A match made in GPS, digitization of the service sector

In Nigeria, a subtle yet pervasive challenge confronted over 3 million skilled artisans. Despite their talent and ambition, connecting with potential clients remained an enigma. Though they possessed the expertise, a disconnect persisted between artisans and the individuals or companies in need of their services. Factors like non-transparent pricing, trusts and availability have been hindering the traditional process of hiring professional services.This gap was not merely a barrier; it was a clarion call for our client. It needed a technology platform offering a variety of services at home. Customers can use that platform to book services such as beauty treatments, haircuts, massage therapy, cleaning, plumbing, carpentry, appliance repair, painting etc. These services are delivered in the comfort of their home and at a time of their choosing.Together with Aethergo, we embarked on a transformative journey to bridge this divide through cutting-edge technology. Our client envisioned a mobile-based solution to close this communication gap, equipped with a myriad of features to enable precise location-based searches, ensure authenticity and security, streamline payments, and more.

The challenge lay in addressing these critical pain points with a scalable solution that remained cost-effective, particularly at the MVP level where margins were crucial. Furthermore, the surge in e-commerce and on-demand delivery services in Nigeria amplified the demand for location-based services. The professional home services sector in Nigeria is experiencing robust growth, fueled by several key factors:

Market Drivers:

Accelerated Urbanization:

Nigeria is experiencing a , with a substantial portion of its population migrating to cities. As of 2022, the World Bank estimated that around 54% of Nigeria's 213 million residents resided in urban areas. This trend is projected to surge, with urbanization rates expected to surpass 70% by 2050, further intensifying the demand for urban-centric services.

Rising Disposable Income:

A growing middle class with disposable income is willing to pay for convenience and quality services.

Shifting Demographics:

The shift towards dual-income households and the fast-paced lifestyle of modern Nigeria are significantly boosting the need for outsourced home services. The growing trend of busy professionals outsourcing household tasks is fueling the expansion of the home services market.

Technology Adoption:

The widespread adoption of digital technologies, particularly online platforms and mobile applications, is revolutionizing the way customers connect with service providers. These innovations are simplifying the process of finding and booking professional services, making them more accessible to the tech-savvy Nigerian population.

Increase Awareness:

There is a growing awareness among consumers of the benefits of utilizing professional services, such as enhanced safety, superior quality, and warranties on repairs. This increasing consciousness is driving the demand for reliable and trusted service providers, contributing to the overall growth of the market.

The Nigeria facility management services market was valued at $8,446.0 million in 2019, and is projected to reach $12,662.1 million by 2027, registering a CAGR of 6.4% from.

Our Shared Purpose:

Our collaboration was rooted in a shared vision – to make skilled artisans visible and accessible to consumers through a simple, technology-driven solution, and build trust and transparent payment system for customers. We aimed to build a platform that allows skilled and experienced professionals to connect with users looking for specific services. Once on the platform, a match-making algorithm will identify professionals who are closest to the users’ requirements and available at the requested time and date. Our approach was straightforward yet innovative: we built a holistic platform using AWS technologies, designed to connect consumers with artisans at a click, based on their location.

The core of our solution was a blend of cloud-based services and a user-friendly app interface, ensuring that finding a skilled worker was as easy as browsing your phone. We prioritized features that matter the most - a location-based search, a trustworthy detailed averaged rating system, identity verifications of artisans at onboarding, multiple service level filtration, an extensive job management section for customer giving full visual on the lifecycle, a hassle-free payment process, escrow management for artisan’s security, refund processing for customer’s reliability, embedded wallet with full cycle transaction history, full scale observability system in backend payment processing to mitigate real time issue with prompt alerting. We took the payment processing to next level with high level throttling handling, error management with rollback scenarios and informed lifecycle events for each transaction, because this solution was the first to allow local artisans earn money in a digital way so the platform needed to be robust to gain trust from the beginning. We ethos this theme in every , that we believe that the software enables the consumer to put .

This wasn’t just about building an app; it was about simplifying connections, making every transaction smooth, and supporting the local economy while enabling the trust among the platform and users.

Sculpting with Technology

Effortless Backend: Using AWS SAM and API Gateway for a robust serverless backend.

Smooth Transactions: Advanced payment integrations for hassle-free payments.

Versatile Development: Crafting in Python, Flutter, TypeScript, and HCL.

Web and App Design: Utilizing React and Flutter for an engaging user experience across platforms.

Dynamic Communication: Real-time interaction with AWS DynamoDB and WebSocket.

Efficient Processing: Streamlined payments and notifications with AWS SQS and SNS.

Reliable Hosting: Deployed on AWS Amplify, with Terraform ensuring smooth operations.

Continuous Improvement: Leveraging AWS for a streamlined CI/CD pipeline.

Transforming Connections

Our solution fundamentally reshaped the way artisans and consumers interact, creating a seamless experience for users to locate the services they require, precisely when and where they need them. This platform not only amplified the visibility of skilled artisans but also built a foundation of trust and reliability for consumers, ensuring they could confidently engage with the right professionals. This platform goes beyond being just an app; it represents a transformative approach that empowers Nigeria’s artisans to stand out, driving economic growth and fostering individual prosperity.

A Vision for the Future

Aethergo’s journey with this project showcases the transformative power of location-based technology, and futuristic payment processing architecture. For businesses, integrating geolocation into their services opens up new avenues for visibility and customer engagement. It's an invitation to stand out in a crowded market, offering convenience and reliability to your audience. For individuals with a vision, this is your clarion call. Location-based solutions are the way to connect consumer with services quickly, solve real-world problems, and create opportunities for growth and innovation. Whether you’re a startup looking to disrupt the market or an SME aiming to enhance your operational efficiency, the potential is limitless.