Sma Auto: Workshop on wheels bringing motorists peace of mind
NOTHING spoils a motorist’s day like a flat battery or a punctured tyre bringing a journey to an unexpected halt, and this experience is further exacerbated in Cambodia due to the few roadside assistance services available.
But this is changing, with local online tyre, battery and vehicle assistance company Smart Auto bringing peace of mind as it taps into the opportunities present in a nascent market.
“Smar t Auto’s customised ser v ice van – f ully equipped with a stateof-t he-ar t t y re changing and laser wheel balancing system – will usually ar r ive within 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic conditions. Our staff will t hen endeavour to complete t y re repairs or bat ter y replacements within 15 to 20 minutes depending on t he extent of ser v ice assistance required.
“We are the first to offer this kind service to the market. While we only started operations in June last year, and at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the reception we have received so far, especially for our mobile flat battery and tyre puncture repair services, has been very positive,” said Chea Vibol, Smart Auto co-founder and general manager.
And this is only expected to soar. A recent report published by international market intelligence firm Acumen Research and Consulting has indicated that the global market size for roadside assistance is expected to reach $29 billion by 2026, with it growing at a compound annual growth rate of 3.8 per cent.
With this latest service, Smart Auto is transforming the motoring experience in the Kingdom.
Set up as an online independent tyre and battery retailer to replace customers’ tyres and batteries with the utmost convenience, the company has trust at the heart of its ethos.
“I believe the first thing is gaining customer trust and providing satisfaction – and we are doing just that. As we build on this, in the future we
believe we can capture at least 20 per cent market share from conventional retail stores.
“We are an independent tyre retailer with an online platform on which customer can find information on all the brands, sizes and prices of
the tyres they are looking for to meet their requirement and budget.
“After confirming their selection and choosing the date, location and time best for them, a service van will go to the customer to fit the tyres,” said Vibol.
As well as empowering consumers to make the best decision by deliver ing t he infor mation needed to meet their requirements, Smart Auto f ur t her builds customer tr ust by offer ing competitively pr iced genuine products backed by generous peaceof-mind war ranties.
These range between six months to a year for all tyre and battery replacements, depending on the brand.
“Ty res need to be replaced ever y 70,000 to 90,000 k ilometres. How to replace t hem is a big decision for vehicle owners as t his will impact t he safet y and comfor t of dr ivers and t heir passengers. T he life of batter ies range f rom one to t wo years,” Vibol added.
He said the burgeoning online retai ler is look ing to f ur t her expand its ser v ices and t he coverage of its roadside assistance.
“At present we only offer mobile battery and tyre services within Phnom Penh between 7am to 7pm seven days a week, but we are looking to expand beyond our service capacity once our mobile app is introduced nationwide in the near future.
“To make our ser v ices more accessible to vehicle owners, plans are also under way for Smar t Auto to establish a club where members are charged an annual subscr iption fee to enjoy t he cur rent breakdown ser v ices offered as well as additional towing and roadside assistance ser v ices for f ree,” said Vibol.
The young entrepreneur is confident that Smart Auto’s business model positions
it for strong growth as the Kingdom further embraces digital technology. “Consumers these days are looking for better and more convenient ways to shop, with people switching to online and mobile digital platforms. And this also includes the purchasing of automobile parts such as tyres and batteries.
“With the introduction of 5G technology, demand will only keep growing as customers increasingly turn to direct shopping online from visiting conventional retail outlets.
“And with Smart Auto Cambodia continuing to build trust and expand our services, we are perfectly placed to grow with it,” Vibol said.
I believe the first thing is gaining customer trust and providing satisfaction – and we are doing just that. We believe we can capture at least 20 per cent market share from retail stores CHEA VIBOL / CO-FOUNDER