As I walk into Store, I stop to admire the beehive of activities going on inside the store. A quick look around and I could tell how successful the small business is doing. I had a quick chat with one of the customer care personnel before he directed me to the manager, Mr. Paul. His office was well organized suggesting how he likes his work done. Obama, a name his staff refer him to, had a commanding figure with a stern voice. “Do not get intimated by my body and seriousness” he joked, “actually I’m quite the opposite.” Mr. Paul tells me how his love for cars and their operation mechanisms prompted him to open a car spare parts shop with a garage at the back. “I have to make money to feed my family” he joked when I asked him why he is in business. Paul was a physics enthusiast back in high school. After high school, he worked at a few garage workshops before deciding to open his store.
In his business description, Paul explains to me that he supplies car spare parts to some garages in the region, sell some to customers who visit the store and is on the verge of opening a garage in a few months` time. "This is my fourth year in this business" he sips his coffee before continuing, "I have partnered with my older brother to run this business," Paul informs me that the advantage of their partnership is they enjoy all the profits from the business. Furthermore, making decisions is swift with minimal conflicts having been experienced since they started the business. When I asked him about how he got his business up and running, he reminisced about his troubles from previous jobs. Problematic bosses, unsatisfying salaries, and overworked with no bonuses were some of the challenges that made him start his business. "It was not an easy start, but my brother and partner trained me to run this business."
Paul tells me how technology has changed how he does business nowadays. "I market my business through social media and web advertisements apart from the traditional newspaper and radio advertisements." He notes that people spend most of their time on social media thus it creates a good avenue to showcase his business. Customers prefer to check the availability of a product and its price before visiting the store. "I definitely use that money to feed and educate my family” he chuckles to my question on what he does with the profits. “I save some to finance my future plans of expanding my store." He reiterates that the business is still young but he has big plans for the future. If things get better, he plans to open other stores in different parts and later expand his venture globally through online retailing.
As I winded up my interview, I asked him to describe his customers and why they choose him over his competitors. He first narrates how he researched to understand what customers want. To him, customer loyalty is a fundamental aspect of his business strategy. "My customers have always been appreciative of our service delivery," he said. "Most of them offer to recommend the store to their colleagues and friends." Regardless of the price difference among his competitors, Paul believes that the customers prefer his services due to his constant engagement with them and how he treats them with the utmost respect. As he escorted me out of his store, I could not help but reflect on how determination can lead to success. Paul taught me that with the right attitude, I could outperform my capability to achieve in my endeavors.
