How to Become the Next AirBnB

The definition of customer experience has immensely changed over the years. Just like any other customer-focused industry, the booking industry has been digitized with the increase of smartphones and tablets usage. At the same time, this has raised customer expectations. Mobile phones have become a huge part of the booking industry where a major chunk of the target audience for these industries are the millennials who are constantly connected to the internet and desire a smooth experience. These customers are attracted towards a company that provides ease, mobile booking features, on-arrival payment features and an excellent customer support.

A research by Statistic Brain Research Institute found out that, off all travel bookings, 57% are currently made online and more than 65% of the customers book their trips from their smartphones. Also, people spend an average amount of $148 billion each year on travel bookings made online. A similar study by Frederic Gonzalo predicted that the mobile booking industry for travel will grow by 1700% from a period of 2011 to 2015. These statistics clearly show that the overall booking industry is not just growing, but also blooming, and the biggest trend is the online booking feature. In short, if you want to establish a business in the online booking industry and thrive, you must develop an online booking app that stands out from the rest. The barrier to entry is high, and so is the competition. To make your app stand out from the crowd, you need to adhere to certain strategies.

How To Develop A Booking App From Scratch?

Online apps are gathering popularity, but with popularity comes competition. People have laptops and phones with them all the time, which has increased the usability of online booking apps, making them an even bigger challenge for these companies. At Debut Infotech, the development of an Online Booking App starts as follows:

• Conducting an Initial Research - Speak to your target audience and conduct an extensive research into their requirement. Jot down the features that your customers want in a booking app and analyse what your competitors have and where you can outperform them.
• Figure out your USP - Once you are equipped with the necessary information from your users, you must start creating a product vision. Decide what you want your app’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP) to be, and build your booking app around that. Give your customers something different from the competitors.
• Develop a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) - The biggest mistake a company makes is spending too much time on the MVP. As a business owner, you want to develop an app as soon as possible so you can bring it to your customers. Your customer's response will then tell you the changes you need to make. Instead of trying to create a perfect app in the first go, you must focus on continuously iterating the app on the basis of customer feedback.
• Pay attention to your customers - Your MVP will allow you to get helpful feedback from your users. It is your responsibility then, to keep a check on these and implement changes according to the feedback you receive.
• Market your product the right way - Many companies fail to execute their marketing plans effectively. You will only be able to take your app to maximum users if you market it the right way. Hence, the right marketing strategies must be thought off well before an app launch.

Give Your App A Competitive Edge

The industry already has multiple existing players like Airbnb, Zomato, Hipmunk, and booking.com to name a few. These have been ruling the industry for a long time. Hence, if you wish to develop a new app, your company must have some unique proposition that helps you position yourself in the market.

Focus On The Experience

Customers in this era do not settle for just a good deal. They want much more than that- they desire a great experience, both with the app and the service. For example, the hotel industry booking requirements have shifted from simply a hotel room to a hotel experience. This is why customers love Airbnb. They love to spend money on experience rather than a room.

Utilize The Latest Technical Innovations

To survive in this competitive environment, you may need to develop a cutting-edge and innovative app. Your app must be easy to use, appealing to look at and at the same time include some of the latest technologies like chatbots, conversational interfaces or virtual reality elements.

Continuous technological advancements are making the business environment a dynamic place. In order to become a leading player in the booking industry, one must continuously analyse the market and keep a check on latest innovations. Understand your customer needs, track your competitors and most of all keep working on your application and the product to undergo constant improvements. Once you decide to do all this, leading the market won’t be impossible anymore.

How To Develop A Booking Application

Every booking app differs from others. Some companies want a more complex design while others are looking for a simple looking app that is easy on the eyes. Some companies want to add tech functionalities like VR or want integrations with other apps. The first step to build an app is to know your requirements clearly, and the second is to ask for help. Help from experts who are engaged in constantly developing apps and can use their experience to build an app suited to your customer’s needs.

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