The global ride-hailing industry has largely displaced the traditional model with the advent of the Uber Clone app. It all started with Uber, which became the solution for real-world problems. Due to its scalable business model, many other businesses termed “Uber-like apps” started to emerge in other countries. How you can offer your customers the joy of ordering a cab from their smartphones as well?
Introduction
It has been a global need to travel without facing the inconvenience of getting a taxi or a rental car without going over budget. Uber did a masterful job attracting both passengers and drivers. There needs to be enough supply and demand for a service that functions from an app.
The Evolution Of Ride-hailing Apps
Before Uber, the taxi situation was notorious in many countries. It was the only mode of transportation that was free of any regulations or standardization. As people came to know about Uber and started using their services, they posted about their experience. They did so in every way possible to tell their friends or family about this new way to ride. As a result, Uber partnered with both cab companies and individual taxis to retain their long-lost customers.
Uber’s asset-light strategy also allowed its presence in each new city, where it expanded its operations. Being “just” an online platform connecting drivers and passengers eliminated many barriers to Uber’s growth.
The majority of Uber drivers use their cars. This approach became a massive hit among investors. Uber doesn’t need to invest in a fleet of company-owned vehicles or the repair costs that come with it. Generally, Uber is more of a technology company than a taxicab booking service.
What is an Uber Clone App?
Adapting a popular business model in a place where the need to attract newer customer market segments hasn’t been a new thing in entrepreneurial circles. Many globally acclaimed companies indeed influence many businesses.
Many app-based businesses have entrepreneurs who often replicate the service and features of the app on their own. Since taxis are present in almost every country, the need to have a taxi booking app is more than necessary.
Here, the need for innovation is the platform itself. Hence, there isn’t any need apart from adding a few online features to attract modern customers who need convenience and budget-friendly trips daily. Moreover, a new term has been labeled to generalize such business models as “clone” apps.
Such clone apps as Uber Clone offer similar workflow and features to their customers and have been very successful in today’s mobile app development landscape. Let’s understand the Uber Clone App business and see the requirements to start a similar business on your own.
Starting A Successful Ride-Hailing Business
The success of the ride-hailing business hinges on its ability to provide a robust app platform for both riders and drivers. In other words, it should be loaded with countless features coupled with sleek and minimalistic UI/UX to offer a complete solution from one platform. However, to start a successful ride-hailing business, you must have two different apps developed and ready to be launched for the driver and your customers, i.e., passengers.
The Driver App
On the surface, the purpose of a driver app is to help the driver manage earnings, find new trips, and navigate to pick-up and drop-off locations. The driver app is built to become a highly flexible source of income. It is designed for people who are willing to loan their car to become a means of public transportation.
The physical aspect of this approach is that everything remains the same for a person who owns a car. They want to make money off it in weekly and daily terms, using the driver app to accomplish such tasks.
The Passenger App
For those people who use their smartphones daily, adding one more app to their phones might not seem like such a big task. However, it is the trust and transparency that the app platform offers to its users that guarantee its success in the long run.
In essence, the passenger app books rides for people and offers real-time tracking for them without going over budget. Moreover, it offers lower wait times and upfront pricing to make the service feel even more hassle-free as compared to its traditional counterpart.
Admin Panel
The administrator panel manages the enormous amount of data flowing from the driver and passenger apps. This makes it easier for the business owner to understand the market. The data is shown in the form of graphs on multiple dashboards, each made to present a unique set of metrics, or KPIs.
At a glance, the business owner can see which set of features and promotional activities are working or not. Moreover, where to expand the business or stop. For instance, the admin panel has a heat-map feature that highlights an area on the app where the demand for rides is higher than usual.
Custom vs. Readymade Uber Clone App
There has been a great debate among budding entrepreneurs and taxi app development companies regarding the launch of Uber-like businesses. The core aspect of this debate largely puts two key factors at the center: time and money. However, it depends on your ability to make the most of the situation presented to you.
If you decide to partner with an app development agency, be ready to invest massive capital. This investment is required for a period of six to eight months. The result is an MVP (minimum viable product) that can be tested out in public for general feedback.
On the other hand, if you decide to look for ready-made clone apps, be ready to start your research to find the best white-label firm. White-labeling means rebranding, and in this case, a generalized third-party custom-made app will be rebranded as per your business details in a matter of a few weeks. The end result is that all three interfaces (user, driver, and admin panel) are ready to be launched in any market you want.
Conclusion
How about starting your own online taxi service? Find the best advice straight from third-party developers to learn about the cost of developing a custom app or investing in a ready-made clone app. Meanwhile, start analyzing the competition to seek the best interest in innovations. Find your true entrepreneurial passion that offers both value and validation.