Less than a decade ago, 2011 to be exact, Kevin McHale Yao decided to embark on a new endeavor: selling second-hand cars online. The venture became such a resounding success that his home garage was always full of pre-owned vehicles. In due time, Kevin ran out of space to park the cars, requiring him to open a separate shop.
It was also during this time that Marvin Tiu Lim and Eric Darryl, who, like Kevin, were also in their early 20s, joined him. Together, the three young men called their new company Autokid.
As prices of brand new cars became more flexible, they soon decided to focus on surplus Japanese trucks instead. The shift in Autokid’s product offering fast-tracked the company’s growth. Fast forward to 2020.
Autokid’s branches boast not only of surplus trucks but also brand new trucks for almost any type of business.
The number of personnel has also grown exponentially. From a five-man team selling second-hand cars, the company now employs 300 employees working in 12 branches nationwide. Throughout its nine-year journey, the company’s product range has also expanded to include tractor heads, dump trucks and mini buses.
As CEO of Autokid, Kevin attributes the company’s success mainly to their collective drive to change the industry. As the current flagship brand of trucking solutions in the Philippines, Autokid means business. The company may be young, but it has what it takes to show even industry veterans what’s missing in the trucking industry.
In an industry, for instance, where transactions are limited to sale and turnover of vehicles, Kevin and his team are always working on bringing something new to the table.
“When you buy a car, the experience is pristine. So, when you’re buying something worth more than a car—five times more if we’re talking of trucks, you’d expect the experience to be much better. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case,” he said.
For one, truck showrooms didn’t offer customers comfortable lounges with bright, modern interiors. Since exchanges were very transactional, venturing no further from the literal show-and-tell exchanges, customer experience took a backseat. When Autokid came into the picture, the entire industry experienced a disruption for the better. For the first time in decades, buying a truck became a comfortable and luxurious experience for customers, from their first visit to Autokid’s showroom to the vehicle’s actual turnover.
The industry’s after-sales efforts were also a mess. Customers were on their own the moment the turnover was made. Not only did they have to wait long for the arrival of truck parts, which had to be imported. Sometimes, they had to wait in vain, as certain parts were nowhere to be found.
“We know that trucks keep businesses moving. If, for some reason, they stop or break down, the business stops with them. If deliveries aren’t made, for instance, construction stops,” Kevin pointed out. That’s why Autokid’s Quick Response Team and service have enjoyed a sterling reputation among businessmen and truck drivers alike. Parts are readily available, while after-sales service is top-notch.
And with the coronavirus pandemic still raging in our midst, Autokid has opened up TruckStops and Service care centers to lessen the chances of customers and their truck drivers from getting infected while having their vehicles serviced, be they routine checkups, repairs, or parts replacement.
Prior to the pandemic, Kevin and his team have also been optimizing the company’s digital platforms. All companies have websites, but theirs, he said, is capable of real-time response to further deliver convenience for customers, especially these days when people are trying to minimize physical visits to any stores.
“All our online platforms are working realtime, we’re actively listening and responding to our customers. And with the pandemic, our customers see the difference this makes. They appreciate us going the extra mile,” Kevin added.
Autokid offers the public the same comfort and ease in their showrooms as well as through their online platforms. Kevin is also proud to share that they have also made payment transactions easier for clients with online payments—yet another game changer in an industry used to the usual check payments and physical deposits.
With such a dependable online payment platform, Autokids’ clients are ensured of their safety, as they stay at home without sacrificing efficiency and the performance of their respective businesses. As Kevin tells it, Autokid’s one-stop-shop format and digital approach were just but two features that have long been absent in the industry.
“We call it a vertically integrated process,” Kevin shared. “From end to end, we are there for our customers. From importation, assembling the unit, doing the PDI, making sure it’s road-worthy, after-sales—we do it all so that the customer has a smooth experience. That’s why they trust us and keep on coming back. ”
Indeed, for Kevin and his team, it’s never just about the sale. It’s all about service.
“If you want to be ahead, you have to innovate and invest in technology,” the CEO pointed out. Nakasanayan na or what one is used to is something he and his team continuously challenge. As a result, such a mentality has put them on top in the industry.
Now in his 30s, Kevin admits that he has learned a lot along the way— since those days when he started selling secondhand cars out of his garage.
“I always push my team to be at their best because at some point in my life, when Autokid was still starting, I’ve experienced doing all their jobs to scale the company to where it is now.” he said. In other words, building Autokid from the ground-up has contributed greatly to his leadership style.
As a leader, the CEO shares that he’s not the backseat driver type. “You can ask people here in the office and they’ll attest that I’m strict, but I’m also approachable. My people send me PMs all the time about their grievances and issues and that’s what I want—for them to know that I’m here for them. I also make it a point to know everyone in all of our branches nationwide,” he said.
While the role of CEO is stressful, he draws energy and inspiration by keeping in mind the needs of his employees and customers. “I have a lot of employees who depend on the company and, in turn, these employees have a lot of people who depend on them. Every day, the challenge for me is to provide for them so they can provide for others.”
The same applies to customers who rely on Autokid to deliver solutions without a hitch. “Autokid would be nothing without our employees and customers. Taking care of everyone, both employees and customers, is how we grow as a business,” he shared.
The first half of the year usually means that their office is usually filled with orders for construction trucks, the second half, for deliveries and logistics. But 2020 is not a “usual” year. Rather, it’s a unique year because of the global health crisis everyone is going through.
But Kevin remains optimistic, as he forecasts brighter days ahead for his industry. “It’s really just this period, but once we’re through it, I’m hopeful that we’re in for another 10 good years.”
With the government’s ambitious goals for developing and investing on infrastructure and the modernization of PUVs, Kevin shares that it’s all about riding out the storm. And, as the country, out of necessity, is now forced to transact mostly online, he sees logistics as the next big thing.
Almost a decade after their first garage shop opened, Autokid is not yet finished. Far from it! For Kevin and his team, the race is only getting started.
