It’s no secret we live in an on-demand society, Australians collectively look at their smart-phone more than 440 million times a day, they have an average of 100 apps downloaded to each device and use 36 different apps per month; six more apps than the global average of 30 apps per month.
It has been five years since Uber was legalised in Australia, but already in that time the taxi industry has plummeted and the value of a cab’s licence plate has decreased drastically. That disruption was caused by the simplicity and convenience of an on-demand service becoming available via an app on a smartphone.
The trend of utilising on-demand services has become more popular than ever. It’s now looked for in various industrial sectors, such as healthcare, food and transportation. Due to an increasing number of apps on the market, customers have developed a need for quick services such as two-day shipping and Apple Pay, establishing a social norm.
Enter Fix it Faster, an Australian start-up that’s disrupting the on-demand industry by putting the power in the hands of consumers. Using real-time geolocation data, the app connects customers to vary of home services such as plumbers, gardeners, hair stylists and handymen. Fix it Faster’s concept was based on a clear gap in the market identified by its three co-founders. Fix it faster is the only app that provides a live map of available fixers in your vicinity. Device location awareness allows fixers to be digital beacon and advertise themselves on peoples individual devices for nearby customers.
Here are the top five reasons why on-demand businesses are more important than ever:
No more waiting
Customers used to wait a week for a plumber, now, on-demand startups are offering convenient, more technical, and highly efficient services. Brands are releasing apps designed for delivering accuracy, speed, quality, and customer satisfaction – these are the core values that are shaping consumer culture. We recognise that busy people would rather have the platform suggest a trusted fixer for them rather than have to do their own vetting.
It has changed the consumer behavioural and buying patterns
On-demand services have opened up a market where consumers are expecting fast, simple, and efficient experiences. We won’t be surprised to see the gig economy lead to essential services like water, delivering petrol, or even having your local dentist come to see you at home. Brands like Uber eats and Deliveroo have changed the expectations of the modern consumer.
The typical 9-to-5 workday is long gone
Workers are establishing their hours and are constantly looking for flexibility. They are now building their independence and freedom to choose when and where to work. Jobs must now fit into their preferred timeslot. Gig economy workers choosing the hours they desire, to working where they want, is quite attractive to those who are trying to work around family schedules.
This allows more opportunities for small businesses to fill the gaps of the bigger companies due to their flexibility, low overheads, ability to work from home and for themselves when and where they want. We cater for gig economy but we are more about optimisong the efficiency of the work day given the modern tools we have to schedule and stay local and spend less time on the road.
It’s time to upskill
Working on multiple projects can help grow skillsets and expose workers to a lot more opportunities, especially in different areas. They experience less risk of job and income loss with multiple employers. The gig economy is also helping take some of the stress out of job searching as on-demand services are being requested every day.
It is also filling the gap in the available services outside of the the old business hours. Sole providers and gig economy workers can be more flexible with working hours and able to provide services to customers who need them in the evenings and on the weekends when the bigger operators can’t. We can also activate semi retired or part time only skilled fixers.
Quality of work
Gig economy workers will always find they have a large variety of jobs to complete. No more doing the same monotonous tasks every day. This helps make the work more personal as each gig may be filled with different elements that make the work interesting. Completing different jobs and meeting new people every day might lead workers to be more excited about projects and be able to be more creative with their work.
Fix it Faster is changing the way Aussies manage their home and allows customers to spend more time doing the things they love while Fix it Faster’s network of highly qualified and certified service providers conveniently manage everything else that arises. It is available now to download for free on the App Store and Google Play and is active across Australia.
Mez Graham is the CEO and Co-founder at Fix it Faster
