Becoming a service provider on Tesha: setup, credits, and your first job

Who can register as a Tesha provider

Anyone offering a legitimate service that fits one of our categories can register: handymen, plumbers, electricians, painters, carpenters, cleaners, domestic workers, gardeners, lawn-care crews, pool technicians, errand runners, dog walkers, pet sitters, senior carers, movers, and appliance technicians. We also onboard small teams and registered businesses. You don't need a website, a logo, or a smart phone with the latest OS — a working WhatsApp number, an ID, and the ability to do the work well are enough.

The 5-minute WhatsApp signup

Send a WhatsApp message to +263 77 186 0190 saying you want to register as a service provider. The assistant walks you through:

• Your name and the categories you cover (you can pick more than one — e.g. plumber + handyman).
• Your service area (suburb plus the radius you're willing to travel).
• ID verification — a clear photo of your ID and a selfie.
• Your standard rates (you set them, not us).
• A short "about" line that clients see when matched.

100 free credits when you register

New providers get 100 free credits on registration, valid for three months. Each job you accept costs a fixed credit cost (the default is 10 credits per job — for some specialised categories the cost differs). 100 credits is enough for ~10 jobs, which is plenty of runway to get your ratings established before you spend a dollar.

After the free credits, top-ups are $1 = 20 credits, with a $2 minimum. Purchased credits never expire. You only spend credits when you accept a job — declining or being unavailable costs nothing.

How job notifications work

When a client requests a service in your area and category, the assistant pings you on WhatsApp with the basics: what's needed, where, when, and a price guide. You have a short window to accept. If you accept, credits are deducted, the assistant connects you with the client to firm up details, and you do the job.

The more available you are, the more matches you get. The platform is fair: it doesn't punish you for declining occasionally, but it does notice if you stop responding altogether.

Tips for landing your first job

From new providers who've ramped up quickly, these are the patterns that work:

• Set a competitive rate for your first 5–10 jobs. Build the rating, then raise prices.
• Reply to job pings within minutes during your active hours. Speed matters.
• Send a short before/after photo when the job is done — clients leave better ratings.
• Be honest about scope. "That'll need 2 visits" earns more trust than over-promising.
• Ask satisfied clients to leave a rating in the WhatsApp chat. Tesha pings them automatically, but a personal nudge converts better.

Getting paid

Clients pay you directly. Most pay in cash, EcoCash or USD on completion; for larger jobs a 50% deposit is common practice. Tesha doesn't take a cut of your job revenue — we make money from credits, not from your earnings. That keeps the incentives clean: we get paid when you get jobs, not when you finish them.