Love gets a nudge, safety screening from GaiGai

The "Five Cs of Singapore" – cash, car, credit card, condominium and country club – are no longer effective baits for potential life partners.

GaiGai Singapore country head Sharon Ng told TNP that there are seven "Fs" to look at when finding a match. Faith, finance and family are among the factors that the dating agency looks at when pairing their members.

"Everyone has different priorities in life and our members seek different things in potential partners," said Ms Ng.

"Our relationship managers get to know our members, all their wants and expectations, before they are matched."

Started in 2015, GaiGai has about 180,000 members on its database and boasts a success rate of 10-20 per cent per batch. This means about one in five of their members in a batch married their match.

The members are largely between 25 and 45 years old. There was even a 19-year-old who approached the agency to be matchmade but had to be turned away as the minimum age requirement is 21.

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"Especially now that love scams are rife, the relationship managers also act as a safeguard for members as GaiGai is only for those who are serious in finding a partner and we screen all applicants," explained Ms Ng.

"We help our members cut to the chase. If you try to find a partner on dating apps, the photos largely affect first impressions and hopefuls then have to plough through the process of asking questions to gauge compatibility."

GaiGai focuses on personality, common interests and other contributing factors – and not photographs – in the first stage of the matching process. It also has personal shoppers and coaches to help members with grooming, etiquette, and interpersonal skills.

"We do not match based solely on physical appearance. It is our role to manage our members’ expectations and ensure that matches are based on deeper, more meaningful criteria," stressed Ms Ng.

In her eight years working in the matchmaking industry, Ms Ng has met "all kinds of people", from the shiest of introverts to the Mama's girl whose Mama had the highest of expectations in her daughter's potential partner.

Ms Ng said there has been an increase in demand for matchmaking services.

"As we grow older, our circle of friends grows smaller and everyone starts to prioritise their own families. At the end of the day, you want to go home to a companion," she explained.

"There's no greater feeling than to be loved."