Computer Matchmaking Service: Matchmate, Inc. (Competitors' Advantages/Disadvantages)
Target Markets/Market Analysis
Marketing/Advertising/Sales Strategies
Competitors' Market Distribution
Competitors' Advantages/Disadvantages
The competitors each have a unique approach to offsetting the MatchMate system in their pitch to clients. Dream Mates uses the approach that the computer is not a personalized method for finding romance. They claim their approach is done by manual screening. Our rebuttal is that they make mistakes due to human error or deliberate oversight of data when they match clients by hand. The use of manual labor also requires more staff hours and that expense is passed on to the consumer.
Couples Alone claims to use a computer, but the software is nothing more than a data base catalog program that doesn't have internal weighting systems, nor does it match and cross-match. Many clients who have joined Couples Alone report that they were mismatched in critical areas, implying that the company either does not use its computer system or its system is highly inaccurate.
Singles Syndicate does not use computer matching, but offers a three-tiered membership plan of social gatherings of varying degrees of frequency, depending on which plan a member selects. Their fees are less than the other companies, but they have few locations nationally. Rather than formal matchmaking, the matches are made informally at social gatherings.
MatchMate's research indicates that these social gatherings have limited appeal to the average client over time. Members are less likely to rejoin after their initial membership. They feel like they've met everyone and renewal is pointless. With the MatchMate system, volume registration is the key. Each member meets so many new matches each month that renewal is a favored option. MatchMate has also determined that these social functions, if presented properly, are expensive affairs that cut into profits. Our theory is to do one thing and to do it the best. Leave the social gatherings to other types of singles businesses. It has been our experience that social functions do not make for high profits, take considerable time to develop, cost many dollars in organizational manpower, and lead to going out of business faster than other services do.
These three competitors have all made the news due to lawsuits filed by disgruntled members of franchisees. One was sued for price gouging. The suit is pending. Another is currently fighting multiple-member suits for violation of trade regulations and by its franchisees for fraud. The other has been sued by the family of a woman who was murdered by a client she met via the service. Former members of one service were so outraged that they formed an organization for the purpose of class action suits and mutual support. Clearly, these companies are doing something wrong to incur this much legal action.
Neither MatchMate nor any of its licensees have ever been sued, nor was a lawsuit ever attempted. All issues of dissatisfaction, some of which are inevitable in any business, have been resolved satisfactorily. The MatchMate reputation for reasonably-priced service, fair resolution of disputes, and quality service remains unblemished.
