The Complete Guide to On-Demand App Development [2023 Overview]

The Complete Guide to On-Demand App Development

One of the most common business models in recent times is the on-demand delivery or service apps. Currently, there is a high demand among consumers for the fast delivery of services and goods, which is possible through this technology. Statistics show that the market size of on-demand food delivery will reach $161.74 billion by 2023.

The on-demand economic movement is set to revitalize the supply chain movement and improve customer satisfaction. Many tech companies are focusing on on-demand app development to create applications that serve this function.
Common industries that have the highest use of on-demand services and apps include food delivery, courier, field service, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods delivery (e.g., gifts, flowers).

If you are interested in developing an on-demand app for your brand, keeping particular information in mind is necessary. In this article, we shall discuss that in more detail.

Why Brands Should Opt for On-Demand App Development

For companies, there are multiple potential benefits available for use after adopting an on-demand business model.

Statistically, the on-demand economy has a huge customer base, with 22.4 million users in the U.S. per year. They spend approximately $57.6 billion on these services. From the perspective of businesses, this allows for high customer reach, revenue growth, and operational improvement.

If you are wondering why you should invest in this model still, here are some possible benefits your brand would get.

Real-time tracking

Such apps include a real-time tracking feature for monitoring the service progress. In the context of the transportation and logistics functions of a company, this feature is highly valuable.

Not only can the officials keep track of their live shipment, location of the delivery agent, and ETA, but also the customers can follow these details in real-time.

Manage and Store Data

For businesses, cloud infrastructure support improves the storage and accessibility capacity of these apps. This space holds important details like service data, service provider data, and even user data.

Data analysts can later access the cloud storage to understand customer interest trends and make app modifications.

Convenient business strategy

To note, on-demand apps function as a connection between two ends of a supply chain; i.e., the customers and the producers. Such apps ensure a simpler delivery process and streamlined supply chain.

Businesses can, thereafter, handle customer demands faster, manage their tasks better, and notice an improvement in their profit scale.

Better time management

On-demand technology reduces service timelines to a high degree.

Statistically, 51% of service providers started offering same-day delivery service in 2018; the count grew to 65% by 2019. The overall reduction in service span happens because of several reasons- low physical interactions, quick shipping, and a reduced turnaround time.

Reduced initial investment

With on-demand app development, the cost of the overall projects is lesser compared to conventional app creation steps. Here, you can cut down on costs like overhead rent costs, hiring professional team/developers and their salaries, operational costs, and hardware costs.
Plus, maintenance demands are lower, as well.

Customization options

You can personalize the app model for your different projects effectively. With on-demand development, businesses get the scope of reinventing their services and product models. They follow customer trends in the market and react accordingly.

Customer satisfaction

The main reason for businesses investing in on-demand apps is because of the reception of their customer bases towards them. Most users currently want services or goods as quickly as possible. Statistically, 6% of all participating consumers in one survey stated that they shopped for online groceries more than one time in a single month.

So, brands that have more on-demand apps can ensure higher customer satisfaction.

Development of on-demand apps

There are specific steps that go into the process of on-demand app development. Here is the main sequence you should follow for this task.

Conceptualization/Planning Phase

At the very first step, business professionals need to prepare an idea for the app. At this stage, it is crucial to conduct full-scale research on the market trends and consumers. Find out what they have an interest in and broaden on that for your app idea.

Also, consider the similar types of apps available in your niche market. Analyse how the competitor apps have performed with their customers. Consider what features they found interesting and what they did not like.

Properly research what types of apps are most popular in the market. Then, check out what features make them incomparable. With this gathered data, you can establish a foundation for your app.

Business model

After completing the planning process, the development team would begin choosing their business model. Setting the target audience is important here to plan if the app should have a B2B, C2C, or a B2C service model.

To elaborate, figure out if you are creating the on-demand app for the suppliers, consumers, or producers. Consider which platform you want to develop the app for; native iOS, native Android, or hybrid alternatives.

Decide on the technology

First, consider the platform you are building the app compatible with to select the technology stack you would implement. Take the help of certified developers at this stage.

Hire those who are skilled and experienced in different frameworks like React Native and Swift and languages like JavaScript or C##. Also, follow a pre-planned idea of the functions, features, and restrictions you require.

Design and development

Professional app designers can provide customized structures and designs for on-demand apps. Verify if the experts you are hiring have the necessary skills in this operation.

Test and Deployment

To note, testing is an important step you should focus on throughout the app development period. However, at the end of the creation process, you should conduct specialized testing like beta tests.

Audit the app carefully to check for performance capability. Statistically, app users find 44% of the in-app defects. Avoid this by conducting thorough QA testing first. Launch the app afterwards and provide additional maintenance help later.

Crucial Features to add in on-demand apps

To build a successful on-demand app, there are specific sets of features that are crucial to add. The primary features are different for each of the user bases for on-demand apps though, i.e., customers and suppliers. The following is a list of important features available in such apps.

Push notifications- This allows users to get information about the delivery status and important notifications directly on their devices.

Real-time tracking- People can trace the route of their order and verify their real-time arrival status.

Payment- On-demand app services support multiple payment gateways like credit/debit, UPI options, and COD. These options are quick to complete, easy to use and ensure secure encrypted transactions.

Favourites- Customers can mark the product or service provider they like. They can access their favourites list later to easily find and re-order from them.

Ratings/reviews- Users can remark on their experience with the app or products directly in the reviews section. Businesses can use this feedback to make changes in their app and services.

Customer support- The Customer Care feature allows the app users direct contact with the company’s support staff. The latter can resolve their queries quickly.

Request acceptance/rejection- The feature is useful for service providers to accept an order or reject it at the time.

Customer data management- On the part of the service provider, they have a section on the app to manage all their customer interactions. These include discounts, payments, and cancellation charges.

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Conclusion

All things considered; you should research the different successful on-demand apps available online. Notice what versions attract larger customer bases and evaluate what makes them unique. With the right amount of data and the support of a certified development team, building on-demand apps can prove profitable for brands.

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