First came the mobile wallet companies , trying to convince people of the power of virtual money. Now, a Noida-based startup has decided to push the envelope further: provide a helper to stand in for you at the bank queue.
SBGK Online Ventures Pvt. Ltd-backed bookmychotu.com , according to their website, was launched to provide on-demand helpers (who the company assures are above 18 years of age) to assist customers with cleaning, shifting, shopping and any other odd jobs.
Co-founder Satjeet Bedi, 28, said he got the idea of extending this service to help people avoid wasting their time in long queues at ATMs or banks just a few days ago. “I was in hospital, helping my folks manage. And I just couldn’t step out anywhere for a long time. So I called one of my [company] boys to go out and get cash for me.”
Mr. Bedi, a former Ernst & Young employee, said the platform initially started out with the intention of helping people get groceries easily and wanted to go up against the likes of Grofers and Bigbasket.
When asked how the response has been to his company’s new offer, he said, “We’ve been getting a lot of traction.” Mr. Bedi declined to disclose any numbers. A customer executive, however, said they have been getting as many as eight or nine calls in an hour.
Mr. Bedi said that all ‘chotus’ are on regular payrolls and are not randomly hired on short-term contracts. About 90 per cent of customers, he said, choose to pay online for bookmychotu’s services. The packages, according to the website, starts at Rs. 90 for one hour and goes up to Rs. 550 for eight hours. The company’s policy does not allow the helpers to be used for cleaning toilets or washing clothes.
On a side note, the term ‘chotu’ has received flak on social media, as the term has association with child labour. To this, Mr. Bedi said the company’s policy clearly stated that the term ‘chotu’ was chosen for brand recognition. “It helps people immediately realise that it is a help-providing platform. For me, personally, chotu means something that is sweet and dear to you.”
