How to use Business plan

Step by step

Part A. Start: open your business plan

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   Open My tools

   On Home, tap All ten tools: My tools. (Or tap Menu, then My tools.)

   Tip: Already started? Home shows Business plan under Continue: tap it to go straight back.

   
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   Open Business plan

   Under Plan my business, on the Business plan card, tap Start (later the button says Continue).

   
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   Your business plan page

   This is the home of your plan. At the top it says how many parts are done, for example "43 of 44 parts done".

   
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   Continue where you left off

   Tap the big button Continue where you left off. It opens the next part to fill in.
   Below it, What to fill in next lists the next parts: tap one to open it.

   Tip: The very first time the big button says Tell us who buys from you or Tell us when your plan starts: answer that first, because your figures are worked out from it.

   
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   The 8 parts of your plan

   Under The parts of your plan are the 8 parts: Your business, Operations, What you sell, Who buys from you, Your people, Expenses, Assets and Funding Structure, What could go wrong. Each says how many are done (for example 6 of 6).
   Tap a part to open it. Each tab says Done, Almost or To do. Tap a tab to open it.

   
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   Who buys from you?

   Tick everyone who pays you. The spaza ticks Individuals only. Tap Save.

   

Part A, part 1 of 8. Your business

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   What we know about your business

   Check your business name, what it does and where you are. To change something, tap Change something.

   
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   Change one answer

   Each answer has its own Change this button. When all is right, tap Done.

   Tip: If the kind of business is wrong (the example says "Filling Stations with Convenience Stores"), tap ask us at the bottom of this screen and a person will put it right.

   
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   Dates

   Type the month your plan starts and the end of your first year. Example: start 01 Dec 2026, first year end 28 Feb 2027, 5 years. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

   
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    Organisational Details: open it

    Tap Edit next to your business.

    
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    Organisational Details: fill in

    Type your registration number (example 2022/000000/07), the date registered, your address, phone and e-mail.
    Choose your Province first, then your District, then your Municipality, one after the other. Each list fills in after the one before it.
    Type your B-BBEE level and ownership (example: women 100, black 100, youth 100). Tick This is correct. Tap Save.

    Tip: If the Province box is empty, choose it again, then choose the District again.

    
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    Business Background

    Write in short sentences what the owner has done and what you have achieved. Example: "Trading since March 2022, 7 days a week. About 120 households buy from us." Type the years trading (4), the money put in (30000), last year's sales (560000) and profit (30140). Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Objectives

    Say why the business exists and what you want to reach. Example: turnover target 840000, gross profit 25%, 4 employees. Choose your values from the lists. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Keys for Success

    Write five reasons customers choose you. Example: "Close to home: open 7 days a week." Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Go to the next tab

    After a save you see the list again. Tap Next: at the bottom (here Next: Operations Process Flow). Do this after every tab.

    

Part A, part 2 of 8. Operations

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    Operations Process Flow

    Type how many hours a shift (13.5) and shifts a day (1). Give each stage of your work a short name and one sentence, for example "Buy stock", "Sell at the till", "Count stock". Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Operational Requirements

    Say what licences you need (example: a trading licence from the municipality) and choose what facilities you have. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Key Partners: the list

    Tap Edit on each partner. Tap Create to add one. The example has 5: the wholesaler, the bread van, the landlord, the funder, the RMK consultant.

    
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    Key Partners: one partner

    Choose the type, type the name, why they matter, and how you work with them. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm. Do the same for every partner.

    

Part A, part 3 of 8. What you sell

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    Product Breakdown: the list

    Tap Edit on each thing you sell. Tap Create to add one. Delete examples you do not sell.

    Tip: Your sales are worked out from this tab. Check the price and how many a month.

    
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    Product Breakdown: one product

    Type what you sell, the price and how many a month. Example: Bread and maize meal, price 40, 500 a month. Type who buys it and what problem it solves. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm. Do the same for every product.

    
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    Revenue

    Type your gross profit % (example 25), days customers take to pay (0 if they pay cash), days stock stays on the shelf (18) and days you take to pay suppliers (0). Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Seasonality: the list

    This list fills in by itself, one row for each month. Tap Edit on each row.

    
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    Seasonality: one month

    Change the percentage if that month is busier (more than 100) or quieter (less than 100). Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm. Do the same for every row.

    Tip: The screen says "Do you really want to delete" at the top. Do not worry: Confirm saves the row, it does not delete it.

    
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    Ramp Up: the list

    This list also fills in by itself. Tap Edit on each row.

    
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    Ramp Up: one month

    If you are already trading, type 100. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm. Do the same for every row.

    
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    Local Competitive Advantage

    For each advantage choose Yes, Neutral or No. Choose Yes for one only: your main advantage (example: location). Set the others to Neutral or No. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    National Competitive Advantage

    The same, compared with big shops in the whole country. A village shop can choose Neutral. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    

Part A, part 4 of 8. Who buys from you

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    Individuals Market Segment: the list

    Tap Create.

    
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    Individuals Market Segment: the form

    Choose who your customers are (example: Households (families)). Choose South Africa, then your Province, District, Municipality and Suburb, one after the other. Type your share of the market (example 5) and one sentence about your customers. Tick This is correct. Tap Submit.

    
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    Market Secured

    Type the customers you already have. Example: Mmapela households, current customers, 120 customers, R400 each a month, for 12 months. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Distribution

    Choose how customers get your goods (example: customer collect) and type 100 for the share of sales. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Marketing Plan

    Choose how you tell people about the shop (example: posters, WhatsApp) and how you set prices (example: mark up 25). Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Local Competition Analysis: the list

    Tap Edit on each competitor. Tap Delete on examples you do not need.

    
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    Local Competition Analysis: one competitor

    Type the name (example: Spaza shop A in Mmapela), its share of the market, its strength and weakness, and what it sells. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    National Competition Analysis

    Do the same for a big competitor further away (example: Supermarket in Mokopane, 40%). Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    

Part A, part 5 of 8. Your people

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    Key Personnel

    Type the owner's details: name, the 13 numbers of the ID, phone, position, shareholding (100%), education and experience. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    Tip: Leave the ID number empty if you do not have it now.

    
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    Add New Employee: the list

    Tap Edit on each worker. Tap Create for a new worker, also for one you will hire later.

    
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    Add New Employee: one worker

    Choose the job (example: General Worker), type the start date and the pay a month (example 3500). Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm. Do the same for every worker.

    
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    Jobs

    These numbers are worked out from your workers. Check them. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Payroll Expenses: the list

    This list is made from your workers. Tap Edit on each row to check it.

    
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    Payroll Expenses: one row

    "Total pay a month for all these people" is the pay of everybody in the row together. Example: 2 workers, 4700. Type how many people. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    Tip: Saving a worker again rebuilds this list. Check it once more at the end.

    

Part A, part 6 of 8. Expenses

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    Fixed Expenses: the list

    Tap Edit on each cost. Tap Delete on examples you do not pay.

    
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    Fixed Expenses: one cost

    Type the name and the amount a month. Example: Rent, 1500. Choose the start month. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm. Do the same for electricity (900), airtime and data (200), transport (1200), bank charges (150) and licence (250).

    
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    Variable Expenses

    Costs that grow with your sales. Type the percentage of sales. Example: plastic bags, 0.5 (that is 50 cents of every R100 you sell). Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Inflation

    The price and salary increases are filled in for you. Check them. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Income Taxation

    Type your tax number and say Yes or No for VAT, UIF, PAYE, COIDA and CIDB. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    

Part A, part 7 of 8. Assets and Funding Structure

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    Owned Plant and Equipment: the list

    Tap Edit on each item you own. Tap + Add New Asset for an item you will buy.

    
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    Owned Plant and Equipment: one item

    Type the name, cost and start date. Say if it is an existing or a new asset and if funding is needed. Example: Second drinks fridge, 9000, January 2027, funding is required. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm. Do the same for every item.

    
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    Owned Furniture and Fittings

    The same for shelves and furniture. Example: Shelving 3000 (have it), More shelves 6000 (to buy). Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Things you do not have

    No vehicle, computer or property? Open the tab, tap Edit, choose No in the first box. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm. Do this for Owned Vehicle, Owned Computer, Owned Property and Leased Plant and Equipment.

    
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    Leased Property

    If you rent your shop, type the size (24 m²), the landlord, the rent a month (1500), the start date, the lease period and the yearly increase (5%). Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Funding Required

    Type what the money is for and how much: example equipment 54000, furniture 6000, working capital 25000 (total 85000). Type your own money (10000) and the grant you ask for (75000). Type 0 for loans you do not want. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Balance Sheet Items

    Type what the business has and owes on the start day, one row each. Example: owner's loan 29900, share capital 100, cash in bank 6500. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    Tip: If you also made your financial statements, rows marked "take-on" are already here. Do not type the same amount twice.

    
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    Loans

    Loans come from Funding Required. With no loan this list is empty. Nothing to do.

    
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    Property Plant and Equipment: the list

    This list is made from your assets. Tap Edit on each row.

    
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    Property Plant and Equipment: one row

    Check the amount and date. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm. Do the same for every row.

    

Part A, part 8 of 8. What could go wrong

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    Industry Sector Analysis

    Type how fast your industry grows (example 4 and 5), your two biggest risks and what you do about them (example: theft, burglar bars and a camera). Choose the answers about competitors, customers and suppliers. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    SWOT Analysis

    Choose 3 strengths, 3 weaknesses, 3 opportunities and 3 threats. For each, write one sentence on what it means and what you will do. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Pestle Analysis

    The same for things outside the business: government, money, people, technology, environment and the law. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Operational Compliance

    Choose your water, electricity and food safety answers (example: food safety, compliant). Choose the environmental risk (Low). Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Check your plan

    Go back to your business plan page. Open each part: every tab should say Done. A tab that says To do still needs you (here Funding Required). When every part is done, the big button at the top says Download.

    

Part A. Business plan: make and download it

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    Make your plan

    When every part is done, tap Download, the big button at the top of your business plan page.
    Not all done yet? Tap More, then Download what you have now.

    
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    Wait a little

    Your plan is being made. It takes about a minute. The page checks by itself. You may leave: we e-mail you when it is ready.

    
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    Download it

    Tap Download your business plan. The PDF saves on your phone.

    
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    Shorter documents

    Under More on your business plan page are three shorter documents: Download the business profile, Download the financial projections and Download the pitch deck. Tap one. When it is ready, tap the button, for example Download your pitch deck.

    
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    Business profile: choose the parts

    Tick the parts you want in your business profile. Tap Download it.

    
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    Your business plan is ready

    This page says your plan is ready. Tap Download my business plan to get it again.

    
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    More

    Tap More to see it on screen, ask RMK to review it, share it with funders, or download the shorter documents.

    Tip: Asking for a review and sharing with funders are part of Standard.

    
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    Free account: your copy says Draft

    With a free account you can also download your business plan. Every page says "Draft, not reviewed by RMK". With Standard an RMK consultant can review it.

    
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    Free account: other downloads need Standard

    A free account sees the project plan and the shorter documents on screen. To download them you see this note. Tap See it on screen to read it, or See Free, Standard, Premium and Super to compare.

    

Part B. Business plan project plan

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    Open the project plan

    On your business plan page, under Project plan, tap Business plan project plan.
    The first time it is under More: tap Start your business plan project plan. Your project is made with example rows.

    
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    Your project home

    The project has 7 parts: Project Team, Project Activity, Project Goals, Stakeholder Management, Project Resources, Project Risk, Project Monitoring. Tap Project Team to begin.

    
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    1. Project team: the list

    Tap a name to edit it. Tap Add one to add a person. Remove example people you do not have.

    
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    1. Project team: one person

    Type the name, the position in the project and the education. Example: Lerato Sample, Owner and project leader, Matric. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm. The example team: the owner, the shop assistant, the RMK consultant.

    
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    2. Project activities: the list

    Tap a task to edit it. Tap Add one for a new task.

    
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    2. Project activities: one task

    Type the task, what it is for, the start and end dates, and who does it. Example: Get 3 quotes for the fridge and solar, 2 Nov to 16 Nov 2026, Lerato. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    Tip: Check the dates each time you open a task: type them again before you tap Confirm.

    
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    3. Project goals: the list

    Tap Edit on each goal. Tap Add one for a new goal.

    
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    3. Project goals: one goal

    Type the goal and how you will measure it. Example: Grow sales to R70 000 a month by month 18. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    4. Stakeholders: the list

    Tap a name to edit it. Tap Add one to add one. Example: customers, the landlord, the wholesaler, the funder, the ward councillor.

    
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    4. Stakeholders: one stakeholder

    Type the name, choose the type and role, say what they want and how often you meet. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    5. Project resources: the list

    One row for each task. Tap the task to edit it.

    
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    5. Project resources: one row

    Type what the task needs and what it costs. Example: Buy and install, fridge, shelves, oven and solar back-up plus bakkie hire, 60600. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    6. Project risks: the list

    Tap a risk name to edit it. Tap Add one for a new risk.

    
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    6. Project risks: one risk

    Type the risk, choose the impact, the likelihood and the action, and type what you will do. Example: Theft, burglar bars and a camera. Choose every box before you save. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    7. Monitoring: the list

    One row for each task. Tap the task to edit it.

    
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    7. Monitoring: one row

    Say how you check the task. Example: meeting, weekly sales book check every Sunday and a monthly review with the consultant. Tick This is correct. Tap Confirm.

    
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    Finish my project plan

    On the Monitoring list, tap Finish my project plan.

    
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    Your project plan is ready

    This page says your project plan is ready. Tap See my project plan to read it. More has the download, the status report and the final report.

    
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    See your project plan

    Go back to your project home (on your business plan page tap Business plan project plan). Tap See my project plan.

    
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    Your project plan on screen

    Read it on your phone. Tap Download at the top to save the PDF, or Back to my project.

    
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    Download the project plan

    On your project home you can also tap Download Project Plan.

    

Stop, carry on, and get help

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    Stop for now

    Tap Save & exit at the top. What you saved stays saved.

    Tip: Tap the form's own button (Confirm, Save or Submit) first, so your last answers are saved.

    
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    Carry on later

    On Home, under Continue, tap Business plan. It says where you stopped, for example "Step 1 of 9 · Your business: Objectives".

    
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    Help for this screen

    Tap ? at the top of any screen.

    
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    HoneyGuide

    HoneyGuide, the RMK assistant, opens over the screen and already knows which step you are on. Type your question, or tap Talk to a person. Tap X to close it.

    
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    Get help from a person

    Tap Menu, then More: Talk to a person (WhatsApp) or Request a call back. Many pages also have Stuck? Talk to a person and Request a call back at the bottom.

    
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    Ask us to phone you

    Choose what the call is about, tap Next, and follow the 3 short steps. Someone from RMK will phone you. It is free.