A perfect blend of prudent business practices and work ethics
In an industry where most of the times transporters eat into each other’s business and cut rates under the guise of sane business practices or gaining more business to survive, ethics and self-actualisation stand out for Hundekkaree Goods Transport Service (HGTS).
“Ethics is what’s leading our business,” says Mr. Sunjjoy Rukare, a second-generation entrepreneur and one of the partners of HGTS. “We’re in an industry where a lot of people cut corners and misrepresent or misunderstand services and be less than upfront with customers about the condition of goods in transit or service being rendered. We, however, don’t endorse that and want to remain transparent to our customers to earn reputation and eventually win more customers.”
An exclusive tete-a-tete with Mr. Rukare at his Pune office makes it clear that HGTS may not be the biggest transporter, in terms of size and scale, but it certainly is the best in the manner in which it is servicing the clients. Take, for instance, the company’s focus on serving one of its biggest customers, Mahindra and Mahindra. More than 60 per cent of it total business comes from catering to the unique requirements of M&M.
“We have recently deployed Eicher 3016 trucks for carrying engine pallets that have resulted in a lot of cost saving for M&M. Earlier they only used to send about 12 pallets in a truck. We studied the load dimensions, the width, length and height along with the weight of the product and deployed the Eicher trucks. Eicher had the truck of the size that we needed and ‘per vehicle per trip’ we could offer a savings of about Rs. 5,000,” beams Mr. Rukare.
The calculation translates into a saving of over Rs. 2 lakhs per month. “We have deployed 7 trucks for them and that do 6 trips each day, saving approximately Rs. 30,000 per vehicle. Multiply it by 7 and around Rs. 210,000 is saved per month. Needless to say we have gained trust through this customization. At the end of the day, it is a transporters’ responsibility to give a correct vehicle to a client, as they are unaware of what they want, or what vehicles are available in the market,” avers Mr. Rukare.
Similar methods were adopted for Meritor axle transfers in Mysore. “We pressed in the Eicher 3015 model that enabled more load, approximately 20 axles, in less time, helping the client manage its inventory,” he asserts. The company also gained immensely from arranging the return loads and monitoring loading and unloading of its trucks. He adds: “70 per cent of our work is taken for back and forth assignments. Vehicle carrying engines will get back with pallets.”
Grounded approach
Apart from M&M, HGTS today boasts of clientele like Visaka Industries, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd., Automotive Axles Ltd., etc. However, the journey to reaching these clients began by transporting fruits and vegetables for the farming industry in Pune on bullock carts to the nearest railway station in 1950 by the late Shri. Babanseth V. Rukari, and his three brothers. “We acted as clearing and forwarding agents for the goods to be further transported by rail (Deccan Queen) from Pune to Mumbai and hence got the name of Hundekkaree-one who delivers on promise,” explains Mr. Rukare.
The company bought its first truck in 1947, which is a make model of 1935 and is still preserved by the current partners. “The truck turned out to be a lucky mascot, and soon Hundekkaree became a popular name for farmers in Pune. While returning the truck from Mumbai we used to carry grocery food items like oil, wheat flour, sugar, etc.,” Mr. Rukare discloses. Owing to the timely service to Mumbai Pune, their diligence, in their initial days, was noted in a monthly magazine brought out by the traffic police known as ‘Dakshata’, that if you see trucks from Hundekkaree reaching to the market in Mumbai it is 4 AM.
“It is because of the drivers that we are able to achieve the height we are at. We are known for our ethical business practices and excellent customer service. For us our ethics are more important than money. We strive to bring a change in the general image of transporters by being extremely transparent with our dealings,” reiterates Mr. Rukare.
In the good old days, HGTS also used to keep the money that the farmer earned and return it to him with interest when required. “This was done by opening a bank known as Vishweshwar Sahkari Bank Ltd. by our founders, for farmers’ money that used to be deposited with our company,” he reveals.
He further emphasises: “Our trustworthy drivers that helped in keeping the track of farmers’ money are extremely important to us even today, as they make sure our business runs smoothly. In return we make sure we take good care of them and ensure that all their needs are met with on time. We have insurance and Mediclaim facility for them as well. We are proud to say that due to our attention to the driver’s needs, we have one of the lowest driver’s attrition ratio in the industry.”
Despite the corporate style man-management set-up, decision making is still directly in the hands of the promoters who ensure that the need of each client is met with unconditionally. “We even go to the extent of fulfilling our client’s needs, even if it means we do not make profits, just to adhere to our commitment, to achieve our client’s goal,” Mr. Rukare adds.
Prudent practices
HGTS takes care of its own vehicles in the backyard. Mr. Rukare discloses: “My father who was part of the company in the initial days used to handle the maintenance of fleet. Since then maintenance of fleet on our own has been one of the key factors for our success. We look at all the maintenance pertaining to the timely hub greasing, oil change, inspection of tyre life, etc. We use radial and nylon tyres from Bridgestone and Michelin. We are supported by Eicher’s original spareparts and use them to enhance the life of our vehicles.”
He is mighty impressed by the Eicher trucks and has pressed in even the model number 3014 truck for the beverage company they handle, apart from the 6037 for the cement industry. He observes: “We have experienced quick transit times owing to Eicher’s latest technology in engines as well as the driver comfort that it offers. Overall Eicher vehicles have enabled us to reach 4-5 hours earlier than any other vehicle or transporter. It is low on maintenance cost, good back-up from Eicher spare parts, new technology in engine, thanks to the JV with Volvo. Drivers who have driven other trucks and then driven Eicher trucks have jokingly said, that the truck NVH is such that we can hear the music without the engine noise cutting into it.”
HGTS has also bought the Eicher 6025 and 6031 on driver demand. The only new OEM addition with it is the new Bharat Benz 917 Tourist Bus 2+1 AC Maharaja seater with air suspension, which HGTS plants to use as a packaged tour.
“We have always ensured that our fleet stays updated to meet the ever-changing consumer needs. We were the first in Pune to try new models of trucks such as MAN and Mahindra Navistar and now Eicher Pro and Bharat Benz Bus. We will continue to be prudent in our business practice, building reputation with ethics,” concludes Mr. Rukare.