Not at all what one would imagine a matchmaking aunt would look like, the girlish-looking wife and mother of two helps busy individuals find their life partners.

And she has quite a good track record over the short period that she has been in the business. She has has had some 400 clients: 10 couples have either tied the knot or are on their way to the altar.

According to Foo, her matchmaking skills go back a long way.

"Before I got into this line, I was a business development manager in an IT outsourcing and recruitment services company focused on providing IT facilities and finding employees for clients. It basically involved getting to know clients´ requirement and matching the right resources to their needs.

"Although it was something I enjoyed, I spent long hours on the job with the teams I was working with. It was then I realised many were still single because of their commitment to work and other factors," says the bubbly MBA holder from Bentong, Pahang.

So, when her second baby came along and she had to make the choice of leaving her career to dedicate more time to her family, Foo followed her heart -- she set up a business to help singles find their partners.

"I am quite familiar with the singles scene and through experience, I knew that organised and planned events could help you to get to know that special someone. That was how I met my husband. When I was single, I co-ordinated events for friends -- I organised dinners or activity-filled day outings for singles," says Foo.

She took the concept to a higher level with iMatch.In her role as consultant, she offers personal one-to-one matchmaking. She uses the Internet as her key marketing tool and advertises her services via Facebook and Google ads much like an business storefront, which she also supplements with email flyers.

"It´s only natural for people go to the Net to research on their subject of interest these days ... even to look for a girlfriend, boyfriend or a life partner. So, that´s why I chose the Web as the primary point of contact for the business," says Foo, who took pointers from her Web marketing coach husband.

With a presence on the Web, once a person keys in "single", "dating" and "Malaysia" in Google Search, www.imatch.com.my is among the top results listed.

But www.imatch.com.my is more than just an online dating site, says Foo.

"Most online dating sites don´t provide support at all." Why? "All online dating sites are automated and have thousands of members. They do not know you, what you require and who suits you best. It isn´t a personalised service and, for busy people, online dating can be time consuming with little end reward.

"Hiring a personal matchmaker is the smart way to meet your match, and this is what iMatch Consultancy & Services offer. The Net is the platform where the service is introduced and singles can register their interest, put forth their queries and look through testimonials of successful couples," Foo explains.

Finding the one

Once a person registers at iMatch´s website, Foo will schedule a discreet, confidential two-hour interview to get to know the client better. It includes delving into personal and family background, personality and characteristics and expectations.

"We talk about what has worked (and what hasn´t) for the client in the past and his/her interests. Then, we match the client with candidates who are compatible with his/her personalities, values, interests and aspirations."

The information, including pictures of each client, is stored in a secure database.

"We filter to identify and propose the choices of candidates for clients based on the information from the interview. Our clients are professionals and individuals who reside throughout Malaysia. We can match them with lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, bankers and more. Matches are based on personalities and physical requirements or preferences as well as clients´ desires, goals, motivations and my gut feeling," says Foo.

When a match has been shortlisted, Foo contact both parties by phone to go through the full details profile of the proposed candidate with them.

"I can only propose the choices but clients make the decision. Once a decision is made, I will arrange a mutually acceptable date, time and place to meet. A five-minute intro ensues and then I leave the couple to get to know each other on their own," Foo says, adding that confidentiality is respected and that she only provides the first name without revealing the address, phone number or workplace of both parties.

Following each date, Foo calls both parties for feedback. "From the comments and overall impression of the person, we´ll fine-tune the next match so that we can be even more precise in the future to get the perfect match! The more feedback we receive from our clients, the better we get at selecting the next date. Continuous progress reviews on successful courting relationships also help."

And what if a client finds he´s not clicking with any of the matches arranged by Foo?

"I will find out from all parties what they didn´t like about each other and analyse the situation. Some people don´t have a knack for relationships.

Together, we work on personal skills development. iMatch also provides a free eBook titled Dating Guide for reference," says Foo, adding that she makes herself available via voice, text messaging and Facebook.

What next

While 400 clients may not seem like a big number, Foo is very hands-on with her matchmaking.

"I monitor and track the progress of each and every client with the help of technology. Most of them are from the Klang Valley and the age range is between 20 and 40, from professionals and entrepreneurs to company directors.

"More 20-somethings are joining iMatch. Today´s hectic lifestyle is making matchmaking services increasingly popular. Clients sign a two-year contract and they appreciate the stringent screening," says Foo.

The contract includes introductions, analyses, coaching if necessary and attachment -- i.e. when a matched couple gets on successfully together.

"I only categorise a relationship as successful when the matched couple has gone out together for at least six months and are planning a future. So far, I have a 30 per cent success rate. If the two-year period ends and a client still hasn´t found a partner, then he or she can opt to extend."

Foo plans to extend her personal service to smaller towns in the country. "It is even harder to find a suitable match in smaller towns. I hope to groom some success stories to take on the role of consultants."

There is also a request for affiliation programmes with an entity in Australia.

While it would certainly increase Foo´s pool of candidates, she is taking a cautious approach especially where terms and conditions are concerned.

"I´ve worked hard at my credibility. Technology-wise, it shouldn´t be a problem to expand," says Foo.

Foo only matchmakes single Chinese individuals because of her understanding of the culture.

"There have been requests from clients to get to know people from other races. I´d be happy to provide that but unfortunately, at present I do not have the skills or know-how in that area and that wouldn´t be fair to my clients."

For Foo, her greatest satisfaction and achievement is helping lonely, busy single professionals to find their ideal life partner. "And a big plus is that I have more quality time to take care of my growing up children as I am in control of how much I take on and what I want to do."

by Rozana Sani

Published Date : 14 February 2011

Source : New Straits Times