PUBLISHED ONMarch 10, 2025 8:00 AMByKimberly FooWriting down orders, counting sticks, and collecting cash - these have long been Lee Bee Hock's to-do list as a hawker.
Starting off selling satay along a five-foot-way, Lee recalls that era when everything was done by hand. At the time, being a hawker required much coordination and mental calculations - she was the chef, accountant and store manager all rolled into one.
"I do almost everything here," says Lee, pointing to her son as the only other person who helps her out at her stall from time to time.
While she used to have to manually count orders, satay sticks and cash to calculate her earnings, advances in technology have transformed the way her stall operates.
Tradition and technology meet
As a one-man operation, Lee recounts how, in the past, she had to jot down orders and payments in a book and store her cash in drawers.
These days, she has a cash register with a point-of-sale (POS) system that helps her consolidate multiple orders, and a buzzer system to alert customers to collect their orders. With prices already set inside the system, she can key in orders efficiently at just the touch of a button.
A PayNow QR code pasted on her storefront has made operations even easier and allowed her to go cashless. "It's the best, we don't even need to collect cash," Lee smiles.
In addition to going on the food delivery platform Deliveroo, the stall even accepts advance orders via a dedicated WhatsApp number.
The power of community
As we move towards a Smart Nation, it's important that we reach out to empower older members in our families and community, to assist them in getting used to new technologies.
"If there wasn't anyone to teach me, I'd probably would not be able to use all these tech stuff," Lee explains. Fortunately, picking up all these new digital tools were made easier with her son's help. He made sure that the digital systems she used, such as QR codes, were set up properly so that there was no additional effort required on her end.
Lee also highlights how most of the instructions for these systems are in English, which could pose a challenge for those who are not fluent in English. She recalls meeting customers who were not familiar with e-payment modes and would rope in other customers to help.
"A lot of these customers would be more than willing to help out, to teach them how to use the tech," she adds.
Further room for growth
What does the future hold in store? For Lee, one of her wishes is to automate the process of flipping satay sticks on the grill.
As to what the next 10 years may bring, she cites the rising trend of people eating out more often or ordering takeaways, and imagines how we may advance to a point where we will not even have kitchens in our houses.
Perhaps, Lee muses, we may one day reach a point where even satay is optimised to be eaten anywhere, anytime - as futuristic and convenient as space food.
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This article is brought to you in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, in support of the Smart Nation initiative to build a thriving digital future for all.
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