De Sjouwers: 50% growth in the first half year

After we had lugged our equipment to the top floor of a beautiful building in the heart of Utrecht, we reached De Sjouwers. This company is particularly inspiring because it was started by one of the youngest entrepreneurs in our client base. Vince was only 16 when, along with some friends, he assisted his friend with moving and came up with the idea that manual labor could be a fun side job to earn some extra income. Consequently, they placed an advertisement on Marktplaats offering their services as moving assistants.

About De Sjouwers

logo-1Now, Vince is '24 years young' and has a business partner. Together, they started a serious staffing agency about a year ago, providing assistance with moving for freelancers, individuals, and businesses. 'We now do a lot in construction. Skilled workers are very scarce. We try to lighten the workload of skilled workers by handling the manual labor. We ensure that the materials are in the right place so they can start working immediately. Additionally, we do a lot of event setup. So basically, we assist with moving in the broadest sense of the word. Anywhere manual labor is needed, you can call us,' says Vince.

How was the planning done before you started using clevergig?

Before my business partner joined, all the tasks were in my head, and I would ask the guys in the pool via WhatsApp if they could do the job. I then had to remember who said 'yes.' A few days before the job was scheduled, I created a group chat and sent all the information to the guys who would go there. It was all in my head and was not scalable at all. It might work if you do it alongside your job and have one or two assignments per week, but if you want a serious business, it just doesn't cut it.

Did the planning always go smoothly? Did people respond quickly?

Because I always had it in my head, I knew who was available on which days, for example. The biggest problem was that I then had 10-20 guys I would message. It was always a matter of remembering who was available and who enjoyed working where the most. A year ago, we decided to take it seriously: set up a large pool, actively approach businesses, and promote ourselves. That's when we had to look for something that could help us with that. And that's how we found clevergig.
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What impact does clevergig have on your business?

We have a better overview of all schedules, including all information and briefings. All of that in one system, instead of everything through WhatsApp. This saves a lot of time, and the most important aspect is its scalability. For us, it is a significant advantage that, for example, time tracking is also done through the app, and we can generate reports via the app. That is easy for payroll. You save a lot of time here. Before we started with clevergig, I had to message all freelancers after the assignment to ask how long their break was and how long they ultimately worked. I kept track of it in an Excel file so I could pay them later. Now everything is managed from one central point, and that is a significant advantage.

How much has De Sjouwers grown since you started with clevergig?

We grew by 50% in the first six months. The goal is to double again within a year. We started with a pool of 20 people, and now we have over a hundred.

How does your flexible pool respond to working with clevergig?

We actually only have students on staff. That is a unique group; they want to work mega-flexibly. You can see it now with apps like Temper and the like, that they can scroll through the app and see if they want to work that day. They can do that in clevergig too, so that works very well. They can see who they will be working with, for which client, and what type of job it is. This allows them to be selective in the assignments they accept. Furthermore, logging hours is very convenient for them.

Would you recommend clevergig to friends or colleague companies?

Yes, definitely. It works very easily, support is good, clear roadmap. Other software companies are probably also working on things, but you never know exactly what they're working on. What's great about clevergig is that it's clear. I would definitely recommend it.

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We loved being able to visit De Sjouwers. Such an energetic, young company deserves our respect and appreciation. We are pleased that, with the help of clevergig among other things, the company was able to grow by 50% in the first half-year and hope that it only goes faster from here. Thanks, Vince, for the interview and your help with carrying our stuff downstairs. Clevergig approved!

To watch the interview with Vince in Dutch, click here 👇