In this article, we will talk about how to make an on-demand platform like Uber or Airbnb.
When we talk about building and on-demand applications, we are often talking about the brands which are making quite a noise in the market. This is because these two million dollar companies have made around 10 billion or more in the financial year. To be precise Uber valued at 72 billion dollars, and Airbnb was valued at 29.3 billion dollars in august 2018. These two companies have been making a lot of money since the launch of the on-demand services for people.
Uber is available in over 65 countries and over 600 cities out there. On the other hand, nearly 2 million people will lend accommodation in the Airbnb service every day. Traveling and accommodation have become a favorite part of a human being, and everywhere we go, we need a basic hint of convenience. However, a lot of other apps have come into the market for competition, and it has helped the growth of both on-demand applications.
The idea of an on-demand platform
Before we start with a blog on on-demand applications, we need to understand the significant benefit that it has on people. Customers can request goods and services anywhere they are and even track their orders via delivery of your GPS package. When you are looking for a recommendation or accommodation service, then you can check out the features that will come in your room. For example, when you are booking a room in an Airbnb, you can check out the services that will be accommodated in your room.
The hotel service and the tax benefits are everything that comes into the price plan while selecting your room. The same goes with Uber as well. With the help of Uber you can book a taxicab wherever and whenever you want. If you locate in this corner of the world, then you can just book a taxi and get back home. Producers can improve for decline requests and easily from their businesses with the help of an on-demand application. The on-demand platform creates value for the goods and services for customers to consume.
The success story behind Uber and Airbnb
To understand how the on-demand platform of Uber and AirBnB get started, you need to understand what made it famous in the first place.
So for Airbnb, it was the accommodation services as well as the hotel room shortages, which was a nuisance back then. Suppose you have traveled to your favorite place, and you do have a hotel package mentioned right there. It would have been a successful loss at the end of the day. This is why Airbnb was launched because most of the hotels back then we’re having high prices and disconnection from a city and its culture, which was problematic.
Airbnb offers an exclusive value for lower prices and an exclusive city atmosphere with localhost. There were bookings in a few clicks and feedback and greetings from the host and other guests as well. If you want to host your guest as a place where they can live for the night, then the Airbnb service is the right opportunity for you.
The success of Uber is more or less the same. Over so that their taxi services were extremely expensive. This is why they launched vehicle options for different purposes and no longer wait time. Passengers who went into the same vehicle could split the fare between multiple occasions.
Also, Uber availed a wide range of vehicle options for different types of services. Part-time work starting from gig economy workers and real-time car tracking systems are some of the most important features for which Uber became famous.
Things to take care of for your on-demand platform like Uber or Airbnb
If you are developing an on-demand platform like Uber and Airbnb, then you have to take care of the features that go behind it. Knowing how to code an app for delivery is not enough for a successful on-demand platform development. There are still several things that you need to take and proper consideration before getting started.
Understanding your market niche
One of the main things to do is to understand the market niche that you are in. The most important step is finding your niche and establishing yourself as a key player in the same niche? Here are a few tips through which you can ensure your platform will reach your target customers.
Before you do anything, no one knows who your customers are and how you will engage in your brand. Before jumping into the development of your platform, you need to understand the customer database as well. Be fully aware of the demographics of your target audience and the problems that they can face while finding out unique solutions to their problems. Analyze your target audience and understand the pre-building stage that you are in.
To succeed, you need to know about your user’s request and have your platform’s entire life cycle. This is where you need to understand behavioral segmentation, including learning about your user from their online behavior. Knowing about your customers as what they want and understanding of capturing their behavior of the footprint that they leave behind is important.
Don’t offer similar solutions.
Let us be honest with something. You cannot afford or offer a similar situation to all your customers at the same time. You will want to use the application if they already have one that offers the same functionality. Only providing solutions to problems can lead to proper success in your business. To enable an on-demand platform, you need to understand the million active users. The type of customers who will engage with the kind of business that you’re and their motive as well.
Don’t try to do everything for your customer.
Another one of the main mistakes that everyone makes while launching their business is doing everything for their customers at the same time. At launch, nobody can conquer the world, and few can offer value like services. For example, take Facebook. When FB was first launched into the market, it was about a long time when it reached a certain number of users.
Today we know that Facebook is one of the biggest and global social networks that serve as a broad demographic brand. You need to understand that starting a new business or your on-demand platform for the first time will take many reviews. Understanding and working through these reviews will keep you updated.
Thinking about your software development team size and location
Another one of the major factors to consider is to understand your software development team and size. If you have defined your niche and core value, you can switch to searching for a software or website development team to make your ideas into reality. However, you need to think about the in-house system or a remote team.
There is a subtle difference between an in-house team and working from a remote place. The in-house software development team is reasonable for medium size large companies that have sufficient resources. Besides, it is important for you to understand whether you need an in-house or remote function for your on demand platform. With an in-house team, you will have full control of the software that you create.
You can speak to your developers anytime and maintain and improve your software whenever you want. Write from there: you can always know the software development process because it is happening in front of your own eyes. But with a remote team or even a freelancer, it becomes heavy for you to keep an update on the software development process.
Remote teams are a good choice for companies who want to have sufficient resources and control for engaging activities. Besides, remote teams are completely cheaper than in-house teams since you don’t have to pay for the office as well as maintenance or insurance taxes. Some freelancers that you hire will work on an hourly basis or on a job basis and take a fixed stipend.
Understanding the type of app to make
Progressive web application
Progressive web application server applications that one in a web browser. With applications, users can definitely benefit from the functionality of an app without having to download it. Suppose you do have an app, and it is working on the web browser only. So if you are a user of the same area, you don’t have to download the app right from the store. This is what a progressive web application means.
Building a way that is a perfect solution for companies who want to improve their mobile user interface and experience. If you do have an app collection and don’t need to have separate applications for each operating system, then you can simply lack the resources and keep it for better use.
Apps are completely good for countries with a sporty internet connection since their applications are ok with slow loading speed. Besides, if you have a web application, then the only disadvantages or the producers and software support for the web application will not work. Also, these apps may have a limited ability to access the GPS or even fingerprint scanner or even for cameras or other hardware.
Native applications
When you are speaking of native applications usually means apps built for ios and Android. Native apps have a lot of advantages over progressive web applications. IOS and Android apps show strong performance since they are directly accessible to the mobile device hardware. However, this exercise can be directly onto the camera or GPS or even microphones and memory.
These apps have a great user experience and high-performance interface with an initiative data storage value. With native applications, you are limited in functionality because you can implement such applications worldwide. You can add in the new features and implement the new API as you want. Also, native applications can help you to work offline wherever web applications only need users when they reconnected to the internet. However, there are a few drawbacks to building native applications as well. First, these applications are costly as the required software support and maintenance is a consecutive regular interval. On the other hand, where the apps also require updates, these have to do mainly with creating new content.
Whereas native applications need updating related to the operating system and hardware upgrades all the time.
The technology stack for creating on demand platforms like Uber or Airbnb
Geolocation feature
Geolocation is one of the most important features of an app. It works perfectly for tracking deliveries of cabs and even finding a place to stay for the day. For different platforms, GPS implemented differently. Jio location helps you to find the important feature and implement it right through it. The location feature for android devices or even ios is implemented through the google location API and through the whole location framework for Android. For navigation, you will need google maps for android devices and a map kit for ios devices.
Push location and SMS feature
Once the user has requested the on-demand platform for the order goods, you can push notification into their mobile number. We request that it has made or approved or declined or even received female teachers can get updates concerning the delivery. Push notifications are always important, and it works through the best. Push notifications are proper engagement from different platforms that require different technologies.
To enable push notifications for Android, you can use developers who used google could messaging the apple push notification service. Sms notifications are no less important than push notifications. They are quite useful in cases when users’ phones get offline. There are a lot of platforms that help customers get in touch with their SMS-based chat apps. Customers can confirm their orders and estimated time of delivery, and employees can inform their scheduled shift.
The push message feature is one of the most important things that should be considered in an app. It helps you to understand and get a real value of the app management system. On the other hand, you will get more and more features which are rightly attached to it.
Push message notification is a great value to add to your application once you start the service. It helps you to understand and get notifications of what is happening around you. It even helps you to get a simple idea of the picture of how your app will work.
How do platforms like Airbnb and Uber make money?
If you have heard about Airbnb and Uber, then you want to know about their ways of making money. Well, the first thing that should come to your mind is the idea of value creation. As some marketplaces enable not only to exchange the data but also extend the currency, there is one meaningful way through which you can make money on that platform.
Besides, while making money, there is probable management of charging a transaction fee for value created by the platform. Because marketplaces don’t charge users unless there is an actual transaction that carried out. Users are discouraged from participating on the platform as well. Airbnb for example charges a transaction fee to host around 3% and guests to ground 12% for every booking they make.
Access to the source of market
Another thing that works here and for some platforms is the ability to make access to the market. This is done mainly by producing their bases and joining the platform. This usually includes either substitution on membership fees at the same time. At launching at the marketplace should not charge all users for access, but only one-sided if there is something necessary.
There are a lot of on demand platforms that do not charge at all to users but charge on the companies that are looking for professionals by posting listings. Some platforms will charge producers and consumers for premium tools and services. The consumers will have to pay for the beauty of charging for enhanced access to the platform does not discourage users from interacting on it.
It even helps and allows users to have an additional handy tool to have to pay for them. Besides, there are opportunities through which a lot of users can manage the program of advanced search filters and smart suggestions along with privatization for finding and connecting with managing potential employees.
The marketplace is known as an open ecosystem. This means that anyone can create value at any point in time because many platforms suffer from overload, and some users may find it difficult to find what they want.
This is why some marketplace is therefore decided to charge users for access to the high-quality content, in other words, which can enhance their duration period. No medium users can pay for a medium membership and get easy access to highly ranked writers and their great ideas.
Getting to understand the technicality
Before we get more technical on how to make an on-demand platform like Uber or Airbnb, we need to understand the operation as well. The first prototype of the Uber app was developed by Garrett, and he wanted to try out the invitation as an experienced advisor.
Officially, the mobile app was launched in 2010 on ios. The impressive feature of the app was launched first six months ago as the app we should work 6000 uses and completed 20000 rides. For starters, you can see that the Uber app attracts both the drivers and riders by hosting and sponsoring tech events and by giving trial rights in various parts of the United States.
The city is well known for the tech community and even taking a chance to make life more convenient. Uber service employees a fee that is downloadable for ios and android mobile applications that connect passengers and riders 24 into 7. It helps you to connect with the taxi which is around your area so that you can get from your location to the destination point in a few seconds.
The request process is simple.
Its straight request directly to Uber drivers who use their personal vehicles at the same time. The closest car can beat you within a span of a few minutes while people are aware of each other’s location. Uber app includes five substances that are important to clarify from the customer perspective. So getting a better understanding when asking how to make an app like Uber, let’s first examine the effect of functioning.
Creation of the trip request to the end destination is really important. Whenever we are talking about an app like Uber and AirBnb it is important that we understand the customer’s point of view and also understand the retailers point of view. However, these two points of view if taken into an app can help you to undermine the core values while the creation of an online demand app.
Verification is important as it helps the issue to verify that they are completely honest with their intent or not. Users can confirm their data and the pickup location at the same time in their using Uber. Matching of the nearby available drivers is easy as they can accept or decline a request which comes on their smartphone. Payment process is done automatically inside the app after the ride is complete.
Booking the ride or room is easy
Most of the passengers booked an Uber can choose a payment option as the post pay future that can help them to address the credit or debit card situation or even their paypal account. Another one of the main features that Uber and AirBnB have is the feature of rating the app in the right way.
It helps the customers to get a four component of ap logistic and even understand the basics. The price for the Uber taxi service app includes a base fare based on the location as well as the driver charges. Once everything settled the customer can get inside the cab and go to their in location which is fitted onto the app. It seems important way through which you can understand the work of an on-demand platform like AirBnB and Uber.
Things to include in the admin panel
In order to organise and control the driver’s processes it is important to keep track of the customer satisfaction. This is why it is very important to keep a central control point that is required to be ready. In this way you can see a web-based admin panel that should be developed to manage the customer, driver, order. It’s on or even location adjusting the payment and payout system.
- Location and fare management.
- Driver and user management.
- Booking management.
- Vehicle management.
- Review driver and order plus the payouts.
- Check all the ratings and reviews.
- Notification management.
- System content management.
- Promotion and discount management.
- Driver and user support.
- Integration of google analytics.
All the messaging services should be connected accordingly with app formation. However, it will help all the customers to keep a proper and checkout system while they are looking for an Uber. Payment gateway integration is a crucial functionality which has to be implemented in all apps. To proceed with the payment integration, it seems necessary to properly comply with certain requirements and country policies. All for handling this data securely. As a tool to implement the payment functionality, it is impossible to use a third party app.
Checklist to considering before launching your application:
- Understanding the target audience of your application.
- Having to market different sources of your application to various target audiences.
- Knowing all the different marketing techniques which should be included in your project.
- Including all the driver and user control panels and features system accordingly.
- Understanding the role of the panel application and performance level to get an unobstructed view of how your app will work.
- Easier understanding of how to launch the application to the right audience.
- Consider checking all the lists and then selecting the items off once it done.
Choosing the right app development company to get started
It is important to choose only the best app development company to get started with your offer. Once you have a rational idea of how it goes, it will become easier for you to get a good understanding of the making of an on-demand platform, etc.
At Idea Usher, we are here to cater right to your needs. If you need an on-demand platform from us, then our users have the best option for you. The demand for on-demand platforms is rising and to keep up with the market solution., your app needs to be unique and spectacular. Contact us now to know more of what we have in store for you
Hire ex-FANG developers, with combined 50000+ coding hours experience
FAQ:
How long does it take to build an app like Uber or Airbnb?
The amount of time which goes into building the app depends on the user interface. Depending on the following, the app made. The company is completely responsible for the app’s unit location and every other thing as well.
Do you need assistance building an on-demand platform?
You can take the help of different development teams to get you on demand platform and etc. Depending on the usage information and others. You will get a proper idea of how it works and how you can build the app right on time.
Can you grow a video-on-deman platform?
Yes, you can grow a video on your on demand platform. It is something that will help you to market in the video production journey. A lot of marketers out there have made a lot of videos regarding their on demand platform and application. It helps them to get collective feedback and understanding on the whole module.