Jhakaas – a way to easy
living is a technology driven platform that aims to enable local businesses. The
next generation mobile app provides for the day-to-day needs of the consumer
entailing services such as ease in grocery shopping, restaurant hunting, on
call cakes and sweet delivery, vegetable shopping, wine shops, ordering
medicines and much more. They aim to penetrate the unorganised sector through a
comprehensive and user-friendly application that can be used by medium and
small scale merchants and customers alike.
living is a technology driven platform that aims to enable local businesses. The
next generation mobile app provides for the day-to-day needs of the consumer
entailing services such as ease in grocery shopping, restaurant hunting, on
call cakes and sweet delivery, vegetable shopping, wine shops, ordering
medicines and much more. They aim to penetrate the unorganised sector through a
comprehensive and user-friendly application that can be used by medium and
small scale merchants and customers alike.
Jhakaas works on a minimum
maintenance and fixed reasonable charges model with merchants so as to provide
affordable and profitable deals to the vendors. The process of merchant
enrolment is easy and contains no additional charges. Vendors can decide their
own Service level’s (SLA) and can collect the payments in their own bank
accounts through mPOS / digital payment methods. On the other hand, the
customercan choose from an array of merchants based on their preferences. The
app was developed to provide ease in business through advanced competitive
technology and also give the small & medium level merchants a competitive
edge.
maintenance and fixed reasonable charges model with merchants so as to provide
affordable and profitable deals to the vendors. The process of merchant
enrolment is easy and contains no additional charges. Vendors can decide their
own Service level’s (SLA) and can collect the payments in their own bank
accounts through mPOS / digital payment methods. On the other hand, the
customercan choose from an array of merchants based on their preferences. The
app was developed to provide ease in business through advanced competitive
technology and also give the small & medium level merchants a competitive
edge.
In an exclusive interview with Startup Terminal; Bharat Mandot & Jeetendra
Sanjeeva, Co-Founders, Jhakaas Technologies tells more about the venture and future goals.
Sanjeeva, Co-Founders, Jhakaas Technologies tells more about the venture and future goals.
Excerpts:
ST:
What was your inspiration behind starting up a new venture?
What was your inspiration behind starting up a new venture?
We are first generation entrepreneurs;
we have had successful corporate careers in our own respective field, but
always had the desire to build something of our own, something that would
specifically cater to the masses.
we have had successful corporate careers in our own respective field, but
always had the desire to build something of our own, something that would
specifically cater to the masses.
The e-commerce market was fast
blooming and online shopping was an evident trend, the aggregators were taking
away the profits of the small scale & medium level merchants. We wanted to
create something that would help these vendors to sustain their business with
profitability. The world was going digital and helping these vendors scale-up.
IT was very important that they were a part of technology. Therefore with this in mind, we developed an
app to deliver services that would be user-friendly, affordable and bring
profits to these players. The ‘Jhakaas’ app by Jhakaas Technologies provides
ease in business through advanced competitive technology and also give the
small & medium level merchants a competitive edge
blooming and online shopping was an evident trend, the aggregators were taking
away the profits of the small scale & medium level merchants. We wanted to
create something that would help these vendors to sustain their business with
profitability. The world was going digital and helping these vendors scale-up.
IT was very important that they were a part of technology. Therefore with this in mind, we developed an
app to deliver services that would be user-friendly, affordable and bring
profits to these players. The ‘Jhakaas’ app by Jhakaas Technologies provides
ease in business through advanced competitive technology and also give the
small & medium level merchants a competitive edge
ST:
Please tell us more about your organization.
Please tell us more about your organization.
We started working on the concept in
early 2016. We started off by offering services in three categories i.e food,
real estate and travel; we received positive feedback towards our offerings
which in all led to the growth of the company. We currently are offering
services across 35 categories such as
ease in grocery shopping, restaurant hunting, on call cakes and sweet delivery,
vegetable shopping, wine shops, ordering medicines and much more. We have
developed a merchant base of 30,000 users across Delhi, Mumbai & Bangalore.
In March 2017, we officially launched our first product ‘Jhakaas’, a
technology-driven platform that “Enables local businesses” to create a presence
online today. The application received more than 5000 downloads within its
first 24 hours.
early 2016. We started off by offering services in three categories i.e food,
real estate and travel; we received positive feedback towards our offerings
which in all led to the growth of the company. We currently are offering
services across 35 categories such as
ease in grocery shopping, restaurant hunting, on call cakes and sweet delivery,
vegetable shopping, wine shops, ordering medicines and much more. We have
developed a merchant base of 30,000 users across Delhi, Mumbai & Bangalore.
In March 2017, we officially launched our first product ‘Jhakaas’, a
technology-driven platform that “Enables local businesses” to create a presence
online today. The application received more than 5000 downloads within its
first 24 hours.
ST:
What business opportunities do you see particularly in your sector?
What business opportunities do you see particularly in your sector?
India’s mobile app market grew sharply
last year, outpacing the US, and ranked number one in terms of Google Play
downloads, highlighting the vibrancy of the country’s mobile ecosystem. Indians
downloaded over 6 billion apps in 2016, up from 3.5 billion in 2015.
last year, outpacing the US, and ranked number one in terms of Google Play
downloads, highlighting the vibrancy of the country’s mobile ecosystem. Indians
downloaded over 6 billion apps in 2016, up from 3.5 billion in 2015.
E-Commerce is a disruptive market and with
cut-throat competition there is always an opportunity for start-ups to come up
with innovative and out-of- the-box ideas. Therefore opportunities are in
abundance, the Jhakaas app will open up many avenues for us as a company as
well as benefit the small & medium level vendors delivering services to the
consumers.
cut-throat competition there is always an opportunity for start-ups to come up
with innovative and out-of- the-box ideas. Therefore opportunities are in
abundance, the Jhakaas app will open up many avenues for us as a company as
well as benefit the small & medium level vendors delivering services to the
consumers.
ST:
How has been your entrepreneurship journey so far?
How has been your entrepreneurship journey so far?
Our journey as entrepreneurs has been
quite challenging and fun since the past one year. Our association with local
vendors has been quite fascinating and challenging as work involved right from
the grass-root level. Overall having a unique product, we had an interesting
one year while working on the product. The world is moving towards products
that entail digitalization of services, cashless transactions & technology
related platforms that help them save time and resources. The small &
medium scale merchants, due to limited resources are unable to meet the demands
of the consumer in terms of these high-end technologies and therefore are an
outcast. We at Jhakaas Technologies are providing them with a platform at a
fixed minimal charge to list their products & services that will in turn
bring business to them.
quite challenging and fun since the past one year. Our association with local
vendors has been quite fascinating and challenging as work involved right from
the grass-root level. Overall having a unique product, we had an interesting
one year while working on the product. The world is moving towards products
that entail digitalization of services, cashless transactions & technology
related platforms that help them save time and resources. The small &
medium scale merchants, due to limited resources are unable to meet the demands
of the consumer in terms of these high-end technologies and therefore are an
outcast. We at Jhakaas Technologies are providing them with a platform at a
fixed minimal charge to list their products & services that will in turn
bring business to them.
ST:
As an entrepreneur, what challenges do you face in your day to day professional
life, if any?
As an entrepreneur, what challenges do you face in your day to day professional
life, if any?
Being first generation entrepreneurs,
this space was an unexplored domain for us.
Every day is a new learning for us. Our associations with the offline
merchants made us realise the importance of customisation of services. For
instance, the merchants in Mumbai have a different requirement and mindset from
a merchant from Delhi or Bangalore. So we have done customisation to a micro
level, and find such challenges exciting to address.
this space was an unexplored domain for us.
Every day is a new learning for us. Our associations with the offline
merchants made us realise the importance of customisation of services. For
instance, the merchants in Mumbai have a different requirement and mindset from
a merchant from Delhi or Bangalore. So we have done customisation to a micro
level, and find such challenges exciting to address.
Also, one of the key challenges we are
facing is hiring, as candidates are not open to joining start-ups due to the
fear of employee lay-offs. To this end, we can proudly say that those who
believed in us and joined us have been a part of Jhakaas Technologies initial
journey to now.
facing is hiring, as candidates are not open to joining start-ups due to the
fear of employee lay-offs. To this end, we can proudly say that those who
believed in us and joined us have been a part of Jhakaas Technologies initial
journey to now.
ST:
How big is your team? Are you planning to hire more?
How big is your team? Are you planning to hire more?
At Jhakaas, we are a team of more than
50 employees in our Mumbai Office and with the growth of the company; we are
looking at expanding our employee count to about 150 plus by the end of 2018.
50 employees in our Mumbai Office and with the growth of the company; we are
looking at expanding our employee count to about 150 plus by the end of 2018.
 |
| (L) Jeetendra Sanjeeva & (R) Bharat Mandot, Co-Founders, Jhakaas Technologies |
ST:
What are your future plans?
What are your future plans?
As a company, we would want to
increase our product presence across the Indian market by targeting over 45
cities with around 1.25 Lakh merchants across our various verticals. We want to
see a Digitised Local Market Place with Cashless Ecosystem.
increase our product presence across the Indian market by targeting over 45
cities with around 1.25 Lakh merchants across our various verticals. We want to
see a Digitised Local Market Place with Cashless Ecosystem.
On a long term we want to be the Desi
App in the Global Market. Our efforts have already begun towards growing the
company and have a large space across the sector. We have already started
working on it and hopefully you should get the good news of our first Global
outing very soon.
App in the Global Market. Our efforts have already begun towards growing the
company and have a large space across the sector. We have already started
working on it and hopefully you should get the good news of our first Global
outing very soon.
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