Telematics refers to the use of data over long distances, and, in the mobile app industry, telematics often refers to fleet management telematics. By their nature, vehicle fleets are spread out across a city or even an entire country. Fleet managers must keep tabs on each vehicle in order to optimize fleet performance – both in terms of maintaining vehicle health and also maximizing driver utilization. Mobile apps can help fleet managers with these tasks, as they can provide mobile tracking, communication, and constant data feeds between the vehicle, driver, and fleet manager.

Fleet management telematics solutions aren't simply a “nice-to-have” or another toy for a data-obsessed administrator. Such telematics solutions actually result in fleets both saving costs and increasing revenues. In this article we will highlight important areas in which telematics can impact your bottom line.

Decrease fleet fuel costs

Fleet managers know that one of their highest variable costs is fuel. Fuel costs depend on uncontrollable geo-political events, however they also depend on driver behavior and driving tendencies. Drivers who unnecessarily break and rapidly accelerate will use more fuel than those who make more gradual changes in speed. Similarly, drivers who speed or take corners harshly will also expend unnecessary fuel. With fleet management telematics, drivers with such behaviors can be quickly identified, as the mobile app can track both changes in location and speed. These behaviors can then be addressed and changed, and fleets can thereby reduce unnecessary fuel expenditures. Additionally, telematics apps can be integrated with fuel card banking information in order to more accurately and automatically track real-time fuel expenditures.

Decrease insurance costs

When driving behavior is known via telematics app monitoring, insurance companies can calculate custom risk profiles for each fleet. If drivers maintain safe driving behaviors over time, insurance companies can adjust the monthly risk premium they charge the fleet, and the company can thereby save money. While few insurance companies offer this custom pricing based on telematics data, more and more insurance companies are beginning to offer this flexibile pricing for their financial products.

Increase driver utilization

If fleet managers know where drivers are at all times, they can more quickly and more efficiently manage driver dispatch in order to maximize the time drivers have goods in their vehicle. Additionally, much of this load-matching can be done automatically and algorithmically. If a driver is behind schedule and another driver can be reassigned, this can be done automatically by the app which will push notifications to involved drivers. Not only does this matching increase revenues for the fleet, but it can also help decrease employee payroll costs as fewer human fleet managers will be needed to coordinate company load matching.

Maintenance and service scheduling

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” also applies to vehicle fleets. If vehicles are not properly maintained and serviced, this can lead to the compounding of vehicle engine issues. Neglect in the area of vehicle maintenance can actually end up costing the company more than if the vehicle had regular maintenance performed. Across a fleet, this regular maintenance will not happen if it is not properly managed. Maintenance needs can repeatedly become the priority of tomorrow until several months have passed and routine issues become more difficult vehicle problems. Mobile app telematics can help with this management, as they can provide reminders to drivers and fleet managers regarding when a vehicle is due for service based off of the amount of miles the vehicle has traveled. More sophisticated solutions can integrate with fuel consumption and help diagnose service problems if the vehicle suffers decreased Miles per Gallon with driver behavior staying the same.

Conclusion

Telematics provide the data for fleet managers to carry out data-driven management of their fleet and drivers. This management can help identify and diagnose problems remotely, so that any unnecessary costs or missed revenue opportunities are caught immediately rather than months down the line. To learn more regarding fleet telematics, check out Psngr, a mobile app telematics solution developed by 100grams.

As consumers shift more and more towards mobile for their digital needs, established industries are learning that they must provide a superior mobile experience in order to satisfy their customers. One such industry is the health insurance industry, where major insurers are battling it out to provide the best mobile experience to their customers.

Some insurers have invested more in mobile than others.  For example, Aetna, a U.S. based carrier, has published 28 major apps that have collectively had over 14 million downloads, while other insurers are still getting their first mobile solutions off the ground. Other insurance companies have put digital at the center of their business development strategy, such as Oscar, a mobile-centric health insurer that boasts the “highest mobile engagement of any insurer.” Oscar states that 41% of their members “turn to our web and mobile apps every month.”

According to Basel Kayyali at McKinsey & Company, “Digital is not a technology, but a way of doing things, that has massive potential to transform healthcare, but you have to rethink things.” For health insurance companies that aim to stay on the leading edge of innovation, they must provide their users with a leading mobile app. In this article, we detail several key features that health insurance companies must include in their mobile apps.

Help with the next step

The power of mobile is that it is with you wherever you go, and, accordingly, this is particularly helpful in the case of an unexpected injury. A health insurance mobile app can provide users with an easily accessible, geo-targeted list of nearby hospitals and physicians. This list can come pre-loaded with contact information and information on whether or not these healthcare providers are in-network with the insurers. Once the user arrives at the hospital or physician’s office for treatment, they can use the mobile app to display a digital insurance card to the front desk. Additionally, users can quickly track and send their most current health records to the new provider in order to ensure consistent care across multiple providers.

Make logistics easy

The best way for a health insurance company to keep customers satisfied is for the company to keep to its word. Often, insurance companies make the customer experience for initial registration and paying monthly premiums a breeze, but the same companies make the claim-reimbursement process an absolute nightmare. This practice may save the company money in the short-term by way of fewer claim reimbursements. However, in the long run, this practice leads to decreases in revenue as it negatively impacts customer retention and satisfaction. In order to keep customers satisfied, health insurance companies can simplify the claim reimbursement process with mobile. Users can enter claims via their mobile device and track the progress of these claims over time. Relevant information such as ID and receipts can be submitted via photo in the mobile app. If a claim requires partial payment from the user, this payment can be made in-app using credit card or mobile payment solutions.

Practice proactive healthcare

Another set of key features for a health insurance company mobile app are those associated with proactive healthcare. This is a recent push among insurance companies that realize small investments in a customer’s health today can actually save the insurer money in the long run. Accordingly, insurers can offer mobile reminders and in-app logs that help patients better comply with medication plans. Similarly, insurers can offer in-app health checkups and advice via mobile video and telehealth and telemedicine solutions. More advanced mobile apps even integrate with fitness trackers that record customer’s health and fitness status in real-time, and these integrations can help provide personalized health advice and reminders.

Conclusion

Mobile is expected to have a $300 billion dollar impact on healthcare spending, and it is important for health insurance companies to be at the forefront of this digital transformation. As seen, mobile allows health insurance companies to better serve their customers by providing a seamless and delightful channel to interact with the company, and forward thinking companies must take advantage of the mobile channel. If you are further interested in the intersection between health and mobile technology, check our previous work on a virtual office for doctors and our post on how mobile can improve the patient experience in private medical practice.

The self-storage industry is often out-of-sight on a day-to-day basis, however do not let this fool you regarding the industry’s size. An estimated one in ten households in the United States rent a self-storage unit, with a total of 2.3 billion square feet for rent.

At its core, the industry’s main product – storage space – is about as far from technology as you can get. Often, these companies operate as a large warehouse that is simply divided into accessible units between 50 to 400 square feet with a shared, central help desk. A help desk employee registers new customers, manages customer accounts,  and deals with the occasional lost key. Customers visit their unit, unload their items, and then leave. The entire customer experience is often quite removed from the digital world.

However, some startup companies, such as Stashable, are looking to disrupt the self-storage industry by integrating mobile app solutions into the everyday operations of self-storage companies. In this piece, we detail mobile features that your self-storage company must offer in order to remain competitive among new market entrants.

An in-app storage experience

Innovative self-storage companies now offer a mobile-enhanced, visit-less experience. Instead of the customer having to pack their items, bring these items to a self-storage unit, and unload these items, the customer can now complete these tasks with just a few taps on their mobile phone. All within a mobile app, the customer can arrange the storage company to come to their home or apartment, pack their unwanted items, and store these items. Retrieval is simple as well, as the company saves photos and inventory lists of what is inside each box and these photos are accessible to the customer in the mobile app. When a customer wants to retrieve one of their stored items or even an entire stored box, the company can locate, retrieve, and deliver this item or box back to the customer’s door.

This model is beneficial to the customer not only in terms of convenience, but also in terms of cost. Often, users do not have enough items to fill an entire 50 square foot space. For many urban users, such as apartment-dwellers who simply want to remove clutter, several boxes may be all they need to store. As storage-company employees are the only individuals with access to the storage units in this business model, storage units can be shared. This passes on savings to customers, as customers can now pay for a limited, 10 or 20 square foot space rather than for an entire 50 square foot unit.

A digitally enhanced on-premise experience

Other users need a larger space, such as a 400 square foot unit. For these users, it can be cost-prohibitive to hire an on-demand moving and storage team. However, this does not mean that this customer segment cannot be served by innovative technology solutions.

One way in which these customers can benefit from mobile solutions is via in-app, on-demand micro-services. For example, perhaps a customer needs help just with the offloading of their vehicle. Within the self-storage company’s mobile app, the customer can schedule and pay for this service. Additionally, perhaps the customer needs to place an order for boxes or bubble wrap. The customer can place this order and select for the order to be waiting for them inside their storage unit.

Customers also benefit from a mobile solution via the digitization of standard operations at the self-storage company. For example, every self-storage company has dealt with a frustrated customer who misplaced their key or forgot their password. This is especially frustrating for customers who arrive at the facility after hours and cannot call a company employee to change their lock. To fix this problem, a self-storage company can provide an integrated mobile app that allows customers to use their smartphone as a “digital key”. With this technology, customers can unlock their unit via their smartphone. This digital key can be digitally passed to the  customer’s family members or friends who may need to do a quick pickup of stored items.

Conclusion

The self-storage industry is ripe for disruption with mobile technology. While, admittedly, many of these mobile solutions take the "self" out of "self-storage", they provide an amazing service and experience for their customers. Several startup companies have realized this, and they are placing big bets on the digitization of the self-storage industry. To stay competitive, we recommend existing self-storage companies must invest heavily in their mobile strategy in order to continue providing maximum value to their customers.

Car subscription services are one of the latest trends in the automotive industry. These services allow customers a new mode of transportation without many of the pain points of car ownership or typical lease contracts. With a car subscription, users pay a flat, monthly fee, and, in return, they get access to a pool of vehicles that they can “swap” for a new driving experience.

Many car subscription services brand themselves as a luxury product. Car subscription customers are promised upmarket vehicles that are either the current or previous year’s model. Customers are also promised a white-glove, personal concierge. This concierge is tasked with being the subscriber’s point of contact with the car subscription service. At minimum, the concierge recommends new vehicles and guides the subscriber through the logistics of swapping their vehicle.

However, a great concierge – and a great product, for that matter – always does more than the minimum required service. In this article, we detail few important areas where a car subscription concierge can stand out from the crowd:

Remember each subscriber's personal details

Everyone wants to be remembered and treated on a personal level. A great concierge will take detailed notes regarding each customer interaction and will review these notes before the next customer contact. Did the customer take their vehicle for a day trip to a nearby town? The concierge should not forget to ask the subscriber if they enjoyed their trip.

This personal approach must come in addition to the concierge becoming deeply familiar with the subscriber's vehicle preferences. However, it is not enough for the concierge to simply remember which vehicles each subscriber selects - the concierge must also know which vehicles the subscriber needs. In other words - what is actually motivating the subscriber's selections? Does the subscriber have a family? Does the subscriber have particular transportation needs for work? A concierge that understands the motivations for each subscriber's car selections will be able to better recommend vehicles to subscribers when they want to swap.

A concierge can also extend this personal experience to when the concierge delivers a new car to a subscriber. The concierge should know how each customer prefers the specifics of the vehicle. What radio stations does the subscriber prefer? What temperature does the subscriber set their vehicle to, and do they prefer the vents pointed towards or away from them? Does the subscriber need the seat close to the wheel or pulled back? The concierge should adjust these aspects of the car so that the subscriber can seamlessly transfer to a new vehicle.

Be proactive in serving your subscribers

It is important for the concierge to proactively attempt to help the subscriber. If the car subscriber has to chase down the concierge, the dealership is not providing the concierge service that should be expected. In other words, the subscriber should be receiving calls from their concierge, rather than the concierge receiving calls from the subscriber.

Car subscription concierges should at minimum reach out to their subscribers once per month to see if there are any issues or needs that they can help take care of. Additionally, the best private concierges will provide their subscribers with their personal contact details, in the case that there is ever an emergency that needs to be dealt with outside of standard office hours.

This proactive approach can also be displayed in the vehicle delivery experience. A concierge should take the extra step and help their subscribers avoid the hassle of connecting their Bluetooth devices to the car and do it for them. It will take the concierge (who is familiar with the vehicle) just 30 seconds, but it could take your subscribers five minutes of frustration. A concierge should do this with each subscriber's phone and even smart garage door.

Be flexible and delight your subscribers

Another important area that distinguishes a standard concierge experience from a great one is the concierge's ability to be flexible. The life of your subscribers doesn't always conform to the rules. For example, if the subscriber needs a car delivery a half hour outside of office hours, the concierge needs to make this work and adjust their schedule accordingly. Similarly, if the subscriber is on the road and needs a swap that is a few miles outside of the service area, cater to this need and meet the subscriber wherever is convenient for them. Similarly, if the subscriber goes over their monthly mileage allowance by 20 miles, just charge off this expense.

A happy subscriber is worth much more than an extra hour of concierge time or an extra $10 in mileage fees. Of course, if these scenarios happen consistently, the concierge should tactfully address the issue. However, for infrequent occurrences it is important for the concierge to adapt to subscriber needs and provide a delightful experience.

Conclusion

As the saying goes, sometimes a little can go a long way. Be sure to take this into consideration when developing your car subscription program and training your team of concierges. One of the main selling points of a car subscription is convenience, and each concierge should seek to make their car subscription service as convenient as possible for each subscriber.

Interested in learning more? To learn the technical aspects of a car subscription program, download our white paper for our car subscription app CarSwap.

The lending industry has greatly increased public access to financial services. However, this achievement has not come without the help of technology. Mobile lending specialists are always on the go and on the road for their clients, and, accordingly, mobile lending specialists need to bring their office with them. Idle time between meetings or time spent waiting for clients must be utilized, wherever the mobile lending specialist happens to be.

To address this feature of the industry, financial institutions that have third party lending programs provide their agents with a suite of technology. This technology almost always includes a mobile application. In this article, we detail key features that such a mobile app must include in order to maximize the productivity of a financial institution’s mobile lending team:

1.      Lending calculator

The primary goal of a mobile lending specialists is, of course, to lend. A useful mobile app must have a robust lending calculator that can provide pricing for terms and input for custom variables, such as variable down payments, term lengths, and interest rates. More sophisticated lending calculators can also verify a borrower’s credit history and include this variable in the calculations. It is additionally useful if this calculator can quickly send potential borrowers the terms of this quote in an easy-to-interpret PDF. Another useful feature is for the mobile app to list the real-time competitive landscape for similar offers from competing institutions.

2.      Marketing support

The initial client meeting is only the first step of the lending journey. Of course, if mobile lending specialists could only take the first client meeting, very few deals would ever be closed. Accordingly, the best mobile apps for mobile lending specialists include a rich feature set for marketing support. To begin, this includes a library of informative and beautiful marketing collateral that can be shared on a tablet or forwarded to a client during the initial meeting. Then, for after the meeting, an app must have a multi-functional customer relationship management system. This system must allow the specialist to easily keep track of their borrowers at every stage of the pipeline. This tracking must include not only contact information but also information on each borrower’s personal lending preferences and needs. Additionally, agents should be able to reach out to their prospective borrowers directly in-app with one-tap email and text follow up.

3.      Closing tools

Once the customer is ready to close the deal and accept the loan, ideal mobile lending apps remove much of the friction in the loan closing process. Such features include mobile document sharing and esignature capabilities, which allow the lender to close the loan from anywhere. With mobile document sharing, documents can be reviewed at each client’s location via a mobile tablet. If the client agrees to these terms, they can quickly sign the document electronically. Copies of these documents are then sent via email to the borrowers, and the documents are securely delivered to the financial institution’s back-end system via API. With a proper app, mobile lending specialists and borrowers no longer need to deal with paper, scanning, or filing important closing documents. Everything can be executed quickly and efficiently via the mobile lending specialist’s device.

The Future

A financial institution’s app for mobile lending specialists must make the lender’s job as easy as possible and, consequently, must make the borrower’s experience as smooth and as painless as possible. Above are a few important areas and features in which a successful app for mobile lending specialists must excel. Looking towards the future, a feature that few apps for mobile lending specialists include today is mobile video. This feature has been prohibited in the past due limitations in mobile data bandwidth, however these limitations are quickly being overcome by 4G and LTE connectivity. Incorporating mobile video within the mobile app will allow mobile lending specialists to quickly and securely keep in contact with their customers in a more personable way at every step of the borrowing process.

There is a lot of talk in the automotive industry about car subscription programs. While such programs are not a massive technological innovation, they are instead of the rare breed of business model innovations. Car subscription programs allow consumers to pay a flat monthly fee in exchange for a vehicle, maintenance, insurance, and, often, at home delivery of the vehicle. Importantly, many car subscription services allow consumers to swap out their vehicles for another model and to easily pause or cancel their car subscription service. Those two features are important, as they provide the flexibility that greatly distinguishes car subscription programs from the standard short term lease.

Recent talk in the automotive industry regarding car subscription programs focuses on important details, such as pricing, logistics, and business impact. However, one question that is often left out of discussions or is assumed to be known is the following: Who is actually supposed to purchase the car subscription service? In this article, we at 100grams seek to answer and provide clarity to this question by detailing four typical “buyer personas” (or should we say, “subscriber personas”) for car subscription programs.

1.      The Millennial

One common buyer of car subscription programs is the millennial. A typical millennial subscriber is an urban, young professional who is just beginning their career. This individual is typically just starting their career in a metropolitan area as, for example, a junior consultant, paralegal, or financial analyst. This buyer is price sensitive, but they are also attuned to quality as they seek to achieve a certain quality of life and lifestyle. A car subscription appeals to this buyer as it allows them access to transportation without the typical hassles of car ownership, such as maintenance appointments, registration processes, or insurance certifications. Dealing with these tasks is not only seen as a hassle, but it can also be difficult to juggle with regard to time as these young professionals will be working long hours in attempt to climb the corporate ladder.

2.      The Frequent Traveler

The frequent traveler is another typical subscriber. Such a subscriber may work as a sales person or management consultant who is often flying around the country to meet and work with different clients. Owning a car does not necessarily make sense for this subscriber, as, due to the time they are away from their home, an owned vehicle would spend a lot of time idle in this subscriber's garage. A car subscription program serves this user well, as it can be paused and restarted with just the tap of a button when the user leaves or returns to their home base. Car subscriptions allow this buyer to only have to pay for his or her access to transportation when the buyer is actually at home and in need of a vehicle.

3.      The Transition Subscriber

This subscriber is in a lifestyle transition, be it for the long term or short term. The primary example of this buyer is a mother or father with a family. If a couple is just starting or in the process of growing a family, a car subscription service would allow this couple to easily change vehicles as their family needs change. This couple could easily swap their car subscription vehicle from a sedan to a larger, safer crossover or SUV. Additionally, a car subscription can be well suited for shorter term “transitions.” For example, if an individual is going on a road trip with a few friends, they will enjoy the flexibility of a car subscription as they will be able to quickly swap a sedan for a larger vehicle. This type of subscriber will get great benefit from a car subscription with easy vehicle swapping functionality.

4.      The Car Enthusiast

Last but not least, another buyer persona for a car subscription program is that of the car enthusiast. This buyer is a fan of all things cars, and their primary motivation to join a car subscription service is to be able to try out and drive more vehicles. Typically, this buyer will not be averse to spending a good amount of money on their hobby, so car subscriptions past the $1,500 per month range are certainly not unreasonable for this buyer. They will definitely have an affinity for quality and, most importantly, for performance. To cater to this buyer, be sure to have a variety of luxury and performance vehicles in your car subscription line up.

Conclusion

Hopefully these descriptions of typical buyers of car subscription services have helped provide some inspiration for a car subscription program at your own dealership, leasing company, or automotive group. Ideally, these buyer personas will help you tailor your marketing messaging so that you can precisely address the needs of these buyers and, ultimately, increase sales. If you are interested in learning more regarding new innovations and technology in the automotive industry, take a look at 0ur technology solutions for car dealerships or, similarly, our mobile applications for the transport industry.

If you are in the automotive industry, you have likely heard of car subscription services. If you have not, these services provide what is essentially a modified, short term lease. The customer pays a flat, monthly fee and can then use a car from a pre-approved pool of vehicles. If the customer is going out of town, they can easily pause their vehicle subscription and skip a month. If the customer has family visiting and needs to use an SUV rather than a sedan, the customer can easily swap out their vehicle on demand. Insurance and car registration is taken care of beforehand by the car subscription company. Additionally, if there are any maintenance issues, the car is serviced by the car subscription program, and a replacement car is provided to the customer.

One of the main benefits and allures of car subscription programs is their ease of use and hassle-free nature. Customers do not have to worry about unexpected maintenance bills or changing insurance premiums, and they can instead pay a predictable monthly subscription fee for their vehicle needs. Importantly, this convenience is also extended by the fact that many of these car subscription services operate via a customer-facing mobile app. Using the location services of a customer’s smartphone, car subscription companies are able to deliver vehicles directly to the customers location.

Important consumer sentiments

In order to best address this market and seize this market opportunity, it is important for dealerships, leasing companies, and other automotive groups to know what consumer needs and attitude shifts are behind this market trend. We noticed these needs and attitudes of consumers in the development of our white label car subscription app CarSwap. Below, we list some important consumer sentiments that are motivating the new car subscription market.

1.      There’s a difference between car ownership and “access to mobility”

According to a Cox Automotive study in 2018, 39% of people believed that “access to mobility is necessary but owning a vehicle is not”. This figure represents a growing trend, as this number is up four percentage points from a similar study by Cox Automotive in 2015. Car subscription services address this distinction, as they provide a mobility solution that does not require the pains and responsibilities of actual vehicle ownership. If your company plans to start its own car subscription program, it is important to remember this distinction. Car subscription programs must be careful to avoid any arrangement that locks the customer into a long-term commitment, as such arrangements will ignore the consumer needs that motivate the car subscription market.

2.      Get your price right

There have been a variety of car subscription services put into the market in the last couple of years, however, many of these services charge over $1,000 a month for a subscription membership. This price point is simply not palatable for young professionals who are looking for alternatives to car ownership and want something more accessible than on-demand services such as Uber or Lyft. According to data from Bernstein Research, today’s young professionals are burdened by student loans: 70% of recent college grads took out students loans to put themselves through school at an average of $25,000 per person. Additionally, many millennials are faced with frequent unemployment. In order to serve the needs of millennials, car subscription services must provide subscription packages for non-luxury vehicles that start at the $300-$400 per month price range.

3.      Keep everything on mobile and keep things simple

Millennials use mobile for everything - AirBnB for lodging, Venmo for payments, and Amazon's app for buying, well, almost every consumer good. According to Pew Research, 94% of U.S. millennials own a smartphone, which is well above the national average of 77%. This data, coupled with findings such as those from NerdWallet that 43% of millennials find car ownership a hassle, highlights an important requirement for car subscription services. If a car subscription service is to be successful, particularly among millennials, it is vital to have the entire experience on mobile with as little friction as possible. The less the consumer needs to do between deciding they want to join a car subscription service and actually receiving their first car, the better the car subscription service will be. For example, consumers should be able to use their phone to sign up for the car subscription service, verify their identify, and make their monthly payments. Additionally, the monthly fee should include insurance, maintenance, and at-home delivery solutions. All the consumer should have to do is tap to select the car they desire and start driving.

Conclusion

According to data from Business Wire, the car subscription industry will experience an average 71% compound annual growth rate between 2018 and 2022. If current market activity by technology companies and even OEMs in this space is any indication of the future of car subscriptions, the industry is sure to be a key driver of revenue growth for dealerships and leasing companies alike. To learn more regarding car subscription services, take a look at our article on the most important components of a car subscription mobile app or our overview of vehicle-as-a-service solutions.

Every fall, developers and tech enthusiasts anticipate Apple’s announcement and launch of new products and updates. Recently, Apple cryptically announced a “special event” in the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California that will take place on September 12^th, 2018. There is, of course, quite a bit of chatter and excitement surrounding this event. This chatter involves some verified leaks, some rumors, as well as some pure speculation. For us at 100grams, our work with iOS apps is affected by Apple's hardware as much as it is by Apple's software, so this event is of great interest to us and our clients. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the recent talking points and anticipated releases at this event.

An updated Apple Watch

It is expected that Apple will release an updated version of the Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 4. This version is expected to only have versions with LTE connectivity, a better heart rate tracker, and even a watch-to-watch walkie-talkie feature. Additionally, there is evidence from suppliers that Apple will increase the screen size real estate on the 42mm Apple Watch Series 4 to 384x480 resolution from the previous 312x390 resolution. Some analysts also expect Apple to remove physical buttons and the digital crown, and replace these buttons with solid “buttons” that are really just designated areas on the watch with haptic vibration feedback to make them feel like real buttons. This, of course, will help Apple greatly improve the waterproofing of the watch.

More iPhones

It is rumored that Apple will launch a variety of additional iPhone versions at this event, including an updated 5.8-inch version and 6.5-inch version of its famed iPhone X titled the iPhone Xs. There are some rumors that the 6.5-inch version will be labeled the “iPhone Xs Max” and be similar in dimensions to the iPhone Plus models of previous generations. Additionally, Apple is expected to release a cheaper, 6.1-inch iPhone X that will feature an LCD rather than OLED display. Apple is expected to remove the home button from all newly released iPhone models. Relatedly, it is expected that Apple will rely on Face ID technology for security and user verification. The iPhone X releases are expected to be released in a newly available gold color, fitting for a phone that some are jokingly calling the iPhone “excess” (Xs).

New and improved AirPods

You’ve seen your friends and people on the street who basically have their AirPods permanently implanted into their ears. These wireless ear buds have no doubt been a popular product for Apple, and they will certainly get their fair share of stage time on the September 12^thevent. It is expected that Apple will make their AirPods “smarter” – likely by adding an embedded chip and native support for Siri. While the expectations are less clear on specifics, analysts expect the new AirPods to have improved noise-cancelling and water resistant or waterproof capabilities. Additionally, many expect Apple to release a much anticipated wireless charging pad that can accommodate the Apple Watch, iPhone, and AirPods.

Possible other announcements

Apple’s fall events are always surrounded by anticipation, and this is in part due to the fact that there are often some unexpected announcement and surprises. On this front, there is some talk that Apple will release an updated and enhanced Mac Mini computer. While there may be some updates to the Macbook and Macbook Pro laptop lines, these are not expected to come until later in the fall – on this, you can expect the usual enhanced Retina display, battery life, and processing power. Another possible announcement is an update to the Apple HomePod smart speaker. This may be needed too, as the Google Home and Amazon Alexa are providing some tough competition for Apple in this space.

Conclusion

While analysts, supply chain leakers, and Apple aficionados can speculate and predict all they want, we will not truly know what Apple has in store for consumers until September 12^th. The event is being held at 10am PDT in the famous Steve Jobs Theater and will be livestreamed to the general public. While Apple hasn’t released livestream specifics, the livestreaming should be accessible directly on the Apple website at the time of the event. Stay tuned on our 100grams blog too, as we'll post our comments on the event shortly after September 12th.

In a report titled “The Keys to Rescuing Service Profits”, commissioned by Cars.com and performed by research group GfK, some important data was published regarding car dealership service centers and current market conditions. While not surprising, many of these findings were quite alarming, and car dealerships must act swiftly in order to combat these market threats. In this article, we will summarize these key findings, and we will discuss what this means for the future of mobile in this industry vertical.

Key findings for car service centers

Increasing average vehicle age

The report found that the average age of a vehicle on the road has grew between 2008 and 2013 by 14%. Additionally, approximately 86.4% of vehicles on the road are not covered under warranty, and, by 2018, the average vehicle age will be 11.5 years. This data indicates that newly manufactured cars are simply lasting longer. This means that car dealership service centers have less total demand for service and maintenance work.

Decreasing customer loyalty to dealership service centers

Customers no longer feel loyal to their car dealership’s service center. This, in part, is to cars outlasting their dealership service warranty. Customers shop around and go to local or national chain service centers once their warranty is expired. As a result, it is estimated that dealerships loose between 60-78% or their expected lifetime revenue for cars between three to six years old. Even more, dealerships loos between 82 and 92% of their expected lifetime revenue for cars that are older than seven years.

Key qualities consumers look for

When surveyed, consumers reported that the qualities they care about most when selecting a service center are trustworthiness and reassurance on price. This means that customers prefer service providers with high-quality, manufacturer verified parts. Additionally, customers want to ensure that they are receiving competitive market prices for their services and that they are not being overcharged.

So, what role can mobile play?

While the key findings that cars are requiring less maintenance and that customer loyalty to dealership service centers is decreasing do not bode well for car dealership service centers, these issues are not insurmountable. In fact, when compared to small, locally owned service centers, car dealerships are best positioned to cater to consumer’s key preferences of having a trustworthy service provider and being assured of competitive pricing. Car dealerships simply convenient and effective channel in which to promote and sell their superior car maintenance and service products - a custom, branded mobile app and provide this channel. Within this app, for example, the dealership’s service center can detail their team’s credentials and manufacturer partnerships in order to increase perceived trustworthiness among customers. Additionally, the mobile app can feature price-cap guarantees and price comparisons so that customers are assured they are getting competitive pricing for their needed service.

Above are just a few of the ways in which car dealership service centers can harness mobile to combat unfavorable market trends. If you are interested in reading more, check out our detailed post on the many ways in which a custom mobile app can help your car dealership’s service center increase revenues.

With mobile technology, medical professionals can now access their patients anytime and anywhere. Each of their patients carries a mini-computer in their pocket, and this technology can be harnessed to greatly improve the patient experience. One particular aspect of the patient experience that is ripe for disruption is the pre-appointment experience - that’s right, before the patient even enters the office. In this article, we will highlight several ways in which medical offices can take advantage of mobile to improve the pre-appointment patient experience.

Key ways that mobile can improve the pre-appointment experience

Streamline appointment paperwork

One of the most hated parts of a medical appointment is the paperwork. This is hated by both the patients and the medical office staff. Patients are required to tediously fill out line after line of their information in a process than can take up to 10 or 15 minutes. This process is hated by the medical office staff too, as, once the patient hands in their paperwork, this information needs to be transcribed into the office’s electronic medical records software (EMR). This is wasted time for both parties, and, often, this time can translate to delays in the doctor’s schedule which can have ripple effects on the rest of the day’s patients. To address this issue, medical offices can provide these forms to patients via a mobile app. The patient can then complete these forms at their convenience in the days leading up to their appointment. Additionally, once these forms are completed, the information can be automatically passed to the medical office's EMR system. This way, office staff to does not have to waste time entering the patient information into the EMR system. Patients can take advantage of document scanning technology, whereby they simply scan their insurance or ID card and the text is automatically read and entered into the relevant fields on their mobile app.

Improve insurance approval and ID verification workflows

Regarding patient insurance and ID, simply having this information is only half the battle. Patients are, understandably, always eager to know if their insurance covers the visit or procedure and how much they will have to pay. Once the medical office has the patient’s insurance and ID cards, the medical office staff can go ahead and request approvals from the relevant insurance company. The medical office is then tasked with reaching the patient to discuss their insurance coverage and out-of-pocket expenses. These calls are a labor intensive process for medical offices, and patient follow up can often get lost in the shuffle. With mobile, medical offices can push insurance approval information to the patient’s mobile app in real-time, as soon as this information is added to the EMR system. This saves pre-appointment anxiety; The patient knows how much they will need to pay, and the medical office can ensure that they do not perform any unapproved procedures.

Clearly Communicate Billing Status & Plan

Of course, your medical office cannot continue to render services if patients are not paying their bills. One way to increase revenues and decrease accounts receivable is to provide your patients with convenient billing and payment channels. With a mobile app and web interface, your billing department can send patient’s billing information via in-app push notifications to each patient in real time. This information can include invoices, past due notices, and payment plan information. Patients can then easily pay these bills via credit card or bank debit directly within the medical office’s mobile app. This helps improve the pre-appointment experience as your patients will know exactly where they stand from a billing perspective before they come in for an appointment, and your front desk can avoid any awkward conversations regarding past due bills or collections notices.

Push Timely Reminders

There are few occurrences that are worse in day-to-day patient flows than needing to reschedule a patient appointment because they did not adhere to pre-appointment instructions. For example, if a patient did not fast or take needed antibiotics before a treatment appointment, there are many instances where this patient has to be rescheduled for another day. This is an inconvenience to the patient who has likely taken off work, and this is an inconvenience to the medical office as this rescheduling translates to lost revenue. With a mobile app, the patient can be notified via push notifications of any special instructions they must adhere to prior to their visit. This helps keeps both patients and their physicians on the same page, and this helps decrease unnecessary appointment cancellation and rescheduling.

Conclusion

As mentioned, there are several ways in which mobile can improve the pre-appointment experience. With a mobile app, medical offices can decrease paperwork times, better communicate insurance approval status, increase revenues, and reduce unnecessary appointment cancellations. To learn more regarding the benefits and use cases of mobile apps in healthcare, check out our healthcare related blog posts.

One of the latest business trends in the automotive industry is adding “vehicle as a service” offerings to company product lines. There are a variety of companies, such as Flexdrive and Canvas, that rent out cars from their own fleets via a monthly subscription service. A few car manufacturers are even getting into the car subscription market themselves, such as as Audi and BMW, and they use their own vehicles straight from the factory.

Importantly, the car subscription model presents a unique opportunity for car dealerships. Offering vehicle subscriptions can help car dealerships increase revenues by enabling the dealership to (1) source new customers, (2) put aging inventory to use, and (3) receive more lifetime revenue per customer. However, to start their own vehicle subscription service, car dealerships must have a mobile app for this service. This is key, as one of the main benefits that customers enjoy with car subscription services is convenience, and a native, mobile app is an integral tool for providing a convenient user experience. In this article, we will list and discuss the most important, must-have features for a dealership's car subscription mobile app.

Must-have features for a car dealership’s vehicle subscription app

DMS Integration

One important component for a dealership’s vehicle subscription app is that it integrates into the dealership’s existing dealership management system (DMS). As in any business, it is important to have a single source of truth. For many dealerships, their DMS system is this single source of truth, and it holds real-time inventory, billing, and customer data. With direct DMS integration, a dealership can avoid unnecessary double entry of data. With such integration, the vehicle subscription app can use real-time dealership inventory data and automatically update the dealership’s billing records.

Inventory viewing and comparison

One of the major selling points for vehicle subscription services is that customers are able to easily swap out vehicles for different makes and models. Accordingly, it is important for car dealerships to deliver value to customers on this selling point. A vehicle subscription app must have a beautiful feed of vehicles from which the customer can sort available vehicles by feature and can choose his or her desired car. Additionally, customers should be able to easily compare features side-by-side for selected vehicles.

Subscription sign up, verification, and payment

The old model of requiring a customer make an appointment, come into the dealership, and go through paperwork is a thing of the past. Customers in today’s market expect to be able to achieve all aspects of the sign up, verification, and payment process from the comfort of their mobile phone. A dealership’s vehicle subscription app must cater to this preference, and customers must be able to select their subscription plan, verify their driver’s license and credit, and make recurring payments all without ever having to step foot in the physical dealership.

Vehicle request and delivery

Car subscription companies have both figuratively and literally gone the "last mile" when it comes to making car subscription a truly mobile experience. Just as customers no longer need to visit a physical location to complete their needed paperwork, they also no longer need to visit a physical location to pick up their vehicle. Leading car subscription companies allow the customer to request their vehicle via the mobile app, and the vehicle is soon after delivered to the customer's location. While the vehicle is being prepared and delivered, customers are provided with in-app updates on the delivery status and vehicle location.

Conclusion

As discussed, leading car subscription companies provide a variety of mobile features that make the customer experience convenient and delightful. These features include inventory viewing and selection capabilities, sign up/verification/payment processes, and vehicle request and delivery functionality. So that your dealership can benefit from this new market trend, these mobile app capabilities can be integrated into your existing DMS software. To read more on this space, take a look at our related blog posts on innovation and technology in the automotive industry.

The subscription economy is ubiquitous in our everyday lives. Streaming services like Netflix and HBO have made the subscription model common in the entertainment industry. The Dollar Shave Club brought the subscription model to the personal hygiene industry, and companies like Blue Apron have transformed the food and grocery industries with their subscription-based business models.

It was only a matter of time before the automotive industry started implementing its own subscription-based business models. Today, one of the ways the automotive industry has been using this model is by offering “vehicles as a service.” That’s right, it’s the typical “Software as a Service” model with flat fee subscription packages. However, in this case, the “software” is a physical car.

Customers pay a flat monthly fee, and they are able to use a temporary car per the terms of their subscription agreement. The vehicle as a service company typically deals with all the usual hassles of car ownership such as registration, insurance, and maintenance. All the subscriber has to do is pay their monthly fee and drive their temporary vehicle. Pricing for these vehicle subscriptions of course varies depending on the particular subscription package. However, to get an idea of the price range, companies like Canvas provide a Ford Fiesta for $329 a month, and more luxury subscriptions such as Porsche's "Passport" subscription program cost $2,000 per month.

There are a variety of other features associated with vehicle as a service companies. In this article, we detail some of the important features and benefits that are typically found with these vehicle subscription services.

Benefits of Vehicle as a Service Companies

An all-in-one, hassle free solution

Purchasing a vehicle contains quite a few steps in addition to the actual payment and handover of the vehicle. Just to mention a few items, car owners need to worry about vehicle registration, insurance, and maintenance. Particularly with vehicle maintenance, these additional costs associated with your vehicle can really add up to a hefty amount. Additionally, these costs can come unexpectedly and make it difficult for someone on a budget to manage their finances. Vehicle subscription companies take care of all these ancillary details and expenses for their users, and they wrap up these costs into a flat monthly fee. When a user books a vehicle, their vehicle is already registered and covered by insurance. Additionally, these subscription-sourced cars are regularly serviced, and, if a vehicle does go out of service, the car subscription company will typically provide a functioning vehicle for you to use while the original vehicle is being serviced.

A more flexible option for car ownership

More standard solutions for owning a car, such as outright buying or leasing, are quite rigid in that they lock in the customer to using the same vehicle for several years. With a vehicle subscription service, drivers do not have to worry about this rigidity. They are no longer locked into long term contracts, and, instead, they can swap out vehicles on a month by month basis. Drivers can swap these vehicles according to changing needs or preferences, such as swapping out a work-week sedan for a larger SUV to use for a road trip vacation with the family.

An opportunity for longer test drives

Vehicle subscription services also provide drivers with the ability for a longer test drive experience. Drivers can test the vehicle over an entire month or longer, rather than test driving a car for a brief thirty minutes or less. This is great for drivers who are looking to make the leap to fully owning a vehicle, as it gives buyers a chance to review the vehicle’s performance and utility in a wide variety of real-life situations. The car subscription company loves this too, as this longer test drive can motivate a prospective buyer to purchase the vehicle. This sales channel can provide an important, secondary source of revenue for the car subscription company.

The ability to only pay for what you need

There are often a variety of subscription plans and packages offered by car subscription companies. These plans usually vary be the number of days per month that you need access to a vehicle. This choice allows drivers to only pay for what they need on a day-by-day basis, and this contrasts with the practice of buying a car outright where the vehicle will likely sit unused for a number of days each month. In this way, car subscription services can save drivers money, as drivers do not have to be "paying" for an owned vehicle on days when they don’t even use it.

Increased convenience and a delightful vehicle experience

Car subscription companies all aim to make the experience of requesting and using a vehicle extremely convenient and delightful. This is particularly achieved via mobile, as drivers can request and exchange vehicles all through each company’s mobile app. Account setup, license verifications, and credit checks are all done in-app too. Additionally, most car subscription companies deliver the requested car to the driver’s home each month, so the driver never has to travel to a physical location in order to use the service.

Conclusion

As described, vehicle as a service companies provide a variety of useful benefits to drivers. If a driver is uneasy about entering into a long term lease or auto loan or putting up the money to buy a vehicle outright, joining a car subscription service may be for them. Additionally, if a driver simply likes to try a different vehicle each month or just wants to save money by not actually owning a car, a car subscription service may be for this driver too. While, at the moment, car subscription companies are a relatively new entrant in the automotive market, these companies acutely address the needs of a unique customer segment, and these companies are likely here to stay. To read more on this space, take a look at our related blog posts on innovation and technology in the automotive industry.

Heavily regulated industries are often the last to adopt new technologies. A combination of red tape, industry giants, and sometimes simply just ingrained habit are often at the root of this slow adoption. However, when new technology eventually becomes widely used across these industries, businesses enjoy massive increases in efficiency, and customers enjoy improvements to their overall experience. The medical field is no exception, particularly with regard to private medical practices and mobile apps. In this article, we will explore several ways in which private medical practices can leverage mobile to improve the patient experience.

Several benefits of mobile apps

1.      Appointment booking

While it is starting to change, the vast majority of medical practices today have no option for booking appointments other than calling up their medical office’s front desk. This process often entails a call hold period, missed calls, and unreturned voicemails. Additionally, this process is inconvenient for patients who hold a job during standard workday hours. With a custom mobile app, medical practices can offer their patients 24/7 appointment booking all without the patient needing to call and have a conversation with a receptionist. This appointment booking functionality can be directly integrated with your practice's electronic health records (EHR) or electronic medical records (EMR) system. This allows booked appointments to display directly within your current software, and it allows dynamic changes for appointment availability as available slots get booked. Additionally, patients can receive in-app appointment reminders for not only the date and time but also for medical directives such as taking advised medication prior to scheduled treatment.

2.      Health data access and uploading

Accessing patient health data is always a struggle, both for the patient and your medical practice. Patients are unfamiliar with the details of their medical history, and it can take several days or even weeks to source the original medical records from other physicians. Using mobile, patients can upload and store their patient health information as well as send and track medical record requests to their physicians. Your medical clinic can allow patients to start this process prior to their appointment, so your practice can streamline the patient flow from initial consult to actual treatment.

3.      Prescription refills & patient compliance

Prescription refill workflows and patient compliance can also be greatly improved with a mobile app. Rather than the patient misplacing or forgetting their script, physicians can now push electronic prescription requests to the patient's preferred pharmacy. Using mobile, these electronic prescriptions can be conveniently stored and located by your patients. Additional functionality can include in-app reminders and logs to assist patients in complying with their daily medicine plan. Patients can also easily request prescription refills and make changes to their preferred pharmacy information all without having to contact or speak with your medical practice.

4.      Treatment information and patient education

Aligning patient expectations with typical treatment outcomes is a huge part of the job for a medical practice. However, properly managing expectations and educating patients often requires multiple touch points and conversations. With a custom mobile app, medical practices can push text and video content to their patients with timely reminders on what to do and what to expect pre and post treatment. Better educated patients better comply with medical directives and are less likely to be disappointed with treatment results.

5.      Telehealth and mobile-video healthcare delivery

The new frontier for patient education is now remote, video-based “telehealth". This technology enables your patients to receive care more conveniently, and it also helps your physicians optimize their time and pack in more billable hours. Telehealth works great for standard check-up and follow up exams that need to occur at regular intervals yet don’t require the patient’s physical presence. Telehealth is also a great solution for marketing and getting new patients in the door with free consultations, as simply showing up for a telehealth call is a much easier commitment to keep than scheduling and showing up for an in-office appointment. While this is a relatively new medium of delivering healthcare, it is important to note that mobile healthcare visits can be billed to insurance companies too.

Conclusion

As described, mobile app technology can bring a variety of benefits to your medical practice. Importantly, mobile app technology can also bring a variety of benefits to your patients and improve the standard of care at your medical clinic. To learn more regarding the benefits and use cases of mobile apps in healthcare, check out our healthcare related blog posts.

Managing a fleet of vehicles and drivers can be a lot of work. However, it is up to you if this work is going to be chaos or carefully managed coordination of your team. Today, mobile can work to establish order and consistency in your data collection and subsequent management of your fleet, as it can work as an always-on connection between your vehicles, your drivers, and your management team. In this piece we will detail several useful ways that mobile can help you manage your fleet.

1.      Collect driver-based information

In fleet management, vehicle-based solutions often limit your data collection, as data is restricted to the individual vehicle and is not attributable to individual drivers. If you want to learn more about metrics for an individual driver, regardless of which vehicle they used, you would usually be unable to do so. With a mobile solution, drivers can log their individual data no matter which vehicle they use on any particular day. Additionally, with a mobile-based fleet management solution, your drivers can use their own or company-issued smartphones – no more expensive, custom equipment.

2.      Fuel management

With mobile, fleet managers can more easily and quickly manage and optimize fuel consumption across their vehicles.  Rather than using delayed data from mileage sheets, fleet managers can use mobile to view and analyze this data in real time. Additionally, fleet management firms can integrate company fuel cards into their mobile solution, and drivers can use mobile to upload any physical receipts on-the-go. When fuel spend is automatically integrated with  GPS-tracked mileage data, your management team can more easily and consistently have their finger on the pulse of miles-per-gallon and cost-per-mile metrics.

3.      Vehicle maintenance

Tying your fleet management hardware (with mobile, it’s just your driver’s smartphone) to the driver does not mean you need to give up any useful, vehicle-specific data. For example, vehicle maintenance needs and recommendations can still be made for each vehicle, even though a driver and their smartphone may utilize multiple vehicles. With mobile, a driver’s activity with each vehicle is uploaded onto a cloud server, which compiles all car specific data from the entire team of drivers. Mileage and usage-based recommendations can then made and implemented for each vehicle. As all industry players know, proactive vehicle maintenance greatly reduces costly vehicle downtime and reduces overall maintenance costs.

4.      Vehicle inspections

While often a headache for fleet management companies, regulation-mandated vehicle inspections help keep the roads safe. Mobile can help fleet managers better issue, control, and review their fleet's vehicle inspections. Fleet management companies can now keep easily accessible logs of  past vehicle inspections and the resolution-status of any found issues. Inspection reports can also be integrated with mobile eSignature features so that each report can be tracked to a person, time, and even GPS location in order to help ensure the integrity of each vehicle inspection. A mobile-accessed, central repository for vehicle inspection data can help ensure your fleet management company consistently achieves compliance with government regulations.

Conclusion

Today, fleet management companies that do not use mobile are greatly missing out on massive efficiencies that are afforded by mobile technology. A driver’s smartphone can be easily be utilized as a data-gathering tool for your company, and this data can be analyzed and processes can be optimized so that your fleet management company remains competitive.

If you’re an owner or driver of a taxi or ride service, you do not need a reminder regarding the effects of ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft on your business and industry. At their essence, these ride-sharing services transport passengers from point A to point B. This, of course, is the same product that your taxi or ride service provides. The only difference is that Uber and Lyft have fought hard to classify themselves as “ride-sharing” businesses rather than as “taxi” businesses, a practice which allows companies like Uber and Lyft to avoid costly and restrictive industry regulations. This makes it difficult - but not impossible - for classic, industry-regulated taxi and ride sharing services to compete. In this article, we will outline some of the ways such companies stay competitive in today’s economy, and we will focus particularly on the strengths of mobile.

Ways classic taxi and ride sharing services can stay competitive

1.      Advertise unique characteristics of deep driver experience

Ride-sharing services have some great features, but they are still lacking in some key areas that can make classic taxi and ride services stand out. One of these areas is that of driver experience and familiarity with the area. As a result of ride-sharing services using drivers who simply sign up via mobile and rely heavily on GPS, classic taxi and ride service companies have a comparative strength as their drivers typically have several years of experience driving for riders in the local area. Customers notice this too, as inexperienced drivers are unaware of typical traffic patterns or alternate routes that may result in a faster ride. Classic taxi and ride companies must be sure to advertise and take advantage of their unique differentiation in this area.

2.      Allow mobile bookings

As the saying goes, “if you can’t beat them, join them.” This is particularly true with the near dominance ride-sharing services enjoy with mobile apps and mobile bookings. Using mobile to book a taxi is unarguably convenient, customers love it, and there is no reason that classic taxi and ride service companies cannot provide this convenience to their customers as well. A custom, branded mobile app for your classic taxi and ride service company can easily be built so that you can provide the convenience of apps like Uber and Lyft to your customer base. Features such as payments, driver tracking, and trip logs can be added to this application as well to enhance the user’s mobile experience.

3.      Embrace surge pricing

Mobile-based bookings have helped ride-sharing services capitalize on high-demand periods, such as during a rain storm or immediately after a large sporting event or concert. Historically, when a large surge of people suddenly needed a taxi, pricing could not dynamically adjust in order to help supply (the amount of taxis available) better match demand (the amount of people who need a ride). “Surge pricing” is a feature that helps bridge this gap, as prices can automatically increase during peak times to attract more drivers and detract riders in order help make supply and demand better match. With a mobile app, your classic taxi and ride service business can position itself to compete on either side of this phenomenon.  One option is to adopt surge pricing yourself to attract more of your drivers to work and collect fares during peak times. Another option is to offer the convenience of mobile to your customer base and avoid surge pricing, a common rider annoyance, to undercut ride-sharing applications and book more customers.

4.      Network and integrate with local businesses

As described, classic taxi and ride service companies can have unique advantages over recent ride-sharing firms. One of these unique and competitive advantages is providing a familiar and consistent experience for local businesses. For example, rather than calling an Uber for guests ad hoc, many hotels prefer working with a local taxi company that can provide scheduled, dependable, and regular transport for their guests. The same goes for hospitals, doctor offices, and auto repair shops, where customers may require one-way or return transport. Classic taxi and ride services can develop relationships with these firms to win repeat business. Additionally, these taxi and ride service companies can provide local firms with easy, web-based ordering for single or repeat trips.

Conclusion

Ride-sharing is here to stay, but classic taxi and ride service companies are here to stay as well. Rather than fighting ride-sharing and lobbying for regulations on ride-sharing businesses, classic taxi and ride service companies can better invest their resources by adjusting their business models to include and take advantage of current trends in mobile technology.