We live in an era of social media, we find ourselves caught in the world of new apps and gadgets. A thin line today remains between the public sphere and the private sphere. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we have an application that helps us to demarcate between the two. On the 13th edition of Friendly Fridays we have amongst us one of the makers of a new and innovative dating app caked ‘Clickin’ Keep Scoring’- Sitara Mulchandi. Sitara and her better half (Nikhil Mulchandani) came up with this crazy idea and decided to work on it and moreso develop an interesting application.
With a new idea in the market, they developed an app and were one of the few lucky ones who get selected to launch their app in one of the biggest Tech-fest in the world in Dublin. We are very fortunate to have an opportunity to chat with Sitara. Let’s see what she has to say to our readers!
ED Team: firstly we would like you to to tell our readers what the app is all about?
Sitara: Clickin’ Keep Scoring is the next generation in messaging apps. This “gamified messaging” app lets you give, earn and trade points against one another – turning every conversation into a game of numbers. There is even a social network built in so users can share these points with their followers.
For example:
Kept waiting again? Don’t message repeatedly asking where someone is. Send minus points!
Did your boyfriend send you a cute note in class? Can’t hug him to say thanks, don’t just send an emoticon – use numbers. Why not take a pic of the note and send points with the image. You can even share this image and points with your friends.
Want a boys night out and the girlfriend is complaining? Don’t beg. Bargain. Offer her 20 points and see what she says.
ED Team: A dating cum gamefied messaging application! That sounds interesting, how did you come up with the idea? Is it true that your own relationship functions fruitfully with the help of the app?
Sitara: Yes! Absolutely! Well coming up with the app is actually an interesting incident, once Nick (Nikhil- co-creator) and I started fighting over something. I got so angry at him that I yelled -10 points and slammed the phone. He called back and responded by saying -8 for being a premature drama queen. Nick and I are really competitive; we actually started keeping scores to see who was a better girlfriend/boyfriend (giggles). We actually maintained a Google doc regularly and recorded what the other one did well and what not.
For example I asked him to wake me up at 8:00 am, but he forgot (obviously), so I gave him -8 with the title ‘Failed Alarm Clock’.
It is then when we realise that this is a wonderful idea, both of us discussed it with a couple of people who found it interesting. We met and app developer and that’s how the whole thing started.
ED Team: How have you anticipated that people in India would receive an app such as this one?
Sitara: Well trying and testing model has to be initiated with almost every app to find out the thoughts and opinions of your target audience. I believe that this is an idea that could actually improve the way of communication in an effective manner. Like take the case of using emoticons, when someone uses a particular emoticon, you cannot judge how angry or happy or sad they might be. But when you use numbers instead it helps in quantifying emotions. So I believe people here would like the app, there is a need to make them used to the concept.
ED Team: The concept sounds great to me! Also, what makes Clickin stand apart from other dating applications in the market like “Couple”, “Between” and others?
Sitara: Okay what we have observed is there are two types of dating apps that are available,
a) Where you can meet strangers and have an opportunity to go out with them on dates.
b) There are certain apps that are hardcore dating apps, where you can maintain a private relationship with that one special person.
Clickin’ falls somewhere in the middle, it’s not just an application for couples, rather I believe it’s for those non-coupley couples more who would like to laugh out, have fun!
ED Team: It’s not just for all the mushy stuff basically, there’s so much more to it. So apart from the people in a relationship, who else is this app positioned to target?
Sitara: It is basically for people whom you message the most, you could use clickin with your boyfriend or girlfriend, but like I said earlier it does not get restricted to that. You can use this app and have fun with your sister and your close friends, your other couple friends.
ED Team: The name ‘Clickin’, keep scoring’ is a very interesting one, What is the idea behind the name and Who came up with it and how?
Sitara: Haha! Actually Nick came up with the name of the app, its actually two folded. Firstly this is originally from an Axe commercial and secondly it’s a play on the words. Like Clickin-who do you click with the most and keep scoring is for having to give and score points in your different relationships!
ED Team: The app was launched in Dublin amongst a number of apps at one of the biggest tech-fest in the world, how was the whole experience?
Sitara: It was a great experience. The Web-Summit is actually the largest Tech-Fest in the world; you have to apply to get in. Clickin’ was fortunate enough to win a place. What boosted up our confidence and took us to another level is that the app was very well received. We were given features in certain magazines as well. So overall it was a never to forget experience.
Ed Team: The future for something so new may seem to be scary, what are your plans regarding the future?
Sitara: The future is scary, unnerving, exciting and I am hoping amazing as well. We want to work to take Clickin’ to the next level. So in the course of time we want to work on it, test it, break it, fix it and make it a success.
ED Team: How does it feel to venturing into establishing your very own start up?
Sitara: It is exciting, but as of now I would like to shift it from a start up to a full grown company in the near future.
ED Team: One piece of advice you would like to give to budding entrepreneurs?
Sitara: Do It! There’s this quote that Nick believes in and it’s the perfect inspiration for young entrepreneurs.
“Entrepreneurship is living your life like most people won’t. So that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t “.
ED Team: Those words are sure inspiring! What is your core belief in life?
Sitara: My core belief in life is that whatever one does in life, he or she should try to do it right.
ED Team: Where does your ultimate aim in life lie?
Sitara: My ultimate aim in life lies to reach a stage of contentment. To be happy, but most importantly I want to be happy with my own self.
ED Team: What do you have to say about Friendly Fridays?
Sitara: I think it is a wonderful initiative; the platform that Economy Decoded provides young and talented individuals is remarkable.
A video that will tell you about the concept behind Clickin’ and how it works!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46iDda4Y_R8
Like Clickin’ on Facebook :
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clickin-Keep-Scoring/627229503987907?fref=ts
Link to their Website:
http://www.clickinapp.com/index.html
Follow them on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ClickinApp
