Shop at SM Supermalls Using MyKuya App
Published May 18, 2020 02:01 am
As Metro Manila shifts to a Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), malls and restaurants are slowly resuming their operations in response to the ever-growing demand from consumers. Even with social distancing and a limit on the number of people allowed inside business establishments, some are still seeking ways to avoid going outside for health and safety reasons.
Our current (community quarantine) situation has sparked hope in BGC-based company MyKuya, a Filipino super app that provides various on-demand services. The web and mobile app allow users to book personal assistants, aptly called “Kuyas” and “Ates”, to run their errands like getting groceries, delivering food, and completing other tasks on a motorbike. MyKuya is currently serving the entire Metro Manila, as well as select areas in Mega Manila. Having a personal assistant additionally keeps users from going outside where they could contract COVID-19 from another person.
Founded in 2017 by Machine Ventures and the team behind SMS-based personal concierge HeyKuya, MyKuya aims to provide value to every Filipino — helping customers save time in completing their errands, enable manpower businesses to grow and digitize their operations, and provide unemployed and underemployed Filipinos full-time and part-time job opportunities.
The company saw a spike in demand for its services at the infancy of the ECQ, making them inspired to continue expanding their horizons for the comfort of the Filipino people (while staying at home). With more businesses and establishments opening their doors to consumers and offering take out and delivery services, MyKuya has found a way to enable brick-and-mortar retailers to go online in as little as 24 hours.
“One angle that’s less visible and behind-the-scene of how MyKuya operates is that we had been supercharging offline-to-online transformation of service providers very rapidly. Businesses are taking a very negative impact because of the pandemic. We supercharge traditional businesses to go on-demand in as fast as 24 hours,” according to MyKuya Founder Shahab Shabibi.
SM Supermalls recently partnered with MyKuya and is now live on the MyKuya App. With the partnership, users can tap the Mega Shopper icon in the app and book a Kuya or Ate to purchase goods that are currently available in the mall.
One unique feature of this partnership between SM Supermalls and MyKuya is the ability for the Kuyas and Ates to skip lines through the Express Lane when the user hires an SM shopper. MyKuya app users can also purchase items from multiple stores through one booking, streamlining the entire process of the errand. In cases where cash purchases might exceed PHP1,000, users can conveniently transfer additional money to their Kuya or Ate via GCash, or hand the petty cash when the partner rider goes to them first. This entire process leads to a faster experience for the consumer while driving traffic to the mall.
“By partnering with SM, we are able to provide our customers with the convenience and safety that they seek during these difficult times when it comes to getting their desired food and other products,” added by Shabibi.
As a company that brings value to its employees as well, MyKuya assures that its partner riders are equipped with the necessary supplies and protective equipment like face masks, sanitizers, and gloves to do their jobs safely and protect themselves from the possible contraction of COVID-19. The Kuyas and Ates, who are working as volunteer partners, also observe social distancing and routine temperature checks.