KwikFix Auto is making its presence felt in the organised aftermarket segment. Deepti Thore looks at the strategy to be a one-stop shop.
The aftermarket segment in India has headroom to grow. Valued at Rs.74,203 crore in FY22, it registered a 15 per cent growth over FY21. In the first half of FY23 (H1-FY23) the growth momentum continues. At Rs.42,006 crore, the aftermarket grew eight per cent over H1-FY22. Led by two-wheelers, the aftermarket caters to an entire spectrum of customer requirements across maintenance, repairs and accessories. Typically a walk-in market, in the age of digitisation, the attempt is to establish a connection between the seller and the service provider including the largely unorganised pool and the end-user with assurance of door-to-door service.
Amongst the new age companies, Mumbai-based KwikFix is also seeking to tap into the headroom for growth. The aggregate company is claimed to have heavily invested in technology to deliver a seamless and intuitive automotive experience. According to Manshi Modi-Chandarana, Co-founder and Chief Financial Officer, KwikFix Auto, “We live in a space where everything is available on the phone. We go to any kind of e-commerce website, every product is available. Automotive are probably amongst the only industry lagging.” To solve this problem, the company as per Manshi is offering a one-stop shop where customers can connect with the aftermarket stakeholders including mechanics and technicians from different geographies. “The idea was to connect these two ends of the spectrum and make it simpler for the parties involved,” she stated.
Take for example the car repair solutions where the company is striving to ensure a quicker TAT and higher efficiency with a deeper penetration to reach a wider customer base. While serving customers for malfunctions, and or accidents, it is also instilling a mindset of preventive maintenance amongst the stakeholders. KwikFix Auto has been working towards building a deep cross-geography network of dealers, car mechanics, and various automotive companies. With claims of having heavily invested in technology, the company aims to deliver a seamless and intuitive flow for requests raised on its platform. The larger mission is to uplift the lives of blue-collared employees like car mechanics by formalising their units and offering an identity under the brand KwikFix.
Custom schemes and offers
KwikFix recently launched a mobile app. ‘KwikfixAuto’ through which it offers a diverse range of over 1,000 products and services. “Our services begin at extremely affordable rates, starting as low as Rs.299, offering our customers the flexibility to choose what suits their needs best at the best prices available in the auto repair sector,” highlighted Ravi Chandarana, Co-founder and CEO, KwikFix Auto. With a customer-centric approach, KwikFix offers customised packages based on unique requirements and the fleet size of its B2B clients. “This bespoke approach allows us to cater specifically to their needs and provide a comprehensive solution,” he added. The company offers 100 per cent cash back for senior citizens and women in case of emergency breakdowns at any location, be it for assistance with a tyre puncture or a battery jump start to differentiate from competition. “With the launch of our user-friendly app., we have further simplified the process of accessing automotive repair services,” Ravi explained. The app. is aimed at making these services accessible, affordable, and reliable for everyone, and to offer an all-encompassing platform that caters to all automotive repair needs with ease and efficiency.
KwikFix Auto has additionally launched EMI-based options for ease of buying parts such as tyres, batteries, services and accessories via partner Cashfree to enhance its reach. The move aims to curtail the tendency of vehicle owners of delaying essential purchases due to monthly budget constraints. In doing so, it is also enhancing road safety by de linking it from capital restrictions. “By collaborating with Cashfree to provide EMI options, we not only alleviate the financial burden but also strongly underline our commitment to road safety, particularly in the challenging monsoon season when the condition of tyres and other parts can be critical,” Ravi emphasised.
Drawing from the past
It’s been over a decade long journey for Ravi and Manshi Chandarana since they first set up a tyre shop with a small team of five members. The team grew with a growing list of customers. Today the company is in a position of offering a wide range of automotive, aftermarket solutions including and not limited to battery changes, emergency help, painting, and so on. The company is claimed to have evolved into a full-fledged automobile servicing hub. The gradual evolution from offering services like detailing, denting, servicing, accessories, insurance, buying and selling, and so on reflect persistence. “Today, KwikFix has become a one-stop shop for all car repairs for every car model as a testimony. It currently employs around 5,000 mechanics and technicians,” Manshi mentioned
With a current focus on Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane, KwikFix plans to expand to other cities soon. “We have a lot of people taking interest in terms of corporate tie ups with us,” states Manshi. The company aims to create an ecosystem where there is no grey market for automobiles. “We want them to come to a certain level where this whole grey market disappears and the whole automobile industry becomes organised. That will only happen when the technicians are given a certain, minimum scale of work and the customers are associated with the right person,” admitted Manshi. Doing so is not an easy task and KwikFix must be credited for modernising a rigid value chain. Manshi explained that the technicians and mechanics working in this ecosystem do not understand the professional way of working or how to put up with customers professionally. “It’s very difficult to train them and I think that was one of the biggest challenges that we were faced with; ensuring that technicians and mechanics behave a certain way with customers and present themselves in a certain way because they now represent KwikFix Auto not themselves as individuals,” she concluded. With such deliberate initiatives, it has been able to win over customer trust too.
Point-to-point
KwikFix ran into a situation where a premium German-made car with run flat tyres suffered a a puncture. It had to be towed for three days for service in order to replace the tyres. The void was addressed with a mobile service van. The van is equipped to deliver any tyre change and repair services at the customer’s doorstep or anywhere on the road where customers are stranded due to a breakdown. The van also enables installation of imported and advanced machinery for car servicing living up to the tagline ‘Autocare Anywhere’. It extends to EVs also.
