KUALA LUMPUR: Home repair service provider Handibee Sdn Bhd sees a continuous uptick in demand as the pandemic has made homeowners more aware of the importance of maintaining and repairing their homes.
Founder and chief executive officer Mohamed Shakir said several factors had played a significant role in the recovery and growth of the home services market, and he anticipates that this trend will continue in the future.
Factors include homeowners who spend more time at home due to the post-pandemic (work from home), the rise of online platforms that make it easier for homeowners to connect with service providers, the availability of innovative technologies that allow for faster and more efficient service delivery and the growing popularity of eco-friendly and sustainable home improvement solutions that promote energy efficiency.
"However, we also recognise that not all on-demand service providers will be sustainable in the long run, as quality is crucial in retaining customers.
"We do anticipate that the rate of growth may slow down slightly in the coming months due to a limited number of new property launches, but the overall trend of increased demand for on-demand home services is likely to continue," he said in a statement.
Shakir said the company's biggest advantage compared to the standard on-demand service is eliminating the need for quoting and negotiating.
"All our handymen are charged based on an hourly rate. This method allows customers to anticipate their expenses and save money and time simultaneously.
"To further attract our customers, we plan to expand our services to include same-day repairs and offer 24/7 support for critical situations.
"Moreover, our 30-day warranty period after each repair gives our customers peace of mind that if the issue persists, we will take care of it at no additional cost," he said.
Shakir said Handibee's unique approach is to provide a reliable, hassle-free solution that simplifies the customer experience.
"With Handibee's home warranty, our customers can have peace of mind knowing they have a partner they can trust to take care of their home repairs and maintenance needs," he said.
Handibee's services are currently concentrated within the Klang Valley area, mainly near high-density populations.
However, the company has plans to expand services to other states in Malaysia in the near future.
"We are currently exploring options for expanding our services by giving franchise licenses to our technicians outside the Klang Valley areas.
"This will help us expand our services and allow our technicians to run their businesses and become a part of the Handibee family.
"By franchising to our technicians, we can leverage their knowledge of the local area and provide the same high-quality services to our customers in other states," Shakir said.
He said Handibee chose the franchise route to continue learning from its franchisees on other methods to improve to scale further and bigger.
Moving forward, Shakir said the domestic property market had shown signs of recovery with increased property transactions, particularly in the residential sector.
According to the National Property Information Centre (NAPIC), residential properties comprised 62 per cent of the total transactions in recent months.
Shakir said that as more Malaysians purchase homes, there will be a greater need for home repair and maintenance services in the coming months.