Have an app, fix any problem at home

City's tech-savvy can now hire plumbers, carpenters and electricians from the comfort of their living room

People may not have to hunt for help to fix damaged pipes or carry out electrical repairs anymore. Mobile applications have opened the doors to a range of services, and is now popularising the concept of home services.

The tech-savvy in this city are now booking services such as plumbing and carpentry, from the comfort of their homes. Several home service providers such as Housejoy, Urbistant and Urbanclap have got closer to their customers through mobile apps.

Tim Patrick, a resident of Guindy, says it is easier to find a service provider online for emergency home services and one also has an idea about the charges before the work is completed.

Service providers are increasingly using the digital platform to cater to their customers, which include software professionals.

N. Pugazhenthy, general manager, Urban Clap, Chennai region says they provide over 35 types of services, from plumbing and house cleaning to driver services and wedding photography. At present, most of our clients are based in south Chennai, he says

“When we launched the app in August, there were four requests. In October, it is 120 requests. Plumbers, carpenters and electricians are among the much sought-after categories,” he said.

New streaming apps to the rescue

Since the time of pirated video tapes and Napster, people in the business of entertainment have been looking for a way to beat piracy. Now, with the introduction of streaming and music apps, they believe they have found a way.

Apps like Wynk Music, Hungama and HotStar allow people to access music and TV shows without having to download them through torrents. “Now, Wynk Movies, which has tied up with EROS International pictures is offering a video marketplace with a library of thousands of movies and videos,” a spokesperson for Airtel said.

“There has been a shift in the viewing habits of people with the increase in mobile penetration and the rollout of 4G, which has helped access vast selections of audio and song videos and television content easily,” he said, adding that as per a Northbridge Capital Asia report, the Indian film industry, estimated to be worth Rs 14,400 crore, produced around 1,050 films every year, but lost 14 per cent of its revenue to video piracy.

Mobile users, however, feel that there is still a long way to go. Y. Naveen, who uses HotStar regularly, says that although these apps are useful when there is full signal, they are not ideal to use when the internet connectivity is poor.

Reporting by K. Lakshmi and Kavita Kishore