Duraipandi M is the founder CEO of Paalm Landscape, a premier landscaping company based in Chennai. If you’re out for a business trip in Chennai, be rest assured one is bound to encounter at least one of Mr. Duraipandi’s works. Duraipandi is a 1994 graduate batch, B.E in Agriculture from Tamil Nadu Agriculture University. After starting his career in numerous real estate companies and polishing his profile, Mr. Duraipandi moved back to India and became the Head of Landscaping at SriCity.
Duraipandi spends good 6 years of his career at SriCity. And considers it as the most impactful point in his career and a training ground for his future, ahead. He considers SriCity’s Chairman Shri Srini Raju as the biggest influence in professional life which brought out the spirit of entrepreneurship. Driven with his love for the environment and determination to set out something on its own, his founded Paalm Landscape in the year 2014.
The Work
Paalm Landscape is a premier landscaping company involved in building. And maintenance of landscaping solutions in most of the prestigious institutions, hotels, offices, and residential properties across South India. Though it is reaching peaks since its inception, it took 5 years for the business to go from the ideation stage to actualization, being set up in the year 2014.
Business activities of the company include supply maintenance of indoor and outdoor plants, landscape design, estimation, maintenance, and automation irrigation works. The company gives priority to the use of natural resources, owing to their ingrained depth and enduring qualities. The business model is B2B2C and embarks on multiple collaboration ventures with real estate companies and contractors.
The Vision and The Future
Paalm Landscape’s CEO states that their design philosophy is to provide healthy, comfortable, beautiful, and sustainable landscaping suiting all needs. Their work is inspired by unique customer-driven designs that are beautiful and efficient. Landscaping is both a science and an art and requires good observation and design skills. Paalm Landscape understands the elements of nature and construction and blends them accordingly. The company is totally dedicated to environmental ethos to ensure the continuation of a safe, clean, and healthy ecosystem keeping humans first.
CEO’s Mindset
When prodded about his competitive advantage, Mr. Duraipandi is quick to say his innovative mindset in bringing out new ideas. And implementing the project to the T serves as his competitive advantage. His 20 years of industrial experience also works in his favor.
Goal: “To become a market leader in landscape services by providing quality products and excellent customer services while embracing environmental ethos guaranteeing a safe, clean, and healthy ecosystem for humans”.
When asked about his strategy to build a strong customer base Duraipani says that he is obsessed with customer satisfaction as it serves as the best advertisement. And prefers to contact clients directly for landscaping solutions. Duraipandi prefers to employ people who are equally obsessed with being quality conscious just like he is, regardless of their experience.
He is proud to say that the company has an extremely low employer turnover ratio since, unlike other labor-intensive companies. But it is very strict about its safety standards. Though the pandemic has brought in a slump, he still has managed to keep business running along with timely payments. Paalm has been recognized for its achievements. And has received Leed Gold Rating for 3 of its industrial landscape projects from IGBC. Which is India’s top agency that rates projects based on principles of environmental sustainability. The CEO maintains his work-life balance by spending quality time with family and friends and is an avid marathon runner. The only advice that Mr. Duraipandi has for budding entrepreneurs is to get out of your comfort zone and go for it.
On a closing note when asked about his long-term vision “Being one of top 5 companies across the country” is his goal.
