Muffin, an app that promises to make planning trips easier
If you have ever tried planning a trip, birthday party or just a simple night out, you will nod your head vehemently in agreement, when I say it's not an easy task. Getting everyone on board with the simple decisions, such as the venue, food, per head cost, will knock the living daylights out of you. However, Muffin team believes it can help. Here's more.
So what is Muffin all about?
Well, it's an app that solves event planning hiccups. To plan an event, you fill in all the details, like the place, time, and choose if it's an eat-out, a birthday party, a weekend trip or such from the given options. Then invite your friends and get the ball rolling. No incessant calls or barraging people with messages and reminders. You just Muffin.
Cake, coffee, sandwich, muffin
Muffin is the brainchild of Amol Potnis, Kshitij Kulkarni, and Akshay Potnis. They wanted to organize a trip and wanted to do so in the most hassle free way possible. So, they created Muffin. Why did they choose the name Muffin? Well, they were having muffins when they came up with this idea. True story! We got hold of Kshitij to talk more about the app.
Why will people use Muffin?
Muffin has two neat features. First is the expense management system, where you can add the bills so that, there is transparency among the group members. The second one is the poll system. For example, chocolate ice-cream or red velvet cake? Let democracy decide! Kshitij says, polls mostly get used in large groups but expense splitting is always there, no matter the group size.
The image sharing feature
Another interesting feature of Muffin, which is quite popular among users, is photo sharing. At every event, everybody ends up taking a lot of pictures, but gathering all those images from everybody is a long and tiresome process. In this app, members of an event can upload pictures to a common album so that, any participant can just browse and download the pictures anytime.
Taking care of the headache
According to Kshitij, they're currently working on the UPI integration into the app to make sure that the person, who has paid the bill, gets paid by the other members instantly. This would solve one of the most uncomfortable post-event problems - hounding people to clear their dues. Muffin also provides ancillary services. Is it a birthday party? Here are those who deliver cakes.
How are they planning to make money?
Providing ancillary services is the most logical way to monetize the app, says Kshitij. After all, it's a win-win situation for both. "People need these services. We know the context and hence can provide good options and savings for our users. The businesses, on the other hand, get qualified buyers," explains Kshitij. Suggestions to save money are always welcome, so it's a good match.
Answering the big question
What stops users from uninstalling Muffin, once the event is over? This happens to a certain degree, Kshitij agrees. But "user reviews show that once people experience Muffin, they tend to use it for more impromptu casual events as well. They might just use expenses and photos in some. May use polls in other," he says.
Future plans
Muffin is now planning to bring in utilities that serve event needs as well as other purposes. Moreover, "We are bringing in event discovery. We will connect people with similar interests. Muffin will essentially bring in a social layer in the context of group plans," Kshitij divulges. The app is currently looking for funding and hopes to finalize a deal in the coming weeks.
