Want to develop an app like Uber? Consider These Things First!

With the success of the ride-sharing app like Uber, the popularity of the ‘On-demand business model’ has grown considerably. What started as a unique strategy has become a core part of many businesses. The model provides instant provisioning of goods and services to customers. From booking a cab, ordering food, for package delivery or hiring a handyman, it’s all there. The number of companies that uses this model and their growths are accelerating.

Recently, we built an on-demand service app just like Uber for one of our clients from Australia. While building the app, we studied in detail about the state of the art in on-demand service and expectations of a customer from an on-demand service provider. In this article, we’ll share our inferences on building an on-demand service app like uber.

Why is the ‘on-demand app’ category very popular?

Mobile apps are the biggest and in most cases the only platform for providing on-demand services. An on-demand app allows the user to order anything as they need it. It connects the customer with different service providers and the platform charges a fee for that. According to 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. Meanwhile, the online market has only 16.3 million consumers who on average spend $36 billion every year. The on-demand business model is disrupting our traditional business models in a much faster way.

Speedy delivery, convenience, quality and variety of services make these apps popular and widely used around the world. Moreover, many investors had placed their bets on this sector and thereby fueling its growth. But behind everything, the following are the factors that make on-demand service very popular;

• Mobile-first user experience.
• Faster delivery of products or services.
• Cheaper prices than traditional service providers or sellers.
• Independent contractors can work part-time.
• Actionable user ratings and feedback systems.

Things to Consider Before Developing On-Demand Service App

Regardless of the service/product, the concept of all on-demand apps are the same – To provide a product or a service at the time when the user needs it. That too, at the tap of their finger. Before embarking on the ‘On-demand App’ journey, there are some factors to consider. 

A Seamless User Experience and Onboarding Makes a Big Difference

When it comes to the success of an app like Uber, UI and UX play a crucial role. It’s important to consider how the user feels and experiences the app. In other words, the user should be able to easily navigate and intuitively understand how to use it. It is important to create an interaction-rich experience that will drive more and more users to the app. The App must have a simpler registration process and should also allow convenient ways for first-time users to sign-up and set up an account. Our key inferences for the UI/UX are as follows,

1. Priority to signup with a phone number over email, social media accounts.
2. In-app recommendations based on the usage pattern.
3. Save order and schedule order features.
4. Should support light and dark color themes.
5. All screens should permit an easy reversal of actions.
6. Should be able to place the order by just using the thumb.

Users need to have service within 30 minutes or less!

For users, on-demand means ‘now’. The services should be ready, quick, and as per the user’s convenience. Users find it attractive when the service they are seeking is being delivered in their vicinity and they won’t have to leave their space to avail them. In essence, the wait-time should be as minimum as possible. However, in most cases, the business will be helpless in reducing the wait time as it depends on several factors such as the availability of free resources, traffic conditions, etc. Here, the challenge is to indicate the wait time in the app without discouraging the user. Following are our inferences for displaying the ‘wait time’ in the app;

1. Show ‘time left’ rather than ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival).
2. Increase the number of in-app statuses or notifications as possible between ordering and delivery.
3. Gamification in the wait screen.
4. Reward points for late delivery.

Multiple Payment Modes

Another factor that attracts users towards on-demand services is the fact that it offers easy modes of payment. Any on-demand service app, regardless of the service it delivers should have multiple ways of payment. By implementing this, users can make payments easily through cash on delivery, credit/debit cards, e-wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, built-in wallets, etc. Following are our inferences on the payment modes;

1. Option to place an order before payment is done.
2. In the case of OTPs, use four-digit OTPs.
3. Built-in wallet for reward point collection and redeem options

Instant, Scheduled and Recurring Delivery Modes

There should be options for scheduled, instant and recurring delivery modes. With the scheduling feature, users can schedule the service delivery date and time depending on their convenience. A good share of users would need the recurring delivery of services or products. By incorporating the recurring delivery mode, the business can provide a better experience to the users by not asking them to place the order each and every time. 

Following are Few Features that are imperative for an on-demand service app

Different On-demand app caters different services and products. Thus there is no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to adding features to the app. Nevertheless, there are a few common yet useful features, which one must consider whilst develop an app like Uber.

Live Tracking: Any on-demand app should have the feature of live tracking because it is satisfying for the customers when they can track their orders. It facilitates assurance and trust.

Ratings and reviews: Implementing ratings and reviews for both supplier and receiver can ensure a high-quality experience for on-demand platforms. Regular reviews and real-time feedback can create a trustworthy environment. For example, At Uber, a driver’s career depends on his/her ratings.

Chat with the customer: In any on-demand app, communication is essential. But many people prefer to chat with the customer service executive instead of making a phone call. Hence, the app must have an in-built chat system that allows service providers to connect with users. 

Re-schedule or cancel the booking: Sometimes due to several reasons, users might not be available at the time of delivery of service. In such situations, the users must have the option to re-schedule or cancel their bookings as per their convenience. 

Multiple booking: One important factor to consider while creating an on-demand app is that the app should have an option for multiple bookings (if the business can support it) so that customers can get the number of services they need. By allowing users to have more than one request at a time, users can save a lot of time. 

Bottom Line,

The on-demand business model is changing traditional business sectors and rapidly growing. There are no signs of the on-demand business model slowing down. They are loved by users mainly because on-demand services make people’s lives easier. It also helps to widen employment opportunities in a stagnant industry. However, before creating an on-demand app, considering the things we mentioned above will likely help you to create a successful on-demand app.

As a leading app development company that has developed numerous apps, we develop unique on-demand apps that maximize your efficiency, streamline operations, and minimize the costs. If you want a complete estimation, you can contact us with your project details.