Finding good domestic help is not as easy a task as it seems. Be it housemaids, babysitters, or cooks scouting endlessly for days is something that can give nightmares to householders. What if centralized database on the lines that exists for food delivery, housing, or online shopping is available for these services? Gigzeu is one such one-stop shop where details of willing gig workers are sourced for hiring according to the householders’ requirements. Also the centralized database of Gig workers enables a new societal norm of mutual accountability and reduces the criminal acts in the unorganized domestic services sector. Analytics Insight has engaged in an exclusive interview with Manish Singhal, Founder & CEO of Gigzeu.

1. Kindly brief us about the company, its specialization, and the services that your company offers.

Gigzeu is a socio-tech platform and a one-stop solution for all household chores and needs for consumers, starting from on-demand services and going up to contractual services as well. The leading socio-tech platform bridges the gap between blue-collar gig workers and regular customers seeking assistance for household chores like maids, dog walkers, old age assistance, etc. The gig economy currently poses a lot of issues when it comes to domestic workers comprising a significant part of the global workforce in informal employment in terms of employment, low wages for excessively long hours. Physical, mental and sexual abuse or restrictions on freedom of movement, discrimination along the lines of sex, race and caste, and lastly no formal banking system applicable for the workers. However, with the use of technology advancements, the Gigzeu application manages daily household chores without any hassle by connecting household customers with domestic workers instantly or on a schedule & contract basis. Gigzeu is working on formalizing the unorganized domestic work industry & crafting gig work economy disrupting the way demand and supply work in the current market.

2. With what mission and objectives, the company was set up? In short, tell us about your journey since the inception of the company.

Gigzeu is a socio-techno startup that is working on formalizing the unorganized domestic work industry & crafting the gig work economy. The company is making deep changes to the way this demand and supply works. Since the inception of the brand in 2019, the brand has actively worked on bridging the gap between gig workers and household customers and within a short span of time, the brand has gathered a customer base of over 1200 household customers along with a community of over 1500 gig workers under their Gigzeu belt to make lives better and easier for both the parties.

3. What is your biggest USP that di?erentiates the company from competitors?

One of our specialties and differentiator is the fact that unlike other competitors in the market, we are the only players providing ‘On-Demand’ services for customers. Our Gigzeu mobile application manages daily household chores without any hassle by connecting household customers with domestic workers. Gigzeu can be perceived as a localized job portal for domestic workers which will connect them to nearby customers). It is India’s first On-Demand mobile application for domestic workers. Our services include providing domestic workers like cooks, and domestic helps within 1 hour of booking.

4. Brief us about the proactive Founder/CEO of the company and his/her contributions towards the company and the industry.

Manish Singhal is the Founder & CEO of Gigzeu. He is a social entrepreneur with expertise in people processes, data analytics & technology. He is a certified competencies assessor. He was a part of the delegation that represented the private sector for industry consultation on ITI in 2016 by the Ministry of Skill Development & entrepreneurship. He has an MBA from The Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University. A Lawyer from the Faculty of Law, Delhi University, and an engineer with a BTech in Power from the National Power Training Institute. Manish Singhal was part of the young leadership program in the JSPL. He has expertise in culture building, change management, organization redesign, etc, and is widely appreciated and implemented. His passion lies in reading books and playing Tabla.

Manish Singhal has also previously worked with Udayan Care for the education of underprivileged children. Worked with Rotary Club for Blood donation camp. During Covid, he worked with the local administration for providing food to migrant laborers.

Manish incepted Gigzeu in 2021 with the objective to bridge the gap between the blue-collar gig workers and the customers completely disrupting the market with its on-demand and contractual services, especially in terms of providing household help, old age help, dog walkers, and cook services. The goal is not merely to provide domestic gig workers’ profiles. It is the first step to building a community built on trust where the economic benefits travel to the last mile.

5. Challenges faced in the current industry?

The gig economy sector is a $200 Billion industry in India that is fragmented and unorganized. In the next few years, millennials will be joining us on both sides i.e., domestic workers & household customers. They are the people who are digital natives and very handy with technology. Getting work via references or security guards will be an old story. We are already seeing a shift in consumer behavior for better & on-demand services. The government has recently started to step in to understand the potential of the gig economy and this is potentially the biggest employment sector in India. Lack of reforms, ideation, and lack of technology adoption are some of the major challenges in the market. Some structural changes on the government front and the initiatives can help streamline and monitor this industry much better than before.

6. What are your growth plans for the next 12 months?

Our vision for the next 12 months is very clear. In terms of our expansion plans, we want to expand to major metros like Bangalore/Delhi/NCR/Mumbai to increase our existing customer base. The company focuses on registering more than 20000 domestic workers & more than 30000 customers on our mobile application to increase our footfall and customer base.

7. What is your leadership mantra?

Karm Samman Vishwas is my Leadership Mantra. It means that there is nothing unattainable to the one who has the courage and one who works hard to attain success in their life.

8. How has the adoption of technology in India evolved over the last few years?

The adoption of technology in India has been drastic and it has transformed the way individuals live together. However, coming to our business, the adoption of technology has been a challenge since gig workers resist changes in lives and the adoption rate to absorb new tech and skill sets when it comes to technology is low. This has been an area of challenge for us, however, we are holding workshops and training sessions for our gig workers to educate them on the tech front.