By Armando O. Bartolome
For the “millennials”, the greatest gifts that technology may have given to them are laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets. You may never find anyone without a mobile phone nowadays. Some would even have 2-3 smartphones, one mobile phone for each of the mobile networks. That is probably why the Philippines has been tagged as the “Texting Capital of the World”. And what has made Filipinos crazy about these mobile phones? Filipinos connect to their families and friends more. Whether they are busy people or not, they still find time to send them a message or give them a call even for just a couple of minutes.
The emergence of mobile apps has made a huge difference especially to businesses that wanted to be more connected to their customers. Mobile apps then were more popularly associated with games. But now, app developers have created different ways of how these mobile apps can best help a company generate more profit in a click.
The Filipino Ingenuity
We, Filipinos have been known all over the world for our exemplary contributions in the field of art, music, science, etc. And the new generations of Filipinos are being molded in such a way that they can be more competitive with their foreign counterparts. We aim for the best not only to be recognized but more than that is to and uplift everyone’s spirits especially during trying times and be able to help fellow Filipinos in any way possible.
Filipino Mobile App developers are slowly making their way in parallel with other App developers from different countries. Imergex, a Filipino-owned company has developed an app that can be beneficial to both the companies and employees. This app is called ENDDO, the very first Job Matching App in Asia. Hearing the term, we have been accustomed to its meaning as the “end of contract” of an employee. But its developers came up with the name to send out a different message which means the end of unemployment. The concept is pretty much like the popular dating site, Tinder.
Imergex is most popularly known for its earlier app, the PANIC BUTTON, which aims to save people who might be in danger. By clicking the app a message appears on the rescuer’s (Imergex) end informing the name of the person in need of help and the phone numbers of people to be contacted in case of an emergency.
How does ENDDO work?
Typically, an applicant goes to a company to apply for a job and submit the requirements needed. But there is no assurance that he will be accepted. And so there is a need to apply to several more. But that would mean spending more for food and transportation. ENDDO eliminates the need to spend going to different companies to apply. Just by downloading the app, an applicant can instantly apply to any company that he wants and just wait for the company to respond.
Both companies and employees may sign up using the ENDDO mobile app. The company will post its requirements in hiring for new available positions. When an employee (applicant) signs up, he will be able to see the list of companies that are currently hiring. The employee can switch from the list of companies through swiping. A swipe to the left means that the employee is not interested in that company. Swiping it to the right would mark it as an opportunity for the employee to be hired if he meets the requirements of the company that he is interested in.
For the employer side, all they need to do is to swipe to the right to find an applicant that matches their requirements. The company prequalifies and sends a message. If the employee passes the initial screening thru chat, a JOB MATCH occurs. He will then be asked to report to the office and submit other requirements prior to hiring. Thus, it is as easy as “Swipe. Match. Chat.”
This is the first job matching app in the Philippines and the vision of its developers is to be able to increase employment without the hassle of falling in line at job fairs. Imagine how much time and effort is saved just by using the app. Currently, ENDDO is on Beta and available at Google Playstore but will soon be available on iOS.
The mobile app ENDDO is a great alternative for companies who are short of funds in advertising for their hiring needs since the mobile app can be downloaded for free. Companies should take advantage of this technology because it allows them to instantly reach out to more people. It lessens their time in having to interview each applicant because just through swiping the app, companies can instantly check for the right person to be placed on a post.
Mobile Apps Development
Studies have shown that people spend more time using their mobile phones or tablets compared to desktops and laptops to access the internet nowadays. According to Zenith’s Media Consumption Forecasts, the trend has jumped to 28% compared to last year. And it is predicted to rise each year.
One of the reasons why mobile users accessing the internet increased is because of how businesses have taken advantage of making their online visibility through the creation of their websites and with the continuous growth of different kinds of mobile apps – business, entertainment, and games. Why do we use our mobile phones in the first place? We want to instantly find the answer that we need. For example, you want to know your account balance. Instead of going to the bank, it is now possible to just be able to instantly know how much is in our account by using the bank’s mobile app. Accessibility is the reason why apps are continuously being developed. It lessens the burden of having to wait in line, either by phone or using the ATMs. In just one click, you will be directed to your personal account and be able to browse through your profile what you want to know about.
Business owners have taken a big leap towards making their online visibility a lot wider with the creation of their own mobile platforms. And why not? If it is something that can help increase their profit, then it is something that they need to have.
Here are the benefits of using mobile apps for business:
- It increases the chances of people coming across your app because of the increase in usage of mobile users there is always a chance that your mobile app can be noticed.
- Mobile Apps are developed differently. They can provide various functions like booking forms, search for features, general information, prices sends messages and many more..
- You may also use your mobile app as your means of giving loyalty or privileges to your customers. For example, through your mobile app, you have assigned a specific code for every customer that downloads the app. Every time they shop, all they need to do is to provide the code and a specific number of points will be given to them. Accumulated points can be exchanged with an equivalent amount, i.e, the customer gets $1.00 for every 10 points.
- Designing a mobile app is crucial because with it comes your identity or your brand which will be your ticket to your success in business. The mobile app should be made in a way that customers can be fully enticed to avail of your products or services frequently.
- Using the Mobile app can increase customer engagement. For example, you have a restaurant business. Instead of you calling them by phone, you can directly order through the app and be able to pay for what you have ordered online via credit or debit card.
- Not all small businesses may have the idea of developing an app. Imagine how much advantage you can have if you are able to serve your customers 24/7 and depending on the kind of product and service that you may offer, you can reach out to more people from different corners of the globe.. You build your customer’s loyalty by coming up with an app that is able to provide what they need with just a single click.
Bridging the Skills Gap
Each year, the number of College graduates increase. Unfortunately, not all College graduates match their skills to the skills that are needed by the companies. So now comes the question among parents today – should the choice of College course be based on what their child is truly interested in or should they base it on what is in demand? By the time these children graduate, the trend may have become different. Would they just try pushing their luck in applying to the kind of job that is related to the course they studied or should they take necessary actions in order to become employed and not to be among the increasing unemployed citizens?
In order to grow as an individual, learning should not stop after graduation but should always have the drive to learn more new things. Sometimes, unaware, we become more successful in a profession than we have never dreamt of. By attending additional education through workshops and seminars, this can help alleviate the unemployment rate in our country.
Not all applicants may have the means to spend on travel expenses to submit job applications and requirements. To lessen the trouble on going to one company to another, ENDDO is one good mobile app that can help individuals to be able to seek employment by just using their mobiles anytime, anywhere. Through this mobile app, applicants may be able to secure a job with less effort and can instantly have a means to directly communicate with the employer. Not all applicants may have the required skills asked by the listed companies, however, they will be able to know which skills are currently needed so that they can improve themselves and hopefully be able to find the right match for their skills.
App developers must find ways on how to continuously enhance their applications to improve performance and increase customer engagement. Mobile apps will soon be the primary choice for the marketing of all businesses because of its capabilities of being able to reach more than online advertising can do. The use of mobile phones has become an integral part of any individual’s life. While this can benefit consumers/clients, mobile apps developers are able to monetize and can help them generate more profits. Mobile advertising is continuously growing. Being able to acquire more customers in real-time may lead to an overwhelming increase in this form of advertising.