We are dependent on technology in more ways than we can imagine. From shopping for groceries to ordering food, booking a cab, purchasing plane tickets, and beyond, we rely on technology, especially mobile apps.
Today, there is a mobile app for all our individual and business needs. From small business owners to corporate giants, all are embracing the digital shift with their maximum capacity to streamline their business operations. As a result, on-demand mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular.
What is an on-demand mobile app?
As the name implies, an on-demand mobile app is used to cater to the needs of consumers on the go. These apps provide platforms for consumers to communicate with businesses and service providers. Consumers can order products and services from groceries, clothing and apparel, food and beverages, healthcare, and much more.
How does on-demand mobile app work?
Custom apps or on-demand mobile apps work in the following sequence:
- A consumer places a request for some specific product or service. Let’s say they order a cab.
- The mobile app development company in Austin then transfers the request to nearby cab drivers associated with that platform.
- As soon as a cab driver accepts the request, the app notifies the consumer that their request has been approve.
- Some cab services require users to pay in advance, while others ask when they reach their destination. However, payments depend on the type of service/products you choose.Â
- Once the consumer’s request is complete, the app notifies them and recommends them to provide their feedback.
- This feedback determines the sellers’ ratings (cab drivers in this case), and the on-demand app development service partners use this feedback to recommend sellers to other consumers.Â
- In other services than cab driving, consumers can pay in advance through either credit cards or cash delivery options.Â
The intuitive design, smooth flow, exceptional user interface, and streamlined operations of these on-demand mobile apps make them the favorite. These are the reasons why people are getting more and more obliged toward online shopping and why on-demand mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular these days.
Types of on-demand mobile app business models
The on-demand mobile apps can be categorized into the following three business models:
P2P Model
The P2P on-demand mobile apps provide a platform for a consumer to connect with a seller or service provider. Let’s take the example of online cab booking services. Consumers can request a cab on the app, and the nearby cab drivers can cater to their requests.
B2C Model
The B2C on-demand mobile apps allow consumers to connect with the business enterprise directly. Let’s say you want to order a McChicken. You can use the Mcdonald’s app to order it directly or order it on any other platform offering discounts and coupons.
B2B Model
The B2B on-demand mobile apps are merely restricted for enterprise use. These apps provide a platform for entrepreneurs and businesses to interact with each other. You can take the example of pharmacies here. A pharmacy can integrate its inventory with such on-demand mobile apps to instantly notify the pharma company to refill its stock.
What makes on-demand mobile apps so special?
The on-demand businesses are leading their industry, from food delivery to booking and rentals, groceries, and beyond, due to their on-demand mobile apps. Let’s explore some key features that make these apps so special.
Features for consumers
- Users can set up their profiles or integrate their social accounts to start enjoying the services. Account registration and verification are so top-notch here, unlike other bogus apps that take an eternity to create an account.
- Users can leverage advanced filters and sorting algorithms to search for the desired product on the go. The intuitive design and user-friendly interface make their experience remarkable.
- Users can track their orders in real-time, allowing them to estimate the exact delivery time and instill trust in them.
- Users can pay through any preferred payment type. They can even choose the cash-on-delivery option before placing their order.
Features for service providers
- Businesses and service providers can easily set up their accounts and verify themselves to start selling their services on these platforms.
- The app allows service providers to accept or cancel a buyer’s request within a specific time. They can cancel order requests without any explanation.
- Service providers can track their earnings from the app and retrieve the amount at a certain time using their preferred payment methods.
- Service providers can enable push notification features to get instantly notified about the buyer’s order or request.
A step-by-step guide to building an on-demand mobile app
Building an on-demand mobile app requires a lot of consideration from both the app owner and the app development company. Below are the steps involved in building an on-demand mobile app.
Identifying business needs
First of all, you need to identify if there’s an actual need for your idea in the market or not. After identifying the need, you need to determine your target audience and use their demographics to design the strategy for your mobile app.
Choosing the right tech stack
Once you are done with planning and strategy. the second step is to choose the right tech stack for the mobile app. But how do you find out what on earth is the RIGHT tech stack? First of all, you must know what OS platform most of your target audience use between iOS and Android. Flutter development can be your go-to tech stack if they are equally spread across both platforms. Otherwise, you can go with Swift or Java.
Hiring on-demand app developers
Finally, you can conduct interviews with freelance app developers or app development companies, depending on your budget. If you want to hire your app developers from freelancing platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, you can check their profile ratings and reviews to make your decision. However, if you want to hire an app development company for your mobile app, check their online reputation and prepare SDLC for your project in advance to avoid any mishaps.Â
Key Takeaways
Identify market needs and partner with the right technology providers to make your mobile app a successful hit like UberEats and goPuff.
