This week Startup Dhaka caught up with Md. Ariful Islam, the founder and Managing Director of a highly innovative interior décor company called Blue Apple BD. This isn’t just another interior design firm. They are in the game for something far bigger than mere profits. Having over 350 employees on payroll including architects, executives, technicians and interns, Blue Apple BD is a success story worth being told.
Tell us about yourselves. What are your products and services?
Blue Apple BD offers custom made Interior designing services and consulting for interior designs. We provide highly customized services with the customer in mind. We let the customers come up with their budget, and we try to provide them the designs they want right within that budget. We produce the furniture and provide them along with the decoration services. We also provide decoration related consulting services to our clients free of charge. Our services reach anywhere in Bangladesh.
What sets you apart from other interior decoration businesses?
One’s own home décor is something which reflects the owner’s personality. It brings out their creative inner child. We try our very best to stay true to that, with our aim towards 100% customer satisfaction. We provide services for a very competitive price. This is in fact lower than what most other firms provide and we deliver within a shorter span of time. Our motto is immense personalization. We believe that a decorated interior of a home or an office is a very personal representation of their very nature. We try our very best to help our clients bring to life that creative inner child of their through our services.
What is your target market?
We offer our services to anyone who wants their home, office or restaurant decorated. There is a very common misconception that interior decoration is only for the Upper and Upper Middle Class. We want to change that. Although our target market is the corporate sector, with jobs for decorating mostly offices, we also do homes for a reasonable price. Some of our current clients include Energypac.
What is your business model? How do you profit?
Our profit margin is 2-4% of the budget per project. Our business model revolves around a very dedicated team of workers, architects and executives. Unlike other companies, we don’t hire contractors. Our workers work here for a monthly salary. Our Executives are well trained, very co-operative and help the clients pick their design by being in their shoes helping them throughout the decision making process. We have a very thorough screening process and we ensure we pick the most experienced as well as dedicated people. While our firm has not been around that long, having started in 2011, many of our employees have over 15 years of experience. We also have internees from public institutes of the country to train here getting a taste of an Architect’s life.
What are some milestones you plan to achieve within a year?
We would like to expand our base of corporate clients and make a greater impact there. Personally, I have always wanted to have a project which will be a very personal, signature work of mine. A mark I will have left behind on behalf of this company. We want to help set a trend for companies like this to come forward and bring the vision and creativity to fruition.
What are some of The Obstacles you have faced?
The major Obstacle we faced was the unavailability of some hardware we need to process our furniture into specific shapes and sizes. For that, we had to bear the greater cost of bringing them from abroad.
Why did you choose your own business over getting a job?
I have worked in the banking sector. It was a good safe way to earn a living. But it did not give me the same excitement and an opportunity to put my creativity to work that Blue Apple BD does.
Any advice you’d offer for fellow entrepreneurs like yourself?
One of my role models once said “Doing Good is Good Business.” Whatever you do, maintaining honesty and integrity with your clientele is of utmost importance. Focus on being fair about meeting demands. Good reputation based on quality service and honest work will indeed enrich your client profile and revenues are bound to follow.
People tend to be very critical. You will find many who will overlook the good things about your work to point out little flaws. These little details can make or break the experience you provide. Keep the little details in mind and you’re bound to succeed.
Where is your office?
Our office address is House 112, Road 2, Block A, Basundhara Residential Area, Dhaka.
Contact: Kowsar Hossain
Phone:
0185-95-485-74
01676-93-59-86
02- 8402525
e-mail:
arif@blueapplebd.com
linkonhossain99@gmail.com
Find out more about Blue Apple BD at: http://blueapplebd.com/home.php
The post Blue Apple: Bring Your Dreams To Life appeared first on SDAsia.