Students Develop BengCare Application, a Solution for Workshop MSMEs

Team Photo During Offline Expo

Digital transformation is not only happening in large sectors such as manufacturing and information technology, but now it is also touching the automotive MSME sector in Indonesia. One of the latest innovations is the BengCare application, which is designed to help workshop business actors manage their business efficiently, while making it easier for consumers to find trusted workshops.

BengCare is an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)-based application that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to offer digital solutions for workshop business actors. This application not only makes it easier to manage spare part stock and financial management, but also provides a B2C (Business-to-Consumer) marketplace feature that meet customers with trusted workshops. Now BengCare can also be downloaded on the Play Store.

“BengCare presents as a solution for automotive MSMEs, especially small workshops, to enter the digital era. We want to provide convenience in business management while improving the quality of service to consumers,” said Muhammad Farrel Reginaldo Ahnaf, one of the founders of BengCare and a student at Universitas Brawijaya.

The idea to create BengCare was born from the personal experiences of the founders, who are students from other cities. “We once had difficulty finding a trusted workshop when our vehicle broke down in a new city for us. There were concerns about the service price being too expensive or the quality of service being inadequate,” said Farrel.

It turns out that many people experience similar problems, especially those from other cities who often have to look for workshops in foreign places. This is where the idea was born to create an application that not only makes it easier for consumers to find workshops with transparent prices, but also supports the digitalization of local workshops so that they can compete in the modern era.

BengCare Display Photo from users

BengCare was developed by a team of students from various universities, namely Darren Prasetya (Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember); Ileene Trinia Santoso (Ciputra University Surabaya); Andrian (Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember); Riski Ilyas (Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember); Gabrielle Immanuel Osvaldo Kurniawan (Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember); M. Naufal Badruttamam (Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember); Muhammad Farrel Reginaldo Ahnaf (Universitas Brawijaya)

This cross-disciplinary collaboration provides a unique strength for the team to combine expertise in technology, business, and management.

BengCare has several superior features designed to improve workshop efficiency and productivity, namely First, Order Management: Helps workshops manage customer orders digitally; Second, Finance Management: Makes financial records easier to be more structured; Third, Spare Part Stock Opname: Monitors spare part stock in real-time; Fourth, Marketplace (B2C): Brings customers together with workshops according to their needs; Fifth, Worker Management: Manages workshop employees efficiently; and Sixth, Business AI Assistant: Provides data-based business strategy recommendations.

“With these features, we hope that BengCare can help workshops improve their operations, reduce manual errors, and expand customer reach,” explained Farrel.

BengCare Display Photo from workshop provider

BengCare received support from the Bangkit Program, which is a collaborative initiative between Google, GoTo, and Traveloka. This program provides funding, mentoring, and incubation to the BengCare team, which is considered to have great potential to make a real impact in the automotive MSME sector.

However, the journey was not always smooth. One of the main challenges faced by the team was uniting the vision and ideas of members who came from different universities and backgrounds. In addition, developing AI-based technology requires time, in-depth research, and strong technical support.

“With good communication and guidance from mentors in the Bangkit Program, we managed to overcome these obstacles,” said Farrel.

BengCare is expected to not only be a solution for workshop business actors, but also have a positive impact on consumers and the economy as a whole. With digitalization, automotive MSMEs can increase their competitiveness in the national and global markets.

“We hope that BengCare can be an inspiration for the younger generation to create technology-based solutions that are beneficial to society. We also want BengCare to contribute to the goal of the Golden Indonesia 2045 by empowering automotive MSMEs through digital innovation,” said Farrel.

BengCare is proof that technology-based innovation can be a real solution to everyday problems. With a clear vision, strong support, and a spirit of collaboration, BengCare has great potential to digitize the automotive MSME sector and drive the Indonesian economy towards a better future. Initiatives like BengCare show that with hard work and innovation, challenges in the MSME sector can be overcome. It is hoped that BengCare will continue to grow, provide a wider positive impact, and be an inspiration for many people to continue to innovate and create real change. (dilla/UB PR/ Trans. Iir)