‘THANKS TO NEW TOOLS AND TRAINING, MY GARAGE IS NOW SUCCESSFUL’

John Kaweesi has been running his garage, Kaweesi and Sons Auto-garage, in Kampala for over ten years, but business wasn’t always good. “For a long time, we had only three customers a day, sometimes even fewer,” John explains. “We didn’t know how to retain our customers, and many never returned after their first repair.”

John and his employees did their best, but they lacked the professional skills and customer insight needed to run a successful garage. “We repaired cars, but we didn’t know how to set ourselves apart from the rest,” he explains. “Our bookkeeping was chaotic, and we had no idea how to communicate with customers or run our business efficiently.”

THE BREAKTHROUGH WITH MAKANIKA

Everything changed for John when his garage was selected for a partnership with Makanika dot com, a digital platform that connects mechanics with car owners across Uganda. “Makanika dot com completely transformed the way we worked,” says John. “We received training in technical skills, as well as in customer service and business management. For the first time, we learned how to treat our customers properly.”

Thanks to the training and use of the app, John’s business began to grow. “We went from three customers a day to more than ten,” he proudly says. “That was a huge change for us. Customers not only came back, but they also referred their friends to us.”

It wasn’t just the increase in customers that transformed John’s garage. “The training also helped us get our financial records in order. Now we know how to keep everything organized, and that has made our business much more efficient.”

GERED GEREEDSCHAP MAKES A DIFFERENCE

In addition to support from Makanika dot com, the garage also received tools and equipment from Gered Gereedschap, which allowed them to better serve their customers. “Before, we were working with old and sometimes unreliable tools,” John explains. “But with the new tools from Gered Gereedschap, we can work much faster and more professionally. That has really helped us improve the quality of our work.”

The combination of new equipment, training, and streamlined customer service has made John’s garage one of the busiest in the area. “Customers now appreciate our professionalism, and they know we do quality work,” he says. “We are much more organized and can help more customers, which is great for our business.”

A BUSY GARAGE

Nowadays, John hardly has time to sit still. “Every day, we have more than ten new customers,” he says with a smile. “The garage is always full, and we can barely keep up with the work, but that’s a good problem to have.”

John is incredibly grateful to Makanika dot com and Gered Gereedschap for the support that has breathed new life into his business. “It’s a huge difference from where we started,” he says. “I’m so proud of what we have achieved, and without the help from Makanika dot com and Gered Gereedschap, this would never have been possible.” With the growth of his business, John looks to the future with confidence. “We are now a thriving business, and I can’t wait to see how we will continue to grow,” he says. “We have learned how to do our job professionally, and that gives me so much confidence. The future looks bright, and I know we can only get better.”