Cuffing Season: Why offline dating agencies are taking the dating world by storm

With the normalisation and popularity of dating apps in the present day, it may be surprising to know that offline dating products are still alive and kicking — and apparently doing well.

Companies like Singapore-based dating agency, GaiGai asserts that part of the appeal of offline agencies may be how they service clients who are burnt out from dating apps — a number that has been increasing. Over the past two years, GaiGai has observed a 30% increase in inquiries and social media engagement, and a 15% increase in clients.

GaiGai, positions itself as a modern professional cupid, and was founded by CEO Alex Tam nearly a decade ago as a subsidiary of the Paktor group. The group’s main product is the dating app Paktor, but they eventually expanded into other services aiming to matchmake people. One of those services is GaiGai, created to complement the drawbacks of online dating.

According to Pew Research Center, 42% think that dating apps make finding a partner easier, as they provide users with seemingly infinite potential partners and give them agency in swiping. Those who match know that there is a mutual attraction, at least superficially, to each other, and can chat more to see if that attraction is maintained upon getting more familiar.

However, the overwhelming number of people on such platforms is a two edged sword; 37% of dating app users think that dating apps provide too many choices. The abundance of choice can lead dating app users to experience choice paralysis, where the abundance of potential partners overwhelms them into inaction. GaiGai was meant to compensate for this by being a third party to match people together, and arranging their first dates to ensure that people don’t get stuck in just talking.

“We’re a bit like a headhunting agency,” Tam explains, “but instead of matching people to jobs, we match people to people.”

Getting started

Before working at GaiGai, Tam was in the finance sector and had no experience in the industry. This meant that Tam had to learn on the job and face many of the unexpected challenges that came with it, particularly the need to verify client information. Clients, Tam explains, may lie or stretch the truth with what he calls “blunt force data.” For a lighthearted example, a client who is 176cm might liberally round that number up to 180cm. 

To address this, GaiGai shifted to more face-to-face interactions, allowing Relationship Managers — their term for matchmakers — to better verify client details. This hands-on approach ensures more reliable information than what’s typically found on dating apps.

Another issue relates to reputation. The term matchmaking often evokes images of overbearing parents arranging unions based on superstitions like birth dates or, worse, the controversial business of mail-order brides.

This skepticism was not lost on Sharon Ng, a Relationship Manager at GaiGai. Coming from an IT Sales background, Ng was determined to ensure her new role didn’t carry those negative connotations, grilling her future employers during the interview to confirm the company’s integrity.

“The people here and the job description convinced me to give the job a chance.” Ng recalls. “And also, it’s a way for me to pay back society — if I can match someone and they are happy with their match, and I earn a living, then why not?” 

What is actually being sold

In order to deal with these problems, the matchmaking process at GaiGai has been updated. Instead of using old fashioned methods such as looking at someone’s birthday and birth time to match them, GaiGai relies on a combination of the client’s preferences and their company’s discernment. 

Relationship Managers begin by meeting potential clients to understand their needs and preferences. During this initial meeting, dating packages are offered, and if the client decides to proceed, a detailed profile is created.

When a suitable match is found, the client is introduced and a date is arranged, with all communication managed by the company for safety. If no match is immediately available, the search continues.

After the date, both clients participate in a Feedback and Refinement process, where Relationship Managers gather insights to fine-tune future matches. This approach mimics a dating app’s algorithm—learning from each interaction to better align with the client’s preferences—but is done manually, allowing for a more personalised touch.

If their date has negative feedback, the Relationship Managers will articulate the client’s deficits to them in a tactful manner and may recommend coaching. This way, the client can work on a negative aspect of themselves and learn how to be better before the next date.

“When clients go through the profiling session, they tend to have realisations about what they’re looking for,” Tam shares. “And while in the process of going on dates, they get a reality check when feedback comes in.”

Offline dating services can also be a way for clients to learn about themselves. Feedback and refinement helps people improve on behaviour that they may or may not have realised is causing them problems.

For example, someone who tends to be overly possessive or attached after a first date, might realise through feedback that such behaviour isn’t appropriate and can learn how to better regulate those extreme emotions.

Besides dating packages, GaiGai also hosts events such as speed dating ones or workshops, occasionally based on internet trends. These events and their other services are advertised on Telegram, TikTok, and Instagram and offer a more organic way for interested people to meet.

This also draws a younger audience — in the last two years, they’ve observed a 30% increase in sign-ups and inquiries from those aged 21 to 25, when their clients are usually aged 25 to 45.

Mutually complementary

Still, while offline dating services are getting more traction, the higher barrier to entry — both in terms of cost and time commitment — may drive people away. Much of the appeal of dating apps is that they are a quick and easy way to get to know people. On the other hand, GaiGai’s process is more involved, requiring clients to invest time in consultations, feedback sessions, and sometimes even coaching.

That is why Tam views online means as complementary to offline services. “We actually like dating apps,” Tam explains, asserting that he doesn’t see them as competition. “They bring in people who have never tried a dating product before and get rid of people’s inertia against using another dating service.”

“We market it as: you’ve been on dates before through a dating app, how about a dating experience that we organise for you instead? They’re more willing to accept it than those who haven’t tried a dating app.”

People who know themselves well and take initiative might prefer dating apps, where compatibility and moving connections offline are key. Conversely, those who are less certain or too busy for endless swiping may benefit more from offline matchmaking.

“A lot of people misunderstand and think that we match ‘low quality people,’ but that’s not the case,” Ng says earnestly, sounding strongly indignant on her clients’ behalf. “They think it’s because our clients can’t find anyone to date, and that they have no hope, that they’re unattractive or horrible, but that’s not true. There’s people with very good profiles, it’s just that they are really too busy to go on dates on their own.”

Client successes

Ng illustrates the appeal of third-party matchmaking with a success story involving a businesswoman with strict criteria. Despite her rigid list, Ng could only find one suitable profile. Eventually, she suggested a man who fell slightly short in education and salary but stood out for his attentiveness, care, and thoughtfulness. These qualities won her over, leading to a long-term relationship.

According to Ng, this match was just one among many successful ones that emphasises the value of looking beyond surface-level criteria to find someone compatible.

“I think all of us here have our own list, but by coming on a dating journey with us, you will know what is most suitable for you,” says Ng. “I believe that there is no KPI in finding love, but a lot of us here give ourselves KPI, and that’s very bad.”

KPI aside, the success rate for GaiGai is around 10 to 20% per batch, with the company usually having 100,000 to 120,000 profiles in their database at a time. GaiGai speculates that the proportion is higher, as clients don’t always inform the company once they have found the right match. Furthermore, clients may continue with their package to make sure that the person they liked is best for them and reciprocates their intentions.

The paradox of the dating industry

The dating industry faces a unique challenge: when clients find a successful match, the business effectively loses two customers. For GaiGai, doing its job well means a high churn rate — clients leave when they no longer need its services. If matchmaking is too effective, clients may opt for the most affordable packages, expecting quick results with minimal dates.

On the other hand, if clients struggle to find matches and must repeatedly renew their packages, they may lose faith in the service. Both scenarios pose profitability challenges, as maintaining the right balance between success and client retention becomes a delicate task.

Poor handling of this paradox is why dating apps are presently facing lawsuits by disgruntled clients. The only thing that can be done is find an acceptable churn rate.

Since GaiGai is a dating service, Tam believes that this helps lower their churn rate naturally. Unlike a marriage business — where the goal is marriage — success for dating agencies happens when clients go on a second date. There is still potential for the client to return to GaiGai if they found a good partner, but parted for reasons apart from incompatibility, such as differing views on children, or life goals.

This also means that Relationship Managers have to manage the expectations of the clients, making sure they understand that the company helps them find meaningful connections. The rest is up to them.

To mitigate this, GaiGai has features that help reduce churn, such as its Feedback and Refinement process. While many people want to date, they often don’t know how, so the ongoing cycle of feedback, coaching, and improvement can keep clients engaged longer, helping them see value in the service. Ultimately, any company in this industry must navigate this paradox to stay profitable.

Love in the modern day

A larger criticism levelled against this industry relates to what underlies the services offered: love. Often, the criticisms relate to how capitalism is incompatible with love, which has been celebrated and elevated above real world circumstances.

At the same time, much of our understanding of relationships comes from times past — times with less advanced technology and different social issues, before a global pandemic and before the effects of climate change were abundantly felt. It’s a different world, and relationships have to adapt to the changes in society.

Those at GaiGai seem to believe they’ve found one such adaptation.

“When people come in, we want to celebrate them, because we are here to serve that journey of dating itself,” said Tam. “People think that they are coming to us to find someone, but a lot of times, it’s also about understanding themselves, and a lot of our clients are appreciative of the journey.”

This article was originally published in The Peak.