The Digital Growth Story of Fit Mart Gensan with GCash for Business
Building a family business is one achievement, but growing it through the years speaks volumes about legacy, passion, and adaptability, especially in the fast-evolving world of modern business. Brothers D&D, also known as Fit Mart Gensan, exemplifies exactly that.
Stepping into humble beginnings
Fit Mart Gensan wasn’t always a large company; in fact, it started with a couple, Loreto Ong Chia and his wife Ramona Villaruel, peddling slippers in South Cotabato and North Cotabato between the late 70s and early 80s. Through their diligence and determination, they opened a small footwear store in Koronadal City, which eventually grew into a supermarket and department store in 1985 named Marbel Fit Mart.
Nearly 46 years later, their vision expanded significantly, with Loreto and Ramona entrusting their children with different companies under the Danny Susan Sons & Daughters corporation. Eventually, Danilo Villaruel Ong and Susan Dy Ong were given the responsibility of running Fit Mart Gensan, along with four other businesses, continuing their family’s legacy of hard work and enterprise in the region.
Today, Fit Mart Gensan proudly operates as a one-stop shop for everyday essentials, selling dairy products, fresh produce, and everyday staples like bread, rice, and oil. They also offer personal care and home care products, while continuing to operate their department store with a variety of fashion and retail items available.
Fueled by modernity and progress
Though rooted in decades of tradition, Fitmart has embraced the realities of managing a retail business in today’s tech-driven world, starting with how customers prefer to pay. Facing growing competition from e-commerce platforms offering speed and convenience, the brand recognized a clear shift: more consumers were turning to digital payments for faster, cashless transactions.
“We were primarily influenced to adopt GCash for Business due to the need for faster, more secure, and convenient digital transactions that meet high consumer demand. The shift towards cashless payments, accelerated by the pandemic, made GCash a “must-have” to avoid missing sales opportunities for us,” shares Anne Becodo.
With GCash Soundpay, Fitmart Gensan introduced a more seamless payment experience for their customers. Now they can hear it when a customer pays. They get instant voice confirmation for every successful payment, and both cashiers and customers have greater confidence when at the checkout counters.
“The use of GCash SoundPay reduces checkout times, eliminates the need for physical cash handling, and reduces errors in change, and by accepting cashless payments, businesses can cater to a wider customer base, including those without traditional bank accounts,” adds Becodo.
Aside from GCash SoundPay, the brand has also begun noticing improved operations with the GCash for Business Portal. “The most useful features for us are sales tracking, easy transaction reconciliation, and reduced cash handling. Access to transaction data allows us to analyze customer behavior—such as when digital payments peak and which days have higher cashless sales,” she explains.
The GCash for Business Portal gives businesses access to a dashboard that allows them to track and manage all online transactions in one place. It includes a simple, easy-to-use payments tracker and management system, no wallet limit when receiving cashless payments from customers, and no transaction fees when paying suppliers.
New horizons for a lasting legacy
If there is anything to learn from Fitmart Gensan’s journey, it is that legacy thrives when innovation is embraced. By adopting modern solutions, the company has reduced errors in giving change, eliminated the need for cash, and now serves a more diverse customer base. They also have a partner in GCash for Business to help them meet the ever-evolving needs of consumers and businesses in today’s tech-driven world.
If you are a business owner looking to scale up, signing up on the GCash for Business Portal is as easy as 1-2-3!
- Create an account on the GCash for Business Portal. You can get started as a merchant using just your verified GCash account of at least 12 months to qualify for a Starter Plan.
- Order a GCash SoundPay device.
- Wait for your email confirmation on your GCash SoundPay delivery
For more information on how GCash helps empower businesses, visit GCash for Business and apply through the GCash for Business Portal.
