Crafting Effortless Convenience: Exploring Our Adventure with CMU Sugo

  

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."

- Steve Jobs

    Embarking on the entrepreneurial journey requires not only passion but also a keen understanding of the evolving needs of our target audience. Our endeavor with CMU Sugo, an innovative app tailored for Central Mindanao University (CMU) students, underscores our unwavering commitment to enhancing student life. In this extended blog, we'll explore the intricate stages of our entrepreneurial odyssey – from ideation to crafting a compelling venture proposal.

        As May unfolds, we once again engaged in interviews, this time with the diverse members of the CMU campus community, probing their interest in availing our services. Join us in this blog as we share the varied perspectives and feedback we've gathered regarding the potential adoption of the CMU Sugo app.

First and foremost, let's once more delve into the distinctive features of CMU Sugo:

1. CMU Sakay: This feature offers transportation services such as motorcycle, motorela, or bao-bao rides. Users can set their destination and be connected with a driver. Safety is ensured through verification codes.
2. CMU Food: CMU Food allows users to order or pre-order food from local establishments. Pre-orders help vendors prepare in advance, and payments can be made easily through gcash. Delivery options are also available.
3. CMU LFBH (Looking for Boarding House): This feature simplifies the process of finding boarding houses for students and landlords/landladies. It provides exclusive access to a platform dedicated to scouting boarding houses.
4. CMU Learn: CMU Learn offers academic support and tutoring services. Tutors can create profiles highlighting their specialization in subjects, making it easy for students to find the help they need.
5. CMU Sugo (Miscellaneous Services): This feature caters to various miscellaneous needs of students, from fetching chargers to finding makeup artists. Users can post their requests, and part-timers can respond to fulfill those needs.

* Rules and Regulations: To ensure safety and integrity, CMU Sugo has strict rules and regulations. Users are required to submit valid identification and clearances, and there is a reporting mechanism for flagging issues, with penalties for violations.

These features collectively aim to simplify student life, enhance safety, and efficiency, and foster community within CMU.

VENTURE PROPOSAL JOURNEY:

    Embarking on the entrepreneurial journey entails a critical step: securing approval through pitching, often preceded by a comprehensive venture proposal. For us, this entailed meticulous preparation, including in-depth research, PowerPoint development, and script refinement for our innovative service, CMU Sugo.

        During the venture proposal on February 13, 2024, unexpected time constraints limited our presentation to a mere 5 minutes, impacting our delivery. Post-presentation, our advisor, Mr. Reymark Menguito, pointed out flaws in our presentation as the primary issue. He suggested refining our presentation skills before progressing to actual pitching. However, he commended our service, CMU Sugo, recognizing its innovative nature.

       This experience underscored the importance of effective presentation. We realized that even with a brilliant innovation, inadequate presentation could undermine its impact. Embracing the critique positively, we consider it a driving force to better ourselves going forward.

    Furthermore, the panelists advised us to further improve our service, particularly focusing on the cost structure. Among all the presenters, our group stood out as the only one that included comprehensive terms and conditions, which were deemed essential by the panelists. Additionally, they congratulated us for delivering a well-executed pitching presentation.

RESULTS AND DOCUMENTATION:

Interviewee 1: Emmarielle Banaag

     Emma, one of the interviewees from our previous assessments of our application and business model, had initially raised concerns about the safety and security features. We took her feedback seriously and made significant improvements to address these issues.

  During our latest round of interviews, Emma reviewed our new and improved model with the updated security information. She praised the revisions and emphasized that she would love to see this app come to fruition.

   Her positive feedback highlights the effectiveness of our iterative process and reinforces our commitment to addressing user concerns comprehensively.

Interviewee 2: Randy Jubane

      Randy, a political science student, praised our application's convenience and appreciated the idea of partnering with CMU to enhance credibility and reach. He also suggested setting up designated stations for our riders, which would improve efficiency and ensure that the nearest riders can reach students more quickly and effectively. This feedback is invaluable as it provides us with actionable insights to further refine our service and better meet the needs of our users.

Interviewee 3: Cedric Rivera

      Cedric, a fellow civil engineering student, praised the user-friendly interface of our app, noting that it made navigation and usage straightforward and intuitive. He appreciated how easy it is to get started and suggested that adding more detailed user guides and FAQs would be a helpful addition for new users. Cedric also loved the idea of incorporating a live chat feature for real-time support, which he believes would enhance the overall user experience. This feedback helps us identify additional ways to support our users and improve their interactions with our app.

Interviewee 4: Jecka Silvidad

     Jecka, a nursing student, was impressed by the innovative concept of our service and its potential to greatly benefit the community. She highlighted the importance of maintaining reliability and consistency, suggesting a rating system for riders and users to ensure high standards are upheld.

   Additionally, Jecka proposed offering rewards or incentives for frequent users to encourage regular engagement with the app, which she felt would be a fantastic way to build a loyal user base. Her feedback underscores the need for features that promote trust and long-term user retention.

INTERVIEW JOURNEY: INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION

   Embarking on our interview journey, we engaged with diverse members of the CMU community to refine CMU Sugo. Emmarielle Banaag's feedback on safety led to significant improvements, and her subsequent praise highlighted the effectiveness of our iterative process. Randy Jubane suggested strategic partnerships with CMU and designated rider stations, providing actionable insights to enhance efficiency and credibility.

    Cedric Rivera, focused on usability, praised the app's user-friendly interface and recommended adding detailed guides and a live chat feature for real-time support. Meanwhile, Jecka Silvidad emphasized reliability and user engagement, proposing a rating system and rewards for frequent users to foster trust and retention. 

     These interactions have been invaluable, validating our efforts and highlighting areas for further refinement. As we prepare for our final pitch, the collective wisdom from our interviews shapes CMU Sugo into a comprehensive tool designed to simplify and enrich student life, marking the beginning of a new phase of growth and innovation.

CONCLUSION:

    

    Our adventure with CMU Sugo has been a thrilling exploration into the realms of entrepreneurship, innovation, and addressing the needs of our fellow students. From its inception, our app has been a testament to our relentless commitment to enhancing the student experience. With its comprehensive features spanning food, transportation, part-time employment opportunities, and housing solutions, CMU Sugo stands as a beacon of our dedication to making student life not just manageable, but truly enjoyable.

    As we stand on the brink of our final pitching session, we must approach it with utmost preparedness and determination. Beyond simply presenting our proposal, we must embody the spirit of our endeavor in every aspect of our being. This means not only refining our presentation but also cultivating our mindset, physical readiness, and passion for our cause.

    Moreover, the feedback and insights we've gathered from our peers throughout this journey are invaluable. We must harness these experiences to continuously refine and improve CMU Sugo, ensuring that it remains relevant and impactful for our fellow students. Our journey doesn't end with the pitch; rather, it marks a new phase of evolution and growth for our project.

    As we eagerly anticipate the feedback from the esteemed panelists, we hold onto the hope that our efforts will be recognized and rewarded. To be chosen as the representatives of Central Mindanao University in the upcoming campus proposal pitching would be an honor and a privilege. We are ready to showcase not only the potential of CMU Sugo but also the spirit and determination of our university community.