"I’m very satisfied with the service I received from CGC as everyone was very helpful, even visiting my laundry a few times before approving the financing."

In Arau, within a radius of five kilometres, four laundries operate, including Siti Nur Shakira Mohamad Shamsi’s. Although she hopes to open more branches in the future, for now she’s concentrating on building client relationships. “I remember all the names of my customers and I allow time for chit chat. I’m learning ways to communicate with them so that I don’t lose them to other laundries.”

After a year in business, Siti tried very hard to apply for a loan. Ineligible because of her brief track record, she approached the CGC Alor Setar branch and had a Biz-Mula-i financing approved. After that, she replaced her manual washer and semi-auto dryers. With a second source, the Biz-Wanita-i fund, she added self-service equipment and offered her customers an extra one-day laundry service. She also purchased four 14-kilo washers and two 16-kilo dryers. “I’m very satisfied with the service I received from CGC as everyone was very helpful, even visiting my laundry a few times before approving the financing.”

After working for about four years once she had completed her STPM, Siti returned to her hometown. Here, she helped her uncle run his laundry. “When I worked with my uncle, I was very interested in the laundry business because we are helping people.” She says the assistance is extended to mainly working people who have no time to wash their clothes.

After two years, Siti decided to open her own laundry with an initial capital of almost RM30,000 consisting of her savings and aid from family members. Other than more branches in the near future, she hopes to convert her business from a conventional laundry to a self-service one, while growing into a medium-capacity enterprise.

14/19