Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, a long time ago, that “the only constant in life is change”. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to change the global socio-economic landscape, this quote has never felt more appropriate. Our present definitions on acceptable social interactions have been changed, our economies deeply affected on all levels, and entire communities are struggling to find stability as the ongoing health crisis keeps rewriting how we live our daily lives.
Modern technology is standing at the forefront of the 21st century’s first pandemic. For the first time in human recorded history, we have the means to provide near-instantaneous information regarding the virus – how it’s transmitted, what symptoms to look out for, how to slow the spread of the pandemic, and so many other details are right at our fingertips.
With this wealth of information, we are appraised of the many problems that our communities are facing due to the pandemic and the containment efforts surrounding it.
One of these problems comes from the community quarantine procedures that many cities all over the world are enforcing: businesses are being forced to close indefinitely, to restrict person-to-person contact, in hopes of slowing the contagion.
In an interview with Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar and Asst. Secretary Ramon “Mon” Cualoping III in the official Presidential Communications podcast Mediaman’s Mancave Podcast, Cagayan de Oro City-based entrepreneur and infotech (IT) company founder Bryan Joseph King spoke about the struggles of operating a business during a global pandemic climate – and the clever software project that he and his company have recently developed.
MoneyCache is a Point-of-Sale (POS) system software came to Mr. King as a question first: how can business management busywork be streamlined to save more time and manpower?
The concept that arose from trying to answer that question would eventually lead to the development of a POS system with integrated inventory and purchase history, accounting records management, and client relationship management features. The software, which was then named MoneyCache, is a portable system that can be easily installed on mobile devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
With MoneyCache, businesses could cut down on human error and manual data entry – two of the biggest hurdles that many small businesses and startups face on a daily basis. The software streamlines many processes like keeping track of inventory, individual branch transaction records for store chains, and even client retention offerings, like loyalty discounts and credit purchases.
Originally a paid service offering, MoneyCache was released to the marketplace on a free license by Mr. King to give small businesses and entrepreneurs a fighting chance of surviving the economic quagmire that the pandemic has created.
“We noticed that with current COVID crisis, a lot of business owners are, naghihirap sila kase, because of the quarantine (We noticed that with current COVID crisis, a lot of business owners are struggling because of the quarantine),” says Mr. King in the live Mediaman’s Mancave Podcast interview last May 12, 2020, about his inspiration for making MoneyCache a free POS system software. “So, mas kaunti yung nakukuha nilang walk-in customers during the quarantine (So, they’re getting fewer walk-in customers during the quarantine).
“So what we, we thought of, na we have an existing Point-of-Sale system na it used to be a paid system pero, we made it, we made a free version para naman makatulog sa kapwa business owners natin dito (So what we, we thought of, is we have an existing Point-of-Sale system and it used to be a paid system but, we made it, we made a free version so that we can help our fellow business owners here).”
By making the software free to use for business owners affected by the COVID-19 health crisis, Mr. King and his company are not just helping – they’re setting a precedent within their community, and likely outside of it as well.
The free version of MoneyCache not only comes with transaction and inventory monitoring features on top of its Point-of-Sale functions, it also sets up an eCommerce website for the business that is directly connected to the POS software.
Put it simply, you get a free website that can be accessed by your customers at any time, with its own payment portal – if you’re a business owner with no idea how to set up an online shop, the MoneyCache system sets it up for you. All you have to do is create your inventory and the website will automatically update in real time with just a few taps.
“Kase yung mga tao, ayaw lumabas (people don’t want to go out),” Mr. King added, remarking on the situation where physical stores are seeing drastically fewer customers during quarantine out of fear of getting sick. “So what we did is we added a feature na pwede sila magbenta online, and pwede sila tumanggap ng payment through credit cards, so online na lahat (So what we did is we added a feature where they [business owners] can sell online, and they can accept payment through credit cards, so everything is online).”
“Yung advantage is, even that, even [if] they will not open their businesses, they can just sell online using this Point-of-Sale system, and bonus na yun na ma-monitor nila yung inventory nila, yung sales nila, so… it’s a very easy system (The advantage is, even that, even [if] they will not open their businesses, they can just sell online using this Point-of-Sale system, and it’s just a bonus that they can monitor their inventory, their sales, so… it’s a very easy system).”
So how do business owners get this software? According to Mr. King, the process is simple: simply contact the MoneyCache team through a short form via the official website (money-cache.org), and download the app version through either Google Play or the Apple App Store. The MoneyCache team will then contact the business owner with their registration details, and provide a demo reel for using the app.
Mr. King’s community advocacy doesn’t stop there, too. Mr. King and his team also run a popular local blog in Cagayan de Oro City, and they’ve partnered up with BlogCon, a local bloggers organization, to raise resources and funds for PPEs and hot meals for a local public hospital and COVID-19 treatment center.
Global events like a pandemic changes lives. As we’re discovering, so do technology and kindness – together, the two form a powerful partnership that elevates the spirit of community in ways we’ve never seen before.
Mr. King and team, by their own efforts, join the ranks of many men and women pioneering a new form of 21st century goodwill – providing technological solutions to the very human struggle for survival.
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Mr. King and the MoneyCache team would like to thank the Presidential Communications Office and Sec. Martin Andanar for the invitation to guest on the Mediaman’s Mancave Podcast last May 12, 2020.
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