Men at Work - On-Demand Local Services Marketplace

About Men at Work

Men at Work is Pune and PCMC’s leading online marketplace for trusted local service professionals. The platform connects customers seeking home services with verified, skilled professionals across 20+ service categories including Electrician, Carpenter, Plumber, Appliance Repair, Home Cleaning, Driver, Tutor, Housekeeping, Cook, Painter, Architect, Salon services, Pest Control, Marriage services, CCTV Installation, CA/CS services, Birthday Organizer, Photographer, Taxi services, and Mobile Repair.

With a network of over 20,000 trusted service professionals and covering the entire Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad areas, Men at Work has established itself as the go-to platform for quality home services. The platform’s mission is to empower local service professionals by providing them free access to genuine customer leads while giving customers convenient access to verified, reliable service providers from their neighborhood.

The Challenge

The local services industry in Pune faced significant challenges affecting both service professionals and customers seeking reliable services.

For Service Professionals:

Skilled professionals—electricians, plumbers, carpenters, beauticians, and others—struggled to find consistent work. Traditional customer acquisition through word-of-mouth, pamphlets, or local advertising was expensive and unreliable. Many talented professionals remained underutilized despite high demand for their services. They lacked a platform to showcase their skills, build reputation, and receive regular work opportunities. Managing bookings, customer communication, and payments was disorganized.

For Customers:

Finding trustworthy service professionals was challenging. Customers had no way to verify skills, check reviews, or compare options before hiring. Coordinating service bookings through phone calls was time-consuming. Pricing was opaque with no standard rates or transparent billing. There was no accountability after service completion, making dispute resolution difficult.

Market Gap:

While urban company-style platforms existed for major metros, Pune and PCMC lacked a comprehensive, localized platform covering diverse service categories. The fragmented market needed a unified solution connecting the local service ecosystem efficiently.

Our Solution

We built a comprehensive dual-app ecosystem—Partner App for service professionals and Customer App for service seekers—creating a complete on-demand services marketplace for Pune and PCMC.

Mobile Apps Showcase

Partner App - Empowering Service Professionals

Easy Profile Creation & Service Addition

Step-by-step onboarding workflow with category selection from 20+ service categories. Service-specific subcategories for precise positioning (e.g., under Electronics & Appliance Repair: TV, AC, Refrigerator, Washing Machine, etc.). Service search functionality for quick category finding. Multiple service additions allowing professionals to list all their skills. Professional bio creation with experience description and language selection (Marathi, English, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali, Urdu, Kannada). Aadhaar card verification for trust and authenticity. Business details including years of experience, minimum visiting charges, and work hours (From-To timing).

Profile Verification & Approval

Admin verification process ensuring quality and authenticity. Document verification checking credentials. Background verification for customer safety. Approval notification once profile is live. Profile status tracking (Pending, Approved, Rejected). Rejection reason communication with improvement suggestions. Re-submission capability after corrections.

Lead Management System

Real-time lead notifications when customers request services. Lead details showing customer name, address, service required, date and time, remarks, and contact information. Ongoing and Closed tabs organizing active and completed jobs. Lead acceptance/rejection capability based on availability. Lead expiration preventing stale opportunities. Lead history tracking all received opportunities. Map integration showing customer location and distance.

Job Tracking & Management

Job status workflow from Accepted → In Progress → Completed. Job details access anytime including customer contact, service address, and specific requirements. In-app calling to customers without revealing personal numbers. Navigation to customer location using integrated maps. Job notes for documenting work performed or issues encountered. Photo uploads documenting before/after work. Job completion marking with customer confirmation.

Rating & Review System

Customer rating collection after service completion (1-5 stars). Detailed review feedback from customers. Public profile displaying ratings and reviews. Overall rating calculation visible to potential customers. Review response capability for professional engagement. Rating-based lead prioritization—higher-rated professionals receive more leads. Portfolio building through positive reviews establishing reputation.

Earnings & Payment Tracking

Transparent pricing display showing service charges. Payment tracking for completed jobs. Earnings dashboard showing daily, weekly, and monthly income. Payment mode recording (Cash, Online, Card). Outstanding payment tracking for incomplete collections. Invoice generation for record-keeping. Commission structure transparency. Payment history for financial planning.

Portfolio Management

Work portfolio creation uploading project photos. Before-and-after photo galleries showcasing transformation. Work description explaining projects completed. Portfolio categorization by service type. Portfolio visibility to customers browsing profiles. Portfolio editing and updating as work evolves. Visual credibility building attracting more customers.

Availability Management

Calendar integration for availability setting. Busy/Available status toggling. Vacation mode preventing lead assignment during offs. Schedule customization by days and hours. Advance booking management. Double-booking prevention. Emergency unavailability marking.

Performance Dashboard

Lead statistics showing total leads received, accepted, and completed. Conversion rate tracking leads-to-jobs ratio. Customer satisfaction scores aggregated ratings. Revenue trends showing earning patterns. Service category performance identifying most profitable services. Comparative analytics benchmarking against similar professionals. Achievement badges recognizing milestones.

Customer App - Seamless Service Booking

Service Discovery

Visual service catalog with 20+ categories displayed with icons and descriptions. Category browsing exploring all available services. Service search finding specific services quickly. Trending services highlighting popular options. Nearby services showing professionals in user’s locality. Emergency services filtering for urgent requirements.

Professional Search & Selection

Professional listing showing verified service providers with photos, names, services offered, ratings and reviews, experience years, and minimum charges. Advanced filters by rating, distance, price range, language spoken, and availability. Sort options by rating, distance, price, or experience. Professional profile viewing complete bio, portfolio, customer reviews, and contact details. Favorite professionals saving preferred providers for future bookings.

Booking & Inquiry

Quick booking for immediate service requests. Scheduled booking for future dates and times. Service details specification describing exact requirement. Address selection from saved addresses or adding new location. Remark addition providing special instructions. Multiple professionals inquiry requesting quotes from several providers simultaneously. Booking confirmation with assigned professional details.

Real-Time Tracking

Booking status tracking from Requested → Assigned → Confirmed → In Progress → Completed. Professional details access including name, photo, contact, and rating. Live location tracking seeing professional en route to service location. Estimated arrival time display. In-app calling to professional. Booking modification rescheduling or canceling if needed. Push notifications for all status updates.

Payment & Invoicing

Transparent pricing showing service charges upfront. Payment mode selection (Cash, Online Payment, Card). Secure payment processing for digital transactions. Payment confirmation and receipt generation. Invoice download for records. Payment history tracking all transactions. Multiple payment methods supporting convenience. Tip option for exceptional service.

Rating & Feedback

Post-service rating prompting after job completion. Star rating system (1-5 stars). Detailed review writing sharing experience. Photo upload documenting service quality. Public review publishing helping other customers. Anonymous feedback option for honest opinions. Rating statistics contributing to professional’s reputation.

Saved Addresses & Contacts

Multiple address saving for home, office, and other locations. Address labeling for easy identification. Default address setting for quick booking. Map integration for precise location marking. Contact management for family members who might need services. Address history tracking frequently used locations.

Order History

Complete booking history showing all past services. Order details viewing service performed, professional assigned, date and time, amount paid, and rating given. Re-booking option hiring same professional again. Invoice access downloading past receipts. Complaint filing for unsatisfactory service. Support tickets tracking issue resolution.

Offers & Promotions

Special offers displaying current discounts and deals. First-time user discounts encouraging platform trial. Referral program earning rewards for inviting friends. Seasonal promotions festival and occasion-based offers. Service bundles discounted package deals. Coupon code application at checkout. Offer notifications staying informed about deals.

Technical Architecture

Native Mobile Development: Kotlin for Android delivering high-performance, modern Android app with material design components, coroutines for asynchronous operations, MVVM architecture for clean code, and Jetpack libraries for robust functionality. Swift for iOS providing native iOS experience with SwiftUI for declarative UI, Combine framework for reactive programming, MVVM design pattern, and iOS Human Interface Guidelines compliance.

Laravel Backend: PHP Laravel framework powering RESTful API with eloquent ORM for database operations, queue system for background jobs, event broadcasting for real-time updates, and Laravel Passport for API authentication. Scheduled tasks for automated processes. Middleware for request filtering. File storage management for images and documents.

MySQL Database: Relational database management with normalized schema design, complex queries for search and filtering, full-text search for service discovery, transaction support for payments, and indexing for performance optimization. Master-slave replication for scalability. Regular backups and disaster recovery.

Firebase Integration: Firebase Cloud Messaging for push notifications. Firebase Authentication for phone number verification. Firebase Cloud Storage for image uploads. Firebase Analytics tracking user behavior. Firebase Crashlytics monitoring app stability. Real-time database for live updates.

Google Maps Integration: Maps SDK for location display and navigation. Geocoding for address-to-coordinates conversion. Distance Matrix API for proximity calculations. Directions API for route navigation. Place Autocomplete for address search. Geofencing for location-based triggers.

Payment Gateway: Multiple payment gateway integration including Razorpay, Paytm, and PhonePe. Secure payment processing with PCI compliance. Payment link generation. Refund processing. Transaction verification. Payment reconciliation.

Admin Dashboard: Web-based admin panel for platform management. Partner verification and approval workflow. Customer support ticket management. Analytics and reporting dashboards. Content management for offers and promotions. System configuration and settings.

Security Implementation: End-to-end encryption for sensitive data. Token-based API authentication. Role-based access control. SQL injection prevention. XSS protection. Rate limiting preventing abuse. Secure file upload validation. Privacy compliance with data protection.

Technology Stack

Kotlin

Swift

Laravel

MySQL

Firebase

Google Maps API

Business Impact

Platform Growth:

• 20,000+ service professionals registered and actively working
• 50,000+ monthly bookings processed through platform
• 100% free for service professionals—no listing or subscription fees
• 95% partner retention rate through consistent lead flow

Professional Empowerment:

• 5-10 daily leads per active professional on average
• 3x income increase reported by professionals vs. traditional methods
• Zero marketing cost for professionals eliminating advertising expenses
• Reputation building through ratings establishing credibility

Customer Benefits:

• Verified professionals ensuring safety and quality
• 30-minute average response time to booking requests
• Transparent pricing eliminating negotiation hassles
• 4.5/5 average customer satisfaction rating
• Same-day service availability for urgent needs

Market Leadership:

• Pune & PCMC coverage comprehensive local presence
• 20+ service categories one-stop solution for all needs
• Neighborhood professionals reducing wait times and travel costs
• Trusted brand recognized across the region

What Made It Successful

Dual-App Strategy: Separate optimized apps for partners and customers (not a single compromised app) delivered superior experience for both user types. Partners got business management tools, customers got simple booking interface.

Free for Professionals: Removing barriers to entry by making platform completely free for service professionals enabled rapid network growth. The 20,000+ professional base became platform’s biggest competitive advantage.

Local Focus: Deep focus on Pune and PCMC rather than trying to scale nationally initially ensured dense professional network and quick service delivery—critical for on-demand services success.

Verification Process: Rigorous partner verification with Aadhaar authentication and document checks built trust, differentiating from unverified classifieds platforms. Customers felt safe hiring through Men at Work.

Multi-Language Support: Supporting 8+ regional languages made platform accessible to professionals and customers across literacy and language backgrounds—expanding addressable market significantly.

Rating System: Transparent rating and review system created accountability incentivizing quality service, gave customers decision-making data, and rewarded good professionals with more business.

Native Performance: Kotlin and Swift native development delivered smooth, fast apps with excellent UI/UX. Superior to hybrid alternatives, especially critical for maps, camera, and real-time features.

---

Build Your On-Demand Services Platform

Men at Work demonstrates how dual-sided marketplace platforms can transform local services industries by connecting supply and demand efficiently.

Our Marketplace Solutions:

On-demand services platforms, dual-app development (customer + provider), hyperlocal marketplace platforms, service booking systems, real-time tracking and notifications, rating and review systems, payment processing integration, admin dashboards, and scalable backend architecture.

Industries We Serve:

Home services, beauty and wellness, health and fitness, education and tutoring, logistics and delivery, automotive services, professional services, and any on-demand service marketplace.

Let’s discuss your marketplace idea and build a platform that creates value for service providers and customers while building a sustainable business.