Overland Park-based startup OneRequest launched during the pandemic last year and already has grown to 19 full-time employees. And it’s looking for more.
The startup describes itself as an online communication platform that removes frustrations from the car-buying process. Consumers can use its website to search inventory from more than 45,000 dealerships nationwide and create general or specific search criteria. A differentiator is consumers can use OneRequest to communicate with dealerships anonymously and set their communication preferences.
“That way you’re not getting overwhelmed with lots of sales calls and emails, because that’s probably the most popular reason people are frustrated with the car shopping experience right now,” OneRequest Marketing Analyst Natalie Gibson told the Kansas City Business Journal.
Founder and CEO Eric Westphal said he’d receive emails and phone calls from dealers years after he purchased a vehicle. It was annoying.
“It’s not a secret that people love getting a new car, but they don’t really like the experience. I think there’s a better way of doing it.”
The company was born out of his personal frustrations. Westphal, who has an IT background, got his start at Sprint Corp. and later was vice president of information and technology at MachineryLink. He also held executive roles at Tallgrass Energy and left at the end of January last year to start focusing on OneRequest. The pandemic didn’t deter his plans.
“We were just getting going. I didn’t have this hockey stick projection that I was worried that Covid was going to blow up. It’s a long game that we’re going to play, so it just made sense to put the head down, don’t worry about the stuff you can’t control and go to work.”
To kick off the launch, the management team provided personal funds, and in February, the startup closed a friends and family seed round that eclipsed $1 million.
How it works
OneRequest doesn’t compete against dealerships; it works with them, he said. Instead of a contract or monthly fees, dealership partners can choose which verified leads they pay for. If a consumer finds a vehicle at a dealership that’s not part of OneRequest’s network, the startup contacts the dealership and pitches the verified lead. Typically, dealerships then sign up as a provider, Gibson said.
Most of OneRequest’s dealership partners are located in the Midwest, including in the Kansas City area as well as markets such as St. Louis, Chicago, and Indianapolis. OneRequest also has relationships with dealers in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and Michigan. This year, the startup is focused on signing up more dealerships in those markets. In the coming months, it plans to hire a regional sales manager for the Chicago market and add three inside sales employees in Kansas City.
OneRequest also makes money through its concierge offering, which charges consumers for its full-service shopping service. OneRequest handles the search process, negotiates with dealers and navigates the trade-in details. The startup also reviews the contract for accuracy and can arrange for delivery if needed.
OneRequest is testing a sellers marketplace that allows people to list their vehicles for dealerships to bid on. It’s another avenue for signing up dealerships as providers on OneRequest’s site, she said.
Looking to the future
OneRequest plans to add more offerings in the future, such as financing, and become a one-stop shop, Westphal said.
One aspect contributing to OneRequest’s success is the number of employees with an automotive background, she said. Their experience sparked the idea for the concierge service. They’re also promoting the startup to their network.
“They truly believe in the service and the product that we’re offering to shoppers and dealers,” Gibson said. “A lot of them have worked in dealerships and have experienced these pain points personally.”
