Security
concerns in Delhi--NCR has pepped up the demand for bouncers in the
region. Apart from other security services, demand for special woman
bouncers for events and pubs has increased to a greater degree. This has
eventually led to the augmentation of firms that are supplying these
'bone- breakers' - a name female bouncers happily like to be associated
with
With so many standalone pubs and malls opening up, the demand for
female bouncers is on the rise. In Faridabad, these firms have gone a
step ahead as they have doubled the number of woman bouncers in their
portfolios. The reason behind the rise in demand for female bouncers is
to ensure that the treatment meted out to rowdy women becomes less
harsh.
Players believe that a woman handling another woman is any
day a good idea. They inform that the demand for female bouncers is 20
per cent more than their male counterparts, which is why they are being
hired in large numbers across the city.
"The demand of female bouncers is high because event
management firms and party organisers need them for the security of
women in pubs, lounges, night-clubs, events and parties."
In the past ten years the demand has gradually picked up from nowhere
to what it is today added Singh. Though Singh didn't disclose his
company's turnover from the bouncer business, he emphasised that the
female segment contributes 15-20 per cent in his total revenue.
BUSINESS MOVING NORTH
Going by the numbers
given by the business owners, theirs firms have seen an uptick in the
past two years. Most of them attribute the recent security lapses as the
primary reason behind their growth in business. C.L. Bickal, managing
director, Lakshya Group said, "Arranging bouncers is comparatively a
more profitable business than any other kind of security service.
Further, it is challenging as well." In its thirty years of service,
Lakshya Group has posted a 30 per cent rise year-on-year in its female
bouncer business. He added, "There are over 200 clients including some
event-group companies who give us business from time to time."
Some players claim that a major fraction of their profit comes by
serving event- management firms or party planners. "We are providing our
bouncers to some prominent event - management firms of Faridabad and
the response has been great," said Rajesh Sharma of Armour Protection
and Facility Management. Sharma claimed that the company's turnover has
reached `2 crore with a 40 per cent rise in the last three years.
Explaining why more bouncer service agencies are focusing more on events
rather than pubs or bars, Azad Singh said, "Most of our profit comes
through celebrity events because the budget sanctioned for them runs
into crores of rupees. These events pull in large crowds where the
security cannot be compromised." Usually any city-based company provides
bouncers (both male and female) for at least 10 events in a month,
across Delhi and NCR."
HANDSOMELY PAID
Remuneration for individual
bouncers is also good, which is drawing more people into the profession.
The industry is still dominated by males, which can be judged from the
income disparity among males and female bouncers. According to a female
bouncer, the salary package differs because woman bouncers put in less
number of working hours. "Due to security concerns, firms never assign
us any night long or midnight duties. Our basic salary starts at Rs
7,000 to Rs 10,000 which goes up to Rs 60,000 at the senior level," said
Anupriya Mehta. "Generally, there are three categories of bouncers,
trainee, senior and super senior. The basic salary for trainee-level
bouncers comes at Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. For seniors it goes up to Rs
50,000 and for the super-seniors, who usually lead the team of bouncers
get up to Rs 70,000," said Vikrant Gurjar, a full-time senior bouncer in
a Faridabad- based firm.
SERVICE AT A COST
The firms insist that starting a security service agency is not a
cakewalk. "In terms of investment, Rs 10 lakh - Rs 15 lakh is needed
initially which accounts for the cost of office space, bouncer training
expenditure and salaries in advance because if there is no business we
have to sustain that period." "We also have to pay Rs 1 lakh to the state government
as a registration fee," said Azad Singh. Rajesh Sharma added, "The
business is not all about the muscle power but also about exhibiting
controlled aggression. These things are taught to them through periodic
workshops. We also organise skill development programmes, which cost us
close to Rs 1 lakh."
CLIENTS
Most
Faridabad- based bouncers serve at night clubs, discotheques, pubs,
malls, residential societies, schools or other night events. They also
get deployed for their services to top industrialists, builders,
celebrities and VIPs visiting Delhi NCR. "Some permanent clients are,
Euphoria pub and Crown Plaza mall in Faridabad, Subhash Bar in Gurgaon,
MKOP bar in Delhi," said Rajesh Sharma For Azad Singh the major clients
have been the Noida and
Gurgaon based builders. Several
educational institutes such as the Lingayas University have also
subscribed to his firm's services.
Source: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-01-17/news/36394252_1_bouncers-security-firm-cent-rise
