App of the Week: HouseJoy
A hyperlocal app with a geo-targeting twist!
Don't even get us started on how crowded the hyperlocal space has become. There are too many companies that are trying to connect you to your nearest electrician, maid, plumber and it can get really confusing at one point of time. HouseJoy is also a hyperlocal services app, but it doesn't put you into any form of uncertainty or doubt whatsoever (Except for one – is it Housejoy, HouseJoy, or housejoy?)
To achieve that, the app has gone the cab-booking way by asking you to provide your location before you can book a service. Once that is done, it displays a list of services available in your area that you can pretty much book like you were ordering food on a food delivery app like Swiggy- there's a menu with the options available and the price displayed right next to them. And just like ordering food, if you don't want to pay on the app using your cards or net banking, you can pay cash on completion of the order as well.
Even though the app offers a diverse and exhaustive range of services from beauty to carpentry, compared to some other hyperlocal services, you might find that the options here are lesser, with reduced control over what you can exactly do (read: choose the professional yourself). But for the professionals on the app to be verified and reliable, we feel this is the essential cost.
With more than 5 lac downloads and 1 million customers in a span of just a year, the reliability bit of this app is quite evident. And coupling that with convenient features like Paytm and Citrus wallet integration and multiple address support, HouseJoy is the new go-to app for home services.
On the other hand, it also takes care of its service providers, known as Housejoy experts with several interesting features. For example, the service version of the app has an On/Off feature that only allows booking when the expert is online. It ensures their privacy by allowing communications through anonymous chat. Also, there are tutorials available on the app for a service provider to improve his skills. In case of any emergency during a job, there is an SOS button to alert the company as well.
Housejoy has been expanding its services portfolio very quickly, and we can soon expect even more services to be on board. So if yours is one of the 13 cities in which they operate, do try this one out for all your home services needs