Concierge app development is a lucrative niche for entrepreneurs. These apps offer top-notch concierge services for different target audiences: from VIPs and high-level managers to amateur travelers eager to broaden the borders.
In this article, we will talk about concierge app requirements, how to create a concierge app and analyze its market. Enjoy reading!
Concierge App Definition, Types and Purpose
Concierge application is a type of personal assistant app used in the travel and hospitality sector. It allows customers to make room/flight/restaurant bookings, find information related to their favorite activities, get directions to different venues such as music festivals, fairs or sports competitions, etc.
There are 3 main types of concierge applications:
Front-Desk concierge application. It is a replica of a human operating at the front desk in the hotel. This app helps customers check-in and check-out, monitor room prices, book tables, and any services available in the hotel: spa, gym, swimming pool, etc. You can do these services with a few clicks.
Travel Assistants. When you travel to different places, you need to plan what to do and what to see. In this case, travel concierge apps enhance you in guiding, booking flight tickets, providing information about nearby places, etc.
Conference Managers. This type is for managing events and planning out the intricacies. It helps find an appropriate place for a meeting, send reminders about the upcoming meeting, prepare agenda, order catering services, and much more.
You can build any concierge application from scratch and win users’ hearts by offering them a wide range of services. Drop us a line, and we will help you to make your own concierge app.
The purpose of concierge apps is to provide users with instant access to the wide range of travel and hospitality services they need as fast as possible.
Apart from the types, you should also know the benefits of investing in concierge app development. Let’s talk about it in the next passage.
Why Do You Need to Invest in Building Concierge Apps?
There are several reasons for a business owner to create a concierge app. Firstly, it gives you a competitive edge over other travel and hospitality providers. Secondly, when users feel independent in making reservations, bookings, and room services, they become loyal to your brand. As a result, you get revenue.
Besides, there are some reasons to ensure the success of building concierge apps.
Great internal efficiency. You can trust a concierge app with collecting and processing service requests while your actual employees focus on other essential aspects of customer service and get involved if there is a need to.
Upgraded customer support standards. Concierge apps minimize the waiting time. Guests instantly find information in the app and get answers to their questions. You will process the service requests immediately, delivering a high customer experience.
Access to customer data in one app. When everything is collected in one place, it is easier to get the full picture of your business and make informed decisions. Access to customer data helps you to analyze and predict their needs, introduce additional services.
New revenue sources. Yes, concierge apps can be monetized. You can get revenue by attracting third-party vendors (transportation providers, on-demand delivery services) to the partner programs included in your app. Another way of monetization is adding a paid premium service subscription.
If you need more information about the reasons for investing in concierge app development, contact us. You’ll get a comprehensive analysis of the improvement the concierge app can bring to your business.
Concierge App Market Analysis
Since you already have a general understanding of the concierge apps, it’s time to come through the statistics.
Concierge service apps are now a new trend. According to the Grand New Research website, the concierge apps market will constitute more than $500 million by 2025. The fast-developing travel industry causes the extensive development of concierge apps.
Even after the coronavirus serious hit in 2020, the travel industry is still predicted to reach a $2 billion market share in the next decade.
Therefore, concierge app development is a lucrative niche market that can bring you many loyal consumers.
How Does a Concierge App Work?
As we have already figured out, the market of concierge apps is a profitable spot, so you can be sure that investing in it is a good idea. However, in order to better understand the concierge app’s effectiveness, we’d like to describe how it works.
So, the process of interaction is the following:
A client makes a specific request: to book a hotel room, reserve a table, buy a ticket for the flight, etc.;
The program analyzes this request and performs selected solutions;
The client chooses the best solution and makes final operations in the app;
The client gets a notification to comment on the services;
Now it’s time for a results analysis. All the information is collected and analyzed by the app, generating possible solutions for the next request.
Steps to Develop the Best Concierge App
How to create a concierge app? The concierge app development process consists of 2 main steps:
Step 1. Research and Finalization.
Step 2. Defining basic and advanced concierge app features.
Let’s start analyzing the first step. It includes several stages: product discovery, the assistance of the backend human team, UI/UX design, defining app complexity.
Product Discovery
The product discovery phase includes a functional specification. This phase helps development and design teams to define a full scope of work and develop a roadmap for the project. On average, it lasts 4-6 weeks.
The Assistance of the Backend Human Team
Here we mean consultation of professionals from the sphere that know the business in and out. Of course, it is possible to create an entirely AI-driven app. Still, it will be more useful to combine technological know-how and supplement it with human intellect for additional assistance.
UI/UX Design
UI (User Interface) design includes screens, buttons, pages, and other visual elements that help users interact with an app. UX (User Experience) aims to provide a positive experience when users interact with the app. The UI/UX design is vital for a concierge app because it creates a lasting impression for users to return. During this phase, you also get a visual prototype of the end product.
Defining the App Complexity
App complexity is defined by a range of various functionalities in the app — the higher the number of concierge app features, the greater the cost of development.
Mentioned stages may seem complicated, but the professional development and design teams of Cadabra Studio know the concierge app market trends and are skilled enough to implement practical solutions to your product.
Basic and Advanced Features of Concierge App Development
In the previous passage, we described the first step of the concierge app development process. Now it’s time to talk about the list of basic and advanced concierge app features.
Basic Features for Concierge App
Registration and Login. These features are a must-have nowadays because concierge apps provide services that require payment details and personal data. In terms of security, users need to sign up and sign in. Once a customer registered, all their data is saved in the app.
In-app search. Concierge apps are popular among hotel chains and travel companies. In-app search helps users to find necessary information very quickly.
Booking. While booking something, users might apply many filters. They make decisions based on the price, accepted number of guests, hotel location, available bonuses, and promos. The list of items to book must also contain additional services like meals, gym, swimming pools, parking, and others.
Payment method. If customers have to pay only cash, there will be no reason to use a concierge app. There should be several optional payment methods that meet all up-to-date security protocols and data regulations.
Direct contact. In case of complaints or questions, a button “Direct Contact” is a helping tool. Customers want to get in touch with you through an app anytime, so add a button named “Contact us.” It does a great favor for them.
Admin panel. When it comes to data tracking, income managing, observing reservations, the admin panel steps in. You can add many features to the admin panel according to your needs.
These are the basic features needed for a concierge application. Let’s move on to the advanced ones.
Advanced Features for Concierge App
Service consumers expect to be impressed most of the time. This passage covers advanced features that help you to do that.
One-touch room service. The name of this feature explains its purpose. You can replace calling the receptionist with an in-app list of services, so in several touches, your clients receive the breakfast they ordered. Meanwhile, your employees aren’t distracted by neverending phone calls.
Automated checks-in and checks-out. Thanks to NFC technology that has become popular recently, customers can open the room door by phone and pay for the services whenever they are. By utilizing NFC-equipped locks, travelers can get into the room without standing at the front desk. When checking out, your customers won’t need to pass the keys back, so this process becomes fully automated.
Hotel map. For more advanced navigation, add a map with geofencing technology of your hotel/resort to the app. It can display every floor of the building and create the shortest routes from point A to point B.
Third-party services integration. You can monetize your concierge app, remember? By adding third-party services to it, you and another company can get revenue and satisfy your customers. They can book a restaurant, rent a car, find local sights on the go.
Even if your concierge app has every feature from these lists, it must be good-looking and user-friendly. So, choose a UI/UX design company carefully.
Technology Stack for Concierge App Development
You already know the features and the steps to create a concierge app. Now it’s time to discuss the technology stack options you can choose from.
| Android | iOS |
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Push notifications: Twilio, Push.io.
Database: Mailchimp Integration., MongoDB, Cassandra, Postgress.
Cloud environment: AWS, Google, Azure.
Payment methods: eWallets, PayPal, Stripe, Braintree, Qiwi Wallet.
Real-time Analytics: IBM, Apache Flink, BigData, Google Analytics.
Phone verification, Voice, SMS: Nexmo, Twilio.
You can ask managers from Cadabra Studio as your prospective development partner about which technology stack would be best suited for your application idea.
Cost to Build a Concierge App
Your requirements define the price of developing a concierge app. This price is calculated by multiplying the rate (it varies according to the region) by the number of hours estimated for the development. The final charge includes the app integrations for iOS and Android with the backend and UI/UX design.
The approximate time estimation required for concierge app development looks like this.
| Features | Development time |
Authorization User profile In-app search Payment system In-app messengers Push notifications Admin panel Frameworks integration Third-party services | — 70-90 hours — 60-80 hours — 80-100 hours — 120-160 hours — 220-250 hours — 30-40 hours — 180-230 hours — 60-80 hours — 10-15 hours (per each service) |
Total | — 830-1045 hours |
Still, the expenses may vary depending on specific project details. That’s why these numbers are approximate.
Additionally, the price depends on the region.
India — $10 to $40 per hour;
North America — $70 to $150 per hour;
Eastern Europe — $30 to $100 per hour.
Developing a concierge app would take approximately 830-1045 hours. Multiply by the development rate to get a fair idea about the development cost.
If you need to have an exact calculation of your project, contact sales managers from Cadabra Studio. Along with a professional attitude, you’ll get comprehensive project analysis and calculation.
Wrapping Up
To compete during the digital era, your business needs to improve customer experience and invest in intelligent automation. The popularity of concierge apps is continually increasing, but they still are not present everywhere. That’s why it is the best time to get your hands into it.
An enhanced customer experience is a powerful tool for building trust and loyalty within your customer base. With the help of a concierge app, you can impersonate your brand and make it more visible and recognizable.
Having a concierge app makes your business stand out among the competitors. Your offers will always be relevant, and your audience will get additional touchpoints with your business.
You can provide your customers with everything they need during the trip by making your own concierge app. Let’s discuss your project requirements — we will be glad to create the best concierge app for you.
