SME

By FedEx | First published: April 19, 2022    Updated: December 6, 2024

One South Korean business is using data-driven solutions to shake up the home cleaning service market and help stimulate local economies.

• South Korean start-up Miso was one of the first businesses to deliver a fresh take on the home cleaning services market.
• Using data-driven solutions and a handy mobile app to connect consumers with cleaning professionals, Miso has leveled the playing field for quality at-home service.
• A FedEx Small Business Grant recipient in 2021, Miso founder Victor Ching is finding new ways to stimulate growth and improve service quality.

The home cleaning market in South Korea is expected to grow by 2% annually in the next five years. Taking advantage of growing demand, one South Korean entrepreneur is harnessing digital technologies to build more accessible home-cleaning service solutions. 

Miso, a South Korean online-to-offline (O2O) home service platform, received a Special Mention recognition at the 2021 FedEx Asia Pacific Small Business Grant Contest (SBGC). The start-up connects professional cleaners with customers via an easy-to-use app, offering greater convenience for consumers – as well as cleaning service providers looking for work.

A bright idea: Data-driven solutions for home cleaning services

Every year, we collaborate with Forbes Asia to identify future-ready small businesses and start-ups from its Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list. A panel of FedEx and Forbes Asia judges select four FedEx Small Business Grant winners from a top pool of Asia Pacific’s emerging entrepreneurs. 

In 2021, the inaugural year of the Asia contest, Korean start-up Miso stood out for its innovative solutions that were helping to solve some common issues faced by many Korean consumers.

Established by Victor Ching, Miso is the leading home services booking platform in Korea. It started its home cleaning service in August 2015. Today, Miso offers over 70 different services including moving logistics, interiors, skilled labor and home repair, all offered through a single mobile app.

Transforming the home cleaning market to meet evolving customer needs

Victor Ching noticed that the traditional home cleaning market was limited by a number of rigid requirements, such as a minimum service time of four hours. The quality of service providers on offer also varied dramatically.

Victor realized that hotel-like home cleaning services at affordable prices would appeal to a wide range of customers. Next, he looked at how to connect customers to the providers using a single, data-driven platform. Miso’s O2O platform is designed to match each customer with a cleaner that’s a good fit for their needs based on data analysis.

Miso went on to launch a two-hour home cleaning service – an industry first – through their platform, making cleaning services simpler and more affordable. At the same time, Miso’s gig-economy approach helped cleaners earn a higher hourly wage and win more work. With the ability to accept jobs within the same areas or buildings, Miso’s cleaners have similar flexibility and instant access to customers as Uber drivers do.

The cleaning service start-up prioritizing customer satisfaction 

From the beginning, Miso centered its strategy on elevating the customer experience, making sure customers choose Miso over competitors and recommend the company to their friends.

Miso’s online-to-offline (O2O) platform required the development of digital technology that matched customers with service providers efficiently and accurately. Equally important is maintaining high service quality for customers offline, in the physical world. 

All Miso employees use their first weeks in the role to spend time with both customers and service providers to better understand their needs. Listening closely to both groups enables teams to build solutions that match everyone’s requirements.    

Victor believes Miso’s promising results are why foreign investors are interested in the business. Miso has processed over 4 million bookings, with an annual transaction amount exceeding 100 billion Korean Won. It is currently the top home service platform in Korea, offering more than 200 different services. 

There is significant potential for Miso’s services to be in demand in other markets. The FedEx SBGC program has helped Miso build international brand awareness across APAC, setting them up for future global expansion. 

Discover more tips on how to grow your start-up business here.