The utmost significance of an innovation is that it improves lives, and that is exactly what Igwe Stanley Onyekachi is doing with his platform WeFix.com.ng, an online platform that connects handymen and repairmen with customers. The graduate of Chemistry from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, had experienced the challenges of getting repairmen to fix a bad appliance and decided to solve the problem.
“First, you don’t find them when you need them. Secondly, you cannot be entirely sure that they will show up. And lastly, their quality of service,” he said in an interview with online media, BossMan.
Unlike similar platforms which simply connect repairmen to customers, this Port –Harcourt based start-up also operates a pickup – drop off repair delivery system. Also, the repairmen are professionally and specifically trained for different appliances and brands. Therefore, customers are assured of a satisfactory service.
Whatever you’re building, you have to believe in God and believe in yourself. For nothing good comes easy.
On why he decided to go digital with his idea, Onyekachi said, “My question was how come we can’t get well-trained professionals, and get our appliances fixed by booking at the comfort of our homes. That was how I came up with the idea of WeFix.ng.” So far, business has been good with over 150 bookings since it launched in July 2016. Customers appreciate the ease and comfort of the repair service.
However, establishing and getting the business to where it is today was not easy. Onyekachi raised funds from co-founders, family members, and friends. After that, he had to deal with the trust issues of Nigerians. “It was difficult convincing Nigerians that you will have to pick up their appliances from their home, fix and deliver it, with all the insecurity and lack of trust in the system …,” he said.
How it works
Clients go on the site and book a service by filling out a request form. After which they receive an SMS/Email/Call that confirms the success of their booking. A WeFixer (repairer from WeFix) arrives at the provided address, inspects the job, quotes a price, and gets to work. On completion or delivery, the customer fills a job completion form and makes cash payment. The start-up promises to begin online payment soon.
According to Onyekachi, he is nursing expansion plans to other Nigerian cities, and is currently working on getting funds to that effect. He says although the experience of establishing a business has been tough, he would keep pushing till he gets the best. “Every day I wake up to a new challenge and I have to strategize on how to stay ahead.”
One of the gains of being an entrepreneur is being able to build a solution that people love. And when you are solving a real problem in the society, that can also be counted as a gain.
