Mawi’s online platform to request domestic cleaning, repair or gardening services has been operating for four months with a balance that its founders positively highlight, it will increase facilities and hopes to join an incubator in South America or Mexico that allows it to make the regional leap .
“The customer response is very good,” said Sergio Monge, Mawi’s founding partner and CEO. “A tenth of customers buy services more than once a month. Our focus is these clients ”.
Monge promoted Mawi together with Federico Ramírez, who specializes in finance and knows the local and regional informal sector. The startup currently has 17 employees, which include programmers, customer service and supplier service representatives, and marketing.
Programmers develop IT projects for other companies, generating resources for investment in Mawi’s home services platform.
Mawi services are provided by independent providers in the areas of construction and maintenance, cleaning and electrical, from installation of windows, cladding of walls, landscaping, painting, doors and gates of houses, washing of chairs, maintenance of pools, plumbing and washing of vehicles at home, among others.
The internationalization option is on the startup’s roadmap, given that in the region there is a large informal sector that requires support, training and platforms to provide services, bank and become legal.
Taking this step at the level of other countries requires resorting to acceleration programs in Mexico or South American nations.
The study of the State of the Capacities in Science, Technology and Innovation presented on June 24 by the State of the Nation Program indicates that startups manage to validate their products and services at the local level, but the size of the market is a limitation to convince to external investors or to achieve mergers and acquisitions that allow them to make the leap abroad.
The application can be used as a mobile app on Huawei, Android and iOS devices, as well as through the web browser of customer devices. (Image for EF) The application can be used as a mobile app on Huawei, Android and iOS devices, as well as through the web browser of customer devices. (Image for EF)
In the case of Mawi, from the income generated by IT projects, it invests in the home service platform, in training of suppliers and in new facilities. “We estimate that in November we will make a profit,” he said.
To its credit, the startup accumulates more than 745 clients from the Greater Metropolitan Area, to whom it has provided services especially cleaning homes (50%) and gardening, washing and maintenance in general, especially. Customers request services through applications (web to use the browser and Android, Huawei and iOS apps). “It is a platform that solves the search for options,” stressed Monge.
For this, there are more than 100 certified providers (a filter is made to verify suitability), fully banked, registered as taxpayers (80%) and who have obtained income of more than ¢ 4 million in total. 20% of the suppliers are in the training process as they are recently incorporated.
The platform was launched four months ago, but a process of greater promotion began two months ago.
Provider legalization is part of the process to provide a secure service. Each one must also meet the requirements and a review to avoid cases of identity theft, irregular immigration status or criminal situations.
In August, insurance will be available to cover damage to customer property or supplier accidents when they are providing their services.
During the second semester, a remodeling and refreshing service for clients’ domestic work spaces will also be launched, with bank financing options, which is managed from the app.
Before the end of the year, there will also be a financial education platform for providers, so that they can keep track of their finances and set savings and investment goals.
Monge indicates that, so far, the only problem that has arisen is with some providers who do not comply with the service on the agreed day and time, but in these cases their visit is rescheduled or with another provider. The same happens with clients who are not satisfied, most of the time due to a communication problem about what they required. For these situations they stir through customer service.
For the internationalization of the service, Mawi is competing to enter the Startup Chile and 500 Startups de México technology-based entrepreneurship acceleration programs. An incubation process with the accelerator Emprelatam from Argentina recently concluded.
“It is a long-term project,” emphasized Monge. “The objective is to become a focal point for the formalization of suppliers in Latin America”
