Whether it’s sitting in the auto repair shop for hours, being overcharged or not having a repair shop close to home, getting cars fixed can be a hassle for many people.
Last night on BNN’s The Disruptors, Toronto-based startup Fiix pitched its solution to these hassles: connecting customers directly with licensed mechanics who can bring car repair services to their homes. Customers experiencing problems with their cars can go to Fiix’s website, input information about their car and describe the service they are looking for. The website will give them a price for that service, and if customers are satisfied with the cost, a fully licensed expert mechanic will come to their home to fix the car. In addition to providing services to car owners, Fiix plans to give mechanics a chance to run their own businesses as well.
“We’re building the Uber for auto repair,” said Zain Manji, Fiix co-founder. “Now, customers have to wait at the repair shop for hours and they don’t get the transparency they deserve on their car repairs. Even more, the mechanics who are actually doing the auto repair services are getting underpaid. We want customers not to worry about their car and we want our mechanics to have the flexibility to run their own mobile repair businesses.”
While Fiix thinks its business can take the hassle out of owning a car, Disruptors co-host Bruce Croxon said Fiix is unsuitable to today’s car trends. “The trend is towards people owning less cars. The trend is towards self-driving cars, and cars are being built better than ever, so they’re breaking down less,” said Croxon. “If they can go out and own the majority of what I think is a dwindling market, there may be a business there.”
Fellow co-host Amber Kanwar countered that giving mechanics a chance to run their own businesses is a unique feature of Fiix. “I like that they make the mechanics their own entrepreneurs,” she said. “They kind of freeze them from being tied to a body shop.”
Watch the whole pitch below:
BetaKit is a production partner on The Disruptors. Tune in to BNN every Thursday night at 7pm for full episodes!
Related: Fiix launches in Toronto to help you trust your mechanic again