We have seen many complaints regarding agents when people look for properties to rent in Zimbabwe. It has almost become a norm for so-called agents to dupe home seekers in Zimbabwe. I have always felt that technology could go a long way in addressing that. There is absolutely no point in paying money that does not guarantee you get what you need. That is why today I am glad to let you know of a Zimbabwean online property listing platform called Haus. I recently had a chat with them.
Kindly Tell Me Who You Are
Haus: DigitalRow is a software development company that started in 2019. DigitalRow is a young and dynamic software development company that provides quality, trusted, and reliable software solutions for businesses, institutions and individuals in Zimbabwe and beyond. Our focus is on developing trusted software and systems which match international standards, helping businesses to achieve their goals.
(In a nutshell, DigitalRow does Mobile Application Development, Web Design & Development, and Systems Design & Development).
When & How Did Haus Start?
Haus: The genesis of the Haus app was the difficulties the founders went through searching for a house to rent after they thought of moving out of their parent’s houses. It was their dream to move out as soon as they graduated from university. To their surprise, it was not easy to get a place to rent because they did not know where to start or who to turn to. They then turned to agents for help and it did not go well.
It made them think deeply about finding an easier and more convenient way of searching for accommodation. Having been up and down using agents and paying the agent fees just to view a place and end up not liking it was a push factor for creating an app that would cater for a lot of people, not only seeking accommodation for tenure but for a day, a week or so. They then went a step further to look at people with houses to let; lodges, guest houses and hotels that can register and list their properties.
What’s Your Long-Term Business Vision?
Haus: Haus is to be a Pan African short and long-term accommodation platform.
What Kind Of Products And Services Do You Offer?
Haus: Haus is a mobile application (iOS and Android) with the capability to ease the way business is conducted by property owners, hotel managers and residential landlords. By providing a ready market of both readily available places for potential clients and a readily available market for new landowners, the app guarantees fluidity, efficiency and speed with which clients and businesses can communicate towards a mutually beneficial relationship.
For hotels, the app provides a platform for meeting customers. What the app does is allow these customers to have the opportunity to assess the availability of rooms, quality of services and affordability thereof without being at the premises physically. This allows effective tailor-made communication with thousands of potential customers in a cost-effective manner.
Hotels often struggle to handle large volumes of traffic, especially during the festive season and other calendar holidays. As such reviews would show a generally dissatisfied customer base as they often receive slow responses to their enquiries. In order to solve these problems, the app has allowed clients to have an assessment of the hotels they are hoping to stay in from the app. The app allows Hotel Managers to list their properties, and provide pictorial presentations of the rooms, and their prices and availability. Due to the provision of such vital information, it becomes increasingly easier to make decisions/bookings.
There are many lodges in Zimbabwe. Most are run on a small-scale basis as sole proprietorships. Due to this, the marketing side of the business is often neglected. As such most lodges are languishing amidst economic turmoil. Haus app allows an effective way to ride out the wave and even thrive by ensuring businesses have visibility and authenticity.
Through listing lodges on the app, the property managers allow their lodges to be visible to thousands of users that have already been using the app. This increases the chances of the lodges getting bookings daily. With the increased usage of the application by users that are outside the country, the potential for the growth of such businesses is truly unfathomable.
NB: Haus platform is borderless.
Tell Me About Your Team
Haus: Haus is maintained by a team of five people, with two being the founders of DigitalRow and three being the employees.
Advance Ngwarati: Advance is a co-founder of DigitalRow and a Lead Developer with experience in Web Development, Mobile Development and Systems Development and has worked on different projects in these areas. He is a graduate of the University of Zimbabwe with an Honours Degree in Business Studies and Computer Science.
Presley Maphosa: Presley is a co-founder of DigitalRow and a Software Development Analyst with experience in Web Development, Mobile Development and Systems Development. He has worked on different projects as a Software Analyst and Developer and has an Honours Degree in Business Studies and Computer Science from the University of Zimbabwe.
What Challenges Are You Currently Facing?
Haus: Getting people to understand and trust the platform.
What Form Of Assistance Would You Need To Optimize And Grow Your Brand?
Haus: Brand awareness, and cash injection for growing the brand. (This also means that Haus is open for business partnerships or investments)
Tell Me Anything You Feel You Would Want The People Out There To Know.
Haus: We are not an agent. We do not collect or ask users for viewing or any agent fee.
Haus is definitely a game-changer. In the first 24 hours, there were more than 1500 downloads. 3 days later it was at more than 5000 downloads. Check out the Haus mobile application here and website here. Their email address is hello@digitalrow.co.zw.You can get in touch with Haus on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. You can also contact them on WhatsApp, at +263786971331. You can contact Presley Maphosa at +265783248963 or presley@digitalrow.co.zw. Advance Ngwarati is accessible at +263 7 71297026 or advance@digitalrow.co.zw.