new website - ensurepest.com, Mr Iskandar hopes to continually drive the success of the business, develop his team, and possibly hand over the reins to his younger sister in the future.
A piece of Do Different advice from Mr Iskandar:
"Business owners [should] keep an open mind and pace themselves when adapting to change."
– Mr Iskandar, 55.
About Do Different
A mobile and digital world ushers in new challenges and opportunities for businesses. SMEs that are quick in their transformation and adoption of technology find themselves building up a competitive edge that drives growth and allows them to operate effectively in this new economy.
In this six-part series, Do Different explores the common challenges and experiences of SMEs that leverage technology to level the playing field, while reinventing their business and operations.