I am not a coder so I hired a coder to do an App for me. This App enables motorists send an SMS to the mobile number of the driver to the car blocking his car from driving out using the car number plate. This App is basic now but fully functional. The challenge though is that SMS delivery to MTN numbers is not guaranteed.
What do you think about this App and what more do you suggest we do. How do you think we can overcome the MTN issue. The app is called Repark Mobile App and you can download it from Play Store [here][1]. Only 505kb
Please, where is the link to the app? I think it is a nice concept, but isn’t SMS expensive? Or have the prices gone down? Plus, how many people are willing to trust you by giving you their phone number with respective license plates?
I agree with you.
My Advice for the dude behind this idea.
*You asking for too much info
Why not just ask for my Plate Number only. Registered with my device. Use GCM to send the REPARK notification instead of wasting your money on SMS.
*Its awesome to have thought of this but its not very useful like that. Most Malls and LASTMA-TOLL free parking spaces in Lagos have Security Men than manages this reparkings.
*So, save yourself headache and stress and cost. Dont ask for too much info from your users. My Plate Number is enough for you. You dont need my telephone number, my name sef, You dont need it !
First of all, please don’t shutdown your development because everybody says it’s a waste of time. Thinking differently is important. What you need is to develope deeper. Off the top of my head, A guy parks and the security tells him to dial 334 and register his car for theft insurance or token. 334 retrieves his phone number into your db Or the security asks for his phone number which they normally do. The security texts the phone number / plate number to your 334 or whatever code to register the car. The people who go in search of that car can then search with the plate number. I believe the deeper you go in Research and development, the stronger the possibilities. I think you should offer car parking insurance as a sweetener if you charge NGN50 for the registration. Just go deeper.
I go with @Uduak, don’t stop the development, the idea may not sound good at first but with more research and idea to solve the parking problem might give your app the acceptance it deserve. Honestly, I still get that problem everyday in Abuja when I park in areas where there ain’t security personnel. In regards sending SMS and asking of too much details, I go with @Mustafa_Segun_Azeez, you don’t really need to send SMS, you can create a notification system on the app, all the app needs is to ask for is the vehicle reg number or phone number or both to be able to use it. You really need to add more useful features to the app.
In the TV series Betas (http://m.imdb.com/title/tt3012184/), there’s a similar app to yours (Valet Me). The jab (in the series) was the app eventually solves all parking problems. I’m saying that the data (plate numbers and phone numbers) is more valuable if you can prise it from VIO/FRSC. There are more uses to the data than your parking problem. You’ll pivot fast or be snapped up soon. Just make sure you’re the lone dude writing the govt’s vehicle api.
I am worried about how many people really care about “not blocking” another person’s car . If the answer is a lot. Then you will rock and roll but not after you find a way of matching people’s plate number with their phone numbers.
If not, I see pivoting in your future to something in the realm of “fender-bender/accident” reporting. Let me add “IMHO” here.