On-demand App Benefits, Applications and Future
As per the Harvard business Review, On-Demand economy is every year attracting more than 22.4 million consumers, and the spending is about $57.6 billion. Again, if we take a look at the marketplace, online markets are spending the most with 16.3 million consumers who on average spend $36 billion every year.
So what is all about these On-Demand apps!
They are becoming popular, getting better and spreading in the online marketplace like fire!
This clearly means that as a business entity, you should definitely have an idea about such On-Demand apps.
So to begin with, what are On-Demand apps?
On-Demand apps can be considered as a linking layer between consumers and different businesses. On-Demand apps cover various sectors, and consumers use them to get their hand on multiple products or services which they wish to purchase. Now, these services can range from grocery, laundry, food delivery, car rentals or personal health services. In short, consumers can get their hand on such services with a few taps on their smartphone devices. Most of the online businesses out there are today leveraging the service of On-Demand apps in order to flourish and build a reputation.
Benefits of On-Demand apps
Today more than 80% businesses out there are into On-Demand app development for their business, and so when it comes to building customized mobile app solutions, everything is justifiable. However, if you want to enjoy the useful and highly-extensible mobile app for your business, then you need to have right features included in it as well as check for vulnerable areas in the app so as to take care of it. Such apps will be helpful in boosting ROI for your business all the while adding value to it.
Some of the benefits of having an On-Demand app for your business are:
Leverage the potential of mobile period
As per Statista, the number of mobile phone users is said to increase by 4.68 billion from 2015 - 2020. This means a business which does not plan to invest in mobile app development and build a business strategy with mobile marketing will be foolish to do so. The best way to bring in customers over and over again will be by offering custom features in what you do.
Employee satisfaction and efficiency
You will be able to achieve the desired ROI for your business when you hire the right mobile app development company for the job. This will be based on ease of project management that it brings in, user-friendliness and usability of the custom-built features.
A complete business application will be focused on increasing productivity all the while decreasing the issues faced by employees.
Security and Scalability
It is not possible to be sure specific mobile apps are whether secure or not. Any business will want to keep its data safe and secure while maintaining confidentiality. When you choose to go for custom mobile solutions, you can be sure your app data will be safe. Again, compared to any other mobile app build for popular mobile app platforms like Android, iOS or Windows, these apps are better with scalability.
Gets you unlimited business opportunities
You will be able to have a database which brings on table information about the users right from their addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, interests, preferences and whatever you wish to know. This seems like getting into the head of your audience. Such a large amount of varied data can let you do many things:
i) Use the data for analysis and based on that improve business practices
ii) Invite the audience about any upcoming sales or offers
iii) Choose direct email marketing to market your products
iv) Retain your customers with a personalized touch
v) Have a direct connection with the customers and offer a personalized support
vi) Build ‘business-customer’ relationship
vii) Boost your conversion rates to otherwise unattainable levels.
Affordability
Don’t go for cheap or free things as you will end up spending more in the long-term. There is no meaning in choosing to go for a generic solution for your business which is abundantly available in the market!
On the contrary, if you are focused on offering value to your customers and stay flexible, you will get results in the form of increased ROI and this will justify your spending. So instead of opting for ready-to-use solutions for your business, better hire affordable On-Demand app development services.
Some of the benefits from the perspective of customers are:
Ease of selecting the provider
When using an On-Demand app, the customer will have the facility to choose the same provider for a service. Whenever a customer selects a provider for service and makes a purchase, the provider will get added to the list automatically, and this means that the next time when the customer will need the same service, they can choose the provider from the list. If the customers are satisfied by the provider, they will go for the same provider again. If the customer selects a provider for service multiple times, then that provider will also be notified about the same.
Tracking facility
Once the customer places an order with the provider by making use of the app, the customer will be offered with a tracking facility which will track the order from the service provider’s side. Again, by making use of the map service, the customers will be able to track the real-time location as well as get a notification along with the exact location. During the development phase of the On-Demand app, the developer will include a map which can be made available to both customers and providers.
Cashless payment facility
With a good number of options available out there in the market in terms of making payments, the On-Demand apps also offer different payment options to the customers so as to help them make payment their way. This has helped the customers to pay for the received service in a fast and straightforward manner.
Rating and review option
On-Demand apps come with the option of rating and review for the customers. This option is made available when the service is offered, or the delivery is made. The service provider can manage to get an image for themselves in the market based on positive reviews and high ratings. Such reviews and ratings also help the business to build their customer base by attracting new customers.
Main Features of On-Demand apps
When it comes to developing an On-Demand app for your business, you may wonder which features to include. It is true that a good mobile app development company will look into it and offer you the needed features in your app perfectly.
Still, for your information, some of the basic features which you need to have included in there are:
Notification:
It is ideal for letting the customers know about any limited period offers or services you are offering. You can choose message notifications to alert the customers, and it works as a useful marketing tool too. Again, you can use notifications to send some real-time status regarding any requests as well let them know about the changed request status.
GPS tracking:
In order to track the order GPS integration plays a key role. When it is about building On-Demand application, this remains as the key feature; as it can easily let the customers know about the progress of their placed orders.
Activity List:
This shows the customers their search results, orders, and other relevant data for a quick reference. This way the application takes the load off the customers to recollect everything.
Wishlist:
There may have situations when the users are not ready to make a purchase, or the items that they are looking for is out of stock. So for On-Demand apps having this feature is quite important. This will encourage customers to make the purchase when they are ready or when the product is back in stock.
Payment facility:
In this era of m-Commerce, mobile payment facility plays a key role. The chances of getting your On-Demand app more acceptable and used will depend on the different payment options you offer in there.
Ratings and reviews:
The success of the on-demand application greatly depends on the reviews and client testimonials. They will help you improve user experience and app quality.
Booking cancellation:
There may have situations when the customer will have to cancel the order for some reasons. So there should be a facility which allows them to cancel or reschedule the booking as per their comfort.
Multiple order booking:
It is always good to offer the customers with the facility to place multiple orders at once at the store. So, all that the app needs to do is to collect the basic information of the customer, which can help with a smoother checkout process for every placed order.
Industries That Leverage On-Demand App
Home services
Emergency service requirements around the world are growing bigger, and there was a time when it had become hard to manage it efficiently. The total concept got revolutionized with the integration of this home service with On-Demand services. So instead of going from place to place and searching for services, it has now become easy for the consumers to find them at their fingertips. Here the On-Demand app works as a middleman between the home service provider and the seeker and thus helping both of them achieve their goals. With traditional home services being harder, this solution will stay in the market for a long time.
Freelancing / On-Demand jobs
Within the last decade freelancers comprised of the majority workforce in the US. It can be said that 50% of the workforce have already moved to freelancing. This clearly means that freelancing is going to be the future and there will be an increase in On-Demand jobs. There will be a change in the conventional workforce scenario as On-Demand job portals will make it easier to connect the right employers with the job seekers. With more kind of short term projects available, employers are not interested in hiring full-time developers due to the cost factor. This will definitely impact the On-Demand job industry in the coming future.
Food ordering and delivery
The food ordering and delivery business have experienced tremendous success over the last few years. Just like any other On-Demand services, customers can easily browse and choose their favorite dish by using a mobile app. With food being the necessity and with people spending more hours working, this business comes with endless possibilities, and there is no way this business can go down. This means that when the food business and the On-Demand Food Delivery App service will come together, it creates a long-lasting opportunity for both parties. While this concept is mutually beneficial for those two parties, it will benefit the users as well.
Taxi booking services
The success of Uber has increased the demand for On-Demand taxi businesses. The traditional taxi business has been sidelined by this business which offers an easy way for the users to connect with the right taxi services. Unlike the regular taxi business, the brands like Uber does not own any taxis; rather it just connects the users with the taxi drivers. The success of Uber can lead to more number of businesses coming up in the commuting sector. If you are an entrepreneur who is looking for a better opportunity in the commuting business having software for taxi service will be crucial.
Healthcare
Healthcare is one of the largest industries of all time. This is also the kind of the industry which undergoes frequent updates and transformations. Humanity can benefit from the technological advancements and rapid innovation that come with this line, but there has always been a challenge to reach this service to the needy people. Now this challenge can be tackled by the development of On-Demand health care services. Take an example of a situation where someone is sick and needs immediate medical assistance. With the help of On-Demand health care solutions it will become possible to go for quick consultation services, get home visits of doctors, respond to requests or even fix appointments. Having video chats for virtual consultation is also an impressive thing.
Challenges of On-Demand App
Business model
Most of the On-Demand services are all about paying for physical products or for the time or work of somebody. The decisions of the business model make a very strong impact on customer experience, demand, and margins. It is possible for the companies to succeed by following different business models, whether there is a need for horizontal integration, vertical integration, bundling or unbundling; the need of professionals or C2C. Now in order to cover up the customer acquisition costs enough, the net margin per transaction X demand frequency should be more.
Customer experience
In terms of user experience, technology has excelled for web and mobile applications over the years. However, in terms of On-Demand services, this segment needs to be learned and perfected. Whatever be the brand and its services, only the ones offering the right customer experience will be praised and appreciated.
Regulations
Startups need to keep some regulations in mind with their On-Demand business. Whether it is about transportation regulations or professional kitchen safety, they need to know when they need to be on edge and when not.
Growth
A good number of On-Demand services are local which means they are limited by location. This clearly means that the normal growth channels of marketing do not do good like consumer internet services. Again, if the business is not spread across the nation, then SEO will not work well with your mobile first strategy. This is where marketing channels that offer city-first targeting like Facebook or Twitter install in terms of apps can work and help with better ROIs.
City expansions
For tech startups, On-Demand companies have come up with the new role of operations. From launching to supply operations, each and every company comes with their own rules to launch, grow and manage the place. To come up with the rules, determine the profile for the launch, launch a city and manage it - has today become more of an art than science.
Product
Startups are always in favour of building product, but unlike the traditional start-ups, On-Demand start-ups need to bring together every piece to make it right. For better and faster user experience it is crucial to understand what services need to be outsourced and what should be handled by the in-house team. Proper understanding of this area will help them to dedicate their resources for important things like operations, growth, customer experience, etc.
Future of On-Demand apps
If you are an entrepreneur who is focusing on On-Demand economy for their startup business then taking a decision will not be an easy thing. Whatever business plan you have, it can be understood that on-Demand services are going to stay here for a long time. While there are some, who believe that On-Demand business is a bubble which will burst after sometime. They even believe that people are just following the Uber model and using it across different industries.
Whatever it may be, one thing for sure is happening, and it is the changing consumer trends. To keep up with it, business models need to change too and On-Demand services have proved to be doing good so far.
Popular On-Demand apps
Over the last few years, a number of On-Demand businesses have done well and have been able to achieve consumer satisfaction. Some of them which are popular in the market are:
- Uber
- Lyft
- Grab
- Instacart
- VistaJet
- OlaCabs
- DoorDash
- Postmates
- CAOCAO
- Cabify
- Swiggy
- Taxify
Wrapping it up
On-Demand apps are focused on offering effective and efficient services to consumers directly. The ease of availability to choose services within a few clicks is what makes it the convenient choice for the consumers. Looking at the current market scenario, it can be said that this service is going to stay here for a long time and we may even witness it getting into newer industries.
