Launched in September of last year, All Set is a mobile application that allows customers to find a trusted home service provider based off of reviews from their own neighbors and friends.
All Set is the first startup to come out of the Boston-based Solaria Labs, a startup supporter founded by Liberty Mutual, which invested in All Set along with the management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group.
The goal of All Set is to simplify the home service process by giving customers the opportunity to pick house cleaners based on recommendations by their local friends and neighbors. This new marketplace makes it much quicker and less stressful to find a great home service provider at a fair price.
There is a lot of hassle that typically comes along with home service. Customers may feel uneasy about letting a stranger into their house or unsure that they will do a good job. All Set’s recommendation system, however, assures customers that they are getting what they asked for by someone they can trust.
“The relationship with your housecleaner is actually one that requires quite a bit of trust, and so you generally need to have a great relationship with that person,” CEO of All Set, Erin Breslin, said. “But finding that one person is an extremely difficult process, and so we went about trying to simplify that.”
All Set’s open platform is based upon a Yelp-like system of reviews and ratings. Customers simply type in their address, and can see a list of house cleaners in their area. The search results that pop up first are the ones that have been used by their neighbors. Customers can then type in the specific dimensions of their space, and get a quote. Then they can reach out directly to the providers to figure out a secure, reasonable price and time. This system encourages independent home service professionals to form firm relationships with customers.
Breslin highlighted that All Set makes sure to bring these interpersonal benefits to the home service providers as well. With All Set, providers are not only able to find quality customers on which to base their business, they also gain a tool that helps them efficiently manage their business, communication with customers, and pricing.
“We are the ones who bring benefits to both sides of the market, for both customers and house cleaners,” Breslin said.
With so many competitors, All Set distinguishes itself with a few key features that make the home service process easier, cheaper, and more efficient. Most notably, the app encourages grouping customers by providing a group discount feature. Customers can receive a discount if they use the same service provider as their neighbors. Groups of customers no longer need to negotiate with providers, Breslin said, as All Set provides them with a pre-set service bundle.
By encouraging grouped, local usage, travel and scheduling, this feature also benefits providers. Breslin noted that by “geographically grouping” customers, providers can service homes in a similar area on the same day. Furthermore, the group discount does not come out of the provider’s paycheck—it is covered by All Set itself.
All Set is also made unique simply by its specific focus regarding the service they are providing. All Set concentrates on helping customers find both house-cleaning and lawn-care providers—just two typical kinds of home services. By honing in on these two services, customers can be sure that they are receiving the best of the best.
Customers can earn $60 credits by referring the app to new providers. This promotes usage, and benefits both parties.
All Set’s team of hardworking, motivated men and women are taking this startup to the top of the home service market, including some from Boston College. One of these people is John Liston, whose skillset has allowed him to take on the key role as manager of the strategy and operations sector. Liston, BC ’12, explained that his time on the Heights laid the foundation for the path that his career has taken so far, and for his arrival at All Set.
“The diversity of classes I was exposed to really helped me develop skills and interests beyond my finance concentration that have been a real asset since I switched from working in finance to working in tech,” Liston said. “Also, the BC network has been incredibly helpful at every inflection point in my career and has opened a lot of doors for me as well.”
Everyone in the company works toward bettering the product and changing the way people view home service providers. Breslin emphasized the “customer-centric” nature of All Set, as the startup constantly incorporates customer feedback into the company to find the most efficient way of connecting them with service providers.
But the All Set crew also pays close attention to the success of the small businesses with which the company works. As the startup looks toward the future, developers plan to continue expanding on features that will help providers in strengthening and building their own businesses, making the customer experience even more seamless.
Featured Image by All Set
