Whether someone has to go out of town for a work conference or a couple decides to make last minute plans for an evening out, finding caregivers for heir children or senior family members can be time consuming and expensive.
To make it easier for people to find affordable and reliable caregivers, Book Jane, the latest pitch on The Disruptors, has developed a mobile app that helps users find caregivers or babysitters for children and seniors on demand. The app lets users find caregivers within their neighbourhood, and search prospective caregivers’ profiles, credentials and availability before they hire them. Curtis Khan, the CEO and founder of BookJane, says the app eases the hassle of finding caregivers at the last minute while also ensuring that customers can find a caregiver who is safe and reliable.
“One of the main pieces of feedback we’re receiving today is peace of mind and the ease to book a caregiver,” said Khan. “In the traditional way, a caregiver shows up at your door without you speaking with them, knowing who they are, knowing what their credentials are, and that’s one of the things we’ve done. We’ve actually done a pretty good job changing how you receive a caregiver. You’re the one choosing a caregiver instead of someone choosing a caregiver for you.”
The Disruptors’ co-host Bruce Croxon says that while the demand for caregivers is high, “there’s a myriad” of other businesses also developing similar apps, which puts BookJane in a competitive market. “If this company’s successful in getting a critical mass of caregivers and getting the customer side at an acceptable cost to the business…if he can do that, then it’s good as any other,” said Croxon.
BetaKit is a production partner on The Disruptors. Tune in to BNN every Thursday night at 7pm for full episodes!