Online platform for DIY & home improvement industry

Genevieve Dalrymple, co-founder & director at RedFish, says, "The platform aims to bring the home-improvement industry online so that vetted and rated tradesmen can find work easily and customers can check transparent ratings before they decide to work with a tradesman."

As internet and mobile access in South Africa increases, the site will provide an easy and cost-effective way for both customers and tradesmen to meet, make introductions, have professional conversations and build relationships with the aim of getting the job done.

Build reputation

"The construction and home improvement industry has taken a knock over the last two years and, with budgets being tightened, tradesmen are faced with the challenge of finding customers. With this platform, tradesmen will be able to secure work by submitting competitive quotes to job requests and customers will be assured that they are getting the best person for the job.

"The process is simple; a tradesman will register on the site free and, via daily updates, will be connected with potential customers who have posted a job. The tradesman receives an email as soon as a job is posted in his area with his specific skill set.

"On completion of the job, a customer is asked to provide a rating of the tradesman and the work, which is then added to the public profile page allowing the tradesman to build his or her reputation through ratings and updated profiles on the site, improving the chances of securing future business.

"Many emerging businesses and tradesmen use their mobiles as their means of connectivity on ground level, but more than a third of SMMEs do not currently have an online presence, so we hope that this offering will provide them with a platform where they can market themselves free and increase their future business growth."

Rating system

"The site differentiates itself from current job boards and online classifieds by incorporating a rating system. The reason behind this is that the home improvement and construction industry has somewhat of a bad reputation and by including a vetted, transparent offering, we will see customers getting the best service from the industry with tradesmen receiving the accolades they deserve.

An SME survey recently stated that this sector needs to diversify more actively if it is to be more sustainable, profitable and resilient to inevitable market change. This site is giving these tradesmen the opportunity to do just that, with a platform they do not usually consider using.

"This is an exciting portal and we believe it has real value for both customer and tradesmen. With over 8.5 million Internet users in South Africa alone, micro businesses cannot afford to be without an online presence and it is important for targeting potential customers as part of business development," she concludes.

For more information, go to www.redfish.co.za.