Outdoor recreational services like Uber and transport – Shared economy

written by Gunhild​ ​Aaslie​ ​Soldal for utemagasinet.no

It is a huge market for mountaineering, climbing, kayaking, hunting and fishing. Our goal is to increase the frequency of guided tours, says entrepreneur and developer Harald Greiff.

While the tourism industry is experiencing an increasing need for guided tour services, a new and growing market for guided tours of outdoor activities has arrived. Unlike in the Alps, anyone can undertake mountain leadership assignments in Norway. Greiff believes the price level is so high that many choose not to use it. Which is the background of the new app and platform portal.

– The goal of Biaton is to expand the entire guide market by facilitating more Low-budget market where more people can afford a guided tour in Norway, and at a more local level Says Greiff.

With two million kroner in he and his friend Hans-Peter Sperre have spent the last  year mapping the need for outdoor life as a potential market for buying and selling guidance services.
“There is a green line on both,” says Greiff.

Hikes, climbing, hunting and fishing appear to be the most attractive activities.

It will be free to sign up for Biaton, regardless of whether you are buying or offering. Like other share economy-based businesses, a small percentage of the transaction amount is taken, divided between buyer and seller. According to Greiff, several guides have pre-registered already, currently anonymously, while developers assist in setting up a profile.

–​ ​Vi ​har​ ​lagt​ ​opp​ ​et​ ​rating-system​ ​som​ ​vil​ ​minne​ ​som​ ​Airbnb.​ ​Hvilke​ ​kvalifikasjoner vedkommende​ ​har,​ ​hvilke​ ​tjenester​ ​vedkommende​ ​kan​ ​tilby​ ​og​ ​så​ ​vil​ ​det​ ​være​ ​fordelaktig​ ​hvilken sertifisering​ ​man​ ​har.
–​ ​​Og​ ​det​ ​guiden​ ​måles​ ​på​ ​er​ ​tilbakemeldingene​ ​fra​ ​kunden?
–​ ​Ja,​ ​det​ ​blir​ ​etter​ ​samme​ ​prinsipper​ ​som​ ​hos​ ​Airbnb.​ ​Etter​ ​at​ ​du​ ​har​ ​gjennomført​ ​turen,​ ​vil​ ​det være​ ​en​ ​evalueringsprosess​ ​i​ ​etterkant.​ ​Ratingtjenesten​ ​går​ ​på​ ​sikkerhet,​ ​kommunikasjon,​ ​de spesifikke​ ​tingene.​ ​Den​ ​funksjonen​ ​tror​ ​vi​ ​er​ ​veldig​ ​viktig,​ ​så​ ​dette​ ​har​ ​vi​ ​jobbet​ ​mye​ ​med,​ ​forteller Greiff.
–​ ​Vi​ ​spiller​ ​på​ ​delingsøkonomien,​ ​vi​ ​spesifiserer​ ​oss​ ​ikke,​ ​men​ ​bare​ ​lager​ ​en​ ​plattform​ ​der​ ​det​ ​vil være​ ​superlett​ ​å​ ​finne​ ​flinke​ ​folk.​ ​Her​ ​vil​ ​du​ ​finne​ ​en​ ​kartfunksjon​ ​hvor​ ​du​ ​ser​ ​alt​ ​rundt​ ​deg​ ​der​ ​du er.​ ​Si​ ​at​ ​du​ ​skal​ ​på​ ​tur​ ​et​ ​sted,​ ​du​ ​ser​ ​etter​ ​guidetilbud,​ ​går​ ​inn​ ​på​ ​ønsket​ ​kategori,​ ​for​ ​eksempel fiske.​ ​Googler​ ​du​ ​oslo+fiske+guide​ ​er​ ​det​ ​i​ ​​​dag​ ​umulig​ ​å​ ​finne​ ​fram.​ ​Det​ ​finnes​ ​svært​ ​mange med​ ​høyt​ ​kunnskap​ ​og​ ​ferdighetsnivå,​ ​som​ ​kunne​ ​registrert​ ​seg​ ​som​ ​guide​ ​innen​ ​sitt​ ​felt.​ ​Disse kunne​ ​igjen​ ​tatt​ ​med​ ​seg​ ​nybegynnere​ ​på​ ​guidet​ ​tur​ ​for​ ​en​ ​rimelig​ ​penge,​ ​sier​ ​Greiff.

– We have set up a rating system that will remind you of Airbnb. What qualifications do they have, which services that they can offer and then it will be beneficial to which certification you have.
– And the providers is measured on your customer feedback?
– Yes, it will follow the same principles as Airbnb. After completing the trip, there will be an evaluation process afterwards. The rating service is safe, communication, the specific things. The rating system is a cornerstone of the platform and therefore naturally very important, so we have worked a lot with this, says Greiff.
-On the platform you will find a map function where you can see everything around you where you are. Say you’re going somewhere, you’re looking for guided tours, enter the desired category, such as fishing. If you try to google e.g oslo + fishing + guide the results are lack luster. There are very many with high knowledge and skills that could be registered.

Bush man: Harald Greiff has a master’s degree in branding and experience as a guide in salmon fishing and have a lot of experience with hiking and hunting. The idea occurred after some unsuccessful hunting trips after he just relocated to Oslo.

Measured by rating:
Harald believes this will be a plattform that makes it easier to make money part-time on hobbies or knowledge.

INTERESTING TECHNOLOGY
Det​ ​er​ ​ny​ ​anvendelse​ ​av​ ​teknologi​ ​i​ ​prosjektet​ ​som​ ​gjør​ ​at​ ​Innovasjon​ ​Norge​ ​(IN)​ ​tror​ ​dette​ ​vil​ ​bli en​ ​god​ ​tjeneste.​ ​Alfred​ ​Øverland,​ ​teamleder​ ​gründer​ ​i​ ​Innovasjon​ ​Norge​ ​Møre​ ​og​ ​Romsdal​ ​drar blant​ ​annet​ ​paralleller​ ​til​ ​andre​ ​plattformtjenenester​ ​i​ ​C2C-markedet,​ ​som​ ​Pholks.
–​ ​Fra​ ​vår​ ​side​ ​har​ ​vi​ ​sett​ ​på​ ​teknologien,​ ​teamet​ ​og​ ​gjennomføringsevne.​ ​Vi​ ​håper​ ​og​ ​tror​ ​at selskapet​ ​lykkes​ ​og​ ​vil​ ​åpne​ ​for​ ​ytterligere​ ​verdiskapning.​ ​Det​ ​har​ ​vært​ ​en​ ​utfordring​ ​for​ ​små aktører​ ​å​ ​bli​ ​synlig​ ​for​ ​et​ ​publikum.​ ​Vi​ ​vet​ ​at​ ​turiststrømmen​ ​har​ ​økt​ ​med​ ​20-25​ ​prosent​ ​og​ ​i​ ​et politisk​ ​rolig​ ​land​ ​i​ ​verden​ ​med​ ​flott​ ​natur,​ ​er​ ​det​ ​fint​ ​å​ ​få​ ​knyttet​ ​dette​ ​opp​ ​mot opplevelsesturisme.​ ​Vi​ ​må​ ​løfte​ ​blikket​ ​ut​ ​over​ ​Biaton​ ​for​ ​å​ ​løse​ ​det,​ ​sier​ ​Øverland. Biaton-appen​ ​er​ ​ferdig​ ​og​ ​nå​ ​inne​ ​i​ ​siste​ ​test-fase,​ ​og​ ​antas​ ​å​ ​være​ ​lanseringsklar​ ​i​ ​løpet​ ​av​ ​et par​ ​måneder.

There is a new application of technology in the project, which makes Innovation Norway (IN) believe this will be a success. Alfred Øverland, Team Leader Entrepreneur in Innovation Norway Møre og Romsdal draws among other things Parallels to other platform services in the C2C market, like Pholks.
“From our side we have looked at technology, team and implementation ability. We hope and believe that the company succeeds and will open for additional value creation. It has been a challenge for small players in the market to be visible to an larger audience. We know that the tourist flow has increased by 20-25 percent and Biaton will be a solid soltuion to cope with this developement, “says Øverland. The biaton app is finished and now in the final test phase, and is expected to be launchable within a few months.

(source: utemagasinet.no)