The Locksmith Journal Jan/Feb 2019 - Issue 60 | Page 78

78 • AUTOLOCKSMITHS PROUD SPONSORS OF THIS PAGE Tuned into the industry » » NOTTINGHAM-BORN RAVI KOTECHA started his career installing car radios and working with auto electrics. After a seven- year spell in London working as a self- proclaimed ‘man in a van’, he’s returned to the East Midlands and set up shop as an auto-locksmith equipment distributor, ECU-specialist, and key cutter/ programmer across two sites in Long Eaton, plus has a car accessory shop and used-car dealership in nearby Sandiacre. That’s to name a few of the services currently on offer at Autowave… “My family has been in the motor trade since forever,” explains Ravi, “so it was only natural that I followed that path. I began by installing car radios in the late 1990s; working around Nottingham and London. I then branched out, and got my own van; working self-employed throughout the early 2000s. Back then, equipment was a lot harder to get hold of, and very expensive. Plus, despite a family background in the general automotive industry, the skills I built up when it came to car radios was totally self- taught. I learnt as I went along and gradually built up a name for myself ‘down south’. Then, in 2010, I decided to move back to Nottingham and take up business residence in a permanent place. After renting a small workshop for a short spell, we bought the current Autowave HQ at Clifton Avenue, Long Eaton, and we’ve been there ever since.” During his years as a car radio fitter and decoder, Ravi noticed the technical similarities with car and van keys and remotes. He scoured scrapyards and virtual auctions, collecting used car radios and practiced programming EPROM chips; honing his craft. As well as working in car electrics, this venture into car electronics was a stepping stone to the next stage of his career; becoming an after-market locksmith product supplier. “It might seem strange for some that a car radio fitter became a decent-sized distributor in just a matter of a few years, but for me it was a very natural progression,” continues Ravi. “I was seeing auto-locksmiths over-paying for equipment just to get it the next day, or worse getting a better deal – price wise – from China, but then either not getting it in time to do a job or not getting what they expected, by the time it arrived, and thought I could do a better job myself. “At first, I’d buy in bulk – say 50 items – and sell some of those to another distributor, and keep the rest in my own shop for mobile locksmiths, for example to pick up when they needed, or send out to them. A typical item that would be £10 direct from China, would be around £15 from Autowave and received next day by the locksmith (as long as it’s ordered before 4.15pm). That same item could cost up to double that from a competitor.” Such a low profit margin may not seem like a lucrative business plan, but as Ravi comments, he has developed a loyal customer base by being ‘very picky with products’, working closely with the developers in China (visiting several times a year), and maintaining a ‘grass roots’ service, where locksmiths, car accessory dealers, motor spares shops, and anyone LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | JAN/FEB 2019 in between can drop-in and get anything from one small item for a fit or repair, to a full selection of products that will be sold on from their own outfit. “We’re making waves in the industry,” Ravi concludes, “we may even be ruffling a few feathers. But, having the experience of working in the industry myself, I know what locksmiths want and need; a decent product, at a fair price, and fast. Locksmiths, especially those that are self-employed or one-man-bands need to get the job done quickly so they can sign it off and move onto the next one, but more importantly it needs to be at a good price point so they can be competitive and get a good wage for themselves. Last but not least, they need a product that does the job and won’t let their customer down, so they will get repeat business and those all-important referrals and recommendations.” Ravi’s history may have been the driving force of his business, but it’s the future of Autowave that is perhaps the most exciting of all. With a new office set to open in Hong Kong in Spring, Autowave training courses in preparation, and big plans to move into an ‘untapped market’ before the end of the year, this ‘car radio fitter’ definitely seems to be on the right wavelength. Find out more at autowave.co.uk or call 0115 837 7972