As disruptive technologies go, nothing has shaken-up the economy more than the smartphone. In recent years, apps have completely changed the way we buy services like taxi rides, accommodation, and food delivery. Business sectors that previously had no digital footprint are now synonymous with technology, and we expect the on-demand economy to continue to grow unabated in 2019.
While names like Uber, Lyft, Air B&B,JustEat, and Deliveroo are household names around the world, on demand businesstouches many other areas of life. With this in mind, we wanted to share some ofour favorite on-demand apps – some you might have heard of, and others that mightbe new to you.
Spiffy
Spiffy is an on-demand car wash anddetailing company which allows users to schedule a wash within minutes fromtheir mobile app or website. The service is provided at the client’s home oroffice location with regular alerts keeping users' informed of the progress ofthe job.
As well as changing the way people arewashing their cars, Spiffy is also making great strides in reducing theenvironmental impact of keeping your vehicles clean. A “Green” Spiffy wash,where 100 percent of the water is recycled, and there is zero run-off,typically only uses between five and 15 gallons of water. This compares tobetween 30 and 70 gallons at a bricks and mortar car wash, and more than 100gallons when washing your car at home.
TaskRabbit
If you love buying flat pack furniture buthate assembling flat-pack furniture, TaskRabbit is the app for you. Acquired byIKEA in 2017, the app has more the 140,000 taskers on hand across cities in theUnited States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, to help users move heavy boxes,build, mount and install furniture, as well as offering a wide range ofhandyman services.
With average “tasks” costing between $46and $117, TaskRabbit offers an affordable alternative to DIY and will almostcertainly save you from sudden spikes in blood pressure when struggling withthose self-build projects.
Instacart
Everybody deserves a personal shopper –right? Now, thanks to on-demand services like Instacart, many of us canactually afford one.
Instacart offers an on-demand groceryshopping service with a difference. With no warehouses or trucks, the serviceemploys part-time workers who deliver products from a range of supermarketsusing their own cars.
The beauty of Instacart is that it allowsconsumers to have their groceries delivered from stores that don’t currentlyhave their own online shopping service, including large budget supermarketbrands such as ALDI and many independent stores. This creates a balance betweenavailability, choice, and budget.
GlamSquad
Now you don’t have to worry about washingthe car, fixing up the house, or doing the weekly shop, why not treat yourselfwith a visit from the GlamSquad.
GlamSquad’s on-demand beauty services canprovide hair, makeup and nail treatments from 6am to 9pm in and around New YorkCity, Los Angeles, Orange County, South Florida, Washington DC, Boston, and theBay Area.
And if you’re worried about having to cleanyour home before the GlamSquad arrives, check out the Q&A on their website— as long as you have surface and a power socket they can work from — theyreally don’t care. Happy days.
OpenTable
The on-demand economy isn’t just aboutdelivering great stuff to your door. How about an app that gets you out of thehouse. OpenTable is the app you should turn to before booking your Uber andheading into town. With access to 47,000+ restaurants around the world, you’llnever find yourself struggling to find a table on a night out.
Demonstrating the power of the app,OpenTable finds restaurants for more than 26 million diners every month. Thesediners than go on to write more than a million restaurant reviews every month. Withthis in mind, there really isn’t a more powerful voice in the restaurantbusiness than OpenTable.
Doctoron Demand
The on-demand economy isn’t just aboutconvenience. Doctor on Demand is an app that aims to look after your health byproviding 24-hour access to a medical professional within minutes via videolink.
Doctor on Demand can help users with healthquestions about conditions such as cold and flu, allergies, depression andanxiety, skin and eye issues, and even issues requiring urgent care.
While all the apps mentioned in thisarticle offer their users convenience, flexibility, and choice, Doctor onDemand demonstrates how the on-demand economy can deliver real life-changingopportunities.
What’sNext for the On-Demand Economy?
It's an exciting time for technology brandsto enter and ultimately disrupt the status quo in all manner of businesssectors. Looking forward to 2019 and beyond, the on-demand economy promises tochange the way we work, rest and play. Business organizations who don’t geton-board risk becoming less relevant to their audience. If there is onecertainty in this age of disruptive technology – it is always better to be thedisruptive force rather than the disrupted.
To learn how Digital Turbine can help yourorganization favorably position your on-demand app in the market, helping youbecome a dominant force in your industry, talk to one of our app experts today.
