How a tradesman can embrace the digital revolution

Numerous western countries, including the US and UK, are moving towards a gig economy, where workers abandon the traditional 9 to 5 routine and find casual, temporary work online. This process has already disrupted the taxi and food delivery industry and has transformed the way we use many services, such as ordering homewares, applying for work and even booking a haircut or a table at the restaurant. With newspaper sales in a downward spiral and the Yellow Pages all but obsolete, small businesses could be left out in the cold with large corporations providing catch-all services available at the click of a button.

However, some professional services can’t simply be replaced with a university student trying to cover their textbook fees, or a shop assistant making extra money on nights and weekends. A tradesman is a trained specialist in their industry, as much as a lawyer or accountant, but unless a tradesman can secure a long-term job, such as maintaining a large building or working on a housing development, they can find themselves in a similar position to ‘gig’ workers, such as rewiring a smoke alarm, fixing a broken toilet, or repairing some broken tile.

Traditionally, a tradesman found work either through word-of-mouth or in small, local advertisements such as newspapers, radio, or the Yellow Pages, but as the audiences continue to shrink, so does market outreach. By the same token, young, tech-savvy consumers looking for a tradesman to complete work on their home may be frustrated to find few options for a professional service in their area. When it comes to booking a service, convenience is a consumer’s top priority. Most customers would rather purchase a service online or via text than through a phone call, and businesses who have captured this market, such as food deliverers MenuLog, or driving service Uber, are seeing consistent growth in their business.

The UK-based website Plentific matches homeowners to professionals and lets consumers find a tradesmen in their area based on their area of expertise. Not only does the website provide a platform for tradesmen to advertise their business, but it also allows potential customers in certain urban areas to book a repair service online for either a flat fee, or a specialised quote. The online booking service, the new favourite form of communication between consumers and service providers, is what sets Plentific apart from the many other online databases and directories advertising the professional services of tradesmen.

Like many other large companies contracting out self-employed workers, Plentific also offers a guarantee for the services provided by the tradesmen. It is this guarantee of a refund or a further repair that caused the HomeOwners Alliance to partner with Plentific above other online directories. Plentific’s strong disputes resolution process cements it as a go-to option for busy consumers looking to order a repair or maintenance job for their home online without the hassle of negotiating the right time with several other tradesmen until a suitable appointment is secured. For tradesmen looking for customers, and vice versa, the solution can be found online.