Meet Sarah
Sarah is a 37-year-old working mother of two children, Emily (2) and Jack (5), living in an Essex commuter town. Between her full-time job as a client services director and her husband’s demanding schedule as a software engineer, managing the school run has always been a logistical challenge. Sarah’s mornings are chaotic, trying to get the kids ready, pack lunches, and drop them off at school and nursery before heading to work. Afternoons are equally stressful, with overlapping pickup times and extracurricular activities. Sarah often feels overwhelmed and wishes there was a way to simplify her daily routine.
Sarah’s biggest pain point is the lack of flexibility in her schedule. On days when she has early meetings or her husband is often stuck on calls, she struggles to coordinate pickups and drop-offs. She doesn't like to ask family or friends and, whilst they are happy to help on occasion, they don't want to commit. Also, hiring a babysitter for such short tasks feels excessive - not to mention expensive. Sarah also worries about her carbon footprint, as she spends a significant amount of time driving back and forth, often alone in the car.
One evening, while scrolling through a parenting forum, Sarah comes across a recommendation for the Fetching app, a platform designed to help parents share school runs. Intrigued, she downloads the app and explores its features. Fetching allows parents to connect with their support network - friends, family and mums from the school gate - and request help with the school run when they are stuck. The app also emphasises safety, with ID verified user profiles and a school platform to ensure they hand each child to the correct person.
How Sarah Uses Fetching
1. Setting Up Her Profile:
Sarah creates an account and invites her children’s school. She completes her photo by verifying her identity and adding her details.
2. Connecting with friend
Sarah invites a few friends to join her on the app and within a day or two she gets a notfication that her children's school has joined Fetching as well. Now she can use the app for the school run.
3. Asking for help
Sarah requests her first after school 'fetch' on the app and all of her friends are notified. Some decline but one accepts. She gets an email to tell her that the school has been informed.
Saving Time and Reducing Stress
With Fetching, Sarah no longer has to rush through her meetings to leave early, or worry about being late for work. On the days she’s not doing the school run, she uses the extra time well. We she can, she picks up other children as well.
Building a Community
Sometimes, when dropping the children home, she'll be invited in for a cup of tea, which is lovely. If feels more personal than the pleasantries at the school gate and her relationship with her "support crew" is strengthening. She is always careful not to take more than she can give back - she doesn't want to ruin a good thing!
The Results
- Time Savings: Sarah estimates that Fetching saves her at least 4 hours a week, which means she gets a lot more out of her days in the office.
- Cost Savings: By sharing the school run, Sarah has reduced her fuel expenses by 20% and only eliminated her spend on wrapparound care.
- Environmental Impact: With fewer cars on the road, Sarah feels good about contributing to a greener environment.
- Improved Work-Life Balance: The app has given Sarah more flexibility, allowing her to focus on her job without constantly worrying about her children’s schedules.
For Sarah, Fetching has been a game-changer. What started as a solution to a logistical problem has transformed into a tool that enhances her daily life. The app has not only simplified the school run but also connected her with like-minded parents, creating a supportive network. Sarah now recommends Fetching to every busy parent she meets, knowing firsthand how it can turn chaos into calm.