Sandbox Somerset, organised by Invade in partnership with Somerset Belt, and powered by the National Youth Council, is an annual event featuring 100 Somerset Youth founders spanning across the Creative, Retail, and F&B industries.

Sandbox Somerset celebrates the milestones that these founders, aged 35 and below, have achieved, and also serves as the platform to enable and present these inspiring founders as the next generation of industry leaders, allowing them to share their stories and innovations with everyone through the various activations such as network sharing, pop up opportunities, panel programs, and mentorship lined up for the event.

Source: https://sandboxsomerset.com

YQueue allows the app user to order their meals for pick up later without having to queue up. This also allows F&B outlets to prevent long lines and manage their resources more efficiently. Damian Sim, YQueue’s Chief Partnership Officer shares more.

1. Tell us about YQueue and its solutions.

YQueue is an all-in-one solution with an ecosystem of integrated offerings for F&B merchants. We are here to tackle challenges faced by F&B merchants experiencing growing issues of time-constraints, difficult recruitment and lack of customer loyalty. With YQueue’s mobile application, the use of location-tech allows YQueue to fulfil proximity listings of F&Bs for user convenience. We are constantly improving and evolving to support the F&B industry with sustainable growth via enhanced efficiency.

2. What is something about YQueue that the general public might not know about?

We wear many hats as a platform mobile application, QR ordering solution, Kiosk ordering solution and POS system. We also offer free hardware/software & maintenance, even for commonly costly items such as like self-ordering kiosks. This reduces the cost barrier and eases the adoption process!

3. What are some challenges you have faced in your work?

Consumer behaviour habits in Singapore are difficult to change and we recognise the time and effort required for the adoption of new technology in the F&B industry.

4. How has your experience with GeoWorks been?

It has been great working alongside all the GeoPartners. Connecting with people that share the same motivations keeps YQueue inspired, opening up a plethora of ideas that YQueue can potentially explore.

5. How does geospatial technology help you in your work?

Geospatial technology has created more opportunities for YQueue to increase convenience for our consumers. It is also surprisingly prevalent in our everyday lives, giving us newcontaining ideas that we can relate which we have learned to relate to and apply quickly.

6. Are there any challenges that come with working with geospatial technology?

Geospatial technology is a growing technology, and we are curious about its accuracy at its current state in some dense city-dense locations.

7. In your opinion, what skills are needed to work in the geospatial industry?

Having the empathy to understand consumer needs to ultimately improve consumer adoption. The creativity to manoeuvre legacy systems and mindsets is imperative too.

8. Do you have any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Prepare to be knocked down, repeatedly and relentlessly. The cycle repeats but as long as you are resilient and don’t give up, the verdict is never failure!

Name: Damian Sim

Company: YQueue Singapore Pte Ltd

Designation: Chief Partnership Officer

https://www.yqueue.co/

source from https://www.sla.gov.sg/geoworks/settings/archives/may-2020/meet-a-geoworks-geotech-yqueue

Singapore, 25 February 2020 – According to the snap poll done by the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS) from 10-13 February 2020, close to 60% of the restaurants in Singapore stated that they are expecting revenue to be halved in the next three months due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)^[1]. Many of these players have since turned to alternative sources of off-premise business such as takeaways, and one of such companies that many restaurants have been approaching would be YQueue—an all-in-one integrated solution provider for restaurants. The benefits from these solutions stand out in times like these, when restaurant owners face problems with manpower, sales, and ultimately their bottom-line. 

In addition, YQueue is offering to waive their service fees to their merchants for two months^[2] to help them tide through this period, on top of their free hardware, software and maintenance.

Minimising Human Contact Between Customers and Service Staff

YQueue’s operation model promotes the F&B business to drive sales while keeping human-to-human interactions to the minimum. Businesses can tap on services such as: app-listing, web-based QR ordering, Kiosk ordering and more, where customers are able to complete the whole ordering and payment process without human interaction.

Through YQueue, customers can pre-order on the app and takeaway items without having to queue, minimising interactions with the service staff. 

With the dine-in option, customer-staff interaction is reduced as diners order and pay independently on their mobile phones through a designated QR code displayed at each table, which does not require any downloads. Once orders are ready, the restaurant staff serves the food to the diner, or the diners can collect their food from the collection point.

Reducing Manpower Dependency

YQueue can also help business operators to reduce manpower dependency by providing a cashless environment that will remove the need of having cashiers and order-takers. With a platform that shows the daily transactions and being integrated with a cloud-based accounting software, businesses can reduce the amount of physical contact between staff and diners, whilst ensuring the smooth running of operations.

“In the current situation where diners are cutting-down on restaurant dine-ins, and prefer to have minimal human interactions; YQueue would like to help both the customers and merchants tide through this period”, said George Lim, Director of YQueue. “As a solution-provider with cost-management and customer experience in mind, YQueue would like to take this opportunity to promote digitalization in the F&B industry.”

^[1] From 1^st March 2020 to 30^th April 2020 

^[2] Announced at the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS) Press Conference on 13 Feb 2020

Source URL:
https://techcoffeehouse.com/2020/02/25/supporting-fb-businesses-through-the-virus-outbreak-season-with-yqueue-solutions-to-reduce-human-touch-points-for-ordering-payment-and-reduce-manpower-reliance/

From building and selling a firm and bungalows, George Lim is now into a tech start-up business

George Lim looks like your average friendly uncle, togged out in a well-worn cotton shirt, comfortable chinos and loafers.

Those who know their watches may notice the only thing betraying him as a man of some means: a discreetly sporty Vacheron Overseas Chronograph Perpetual Calendar on his left wrist. One of only 80 limited edition pieces, it retails for nearly $100,000.

Truth is, the 67-year-old is a wealthy man. He didn’t strike the lottery or have an unexpected windfall. He became rich the tried and tested way: through hard work, big smarts and dollops of good luck.

He started out in life as a kampung boy, cut his teeth as a technician, put himself through university and worked as an engineer before setting up his own company selling valves and other products for the oil and gas industry.

After he sold the business for a pretty penny, he used the money to buy land and build good class bungalows, the profits of which multiplied his wealth many fold.

With nice homes here and in Australia, he and his wife could live out the rest of their days in extreme comfort. But resting on his laurels was a decidedly unattractive option, so in 2016, when he was 64, Mr Lim decided to try the start-up life.

He launched YQueue, an online ordering and payment solutions platform for the food and beverage industry. Among other things, he hopes the platform will help ease woes plaguing the industry such as manpower shortage, sloppy service standards and administrative inconveniences.

The ride has been bumpy because the start-up is operating in a highly competitive space. But Mr Lim is not daunted. He enjoys grappling with daunting challenges.

Chatty and congenial, he is the youngest of seven children.

His father made a humble living, first supplying nuts, and later curry pastes and pickles, to provision shops and eateries.

Mr Lim remembers waking up to the sound of kerosene stoves being pumped every morning as his parents started frying peanuts and cashew nuts in woks.

“We’d then help to pack them in small plastic bags before going to school,” he says, adding that the family lived in Tanglin Halt before moving to a house in a kampung in Kembangan.

His parents, he says, worked hard to raise seven children.

“We were poor but not destitute. Sometimes my father would find it hard to collect payment. I remember him coming home with a cash register one day because one of his vendors couldn’t pay him,” he says.

Life was carefree in his kampung except for a brief spell in the 1960s when Singapore was gripped by ethnic tensions.

“There was a very tense period in the kampung after a Chinese charcoal seller was killed,” says Mr Lim, who attended three different primary schools – St Joseph’s, St Anthony’s and St Stephen’s.

He completed his secondary education at St Patrick’s with mediocre O-level results which qualified him for only a two-year certificate course in mechanical engineering at the Singapore Polytechnic (SP).

“It was the first intake. They took in 600 students but only 300 remained in the second year,” he says, grinning.

After graduating, he landed a job as a technician with German camera manufacturer Rollei, which was persuaded by the Economic Development Board to set up a production centre here in 1971.

Pretty adroit with his hands, he acquitted himself well at the company where he worked for three years. During this period, he took night classes and obtained a diploma in mechanical engineering from SP.

National service came next, and he found himself selected for Officer Cadet School. The training, he says, benefited him tremendously.

“They put you through training to get the best or worst out of you. I also learnt to relate to all types of people,” he says, adding that the interpersonal skills he picked up were very useful when he later became a boss.

In the meantime, he squirrelled away his monthly officer’s pay.

By the time he completed national service, he had just enough savings to pay for a one-way ticket to London on Aeroflot as well as a year’s board and tuition at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, where he had enrolled for a degree in mechanical engineering.

“By the time I finished my first year, I had shoulder-length hair. There was no money to go to the barber,” he says with a guffaw.

During term breaks, he headed for London, where he put in 13-hour days washing dishes in an Italian eatery. The wages were used to pay for the rest of his school fees, and also fund a one-month back-packing holiday in Europe.

On his return to Singapore in 1979, he worked for a year in a British marine engineering firm. A friend next employed him to market a valve for the next three years.

By then, he was married to a banking executive.

Mr Lim’s next move was to set up his own company, Fortim Engineering, selling valves and other engineering parts for the oil and gas industry in 1986.

His first office was his home.

“I had a few regular customers who would give me small orders,” he says.

One day, a supplier told him his boss might have misgivings dealing with someone operating from his home. That prompted him to rent an office in West Coast.

There was no looking back after that.

The business turned profitable within half a year and expanded quickly. It did so well that he could afford to buy a 6,000 sq ft commercial space to house his operations.

By 1999, what started as a one-man operation had a staff strength of 30 and a turnover of more than $15 million. He then sold Fortim “for more than $10 million” to Dutch corporation Transmark, which continued to employ him for the next five years.

The sale of his company caused him some anxious moments.

While waiting for it to be finalised, he successfully tendered for and paid $18 million for a bungalow sitting on a 48,000 sq ft piece of land in upscale Belmont Road.

Homes, he believed, would make sound purchases and offer great returns in land-scarce Singapore.

Mr Lim had several sleepless nights when Transmark suddenly wavered in its decision to purchase Fortim. Luckily, it went through with the deal.

He later divided the plot of land into parcels and spent $5 million to build three good class bungalows which he sold for a total of $33 million.

“I got a kick out of doing that. I really enjoyed it because I could make some money and keep myself busy,” says the enterprising man, who next bought a 44,000 sq ft piece of land in Leedon Road for $24 million before dividing it up to build two houses which sold collectively for about $54 million.

In the past 15 years, he has developed and built 15 good class bungalows in Singapore and four in Australia, with several setting sales benchmarks. In June 2018, he sold a newly built bungalow at Jervois Hill for a record $2,729.52 psf.

Property developing, he says, is not without risks.

He once said in an interview he was 50 per cent leveraged based on the property costs. But he also believes that demand for luxurious homes will continue to grow in tandem with a growing pool of wealthy people.

Many of the houses that he has built have been awarded Green Mark Platinum certification, the highest accolade for green features under the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark rating system.

“I was an early adopter of green technology. I put solar panels, collect rain water, don’t use chlorine in pools. I try to include what I think is important in life,” he says.

His own home in Leedon Park boasts an eye-popping 6m-by-4m aquarium.

The nest egg Mr Lim has built is big enough for him and his wife to spend the rest of their days taking vacations, sipping pina coladas and admiring the koi he loves so much.

But Mr Lim, a permanent resident in Australia where he now spends half of his time, is a man driven by curiosity and a love for technology.

“I keep reading about these new things,” he says, referring to tech start-ups. “And I thought to myself it is something that I could do.”

In 2016, he decided to build YQueue. The decision to do something in the food and beverage industry is probably driven, in part, by his own experience.

He once ran, unsuccessfully, a restaurant in Parkway Parade called Coachman Inn and knows the challenges faced by restaurants, chief of which is the difficulty in recruiting staff.

Many operators, he says, also think naively that they will succeed because they cook good food.

“But without good staff and good service, the customers won’t come back.”

He has several reasons for starting YQueue, chief of which is to help F&B operators tackle labour problems and embrace the digital era.

The system that he and his team have developed handles pre-ordering, ordering, self-collection, payment through apps, QR codes and kiosks.

Over the past few years, he has poured in nearly $6 million into his brainchild, which he hopes will allow F&B operators to focus on what should be most important: food and service quality.

The company employs about 30 people in its offices in the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Singapore.

YQueue has more than 100 signed merchants including Subway in Singapore and another 100 in the Gold Coast. About 25 kiosks installed with the software have also been placed in the city and on campuses including National University of Singapore and Singapore Management University.

Why not be an angel investor and put money in interesting ideas instead of working so hard in a start-up?

Money, he says, is not a problem.

“And if it is something I can achieve, it would be nice to have,” he says with a grin.

Mr Lim, who does not have any children, wants to spread his wealth around but is still deciding how he should best do it.

“I don’t believe in giving money to charity unless it’s a charity which helps people improve themselves,” says Mr Lim who has helped his wife set up a dairy farm employing 20 people as well as a paving factory in Uganda.

The way he looks at life, he says, is simple.

“If you know there is a way to improve it, you just do it.”

Source URL:
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/meet-george-the-builder

Why spend time waiting in line for your food when you can skip the queue! YQueue is a mobile app that allows you to pre-order and pay for your food without being on location. Kevin Lee & George Lim, Co-founders of YQueue shares more. 

Radio Podcast:
https://omny.fm/shows/money-fm-893/influence-beat-the-queue-with-yqueue

Source:
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/cna938/money-mind

GOLD Coast start-up YQueue is the latest entrant to the food and beverage service space with its innovative app already used by 100 businesses. The George Lim-founded start-up offers an app enabling users to order, pay, and collect at restaurants and cafes without any need to queue or wait in line. The business, which has its accounts team based in Southport, also offers a fully integrated point-of-sale system for merchants, which can streamline the ordering and payment process via the use of tablets and in-store self-service kiosks. YQueue launched on the Gold Coast in October this year but the app was actually first trialled in Singapore in 2017.

“Singapore went extremely well. We have a few hundred businesses using it,” YQueue national sales manager Jay Nathwani said. “What we offer the business is the option to reduce operational expenses. Staff can spend more time on other tasks rather than taking orders.” Alister Thomson, Business Editor, Gold Coast Bulletin. Tired of queuing to order at restaurants and cafes? A Gold Coast start-up has just the app for you. BUSINESS YQueue start-up launches on Gold Coast with clever idea for skipping restaurant and cafe queues Mr Nathwani said that because Mr Lim hailed from the Gold Coast, it seemed a natural choice for the second launch location. He said 115 restaurants and cafes had come on board and were using the app.

YQueue charges a 5 per cent commission on transactions, including bank fees, something, Mr Nathwani argues, that is mutually beneficial for the vendor and client. “We want to provide businesses with a model that helps them. We would rather have as many businesses as possible (paying 5 per cent) using the app and only then would we see a return.” He said there were no set up costs for the restaurant with YQueue providing the tablet and back-end support. “There’s a lot in the media recently about how companies like UberEats are negatively impacting small businesses on the Gold Coast by charging commissions of up to 35 per cent plus GST and delivery fees, which leaves very little in the way of a profit margin for the business itself.

“Instead, we want to give struggling cafes and restaurants an opportunity to grow their businesses and make a profit, by bringing customers to their doors and not relying on third party representatives.” So far there have been 1000 downloads of the app. However, Mr Nathwani said the company planned in the future to focus on the fully integrated point-of-sale systems with the app becoming a complementary product. YQueue has started to roll out its self-service kiosks and plans to expand to Brisbane. Espresso Moto’s Jordan Stubbs said using YQueue was a big advantage. “With YQueue, there is no taking of the order required which increases efficiency because I don’t have to keep an eye on the tablet and the customers,” Mr Stubbs said.

Source URL:
https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/business/yqueue-startup-launches-on-gold-coast-with-clever-idea-for-skipping-restaurant-and-cafe-queues/news-story/f81bec09f1f8cf99a7325b2f514a9c9b

One of our GeoTech, YQueue is currently running a 20% promotion with PizzaHut, Hitoyoshi Ramen and The Green Bar for this period of October (until 27 Oct) and they would love to extend the promotion for our GeoWorks Community!

How to order:

Step 1:
Download the YQueue app, or click on the links below if you’re on your desktop. QR ordering also available in GeoWorks office!

The Green Bar : https://www.yqueue.co/sg/menu/the-green-bar-alexandra-retail-centre

Hitoyoshi Ramen  : https://www.yqueue.co/sg/menu/hitoyoshi-ramen-mapletree-business-city-pasir-panjang

Pizza Hut: https://www.yqueue.co/sg/menu/pizzahut-psa-building-alexandra (or simply head to the kiosk in the office if you’re craving for some pizzas )

Step 2:
Browse through the menu, order and pay

Step 3:
Kick back as you wait for your order to be ready (there will be a notification if you order via the app!)

Step 4:
Head down to the outlet to collect your meal.

Enjoy your meal, and time saved! 

Source URL: https://geoworks.sg/2019/10/10/yqueue-offers-20-promotion/

Sharing the low-down on the SG Food App scene, along with their respective Telegram promo channels (some of them seem really new though). Feel free to add on and share whatever else you know of 🙂

Delivery

· Grab (no introduction required. the one app to rule them all)

· Deliveroo (strong in CBD/town area)

· FoodPanda (strong in heartlands)

· Honestbee (ceased food delivery. grocery delivery still available)

· WhyQ (hawker delivery)

· Porterfetch (late night delivery 8pm-3am)

· Makan Kaki (hawker delivery) @sgmakankaki

· Bungkus (halal food delivery)

· Plum (delivery to CBD. Pulled out of SG Jan 2019)

Dabao/Takeaway in advance

· Eatsy (pre-order & pick up) @eatsyapp

· Waitrr (mobile food ordering)

· Mealpal (meal subscriptions starting from $7.99 per meal)

· Nomnomby (meal subscriptions starting from $7.99 per meal)

· YQueue (partners exclusively with DBS)

· CIRCL (mobile food ordering)

· Xindots (hawker fare)

· CutQ (pre-order & pick up. recently acquired by Fave)

Promotions / Deals

· Eatigo (off-peak discounts up to 50%) @eatigo_sg

· Fave (discounted deals up to 70%) @favesingapore

· Entertainer (1-for-1 deals. annual subscription)

· Burpple Beyond (1-for-1 deals. monthly/annual subscription) @burpplebeyond

· HungryGoWhere (reservations & vouchers)

· ShopBack Go! (earn cashback offline) @SBsmarterway

Reservations

· Chope (reservations & vouchers) @ChopeDeals

· Quandoo (reservations)

· HungryGoWhere (reservations, reviews & deals)

Reviews / Discovery

· HungryGoWhere (reservations, reviews & deals)

· Burpple (recently launched Burpple Beyond 1-for-1) @Burpple

· MUNCH (food discovery) @dontthinkjusteat

· MUNCH (food discovery) @dontthinkjusteat

Source URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/byveew/compilation_of_the_best_food_apps_in_singapore/

A new food ordering app called YQueue is set to launch on the Gold Coast in May. The recent start up has seen a successful first launch in Singapore and nowthe founder George Lim looks to recreate that success in Australia. YQueue has been designed with the local food and beverage merchants in mind,as well as the consumer, which is what is setting it apart from other big names in the food ordering game, according to Hannah Churcher, Nishi Ratnayake (Account Executives) and Jay Nathwani, National Sales Manager. They spoke to us about the upcoming May launch, the platform’s Unique Selling Points(USPs) and YQueue’s future expansion.

Tell us about the launch in Singapore – how successful has YQueue been there so far?

The platform was officially launched in Singapore in the third quarter of 2017. YQueue currently has over 100 signed merchants across Singapore and we already have over 35 signed on the Gold Coast in Australia, despite not officially launching till May. The popular bubble tea establishment ‘Each A Cup’ had 942 orders, 356 unique customers and saved 30 hours per month on the YQueue platform. Additionally, the entire Singaporean Subway franchise has successfully adopted the YQueue platform which has been especially fruitful on their University campuses.”

Why have you chosen to expand into Australia and why now?

“Singapore and Australia were chosen as the founder of YQueue, George Lim, has successful businesses and relationships in both countries. It made sense for us to start in these locations before rolling out to other international cities. “Our developers are located in Brisbane and hence rolling out a platform here makes sense in terms of testing, adoption and local support which we understand is a priority for Australian business owners. “Australian businesses in the food and beverage industry, suffer from high labour and overhead costs, often finding it hard to survive. Our platform, if fully embraced, can and will help the owners. We understand that business is changing rapidly and keeping up with the latest advancements and automating various processes and functions will develop a competitive advantage.”

How is YQueue different to companies such as Uber Eats and MenuLog?

“Our unique selling proposition is to provide an all-in-one solution that provides the equivalent benefits and functionalities to both endusers and businesses who partner with us. “We have seen a pattern of small businesses simply being provided with a channel and promised a percentage increase in sales revenue.

“We’re different because provide a solution which gives businesses the capacity to reduce their operational costs, streamline their systems and operations, and ultimately provide them with the opportunity to provide their respective clientele with the best possible experience. “Our hyper-localised approach in dealing with businesses face-to-face paired with our ongoing support not only technically but also in marketing and sales consultancy sets us apart from competitors. Each business will have temporary YQueue support staff, to assist in setup and implementation of the YQueue platform before and during the launch promotional period.

“The app features in-built CRM which provides businesses with a direct marketing channel to strategise and communicate with theirr clientele.

“We also have apayment management system that has both local and international providers including DBS, Alipay, Google Pay, Amex and WeChat Pay; this ensures we can continue a relationship with the international tourism market which is a huge part of Australian revenue.” How are you spreading the word about the May launch?

“Our marketing strategy is multi-faceted and contains no predominant channel or tactic. We are using business partnerships with other start ups such as YesThanks Australia, influencer marketing, social media paid and organic promotion and different events to increase brand awareness.”

What are YQueue’s plans for the next five years?

“The plan for the next five years is to constantly grow the capacities of the YQueue application.

“Certain technical developments we can foresee include our ‘delivery’ functionality, where partnered businesses can utilise internal staff as their delivery drivers. Our application roadmap also includes booking table reservations and further down the line there will be lots of exciting add-on features in the third quarter of 2019 and 2020.

Singapore and Australia were picked as the initial launchpads for the platform and we are in talks about having the USA and London as our next targets.”

Source URL: https://dynamicbusiness.com.au/leadership-2/entrepreneur-profile/meet-yqueue-the-new-competition-for-uber-eats-and-deliveroo.html

Now with the YQueue app, you can simply OrderPay-Collect [take-away/self-service], or SeatOrder-Pay [dine-in]—and gain those precious moments with good company, or just a much needed ‘me time’. While it originally served the community in the university campus space, YQueue has since expanded, and now connects the ‘worker bees’ or neighbourhood crowd with their favourite bites.

From now until 12 October 2018, YQueue is offering a joint promotion where the highest spending customer wins a pair of Scoot vouchers worth S$1,000 on top of 25% discount o participating merchants!

*Limited to the first 250 redemptions per participating merchant, do download the YQueue app now and order from the following curated merchants. Starting from 13 October 2018, our readers can use our code “YQLIC” to enjoy 25% discount on all merchants in the app. This is limited to the rest of 200 orders. In the cart, simply use the promo code “YQLIC” before you place your order.

P.S. Follow YQueue on Facebook to nd out more, and so that you won’t miss out on exciting stu like the monthly giveaways to stand a chance to win a 49” LG TV in the month of October!

Source URL: https://www.ladyironchef.com/2018/10/yqueue-singapore/