From T-shirt Printer To Misi Delivery Founder

Nur Ahmad Faiz Mohd Azmi has proven that some issues affecting the people can be resolved by the people themselves, without having to wait for solutions from the authorities.

Having frequently heard food delivery riders complain about inadequate pay, as well as merchants lamenting the commissions they have to pay service providers, he made the bold decision to leave the clothing printing business he had operated for two years before the COVID-19 pandemic struck and venture into the gig economy through a delivery service.

Today, Nur Ahmad Faiz's decision to develop and launch the Misi Delivery application during the COVID-19 pandemic has paid off, creating a win-win situation for stakeholders, particularly food delivery riders and vendors.

"During COVID-19, I saw that the only business that could survive was delivery. At the same time, I heard many complaints from riders about low pay, which was sometimes not commensurate with the work involved, besides the various safety risks they faced.

"Then I learned that merchants also had to pay high commission rates to service providers, which reduced their profits. All this motivated me to develop the Misi Delivery application," he told Bernama when met in Puncak Alam recently.

OFFERING A DIFFERENT APPROACH

Unlike similar applications, Nur Ahmad Faiz said the digital platform allows merchants to retain their full profits, while food delivery riders are paid according to the distance travelled.

"Through Misi, merchants can maintain the same prices as those offered at their premises and retain the full profits from their sales, while food delivery riders receive a minimum payment of RM5 for five kilometres, with the rate increasing according to the distance travelled.

"We generate revenue from the fee charged to customers when they place orders through our application," he explained.

Nur Ahmad Faiz Mohd Azmi during an interview with Bernama journalists recently.--BERNAMApix

Now, after almost five years in the market, Misi Delivery has recorded 200,000 vendors and about 40,000 riders across several states, including the Klang Valley, Perlis, Perak and Labuan, with sales amounting to about RM5 million.

Sales generated on behalf of vendors, meanwhile, have reached RM100 million over the five-year period.

In terms of personal income, Nur Ahmad Faiz said he earns about RM300,000 to RM400,000 a month from operating the application.

BUILDING THE APPLICATION

Recounting his journey as a digital entrepreneur, the father of three daughters began developing the Misi Delivery application in September 2021.

The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) holder taught himself how to develop the application through the Internet, using capital generated from his clothing printing business.

"To develop the Misi application, I taught myself through YouTube and referred to a platform called Bubble.io. The platform was relatively easy to use as it did not require specific coding skills.

Through Misi, merchants can maintain the same prices as those offered at their premises and retain the full profits from their sales.--BERNAMApix

"The challenge, however, was that the platform was quite expensive," he said.

Admitting that it took him about a month to develop the application, Nur Ahmad Faiz said he encountered numerous errors along the way, resulting in financial losses, but refused to give up.

"These mistakes increased the cost of developing the Misi application. But that is part of the learning process. I kept trying different approaches and eventually succeeded in creating the Misi application," he said, adding that he spent RM30,000 of his own capital to develop it.

EIGHT-MONTH WAIT FOR FIRST ORDER

After completing the application, Nur Ahmad Faiz said he had to wait eight months before he could establish whether his business model would work.

"At the time, I never imagined that it would be difficult to attract customers to use the Misi application because I was already well known on social media through my clothing printing business. So I was confident that I could persuade my followers to use the new application.

"My assumption was completely wrong. It turned out to be difficult to convince people to try Misi.

"It took eight months before I finally got my first customer," he said, adding that he personally delivered the first order, which was placed in Puncak Alam.

"That first order also showed that the system was working well."

Starting from Puncak Alam, Misi began moving and expanding to Meru, Pulau Indah, Klang and several other areas.--BERNAMApix

Following the first order, Misi began receiving more orders, and Nur Ahmad Faiz said he was grateful that the platform, operated under Bangsa Bertauhid Sdn Bhd, gradually gained acceptance among users.

"Starting from Puncak Alam, Misi began moving and expanding to Meru, Pulau Indah, Klang and several other areas.

"I was extremely grateful because it proved that customers could order food and drinks through Misi and, more importantly, that the platform could create income opportunities for vendors and riders," he said.

Building the delivery platform, however, was not without its challenges. Nur Ahmad Faiz said he faced scepticism and sarcastic remarks about his ability to lead a delivery service, with some even underestimating his potential in the sector.

"I admit that food delivery was a completely unfamiliar field for me, especially since my social media followers had always known me as a clothing printing entrepreneur.

"Suddenly, I switched fields, developed the Misi application and took on established giant companies in the industry.

"Many people criticised me and questioned my ability at the time, saying it was impossible to achieve. Thankfully, I have been able to prove them wrong, judging from the support Misi is receiving today," said Nur Ahmad Faiz, who now has 14 employees managing the application's operations.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

In running the Misi platform, Nur Ahmad Faiz naturally has ambitious dreams and aspirations, one of which is to develop a local economic ecosystem.

He said it was particularly fulfilling to see small-scale entrepreneurs, including those operating businesses from home, generate substantial incomes through the platform.

Nur Ahmad Faiz with Misi Delivery riders---BERNAMApix

"I recently went to the Federal Territory of Labuan to see the rapid growth of Misi there. I met a food vendor who ran a simple nasi katok stall.

"I was surprised when the vendor told me that he received more than 3,000 orders a month through the Misi application. That is an extraordinary achievement," he said.

Apart from Sabah, Nur Ahmad Faiz regularly travels to Perlis, Langkawi, Perak and other states to strengthen Misi's presence while providing support to food delivery riders and merchants to encourage them to continue using the platform.

EXPANDING THE NETWORK

Buoyed by the response, Nur Ahmad Faiz has expanded the range of services offered on the platform since August.

"Users can now access the Misi application not only to order food, but also Misi Business, Misi Services, Misi Home, Misi Community, Misi Job and Misi Express, which was launched on Aug 25.

Misi Delivery has recorded 200,000 vendors and about 40,000 riders across several states, including the Klang Valley, Perlis, Perak and Labuan.--BERNAMApix

"We are expanding Misi's scope to help individuals with specific skills or those offering various services. For example, electricians, plumbers,     masseurs and air-conditioning installers.

"Even if they only possess certain skills and work for someone else, they can still offer those skills to anyone who needs them," he said.

He added that the application also provides information on homestays, rental properties, as well as the buying and selling of houses and land.

Looking ahead to the next five years, Nur Ahmad Faiz hopes Misi will become one of the preferred platforms among Malaysians in the digital economy.