<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The island chief has a conversation with Mr. Hussain Aman, the General Manager of one of the leading fuel supplier in the Maldives &ndash; The Hawks private limited. The successful family business has been growing exponentially in the past few years with an expansion to boatyard services, a bricks manufactory, speed boat services and the Airport Beach and Tropical Biosphere Hotels as we speak with Mr. Hussain Aman, we get an idea of why this company has become so successful within a very short time.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Please tell us about your experience before working as the General Manager of The Hawks pvt. ltd.</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">As this is a family business, I have always been interested in the operations and were involved in the company&rsquo;s activities right from the beginning. After the successful completion of my first educational level, I decided to learn more about how to efficiently run an international business and started my studies in Malaysia. Simultaneously, I became officially a representative of The Hawks pvt. ltd. In coordinating the purchase of quality products for cost effective operations.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I was eager to use my theoretical knowledge for the family business, that&rsquo;s why I also spent my holidays with operational support. My father taught me, that only hard work and dedication will lead to success in life. This point of view has positively affected the way I am working as a General Manager today, for the benefit of all our stakeholders.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">After completion of my Master Studies, I joined the company as an assistant of the CEO. I was able to get an insight into all departments and could prove that I was capable to take care of our stakeholders. With hard work and a high level of dedication, I became the General Manager of The Hawks pvt. ltd in 2017.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>How do you inspire and mentor your staff?</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I believe that the greatest asset of an organization is its team. If you take care of your employees, they will be motivated to take care of your stakeholder and its return will be a fruitful business. Personally, I ensure that my employees are always motivated by giving them the opportunity to reach their goals and allow them to develop their skills. The Training on the jobs and opportunity to be part of the business development are important for our employees. I believe that offering a professional career with a bright future is essential. Our team members are not just employees, as they join a family business, they surely become part of the family.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>What do you believe is the most essential thing for a company&rsquo;s success?</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">As mentioned before, the first thing is to have a motivated and dedicated team. Secondly, as a successful company, you need to understand your customer needs and to response immediately. It is important to make difficult situations easy for your clients. We give our clients the assurance that with us, they won&rsquo;t run out of fuel. We make sure that vessels, resorts and local businesses from Haa Alif Atoll to Addu Atoll don&rsquo;t run out of fuel. It is all about meeting our client demands. The Hawks pvt. ltd. Has grown from a fuel supplier to a company with bricks, boatyard services, sea transportation and The Airport Beach and Tropical Biosphere Hotel.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Another important factor is to develop the nation and take responsibility for a strong local economy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">As a local business, we strongly believe that we need to give an essential part of our success back to the society. Since our incorporation we have been supporting organisations in education, sports and health. We are proud to have sponsored the Peace Run in 2017, The Investment Forum of Maldives in Dubai 2017 as well as several island events.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>What changes have you made and what do you plan to implement in the future?</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">When I joined the company, the fuel supply and other products were already very fruitful. I believed that more people should be aware of the various services we offer. One of the biggest changes I made was building a personal relation with our existing clients, new clients and attending important events such as the Maldives Boating Awards and South Asian Travel Awards. We are proud that the efforts of our team have been recognised and we are awarded as the Bunkering and Fuel Supplier of the year 2017.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">An important task is the expansion of our other divisions such as boatyard, bricks factory and our hotels. This objective certainly goes hand in hand with new technologies and specialised team members.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">As an innovative company, we plan great services in the near future. For example, the introduction of the first fuel testing facility in the Maldives. We believe that the only testing lab in Sri Lanka is not convenient for the businesses in the country and want to ensure that every person in the Maldives receiving fuel has the opportunity to have an independent quality test.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>What sort of work do you put to maintain the customer service of the company?</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">As mentioned before, we believe in a personal client service. Our strong sales team is well experienced in supporting our clients from their request, to the contracting and in developing customised packages.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We believe that a successful partnership can only be achieved if the customer service does not end after signing a contract. Our Sales team follows up on every single step to ensure that our customers are more than satisfied. We are eager to meet every request of our customers - even if it seems sometimes impossible or difficult. We believe in not only selling a product, rather we establish a partnership and give a commitment to fuel up the business of our partners.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>What is the most important thing that you have learned since you join the company?</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Number one, it is very important to look after your staff because without their hard work, commitment and dedication, a company can never be successful. Number two is attending to our clients demands with a high level of service. With personal meetings and follow-up on clients&rsquo; satisfaction, we have been able to increase our sales up to 70% since 2016. The third thing is the division of labor and empowering professional employees to fulfil their tasks for the benefit of your stakeholders. The last thing is &ldquo;hard work&rdquo; which means not staying in the office for a long time but moreover working efficiently. It&rsquo;s all about making the time you spend for your responsibility very efficient.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>