Introduction
In a world increasingly driven by digital solutions, the story of Postaj stands out as a testament to finding a market gap and providing a solution for the local community. This blog post delves into the journey of Postaj, a mobile application that provides handyman services in Croatia, detailing its challenges, launch, and the pivotal role of FlutterFlow in its success.
App Spotlight: Postaj
Founders:
Postaj was founded by two individuals: one with a Master's degree in Artificial Intelligence and the other with a Master's in Mechanical Engineering. Although both had advanced degrees, neither had prior experience in Flutter/Dart or application development.
Bridging the Handyman Service Gap
Postaj is like an “Uber for handymen” in Croatia, say the founders. It serves as a double-sided marketplace connecting users in Croatia with handyman services. Available on both iOS and Android platforms, it addresses a market gap in Croatia with plans to expand into Europe in 2024. The development of Postaj has led to over 32K+ app downloads across both Google Play Store & the Apple App Store and around 3000+ active users.
The Genesis and Journey
The development of Postaj began in November 2022 and was launched within six months, on May 8th, 2023. The founders who had zero experience in application development say that the platform exceeded their expectation in the time needed to launch a complete product to market.
Overcoming Challenges
Initially, the team struggled with the complexities of Swift programming, leading to a strategic pivot towards FlutterFlow upon recommendation. This shift was instrumental in overcoming initial technical hurdles, particularly in state management, which the team faced despite their strong computer science backgrounds.
Innovation through Simplification
A noteworthy approach of Postaj was its focus on simplicity, especially considering the non-tech native generation of handymen it serves. The team made a conscious decision to strip down features, emphasizing ease of use.
Key Features of the Postaj App
- Dual App Functionality: Postaj has 2 applications - one for its handymen (Postaj Partner) and the other for its users (Postaj). It caters to both service providers and customers within the marketplace.
- Custom-Built Transaction Flow: Postaj built a simplified flow to allow users to filter for the services they needed, request a handyman, execute the job, and review the services after completion.
- Custom In-App Chat: An in-app chat allows seamless communication between users and the service providers across Croatia.
- Subscription Integration: The team utilizes FlutterFlow's RevenueCat integration to provide multiple subscription types for its users.
- Review Systems: Both users & handymen are able to review each other using their respective applications after a job has been completed.
- Filters: Users can utilize filters to select specific handymen types & jobs. The team utilized native FlutterFlow choice chips to execute this functionality.
Impressive Results and Metrics
Postaj’s journey is marked by notable achievements:
- Funding Success: Raised a 150k+ pre-seed round from an angel investor
- Press: Published in 5 different news channels in Croatia: Index.hr, vecernji.hr, bug.hr - App of the Day, netokracija, baustela.hr
- National TV and Billboard campaign
- Partnerships: Exclusive partner to the Chamber of Crafts Croatia in the field of construction: Link
- User Engagement: Achieved over 30,000 downloads, with a peak of 3,000 daily active users.
- Competitive Edge: Postaj had the largest network of active handymen before introducing payments (subscriptions). However, after introducing subscriptions, ~20% remained on the app and the number is growing daily.
Testimonials: The FlutterFlow Advantage
The founders’ experience with FlutterFlow has been overwhelmingly positive. One of the founders emphasized
"many view FlutterFlow as a prototyping tool, but it's robust enough for full-scale projects right from the start."
Conclusion
Postaj's story is not just about creating a successful app; it's about identifying a need and overcoming technical challenges. Postaj’s founders credit their success to the FlutterFlow platform, citing
“There are low levels of bugs, very fast iteration cycles, incredibly fast delivery of new features, unseen customer feedback responses
that allowed us to quickly respond to our user base and succeed...”
Learn more about Postaj:
Check out the website https://postaj.eu/ or follow on Linkedin https://hr.linkedin.com/company/postaj-org!
App Store Links:
Postaj User App: Postaj App Store, Postaj Play Store
Postaj Partner App: Postaj Partner Play Store, Postaj Partner App Store:
