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| Oracom Web Solutions Ltd owner Alphonce Juma (right) and his corporate client relations manager Maurice Ogola. PHOTO | CORRESPONDENT|2015 |
As the world turns into a global village, the need for companies to have online presence continues to grow. It is this thirst by firms that a technology start-up Oracom Web Solutions Limited seeks to quench.
As a fresh graduate of information sciences from Moi University, Mr Juma was employed for a year before he quit job in 2010 to set up his business of website design and development from his rental house in Kayole. His seed capital? Sh2,000, he said.
A few months later, he moved his office to Nairobi’s River Road where within a year, he got deals from 10 companies but there was a problem. He needed a better office location so that he can build confidence in his growing customer base.
This saw him move to a servant quarter in Kileleshwa. But it was not until 2013 when he came up with a web-portal — myAspirant, myLeader — a plan that turned his fortunes for the better. The portal hosted messages and manifestos from politicians during the General Election.
And last year, Oracom moved its offices to Westlands, Nairobi where a team of 15 employees now works from. “They are very creative and resourceful in bringing in new ideas. They understand the market dynamics,” said the owner of Oracom, a firm he estimates to be worth Sh20 million.
Oracom is now receiving clients from Tanzania, Uganda Canada, US, UK and UAE. In December 2014, the start-up handled the marketing for the Kenya Diaspora Networking Conference, which was held at Daystar University.
The company has just launched the ‘acpDirectory Kenya’ service, a feature that is embedded in the websites it develops so that customers who are interested in a particular product can call or SMS for free or even email. “With the ‘acpDirectory Kenya’, clients call and order for free and they also get a map with the business location. This is an opportunity that has given e-commerce an edge,” he said.
Being a young company boss Mr Juma had to hire a seasoned hand to help him steer the start-up. And that is how his corporate clients relations manager Maurice Ogola came in.
“He was the face of the company when we were organising the diaspora event and the experience just changed,” he adds. With servers in the UK and back-ups in Canada and Dubai, their clients are assured of optimum service round-the-clock.
With a monthly turn-over of between Sh600,000 and Sh900,000, the firm is big on bulk SMS. It does about 40 per cent of all SMSs dispatched in Kenya. It also offers email marketing, social media marketing, domain registration and hosting and photography.
“We are now doing stories for companies using photos and videos,” said Mr Juma. This, he says, makes the sites interactive. “A website has to project the right image to prospective customers and investors,” he said.
Since its set up, Mr Juma had to stick to a tight budget, ploughing back a huge percentage of his profits.
For his family that did not take kindly his idea of quitting a job: “They have realised it is possible and they support me,” he says.
Over the years, he has been able to beat competition from upcoming web-developers. “It is not about doing a website. It is about empowering the client, and walking together.”
Evolving technology has also meant that he has to work hard.
He asks the youth to forget about making money overnight. “You’ve to be persistent, resilient and above all, pursue your passion. This way you will give it your all.”
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