Complete Guide for On-Demand Courier Delivery App Development: Must Have Features
The dispersion of people to different corners of the country and even to different countries has intensified the necessity for transporting goods between cities. No! We’re not talking about large consignments - we are referring to small parcels there a mom might endearingly send her son’s or daughter’s favourite alarm clock from home if they had left it when leaving the university.
However, nobody needs an alarm clock these days! Everything is available right there in mobile phones. Maybe we need to send alarm clocks has disappeared but there is always a need to send little parcels to your near and dear ones. The good news is that your mobile phone can do it as well… Or a mobile app to be precise!
The onslaught of on demand
Ever since Uber introduced the calling of cabs using mobile applications, on demand has become a thing of food. There are services for almost everything that can be made available using mobile apps.
This revolution has expanded into multiple territories including but not limited to Food delivery, beauty services, babysitters, dog walking, and even dating. The courier and parcel services have not been spared from being positively affected by this revolution. An Uber for couriers scenes like a viable business option that has quite a lot of prospect for profit.
The different types of apps
An on demand courier delivery app is far from being monotonous. There are different flavours of services that can be provided and congruently, different apps can be created.
There are postal and courier service companies that specialise in providing parcel services as their major offering. Companies like FedEx fall into this category. Most of these companies have their own mobile application and some of them even have special apps for same-day delivery, like FedEx. Some of these apps provide customers the power to schedule pickups and even print labels and create shipments.
There are tracking aggregators that collect tracking details from multiple providers and aggregate them into a single platform. All that the company needs to do is to input the package ID and synchronise the tracking details interface with the details provided. These services can also consider using push notifications to keep customers – both the sender and the recipient – informed on the whereabouts of the package.
Branded delivery and integrated solutions use mobile apps that have the tracking feature integrated. Some retailers provide a total scope of successful delivery. The customers can be notified if a package is ready to be dispatched, or shipped, or if it has been successfully delivered. Transparency and convenience or what make these applications congenial for business success.
Marketplaces for parcel delivery is, in essence, an Uber for couriers. Such services/apps do not own delivery executives or customers. They simply provide a marketplace where the demand can connect with the supply. This model has been found to be extremely efficient and profitable for multiple businesses. For the courier industry, it is bound to be a big bliss for small businesses as they now have a greater chance of finding customers. In addition, the customers can also find the perfect delivery service that fits their requirement. It creates a proper win-win situation for both the business and the customer alike.
Building and on demand courier delivery app
Now that we know the different models that exist for courier services, it is now time to focus on courier delivery app development. Building a courier delivery app it's no mean feat. There are a lot of pockets of thought that should go into creating the business. The decision making sequence is given below. Also it is not a hard and fast rule to follow the process given below, it is what is the most common and the most proven model.
Choosing the business model
We have seen the different business models that exist for courier services. Based on your location, the competition, your market, the customer expectations, and the existing delivery ecosystems in your area, you will have to choose your business model. It should also be taken into consideration that there are aspects like business goals, availability of resources, and scalability.
Specifying your business goals and proportional requirements
When you develop an on demand courier app, you are not building a piece of technology but a fragment of a large business ecosystem. You will need to have answers for questions like your scope of operation (specific city, or a specific country, or worldwide), the type of delivery will offer, and the average size of the parcels you will be delivering. Having answers to these questions place an important role in identifying the scope of your business.
Now that you are clear on the goals and the requirements, the next step is to create a holistic courier delivery application.
Features of your courier delivery app
There is no limit to the features that you can imagine and add to wear courier delivery application. However, there are a few basic features that need to be uncompromisingly incorporated into the app, so it does not mess up with the basic functionalities acquired.
Admin chat
This feature is essential because it helps administrators chat with users and delivery executives. A coordinated effort results in better quality of service.
Multiple options in packaging
The packaging it's not the same for all parcels some of them are extremely fragile and they will need to be packed with extra care. Some of them do not even need packaging but must be considered for privacy. The packaging options provided by your business should cover all these options.
Tracking
One of the most prominent improvements presented by the GPS and mapping combination is the possibility of real-time tracking. If you can track your package until the time of delivery, it would be useful to ensure your availability at home to receive the package. This feature comes in as a big place for delivery executives, users, and administrators alike. It can help the administrator match drivers according to their availability and location. It can also help users pinpoint their location with an uncompromising degree of accuracy.
Push notifications
Your app should be able to push notifications to users, executives, and administrators. The users should be notified of every step that is taken towards delivering the parcel to their location including dispatch and the shipping details.
Payment options
There are a lot of digital payment avenues that are available today. your application should be able to support all this payment options period to make this possible, should be integrated with a versatile payment gateway that accepts all mainstream payment options including but not limited to debit cards, credit cards, internet banking, and wallets.
Creating the app
Creating the app includes putting in all the aspects of design, development, and business to converge at an amazing manifestation of technology without compromising on the utility. However, it is said easier than done – it could take a lot of time and money for you to put together the app.
Conclusion
As an alternative, you can consider purchasing clones of existing courier delivery applications. This not only saves you quite a lot in terms of both time and money but also gives you the edge over here competition in eliminating the possibilities of finding bugs that might tamper with the basic functionalities of your application.
Should you have a requirement to develop a business using an on demand courier delivery app, all you need to do is get in touch with development companies that specialise in this particular arena. They will take care to gather your requirements and ensure that your app is delivered without any lapses in quality or timing!
