(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) ubai-based Carcility aims to tackle pain points for consumers of the auto sector by launching a venture which offers services like car repair, service, wash and now planning to launch roadside assistance.
Anirudh Vallikkat, founder, Carcility, said: "Two years ago, while I was driving to the airport, I heard strange noises coming from my car every time I used the brakes. The next day, I took the car to a dealer and he recommended a general inspection, but his rates were very high and I was reluctant to pay that much for just the inspection. Although I was aware that individual workshops offer more affordable rates, I had never been to one and was worried about it. It was only after a friend suggested a local auto shop that I decided to visit it. I was impressed by their service quality and how quickly they were able to fix the issue. This got me thinking about how other car owners might have the same concerns I did regarding local workshops, and I thought about how great it would be to have a platform to direct people towards efficient and affordable providers with high quality service."
Carcility was registered in July 2017 and its beta launch was in March 2018. The self-funded startup Carcility has so far invested $300,000 into this venture and plans to raise about $1.2 million this year.
Vallikkat, a computer science engineer graduated with a degree in Computer Science from SRM University, Chennai and worked as a software engineer at HCL Technologies, the third largest IT company in India. Carcility offered Vallikkat a platform to combine his passion for cars and technology.
Disruption has proved to be the core of every startup which aims to ease consumer life-style and Vallikkat was compelled to start his project as he witnessed a huge vacuum in any portal giving spot information at a click.
So how is Carcility different from its peers, given the UAE being so competitive? "Unlike other platforms, Carcility's purpose isn't to provide a directory of every auto service provider in the UAE. Our aim is to ensure that our customers receive the best service available, and that's why we only enlist providers that pass our quality checks. In addition to this, we believe transparency is key. Our system is designed to provide consumers with details about the workshops, their prices and locations before the car is sent for service. In turn, the service providers also benefit through increased business and visibility," added Vallikkat
Dubai has a massive market for cars. As of now, there are 1.6 million actively-used cars in Dubai and this number is expected to increase to 2.2 million by 2020. On a larger scale, the ESMA report mentions that UAE has more than 3 million cars and 15,000 workshops. "We believe that the automotive aftermarket is still lacking digitaisation, and this is something we want to address over the next few years by turning Carcility into a one-stop destination. The venture plans to introduce a referral programme to promote consumer engagement and intends to integrate roadside assistance with a tracking model. By the end of 2019, we want to make Carcility available to the entirety of UAE," pointed out Vallikkat.
Anil Kumar, Carcility's director and insurance expert, said: "Carcility was founded with definite plans for future expansions. With a conducive environment for start-ups, the passionate community of car owners, and nationwide support for new ventures, we plan to expand into global markets. Our expansion plans include moving to other GCC markets and South Asian markets within the next year. Diversification into other areas, such as being a facilitator to insurance companies, is on the cards as well. We have participated in events such as Gitex and DCC Market Access, where we received positive feedback and invites from other markets."-
Sandhya D'Mello
Journalist. Period. My interests are Economics, Finance and Information Technology. Prior to joining Khaleej Times, I have worked with some leading publications in India, including the Economic Times.
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