Former AWS exec takes reins of Townsville start-up to build Amazon-like market for tradies

It began life as a garage venture and now Queensland tech unicorn SafetyCulture has brought in an Amazon Web Services heavy hitter to build a digital marketplace for tradies.

Queensland tech unicorn SafetyCulture has poached an Amazon Web Services executive to build an Amazon-like marketplace for tradies.

Andrew Boyd worked for 5½ years as AWS general manager and head of digital native business before quietly leaving in February to join the firm that was founded in a Townsville garage.

Four months later, Mr Boyd with TV personality Scott Cam dressed in khaki shorts to promote the site, launched what he plans will become a marketplace for worker safety gear and power tools.

“I’m going to be here to help build out this marketplace and working out how that integrates into the platform,” he said.

Andrew Boyd has joined SafetyCulture to develop a marketplace for work gear.

SafetyCulture’s new marketplace forms part of its iAuditor app, a checklist-style application used by corporate giants Coles, Commonwealth Bank, Kmart, the UN, Coca-Cola, and British Airways.

The app is used to pre-screen jobs and ensure safety compliance onsite.

“iAuditor is used by about 60,000 organisations around the world,” Mr Boyd said.

“Coles Group uses it to work out how to inspect the level of merchandising in every cold chiller and to work out that stuff is stacked to the right level.

“Another example of one of our customers is a company that’s cleaning windows off high buildings.

“They’re often abseiling down the side of the building as they clean windows. And so in that scenario, the company would create a custom check based on what they need to do.”

TV personality Scott Cam at the SafetyCulture marketplace launch.

The addition of the marketplace will help SafetyCulture capitalise on the sale of workplace products to its existing customers, who can order in a “one-click” setting from iAuditor.

Customers will be able to register, monitor and allow for the purchase of new products through the app without having to go around the program.

Mr Boyd said he wanted to incorporate more services to the platform as it grew — particularly with the integration delivery services.

“It’s really about ‘how do I get what I want when I want it and really as quickly as possible’?” Mr Boyd said.

“Over time, with the insight that we can get from customer data and analytics, we can help get the stuff to them when they need it. I can imagine, though, short delivery time.

“Who knows what will happen with the likes of drone delivery and so on in the future.”

The type of products SafetyCulture’s marketplace could offer online.

While inviting delivery options to the platform is on the agenda, Mr Boyd signalled SafetyCulture would like to use existing services rather than create its own.

“I don’t think (delivery) is an investment we can make in building out that infrastructure,” he said.

“I think that’s already there. It’s about the right partnerships, and then about making sure that we position the right products close to the board and really leverage (a) third-party logistics provider.”

The marketplace would help workers on the ground communicate more effectively with managers in the office through a structured manner, Mr Boyd said.

He said employing maintenance schedules and educational training through the platform could also prove cost-effective.

SafetyCulture is seeking to expand its marketplace into the US and the UK in 2023.