Gaurav Nigam, Founder & Director of Tumbledry, dry clean and laundry chain in India

Interview with Mr. Gaurav Nigam, the Founder & Director of Tumbledry, a rapidly growing dry clean and laundry chain in India

Mr. Gaurav Nigam is the Founder & Director of Tumbledry, a world-class dry clean and laundry chain that is rapidly growing across India.

With its presence in over 180 cities, Tumbledry is the largest laundry chain in India. Before Tumbledry, Mr. Gaurav Nigam gained valuable experience working in senior leadership positions at Bharti Airtel Ltd. and Lava International.

What motivated you to start Tumbledry?

Gaurav Nigam: During my professional trips to China, I noticed the widespread utilization of laundry services, from individuals to businesses.

I was also impressed by the organized and high-quality service provided by Laundromats. I found out that according to market research, the laundry industry in India was about to reach a market size of $35 billion, but unfortunately, 96% of it was unorganized.

This is when I saw a huge potential in the market and decided to launch Tumbledry in 2019 with the goal to take advantage of the laundry industry’s growth and relieve urban Indians of my laundry woes.

What sets Tumbledry apart from other dry cleaning and laundry services in the market? How do you ensure a world-class experience for your customers?

Gaurav Nigam: Tumbledry is a revolutionary brand in the Indian laundry industry not just in terms of changing the traditional approach to laundry and dry-cleaning services but also in terms of the franchise-based business model which never existed in the laundry industry.

Laundry used to be an opaque industry where nobody knew what happened to my clothes at a Laundromat or dry cleaner.

There was a sense of doubt about hygiene among customers. So, Tumbledry decided to bring complete transparency and launched Live Laundry stores.

It was a revolutionary step that made Tumbledry win the trust of our customers. The brand has introduced world-renowned German eco-friendly cleaning solutions that are also biodegradable.

Other dry cleaners in India continue to use cancer-causing PERC chemicals that are hazardous to the environment.

The brand has deployed Moisture Control Dryers and Wet Cleaning technology, which help to save water and thus reduce the amount of water used for cleaning processing.

Tumbledry stores are all designed to recycle the heat produced by dryers and boilers to reduce energy consumption and thus preserve energy.

Wet Cleaning technology is also very environmentally friendly as it doesn’t require harmful chemicals for the cleaning process.

How do you maintain the quality of your dry cleaning and laundry services across all Tumbledry outlets? What measures do you have in place to ensure consistency?

Gaurav Nigam: With transparency, high-quality, and customer convenience as its core pillars, Tumbledry sets itself apart from other service providers in the industry.

We use top-of-the-line machinery and chemicals from Sweden, America, and Germany, and have an in-house academy to train my washermen and pressmen to handle clothes with care.

The company processes each customer’s clothes separately for hygiene and promises 99% stain removal with my specially developed chemicals.

Customers can observe the cleaning process in live stores, and track orders through the mobile app with free home pickup and delivery.

These unique features set Tumbledry apart from other laundry service providers. Presently, Tumbledry is well-known for its expertise in removing more than 63 different types of stains from a variety of fabrics—stains that even housemaids are not trained to clean.

Through intensive research, I have developed chemicals that are specialized to remove indigenous stains that other detergents would ordinarily fail to remove.

What is your vision for Tumbledry in the next five years? What expansion plans or strategies do you have in mind?

Gaurav Nigam: Tumbledry is working towards addressing the laundry and dry cleaning needs of half a billion urban Indians by launching 2000 live stores by 2026.

The goal is to cover all Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities and establish a hyper-local presence by having one Tumbledry store within every 3 km radius.

This will ensure that everyone has access to high-quality laundry and dry cleaning services. The company aims to remove the laundry-related difficulties faced by urban Indians by reaching every household with its services.

“We are incredibly proud of our rapid growth and expansion efforts,” said Mr. Gaurav Nigam, Founder at Tumbledry. “

By opening one store per day, we are determined to make our high-quality laundry services accessible to more customers throughout the country.

Our expansion reflects our commitment to revolutionizing the laundry industry and providing exceptional growth in the industry.”

In a highly competitive market, how do you stay ahead and adapt to changing customer needs and preferences? How do you incorporate new technologies or innovations into your services?

Gaurav Nigam: The laundry service market is enormous, with a value of USD 35.83 billion in 2020 and an estimated worth of INR 2.2 Lakh Cr in the Indian market, according to INC 42.

This is due to the fact that laundry is a basic daily need for everyone, regardless of income level. Despite the growth potential in the market, there is still a lack of large business groups in the industry, with a staggering 96% of the Indian laundry industry remaining unorganized.

Pre-inspection: A thorough pre-inspection is conducted to identify any existing stains, damages, or special instructions provided by the customer. This helps in determining the appropriate cleaning method and avoiding any potential issues.

What steps do you take to ensure the safety and protection of your customers’ garments and belongings throughout the dry cleaning and laundry process?

Gaurav Nigam: Separation and sorting: The garments are separated based on my color, fabric type, and specific care instructions. This prevents color bleeding and ensures that each item receives the appropriate treatment.

Proper labeling: Each garment is labeled with a customer identification tag to avoid mix-ups and ensure accurate tracking throughout the cleaning process.

Use of gentle cleaning methods: Laundry businesses often employ gentle cleaning techniques and appropriate detergents based on the fabric type. This minimizes the risk of damage and maintains the integrity of the garments.

Trained staff: The laundry business ensures that its staff members are trained in handling different types of fabrics and using various cleaning techniques. This helps to minimize the risk of errors and mishandling.

Maintenance of equipment: Regular maintenance of laundry equipment, such as washing machines, dryers, and pressing machines, is crucial to prevent any malfunction or damage that could affect the garments.

Secure storage: Cleaned garments are stored in a secure area, protecting them from potential theft or damage. Customers’ belongings, such as buttons, zippers, or accessories, are usually returned with the garments or kept separately for easy retrieval.

By implementing these safety and protection measures, Tumbledry Laundry businesses aim to ensure that customers’ garments and belongings are treated with care and returned in a clean and satisfactory condition.

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