Company Name: Stuck
Announcement Date: 13/12/2016
Announcement Category: Other
Announcement Content:
The days of paying a yearly roadside assistance fee could be numbered, thanks to a new app recently launched in Perth.
Stuck is a free to download on-demand app based on a similar model to Uber.
A new Perth start-up is offering motorists an alternative way to get roadside assistance.
Australians annually spend in excess of $700 million on roadside assistance and Stuck's developers believe there is a lot of room to reduce that cost.
Motorists are charged each time they use the service rather than paying an annual fee for assistance they might not use.
The small team of Perth entrepreneurs behind the project say automotive problems will be resolved quicker and cheaper.
The app registers where you've broken down, asks for your car details and what you think the problem is.
It then tells you the estimated cost of service and alerts a local automotive expert nearby.
Gregory Brown is one of the developers.
"We were looking to simplify people's lives by being able to download the app and know what they're going to pay for it before they commit to it and that's it," he said.
"We use local service providers, so if you've broken down, you've got a flat tyre, we'll send a local service provider who specialises in tyres.
"Because we don't have dedicated patrolmen out there on the street, with a car full of gear for every possible event, the cost is significantly lower."
Repairers do it as an incremental and it's an opportunity for them to build a relationship with someone who's broken down close to them.
The app launched almost three weeks ago and already has nearly 80 service providers registered in the Perth metropolitan area alone.
"Invariably you'll find there will be someone whose business operates within 2-3 kilometres of you, so the travel time is significantly reduced," said Mr Brown.
Technology expert Stephen Langsford, who specialises in internet and tech start ups, thinks the app will "take off".
"The reality is that there's no pockets of industry that's protected from not being improved by the internet," he said.
"Roadside assistance is a service that customers require but there's now a better way to do it and that's through services like Stuck whereby you get better coverage, you get faster response times and it's ultimately cheaper for consumers.
"Stuck is the very latest manifestation for better options for consumers that's digital."
The app was developed in Western Australia and will be available across the entire South West region by Christmas.
Developers hope it will be functioning across the whole state and some parts of the eastern states early next year.
Announcement URL: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/new-app-launched-in-wa-claims-to-be-the-uber-of-roadside-assistance-20161207-gt5qcs.html
About Stuck:
Stuck? Get fast on-demand roadside assistance.
Fast, reliable and affordable help from approved local experts when your car is stuck.
We connect local automotive specialists with people who need help. No insurance-style memberships, no crazy joining fees.
Go to Company Profile for: Stuck
Announcement Contact: [email protected]
