By Dele Castro
A mobile app known as FindMech has been launched in Lagos to address the needs of vehicle owners in areas of maintenance and repairs of vehicles by a team of professional automobile technicians.
The app, which is a platform for vehicle owners, fleet owners and professional automobile technicians, including automobile spare parts dealers, enables vehicle owners to locate the nearest automobile technician, when in need of car repairs, maintenance, or purchase of genuine automobile parts.
Speaking at the launch of the mobile app in Lagos on Wednesday, the Managing Director, FindMech App, Mr. Dipo Akinfaye, said the app was locally developed to address the needs of vehicle owners, who want to repair their cars or carry out routine maintenance on their cars, without having difficulties in locating a professional and tested automobile mechanic in the neighbourhood.
“FindMech App is a location-based app that will also enable car owners to quickly locate a professional automobile technician in the neighbourhood, when there is a sudden breakdown of the car while in motion. The app is a platform where professional automobile technicians are registered to offer various automobile services that range from engine repairs, car maintenance, purchase of genuine automobile spare parts, panel beating, painting and general body work, including automobile electrical works,” Akinfaye said.
According to him, each technician will be trained, tested and verified as competent automobile technician with good character, before registering such person on the platform. He said the technicians would be trained frequently on how best to build and maintain customer relationship as well as maintain trust.
Chairman, Automobile Technicians Association of Nigeria (ATAN), Mr. Morufu Egberoungbe, who led a team of automobile technicians to the launch of the app, thanked the app developers for their initiative and for partnering ATAN on the initiative, which he said, would help to showcase automobile technicians and spare part dealers and link them to new customers that are in need of professional automobile services.
The Lagos Sector Education Officer and Route Commander at the Federal Road Safety Corps, Olabisi Solusi, who was present at the launch of the app, said the app would help to reduce road accidents and traffic congestion on the roads. According to her, the major cause of road accidents, have been traced to faulty vehicles in motion, adding that when vehicle owners are able to locate genuine spare parts dealers on the platform, they would be sure of buying genuine vehicle spare parts and this will reduce sudden road accidents. “Traffic congestions on our roads are caused by broken down vehicles and when vehicles are handled by professional technicians and genuine parts bought, the rate of broken down vehicles on our roads will be reduced,” Solusi said.
Narrating how the app works during the app presentation at the launch, Mr. Lekan Dabiri, advised car owners and automobile technicians to download the app online to join existing members of the platform to benefit from the app.
