At Node Africa, we focus on ensuring that our customers derive value from our service, because we believe that we are not just a supplier, but a trusted partner and advisor to our customers. Once every fortnight going forward, we will, on Thursdays, document customer journeys. We will profile our customers who are using our product and share how they are benefitting from partnering with Node Africa. We have some amazing companies who are putting Kenya and Africa right in the midst of the new technology revolution and we are glad to be walking their journey with them. We are branding these series of articles “Customer Thursdays.”
Businesses in Nairobi are increasingly looking to utilize their IT assets and data to gain a competitive advantage. However, many are finding this path littered with unexpected challenges around data safety and workforce enablement.
We spoke to Motogari’s CEO, George Kagucia, to learn more.
Thanks for meeting with us George. Tell us a bit about what Motogari does
George: Motogari is a transportation company specializing in car hire and taxi services for the corporate market. We run over 100 cabs in Nairobi and maintain a garage to keep the cabs in good running order. Motogari has a head count of about 170, most of who are drivers.
That’s quite the operation! How have the likes of Uber affected your business?
George: I actually welcome their entry. It got us to think in new ways around how we engage with our customers. We currently have a dispatch desk where customers call in to order rides. We can see the advantages of having demand driven technology and are working to offer our customers similar functionality soon.
So Uber won’t run you out of business?
George: (Laughs) Oh no! If you have a 5 am airport run, you don’t want to be looking and seeing the nearest cab being 30 minutes away do you? There’s still room for players like Motogari.
That’s true. What Node services are you using at the moment?
George: I’m using managed virtual servers to run SAGE, the application that runs the HR and Finance functions of Motogari. I’m also using the file backup offering.
What problems do these offerings solve for you?
George: I used to run a file server internally that also hosted QuickBooks, our accounting software. In August 2015, the server crashed. Staff lost their working documents and the entire QuickBooks database was lost. It took a 4 months to rebuild the data from manual records.
The file back up tool allows my staff to not only back up the files from their work machines but also allows them to collaborate on a shared document such as the periodic reports. It’s also a source of comfort that, should they lose their laptops due to theft or a major crash, their data is safely backed up on the cloud.
So, all in all, a pretty smooth experience?
George: Well, for the most part, it all just works. There are some issues from time to time with accessing the server when the link performance has not been optimal. I have also had a few challenges with the backup agent running on my Mac laptop. Nothing insurmountable though.
That’s really useful feedback. We definitely will look at improving the experience with both services so they can continue to be hassle free. Thank you. How far away is the nearest cab to the city center?
George: There’s one downstairs. Plus no surge pricing! Thanks for dropping by.
We really appreciate the time!
To learn more about Motogari and their services, please visit www.motogari.com or email [email protected]
Msomi
Uber is a real threat to all taxi companies in Kenya. As he said theres room for other players but just for a while