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Home repair services app unveiled in Cape Town

Sibahle Malinga
By Sibahle Malinga, ITWeb senior news journalist.
Johannesburg, 08 Apr 2016
Background checks are performed on all service providers before they join the application, says Platinum Seed's Bradley Elliott.
Background checks are performed on all service providers before they join the application, says Platinum Seed's Bradley Elliott.

Home owners looking for a quick and reliable way to find home repair servicemen such as plumbers, electricians or locksmiths, can now find and book these services using a new mobile app introduced this week.

The getTOD (get Tasks on Demand) mobile application was introduced by four Cape Town entrepreneurs and it was developed by digital technology company, Platinum Seed.

According to getTOD, the app offers access to approved home repair service providers within the Cape Town Southern Suburbs, Atlantic Seaboard and Cape Town CBD.

Shannon Mackrill, getTOD co-founder, says users no longer need to waste time searching the Internet or a telephone directory for a supplier to meet their needs and wait for days to fit into that supplier's diary.

"The application is an on-demand application, which allows its users to cut out the uncertainty and frustration that typically comes with finding a home repair supplier.

"Our goal was to disrupt an industry that is fraught with irregular pricing, poor service levels and inconsistent quality in a way that sets new benchmarks for service delivery and pricing," he explains.

The getTOD application is free for download and available for iPhone and Android.

Bradley Elliott, managing director of Platinum Seed, says the app works in a similar way as ride hailing service Uber: a home owner logs their need on the application, sharing their location and requirements, and a service provider in the area who is available on the service will accept the job.

"The home owner can track the service provider's journey until they arrive at the job, and can effect payment through the application's secure payment functionality via a pre-loaded credit card," he explains.

He points out companies listed on the getTOD include KC Locksmith, PJ Plumbing, Hand on Plumbing, Mainstream Electrical, adding they work with a strict standardised price per hour per category.

Discussing his competitors, Elliott says there are a number of apps out there claiming to be "the Uber for Home Services" but they are essentially online directories.

He adds the difference between such online directories and his app is that getTOD allows users to seamlessly connect with service providers who meet their particular needs using location based tracking and supplier availability in real time.

He points out background checks are performed on all service providers who are also screened before they join the application, to ensure they meet getTOD's "high standards".

Elliott reveals getTOD, which has received substantial backing by a notable UK investor, also offers an insured service to consumers and provides 24-hour emergency services seven days a week.

"Clients are able to rate the service they receive from the supplier, giving other potential users a quick insight into the experience they can expect from the service provider that accepts their call for help through the application."

Standardised prices mean that home owners don't get any unpleasant surprises when the time comes to pay the bill - and they are not charged any additional costs for using the services, he explains.

The app will soon cover more areas in Cape Town and will expand to other regions in SA during the year, concludes Elliott.

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