Cleaning service made real simple
N ATTEMPTING to hire quick, reliable and convenient cleaning help, Aisha Pandor, the chief executive of SweepSouth, realised there was a problem.
The Cape Town woman, who was named one of five top female tech entrepreneurs, spoke of her road to success.
“It was not a simple matter of looking up the classifieds and getting someone to clean. Some would say they were available, but needed transport. Some we couldn’t be sure about. And the process became long and unnecessarily drawn out,” she explained.
That’s when the idea was born to create a super easy app, named SweepSouth, that would work a lot like Uber.
“The app connects you with our cleaners, or sweep stars as we call them, in your area. They are each required to pass a background and criminal check. They would need to have some experience, and we give them a little test to check their work. Once they are registered, you can read a little bit about them before you choose, and not only can you rate their services, but they can rate you.”
Pandor said the app was the idea of her business partner, who also happens to be her husband, Alen Ribic.
“We wanted it to be as easy and simple as possible, keeping in mind a lot of our cleaners would come from poorer backgrounds and might not have a smartphone, let alone know how to use an app. So we made sure that it would be something anyone could use and understand.”
Once the app was designed, they set about testing out their idea, launching first in Johannesburg, Cape Town and now Durban this year.
“Over the past two years, SweepSouth has created work for over 3 000 experienced cleaners. Of those, 71% were previously unemployed, with the remaining 29% citing underemployment as the reason they joined the platform” said Pandor.
SweepSouth cleaners get to choose their hours, the type of cleaning they will do, and they can decline jobs.
“They are traceable and we insure them against liability. We also offer them free financial support and advice. We want them to have a say in how they work and we want them to feel safe and protected.”
The SweepSouth service, which allows customers the opportunity to book, manage and pay for cleaning services from their mobile phones, works in just three easy steps, and is cashless.
What’s more, the platform’s tech design has swept up honours on a global scale, including nods from industry giants TechCrunch and the international 500 Startups programme.
For her work, Pandor has received two PriceCheck Tech & Ecommerce as well as a nomination for MTN’s ICT Women in Tech awards, as well as recognition by the World Economic Forum.
Sweep stars earn 70-80% of the total cleaning fee of R38/per hour; a rate twice as high as minimum wage. Customers happy with the service are able to tip, with full proceeds going to the cleaner.