In the 21st century, web based applications and smartphone software has enabled millions of people to better organize their lives and be able to become more efficient in what they do and how they can achieve particular goals and outcomes. One area that web based designs and applications have moved towards is convenient shopping and sourcing of restaurants for people to eat at and socialize. It is quite easy for people to access an application that will allow them to find an appropriate restaurant or other food outlet for any time of the day (Appnovation, 2016).
Furthermore, people can order food from shopping malls and large stores such as Wal-Mart and Cost Co, which can be delivered to their home or work address. The process of conglomerating both of these needs into one major application has not started and it is a suitable time for an appropriate application to be developed to meet this need. This paper will focus extensively on this need and the development of an application that can allow someone to plan out their entire eating schedule for a particular day or even for a week, in any city and at any time worldwide. It is designed to use the location aspects of smartphones in order to determine where the person is (Daniel, 2013).
Proposal
This report proposes the development and subsequent establishment of a smartphone or computer based application that allows any person at any time and in any location given their vicinity to a town or city to organize their meal or food schedule for a day or a week if they choose to. This all occurs within one application rather than the individual having to access a number of different applications to find out about restaurants and book a meal. This application addresses the issue of time wasting associated with people having to look extensively on the internet or throughout a number of applications to book a restaurant or have meals delivered to them. For example, a businessman might have to access the Wal-Mart application to have food delivered to their door and then close this application and start another to book a meal for lunch. Within the proposed application, this can all be done without having to close the application and look at another (Daniel, 2013). It will have a number of options included in the application that simply allow the individual to firstly plan out their breakfast or lunch and then decide whether they want the food delivered or picked up either from a store or a supermarket and what foods they would like.
Specifications of Business Model
The main aims and objectives of the proposed application focus explicitly on convenience and avoiding time wasting. Particularly in nations such as the United States and in Europe, there is an extensive emphasis on convenience and providing comfort and an efficient service to customers and to further inspire loyalty and repeat business. This application will provide the necessary convenience and efficiency that will save people time and allow them to use the additional time for other commitments that may be more significant or pressing (Appnovation, 2016). Additionally, the desired outcome once the application is well established is for people in nations worldwide to have food schedules booked for their entire week and the appropriate meals delivered or on their way to their home or bookings made for business or personal meetings. There are numerous opportunities contained within this proposal that may broaden the horizon for other retail businesses and may allow the application to further expand and become more popular worldwide. There may even be the potential for the application to expand into other retail stores associated with clothes or essential items.
Revenue Models
The application is designed so that it can be first be tested as a prototype to a small population within a community of a large city within the United States. The target city for this business plan is Los Angeles as it has the necessary resources, needs and requirements to supplement using the application on a daily and weekly basis (Torous, 2015). The application will commence as a free service to this small community in order to provide premium and quick access to it and inspire more people to test its capabilities. Once more people have accessed it and feedback has been drawn from the application itself (it will include an option for feedback within the application), changes and updates can be made to it. The advantage of developing an application is that it can be constantly updated in response to feedback and ideas from teams or developers that are constantly working on it. It is a flexible business model and idea that can be continued and developed into the future.
The main revenue aim in the first year would be $100,000 as funds are raised and the application starts to spread in popularity throughout the general Los Angeles area. In the 2nd year, it is determined that a revenue of at least $1,000,000 is achieved. The price of the application would be $1 and thus, a customer base of at least 100,000 would be required in the first year with the price of the application potentially increasing in the 2nd and 3rd years until it becomes well established. There is also the alternative option of making the price of the application either $3 or $4 and therefore relieving it of the requirement to gain a larger audience, however people may be less willing to purchase it at a higher price.
Customer Profile and Target Market
The unique and advantageous aspect of the proposed application or web design is that it is applicable to any socio-economic situation from when people learn to use applications on their smartphone and on the web. It is easy to access and will instantly provide people with local options rather than with only a certain number of options (Appnovation, 2016). The options for restaurants and food outlets or stores will be unlimited and therefore allow the individual to choose something that is to their liking or pick a type of food based on their interests and pastimes. Furthermore, customers of all ages and within any business can use the application. It is diverse and dynamic in the sense that everyone needs to eat and there will always be people willing to eat out at restaurants and require bookings and deliveries from numerous outlets and stores at anytime of the day. It is anticipated that the customer base for the application will be so broad that its popularity will quickly increase and it will become a global application rather than simply confined to the Los Angeles area (Daniel, 2013).
The customer profile for the application will also spread across the United States to include people from all fifty states prior to it spreading globally.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
The strengths of the proposal and product is such that it will combine a number of requirements into one interface and allow people to have more convenience and efficiency in their schedule. It is an idea that has not become global nor has it been tested by other companies. There are some applications that combine one or two options but they are limited at this time (Daniel, 2013).
Weaknesses
The weaknesses of the design focus on the fact that it is technologically based and not all people in society rely on applications on smartphones or through the web. Furthermore, it may require some sophisticated technology that exudes time and money and may not be achievable until the application is actually making substantial revenue (Torous, 2015).
Opportunities
There are however numerous opportunities for the application and it is advantageous that it is only starting out with food outlets and stores before it could possibly expand to retail stores and outlets. For people who are closely associated with applications and technology, this application will be very effective and may inspire other companies to purchase the design of the application to fulfill their own needs and requirements.
Threats
Like with all startup organizations and enterprises, the fear or inherent threat is that large well-established companies may utilize this idea more effectively and develop a technology that is more effective and draws in a wider customer base and target segment overall. For example, there are numerous competitors such as Apple and Microsoft, who are well established and can easily incorporate this application into their own technologies and software (Torous, 2015). They also already have a well-established customer base who are loyal only to their products. With a start up company such as this business proposal, there may be some difficulties attracting a large IT based customer base and target segment particularly in Los Angeles, which happens to be the hub of global technology.
Brand
The layout of the application will be colorful and very user friendly to the point where it can be effectively utilized on both apple and android-based smartphone products and computers. It will also allow the customer to personalize the application and change its style and color to suit their own agenda.
Conclusion
This product will become popular based on its design and usability and will provide customers worldwide with a basis for planning out their week and become more innovative themselves. Its autonomy and flexibility will allow for future prosperity and product development, crucial to its overall revenue.
- Appnovation. (2016). Smartphone Application Development. Appnovation Enterprises, https://www.appnovation.com/services/mobile-app-development/smartphone (4th April, 2016).
- Daniel, P. (2013). Smartphone Application Development Leads the Current Trends of Mobile Market. Dream Grow, http://www.dreamgrow.com/smartphone-application-development-leads-the-current-trends-of-mobile-market/ (4th April, 2016).
- Torous, J. (2015). Current research and trends in the use of smartphone applications for mood disorders. Internet Interventions, 2(2), 169-173, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782915000135 (4th April, 2016).
