BY Aderemi Ojekunle
Fixit45, an autotech platform, says it has acquired Parkit, to simplify vehicle wash and care services in Nigeria.
The startup also unveiled Vehicle Intact Programme (VIP), a subscription-based plan to enable affordable maintenance/repair services and redefine ownership experience for vehicle and fleet owners.
The company stated this at the media briefing in Lagos recently.
On the acquisition, Justus Obaoye, chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder, Fixit45, said, “Parkit was committed to building out and digitizing the fragmented vertical in the auto care and car wash space. They provided business support, training, and consumables to businesses and ensured that the experience was rewarding for fleet and car owners.
“We found synergies in what they were doing at the time, and we approached them to join us in this journey to fix and build the aftermarket ecosystem, which has culminated in the acquisition. Parkit has been fully integrated into the Fixit45 family, and we look forward to providing market leadership.”
According to Gerald Okonkwo, VP, business development, Fixit45 and founder, Parkit, “our business was founded in June 2018 to use technology in making the customer journey for car washes very seamless by automating payments, helping them acquire the right tools for the job and providing professional care services that were not available in-country.
“This journey has been a collaborative experience, and we are blessed to have found the right team at Fixit45 with bold ambitions to create value for consumers in this space. The acquisition was finalised in September 2021, and we are looking to many more wins.
“When we started, we had to import most of our consumables and materials, but today, we are to provide quality car shampoo, upholstery, tire and engine wash, polish, and air fresheners. This is just one of many success stories that this acquisition has berthed.”
The company said it is collaborating with stakeholders and partners to deepen value creation in the ecosystem as car and fleet owners often face frustrating experiences.
These experiences include highly fragmented, mostly unregulated industry, informal service providers who often lack the technical competence, as well as the proliferation of counterfeit spare parts with a lack of warranty on repairs.
The stakeholders include workshops, spare part suppliers, insurance companies, tow trucks, fintechs, and fleet owners.
According to Obaoye, the Fixit45 Vehicle Intact Programme (VIP) has been designed to deliver quality and affordable repair and maintenance services via subscription-based plans.
He said this service will ensure that the lifetime value of a vehicle or fleet is enhanced and productivity optimized.
“The rich bouquet of plans come in four packages that include the Service Plan, Maintenance Plan, Extended Services Plan, and the Emergency Services Plan,” he added.
“The Service Plan ensures that subscribers do not have to worry about the workmanship and getting their vehicles in good shape. The Maintenance Plan is a commitment to routine and or scheduled preventive maintenance which in turn mitigates the need for some repair work on the vehicle.
“The Extended Service Plan works like an HMO for vehicles in which subscribers transfer to us the duty of keeping their fleet and or vehicles operational at all times. Because breakdowns don’t announce themselves, the Emergency Service plan is designed to give comfort and succour to motorists in the event of a breakdown.”
“We have built a robust end-to-end ecosystem platform that caters for all players in the aftermarket segment. The industry has largely been based on brick-and-mortar operations, and it is our intention to disrupt and digitize this space using technology,” Abdulazeez Ogunjobi, co-founder & CTO, said.
“With presence across four cities in Nigeria, more than 100 network partners, and over 2500 vehicles under management, Fixit45’s ambition is to become Africa’s largest and most trusted autotech platform.”
Bemigho Awala, head of communications at Fixit45, said it is gratifying to see the uptake and adoption of the company’s service platform by corporates in the FMCG, mobility, and tech industry.
“The glowing commendations we have received will further spur us to do more in the aftermarket space. Our value propositions of affordability, peace of mind, quick turnaround time, convenience, quality assurance, and accessibility will never go out of fashion. We will double down on these and ensure that the vehicle ownership experience is better improved,” Awala said.
Since its entry into the market in July 2021, Fixit45 said it has focused on building a platform that provides a seamless, collaborative infrastructure for interactions to occur across verticals that include auto repair and maintenance services, fleet management, auto parts sourcing, and delivery.
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