How lockdown inspired an AI boost for furniture mover Tiang Moabelo

Months of coronavirus lockdown have been financially crippling for many but proved to be a “redefining moment” for Tiang Moabelo, who used that time to supercharge his business.

The former BCom accounting student at the University of Cape Town (UCT) founded the start-up LoadALot in 2016 — an online business geared to take the stress out of moving home or office. He started small and had bigger plans but like many small and medium-sized enterprises in SA found himself forced back to the drawing board when the pandemic halted operations.

Moabelo and his team used the first few months of lockdown to optimise his business.

“The pandemic and lockdown were epiphany moments. They affirmed that technology is the only way to improve a business service. All of us relied heavily on it, and I knew I needed to make it work in my business,” he said.

“We had for a while been saying about moving with the times and incorporating the use of more technology ... Lockdown was an opportune time to get working on those plans. It took us two weeks of just trying to consolidate different ideas. We had to analyse competitors and get a different perspective from some of our software developers.”

And the result? The business now boasts an artificial intelligence (AI) model with a built-in feature allowing customers to simply photograph their living space. The system identifies furniture in the room and feeds it directly to the company's vehicle dispatch team. Based on the images provided by a customer, the system generates an instant online quote.

The business started with Moabelo moving students in and out of residences but he soon expanded, adding a goods storage facility and interprovincial relocation between Cape Town and Gauteng.

Moabelo has hired several drivers and moving assistants and his focus now is on growing the business and providing on-the-job training and development for unemployed youth.

“Nothing is more fulfilling than making a difference in the lives of those who need it most,” he said a statement issued by UCT.

TimesLIVE