FOCUS ON
MOBILE BUSINESSES
BUSINESS ON THE GO Meet the needs of today’s customers by investing in a mobile opportunity… There’s certainly nothing new about the concept of a business run from a kiosk or cart – hot dog and ice cream vendors have been doing it for years – but the explosion of sophisticated offerings and solutions in recent years is a sign of the times: time-strapped, convenience-hungry customers are no longer prepared to travel long distances to reach a destination; but rather are looking for products and services to crop up across their paths. And, with a set of wheels, a bundle of goods or skills to offer and a card machine (or simply a mobile payments App) on-the-go vendors are well placed to meet this need – and exceed expectations tenfold. 4Roomed eKasi Culture is an example of one of these sophisticated mobile concepts taking the market by storm. MasterChef South Africa 2014 top 12 contestant Abigail Mbalo took to the road in order to turn her dream of bringing a healthier diet to the townships into a reality. “I wanted to offer people an
HERE’S HOW I STAY OUT ON THE ROAD
FRIK LIEBENBERG of No Betr Windscreens is on the road with his business all day, every day. He shares how his phone is an essential tool in running operations... Without a phone, my customers wouldn’t be able to reach me, so it’s a critical part of conducting my business. For me, having a good camera on my smartphone is important, as customers can send a picture of the damage on their windscreens and I can discuss a solution based on what they have shown me. I make sure that I always have sufficient mobile data to have a good internet connection, and use Whatsapp and email for cheaper communication. I keep things
54 YOUR BUSINESS | October-November 2017
simple, using my phone calendar to book appointments. I am currently investigating an app that will enable customers to locate technicians closest to them. My advice to business owners who are using their phones to run their business is to work hard on how you communicate and sell your product or services when customers call – they are often phoning around looking for the best job at the best price and you need to be able to paint a picture of why you are a good choice in about 30 seconds.