CrestClean veteran still strong after 20 years in business
Dorsamy ‘Samy’ Gounder is a familiar face of CrestClean in Hamilton. As one of the first to purchase a franchise in the city, Samy now has two decades of experience under his belt. He recently celebrated his 20-Year Long Service at the Waikato Regional Team Meeting.
Originally from Fiji, Samy arrived in New Zealand over 35 years ago. He initially worked as a social worker, but always felt he was destined for more. A friend’s success with a CrestClean franchise sparked Samy’s interest, and he soon became a franchise owner himself.
The switch to CrestClean proved life-changing for Samy and his family. He quickly grew his business, earning significantly more than he was in his previous career.
“I was making four times more than my wage as a Social Worker. I was really happy,” says Samy.
Samy works to a well-established routine, starting at 3pm and finishing around 11pm each day. While he puts in the hard work, Samy says being a business owner has given him the flexibility to balance work and family.
“It suits me well. I’m home in the mornings and weekends. When I want a holiday, I take a holiday.”
Keeping his customers happy has been the cornerstone of Samy’s success. He’s built strong relationships with his customers, some dating back to his first year in business. Midland MRI, for example, has been a customer of Samy’s for all 20 years. Midland MRI has grown from one site to four and Samy manages the cleaning for all of them.
Samy prides himself in offering a one-stop-shop cleaning service. He’s trained in all aspects of commercial cleaning, including carpets, hard floors, and windows. If a customer needs an additional service, he’s always ready to go the extra mile.
“My customers don’t have to go anywhere else,” he says. “They just ask me, and I do it.”
For over 15 years, Samy has also been a respected CrestClean induction trainer. He spends three weeks with new franchisees, equipping them with the tools they need to succeed.
“I like sharing my knowledge and I’m passionate about training those who come along with me,” says Samy.
“It’s really fulfilling. I like seeing them progressing and catching up with them down the track to see how their business is going.”
At 20 years in, Samy has no plans to slow down. He’ll continue running his business until retirement and encourage as many people as possible to become franchise owners along the way.
Sammy proudly celebrated his 20-year anniversary alongside fellow franchise owners at the recent Waikato Regional Team Meeting. He was honoured to be asked to say a few words in recognition of his achievement.
“It’s a milestone achievement for me and the most prestigious award. Being with CrestClean for the last 20 years has fulfilled my ambitions,” he says.
“People ask me how I’ve managed to stay with CrestClean for so long. My answer is always this – I’m honest, reliable, hardworking and I make sure my customers are happy.”
Waikato Regional Master Franchisee, Nivitesh Kumar, says Samy is an invaluable member of CrestClean.
“Samy is a very humble and gentle person. All his customers know him by his name, which clearly shows that Samy is a very proud and proactive CrestClean franchisee.”
