Jobless Kadapa man develops app for delivery of services

KADAPA: Without getting disheartened after failing to secure a job, Raj Kumar of Kadapa has been successful not only in developing a mobile app, but also in providing jobs to a few others like him. 
Raj Kumar, in his early 30s, developed a mobile app, Service Mantra, that provides services for some petty chores like paying electricity bill, booking railway ticket and other odd jobs, for a nominal fee.

His mobile app has come as a boon for several people in the town and surrounding places and has been running successfully for the last two years. As charges are nominal, people don’t think twice on seeking online services. The mobile app can be downloaded from Google Play and the service can be availed through a message to the number indicated in the mobile app or by calling the telephone number. 

Speaking about his app, Raj Kumar said that in places like Vijayawada, Guntur and Visakhapatnam, one can find online food delivery services like Uber Eats, Swiggy and Zomato. “Service Mantra App also works on a similar principle, but offers more services than just food delivery,” he added. 

The budding entrepreneur said that with the increasing urbanisation of Kadapa, the lifestyle of people in the town of four lakh was also undergoing change.

“People have become busier with work to earn more and often find it difficult to do small works like payment of bills, standing in queue for getting a train or bus ticket. They have started looking for online services and under such circumstances, Service Mantra comes in handy,” Raj Kumar said.

RIMS student K Lakshmi Prasanna said that she was using Service Mantra app as she had to spend Rs 150 on an auto every time she wanted to visit Kadapa town. K Ramakrishna Reddy and Sujatha, an elderly couple, said that the app was of great help to them.  “If the customers order via app or place an order over phone - 77993 41000, a person will deliver your order within 45 minutes,” Raj Kumar said.

He said that they collect Rs 30 if the distance was below 5 km, and Rs 40 if the distance was above 5 km. Delivery boy Vasanth Kumar said that he was pursuing graduation and was earning money by working in ‘Service Mantra’. Like him, there are three others working as delivery boys with Raj Kumar. 

From the time it was launched two years ago, the customer base has increased and today on an average, Raj Kumar gets 50 orders per day.