An app with an established global presence has arrived in the UK and promises to bring clients and builders together quicker than ever before. Professional Builder’s Lee Jones talks to the team behind Spetz.
We live in a society where consumers demand an instant response from service providers and the repair, maintenance and improvement sector needs to adapt to that reality. A relatively recent entrant to the UK is helping do just that, with an app that promises to quickly and easily match property owners with the right tradespeople.
A global company with a local ethos, the Spetz app has been 10 years in development and seen an investment of over $5 million dollars. “We’re providing something new to the market,” enthuses the company’s Ofir Friedman, Vice President, Business Development and Marketing. “From the consumer perspective they can find the best service provider for them in their area, and the tradesperson can connect directly to customers and grow their business more effectively.”
Time saving service
A fundamental component of the Spetz proposition for both sides of that equation is speed. By harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence, the platform can connect a homeowner with a service provider within 30 seconds. Yossi Nevo, the founder and CEO, explains more: “If a customer has a leaking roof, for example, we can eradicate a lot of the frustration in the process of finding someone to repair it. Instead of wading through directories, making multiple calls, and waiting for call-backs, they can post a job in an average of ten seconds – and they can add images or a description of what’s required. The result is a connection at a time of their choosing with the most suitable person for that job and location.”
As a consequence of that detailed matching with the right consumer, Spetz can also point to a high conversion rate, with initial contacts regularly turned into actual work. Not only that but a rating system on the app demonstrates the individuals who have been most valued by their clients for previous services rendered, which in turn will win the builder in question more jobs in the future through the app. Essentially, the best people get the best jobs.
Online presence
Builders who are registered will have their own profile, detailing their catchment area, availability, and trade. Where Spetz also departs from many existing lead generation sites is that there is no subscription payment for a trade business to have an ongoing presence on the app, or commission fees on jobs won. Instead, they’re charged a small fee – which can be as little as £6 – when the customer makes direct contact with them. That means the payment is levied at the point at which the builder is most likely to win the work, whilst a potentially high value project can be secured with a modest initial outlay. “This is crucial to the Spetz model,” declares Yossi, “because big opportunities can be opened up with relatively small amounts of money. Not only that but the rates can be further reduced through our loyalty programme, and there are also introductory offers for new service providers.”
If a job is delayed and there’s a sudden gap in a work schedule, then the Spetz app could be on hand to fill it, whilst the builder can also declare him or herself as unavailable if they’re particularly busy – or exclude certain locations that they don’t want to work in or travel to. Moreover, with over 400 service types on the Spetz app, the consumer can be confident that they’ll access a provider with the right skills for that project. The user-friendliness doesn’t end there because there is also full 24/7 online support, and each service provider is allocated an account manager, who is also contactable by phone and trained to help.
The technology is constantly evolving and there are future plans to expand the information that the service provider’s profile communicates, including a gallery where tradespeople can showcase a portfolio of previous work, and a live chat function. “Our two most important values are speed and quality,” concludes Yossi, “and that’s for both the consumer and the service provider. It empowers a builder, plumber or electrician to access the kind of work they want to do, when and where they want to do it. It’s a flexible system that can be put to work for them and their business.”
As lockdown ably demonstrated, the nation’s tradespeople are often undertaking vital jobs for the general public, and their services are frequently required urgently. That’s why speed is at the heart of Spetz, coupled with a commitment to finding the right person for the job.
Spetz can now boast over 10,000 service providers, and 250,000 consumer app installs worldwide. It is already a successful business in Australia and Israel, and it enjoys an excellent rating on Trustpilot of 4.5 – 5. There’s now a growing UK-wide presence – and plans to launch to the United States.
For further information on the Spetz App visit https://www.spetz.co.uk/
