My business is to outwit car thieves

Increased cases of carjacking and crooked drivers drove Bernard Wamalwa to start a vehicle tracking company.

And since he wanted to give the best in the market, Mr Wamalwa turned to digital car tracking technology, which is fast shaping up the market.
By using a mobile phone configured with the internet, a customer can monitor the movement of his/her vehicle.

One can also switch off the car simply by sending a text message to a Safaricom SIM card fitted in a particular device. And unless authorised to move again through another text, the vehicle remains stationary.

The new method of tracking vehicles is becoming popular among motorists in Kenya. And for investors in matatus, long distance vehicles, and companies, Mr Wamalwa says they can save a lot by monitoring their fleets. Through the system, he says, matatu owners can tell the number of trips made by their vehicles and in turn evaluate their earnings at the end of the day using their handsets.

For corporates, employers can tell a car’s location whether in motion or stationary.

So how does it work? Mr Wamalwa, a partner at Hawktrack Company, which is only three years old, says his customers use the global positioning system (GPS) maps on their mobile handsets to tell the location of the vehicle at any particular time.

If you are planning to surrender your vehicle to a car hire company in pursuit of extra income, Mr Wamalwa advises that you first fit it with a digital tracking device.

The entrepreneur says he has never regretted venturing into the market segment, which he believes remains unexploited. Demand is high as many people continue buying vehicles, he notes.

However, he has encountered hurdles in his business. For instance, he found it expensive to continue a business relationship he had established with a partner from Peru who would charge him about $80 (Sh7,000) per month for each vehicle hosted on his website.

“With my old website host, customers had lost faith in me because at times they got disconnected, making it impossible to monitor the movement of the vehicles. This happened whenever we delayed remitting a monthly subscription fee. Today, I am happy because I have restored confidence and trust in my customers,” he notes.

For him, it was as a reprieve when he entered into a deal with his current partner from whom, upon purchasing the devices, he hosts his business for free as an incentive. This has seen his customer base and revenues grow.

So, why did he choose Safaricom?

“Safaricom has strong and wide network compared to its competitors. I think its advantageous providing services using its network. In future, I want to instal new software which will make it easier for firms to monitor the volume of fuel in their vehicles. This is meant to curb the habit of siphoning fuel.”

The entrepreneur charges between Sh25,000 and Sh30,000 per vehicle regardless of the model.

In a good week, he can instal the devices in 10 vehicles. Through the business, Mr Wamalwa has contracted four technicians whom he pays on commission after every installation.

He says he is optimistic of generating a net profit of Sh500,000 by the end of the year from a business whose seed capital he and his main partner paid Sh100,000 from their savings.