Heaptalk, Jakarta – Amidst today’s tech winter, crowdsourcing has become a super attractive business model for entrepreneurs and investors perceiving its benefit, which can lower the cost for human resources.
However, in implementing this method, the execution of the project is mostly carried out by the partner, and mismatching between consumers’ expectations and the partner’s work is inevitable. In order to mitigate this, Dekoruma, Garasi.id, and Sweet Escape shared their best practice in managing the risk.
Set specific requirements in finding appropriate partners
According to CEO of Garasi.id Ardy Alam, entrepreneur should have specific standard in selecting their partners. This measure will enable company to diminish back and forth process and ensuring the result aligns with customers’ expectation.
As a startup who offers services for car inspection and vehicle warranty, Ardy explained, “Garasi curates its garage partners based on three criteria, spanning reputation, skills and safety.”
Meanwhile, a startup who connects photographer worldwide with customers, Sweet Escape, also put English skill and manner as criteria for joining its team. CEO of Sweet Escape David Soong shared that these criteria are important to understand customers’ desire and enhance customers’ experience.
Align with the method executed by Sweet Escape and Garasi.id, Dekoruma also conducts design preference check to match the style between designers and the customers. However, to find this specific standard, CEO Dekoruma Dimas Harry underscored that companies have to set clear target market first.
“Previously, we were greedy, we accepted a Rp1 billion project, but also worked for a Rp5 million project to repair kitchen set. At that point, we were wrong. We cannot reach all segments; we have to focus. Further, after defining our target market, the demand and supply will be narrower, so we can curate easily,” stated Dimas during GDP Venture Powerlunch.
Ensuring the output aligns with the company’s standard
Crowdsourcing involves many partners and each partner has their own style when carry out their job. In this case, the result may be different between one partner and other partners, and the result may be doesn’t meet the customers’ expectations.
David Soong conveyed that a company should have a trick to make the output is appropriate to the company’s claim.
“Photographers utilize various cameras, and the result, of course, will be different. But we have a trick, the editing process is carried out by the company. Thus, we can maintain the color consistency and more to align with our offers,” stated David.
Moreover, in overcoming this case, Garasi.id stated that the startup has built SOP that should be carried out by the partners to examine car condition.
“’We have a guidance, like a template. We have carried out studies about how to examine car condition, then we found 170 points that should be checked in sequence. Thus, whoever the examiner, the output will be the same,” stated Ardy.
Regarding the template in interior design, Dimas also asks their partner to create templates. This template, he added, also will enhance their partners’ efficiency in working and further enable them to work on more projects to escalate their income.
“Instead of creating a new design from zero, we ask them to make templates. It will take a longer time to create one design from zero. However, creating a template and then adjust it based on the customers’ need will enhance work efficiency,” stated CEO Dekoruma Dimas.
