Kingie Divinagracia

Previously in my blog, we’ve been initializing our final product which is choosing the right design schemes that will caught more attention to the customers, more validations, and also we presented our initiated interface of our app to our customer who are willingly implement our app. And we do our best just to make sure our customer really satisfy with it.

Final Pitch. We are just preparing our MVP. Not only for the GUI of the app but also the documents about the product we made. Finalizing what to put in our pitch deck. A contents with just the right things that will make the listeners or the panelists catch up what really the problem that our customer facing and we’ll show them our solution.

Finalizing our MVP is not an easy way to make a decision. We have lots of suggestions on how we are going to present it and make them believe that our solutions will solve the common problems of the customer.

In all of the weeks passed by, there is an amazing feelings that came inside in our hearts. Which is that we did our best to make these things happen. We humbly, confidently and strongly search for a customer that will implement our system. Because of that, we built more confidence, we just learned a lot on how technopreneurship talk about and we learned on searching for a solution of a specific problems facing by the customers.

As the semester nearly become end, a lot pf projects to be pass came up. Stressful days with no sleep nights, pressure, and but placing in mind the determination in fulfilling the number of tasks.

In past week, we have been making our narrative progress in our thesis to be pass to our adviser. Our thesis project that connects to our project in Technoprenuership.

About the design of our application we made, we went to our customer, the Eduardo Diego by J2J to get some suggestions, reactions about the design. Asking them for another good deign schemes to be put in the application. We are asking them also the pictures of some kinds of food in the menu, specially their signature dish to be place in our mobile application.

A week of ideation about what would be the best Design to make in developing android app. Thinking about design that will fit to our customers business which is the restaurant. A Good design that would satisfy to our customer. Making the user comfortable not by touching the desired button but just by seeing it.

As a designer of our team, searching online for the design helps me get an idea in design our application. Searching a sample design schemes that will fit to the theme of our customer’s business which is the restaurant. Searching for a good color schemes that will make the Graphical User Interface good looking.

In my research, i’m not focusing only for the design schemes for good looking interface. But i’m also finding an example of an Graphical User Interface of some restaurant. I’m also searching for the design on how they place the interactive buttons in their interface. Like how large the “Order Button” is to make user convenient in choosing the food in the interface.

We’ve been also asking to our customer or the owner of the restaurant to send us the pictures of their menus and sample food pictures they use to advertise the food in their menu.

As we gathered, we’ve been talk about the customer of our customer. Yes, customer of our customer means that our buyer would be our customer then the user would be the customer our of our buyer. Because yes, our product is Automated Ordering System, we are going to sell our product to the fastfood restaurant owners then their customer would be the user of our product.

We have conducted an interview for another validation, we’ve been asked 10 customers. We have asked them about their struggles or problems they encounter during peak hours when they eat food in the fastfood. We have asked them also how often they eat lunch in fastfood. As we asked them, they answered that the common problems they encountered mostly is the long queue as they said it takes time to line up than to eat. Also when they arrived at fastfood, they see no seats are available. So when they see this, they will find another fastfood to eat lunch for and some of the will take orders out.

As we know common problems of the customers that we have interviewed. We just asked them what ways that might be solve these common problems they encountered. And they said that it will be nice if the fastfood restaurant will hire more manpower and some of them said that it would be nice if there will be an ordering system by the use of technology.

This week, we found this an amazing week as we hear responses from interview regarding in what maybe the price of the software we are going sell to our client. Many customers we have been interviewed and any of them have different and same answer as we have asked them about it. Asking 12 customer if we they will be going to by our product, what would it be priced? Some people said that it will based on how much it cost us to make it. They said that it will be priced based on how the size or how big the product is, is it just a little software that will fit for a small businesses? or is it big that just be satisfy for a big company. But some said it will cost ranging from 8k-10k, 10k-15k and some of them said 20k.

We are just amazed for what our interviewee said in costing in developing a software. By just developing an app, you will get a much money out from it. But developing an application is not as easy. You need to make sure that your customer will satisfy for your application you are developing.

In the middle of the week, we just initiated the cost of our venture. Ranging from 8k - 20k. Not sure but we have decided based for what the response of our interviewed customers.

In this week,  we have just discussed also the what our Revenue Stream Strategy we are going to do. And we have decided that it will be Asset Sale. As we are physically sell our product right to the valued customer. But not only in Asset Sale but with subscription fee. As we are maintaining the application, customer will tend to give us money monthly as maintenance, just to make them use our product.

And lastly we have presented to Mr. Mabulay our chosen Channel which is the physical channel and it is a virtual product. We are advertising our product which is the software physically to the customers. And in our channel economics in direct sale, our list price worth 8,000, the cost of good would be 2,500, the R&D selling would 2,000, and the profit will be 2,700 that will total of 7,200 revenue. In our presentation we have also presented our customer relationship, on how the customer get our product  by advertising through social websites like facebook, twitter and etc. and customer referrals, how to keep them use our product by giving them discounts, incentives and maintaining the good quality of our product and a strategy on how to grow our product beyond from least number of customer by referrals, adapting to other industry.

As we gather, we are discussing about what channel do we use to advertise and sell our proposed system or simply our virtual product. So we conduct an interview again to our values customer who are willing to implement our system. But before we conduct the interview we have decided that our product will be physical channel, and in our interview, we have just validate it and they’ve agreed for what our channel would be.

In our Channel Economy, we have decided that our system worth in range 8000 - 10000. But our decision based not only by discussing only for what would it be but we have validated it through interviewing our customer who are willing to implement our system. They have just give us sorts of classification in dealing money regarding in web development, app development etc. They have just told us what worth would it be in selling by developing system.

Regarding Channel Economic, We have discuss also about this portion. On how are we going to make money?. Is it Direct Sale or Indirect Sale. Later on, we have decided that it would be Direct, as base in our experience, we, the one who proposed  our system directly and physically to our customer or the other way to sell our product directly to our customer, no need for advertisements online.

As far as the time goes by, we realize and decided that we have to start in making our system, because there are only least of days remaining to develop our system.

This week, more experience more learning. We have been visiting CEPALCO’s Data Center. Giving us the opportunity to explore and learn about what they do and what would be job opportunity from their company that are waiting for us.  They have shown us their networking area and some areas that controls on how they managed the electricity around the Cagayan de Oro. Another one that we have visited is Globe Telecommunication. They have shown us also there area on how to maintain the good quality of their network. But those are not the only things we’ve been experienced but the Intrams also.

Regarding in startup, we have conducted an interview for more validation. We make an Assumptions. We determined the problem hypothesis. In our core assumptions, we have determined our riskiest assumption which is that about the techie way of the ordering system. Interviewing small business like - what will be there changes they want to renovate their ordering process. We are assuming that they will say an innovative way or let us say a techie way of their ordering system.

But our interview was conducted Sunday. Only least of small business we’ve interviewed because some of them are closed. As we interviewed two of them, they’ve no ideas on what changes they have to implement. But we are keeping in mind and assuming that they will say about our risky assumption.

A stressful week, the beginning of our struggle has begun. Sleepless nights in finalizing our paperwork of our thesis proposal. The part of the year that would probably one the most stressful, sort of scary, but yet fulfilling. Worried about the approval of our proposal. But as we defend our proposal, we are so amazed that panels gave some advice, suggestion regarding in our system proposed and they’ve just approved our proposal.

Our thesis proposal is the same as in our Technopreneurship. The Automated Ordering System, Panel said that we have to change our title because it gives no specific point that will relate to our concept.

In our pitching, we presented our proposed venture. Sir Mabulay with the panel have so many questions. Like what really the problem is, is there any validation in your problem you’re going to solve ? But according in the situation, i think we did’t make any clarification from both side. We need to more clarification regarding in our proposed system.

This week, i may say a productive, interviewing more customers that willing to implement our automated ordering system. For our interview, we questioned them again that what is the problem they are facing in there business. We didn’t expect for what they have answered to us. They are open-minded, willing to answer our question, showing that they have really a problem and that problem is mostly common in small restaurants we’ve visited and interviewed. We’ve asked them when is their peak hours and mostly said around 12 nn, afternoon and the evening ranging from 5 - 8 pm. After that, we asked them their problem, asking them if queuing is there problem. And mostly said yes, there are some people takes more time to decide in queuing that result to queue traffic which other people take more time in line. But because of that, customer may go out and find for another restos. Some businesses also have the problem with regards on cancelling the order due to a less manpower that could cause to delay orders. The most common problem of our interviewees is regard to queuing, people takes more time to decide that could cause traffic in queuing.

And lastly there is a some small business that willing to implement our proposed system, they gave us their number and we gave them too. We will tell them if our proposed system will be finally accepted.

In the previous week, we have interviewed the sunburst and they are willing to accept proposals. But we didn’t send them a proposal because as we see their business, no queuing system is implemented, so we cancelled.

As we see the common problem of the particular businesses we’ve intereviewed, we have decided that we choose to a restaurant that implements queuing system so that our system Automated Ordering System would be use to their business. And to solve their common problems about their queuing during peak hours.

This week, a week of EXAMS. Another Stressful week came up but yet fulfilling. Another struggles just to prove yourself that you can and You are. Your are what you are, based on how you deal life in some sort of situation. I’ve seen a post that encourages me more in being a college student. College is just a beginning, it is not that the hardest part, because after graduation, another journey and challenges would come to life. 

This week, regarding in our venture, we still searching for a businesses to be part of our implementation. Finding a company to be our users may not the be the hardest but is one of the most challenging part in presenting our venture.

As we go along the city, there are someone recommend us to a specific business. Said that they accepted a previous project proposal that would implemented to their business. The Sunburst, As we go to their store, we just directly ask the supervisor if we can conduct an interview. But said that we go back tomorrow after. As we get back to sunburst, she just accepted directly our interview. First, we ask her to tell us their most problem experience their system. She just said that their ordering system is always got an error so because of this, they get manually take note the the orders of their customers. And they don’t have a fixed technician in their business.

This week, we’ve been searching for a food business such as restaurants, fastfood, and any in the city that would willingly implement our automated ordering system. We are confused in choosing a restaurants or fast foods. We are not sure what kind of restaurant we are going to interview, is it a small or big businesses. But as we are searching, walking through out the city, we are directly interview some restaurants and fast foods either it is a small and such a big business.

There are restaurants that we have entered but some of them cannot accept  our interview because their manager is not around and some of them are not in the city. They said that we will be back next week. Some of them gave us the right day and time when they are free to accept interviews. Employees cannot do the job to make the decision on implementing our proposed automatic ordering system. Missy Bon Bon, a local snack bar and breadshop, they didn’t accept our interview because as we enter their store, there are a lot of customer to serve. But they gave us the right time when they are free to accept interviews. Another one is the Boy Zugba, their manager said that he is willing, but we need to go first to their IT specialist. We have to consult first to their IT whether they will accept to implement our system we proposed. And then as we go to their IT office located in Velez-Dolores St. they said that they cannot entertain some interviews because they are so busy. They said that we will be back next week.

As we done for the interview, we have decided that we have to choose local, small businesses, for less requirement. Because some big restaurants need to ask first their main branches that are not in the city that are far from the city.

Last week, Lecture Series have been conducted. So much things we’ve learned on how to basically start a startup. Giving advice, tips, even on how to make our idea acceptable and believable. 

 This week, in our automated ordering system, we have been conducting an interview in random people. Hypothesizing if they were get tired in going to the cashier, not directly but you have just stand and stacked in line until you’ve got to the ordering area. People mostly says yes. They also gave comments regarding in our automated system. Some people says that this system makes us convenient in ordering your order, hassle free, and of course there will be a negative response such laziness of the customers, the job of a order operator will be no more in-demand or simply the job of the order operator will then unnecessary. The billing process will happen when the order arrive.

There are two things that we’ve been talking about such as that this automated ordering system will be a kiosk type just like in McDo HK we’ve searched or just the device that have the menu is just attached to the table so that the customer will just seat and choose the order. We have just decide ‘attached to the table menu’.

As we talked about this system, we we’re thinking about if this system will be now our thesis. We are not sure but we’re still searching for a godd idea about our thesis.

Previously, we have just made our BMC(business model canvass) last tuesday and recently last friday. As we present the BMC to Sir Mabulay, he told us that we need an exact validation in our venture.

Last week, we have just decided to change our idea which is the villain alert. In the last part we’ve just planning to go on idea about transportation, which is that this app knows all routes of a specific bus. As we thought about this, we decided to consult Sir Mabulay regarding in our idea. As we approach him,  plenty of words that he gave make us realize that we have a competitor. We didn’t realize that our competitor is the google maps and it is free to use the app.

As we consult to Sir Mabulay, we have just shared our another idea which is the E-shopping. One of the problem of an engineering student is to search for the electronic component that may not available in any electronic stores in the city. We have to make an online store of any electronics components. As we consult to Sir, he gave us some advice and the probable vision of that e-shopping. He told us that this online shopping may only be use seasonally which it means for example, engineering students only buy e-components when they have a project and not all times students have a project so we have decided that we have to set aside that idea for now.

This week, we have just got an idea. The automatic ordering system. Which will be all customer of a fast food, restaurant, or any food chain will just have the seat to order a food they want just by clicking some touch screens to choose what food they want to order. Reason for this ordering system is to make the customers comfortable and of course not to stand and stacked in a line until you’ve got to the ordering area. By clarifying the most problems of a particular fast food chain, we have just conducted an interview.

As we asked any fast food, they have one common problem, which is the less “Manpower”, “Delay of Food to be serve because of less manpower during peak hours”. As they gave problems they’ve experience in their service, we have just shared our idea about ordering system we mentioned above. We asked them if this system will be helpful to their service. Most of them says that, it is better to let the customers form a line because customers may have some concerns in taking an order. Some people we have just asked is that this system would be helpful in a big food chain as they have many customers to be serve. But with the feedback, we have just going to proposed that idea.

Lecture Series. CEO of streetby have just arrive in the USTP. Sharing of their challenges, expereiences, mistakes when starting their business streetby. They have just gave some tips in taking the startups. CEO said, before pursuing that kind of idea, you must validate it first. And search for an idea that can solve a common problem in our community. There are some question of the students like how the convince businesses to be part of their business streetby and he said, you just start with small businesses which are more easily to convince.

This week, we have just conducted an interview with random people in the city. Many people have just answered our question regarding in our villain app. Questioning them if this app would be a good idea for the awareness of criminality in our city. Asking them for any suggestion that will make our app more interesting and also asking them to give us the other idea or way in making people more aware in criminality in our city. We just talk also regarding the feature in our app as it shows the all profiles, the crime that the villain did, and etc.

As we question people, some of them are just willing to listen and some of them are in a little bit shy as we talk to them. Some of them says they are interesting in our ideas in making the app just like one person we’ve interviewed, we ask them to all the features of the app and then the purpose which is to aware people in the city when it comes in criminality. And we also ask him to rate our idea, and he just said 100 percent good and we’re just surprised for what he said but not really convincing as we see the expression of his face that are not fit to what have he rate our idea. Like he is not sure of what he said. Another one, a mother which is interesting in our idea as she confidently share her thoughts about the criminality in our city. As she talk, she said that it is a good idea to make that app for awareness.

As we make the interview, we just question whether they are interested to install our app or not and most of the people said they are and they will and some people said they will not install that because they are too busy for that to install our app.

As we gather, we conclude that some people might not really interesting in our app and it is not really necessary and must. As we know people nowadays want an app to make them happy, installing an app that are entertaining, an app that satisfies the user by using it and an app that are more useful in our daily lives.

So, we conclude that we have change our mind and go to the other idea or plan B. As we conduct a meeting, this app will not be profitable for this time. But we don’t know if it is not. We are just thinking for this time or just we don’t exactly on how to gain money in developing an app regarding in that idea or just we don’t have enough knowledge yet when it comes to money.

Think! Think! Think! Idea! Idea! ideas!  Previously, we’ve been gathering and sharing ideas based on what we’ve researched, observed and see in our society. In sharing, there will be some clarifications on what really the point in our idea. Is that helpful? Is that one of the problems in our society? Who will be the beneficiaries? and we’ve been thinking even on the vision of our product. Is that became popular as we release it? Is that an innovative way on solving a particular problem? So many thoughts that came up in our minds making sure it would be a nice idea to start a startup.

As we meet last week, so many things that we’ve been thinking about our ideas that we’ve made. Realizing some things. Thinking about the positives and the negatives. As we gather, we are now in a state of decision making. Deciding what such idea to be choose and propose.

In decision-making, we first see the one idea which is about the route of all the PUJs in cagayan de oro. An app that have all the routes of all PUJs in the city. So that people will not be ever ask where the jeepney exactly go or to know exactly the rotation in the city. We realize that this app we are going to make is that there is already who made it and it is one of the top startup in the last 2016. As we realized, we concluded that we’ll not gonna make that app and that idea will remain as idea.

Another one, this will be the idea that we have decided to present or propose this coming tuesday, which is the Huli Ka! App. This app will have all the profiles and picture of the criminals in the city. It will have the information on what sin and where the area the criminal did so that people will be more aware in their surroundings. And as we decided, we conduct an interview to a police station, questioning that if this app will be helpful on catching the criminals. and of course making people aware of the criminals all over the city and they said yes. As we questioning about that, they became interesting in our idea.

Lastly, making a decision is not that easy. But we know that our decision-making would be our good start to start a startup.

Think! Think! Think! Idea! Idea! ideas! In the first week of gathering, then sharing of ideas was not an easy part of being a ENTREPRENUER char ! hehehehe. The challenging part of this situation would be that each one of us have the unique ideas but its hard to make a right way to express and prove that it would be the right thing to decide and to start a startup and to make that idea considerably acceptable.

In the first place, we are discussing about our thesis ideas if it will fit and possible for this technopreneurship. Yes it is possible, but the thesis connects to hardware and software so in technopreneurship it should be only just a software. As we gather, there are several ideas that we’ve shared to our team, from transportation to a fire-related problem, to criminality. Regarding in transportation, the beneficiary would the the people in Cagayan de Oro city. Some people in the city are don’t really know all the jeepney’s routes in the city, so building an app which will be the guide that has the map of Cagayan de Oro with all the routes of such jeepneys with resulting a convenient to the user to tour the whole city and to know the right jeepney to ride.

Another one, if there will be fire at a specific area, there will be a sensor and that would notify the nearest fire station from the area affected. As it notify the fire station. there will be message containing the information such as area affected, the address where the area happened. I think it is a way to make this situation convenient and efficient as the people don’t need to get there phone just to call the fire team to do the job.

When in criminality, there will be an app that have all the record of all the criminals in the city, and the image that containing the image. As the user use it, they will now knowledgeable and  know who the criminals all over the city so that they will be mindfully aware with there surroundings.

And the last one would the App that have all the record of all the stores in the city also. Which will have the addresses, the maps, picture of the store, and any information of the desired store. This App would help to the people mostly to those are new in the city just like the tourists or the people who are not currently living in the city.

So many ideas we have made but the mentioned above are not enough decide to start a startup. We need more ideas that it will have the best answers to the basic questions in the module How to start a startup.