It is way too hot out today, please turn on the AC! My phone is dying, can you please change it? (Yawn) I need some coffee, can you brew a fresh pot? It’s a perfect evening for a pool night, let’s make sure it heats up by the evening! I stubbed my toe, please turn on the lights! I need wifi to have my Zoom meetings, please unplug the router, wait a minute, and plug it back in. It is unusually cold tonight, let’s crank the heat!
Yes, it is an obviously painted picture, electricity is a necessity. Whether you work from home, have an elderly family member to care for, or just want to be comfortable in the heat. The amazing magic waves that power our daily lives are something we require to live our lives.
Let’s dive into the power grid for Texas, USA.
Here are a few brief insights into the power grid in the USA.
Texas decided to have its own grid system back in the 20th century
The US power grid is set up in three sections; East, West, and Texas
In Texas, nearly 50% of the power is generated by natural gas steam generators & 25% is powered by wind turbines
The Founder of GridBid has worked in the power industry for many years, a seasoned professional who has noticed a problem with external power sources off of the grid system in the Austin, Texas area. Homeowners are in dire need of home generators to power their lives when the grid fails in rural areas of Austin and beyond.
2 Sides of The Coin
Homeowners (some, not all) are not educated enough on the process of finding, selecting, purchasing, and installing a generator for their home.
Some common questions from a homeowner’s perspective:
What size of generator do I need for my home?
What’s the average cost of one to purchase and install?
What brand suits my needs best?
What Brand has the lowest maintenance?
What should I be aware of when choosing a company to purchase from & Install?
What is Full or Partial Coverage?
There are a few options for people on the hunt to power their homes. Our trusty friend, Google, or heading to a reputable department store and asking for a referral or asking a knowledgeable friend. But how do you get answers to these questions above?
The answer, GridBid.
GridBid allows homeowners to create an account, enter details of their power needs, and receive free bids from generator sales & installers. Homeowners are able to review the bids they receive, compare pricing and other important information and select a winner!
What about the power professionals?
Companies are able to create their free account as well, enter their company information, invite technicians, and receive high-quality leads for them to bid on. Once you win a bid, you’ll receive the location & contact information to coordinate everything you need to finish the job!
What About Marketplace Studio?
Marketplace Studio is a specialized company that focuses on, you guessed it, marketplaces. We take a different approach because we do not take direct orders. We work with you, challenge assumptions, and evolve the concept of your dream all before writing any code. We believe and know from our own experiences that our Pre-Development Process is something that literally changes the projection of your company.
Marketplace Studio & GridBid made the decision to partner with each other because we both understand the value of investing in preparation rather than retreating later on.
We performed our hybrid approach to Design Thinking on the In-Take form a homeowner submits to receive a quote from a Generator Sales / Installation Company. It was a 3-week process that included brainstorming, hypothesis testing, wireframing, usability testing, and finally a high-fidelity prototype.
After the process was completed, we focused on documenting the prototype for our full-stack development team to do their thing and create a solution to Austin’s weird problem.
Quotes From GridBid
What were your original expectations with the Marketplace Studio team?
I chose the Marketplace Studio Team because they were a small, focused team that made the entire thing feel more collaborative. The weekly meetings and check-ins let you see the progress and make changes on the fly. I know if I have an idea or a suggestion, they’re always responsive and helpful.
What do you value the most about working with Marketplace Studio designing and later, developing GridBid?
I really value the experience the team has from the innovative design to the thoughtful tech all while keeping the use of the platform simple to navigate. I love the brainstorming sessions, they keep me constantly thinking of ways to improve the marketplace.
What would you tell a marketplace Founder who’s considering designing a marketplace?
I would tell them to search out similar marketplaces and take detailed notes on what you like from each and what they would change. When you have meetings with potential designers, you can have a clear concise vision of what you ideally want it to look like and how it will function. Then I would listen to their vision/ideas for the marketplace and ask to see if they’ve developed anything similar.
As a first-time marketplace Founder, what do you believe is most valuable about our Pre-Development process?
I loved how each team member had a suggestion or different vision for the marketplace. It made the entire thing feel like a weekly think tank where we would take an idea and mold it perfectly for functionality and practicality. It really allows you to take a deep dive and work out the kinks with an idea until it formed organically.
If you're interested in learning more, please contact us.
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