Sidekick for undergrads
Here’s an app that university students will find very handy, writes Oon Yeoh
IN a world already saturated with social media sites, is there a need for yet another platform for people to connect with each other? Yes, according to Tan Jo Yi, one of the co-founders of UniChat, a mobile appbased social networking service targeted at Malaysian university students.
Like Facebook, this venture was started by university students but unlike Facebook, the folks behind UniChat plan to keep it restricted to only university students.
This might very well be its key success factor as niche could be the way to go in a social media landscape so overwhelmingly dominated by Facebook and Instagram.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE UNICHAT TO THE UNINITIATED?
UniChat is a go-to platform for university students. We aim to bridge the gap between students, connecting all university students in Malaysia, providing them with studentonly privileges, helping them find jobs and be a hub for all student-related information. Basically, UniChat is every university student’s sidekick.
WHAT ARE ITS KEY FEATURES?
UniChat has three main services. UniDiscover matches students based on geo-location and interests so they can discover each other. UniTime is a timetable feature that helps students manage their time. It also has a syncing feature that allows students to compare their timetables with each other with just a tap of a button. Finally, there’s UniDeals, which provides students with discounts from preferred merchants.
HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT THE MEMBERS ARE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS?
UniChat has two approaches. The first method requires users to sign up using a valid student e-mail. This ensures the platform is available only to active students. The second method is to sign up through a Facebook account, which is an easier and more user-friendly process. However, students are required to upload their student ID cards as proof of their student status. Soon, UniChat will combine both approaches, requiring users to sign up using an education e-mail as well as uploading their student ID cards. We practise zero tolerance when it comes to security measures.
WHY NOT JUST USE FACEBOOK FOR SOCIAL NETWORKING?
Facebook is definitely a good platform for connecting with others. However, UniChat is designed specifically to serve the needs of university students. We want UniChat to become a familiar playground for university students. Users will be able to meet friends from different universities all across Malaysia, discuss hot topics and share ideas with one another in a judgment-free zone without interference from the outside world. Because UniChat is a closed system, members don’t have to worry about posts being seen by parents or future employers.
FACEBOOK WAS ALSO STARTED BY A BUNCH OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. EVENTUALLY IT OPENED ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC. ANY CHANCE YOU WILL BE DOING THAT?
No, UniChat will be for students only. Instead of scaling laterally, UniChat wants to scale its services with depth to be able to provide for every student’s needs. We aim to be the specialist in the student market.
WHEN A MEMBER GRADUATES, DOES THAT MEAN THEY HAVE TO LEAVE THE PLATFORM?
Yes, their education e-mail will be terminated once they graduate, so they’ll no longer be a valid member. In a way this is unfortunate but we have to stick to our policy that this platform is only for university students.
HOW DID THIS IDEA FIRST COME ABOUT?
As university students, a few of us saw the need to improve the lifestyles of university students. Previously, there wasn’t any available go-to platform for university students. When it came to university-related matters, there wasn’t a specific website or app that answered our questions. There’s always a lack of information regarding students’ events and competitions. It’s also difficult to find suitable housemates and it’s not easy to meet other students with similar interests. So a bunch of us decided to do something about it.
WHO ARE YOUR TEAMMATES AND WHAT DO THEY DO?
I’m the Chief Operating Officer and I have three other co-founders. All of us are still students at Universiti Malaya except one who’s a former UM student who has already graduated. Nung Ngiap, the Chief Executive Officer, has an engineering background and he was the one who built the prototype of UniChat. Foo Soon is a finance student and naturally he’s the Chief Financial Officer. Dao Xiang, the one who has already graduated, has a job as a Business Development Executive. At UniChat he’s the Chief Marketing Officer.
STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A GOOD DEAL. HAS UNIDEALS TAKEN OFF AS EXPECTED?
I’d say it’s one of our biggest accomplishments. In the last quarter alone, we achieved about 100 redemptions per month at our partner restaurants, saving students around RM5,000 during that period. We believe the number will increase further when we offer more partner merchants and greater coverage across Klang Valley.
IS IT JUST AN APP-BASED PLATFORM OR CAN PEOPLE ACCESS IT THROUGH THE WEB AS WELL?
UniChat is completely app-based. Certain features like UniDeals require a mobile phone camera to scan the QR code in a partner restaurant. It’s more logical to use small portable devices like a smartphone which students have with them everywhere.
IS UNIDEALS YOUR MOST POPULAR FEATURE?
No, UniDiscover is still the most popular feature. University is the stage in a person’s life when they’re keen to step out of their comfort zones and make new friends.
IS THERE ANY DANGER STUDENTS WILL USE THIS AS A DATING SERVICE?
We don’t see this as a danger. It’s human nature, especially at university age, to want to date. Who knows, some students might even find their soulmates through UniChat. However, if any of our users find someone behaving creepily, they can report them through the app. Our UniChat administrators will investigate the user and deactivate their account if necessary. UniChat isn’t like Tinder which is open to the public. UniChat is restricted to verified university students and we have their details like which university they go to, their e-mail addresses and so on. There’s a high degree of security.
ARE MOST OF YOUR MEMBERS FROM PUBLIC OR PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES?
Currently, we have more users from public universities. This is because the co-founders are from Universiti Malaya and UM is our test market.
HOW MANY USERS DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE? WHAT ARE YOUR TARGETS FOR THE END OF THE YEAR?
Our user base to date is about 10,000 with about 400 to 450 weekly signups. We’re targeting 30,000 users for the end of year.
WHAT NEW FEATURES WOULD YOU LIKE TO IMPLEMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE?
UniHostel, which provides accommodation arrangement, and UniJobs, that lists highquality part-time and full-time jobs for students. Both of these will be launched soon.
ARE YOU ABLE TO STRIKE A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN YOUR STUDIES AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP?
Some people think studies is the only thing they should focus on but I’m glad I found a group of friends who dare to be different. We believe we can do more than just study while at the university. I’ve achieved the Dean’s Award for five out of six semesters and my co-founders have done well in their studies. So it’s possible to study and do entrepreneurship at the same time. My personal motto is: “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”