Certain populations
in small towns and big cities have a distinct problem in running every day
errands required. Some of the busiest individuals can’t find time to buy their
weekly list of groceries; other populations, such as the elderly, can have
trouble making their daily trips to the doctor appointments and making daily
runs through the big city or driving for 30 or more minutes to get into town.
The who:
Populations too occupied or incapable.
The what:
Accomplishing daily errands throughout the week.
The why: The
individuals are usually too busy or incapable to accomplish these tasks and
need help with them.
Interview #1: The
first interview helped me see some of the obstacles a little clearer with
regards to “the who” in my hypothesis. The interviewee agreed with the concept
that most of the individuals who would benefit from this business are either
busy or incapable. He also noted that “the who” could extend to individuals who
are rarely home and always traveling. Most of the traveling individuals reach
their homes and the last thing they think about are making grocery trips or
attending to property needs.
Interview #2:
With the second interview, some limitations were pointed out that could hinder
the progression of my opportunity. The interviewee questioned the method of
transportation and pricing for the consumer and comparing it to possible
overhead costs related with operating this sort of business venture. Upkeep of
a fleet of vehicles, insurance for all drivers, gas for transportation, and
trying to make some sort of profit on top of all the costs mentioned.
Interview #3:
This interview enlightened me with “the why” in my hypothesis. As stated, these
individuals are usually too busy or incapable of running their daily errands
throughout the week. They stated that any individual that is occupied or
incapable will usually hire a nanny or sitter that they can get closer to and
feel more at home with running their errands. One of the ultimate goals would
be to make sure the employee working will develop a relationship with the
consumer, therefore the consumer doesn’t feel like a stranger is running their
daily needs.
Interview #4:
With this interview, the interviewee agreed with most of the concepts in the
hypothesis but questioned some of “the what”. She felt like the idea behind
this represented a good unmet need but would require the consumer to become an
open book for any employee working. Some of the daily errands that would be
delegated can become very personal and make the consumer feel uncomfortable with
the business. Unfortunately, there is no easy way around this with the
exception of developing a close relationship between the consumer and employee.
Interview #5: On
my last interview, we discussed “the who” and “the what” primarily. She said
that some consumers would only require these services every few weeks or
sometimes even months. Therefore, it would be difficult collecting a consistent
amount of revenue to ensure the business stayed afloat. This brought me the
idea that the consumers can pay a membership or some sort of monthly service
fee; that way the business has consistent revenue and the consumers can take advantage
of the services at every need without having to worry about paying for every
trip made.
Sergio,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your last interview that a monthly service fee would be the best way for you to have consistent income to cover expenses, and the customer could utilize the service without having to consider the "trip fee" each time.
I do agree that some errands are more of a personal nature than others. I think that the type of services that you have discussed are not in the nanny or maid area. However, you could have contacts in all areas of home service, like sitters/nannies, house cleaners, lawn maintenance, etc, as well as providing errand running as discussed previously.
Hey Sergio! It seems like this is a widespread issue for some people. I know for me, I live in the middle of the mountains and the closest grocery store is a good 30 minute drive from our house... and that's in good weather! So I can definitely understand this need. It is expensive and timely to get this stuff done, especially on days when you aren't already in town. I know for big cities like New York, going to a specific place across town can be extremely time consuming!
ReplyDeleteSergio your opportunity sounds like it has a ton of potential. I really liked the point that you made in your first interview. I travel a lot and for long periods of time so I make sure my fridge is empty before I leave, but that means that I always come back to an empty fridge as well. I hate eating out, because I like to eat healthy but I’m also too tired that day to go to the store. For those like me who don’t drive, getting a full fridge worth of food isn’t even possible in one trip. I would absolutely pay for a service that could stock my fridge when I get home from my travels.
ReplyDeleteHey Sergio, great idea! I personally have this problem myself and I’m only a college student! I currently am juggling two jobs and full time schooling, so finding time within store hours to get my errands done can be a hassle. Sometimes I go a week or so without something essential because I am too busy to get it right away. Last week, I didn’t have time to go grocery shopping because during open hours I had work/ school, so I had to eat quinoa and frozen broccoli for five days straight before I could head to the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteThis is a phenomenal idea! I think I mentioned before that there's already a business like that in Gainesville created by UF students called Qwerk however, that's neither here nor there. If you're able to market your business the right way (whatever way you decide that may be), then this could be without a doubt a very successful venture. I personally would build this business/app through the resources around Gainesville like the Innovation Hub, Gator Hatchery, Infinity Hall, etc. THEN I would carry out this business in a busy city around Florida like Tampa, Orlando, Miami, or Jacksonville! This is definitely something a lot of people could use.
ReplyDeleteSergio,
ReplyDeleteI think your idea is absolutely fantastic. I, too, have this issue, as I struggle to find the time to go to the grocery store, and often times when I do, I always forget something (even when I make a list). This is problematic for college students in general, as we're so limited on time, and we have to rely on drive-thru options for meals, which isn't healthy. If I had a grocery service such as the one that you're proposing, I'd certainly eat a lot healthier than I do now. Great job!