Cruising new routes

Odyssey is going on an expansion drive and it targets 20 coaches.

ODYSSEY Prestige Coaches Sdn Bhd is the brainchild of Wan Adlan Rahman, and his younger brother Wan Anwar who were both business consultants. They wanted to have a business of their own instead of just advising clients on how to set up profitable ventures.

“I did not want to do consulting my whole life,” Wan Adlan, 36, told StarBiz.

“I wanted to build something more tangible, something that would grow into a big business one day. Given our knowledge of the transportation sector, we felt we should get into the coach service business.’’

Odyssey is a premier coach service created to take advantage of what he believes is an under-served route. To him, the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route is under-served even though more than half a dozen-coach players and four airlines ply that route.

Wan Adlan Rahman making himself comfortable inside the Odyssey’s coach.

There's still room for more players, especially in the premier service segment, he said.

“What it seriously lacks is a truly business-class service for those who prefer to travel on wheels instead of flying,’’ said Wan Adlan, the executive director of Odyssey Prestige Coaches Sdn Bhd.

Prior to setting up Odyssey, he was managing consultant and director of Business Associates Consultants. He provided strategic direction on IT and technology in the areas of business development, turnaround management, re-engineering of business processes, contract negotiation and project management to his clients.

His most significant achievement was when he led the strategic advisory exercise for the Government's cross-border technology transfer programme.

Wan Adlan holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the University of Bristol. The early part of his career was spent at Petroliam Nasional Bhd, where he was responsible for the IT infrastructure. He was involved in the cable plant systems, data network systems, voice information systems and video conferencing systems for the Kuala Lumpur City Centre project.

The idea to build something of his own began in 2005. And in November last year, the coach service made its maiden trip from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.

For its expansion, the company needs an additional RM3.5mil.

Wan Adlan said that starting from scratch involved a lot of hard work. But funding was the least of their problem as the banks saw their venture as a viable proposition. They borrowed from SME Bank and Bank Muamalat to cover the initial set-up cost.

So far RM5mil has been invested, and besides the two brothers, some private equity investors also hold stakes in the company. Adlan declined to name the investors.

Five coaches serve the KL-Singapore route and route expansion is on the cards. Wan Adlan said the company would have 20 coaches in three years' time.

He said destinations such as Kerteh, Hatyai, Butterworth and Iskandar Malaysia are being evaluated as key destinations from Kuala Lumpur. For its expansion, the company needs an additional RM3.5mil.

The coaches operate at half capacity, and Wan Adlan felt this load factor was a “good start.’’ However, the plan is to fill up the coaches over time.

To do that, Odyssey has a marketing plan and team in place. The target market now is business travellers and expatriates, but that profile would be expanded.

About 1,200 to 1,500 people ply the KL-Singapore route on wheels daily and in a year over half a million passengers are travelling back and forth. Wan Adlan said the growth rate is 5-10% yearly.

As part of the expansion programme, he wants to add at least two pick-up points - Subang and Kuala Lumpur City Centre - to the current Mont'Kiara pick-up point. In Singapore, the buses take off from the Copthorne Hotel near Orchard Road in Singapore. The fare for a one-way trip is RM95 on peak days and RM80 on non-peak days. This comes with meals, entertainment (both music and video on demand) and passengers are even able to access the Internet while on board with WiFi. The coach only has 24 plush leather seats so there is ample legroom.

“Odyssey is a journey, and once you are onboard our coach, your journey is going to be a wonderful experience,’’ promised Wan Adlan.

With little experience in the industry, these two brothers slug it out for they are determined to make this venture work for them. This may mean making mistakes.

“I have to own up to any mistake that I make. It was a little scary initially, but now that things are moving along, it is a lot easier. The joy in this is really to turn every mistake into an opportunity,’’ Wan Adlan said.

Competition to him is part and parcel of the game and that keeps him on his toes. Safety is also crucial in this business, and to ensure there are less hitches, the entire crew goes for regular training.

“We have to continuously innovate and make sure our product offering has a clear standing in the marketplace. We believe in listening to our customers and making changes (based on feedback),’’ he said.

The business may still be small but Wan Adlan is ambitious. He hopes that one day the coach company would be a listed entity, but that may take at least five more years.