App Corner: Quick and easy delivery with Pekkish
Published:Sunday | March 31, 2019 | 12:07 AMLatara Boodie - Gleaner Writer
Consumers are often forced to settle because of immobility, lack of food options in their immediate surroundings or wait upwards of three hours for something simple (like pizza) delivered. Pekkish, decided to make this easier by launching their very own food delivery app, which makes food delivery quick and easy within the Corporate Area.
Pekkish officially launched on October 8, 2018, though it took just under a year of planning and app development.
"We wanted to change that. Also, at a global level, there is a noticeable trend, as more and more consumers turn to technology to maximise their resources; both time and money – so it inspired us to develop a line of service that expands customer choices, without the high prices and subpar experience," said Omari Anderson, Co-Owner and CEO.
Features within the app:
1. Secured Payment Gateway/POS System: Pekkish partners with a third-party merchant to handle payment. Several global brands such as: Google, Amazon, and Postmates, use this company.
2. Clean User-Friendly Design: The app’s simplicity makes it easy to navigate.Most of the restaurants feature the same inhouse menu and have clear descriptions to facilitate a confident ordering experience.
3. Option to Customize Menu Items: Some menu items may offer the option for customers to customize them. For example, selecting heat level or toppings, additional notes can also be added to the item.
4. Real Time Updates: Orders are sent directly to the restaurant – there are no middlemen. The app will also send automatic notifications once the order has been:
i. Accepted by the restaurant
ii. Completed and Ready for Pickup
iii. Picked up and is on the way (a SMS text message is also sent at this point)
iv. Arrived at the delivery destination
5. Restaurants are also provided with an app to receive orders and manage their presence on the Pekkish Platform. If an item is out of stock for example, it can easily be turned off which immediately removes it from the Pekkish app.
6. Live Tracking: Through a built-in tracking system, customers and restaurants can track the movements of the Delivery Representative.
7. Schedule Deliveries: Allows for future deliveries (if it is in the same day). This is ideal for busy professionals – they can order lunch in the morning and not have to worry about it throughout the day.
8. Wallet Feature: Customers can add money to the Pekkish Wallet and have the app draw from it instead of charging their card with each purchase. The funds on the wallet never expire and is our alternative to Cash.
What makes this app different?
Pekkish is defined by its operational transparency and commitment to service excellence. As the first company in Jamaica to launch a food delivery app that is compatible with both Android and Apple devices, we will continue to exploit technology to better streamline and expedite the food ordering experience.
Pekkish also allows customers to securely pay for their food online, using any debit or credit card that is approved for online transactions (i.e. it must have a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express logo. ABM cards are not approved for online use and are therefore not accepted). The system can encrypt and store the card information on the app to further simplify future orders.
Once the transaction is successful, the order is sent directly to the restaurant and entered into queue. A delivery representatives will receive a notification that details the order pickup time and location and start making their way to the restaurant. Once the order is ready, the assigned delivery rep will collect the order and transport it to the customer.
The Pekkish Food Delivery app, can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or App Store, or on pekkishjamaica.com. Customers are also able to browse menus of many of Kingston’s hottest restaurants, via the app.