Words: Tivania Moodley | Images: Supplied
Time is money, and for businesspeople, being chauffeured ensures business continuity. Being driven around in style is a bonus. Kimeshen Raman and his two business partners identified the need for luxury chauffeur services in the Umhlanga area focusing on creating an exceptional experience without compromising on style and comfort. As a result, Finesse Drive opened its doors in June 2017. Kimeshen tells us more about the business.
How did your business start?
I often travelled around Cape Town or Joburg with my two business partners and we’d hire a chauffeur to drive us around. The business idea emerged after we considered the amount of money we spent on these trips and the service we received and decided that we could offer an even better service to the KwaZulu-Natal market.
Why did you choose this area to set up shop?
Umhlanga is the hub of the upper-end tourism market in Durban. It’s also close to the airport, which is where the majority of our business comes from.
How did you find your premises?
I own the premises in my personal capacity and when we were setting up, we decided to use the space as we only needed a back-end office to monitor our cars, drivers and bodyguards.
Why are the premises ideally suited to your business?
We have some nice hotels around us which give us business.
Who are your neighbours?
City Lodge, Protea Hotel and the Gateway Theatre of Shopping.
What are the shop rental/sales prices like in this area?
I own the property, so we don’t pay a rental amount, but the average rental in the area for the space we have is about R12,000 a month.
How many people visit your business each day?
We receive about 50 requests per day for transfers and tours.
Do you have any expansion plans?
We recently opened part two of Finesse Drive, which is our tour company, catering for tours to the international and local market.
Do you operate online as well?
We have a website and a Facebook page which is constantly updated with new service offerings.
What’s your most popular service?
Our beautiful cars are the highlight for our customers; they’re the perfect combination of style and luxury.
For more information on Finesse Drive, phone Kim on 072 169 7775 or Mo on 083 845 9479, or visit their website.
