Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai

Dubai, May 30: From shopping to hiring a cab, mobile apps have become a significant part of our daily life. It almost impossible to live today without them. It has made our life easy. Mobile app market is growing faster than a beanstalk. The industry is huge and growing daily, and there is no end in sight. Expectedly the mobile app developer population has boomed and the number of apps has reached new heights. More importantly, the mobile app market still has a lot of room to grow.

It is a proud moment for Mangaluru-born Lionel Lobo and his Yemeni-origin friend and business partner Tariq Najib Bashuaib, the developers of Hey Witi app. Their core focus was to integrate and sync information.They have succeeded in delivering the best with multiple functionalities. In simple words, Hey Witi is an awesome mobile app. They have got it right from word go. Hey Witi has the potential to satisfy varied consumer needs and to cope up with ever evolving trends.

What is Hey Witi Mmobile app? In an exclusive interview with Daijiworld, young Lionel Lobo explains why Hey Witi (What's in The Inventory) is creative and different from any other mobile app.

DW: What is Hey Witi? What is the inspiration behind Hey Witi?

A: Hey Witi is a real time search cataloging app that allows business and retailers to take advantage of advertising their current products and services they offer. The inspiration was asking people and Google. We use both to get information on finding what we are looking for. It all started with me trying to find out where I could get my hands on a particular battery to power my car keys.

Q: When did you start Hey Witi? What is the vision?

A: I started Hey Witi because I knew there are many people trying to find products and services on day to day basis. Knowing where you can find them helps both people and businesses since that initiates a potential business transaction. We want to make this app as the goto catalog sphere to find relevant products and services that you are looking for around you.

Q: What were the factors you took into consideration while making this app?

A: We put ourselves in the scenario and from there we had Q & A sessions which led to discussing the user experience. We wanted to make sure we made the search fast and relevant to what the user was searching. If they couldn't find they should have the option of 'asking' where they could find it. This allows businesses around that person first to reply if they have that product or service and is yet to be cataloged.

Q: Could you elaborate on your trendsetting app? The features related to Hey Witi?

A: We wanted businesses and retailers to find it easy to upload their products and services as usually web platforms they use to deliver are not easy. We minimized the needed tasks to upload their product/service information as well as give the uploader full control on the details they provide product or services post. Editing their posts is on the fly, as there is no waiting time, their potential customers get the edited post in real time. They can also use their own images or take a snapshot of the product/service and since the medium is a handheld device which gives direct access to both front and back camera, users can get creative in delivering their product/service posts.

Q: What are the advantages? How does it differ from normal search engine? What do the users/consumers get from this app?

A: Search engines only show you products or services that are on the web and have been indexed by search engines. Website developers use a technique called search engine optimization which helps website’s content get indexed better and fight for a place on the first page of search results riddled with non-relevant results. Hey Witi acts as a separate search engine used by potential customers by concentrating on only delivering relevant search results that contain products and services posted by retailers/businesses with details of their location and phone numbers. Users get pinpoint location of the product and services using their favorite map’s app and business/retailers get potential buyers and a free platform.

Q: Can you give some examples? (say, if I am looking for a good Japanese restaurant selling chicken Teriyaki, if I want sell my old car or if I want to buy a new house) how could your app make life easy for consumers and sellers both?

A: A new bakery has just opened shop at the neighborhood, the baker uses the app to post all his bakery products and services that they offer. Users that are within the location want a New York cheese cake in particular. They use Hey Witi to find if there are any “New York Cheese Cake” in their vicinity. If the bakery posts contain “New York Cheese Cake” or even “Cheese Cake” they will appear in the search results of Hey Witi. The user then clicks on either the phone number of the bakery to contact them or get the location with directions from the app using Google maps or Apple maps. Both the customer and the bakery is happy and have made a business transaction. If the bakery is looking for potential customers, they can head towards the requests section of the app where they can drill down to their categories and search for any requests that they might have a product similar to the request. This reply to the user that posted the request allows the app to send an automated email detailing about the product or service the bakery has is the same as requested. The requests search covers the entire country region. This way a recently opened bakery can help themselves grow and earn in the process.

Q: Is it user-friendly? Any cost for the users? What are the benefits for the user?

A: We made sure that the user interface is as easy as possible to interact by making sure the important things are appearing first and the less important things appearing elsewhere. The app is free to use. Both the users and businesses/retailers get what they want, that is, locate the product or service they want or post the product or service they want to show is available.

Q: What are the future plans of Hey Witi? Do you plan to spread across the globe? How?

A: We know we can only grow if our users see the huge benefit they are receiving from using this app and that is our main objective at the moment. We would like to expand as one stop for product/services search sphere as the most important details is helping both the users and businesses/retailers to satisfy their objectives. We are on schedule to release globally.

Q: How is your team and their expertise?

A: Our team consists of only two team members, Tariq Najib Bashuaib and me. I am a BSc in computer science with knowledge of management of information systems and certified SAP TERP10 and business web intelligence. Tariq is a Bsc in computer engineering with extended knowledge in Android programming.

Q: Does your team transmit the same passion and vision that you carry?

A: Yes, we both carry the same passion in delivering our shared vision.

Q: Did you do any test marketing? How is the response?

A: We spoke to few small retailers who cannot afford websites but have an access to a phone and internet. They found the app to be very useful as they can attract buyers near them and have a free platform for having an online presence.

Q: What do you want Hey Witi to be known for?

A: We want it to be known as the mobile platform for businesses and retailers that have a quick access to online presence with a click of a button and have 0 cost investment. To know more you can visit https://HeyWiti.com/ 

About Lionel Lobo: Lionel Lobo was born in Mangaluru in November 1991 to Fredrick and Leena Lobo at Bondel. He attended Our Own English High School, Sharjah till the 6th grade and then completed high school from Delhi Private School, Sharjah. He completed BSc in computer science as major and also studied management of information systems with two SAP certifications and one SAP training certificate at the American University of Sharjah. Having successfully completed academic achievements in June 2015 he followed his passion exploring new ideas in the business world and creativity developing mobile app. Tariq is a close friend and college colleague of Lionel in AUS. They worked on completing three university projects together. They have the best synergy of understanding the technical inputs of programming and technology which is a subject of common interest. Having set an objective in mind, Tariq and Lionel have since developed not only a close rapport but have worked together tirelessly on the Hey Witi project. This project is available in leading mobile platforms, iOS and Android, functioning at real time basis. Currently there are other projects at hand and they are looking forward a bright future ahead.

About Tariq Najib Bashuaib: Tariq Najib Bashuaib was born in December 1990 in the city of Dubai to immigrant Yemeni parents. He attended Al Khaleej National School from primary to high school. Both his parents were born in Uganda when their fathers migrated there in the early 1950s. His parents moved to the UAE in 1974. His father worked at Etisalat since the birth of the company. Tariq graduated high school in 2008 and a year later joined The American University of Sharjah’s computer engineering programme. During his first year at AUS, He learnt the basic concepts of programming, which introduced him to the world of mobile programing. That was when he fell in love with mobile development. After graduation, his close friend from college, Lionel Lobo came to him with the idea of joining him in a joint venture to develop mobile applications. As a result Hey Witi was born.