Thanks to the whole team for your incredible efforts this week with the take over of 8 buildings for Abu Dhabi Municipality.  We have grown as a company 20% in just 1 month.  This is a massive feat no matter the size of the company, especially one that has just celebrated its first year in business.  Great Job! 

It is truly great to see everyone come together for a common goal and a common purpose.  I am so impressed that all of the Services Supervisors and Managers were on ADM this week making sure things got off to a great start!  Secondly, I love that the Property Management leaders were out to help inspect and play an important part - Great Teamwork and Great Leadership. 

When you think about our growth of 20% in 1 month, you see the important role of Support Services plays with Services or Property Management to pull off a feat like this.  Now don’t get me wrong, we have had some problems and we need to learn from this and improve.  But all in all, with only 30 days to get ready, we grew 20% in only one month to now 495 employees.   It is quite a feat. 

Think about this - recruiting, selecting, training, supplies, etc. are the life blood to a company, especially one that is fast growing like we are.  It is like an army's need for supplies in ammo, people, weapons, and food.  The army can only advance into enemy territory (Khidmah growing with new contracts) as far as the supplies are there to support them.  The quickest way to stop an army (or a company) is cut off the supplies, then the people doing the fighting (our PM and Services Teams) have nothing to fight with and we lose not only the battle but possibly the war.

It takes really good communication between the troops on the front lines and the people supporting them.  Both must determine FUTURE NEED, which many times is an experienced estimate done in collaboration with both teams.  This relationship, if done well, allows the Army (Company) to defeat the enemy and take new territory (win new business).  Success begins inside an army or a company, not on the outside.  And most of the time, the battle is already decided before the fight starts based on which side is better supplied and trained.

As we take on new business and expand in size, these communication and supply lines must be strengthened by ALL and defended as the life blood of our growth.  It is not just up to the people supplying or people fighting, but all of us.  We are all in this struggle together.

Lead On!  

Sutton

Moments at the Khidmah exhibition booth in Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2010:

 
Khidmah team welcoming visitors                                                 Interested customers inquiring about Khidmah's services

 
Visitor reading about company offerings                                     CEO interacting with visitors

 
Media interviewing top management                                            Client testing the newly launched resident portal & technologies 

 
Khidmah team extending a warm welcome to visitors       All committed to serving the vision of our Nation

- Company welcomes online applications from national students across the UAE
- Exceptional students to be offered employment on graduation

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 30 September, 2009: The first intake of Emirati students has completed the first three weeks of a new internship program at Khidmah LLC, Abu Dhabi’s first Emirati owned and operated services management company.  The Khidmah internship program has been developed to provide a rounded introduction to working within an expanding company in Abu Dhabi’s real estate industry; offering workplace training in property management, services management, finance and call centre management systems and other aspects of a working in a fast-paced business environment.

Designed to boost the skills and provide real-life work experience for final year UAE national students interested in pursuing private sector careers in services management and real estate, the program is part of Khidmah’s drive to promote hands-on learning and build professional careers for young Emiratis. Interns who excel during their placements may be offered full time employment at Khidmah on graduation.  The first two participants in the program from Zayed University began their internships on 6 September and are now working with Khidmah teams and mentors in finance and IT – their respective study disciplines – until the end of October.

Sutton Turner, CEO of Khidmah, says
“At Khidmah, we believe that everything rises and falls with leadership.  Being an Emirati owned and operated business we are focused on developing and training young national leaders.    The internship program gives participants the opportunity to see what the service management business is like; evaluate Khidmah as a possible employer; and make a direct contribution to Khidmah through an intern project providing participants with hands on experience and confidence for their future.

“we are  passionate about development of leaders.  Each week for the past 16 months, we  have given Khidmah staff and interns a one-hour leadership class.   During these sessions we have open discussions where ideas and principles are shared between our staff.  These classes add to the value of a practical, yet educational internship program.

“Over the next ten years, we aim to have former Khidmah interns in every major company and ministry in the UAE, taking the leadership lessons they learned at Khidmah and teaching them to the people they will lead in future.”

Emirati students from UAE colleges interested in participating in the Khidmah internship program can apply for a place online at www.Khidmah.com . There are no restrictions on courses being studied, but would-be participants must have a keen interest in Abu Dhabi’s services management and real estate industry. Only two or three students will be awarded internships at any one time to ensure that mentoring experiences at the company are maximized and that students gain as much benefit from their placements as possible. Extra course credit may be awarded by the university to students on completion of the internship.

- Abu Dhabi services management company’s head office staff hits 60
- Portfolio developed, growth from 900 units after three months to over 1500 after six

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 04 October, 2009: Khidmah LLC, Abu Dhabi’s first Emirati owned and operated services management company, today announced details of the company’s expansion since launch six months ago - with staff numbers increasing more than tenfold from 20 to 230, and units under Khidmah management increasing from just under 900 after three months to more than 1500 units at the half year mark.

From launch, Khidmah has stuck to a targeted growth strategy and intense hiring drive despite the global downturn, recruiting 60 head office staff of industry veterans and innovators from UAE and international markets. The head office team – which includes graduates from some of the world’s most renowned educational institutions - has been supplemented with a 140 strong workforce providing on-the-ground property management services; from dedicated call centre staff to maintenance and landscaping teams. Sutton Turner, CEO, himself an alumnus of Harvard Business School, led international recruiting trips to Bangladesh, India, Nepal and the Philippines to hand-pick employees with the strongest commitment to customer service and most developed skills base.

The growth of the team has also enabled Khidmah to expand its portfolio of services – from property management and leasing at three months; to additional landscaping, cleaning, maintenance, health and fitness, resale, online (www.UAE2let.com) and call centre services today. Khidmah now provides its services to seven residential and commercial developments in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, including Sun and Sky Towers in Abu Dhabi, Oyoun Village in Al Ain and Lake Shore Tower in Dubai.

Sutton Turner, CEO of Khidmah, says:
“We’re an ambitious Abu Dhabi company with great plans. We have been able to take advantage of the current economic crisis to launch Khidmah; there are always opportunities in every crisis. Growing from 20 people six months ago to now over 230 staff and workers will allow us to fulfill the vision of Khidmah.

“During this first year of business, we have focused our attention on building the foundations of a great company. First you need incredible, positive people with good experience and education. Second, a well communicated vision and mission to focus these employees to become a team and do something bigger than any one person. Third, an integrated software system to increase communication and efficiencies, which decreases costs. Last, and most importantly, great board and shareholder leadership to see what the future needs and build the value of a service focused business.”

On the back of this initial period of growth, the company moved to new permanent offices in Abu Dhabi after being based temporarily at Sas Al Nakhl Village.

Last night we enjoyed Iftar with 110 of our Team Members at Sas al Nakhl. The teams represented Landscaping, Maintenance, Lifeguards, Health Club, Cleaning, Transportation, etc. It was a great night.
Lead On!
Sutton

This last week we finished our first landscaping project at GG1.  We are very excited and I wanted to add these to our website.

Lead On!
Sutton


Before Khidmah Team hits this project


Khidmah Team


Team putting grass down


Laying down Irrigation lines


Job well done!

Tonight, some of our leadership team went to Oyoun Village in Al Ain and enjoyed Iftar with our team there.



"Iftar with the guys who provide maintenance, cleaning, landscaping, health club and lifeguards at Oyoun Village."

It was great and it was the first time I had seen some of the team since Bangladesh and India when they were
 recruited. I think everyone enjoyed the evening and the fellowship.

 

Lead On!
Sutton

On Monday night, some of our leadership team celebrated Iftar with the guys from Khalidiyiah Village. It was a great night and enjoyed by all.

Celebrating Iftar with the Team at Khalidiyiah Village