Start a business centre

 

A business centre, in the Nigerian context, is an establishment where services such as: typesetting, photocopying, scanning, spiral binding, lamination, and internet surfing (browsing) etc. are carried out.

The business centre can be expanded to include other services like: sales and repair of computer, sales of Examination scratch cards like WAEC, NECO, JAMB, etc; sales of recharge cards of all denominations, and call centre operations. For a business center to be profitable, it requires dedication. The economy has created a vast opportunity for business centers to thrive as the business provides sustainable income to operators as a result of its high level of patronage.

People will always make photocopies of their documents, surf the internet, make calls and will need other computer services, which most times, can only be delivered at business centers.
The business does not require much training for those interested in it. It is centered on money spinning if meticulously run. However, the venture must be strategically located to get the required patronage that will elicit success. A site like a School, College of education, University or Polytechnic environment is an example.

A period of three to six months is needed as a gestation period for beginners with basic knowledge in computer programming. The period, will give you the opportunity to learn how to run the business well and nurture it, especially towards attaining profitability.

The most important equipment required for the operation of a business center, after it has been strategically situated, is the photocopying machine.
The photocopier is the first item that should come into the mind of anyone, who wishes to go into this line of business.
In fact, a good and quality photocopier will guarantee good income as customers will always remember you, based on the kind of output your machine delivers.

You can set-up this business centre and earn over N50, 000 monthly. You need about N800, 000.00 (Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) to start. When you commence, you will need to create awareness through adverts on Banners, Newspapers, Handbills and other mediums continuously to have a daily flow of multiple streams of income. You don’t need brand new computers instead; you can go for fairly used ones.
A business centre is one business that has many income sources like typesetting, photocopying, spiral binding, lamination, designing, training etc.

For the Photocopying business, you can arrange to buy a fairly used photocopying machine from a good source. There is a way the machine calculates all the papers that has gone on its surface per day and you should master all that before embarking on the business. You also need a good photocopying paper which contains about 5oo papers in it which can be gotten at the rate of N600.00. Each photocopied page is between N2.50K and N10.00.

How to start
· Get a business name, like JEPINAK COMPUTERS. Register it with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja.

· Get an office space. You need a minimum of one room size office of about N3, 500 a month. Most House Owners demand for an outright payment of 2 years and that would be N3,500 multiplied by 24 months which gives N84,000.00

· The equipment/things to buy includes: Computer system, Photocopier, Scanner, Laminating machine, two Printers (the coloured one and the one for black and white printing). You’ll also need to provide fans for the computers. The computers can be bought at Lagos or Port Harcourt.  The prices varies, they are not stable due to the interplay of marketing forces.

 Estimates of what you need to start
Photocopier - N80,000.00, Scanner - N10,000.00, Laminating machine-N12,000.00, Color Printer - N15,000.00, Black and white Printer- N18,000.00, A set of Computer -  N60,000, Paper cutter -N      Big stapler  -  N6,000, Laminating films, and Photocopying papers- N650

Apart from typesetting and photocopying, other income streams includes: photography (instant passport), printing and book publishing, sales of computer accessories like mouse, keyboards etc, office consumables, computer training, bookshops/stationery stores etc.

Typesetting services is between N80 to N100 per page while jobs requiring tabulation, graphics, Logos and scanning attract extra fees. The services of laminating credentials, ID cards, badges, etc. are charged according to the size (length and breadth) of the document. The sales of computer consumables like photocopying/printing papers, mouse, phone accessories, keyboard, flash drives, softwares, repair tools, memory cards, empty CDs, ink/toner, etc brings in extra income although such sales are not as regular as typing and photocopying.

Ensure that all transactions are receipted and recorded in the sales book. You need expenditure, daily sales, stocks and inventory books. Encourage your employees to be honest; motivate them, pay them salary when due and train or talk to them on good customer service. There is need for them to treat your customers well for sake patronage. Writers/Authors, pastors and students, need the services of a business centre to design and page-plan their work. The pay accruable from this service is based on the volume of the book.

If you set up a business with all the equipment bought and you are able to explore most of the income streams, you should be able to earn between N4, 000 to N10, 000 per day. Employ 2 to 3 staff for a start. If you earn about N104, 000 that is, N4, 000 multiplied by 26 workdays excluding Sundays. Saturdays are always half day. You close at about 3.00pm to enable you rest, wash and prepare for church on Sunday.

You should go into graphics, that is, production of calendars, magazines, posters, advert materials etc. the area will make your centre a haven for printing activities. Satisfy your customers and they will keep up coming. If you site it near a school, students will come to type and bind their projects, term papers and assignments. Lecturers will also come to typeset their examination papers, books, handouts etc and photocopies of their works.

You need to have a Generator of about N80, 000 and above. You don’t have to depend on Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) because of instability. A standby Generator is very important as the absence of it will make you lose customers. Make sure your computer operators are fast at typing and can work very well. Tell your staff not to increase price when you are not around. If your services are excellent, your clients will keep coming even if you double the price.