Most startups in Berlin are high tech – but not all of them. We wrote about Geoffrey (then known as AskGeoffrey, and pronounced “Jeff•ree”) earlier this year, and the service is now available to anyone in Germany.
Geoffrey works for you: scheduling doctor’s appointments, researching an upcoming trip, calling your landlord to discuss home repairs, etc. And it’s not just an army of AI-learned machines doing technological backflips in nanoseconds. Geoffrey is powered by real, local and bilingual people.
Customers sign up for Geoffrey on the website, enter with their payment details, either German Überweisung (bank transfer) or credit card number, and are billed each month for usage.
Initially only available in Berlin to an invite-only group, albeit one with well over 100 participants, Geoffrey is now available across the country. The company has hinted at possible international expansion in future but will focus first on German-speaking countries.
Geoffrey’s mission is to make your life more convenient by removing barriers in getting things done, whether you don’t speak German or don’t have enough hours in the day or if you’re just a serial procrastinator.
Andrea Santini, an Italian expat in Berlin, said: “The first thing I did when I signed up for Geoffrey was book a doctor’s appointment. I speak some German, but I hate talking in German on the phone, so I put it off for ages. With Geoffrey, booking the appointment was a no-brainer.”
In terms of pricing, monthly plans start at €3,99 per month for one task with additional tasks also costing €3,99. Transparency in pricing has proven a strength for companies like Uber that target customers with slightly deeper pockets, as they are clear about their pricing upfront.
Indeed, user feedback brought about the current model. Founder Parham Mirshahpanah said: “We heard from customers that they wanted to pay per task, rather than commit to a monthly subscription they may not use entirely. Many other services are pay-per-use, too, like Uber, iTunes and Skype. We wanted to simplify our pricing, and in doing so, be more transparent.”
An incentive scheme has also been put in place to help grow the customer base. If you invite a friend to Geoffrey, both you and your friend will earn a free task.
Future plans include Google calendar integration, payments and a simple, MVP-style mobile app which is in beta testing.
The overarching goal, though, will remain the same, as Parham explained: “Look. Our mission is to make your life more convenient, no matter where you are.”