We launched ConfirmTkt.com on july 5th this year.
Just to give a background how it all started.
Me(Dinesh) and Sripad worked together at IBM.We were passionate to startup something.We started thinking of problems.First thing that came to our mind is the problem we face daily with Autos in bangalore. So we came up with this android app Meterup! auto fare in 2011.It gives an estimate fare for auto so you can negotiate with Auto drivers.It didn’t kickoff as we expected.We added taxi estimates also in the same app.Currently it has around 12k downloads.Meanwhile we got stuck with an Idea with trains. Every time we tried to book a train ticket we used to see waiting list.And we used to analyse and predict if train gets confirmed and book our tickets.We thought of building a software which does this instead of we doing it manually.So in late 2012 We started writing software to accumulate data so that we can analyse.We were correct we were able to accurately predict for most of the trains.Provided we have enough data we launched our website ConfirmTkt.com on July 5th 2014 with train waiting list and PNR predictions .
It is hard to promote in the beginning.Initially we posted in various forums and various social networking sites.We hardly got 200 visitors every day after 1st month.We launched our android app in the same month on July 27th.
We were able to get first 1000 downloads in 10 days.We crossed 1000 downloads by August 4th.And by August 21st we were at 1613 downloads.So over all daily usage from mobile was around 200 users and website 200 users.The turning point was on August 22nd when our app got covered in various National news papers.Downloads spiked.People started talking about us.
We launched our windows app and mobile website in September.We felt the mobile users in India have very low bandwidth and we need a very light website for them and we launched it.
And today we see good usage .I am putting some stats as of today
- Android App downloads: 36000(19500 active)
- Website pageviews : ~ 9,81,986
- Website unique visitors: ~86000
- Total PNR queries so far: 4,64,698
- Total train queries so far: 42,08,962
- Daily Average mobile app usage : ~2000 unique users
- Daily Average Website usage: ~1200 unique users
- Windows app downloads:1800
- Android app rating:4.34
Also we included Meterup functionality in our website .We added a new tab for Taxis .We want to monetize with this .Provide functionality for users to book taxis.Also added forum to our website.We have got very interesting features lined up.Adding screenshots of one of the features.Hope you will understand looking at that.
Will write more about them in my next post.So please visit ConfirmTkt.com before you book a ticket.
Updating the stats as of 18th April 2015..Happy predicting..
- Android App downloads: 104311(46439 active)(only from Google play ,15k more from other sources)
- Website pageviews : ~ 1,114,127
- Website unique visitors: ~1,98,400
- Total Mobile App users:1,32,276
- Total Mobile ScreenViews/Total Sessions :9,381,008/2,248,888
- Total PNR queries so far: 17,79,367
- Total train queries so far: 19,084,979
- Daily Average mobile app usage : ~9000 unique users,28,729 sessions,155,183 screen views
- Daily Average Website usage: ~2000 unique users
- Windows app downloads:9483
- Android app rating:4.3
Thanks
–
Dinesh
ConfirmTkt.com
Karan Ahuja
awesome and inspiring 🙂
asha chaudhry
hey dinesh,
congrats on ConfirmTkt.com
quick q – how different are you from salil?
https://www.therodinhoods.com/forum/topics/instantly-predict-final-charting-status-of-indian-railways
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Hi Asha,
We have noticed this site while we were building our algorithms.Basic difference between ours and his is that he uses realtime data for next 10-15 days and predicts where as our algorithms use past 2 years data to predict.Also Our algorithm takes care of various parameters like weekdays,weekends,holidays quota etc to perfectly predict.We will be adding more value to the user with our notification alerts and alternate options ..etc .Lot of interesting feature in pipeline for next 2 years..
Thanks
Dinesh
Shalini
Hi Dinesh,
I personally loved the idea and the problem you are trying to solve :), would surely give a try to your app and return with feedback if any!
So as i understand from your post you only predict and provide information, not bookings? If not then any plans to get bookings onboarded?
All the best.
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Hi Shalini.
Thanks for using it. We cannot handle railway bookings at this time as getting licence is a pain.But have plans to add other bookings like bus as alternate mode.
Thanks
Dinesh
salil
Hi Dinesh
Wishing you the best with this. Do let me know if i can ever be of any help.
really appreciate the effort that you have put in making the android app 🙂
PS: i created pnr.me
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Thanks Salil.
Congrats for Pnr.me .
And wish you all the very best for all your future endeavors.
Thanks
Dinesh
Vivek Agarwal
I like this idea a lot. I am currently pursuing Predictive Analytics course from Northwestern university. I am very much interested to work with you guys. Can I connect with you on mail/phone. My email id: ec.vivek@gmail.com
All the very best!!
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Hi Vivek,
Thanks for your interest.Will send you an email.
Thanks,
Dinesh
arpit shekhar
this is it…awesome
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Thanks Arpit.
Hemant Pamecha
Wonderful application and portal, it helpled me to save time and book train tickets for Gnwl, Pqwl quota. Now we can have some hope to get Rac or confirmed Ticket.
Thanks.
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Thanks Hemant. We will be adding more features soon.
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
An update..Our android app crossed 50,000 downloads last week.Happy Predicting..
https://confirmtkt.com
Hemant Pamecha
Congrats Dinesh
Darshan Bhambiru
Congratulations to Dinesh and Sripad on making it to the list of the Top 14 Startups to look out for in 2015 🙂
Wishing all of You, Your Family and Friends a Happy, Content & Prosperous New Year Ahead!!! 🙂
Cheers!!!
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Thanks Darshan..Just came to know about this from you.
Happy new year to you and your family too..
We have bigger plans for 2015…Fingers crossed 🙂
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Thansk Hemant.
Vikas Jain
Dinesh,
Great initiative. This is definitely a need and as an entrepreneur I had my eyes on building a site with exactly the same functionality. Great to discover that this exists already and wish you great luck. Any plans on an IOS app?
Vikas
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Thanks Vikas,
It is under development.Will be launching by February.
Thanks
Dinesh.
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Salil,
I noticed that your website is down.Did you take it down?
Any reason for that?
Please send an email dinesh@confirmtkt.com
Thanks
Dinesh
Rohit Talekar
Hi Dinesh,
Nice to know about your app.
If you are interested, there is a community of Rail Enthusiasts in India, named IRFCA
http://www.irfca.org
They have a forum too. You can communicate with people interested in all aspects of railways.
Regards,
Rohit
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Thanks Rohit.
Will check that.
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Update..Our android app crossed 100,000 downloads last week.Happy Predicting..
https://confirmtkt.com
asha chaudhry
congrats dinesh! pls update your post as well at the bottom with today’s date for everyone to be able to read!
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Thanks Asha .Will do that.
asha chaudhry
many congrats dinesh and team! just read about the funding!!
do share some of the learnings with us all! would inspire and help others 🙂
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/An-app-to-tell-your-train-ticket-status/articleshow/49200275.cms
Dinesh Kumar Kotha
Thanks Asha.