This app gets people to run and rewards them for being active, writes Aznim Ruhana Md Yusup.
CHANG Yi Hern was finishing his degree at Oxford University in 2017 when he was inspired by the mobile game Pokemon Go. He noticed that people started walking around to capture different Pokemon species. He thought that he could use a similar platform to get people to become more active.
So Chang started working on a rewards-based fitness tracking app in March. Despite a short break for a three-month internship stint, he managed to get JomRun live by December. The venture is now based in Cyberjaya with a staff of 15, including in Penang and Kota Kinabalu.
According to Chang, the app targets regular people, those who know it’s important to be fit and like being active. But at the same time, they’re not competitive and don’t take running too seriously. This is reflected in how the app functions. Users can choose the walking or running mode, and their movements will be captured via the smartphone’s GPS feature.
At the end of the activity, users will receive points. These can be redeemed for vouchers, which is the key feature of a rewards-based app.
“Points are determined by distance, speed and elevation as well as time,” says Chang. “For example, if you walk a thousand steps you will earn points. If you run a thousand steps, you will earn more points. If you run uphill, you will earn even more points.”
He adds that if a user sets the app on run mode but it is illogically fast (for example, if he or she is on a train or bicycle), the system will detect that as cheating and the user will not get any points. Chang explains that the app’s points algorithm was derived using his background in biomechanical engineering and that it’s similar to the system used to calculate calorie burn, as found in fitness trackers.
He adds that most JomRun users like to redeem their points for restaurant vouchers, such as the 50 per cent discount at Kenny Roger Roasters. But there are also vouchers for products and services such as gym classes.
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Since last year, JomRun has expanded its functionality to include a list of events that users may want to join. These are mostly small-scale events with short distance runs, such as 5km or 10km, also known as fun runs.
Examples include the Forest Fun Run Kuching in November, the Flamingo Run in Cyberjaya in December and Bulan Sukan Negara Fun Run in Sungai Petani, Kedah at the end of October.
“We used to be very Klang Valley-centric,” says Chang “But this is why we have people in Penang and Kota Kinabalu so we can reach out personally to organisers in different states. This also helps us understand the local market.”
The list has information such as date, time, categories and entrance fees. What’s most useful is that users can sign up for these events directly from the app and make their payments online.
“Once that is done, the user will receive an e-ticket through the app which they use to collect the race kit. We have about 70 to 80 events nationwide per month listed in the app, including some golf and cycling events,” says Chang.
He adds that JomRun has more than 100,000 active users and one event can see thousands of people signing up directly from the app. But Chang is also excited to see how the app is nudging people towards a fitter lifestyle.
“Users who perhaps are not very sporty might first be attracted to the reward vouchers. But to earn that, they need to be active. So they start earning points but it’s not enough for what they want so they run more often, or join one of the listed running events.
“After a successful and enjoyable first run, they use the app to look for another event. Then they sign up, run and earn even more points. This ecosystem is what makes our app stand out compared to other ticketing platforms.”