THE property market nowadays has become very subdued since the Covid-19 pandemic began in March last year. Indeed, its outlook is bleak and may become more prevalent as more job losses are anticipated.
Some of the property agents are going through a torrid time as their rice bowls are affected following plummeting sales.
The overall transactions for property market are relatively low, disrupted heavily by the unpredictability of this coronavirus.
In an interview with Buletin Mutiara recently, Eugene Khoo shared how he managed to transform himself from a property agent for the past two years to a food blogger and deliveryman during this challenging period.
Prior to that, Khoo, 37, did different jobs to earn a living. On top of that, he also has to take care of his mother, a stroke patient for the last 14 years.
While he is working hard to keep going, he also has a heart for others who are in deep water.
“Since I was small, I have the passion for helping the needy. I want to contribute something back to the society. No matter what we do, we need to emphasise the importance of assisting those in need.
“Likewise, when I joined the property sector two years ago, I always prioritised my clients’ needs and wants.
“However, after the pandemic struck us last year, my sales significantly plunged.
“To be frank, I was really suffering from mental distress during this time and I was looking for a way out. I had also thought of developing an application to promote food, but it is expensive.
“After being clueless on what to do for a period of time, I decided to promote food for several hawkers via Facebook Live. Initially, I was thinking of doing something to occupy my free time.
“However, I began to receive many compliments and orders from my friends. Some had even asked me to deliver food to them, including charging them for delivery,” he said.
Khoo related that he was encouraged by his friends to give it a try.
“After some consideration, I proceeded with my plan to do food blogging plus offering delivery service. Many people are afraid to get out from their doorstep due to pandemic.
“I can be the messenger to deliver the food to my customers while assisting the small hawkers, who have been badly affected. It’s a win-win situation.
“I have helped several people to secure temporary jobs. Also, I have helpers to help me deliver the food too.
“Although their daily earning may not be much, it helps to sustain their living in this difficult time,” he added.
Khoo went on to describe an unforgettable incident involving one of his helpers.
“When I gave him RM10 for a delivery service, he got teary-eyed. Can you imagine the many people out there who are struggling to make ends meet?
“All these have encouraged me to strive to overcome the obstacles that lie ahead of us,” he said.
On his delivery charges, Khoo said he has imposed a reasonable charge compared to some other delivery services.
“For instance, I just add on additional charges of between 15% and 20% for the delivery. At the same time, I am helping the hawkers to promote their food via live session broadcast on my Facebook.
“For now, I am focusing on promoting food on Penang island, but if there is any order from mainland, then I will take it.”
“In this challenging time, we must stay determined. We must never give up no matter how tough the road is,” he said.
For further details, visit his Facebook page at Pattern Gor and You Tube channel at Pattern_gor.
Story and pix by Edmund Lee