Here are a few excerpts

BR: Olaround, tell us more about the venture

Olaround is a location based loyalty service on smart phone devices. It is a first of its kind initiative in Pakistan that aims to connect local businesses with consumers both on web and on the mobile and is launched in association with Google and is supported by Ufone and P@SHA.

Using Olaround, consumers will not only have instant access to business information, but would also be able to take advantage of the rewards and deals these businesses are offering to Olaround users. For businesses, the application provides an opportunity to connect with consumers’ real time, generating awareness and interest in their products and services and in the process improve customer acquisition and retention using the Deals and Rewards program built into the Olaround platform.

The app already has more than 80+ restaurants and cafes, with 180+ outlets in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad and it’s not going to stop here. We are currently entering into phase two of our project and opening the Olaround platform to businesses other than eateries and soon you’d have your fashion brands and other industry verticals on Olaround, with expansion into other cities also on the cards. To start using the service, one currently needs a Facebook ID for sign up, however, an Olaround login system is under development and will soon be rolled out.

BR: How is Olaround changing the dynamics of the digital culture?

Olaround is on its way to bring every business online by taking away the complex technology barriers, something that Facebook has achieved with much success. Our offering is a little different than that in the sense that Olaround is not just a web platform taken to mobile, but we’re inherently a mobile platform with a web interface providing much more consumer interaction leading towards an actual transaction.

Location relevant information is getting traction all across the globe and that is the essence of Olaround, as the name suggests itself. So when you launch the application on your mobile, depending on your location, it tells you what’s nearby for eating, shopping, entertainment and more. On top of it, as an Olaround customer, you are entitled to instant discounts and rewards at all of these venues.

So instead of status updates, advertising messages and online games, Olaround gives brands the opportunity of not just consumer interaction at a much more advanced level, but also provides a standardized platform for increasing customer loyalty. Brands ROI as a result is quite obvious and transparent taking away the hassle of finding ways to track ROI.

BR: How is Olaround so much fun?

Imagine yourself shopping at StoneAge thrice and on your forth visit, getting a pair of Jeans for free. Isn’t that awesome? So deals and rewards are always fun, but as a consumer, you would now also be able to track all your shopping history, restaurants you most hangout at, shopping you’ve done in the last week, month and so on and so forth, giving you insights on yourself, which was not documented earlier.

Besides being a location based loyalty service, Olaround also acts as a social network, as using the application you are also able to see what your friends are up to and may be get help in picking the best or a new place to eat out. And there is much more to come. 4. Who are you targeting? We’re targeting: • Students looking to save some bucks at the cafes around town. • Ladies looking for best deals at their favorite brands. • Men looking for directions to the nearest Habib Bank ATM. • Friends looking to order McDonald’s at their doorstep. In short, we have something for everyone with an internet (WiFi/ GPRS) enabled iPhone or Android phone (we’re working on releasing the application on other mobiles as well).

BR: Bramerz is quite popular with innovation, constant creativity and a lot of energy. How does Olaround translate into the Bramerz culture

Olaround started off as an experimental project that got serious as the work progressed on the project. We’re always looking to mix fun with work and that reflects in everything we do. Our work space, our team, projects we’ve taken up and products we’ve experimented with. It keeps our young and vibrant team charged and excited, which is a must for any company and more so for a digital shop that aims to be at the cutting edge of technology and innovation.

Olaround gives us all of that as it’s not just digital, we can see the project shaping up in our offline life as well. Just imagine the excitement of something that you have developed being used by others at places you hangout. It’s an amazing feeling and that has brought a new level of excitement and energy into the whole team. Its fun, its challenging, its fulfilling and its everywhere, that’s something we live on and would like to see Olaround us!

BR: How big is the Olaround team?

Currently 22 people make up the Olaround team, with more adding up to support the project.

BR: Tell us more about partners at Olaround

Google, Ufone and P@SHA are the 3 partners supporting the Olaround venture. Google is our main partner and is also funding the project. Ufone is providing us the marketing support on Television and Outdoor and P@SHA (Pakistan Software Houses Association) is supporting the overall initiative as an independent industry body.

BR: How does Google step into the picture?

Google is running a similar initiative in other parts of the world where it is helping build the digital eco-system by providing free websites to SMEs through local partners. Olaround fits perfectly into that initiative and that’s where Google came in as a partner and funded the project.

Google funding means that the businesses that come on board are getting online and mobile presence through Olaround for free by just paying PKR 5,000 as a sign-up fee, which again is reimbursed in the form of online advertising via Google AdWords for the particular brand/ business. Hence a win-win situation for all stake holders as we progress in bringing every business in Pakistan online.

BR: Are you looking to be digital pioneers for a local loyalty culture?

We are aiming to be pioneers in digital. Our offering needs to appeal to consumers and unless there is a connection, nothing works, especially in digital, that’s what we’ve learnt from our experience as a digital agency. We see a lot of potential in the retail sector and smart phone penetration with mobile internet has created an excellent opportunity for us to enter into this segment.

BR: How does the model differ from Foursquare and other similar portals?

The basic concept is similar to Foursquare but Olaround is offering a lot more. Foursquare works on a rather simpler instant deals model and works only on location. Olaround on the other hand gives businesses an opportunity to not only offer instant deals, but also offer a loyalty program linked with rewards against frequency, which is something businesses are really interested in and that is evident by the fact that a lot of businesses are trying to roll out their own loyalty cards.

Secondly, as opposed to check-ins via location/ proximity, Olaround works on QR (Quick Response) Codes making sure the consumer actually is at the business and does make a purchase to be eligible for the loyalty program.

Lastly, Foursquare just provides business location info and that too is mostly provided by users and can be inaccurate at times. Whereas, Olaround goes a step further by providing detailed information including Menus (for Cafes/ Restaurants) and other product/ services information along with pricing etc. Giving consumers the ability to use Olaround as if they are on the business website and hopefully make purchase choices even before they enter the outlet/ business.

BR: Reaching to a smart phone market of about 21.6 million users , are you only looking towards an android penetration?

Android phones have approx. 60% market penetration in smart phone category, however, that’s not our only target. We are already available on iOS (Apple) and will soon be coming up with application for smaller smart phone segments like Blackberry and Nokia.

BR: Is the app available on Blackberry, if so, what are the dynamics?

It is not yet available on Blackberry, though we’re looking into options of releasing one to cater for Blackberry users soon.

13- What are the Olaround surprises for the coming year?

• Application availability on more mobile platforms like Blackberry and Nokia.

• Addition of other industry verticals like Fashion, Make-overs, Cinemas etc.

• Launching the application in other cities of Pakistan.

• Enhanced social interaction within users and with brands.

BR: Will Bramerz surprise the industry with something in the coming year?

Not as yet, but if something excites us we will definitely share it.

BR: A quick take on the digital industry and room for growth?

Digital in Pakistan is on the rise and will continue to take share from other mediums, however, once we have some sort of digital payment solution in the country, that’s when the industry will really explode. We’re already seeing mainstream businesses taking a lot of interest in what digital can do for them and most of them are now willing to experiment and go beyond the standard message interactions on Facebook and Twitter.

A few I know have been trying to experiment with videos, but a lot of others are trying to find that missing link of online orders. Mobile in coming years is going to play a major role in digital and we will see a lot of local apps coming in to fill in this gap.

BR: Any last comments?

Download Olaround (www.olaround.me) and get yourself ready for an awesome experience of unlocking deals and rewards at your favorite brands, make it more fun with your friends. Do keep us posted with your feedback, so we can make it more friendly for your needs.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012