I recently had a leaky sink. I didn’t know how to find out where it was coming from so I could fix it or get it fixed (the water was coming from behind the pedestal). I’m not naturally practical. I searched online and couldn’t find an answer. I wrote to the manufacturer to ask for the assembly instructions so I could take the pedestal off. They never replied.
I eventually threw in the towel and called a plumber. They were able to take off the pedestal in 1 minute flat because they knew what they were doing.
It was frustrating being unable to help myself, but I had no one I could turn to for advice.
Discussing this with a friend recently, they had a great idea of video calling handy people.
Service idea
With the rise of smartphones and tools such as WhatsApp, it’s easy to video call people. The service would pair someone with a problem with someone with technical or practical knowledge for a specific amount of them as they walked them through how to do what they need to do.
How it could work
Steve has something he doesn’t know how to do. He searched online for a tradesperson/handyperson with the skills he’d need.
Steve finds Melissa, a qualified plumber. He books time in to have a 30-minute call at a cost of £10.
Both Steve and Melissa confirm the appointment time and receive a reminder. At the time of the call, they both join a video call where Melissa walks Steve through the steps needs to take to test his boiler pressure.
After the call, Steve rates Melissa for her help. The rating helps future potential customers know that Melissa is reliable and helpful. As a result, she gets more bookings.