The Toughest Challenge of My Career: How We Earned the Trust of a Reputed Airline

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A year ago, we received a letter of award from one of the world’s most reputed airlines to manage their female accommodation facilities. It was a defining moment in my career.

As a small FM company, I was the sole representative of my team, competing against one of the largest FM companies with over 5,000 employees—while we had just around 400. Replacing such an industry giant was no small feat.

The interview was intense—the toughest I’ve ever faced. It was a true do-or-die situation. Losing this bid would have jeopardized all our existing projects with the landlord.

The Challenge:
Deployment needed to start immediately, from December 2 to December 16. In just 14 days, we had to:

• Hire and screen 70 staff members.

• Ensure all passed rigorous client interviews.

• Rely entirely on local hires, as new visas would have taken too long.

Simultaneously, I was managing operations for five other projects while interviewing engineers and managers for this one.

One key insight I gained during this process is the significant difference in hiring technical candidates:

• White-collar hires are relatively easier to manage.

• Blue-collar hires, however, require much more effort. You need to:

  • Have them on call.

  • Ask specific technical questions about their expertise.

  • Assess their attitude and work ethic—all in one conversation.

Hiring them is one challenge; getting them to pass the client test is another entirely.

After an exhausting month of hiring, approvals, deployment, and streamlining the project, we finally delivered. Over the past year, we’ve maintained seamless operations, winning the trust of this reputed airline.

Lessons Learned:

1. The FM industry is open to giving new companies and people a chance. Government facilities, in particular, mandate changes every 2–3 years, regardless of performance.

2. Small-scale FM companies taking on large clients face unique hurdles, including emergency breakdowns and ensuring business continuity.

3. Doing things mostly right as a small company can still lead to success. In this case, ticking 9 out of 10 boxes was enough.

4. Interestingly, larger clients tend to focus on the bigger picture, while smaller clients are more likely to fixate on that one unchecked box, even if you deliver on the other 10.

Takeaway:
This experience taught me that hard work, adaptability, and strategic thinking can bridge the gap between a small team and a massive challenge. Even under intense pressure, small companies can deliver big results.

Your Turn:
Have you ever faced a do-or-die moment in your career or business? How did you navigate it? Let’s share and learn from each other—drop your story in the comments!

If you found these insights helpful, share this story to remind others that even small teams can make a big difference.

Do you have strategies or stories of your own to share? I’m all ears—hit reply, and let’s connect! 🤍