North East entrepreneur launches domestic services app for SMEs

Tradespeople offering day-to-day domestic services are being sought for a new smartphone app soon to be launched.

Sorted House, a new digital business aiming to take away the headaches for customers who want to source suppliers for a wide range of domestic jobs such as window cleaning, gardening or carpet cleaning.

The app is the brainchild of North East entrepreneur, Iain Dalby, who quit his role as a retail manager to concentrate fully on developing the business.

The 33-year-old has said Sorted House could ‘put an end’ to the frustrations many SMEs feel when attempting to generate new business through online platforms that charge what can amount to substantial fees, irrespective of whether they’re appointed on jobs they quote for.

The organisation has secured relationships with various trades and suppliers in and around the North East, including firms like Clean It UK Group, North East Clean and NEPS Gardening Services.

Now, the company is looking for more to add to its supplier listings across all sectors.

Dalby, who lives in Gateshead, said he started working on the idea a year ago after growing frustrated with the lengthy processes involved when trying to arrange for jobs to be done around his own home.

He explained: “It was an arduous experience trying to find a trusted supplier whose own schedules would fit with mine.

“I found myself spending far too much time searching through large lists of potential suppliers until I could find the right match of quality with availability.

“It’s such a slow and frustrating process that needed improvement for the sake of both the supplier and the consumer.”

Another feature Sorted House is trying to tackle are fake reviews, which threaten to blight a range of industry review sites.

Iain explained: “Only registered customers will be able to submit reviews on the jobs completed for them. We’re exploring a simple two-photo ‘before and after’ format to this. We want to put an end to ratings that are sabotaged and made artificially high or low.”

The app will work with simple touch-button options for the user. Variables such as job description, location and timings can be selected with one-touch functionality to provide customers with a shortlist of options relevant to that area and job.

Sorted House’s app is scheduled for consumer launch within the next few weeks, and will be available to download on iOS and Android.

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