7/31/2019 Shell Tameer Awards 2012 - PR Campaign
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A motor repair business started with Rs800
By Kazim Alam, The Express Tribune
KARACHI: It was during a class on entrepreneurship in the final
semester of BBA in late 2008 that an unusual business idea
struck
Shakaib Khan. He left the classroom immediately, drove to a shop
on Tariq Road to get his business cards printed and started a
motor repair business with total investment of Rs800.
The business model ofSK Motor Syndicate (SKMS) is simple. Be it
car maintenance, repair work, inspection, trading, interior
fabrication, exterior add-ons or CNG installation, SKMS claims
to be a one-stop shop that acts as a value-adding
intermediarybetween the customer and about 18 authorised
service-providers in different parts of Karachi.
But why would someone involve an intermediary and not deal with
the car mechanic himself?
We provide pick-and-drop service along with a seven-day
workmanship warranty. We charge customers strictly the going
market
rates, absorb all risks and get the repair work done from a
select group of service-providers at discount rates, Khan said
while
talking to The Express Tribune.
Among the 10 successful entrepreneurs shortlisted for Shell
Tameer Awards 2012, Khan describes himself as a car enthusiast
from an early age. With the target market of busy corporate
executives and women, he says his customers get elite treatment
for their cars in an economical and hassle-free manner.
On the first day of its establishment, SKMS brought eight
service-providers on board and found a number of ready
customers
among his family and friends. The business grew by 25% in the
first year of its establishment while the growth rate was 15%
in
2011.
It has created four jobs directly and more than 70 jobs
indirectly. The business now has 42 regular customers while
walk-in
customers in a given month are about 20% of the regular
ones.
Passion drives this business. As a car enthusiast, I was
initially looking for the little teenage luxuries. But it turned
out to be a lot
more than that, he said, adding that he is the first member of
his family who has started his own business.
My total investment is Rs800. Ive got no capital expenditure, no
office, no workshop, no tools, no overheads, no rent, no
utility
bills and no salaries. We work on a commission basis. We make a
profit when theres business. But we make no loss when theres
little business, he said, revealing that last years turnover was
Rs1 million.
The authorised service-providers work with SKMS at discount
rates not just because it brings them steady business. In fact,
they
find SKMS more valuable because Khan helps mechanics with
regular service advisory. I download car repair manuals from
the
internet to find the prescribed method of fixing a problem. I do
the translation and help the mechanic understand how best to
approach a problem. This saves him from a trial-and-error
approach, which is both time-consuming and bad for the vehicle.
Khan says he plans to expand the business by establishing his
own workshop in the next one year. I know my potential. Im not
afraid of anyone stealing my business plan.
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