04/14/2020 10:20:00 PM
A few weeks after its initial launch, Store Finder PH has stepped up its game in helping customers find nearby establishments during these tough times.
Most areas in the world are under quarantine and lockdown-related measures. Here in the country, the national government has placed Luzon under Extreme Community Quarantine. This prompt majority of the shops to be closed. All that being said, Good Vibes Digital Philippines launched the Store Finder PH website on 19 March 2020, initially aiming to help locate nearby establishments that are open during the COVID-19 community quarantine.
As the website went life, families with no internet connection seem left behind. However, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, the volunteer-initiated website is able to make its key content available on Facebook Messenger through a chatbot, or a computer robot that replies to messages like a human being.
At present, Facebook Messenger can be used for free as part of the basic service of two of the top telecommunication service affiliates Smart, and Globe, making the store finding-chatbot accessible to more than 44 million phone internet users in the Philippines at no extra cost and even without the need of a mobile plan.
Store Finder PH named its chatbot “Crowdy” to signify the project’s crowd-sourcing nature of collecting information. For anyone to access this feature, they should open the project’s Facebook messenger. After tapping “Get Started”, the user may pick the establishment category and type a location that the chatbot will scan through. A list of search results including grocery shops, restaurants, pharmacies, banks, ATM centers, remittance centers, logistic hubs, and other essential stores is then displayed within seconds. Although the map feature is disabled when on free mobile data, crucial information including business hours are still delivered in text format.
“Our main contribution as millenials to the Enhanced Community Quarantine measure of the government is making tech solutions and life-saving information reach the doorsteps of every Filipino,” said Trinmar Boado, an award-winning Information and Communication Technology (ICT) advocate and leader of the volunteer project.
Boado also said the chatbot is getting a high volume of queries for remittance centers, explaining this must be from parents of stranded students and other individuals sending out financial help.
On Store Finder PH’s website version at www.storefinder.ph, users can see the map of their neighborhood and the exact location of open establishments. They can also chat with other active users within the vicinity to seek any assistance during emergencies.
To start using the Store Finder PH chatbot, open m.me/StoreFinder.PH or fb.com/StoreFinder.PH now.
Author: slickmaster | © 2020 The SlickMaster's Files
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