Across Africa, digital platforms are reshaping how workers and customers connect. Yet, for many gig-matching platforms – especially in blue-collar sectors – the question of how to match supply and demand is a defining challenge. Should a platform simply generate leads, or should it manage the entire service delivery process?

The Jobtech Alliance’s latest learning study, produced with Ethiopian platform GoodayOn, dives deep into this dilemma. It documents how GoodayOn transitioned from a lead generation model to a full-service model, and why that change delivered transformative results for workers, customers, and the business itself.

The Matching Model Dilemma
Globally, gig platforms fall into two camps. Lead generation models – like Thumbtack or Kandua – connect customers to providers, leaving them to negotiate pricing and terms. They are relatively simpler to operate, but in Africa, they often suffer from low match rates, poor quality control, and high customer churn. Full-service models – like Urban Company or SweepSouth – take responsibility for the entire process. They set standard prices, vet and train workers, and handle payments. This provides consistency and higher trust but comes with operational complexity. In Ethiopia, blue collar gig platform, GoodayOn, initially adopted the lighter lead generation model but struggled with low match rates, women cleaners struggling to negotiate fair rates with customers, and high customer and worker churn.

The Etalem Experiment
To break this cycle, GoodayOn launched a pilot called Etalem. Instead of acting as a connector, the platform managed the full customer journey – standardizing services like cleaning, cooking, and childcare into fixed-price packages. Workers were vetted and trained, while customers benefitted from upfront pricing and dedicated account managers.

Why the Switch Worked
The full-service model addressed key failures of the lead-gen approach:

• For workers: It replaced uncertainty with fair, reliable earnings. Standardized pricing removed the burden of negotiation, a particular barrier for women workers who often face cultural constraints in bargaining. In just one year, GoodayOn grew average worker earnings threefold and built a more sustainable business model.
• For customers: It offered convenience, trust, and quality. Trained providers and account manager support meant a smoother experience.
• For the platform: Match rates soared, revenues tripled, and retention rates for both workers and customers hit 90%.

Lessons for Others
GoodayOn’s journey shows how full service models could be more suitable for blue collar matching on the African continent as we’ve written about previously, looking at Kenyan gigmatching platform, Lynk. The study outlines a practical toolkit for platforms considering a similar shift: start with standardisable services, pilot in a limited geography, define clear KPIs, and build human and technical systems for quality control, payments, and feedback.

The switch to a full-service model is more than a business decision – it can signal a shift towards fairer, more inclusive digital labour markets. By reducing friction, ensuring quality, and empowering workers (especially women), platforms like GoodayOn are showing that jobtech can be both commercially viable and socially transformative. This learning study is part of the Jobtech Alliance’s mission to share real-world lessons from African innovators, helping platforms across the continent build models that scale sustainably while improving livelihoods. See the full learning study here.