Putting local entrepreneurs on the map

Mohammad Rafiq is the sole bread winner of a family of five: his wife, 3 kids and him. “I started my little shop in 2008. I am in a limited area in the middle of 1,000-2,000 jhopdas (huts). Before Chaupaati, I sold 2-5 computers in the neighbourhood”. Besides selling assembled computers to slumdwellers and low-income customers, Rafiq also trades computer parts, offers repair services and computer education & training to youngsters in his slum. Before meeting Chaupaati, he did not get customers from outside the slum.

“God had his way and someone from Chaupaati visited me here and told me that he would get me new business through SMS. His words immediately stuck in my head.” Rafiq bought the cheapest available trial plan from Chaupaati and got 20 contacts within a period of a week. Out of these, a couple of youngsters from Virar (30 km north of Andheri) found Rafiq’s deal too good to be true and showed up at his shop. They took home two computers, on which Rafiq made a profit of Rs.500 each. After a week, he sold another at Rs.700 profit. He had now made more than 3x return on his investment in Chaupaati. Then he bought the monthly plan and closed 4 more deals: “Mira Road, Sion, Kandivali East and Kandivali West”. He is now a subscriber for our yearly plan, whose plan value is 50 times the value of his original trial plan; and with this, Rafiq expects to do 100x more business within the year!

“Dial Karo tried to sell me a plan for a much cheaper price than Chaupaati and said they would start my service within 3 days”, says Rafiq, “but now I am familiar with Chaupaati and I like that they always started sending me contacts from the very first day. I am satisfied with Chaupaati and I trust them.” He has no reason to try another service when Chaupaati is exceeding his service capacity faster than he can scale it. Rafiq succintly concludes “For me, it’s all about fresh sms, fresh call, fresh deal“.

Customers like Mohammad Rafiq help us fulfill our dream of empowering the small entrepreneur and give him a level field to compete with bigger businesses on the basis of his merit.