Gadget repair 'concierge' PICKmE secures $500K from three angels

Mumbai-based PICKmE eSolutions India Pvt Ltd, which offers doorstep service to get your gadgets repaired, has secured $500,000 from Mumbai Angels, Bangalore Angels and Chennai Angels, its founder and CEO Praful Wadyalkar told Techcircle.in.

The company will use a major chunk of the money to expand its operations in new cities including Hyderabad, Chennai, Guwahati, Kolkata, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. "A part of the funds will also go towards hiring and enhancing our web presence," said Wadyalkar.

With 160-odd employees on board, the startup currently has operations in Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Thane and Nasik. PICKmE claims it receives close to 3,500 calls a month.

The funding was first reported by The Economic Times.

The startup saves you the hassles of visiting service centres as it will pick up the gadget from your doorstep, get it repaired at an authorised service centre and deliver it back. You can call the mobile number provided on its site or register online to avail the service. The repair status of your gadget can be tracked using a tracking number provided during gadget pick-up.

Founded in February 2011 by Wadyalkar (a BITS Pilani alumnus), along with Wilbret D Raj and Joseph Sudhakar, PICKmE accepts all handheld gadgets including mobile phones, cameras, watches, cam recorders, laptops, MP3 players, tablets and data cards. Plus it covers all major brands like Sony, Apple, Samsung, Nikon, Cannon, Nokia, Micromax, Tag Heuer, Dell, HTC, HCL and Acer, among others.

PICKmE also offers a Smartlinc NP card priced at Rs 149.99 for unlimited free pick-up for a year, provided your gadget has been purchased 30 days prior to the card purchase. The card also offers in-transit insurance, ensuring your gadget safety en route.

"Customers are a little reluctant to personally visit a service centre when their gadgets need to be repaired. Companies, too, are struggling to provide best service experiences to their customers due to increasing infrastructure and monitoring cost. We aim to bridge this gap with our doorstep services," added Wadyalkar.

(Edited by Sanghamitra Mandal)