Crafting Urban Company App Guide

Crafting an Urban Company-like Mobile Application: A Comprehensive Guide by Auxesys Systems

Written by : Sanjay Purohit
Aug 02, 2023
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Urban Company, formerly known as UrbanClap, is a home services marketplace that connects professionals with customers who need specific services. It has revolutionized the service sector by introducing an easy-to-use platform where customers can find, book, and pay for various services from cleaning to beauty treatments right from their homes. Auxesys Systems is ready to leverage its technology expertise to develop a similar application, designed to cater to the evolving needs of today's service providers and consumers.

Understanding the Successful Business Model of Urban company

Urban Company, previously known as UrbanClap, has emerged as a successful startup in the gig-economy space by connecting professionals with users in need of a variety of home-based services. Its business model serves as a compelling case study. Here's a detailed look into the elements that contribute to its success:

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    Aggregator Model:

    Urban Company acts as a bridge connecting service providers and users, allowing it to scale quickly without the financial obligation of full-time employment.

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    Wide Range of Services:

    By offering a diverse range of services, Urban Company caters to a wide customer base, thus expanding its reach and user base.

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    Rigorous Onboarding Process:

    Urban Company ensures that only high-quality, reliable services are offered on their platform by conducting strict checks and tests during the service provider onboarding process.

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    User-Friendly Platform:

    Urban Company's user-friendly app and website make it easy for users to browse, book, and pay for services, contributing significantly to customer satisfaction and user retention.

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    Fixed Pricing:

    By setting fixed prices for each service, Urban Company provides transparency and eliminates the need for negotiation, establishing trust between users and service providers.

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    Customer Feedback System:

    The platform's review and rating system helps future customers make informed decisions and motivates service providers to maintain high-quality standards.

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    Revenue Generation:

    Urban Company generates income by taking a commission from every service booking made through the platform. This commission-based model enables the company to maintain profitability while scaling.

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    Training and Upskilling:

    Urban Company invests in the training and upskilling of its service partners, leading to superior service delivery and increased user satisfaction.

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    Geographical Expansion:

    The company's operations aren't limited to India. Urban Company has successfully expanded its service to other countries, broadening its market and operational scale.

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    Strong Marketing:

    Strategic marketing and branding initiatives have played a crucial role in establishing Urban Company as a reliable and trusted service provider in the home services sector.

Understanding this business model can be a great starting point for anyone looking to build a successful platform in the gig economy. Urban Company's successful approach reveals the importance of a user-centered design, focus on quality, and strategic use of technology.

Initial Planning and Market Research

Developing a successful platform like Urban Company begins with meticulous planning and market research. To create a unique and user-friendly platform, it's critical to understand your target audience, market trends, existing competition, and the unique value proposition your platform will provide. Here are a few steps/guidelines:

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    Define Your Business Idea

    Begin by outlining the core of your business idea. What type of services will you provide? Will it be just like Urban Company, or will it have unique features or specializations? For instance, you might decide to concentrate on home services or on-demand beauticians.

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    Understand Your Market

    Conducting a thorough market analysis is the next step. You need to comprehend the size and potential of the market, the competition, and the needs and wants of potential users. This might involve surveys, focus groups, or analysis of existing research and data.

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    Identify Your Target Audience

    Identify who your target users will be as part of your market research. Are they busy homeowners in need of various home services? Or individuals looking for on-demand personal services like beauty and grooming? Understanding your target audience will help you customize your service to their needs.

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    Competitive Analysis

    Studying your competitors in depth is crucial. Examine successful platforms like Urban Company, but also consider smaller, local platforms. Understand what they do well, where they fall short, and how you can distinguish your platform.

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    Legal and Regulatory Considerations

    Understand the laws and regulations related to providing services in your area. This could involve health and safety regulations for service providers, data protection laws, and regulations around contract-based employment.

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    Build a Business Model

    You can start to build a business model based on your market research. This will involve deciding how you will make money (for example, by charging service providers a commission), what your costs will be, and how you will scale your business.

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    Test Your Idea

    Before you launch your platform, it can be beneficial to test your concept. This could involve creating a minimum viable product (MVP) and gathering feedback from your target audience.

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    Create a Business Plan

    Finally, based on all the above steps, you can create a comprehensive business plan. This plan will outline your business model, your strategy for attracting and retaining users, your marketing approach, and your financial projections.

Emphasizing UI and UX Design Principles

At Auxesys Systems, the emphasis on UI and UX Design Principles is of utmost importance. We follow a systematic approach when designing a platform that involves the following steps:

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    Understand the Users

    We begin by understanding who will be using the platform. This includes identifying the target demographic, their needs, habits, and preferences. We may conduct user interviews, surveys, and study existing data to understand user behavior.

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    Define User Goals

    Based on our understanding of the users, we define user goals for the platform. These goals help shape the design and functionality of the platform.

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    Sketching and Wireframing

    With user goals in mind, our design team begins sketching and wireframing the platform. This process involves creating rough layouts of how the platform will look and where different elements will be placed.

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    Create User Personas

    User personas are fictional characters created to represent different user types that might use the platform in a similar way. They help to align our strategy and goals to specific user groups.

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    User Journey Mapping

    This is a visualization of the process a user goes through to achieve a goal on our platform. It helps us identify potential challenges and opportunities, ensuring the path to conversion is as intuitive as possible.

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    Prototyping

    Once the layout and design have been planned, a prototype is built. This prototype provides a tangible version of the platform that can be interacted with and tested.

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    Usability Testing

    After the prototype is developed, it's time for usability testing. This involves asking users to complete tasks on the platform while observers watch, listen, and take notes. This helps identify any issues or areas of confusion in the platform's design.

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    Iterate Based on Feedback

    Usability testing often reveals areas where the platform can be improved. We will iterate on the design, making changes based on user feedback, and then test again. This cycle is repeated until the design is as user-friendly as possible.

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    UI Design

    Once the user experience (UX) is defined, the user interface (UI) design process starts. This involves making the platform aesthetically pleasing, consistent, and in line with the brand identity. It also includes creating the visual elements that make up the platform.

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    Implementation and Evaluation

    Finally, the UI and UX design are implemented into the development of the platform. Even after the launch, the platform is continuously evaluated to identify areas for improvement. At Auxesys Systems, we believe in a user-centered approach to design, which puts the needs and experiences of users at the forefront. This allows us to create platforms that are not only visually appealing but also intuitive and easy to use.

Essential Features of a Urban Company-like App

When developing a service-based marketplace app like Urban Company, we need to consider the needs of both the service providers and the customers.

Service Providers
Profile Management
Profile Management
Availability Management
Availability Management
Service Listing Management
Service Listing Management
Booking Management
Booking Management
Payment and Earnings Management
Payment and Earnings Management
Review and Rating Management
Review and Rating Management
Customer Messaging
Customer Messaging
Navigation and Maps
Navigation and Maps
Customers
Profile Management
Profile Management
Service Search and Filter
Service Search and Filter
Booking Management
Booking Management
Payment Management
Payment Management
Review and Rating
Review and Rating
Customer Support
Customer Support
Booking History
Booking History
Discounts and Offers
Discounts and Offers
Admin
Dashboard Management
Dashboard Management
User Management (Service Providers, Customers)
User Management (Service Providers, Customers)
Content Management
Content Management
Payment and Billing Management
Payment and Billing Management
Review and Rating Management
Review and Rating Management
Service Listing Approval
Service Listing Approval
Issue Resolution and User Support
Issue Resolution and User Support
Analytics and Reporting
Analytics and Reporting
System Update and Maintenance Management
System Update and Maintenance Management

Technical Considerations with Auxesys Systems

Developing a healthcare booking app involves many technical considerations. Auxesys Systems provides guidance with.

Front-end Development - Mobile Technologies
Java
Java
Kotlin
Kotlin
Swift
Swift
Java
SwiftUI
[OBJ-C]
[OBJ-C]
Front-end Development - Web Technologies
Blazor
Blazor
Bootstrap
Bootstrap
ViewJs
ViewJs
ReaceJS
ReaceJS
AngularJS
AngularJS
Back-end Development
.NET
.Net
Python
Python
Java
Java
PHP
PHP
NodeJs
NodeJs
Frameworks
Python
Python
Django
Django
Express.js
Express.js
Laravel
Laravel
Code Management Tools
github
github
Bitbucket
Bitbucket
Gitlab
Gitlab
svn
svn
Database
Sql
Sql
Mysql
PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL
MongoDB
MongoDB

Third Party Integration

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    Maps and Geolocation - (Google Maps API)
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    Payment Gateways - (Stripe, Braintree, or PayPal)
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    SMS and Email Gateways - (Twilio, Mailgun)
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    Push Notifications - (Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM), Apple Push Notification service (APNs)
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    Cloud Services - (Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform)
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    Analytics Tools - (Google Analytics, Firebase, Mixpanel)
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    Identity Verification APIs - (Trulioo, Jumio)
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    Scheduling or Calendar APIs - (Google Calendar API, Microsoft Outlook Calendar API)
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    Customer Support Tools - (Zendesk)

Choosing the Right Technology Partner

Auxesys Systems - A Professional App Development Company: If you're looking for an end-to-end solution and have a sizeable budget, engaging a professional app development company like us could be your best bet. Auxesys Systems offers an experienced team, which means you benefit from their comprehensive expertise without having to assemble and manage a team of your own.

Choosing the Right Technology Partner

Choosing the right development approach is a crucial decision that can ignificantly influence your app's success. At Auxesys Systems, we're committed to transforming your vision into a robust, user-friendly app that stands out in the competitive ride-sharing market.

Navigating Development Phases with Auxesys Systems

Auxesys Systems uses a systematic approach to application development.

Navigating Development Phases with Auxesys Systems

Choosing the right development approach is a crucial decision that can ignificantly influence your app's success. At Auxesys Systems, we're committed to transforming your vision into a robust, user-friendly app that stands out in the competitive ride-sharing market.

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    Project Planning

    This involves defining the project's scope, allocating resources, and setting a timeline.

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    Design and Development

    The UI/UX is designed, and the app is developed. Every feature is built with the user's needs in mind, ensuring a final product that resonates with its intended audience.

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    Quality Assurance

    The app undergoes rigorous testing to ensure smooth functioning and an excellent user experience. Every feature is tested under various conditions to ensure it performs as expected.

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    Deployment

    Once the app has been tested and finalized, it's deployed on the appropriate platforms. Auxesys Systems also assists in getting the app approved on the App Store and Google Play Store.

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    Maintenance and Support

    Auxesys Systems provides post-launch maintenance and support to ensure that the app remains updated and continues to deliver a great user experience.

Testing

Testing is an integral part of the app development process, and at Auxesys Systems, we adhere to a rigorous and comprehensive testing protocol to ensure that your app performs flawlessly. Our approach to testing involves several stages, each designed to iron out any potential issues and provide a seamless user experience. Here are the key steps involved in our testing process:

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    Unit Testing

    This is the first step in the testing process, where individual components of the app are tested to ensure they function correctly in isolation. This helps in identifying and fixing issues at an early stage.

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    Integration Testing

    Once all the units have been individually tested and verified, the next step is integration testing. This is where we test the interaction between different units of the app to ensure they work together seamlessly.

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    Functional Testing

    In this stage, the app's functionality is tested against the requirements. This ensures that all the features work as intended and the app fulfills its purpose.

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    Usability Testing

    This phase tests the app's user interface and experience. The goal here is to ensure that the app is intuitive, easy-to-use, and provides a satisfying user experience.

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    Performance Testing

    At this stage, the app is tested under various loads to ensure it can handle high traffic and usage. This helps to ensure the app performs well even under stress.

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    Security Testing

    This is a crucial part of the testing process where the app is tested for potential vulnerabilities and threats. This helps in ensuring the data safety and privacy of your users.

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    Device and Platform Testing

    Since your app will be used on various devices and platforms, it's crucial to test it across a range of devices, operating systems, and screen sizes to ensure a consistent experience.

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    Beta Testing

    Before the final launch, the app is released to a group of beta testers. Their feedback is used to make any final adjustments and improvements.

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    Regression Testing

    After each update or addition of new features, regression testing is done to ensure that the existing functionalities are not broken.

At Auxesys Systems, we understand that thorough testing is the backbone of a successful app. Our meticulous and detailed approach to testing ensures that the final product is robust, secure, and delivers a great user experience. Our goal is not just to identify and fix bugs, but to perfect every aspect of the app, so that your users have the best experience possible.

Launch and Post-Launch Strategies

Launching your application is just the first step in your journey. Post-launch, there are several critical steps that need to be taken to ensure its success. Here are some of the steps that we at Auxesys Systems recommend:

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    Monitoring and Maintenance

    Post-launch, it is crucial to monitor the application's performance closely. This includes tracking app crashes, slow performance, and other technical issues that can impact user experience. Regular maintenance updates should also be scheduled to fix any bugs or issues that arise.

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    User Feedback

    Collecting and reviewing user feedback is an important part of post-launch activity. User reviews and ratings provide valuable insights into what is working well and what needs improvement. It's also a great way to engage with users and make them feel heard.

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    Regular Updates

    Based on the feedback, regular updates should be planned and released to keep the app fresh and up to date. This could be anything from fixing bugs, improving user interface and experience, to adding new features.

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    Marketing and Promotion

    Post-launch is when the heavy lifting in terms of marketing and promotion starts. This could involve social media promotion, content marketing, search engine optimization, paid advertising, and more.

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    Analytics

    Use app analytics to understand user behavior and track key performance indicators (KPIs). This will provide useful insights into how users are interacting with the app, which features are most popular, and where potential improvements can be made.

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    Customer Support

    Having a robust customer support system in place is important for handling any user queries or issues. This not only improves user satisfaction but also helps in identifying common problems that can be addressed in future updates.

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    User Retention Strategies

    Keeping your existing users engaged is as important as acquiring new ones. Strategies like push notifications, personalized content, and loyalty programs can be used to increase user retention.

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    Scaling

    Once the application starts to gain traction, plans should be put in place to scale it. This might involve optimizing the app for performance, adding new features, expanding to new markets, and more.

At Auxesys Systems, we provide comprehensive post-launch services that include monitoring, maintenance, marketing, and continuous improvement to help your application stay competitive and successful in the long run. Our goal is to not just build an app, but to create a sustainable and profitable digital solution for your business.

The Cost and Timeline for Developing an App Like Urban Company

Developing a comprehensive app like Urban Company entails strategic planning, sophisticated designing, and efficient execution. The process requires the amalgamation of various features ranging from service listings, reviews, to online booking, and payment processing. As a top-tier software development company, Auxesys Systems has an impressive track record in creating such diverse platforms.

Cost Implications

The cost to build an app like Urban Company can fluctuate greatly based on numerous factors:

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    Complexity of the app

    A fundamental version of the app will be more affordable than a feature-loaded, extensive app.

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    Number of platforms

    Building the app for multiple platforms (iOS, Android, web) will escalate the cost.

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    Location and rates of the development team

    Costs can vary significantly depending on whether you use an in-house team, freelancers, or outsource to an agency, and their geographical location.

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    Inclusion of advanced features

    Integrating advanced technologies like AI, AR, or ML will also affect the cost.

Roughly, at Auxesys Systems, the development cost for a basic version of an Urban Company-like app may start from $30,000 to $40,000 per platform. For a more extensive and feature-rich app, the cost could range between $70,000 - $100,000 or more per platform. This estimate includes planning and documentation, UX/UI design, app development, testing, quality assurance, and deployment stages.

Timeline Considerations

The timeline to develop an app like Urban Company mainly depends on the app's complexity and the number of features it includes. As a ballpark estimate:

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    Planning and Documentation:

    Approximately 2-3 weeks.

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    UX/UI Design

    Approximately 6-8 weeks.

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    Coding and Development

    Approximately 18-24 weeks.

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    Testing and QA

    Approximately 4-5 weeks.

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    Deployment

    Approximately 1-2 weeks.

Thus, the total time to develop a basic version of an app like Urban Company can range from 8 to 9 months. For a more feature-rich version, the timeline can extend to 14-16 months or more. Remember, your app will require regular updates and maintenance post-launch for optimal performance. At Auxesys Systems, we provide ongoing support and maintenance services to ensure your app stays current and competitive in the dynamic digital landscape. While these are general estimates, we highly recommend consulting with our team at Auxesys Systems for a more accurate quote and timeline, customized to your specific project needs. Our experienced team of strategists, designers, and developers are committed to turning your idea into a high-quality, market-ready app.

Get in touch with us to discover the cost of bringing your app idea to life.