Press Release: Conhub, A Marketplace For Construction Related Products, Services And Labour

Below is a release from Conhub:

In the ever changing and disruptive environment people are increasingly becoming connected everywhere through the internet and mobile applications. All industries are moving towards giving their customers everything that they need on a touch or swipe. Moved by the desire to have construction clientele purchase and buy at ease in their homes, a local tech Company, Conhub Connect have developed a construction centred application. This innovation will give buyers and sellers a trade and information centre which will enable all to buy and sell online without much sweat.

Conhub is a trade and market centre for those in the construction sector. It intends to give all sectorial clients a one stop shop where they can build or renovate anything just by a click. 

Terence Johane, MBA student, a articled accountant and a former finance and admin manager at one of Zimbabwe’s largest construction firms explains how torrid it was to find goods in a market that is so divided and yet serving a large clientele. “Generally the construction sector is behind in terms of technological acceptance, while efforts are usually made to put systems in companies, because the work is manual and physical, many think it is needless to be wary of technology. But you have to be in the mind of a customer, and see how tough it is for them to access your service as and when it’s needed.”

There is too much information asymmetry in the construction sector. There are a lot of players who own equipment and trucks whilst they do not have opportunities or contracts to do the job. Whilst some major players are given work whilst they do not have enough equipment. This inspired Johane to come up with a solution for the industry. The platform will enable players to identify the available equipment near them through enabling of GPS technology.

With growth of informal sector, where individuals are now performing work, and increasing number of SMEs, the platform enables visibility of the small players to the market. The government and investors locally and abroad are able to obtain useful information with regards to local capacity and gaps in the sector. Individuals have opportunity to be visible for employment through creation of their profiles on the platform.

Buyers walk around, searching for a contractor, as many are not digitized, or they walk in search of genuine building materials, with many sometimes being defrauded because of lack of knowledge. ‘’When buying anything, quality matters, especially in construction/building for example a house or road, if the Bitumen is fake the result will be easily destructible infrastructure and the damage done is for a lifetime. When you will be trying to build a home for your children that will last them for ages but you buy prematurely moulded bricks you will not be going anywhere.

Now Conhub covers all these glitches, all your materials suppliers are on one platform, civil/any contractors are bundled into this seamless technology even the tenders are downloaded on this platform. Further to this artisans, builders and journeyman can list their technical skills for easy identification by employers.

“It’s a hustle for many companies, but I tell you this application and web portal will give them a smoothened service as it addresses all the glitches in tender application,” Said Johane.

The Application, which will be available on play store and apple store has seven modules that cover the construction and real estate sector. Firstly you would see the Machinery and equipment section, which offers contractors: individuals or corporate an opportunity to see, browse and hire any type of machinery from those listed.

The Material Supplies section has all building materials supplies in one place, your duty is to browse, select and pay and the delivery is done, just as easy! The other modules are tendering and personnel management, plus the real estate section which seeks to provide synergies for our diaspora to build and monitor progress virtually. All that’s left is for anyone to download the application which will be available end of February or visit the website www.conhubconnect.co.zw for more!