Individuals are often unable to efficiently find and access hyperlocal service providers such as tailors, fruit vendors, barbers etc. resulting in wasted time and disappointment. These personal care providers often lack information about their availability, making it difficult for customers to plan their visits and access the needed services. This results in an inefficient and unsatisfactory process for both customers and service providers, and a lack of trust in the hyperlocal service market.
The goal is to create a solution that aims to ease the process of buying goods and services from a constantly fluctuating local market by providing real time information about vendors, thus reducing wasted time and disappointment.
Localiti is an app that helps consumers directly connect with hyperlocal vendors for their goods and services. It provides real-time updates regarding the location, timings and service availability of small local businesses, which helps tackle the irregularity of this market and improve their sales.
The purpose of the research
We first aimed to identify the market size of the problem we are trying to solve. This gave us a better understanding of the hyperlocal market and the issues associated with managing such big numbers.
Google for business requires service providers and shopkeepers to list themselves on Googleās platform. It enables them to add their location, list the services offered and timings, and choose appropriate categories to help them appear at the top of the āNear meā search results.
The issue here is that the business profile, once generated by the owner, is rarely updated and remains entirely in the owner's hands. What happens if the owner changes his shop hours but forgets to update this? We still see the previous information. And what about small businesses unfamiliar with technology and frequently changing their location and hours?