Have car repair apps come of age?

With every single switch, there are apps triggering noteworthy adjustments in our life from analysis or medication shipping and delivery to dating, transportation and browsing.

Not to be left out, mechanic  and spare components apps have emerged for the reason that the will need for  motor motor vehicle repairs or shifting of weakened spare sections is just as essential as getting a food on the go. 

Having said that, are they worthy of their salt?

In 2015, Michael Katagaya, commenced makanika.com. Then, he states, it was tricky for motorists to obtain reliable mechanics and car or truck areas support vendors and this prompted the start of the application.

 “Whereas another person could ably get for foodstuff by way of numerous applications, it was not the exact same for mechanics or people in have to have of vehicle repairs. So, in case a single was stranded, they would not quickly come across assistance,” the makanika.com workforce leader suggests.

Of program, larger garages and spare element sellers this kind of as Spear Motors had websites which had been, however, not made use of by the average motorist.

On the other conclude had been tiny businesses/garages on the lookout for shoppers.

Just like a shopkeeper would wait for clients, several mechanics would hold out at the garage hoping that a person would drive in with a vehicle in require of repair.

“At that time, the tech revolution had begun and they were being missing out on clients,” Katagaya suggests.

With these in plain sight, Katagaya and his team believed about the need to have to produce a platform that solves troubles for the motorists and can help mechanics get additional clients. In addition, motorists could also obtain skills such as buyer care and retention as effectively as reserve holding.

Various decades afterwards, they have aided quite a few motorists get their cars repaired with a good deal of usefulness, protection and at a fantastic rate.

“We have also worked with about 200 garages and hundreds of mechanics whose lives have been impacted as they get prospects from us. There are also spare section dealers and all those involved in automobile tracking set up,” he suggests.

Irrespective of problems these as loss of excellent expertise, problems in building and developing the platform as well as research for funding to grow, there are quite a few delighted beneficiaries.

For case in point when Raymond Qatahar Mujuni experienced a battery breakdown on his way to operate, he questioned a close friend if they understood of a mechanic who could enable him.

“My close friend encouraged makanika.com and I ordered for a mechanic to occur to my home in Najjera, Kampala. He arrived in much less than 10 minutes. Save for getting timely, they had been really efficient. They are like an Uber for vehicles and that tends to make it effortless for the reason that cars do not pick out in which and when they are likely to get a fault,”he attests.

Likewise, John Kaweesi, who operates Kaweesi & Sons Automobile Garage suggests when the application was launched, Katagaya registered him as a single of the mechanics.

“Previously, I repaired Katagaya’s vehicles and he appreciated my get the job done. When the app was started off, he added me as one particular of the mechanics and commenced connecting me to different customers. That has tremendously enhanced my earnings. Moreover, we are qualified in a variety of abilities these as client treatment and e-book trying to keep.  They also gave me a toolset which has arrive in useful,” he claims.

Just like makanika.com, Edrine Ssempebwa begun Spare Wo to aid car house owners who do not essentially understand cars and trucks and their spare areas to get them.

“The system provides consumers spare aspect information and no cost pricing. Even when just one is not acquiring from us, at minimum they get the likelihood to make comparisons about the costs in the market place. The identical goes for maintenance and provider prices,” Ssempebwa shares.

With the instituting of the first lockdown, the assistance bracket increased as consumers commenced asking that Spare Wo fully normally takes on their autos for a expert repair.

“We consequently came up with quite a few providers these kinds of as diagnosis, where by a client provides us their vehicle for a checkup and we avail them with a checklist of matters they require to do for the auto in get of precedence. That would help them to do the job to restoring it at their rate although prioritising,” he says.

In buy to attain this, they have entered partnerships with garages such as Car Magic in Naalya, Kampala, where by they do most of the repairs.

“We have also proficient the mechanics in these garages. In the long run, they can support us handle clients’ autos and perform on them in a extra specialist way than they would on their have,” he shares.

SpareWo also has two standby mechanics retained as technological staff and are always 1st on web page to evaluate any difficulty a shopper may well have.

“The foundation of our procedure is to defend the two the client and the service provider from any clashes that may arise. Thus, when collecting a client’s automobile, we deliver a mechanic together with just one of our functions folks to verify and assure good quality is specified to the shopper. Moreover, just before the motor vehicle is introduced to the garage, specifics about its existing state are noted this kind of as gas amount, any scratch which are shared with the customer,” Ssempebwa claims.

He provides that if just about anything is observed damaged, or a component is being mounted, photos of the very same are sent to the client. The expense of any element or restore is also shared for approval from the customer which presents them convenience.

A car is a requirement for numerous. Heading to work, driving small children to university, and even heading on a holiday break are generally unattainable to visualize devoid of it.

Nevertheless, in order to purpose properly, your 4-wheeled car or truck is probably to need typical upkeep. In buy to stay away from driving long distances each and every time you want to have your brakes checked, it is very best to come across a fantastic auto mechanic in the vicinity of you.

Be certain to choose for someone who is familiar with how to services a auto appropriately, and has a lot of purchaser practical experience in the automotive business. This will make your auto upkeep a total ton less difficult.