Life is incredibly fast paced in this age. We work, we eagerly wait for the weekend and in the blink of an eye, it’s gone. If you have a car, you’ll know taking care of it is a hassle and can be a time sink on those precious Sundays.
Fret not. Say hello to Auto Genie, a LUMS based startup that aims to take care of all of your automobile to-do’s.
What is Auto Genie?
A new service which is only available in Lahore right now, Auto Genie offers 20 different automotive services to its members. The ultimate vision of the startup, in the words of its founder Hamza Abbas Bakhsh, is to convert conventional workshops into smart workshops.
The startup was incubated at the LUMS Center for Entrepreneurship. According to the Auto Genie team, the mentoring and assistance provided by the faculty and people at the Center empowered them to take the service to a higher level.
Auto Genie – Traffic Tickets:
You know the drill. You woke up late and were in a hurry. You forgot your documents at home. You thought you could get through before the traffic light turned red. Or maybe it was some imbecile who couldn’t wait his turn at the checkpoint, bumped into your car and is now eating your head off.
Anyways, the end result is a challan. Paying off those can be a pain, specially during work days. Auto Genie offers a traffic ticket service for exactly these moments. They pay the bank, get your documents and hand them over to you after you pay a service charge. Simple.
Services Offered by Auto Genie:
That’s not all. Auto Genie offers a ton of services like oil change at your doorstep, periodic checkups, token tax assistance and others. The company has partnered with more than 160 workshops and auto-part vendors. To avail these services, you can access Auto Genie through their website, their apps or dedicated help line.
Here is a comprehensive list of what’s on offer:
Auto Genie Membership:
Auto Genie offers two membership plans: recommended and annual.
- Annual membership: PKR 4000 (Promotional)
- Semi Annual membership: PKR 2400
Once you a member, the service takes care of every car related matter with zero mark-up. Members also enjoy many discounts in Auto Genie’s services, products and at several businesses which fall under MoUs (eatouts and other businesses).
Future Plans:
Auto Genie is aiming to be operational in three major cities of Pakistan by the end of the calendar year. The service will soon begin offering certifications to mechanics and introduce a portal for the sale of pre-owned cars. In addition, highly rated workshops and auto-part vendors will be part of a flagship initiative.
While consumer response has been very good, some corporate names have also been very interested in getting service quotes for their car pools.
Auto Genie Verdict:
Magic! As someone who would rather play Civilization 5 instead of spending time cleaning up the car, I am hoping Auto Genie expands to Islamabad as soon as possible. Having talked with Hamza about the long term vision of the project and hearing the testimonials, I am convinced Auto Genie has a bright future.
isnt this what AAA does in USA?
Almost but they have something in addition; these people make you forget that you own a car- flawless maintenance tracking.
good to hear that people are struggling for a better life. hope to get better services.
nice initiative… good luck Auto Genie :)
Very nice idea. I will surely try them. Good luck guys!
WOW! HAVE BEEN waiting for something like this for a loooong time
Nice idea, appreciated