In Indonesia, finding a person to fix your leaky roof, install air conditioning units, or solving any typical chores around the
\nhouse can be a pain. Few of these service providers have an online presence. Your best bet is to keep an eye out for flyers that
\nfloat onto your porch or fill your mailbox. Or you ask neighbors, family, and friends for recommendations.<\/p>\n
But even if you have a recommendation, it\u2019s complicated. Service providers in this category often operate informally, which
\nmeans they don\u2019t abide to regular office hours and may be difficult to reach by phone. Negotiating prices is cumbersome too,
\nbecause there is no simple way to compare, and norms don\u2019t exist.
\nLike a Tinder for services<\/p>\n
Enter Seekmi, a startup still in its infancy but with promising potential to help sort out this matchmaking problem. Seekmi asks
\nservice seekers to submit their request through a form. It then links them up with matching providers from its database \u2013 they
\nsubmit quotations directly to the seekers. Once the seeker has chosen one service provider, further discussion is taken offline.
\nSeekmi does not handle the payment process on its platform.<\/p>\n
Nayoko Wicaksono, Seekmi\u2019s co-founder and CEO, expects domestic services \u2013 including household staff and nannies, which are
\ncommon even in Indonesia\u2019s middle class \u2013 to be popular. But the platform will cover a broad range, including creative services
\nlike photography and design, and masseurs, and makeup artists.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a way, we\u2019re like a Tinder for services. We just make the introduction, everything else happens afterwards,\u201d says Wicaksono.<\/p>\n
While that\u2019s a handy comparison, fortunately, it\u2019s not quite true. Joining Seekmi is not as instantaneous as signing up for
\nTinder. Service providers must submit ID, a valid phone number and references from previous clients or employers to be
\nconsidered. Seekmi follows up with all applicants manually to ensure the offers are legit. It\u2019s a process Wicaksono feels is
\nright to ensure quality, while still enabling informal service providers to participate. Seekmi does not ask for a tax number or
\ncompany license.<\/p>\n
Seekers, on the other hand, must fill out a form describing their particular needs. \u201cEach type of service will get its own job.
\nFor example, if you want to hire a photographer, you need to be able to describe pretty clearly what it is you want.\u201d
\nLearning from Thumbtack<\/p>\n
If signing up is free for providers, and the actual transaction happens offline, where does Seekmi take its cut?<\/p>\n
The answer lies in quotations: Every time a service provider submits a quotation they pay a fee. This fee is dependent on the
\ntype of service they offer. For example, an interior designer would be charged more than a gardener.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a concept similar to Thumbtack in the US \u2013 a company that launched in August 2014, expanded quickly and now holds
\ninvestments worth US$148.2 from notable VC like Sequoia and Google Capital.<\/p>\n
Wicaksono thinks this business model will work in Indonesia, as it will ensure service seekers only get serious offers. Service
\nproviders carry a small risk, but the fees are easily paid off once a quotation turns into a job.<\/p>\n
To get the platform off the ground, however, Wicaksono has decided not to impose a fee in the beginning. He doesn\u2019t have a fixed
\ntime plan for when payments will be introduced, but thinks it\u2019s necessary to gain trust first, and prove the concept will lead
\nto more jobs for service providers.
\nSurprising angel investor: Justin Kan<\/p>\n
Along with Wicaksono, Clarissa Leung and Wilson Yanaprasetya make up the founding team. They now manage a staff of five. Seekmi,
\nlaunched in April, so far only has a feature for service providers to sign up. According to Wicaksono \u201cbetween 100 to 500\u201d
\nservice providers are now in Seekmi\u2019s database.<\/p>\n
By mid July, Wicaksono plans to be able to open the platform to customers, followed by a PR and marketing campaign.<\/p>\n
Wicaksono estimates the service market in Indonesia to be \u201cin the billions,\u201d and has regional expansion in mind. Currently,
\nthere are no competitors operating with the same matchmaking mechanism in Indonesia, though some classified sites, for example
\nOLX also have a section for services. In Malaysia, Kaodim is a platform similar to Seekmi, and in Singapore, Page Advisor offers
\na similar service, but charges vendors after a job is completed, not for an offer.<\/p>\n
Besides a unique concept in Indonesia, Seekmi has other factors playing in its favor: Its founders are extremely well-connected.
\nWicaksono previously worked at Emtek, one of Indonesia\u2019s biggest media companies, and this relationship has landed him a special
\n\u201cacceleration\u201d program. Seekmi has office space in the SCTV tower, which is one of the TV stations under Emtek\u2019s umbrella. The
\nstartup will also get marketing support from Emtek.<\/p>\n
Emtek does not usually support startups this way, though it has made startup investments, for instance in ecommerce marketplace
\nBukalapak. \u201cCall it special treatment,\u201d says Wicaksono.<\/p>\n
As if that wasn\u2019t enough, it also happens that Justin Kan \u2013 yes, of Justin.tv fame \u2013 is Wicaksono\u2019s cousin. And Mari Pangestu,
\nIndonesia\u2019s former minister for tourism and the creative economy, happens to be his aunt. Both are angel investors supporting
\nSeekmi.<\/p>\n
With Kan as cousin, Wicaksono has a direct link to the Y Combinator network and informal mentorship. Kan became a partner at Y
\nCombinator last year. Plugged into these strong networks, I think Seekmi can be expected to get off to a solid start in July.<\/p>\n
(Update June 25, 10.10 pm: There was a small edit to one part of the article to reflect the startup\u2019s request not to share its
\nprojections figures for the number of expected users yet. The figures were brought up during the interview.)<\/p>\n
Editing by Osman Husain and Terence Lee<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/finally-a-startup-that-can-take-the-pain-out-of-hiring-service-providers-in-indonesia", "image": "seekmilogo1.png" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }