The vendor I’m referring to is Weigh Control Systems Pvt. Ltd., particularly Mr. Samarjit Biswas. Weighmatics, based in Bangalore, manufactures filling machines, weighbridges, and other weight-based control systems. Mr. Biswas is the Director of the company.

On my very first day as a coconut oil businessman in Puttur, I accompanied my father to our retail outlet. A customer walked in and asked for 2 litres of coconut oil. My father asked me to fill the oil into the customer’s long-necked bottle from a 50-litre steel drum using a measuring container. As a first-timer, I struggled and spilled oil all over the place, especially on the outer surface of the bottle. While my father and the customer grew increasingly frustrated, they didn’t express it. Once I’d partially filled the bottle, it became harder to top it off accurately. Our helper stepped in and completed the task. My father reassured me, “Don’t worry, it comes with practice.” But I immediately thought, “This isn’t my cup of tea.”

Having seen vending machines in Japan dispense everything from rice to juice bottles without human intervention, I believed dispensing a liquid like coconut oil should be much simpler. I wasn’t looking for a machine to collect cash or print bills—just an accurate and clean dispenser for the right quantity of oil.

I searched online using multiple keywords, but most results were large-scale bottle-filling machines for factories—not suited for a retail counter. Eventually, I came across “Flowmatics,” now rebranded as “Weighmatics.” They had supplied machines to various edible oil brands in India and abroad. I requested a quote and received a beautifully presented proposal. However, after asking for some customizations, the sales executive only offered lip service and eventually stopped answering my calls.

Frustrated, I called their landline. It happened to be a holiday, and instead of the receptionist, someone else picked up. “Hello, Mr. Keshava Ram, I’m Biswas, the Director. How may I help you?” I explained my needs. He patiently listened and explained what was feasible and what wasn’t. Understanding I was new to the field, he invited me to his factory in Bangalore for a live demo. I visited promptly and was impressed with how thoroughly he educated me. At the time, I thought it was just a marketing pitch—but in hindsight, I realize it was a sincere attempt to help a novice.

He also introduced me to other filling machines for bottles, cans, and tins. I discussed it with my father and placed an order for three machines: an oil vending machine, a bottle-filling machine, and a tin-filling machine. Before installation, they provided a list of site requirements. I committed to having them ready by a certain date, but delays from local vendors—plumbers, electricians, fabricators—pushed us behind. Even so, their service engineer completed installation in one day and waited another six days for the trial run, without increasing the service fees.

We happily used their machines for our operations. About four months later, the vending machine stopped working. We called them, and their engineer arrived the next day. He quickly identified that rats had chewed through the cables. Even though it was our issue, they didn’t charge service fees since it was still under warranty.

Later, when setting up our new company and factory, I hired a fresh graduate as an Accounts Executive. Over time, compliance requirements piled up, and we struggled to manage it internally and with our local auditor. I sought help through contacts and online, but the options were either subpar or too expensive. I called Mr. Biswas. He replied, “Don’t worry, I’ll speak to my company’s auditor and see if he can help.” These auditors are usually overloaded and avoid new clients. Still, Biswas arranged a meeting. The auditor said, “We usually reject even multinational software firms, but we accepted your case only because of Biswas’s reference.” That auditor has been serving us well for the last 2.5 years.

For our filtering systems, we needed a way to control oil flow based on cycle speed. One solution is using bypass valves. A better method is a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD), which allows real-time speed adjustment. Vendor quotes for VFDs were extremely high—often exceeding the cost of the pump itself. Biswas referred a vendor in Chennai who offered a reasonable rate. While not every referral worked out—for machines like pouch packers, air heaters, blowers, screw conveyors—his support was invaluable. He even connected me with a couple of distributors who might be interested in our coconut oil and shared numerous industry insights that helped deepen my understanding.

We later purchased a volumetric bottle-filling machine and load cells for copra tank weighing systems. Biswas still jokes that he’ll sell me a weighbridge one day. I’ve recommended his products to other oil millers and industries, and he has received orders from them too.

During our first meeting, he would call up people and introduce me as his “friend.” I assumed it was a lame sales tactic. Over the years, I’ve realized he truly meant it. Most vendors offer service because it’s good for business. Biswas does it because he genuinely believes his customers need and deserve support. He has a service team deployed across the country. Whether in crisis or celebration, we stay in touch. He cracks jokes—both Veg and Non-Veg—and shares amusing and insightful stories from his rich experience. He’s in his early 50s but looks young—and more importantly, thinks young.

Once, when a customer was bargaining with him over the phone, Biswas calmly said, “I’ve already given you the best price. Please understand—if you want to grow, you need your suppliers too. They are the pillars of support for any business.”

Indeed, good suppliers like him are pillars upon which great businesses are built.