While e-commerce is becoming the default way of shopping in Kenya, there has never been one dedicated to delivering alcoholic drinks to people’s doorsteps. That was true until Front Door entered the business revolutionizing how Nairobians can order and get drinks delivered in minutes.
Antony Owich, the founder of Front Door says that he has worked in the alcohol industry for more than 8 years. While in employment he says that clients would call him to ask him for advice or referral on where they can get high quality alcohol.
He would gladly direct them to stores where they would get the drinks. As time went by he realized there was a gap in the alcohol industry. He understood that clients were concerned with getting high quality products at competitive prices.
“With all the technology that we have, I saw an opportunity that I can leverage using the knowledge I have in the industry to build an online alcohol store, where clients can order and get it delivered to their doorsteps,” Antony, who’s also an economist, says.
Delivered in 20 minutes minutes
Antony says trust is the currency of business in the sense that delivering what you promised your clients within the time that you promised is vital to his business.
“I have a central point in Nairobi where we distribute our products in under 20 minutes. The minute the customer orders, the clock starts ticking and we deliver in 20 minutes. We use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to map out where our customers are and ensure we deliver on time, and customers can track their orders until it’s delivered to their doorstep,” he said.
He also says AI gives recommendations to clients on products that are complementary to what they have ordered.
Snacks and soft drinks
Antony says customers have driven him to add more products in the business since customers are asking for them. Because of that he has incorporated snacks and soft drinks in stock to serve people who don’t take alcohol.
“Some people don’t take alcohol and they were asking for soft drinks, snacks and even chewing gum. We had to stock those products to cater for their demands. We use customer feedback to drive our growth. A customer could ask for something today and next week we could call them to inform that we have stocked the product,” she affirms.
His business lessons
For many people, quitting employment to venture into entrepreneurship is risky, Antony agrees with it but affirms that it takes a leap of faith to get started and timing is critical. He says that if he had quit his job at an early stage, he might not be where he is. He also shares that entrepreneurship is not for everyone.
Asked about his hiring process, he says that he takes hiring seriously because employees can make or break a company. He says that he is involved in every inch of the hiring process to ensure that he gets the best employees who will drive the company forward.
“I ensure I get the best team and instill the best culture in the company that whenever an employee comes to work, he feels this is the best company to work for. The right culture is the best thing for the company’s growth,” the Front Door boss says.
Expansion
Antony says his company is going to expand to all East African countries in the next five years offering a wide range of products to its clients.
He advises upcoming entrepreneurs to take each step at a time and to avoid procrastination, adding that continuous learning is key in entrepreneurship.
“Self doubt will always be there but you have to find a way to overcome it. You also have to get enough information so that you can sail with precision,” he concludes.
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