HIS passion for how his car should look has given Kang Eng Chuan, 69, a car enthusiast, the drive and motivation to start his own business, a car care centre in 2020.
More than just a car wash centre, it offers a range of services including car coating, polishing and detailed services.
“This passion of mine was developed at a young age, and was shared by my sister as we were growing up.
“I wanted to do this business many years ago, and it was turned into a reality after I came across a like-minded individual, who had worked for another car wash centre in Penang before.
“It was at the end of 2019 when he decided to resign from his job and encouraged me to start a car care centre with him.
“I spoke to my wife about it, and she was supportive of the idea.
“We got off to a rather bumpy start because we opened it in March 2020, the first time when the Malaysian Government imposed restrictions on non-essential businesses due to the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We had to close the shop several times because the on-off restrictions that year.
“Despite that, I took the opportunity to attend a three-day training course in Bukit Minyak to equip myself with relevant skills, such as car washing techniques, coating and many others.
“It proved to be very useful to me as I became more confident and had better knowledge about this business,” Kang told Buletin Mutiara during an exclusive interview at his business premises in Bayan Lepas today.
Kang’s shop is called Everlast Detailing Centre.
His wife Chin Nyet See, 60, also known as Rose, joined him after being laid off from her job.
When asked about challenges they face, Kang named a few, which include dissatisfied customers who sometimes angrily provide their feedback.
To this, Rose said the best way to deal with such customers is to not challenge them but to accept their comments gracefully.
“It is very common to encounter such scenarios, and the best thing to do is be nice to them and tell them that you will eventually get the problem fixed for them.
“This way, we make them feel good and we are allowed to understand what went wrong, fix it and create a good relationship at the end of the day.
“We even have customers who compare prices.
“There is a reason why we have the word ‘detailing’ in our shop’s name, which reflects on the services we provide at the end of the day.
“And our products are all imported from Japan, with each item having a specific purpose for related cars,” Rose said.
Kang then shared a memorable incident, where one of his staff members found RM600 underneath the seat while washing a car, and with a good heart, he returned it to the owner.
“Delighted with the honesty demonstrated, the owner applauded Kang and his staff, and also the meticulous cleaning job done on the car,” he added.
Kang’s shop, the Everlast Detailing Centre, which can be found online, often receives good reviews from its customers.
When asked about values and skills that one should acquire to start such an initiative, Rose mentioned a few, such as perseverance, patience and being customer-oriented.
Meanwhile, Kang said it is important to always have prior knowledge and a better understanding before starting any type of business for that matter.
“Always be alert and know what you plan to do. We will always be on the winning side if we successfully equip ourselves with the right skills,” Kang added.
According to Rose, the core values practised by their business are honesty and integrity.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by M. Vekenesvaran