How to create an on-demand car repair app
Every person ever with a car has needed auto-repair services. And keeping the fact that us millenials are batshit busy even to hit the gym, or go cook our own food in mind, you are smart if you feel that an uber type auto-repair service is something that a vast majority of car owners would love to have. To top all of that, the global automotive repair and maintenance services market is valued at about US $440 Billions with only a couple of players in the on-demand space. This blog is basically a guide on how to build a OnDemand mechanic app.
However, before we throw ourselves into the nitty-gritty of creating a good car repair and maintenance marketplace app, we think you should get some insights about the on-demand economy.
The On-Demand Economy.
On-demand services are the future of everything right now. Want a taxi? Uber will get you one in 5 minutes. Craving for a nice dinner, but can’t go out of the house? Don’t worry, Swiggy has you covered. What we’re trying to say is that the on-demand app industry is on such a high right now, that it is expected to become one of the largest sectors of the market real soon. It is believed that in the future, people will be able to get anything they want within a 5 to 60-minute window. This ranges from food, transportation, and medicines to supplies, electronic gadgets and much more.
What makes a good on-demand app with Million-Downloads (Read Uber, Zomato!)?
An on-demand app is one which allows you to order anything anytime you want. The scope of ‘anything’ is limited by the services which can be provided spontaneously within a convenient amount of time. This usually includes food delivery, transportation, grocery, house repairs, gifts and all that good stuff. Convenience and mobility are what these on-demand apps thrive on, thus, it is important to keep in mind these two factors when tinkering with the idea of building one. Starting with Uber, one of the first on-demand apps to receive acceptance and funding, we have witnessed a blinding increase in the number of such apps, with investors happy to put their money into this field and help in their growth.
As time has passed, an even larger multitude of services has come under the on-demand app umbrella. This article talks about an on-demand car repair application, what features should it have, and how to develop one. Let us talk about the features of an on-demand car repair app.
Driving at the “on-demand car repair app” highway.
When you create an on-demand car repair app, you must keep in mind a few specific features to incorporate in your app. Some of these may be extended to any on-demand app, but such is the nature of this field of technology. Taking a general feature and adding a certain tweak to it will make it specific. Creating an online mechanic marketplace isn’t as easy as it sounds. So, let us waste no further time and get started with the features you integrate when you create an on-demand car repair app.
1. Reasonable price points for the service offered.
People should have a reason for using your app. What is the use of being in contact with mechanics, maintaining the database and servers of your app, and bearing the cost of all this, when you charge way more than the local repair shop, beyond any measure? The thing is, people should feel that they are paying a fair price for the services they are using. A car mechanic visit to their doorstep can cost a bit more than taking the car to the local repair shop, but there should be a cap to that price. Only if your price point is attractive for the convenience you offer can you sustain your platform, successfully create an on-demand car repair app and maintain it.
2. Live tracking and updates.
As is the case with any general on-demand app, a car repair service app must contain live tracking features. This helps the customer to know where the mechanic is, how long will he take to reach, and whether there have been any snags on the way or not. People always want to be up to date with what’s going on; giving them this will only increase your customer retention. Incorporating live updates when you create an on-demand car repair app is the way to go.
3. Frictionless Payments
Payments should be as streamlined as possible. Quick, secure and convenient is how users like it. Also, a variety of options such as credit cards, wallets, net banking and cash on delivery must be incorporated in the app for full customer convenience. These two feature segments are basics that must be implemented when you create an on-demand car repair app.
Ease of Payments can be a deal-breaker, especially when it comes to OnDemand mechanic app.
4. Bridge the gaps between mechanics and car owners.
We begin with finding the suppliers for our auto-service app development process, which, in our case, are the mechanics and spare part suppliers. This is the first and foremost step in the process to create an on-demand car repair app. The reason is simple: how will your app run if there are no mechanics to cater to your customer requests?
After you have the necessary people on board, consider designing the matching algorithm. This is perhaps one of the most important segments in the ‘create an on-demand car repair app’ process. Depending on the platform and funding, you can implement manual or automatic matching, in order to assign mechanics to car repair requests. It is smart, to begin with, a smaller area first, in order for these algorithms to work best. Once you master the local stage, you can begin expansion.
Managing the suppliers and tasks is one more job that needs to be performed. Therefore, integrate a solid backend into your platform, so that the information about suppliers and customers both can be managed by your app.
5. Either the design is good, or the app isn’t worth it!
As with any other app, UI and UX also play an important role in the process of how to create an on-demand car repair app and creating an online mechanic marketplace. People should find your app simple and easy to use, therefore, you must design the UI of the auto-service app development in such a way that users do what they want as quickly as possible.
6. App for mechanics
Just like we need to have a great platform for the users and customers for joining the network, it is important to enable a smooth onboarding process for the mechanics in any vertically aligned marketplace like this online auto-repair and maintenance app.
One important thing that the mechanic version of your app should have is the work order management. The mechanic should have all the information that is required about a certain work order before he signs up to fix it. The reason behind this is that there are certain tools and equipment for every set of work order types.
The app for mechanics could also include a system which would help them know the credits and payments they have been awarded for various work orders.
You’ve built the on-demand auto repair and maintenance app. now what?
7. How to build and retain customers?
Once you complete the auto-service app development and roll it out, your work has just begun. The ‘create an on-demand car repair app’ stage is complete; you must now initiate the ‘sustain an on-demand car repair app’ stage. Put active efforts into building and retaining a loyal customer base. This can be done by features like rating systems, efficient and polite customer support, offers, promotions and discounts. Making the customer feel right at home is a great way of increasing loyalty, and will ensure that your user base stays with you for time to come.
Some great examples of already functioning car repair apps.
Part of Y Combinator’s winter 2017 class, Fiix is a startup that aims to send a mechanic to fix your car within hours of request. They have clearly mastered how to create an on-demand car repair app, as they incorporate all the essential features that we talked about before. Fiix, an OnDemand mechanic app employs independent contractors, with some specializing in certain brands of cars. No overheads mean that Fiix can pay its mechanics more than dealerships and repair shops. This is a great example for you if you are looking to build a mechanic app.
Based in Mountain View, California, YourMechanic is another similar company which aims at customers ‘skipping’ the repair shops and having mechanics come to them. It was founded in January 2012, and has been going strong since then. Seems like they, like Fiix, mastered the ‘create an on-demand car repair app’ formula. The company specializes in mobile car repair services to users within hours of being requested. Claims are that YourMechanic charges around 30% cheaper prices than repair shops and dealerships. This was another example for people who are looking to build a mechanic app.
There you go! You now know how to create an on-demand car repair app! We talked about the necessary features, the process, and the after-process. Hope this article helps you shoot up the ranks and your on-demand mechanic app becomes a blockbuster!
So go right ahead and build a mechanic app. You know all about it. Well, we hope you do.
Our On-Demand Capabilities.
We have been working with a bunch of teams in the on-demand or as many people like to call it, Uber-Of-X space. From deploying robust payment modes and rating-and-reviewing system in an on-demand app to making slick tracking features along with a great admin panel, Sodio really has mastered the craft of creating awesome On-Demand platforms.
Are you looking to create an On-Demand car repair app? Feel free to get in touch with us.
Also Read:
- On-Demand Water Delievery app development.
- Rules of user interface design.
- Vendor Buyer Agritech Platform.
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