I’m Sardor Umrdinov, Founder and CEO at Home Alliance and I’d like to share with you how I created the company with the dream of saving families time, money, and stress while providing expert appliance repairs.
I was born and raised in Uzbekistan. I attended a Russian kindergarten and elementary school. My parents enrolled me in a national school when the country gained independence. I stayed there for a year. They then transferred me to the Lyceum for boys.
I stayed there for another six or seven years to finish my studies. My father agreed to send me to the United States for three months to improve my English in 2003.
Starting a New Journey in the United States
In my first days here, I was amazed by all the opportunities that lay ahead of me. I fell in love with the country I was fascinated by the skyscrapers, the developed infrastructure, and the incredibly beautiful nature of California. Every day I tried to learn as much as I could about the country and its culture. I was excited about every single item! I knew then that it was the right place for me. That was just the beginning of my American dream.
The journey was not easy for me as a foreigner without connections or funds, and at times I considered shifting away from my chosen path. It was difficult for me to make a living. I worked in a variety of places and was paid very little because students are rarely hired. I then worked in the home improvement industry as a painter, plumber, electrician, house remodeler, HVAC, and appliance repair technician.
More importantly, I noticed a growing gap between the company and its customers as well as its employees. Customer service was poor, technicians were undertrained, and the company had a negative reputation. Customer service was unresponsive, and the repair company’s overall impression was negative. Something had to change, I knew. I took a risk and took a chance.
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Founding Home Alliance
Throughout my job, I mastered the basics of business and digital marketing, which helped me take the first steps toward owning my business. I also actively studied English and worked hard to save money. After five years in the United States, I started my first “on wheels” business – I drove an old Ford that I spent $3,000 on and provided services for installing washing machines and dryers.
I began to notice my clients’ satisfaction with how well I treated them, including punctuality, presence, and excellent communication. As a result of the trust I had developed with my customers, I was soon asked to repair equipment in their homes. This shaped the future of the Home Alliance.
I worked as a subcontractor until 2010. Following that, I began my plan to create a business that was more than just a washing machine repair service. I began with a garage and gradually expanded my services to include air conditioning repairs, vent cleaning, and plumbing, which helped me quickly expand my customer base. I employed a technician when demand for my business grew too high and then eventually hired five more.
Additionally, I worked hard to build my team. Since I pay my employees and technicians more than most competitors, I have been able to attract new qualified employees. My employees were never singled out as favorites nor did I take away their requests to increase my profits; rather, I distributed clients equally among them. It also aided me in forming a solid team. I knew that to achieve my vision and move my company forward, I needed to invest in and develop the people around me. “Hire and develop the best” – became one of my mantras.
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Developing Our Software
After a few years and the addition of numerous departments in-home appliance repair, HVAC, air duct cleaning, plumbing, we expanded into the world of automation. We invested five years in developing our software to ensure a consistent customer experience and well-trained employees.
However, handling this process on our own proved impossible, so we contracted Ukrainian developers in 2016. After researching various CRM options, I created our own IT department, which now employs ten people. My humble beginnings on my own have enabled me to understand the challenges others face on their path to success. Consequently, I created opportunities for my team both in the office and out on the field.
Starting Home Alliance Academy
We just announced the launch of our own Home Alliance Academy earlier this year. Participants will gain in-depth knowledge and practical skills to help them quickly adapt to a new workplace and master the in-demand job of home services professionals. At the Home Alliance Academy, we train employees and provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the workplace, from technical training to sales strategy and client communication training.
The academy aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills they’ll need to work at Home Alliance in the future. We not only assist them in gaining the technical skills required for advancement in this field, but we also invite the most promising graduates to work for us regularly. Furthermore, this method allows us to focus on an individual’s specific characteristics.
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Our Mission at Home Alliance
With the convenient mobile platform we developed, we were able to recruit over 100 technical specialists who are now working for themselves. We make it easy for technicians to connect with clients by managing their requests, and those clients can decide when they want to receive service. As an added service, our remote assistant service allows customers to speak with a technician over the phone to resolve maintenance issues. We created the HA app for smartphones. It is already available for download in app stores. With the help of membership, customers can enjoy more features and speak with an expert.
And this is just the beginning. We continue to make home needs more accessible and affordable to a growing number of families by developing our most convenient services, ultimately providing quick, dependable, and high-quality services at any time and in any location.
