Indonesia is witnessing a surge in the auto repair and servicing industry, especially in satellite cities. The rise in disposable income among the country’s working class and an urban population boom are some of the main factors contributing to the growth of the automotive aftermarket.
But the sector still faces challenges on all frontiers. While mom-and-pop service shops confront growing competition in the market and struggle to maintain repeat business, vehicle owners themselves have a perpetual bad taste in their mouths from the all-too-common problems of receiving fake car parts and, sometimes, being offensively overcharged by repair shops.
Because consumers generally aren’t knowledgeable about automotive parts, they rely heavily on advice from their local mechanics, and this is where the chances of getting financially fleeced increase.
To address these gaps and others, Indonesian startup Otoklix is helping thousands of workshops source customers and operate more transparently.
On a recent episode of Indonesia Digital Deconstructed, Adrian Li of AC Ventures was joined by Otoklix co-founder and CEO Martin Reyhan. The entrepreneur opened up about his journey building the company so far and the importance of finding the right co-founders.
Finding the right allies for Otoklix
Undoubtedly, one of the most important business decisions you’ll ever make in startup land is choosing a co-founder. This person may develop into a partner with complementary skills who shares the workload or become someone who helps out where you fall short. The best co-founders are more than just business partners.
Martin had known his co-founder Joseph since the age of five. To this day, their dads are business partners. As such, Martin and Joseph would meet often at various gatherings.
“I remember, as early as high school, whenever we met, we’d always brainstorm business ideas. So when I decided to start Otoklix, Joseph was naturally the first person who came to mind,” explained Martin.
Joseph instantly thought that the idea of a platform that could digitize the auto repair and servicing customer experience in Indonesia was great. He saw potential in the solution and wanted to build a product that could fill gaps in the industry. He introduced Martin to his friend Benny Sutedjo, who brought over 20 years of automotive experience to the table and is now the COO at Otoklix.
“The right team is very important because in startups there are a lot of ups and downs – in fact, more downs than ups,” said Martin. “Basically, the people that you can actually rely on during the downs in the early days are the right co-founders.”
When asked about conflict resolution and if it is wise to go into business with friends or people you know on a personal level, Martin explained that conflicts are bound to happen, regardless of personal relationships. What matters most is whether you’re able to work collaboratively and resolve those conflicts, while keeping those personal dynamics separate. If you can’t do that, then it just won’t work.
Since its launch in 2019, Otoklix as an O2O auto servicing platform has been thriving under the leadership of these three motorheads. The startup is already serving more than 100,000 clients annually.
Enjoy the full episode on Spotify, Google, and Apple.
Otoklix CEO on the scope of O2O in Indonesia’s auto workshops
See also: Broom founder on understanding Indonesia’s used car dealers
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