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Pravin H. Patel is the chairman of HOF Living, a leading brand in India’s office furniture and premium seating system category. For its 28 years of service and dedication to produce quality products, the company has been honoured with the National Award for the outstanding quality products in wooden furniture and MSME National Award. Patel was recently in Nepal for the launch of its 17th HOF Chairs store. Angila Sharma of New Business Age caught up with Patel and discussed the company’s products and its plans for the Nepali market. Excerpts:What brings you to Nepal?
We have been providing our services in India for the last 28 years and have are an established ourselves as the leading brand in manufacturing chairs. Nepal is a growing economy. There are quality appreciators and brand lovers in all part of the world and Nepal can be no exception. As it is a neighbouring country to India, we are opening our first store here and I am here to open the doors of this store to Nepali consumers. We are also planning to open our stores in different cities of Nepal.
Tell us something about your product.
Our chairs are designed considering the human body and correct posture. They are comfortable and long lasting and come with 2 years warranty and after sales service. We are the first Indian company in its category to get the BIFMA international (USA) and NexGen Ergonomics (Canada) certificates for its quality and ergonomic designs.
How is your product different from others?
HOF is one of the companies, which focuses on quality. We consider ergonomics as our priority while manufacturing chairs. People can sit on our chairs for hours and still not have backache or any kind of pain. Our products are of strong, durable and of international standards.
How do you analyse the Nepali market?
Nepali market is flooded with Chinese products. Chinese products are cost effective but fail to deliver quality. Today people look for quality products and also seek after sales service. Products that come from China or other countries fail to deliver after sales service. We assure quality service and also replace parts within the warranty period. Our chairs can be used for ten years. In comparison to the amount they pay the customers get more in return with our products.
How are you planning to take your brand to the next level?
We are trying to build our presence in the Nepali market. Our products are for the top of the class people, who believe in quality and branded products. Our first target is to attract more and more people from Kathmandu. After six months, we will open two more stores in Kathmandu. After that, we are planning to open more stories in other big cities of Nepal.
What are the ranges of your product?
Our product line is of three segments. The first one is the premium segment, which targets the top management people of a company. The second one is middle segment which targets the managerial level and senior staffs of any company. Finally, the third segment is meant for the lower rank staff members of the company. The price ranges between Indian Currency Rs 7,000 to 80,000 and depends on the level of comfort the chair delivers.
What is the reason behind opening your first outdoor store in Nepal?
The main reason behind this is that Nepal is the nearest country to India. This will make it easy for us to deliver our products. Another reason is that Nepal is a country where most of the products are imported from other countries. As such, people here rely on Indian products. Nepali and Indian people have similar preferences and we feel that this will help us in creating market presence.
What are your plans for Nepal?
We are manufacturing students’ chair for Nepal. These chairs are designed for students pursuing higher education. Since these people have to study for long periods, we are designing this product with the help of international designers. Students will feel comfortable and energised even after hours of study with the use of these chairs.
