How proptech startup Sorted Services doubled its headcount amid the pandemic

Sorted Services, an Australian digital platform streamlining the property management lifecycle, has announced significant growth amidst a challenging macroeconomic environment.

The Melbourne-based startup has doubled its headcount in the last 12 months, with a team of 18 full-time staff now operating out of its Cremorne headquarters. 

Sorted Services’ platform provides Australia’s entire real estate industry, renters, rental providers, and homeowners with a connected digital platform that covers processes across the full property lifecycle journey.

The integrated tool provides capabilities to manage applications and move-in through to ongoing property management, lease renewals, and move-out, and also provides a platform for home service connections for utilities, insurance, and maintenance requests. 

Sorted Services’ offering is in line with CEO and co-founder Andrew Duncan‘s belief that the amalgamation of the home services and property sectors is imminent, and is set to create an entirely new sector for the market.

“We’re seeing our biggest telcos and utility providers taking a piece of the pie from one another but what they’re failing to see thus far is the common denominator – property,” Mr Duncan said.

“The convergence of Australia’s home services and real estate sectors is just around the corner and Sorted Services is really trying to push the pedal and accelerate our path forward towards this outcome.

“PropServ will create boundless opportunities for the national economy and will ultimately revolutionise both industries for consumers and businesses.”

Currently, 43,000 properties are managed by Sorted Services’ real estate agent partners – including Nelson Alexander, Independent Property Group, The Agency, Luton, Civium, and The Property Collective.

Sorted Services also partners with many Australian utilities and insurance providers, with EnergyAustralia, ActewAGL, Kanopi, Holistic Insurance, Moval, and Peter Sadler now onboard the platform.

The proptech company is proud of their high engagement rates, with 100,000 users applying for properties through the platform and 13,000 active users, logging on an average of nine times per month. 

Mr Duncan has observed Australia’s proptech industry growing rapidly due to changing customer needs, expectations, and increased demands for disruption in the property and home services sector.

“Agents are increasingly experiencing huge pressure to improve the cost efficiency and viability of their business,” Mr Duncan said.

“Cutting costs, while modernising to optimise your service offering is a difficult task in any sector, particularly for small businesses.

“We saw a critical need to service the sector with an affordable, customisable, and scalable solution. Last year, more than ever, proved that innovation and the ability to rapidly adapt was absolutely critical to sustain and survive through a crisis.”

Mr Duncan went on to explain they were “extremely fortunate” to experience the growth in the proptech industry over the past 12 months.

Sorted Services reported 1600 rental applications were processed on average each week and 308 new tenancies were created on average a week through the platform.

Nelson Alexander Chief Operating Officer Jamie Owen said the platform has transformed the business’ operational efficiencies and created opportunities to improve client relationships for its staff. 

“Our renters, rental providers, and staff have benefited from the efficiencies and improvements to the customer experience that Sorted Services has brought to our business.

“We have always been a customer-focused agency but keeping pace with the needs and expectations of our customers without the assistance of technology would be impossible.

“We have seen a huge reduction in the percentage of menial tasks that our agents have to handle, enabling them to focus their energy on all of our customers,” Mr Owen said.