The apps should make it convenient for both users and service providers to get themselves registered, provide services, toggle availability, schedule appointments, and make/receive payments.
2020 wasn’t the year we all expected but 2021 has set expectations beyond what would have been considered normal. After all, it is the new normal! 2020 saw some businesses skyrocket in revenues and parallel to this, saw some businesses plummet down into oblivion.
One of the business segments that found immediate success because of the imposition on social distancing and restrictions on going out was the stream of on-demand businesses. The on-demand revolution has swept every service segment and it has come to a point where everything right from a cab to date is available over a mobile app.
Although on the surface, it might seem like the market is saturated, there is quite some opportunity for new players to not only enter the market but also make a profit in these businesses. The best part is that you can either explore starting your business in an existing stream or use our ideas to cover up with your own.
The relevance of on-demand
Although the on-demand method seems recent, it is a manifestation of an answer that businesses have been seeking for centuries. Every business is about serving its customers at a place they want and when they want. The answers to these two questions have always been evasive.
On-demand apps have successfully solved this problem by bridging the gap between the user who needs a service and a person who can provide a service using a simple mobile app. The mobile app in itself is not a marvel. It is the combination of pocket-sized technologies that work together that make it happen. The GPS that was once confined to aviation and defense has not been made a part of almost every handheld device. This helps get the answer for “Where?” Your customers are.
Internet access is not confined to desktop computers and laptops where you have a LAN cable or Wi-Fi. With 4G and 5G technology, mobile Internet speeds can give a tough fight to your home or office Internet. This makes it possible for mobile devices to access a profile containing information about a user. This solves the problem of finding out who exactly needs a service!
When we look at this now, it seems rather simple, straightforward, and taken-for-granted. However, a bit over a decade ago, it was Uber that pioneered this thought of using a personal profile and a combination of GPS/navigation/mapping. Today, the business model has proliferated across almost every possible service vertical.
Launching an on-demand app has become the most sought out business idea among entrepreneurs in 2021. COVID has also made people realize the importance of on-demand services.
The most profitable avenues
Remember we were talking about how the surface might seem saturated but there is a lot of room for even new players to find their success in this domain? We have given below a few domains that you can explore in 2021 if you intend to get started with your on-demand mobile app business.
Grocery delivery
Grocery, in itself, was inevitable. The COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for people to continue with grocery shopping as it was. Therefore, a lot of them have resorted to downloading grocery delivery apps and have started to order groceries online. The surprising part is that this phenomenon has not only affected the millennials but even the boomers. In addition to giving the convenience of getting all the groceries delivered to their home, it also prevents people from engaging in impulsive shopping that might result in unwarranted expenses.
A lot of markets have been resistant to the idea of technology taking over the traditional marketing experience. However, at some point in time, they will have to change. These markets present lucrative avenues for aspiring entrepreneurs to explore this domain of on-demand grocery delivery.
Restaurant food delivery
People have been frequenting restaurants even before the pandemic, some to enjoy the dining experience and some to just have food as food. To the people belonging to the second category, restaurant food delivery apps come in as a big blessing. It helps people enjoy restaurant food at the comfort and confines of their homes without risking disease contract and without having a need to battle traffic and other uncertainties.
The introduction of restaurant delivery apps has resulted in the separation of concerns! On one side, restaurants are concentrating on building unique dining experiences with a warm or different ambiance. On the other side, there are cloud kitchens proliferating, capitalizing on these food delivery apps. You can, as an entrepreneur, consider specializing in a specific niche like home-cooked food delivery or breakfast/lunch/dinner packages and subscription-based food delivery services. You will, however, need to stand out from your competition through effective marketing and efficient operations. It would be good if the food is delivered to the user with a sense of urgency… By 30 minutes at the max!
On-demand doctor apps
Medical services have become inevitable and the pandemic has led to an extra emphasis on the importance of immunity and general health. It might not be that easy to visit a doctor after the pandemic. Even before that, it was quite a hassle to battle the traffic to meet your specialist and even more frustrating to wait for quite some time before the specialist met you for the consultation.
With an on-demand doctor app, you can not only help patients schedule appointments with a specialist of their choice but also give added visibility to the doctors near your home. Some medical services on-demand apps have even brought in consulting over video chat, completely eliminating the need for traveling to a doctor’s location.
The growing number of doctors, the growing comfort of patients with online consulting, and the need for doctors and patients to manage their schedules and calendars make this app extremely relevant. This is one of the most lucrative avenues for profitability because there is no country that does not need medical services!
Beauty services on demand
Beauty might be quite auxiliary but it forms the core of appearance for some people. It is a steadily growing industry, and global exposure has brought people to exploring new styles and new products in addition to some quality pampering With spa and salon treatments.
Beauty services on-demand apps can open avenues for independent skilled beauticians and can also give me an opportunity for people to get beauty services done at their homes. Given that a lot of people are stepping outside the confines of mainstream education and exploring avenues like beauty and healthcare, this is bound to be an avenue with high growth potential in the near future.
Transportation on-demand
It might have started with transportation but it does not mean that it has ended all over! Uber might have its presence in over 600 cities spread across 70 countries but that still does not even complete 50% of the countries or 20% of the cities across the world. There are players like Ola who have established a local presence but the market has still not reached its saturation.
The lack of saturation is not only vertical but also horizontal. It means that new players can explore specific avenues for them to make a profit on. A few examples include corporate travel, office shuttling, special taxis for women, school trips, carpooling, ridesharing, and luxury travel. With this many options, travel and transportation still remain to be one of the most lucrative avenues for services on demand.
Super applications
If you are adventurous enough, you can, instead of focusing on specific services, create a multi-services application or a super app. Super apps like Gojek are quite popular in Asian countries but it still has to wait to take root in the west. If you think that your country is gearing up towards the super apps, there is no better platform for profitability than these super apps.
In addition, there are a lot of other applications like laundry, dry cleaning, handyman, electrical, and plumbing services that you can explore in this space. It has to be kept in mind that your app needs to precisely address an inconvenience that people face or at least make the process more efficient, reliable, and trustworthy for both customers and service providers.
How to launch an on-demand app?
Now that you are aware of the opportunities and the market that is wide-open, you can explore any of these businesses. The good news is that almost every business described here uses the same skeleton. As you may have known, there are different apps for different entities involved in the business ecosystem.
The apps should make it convenient for both users and service providers to get themselves registered, provide services, toggle availability, schedule appointments, and make/receive payments. The app should necessarily have a review and rating system to ensure that both users and businesses get to review each other. Above everything, the app should be uncompromising on security.
Conclusion
The best part about technology that goes behind these apps is that most of them are available as white label clothes. If you would like to launch your own transportation app, there are a lot of companies that specialize in Uber clone development. If you would like to launch your super app, there are companies that specialize in Gojek app development.
Once you have your idea, all that is left for you to do is get in touch with one of these companies and share your business idea with them. They will take care to understand them, customize the white label solution in line with what you required, and present you with a perfect app for your on-demand business in the year 2021.
Join the conversation!