BBGO – app development for a car order service

Any successful product is nowadays a confluence of user needs and company strategy. The client came to us with a clear understanding of where he wants to move as a business, and we helped to identify the needs of the users, study the mobile solutions of local competitors and market leaders, and develop scenarios of application use. We also prepared screens’ design for the client and the driver, developed native apps for iOS and Android, and created an API and a backend for the car booking platform.

The Task

The key challenge of this project lay in the search for the car ordering apps’ best patterns for the new product. After studying a dozen popular solutions, we figured out the features used most often and by many users. They are

• home screen with preferred addresses,
• car category selection with a fixed price,
• a clear indication of the car selected,
• after-trip review system.

At the same time, the service had to include a unique bonus system. A passenger receives bonuses after each ride and can use them for a discount ride or share with a friend.

For the most effective search for a solution, we held regular workshops with the client’s team. Their involvement in the design work allowed us to build a relationship of trust, receive instant feedback, and make changes faster.

Solution

Car Order

The app usage begins with a quick registration via phone number and SMS verification. The code from SMS is automatically inserted into the input field, saving the client’s time. By default, we consider the customer orders a car to his or her location, so the only input field needed to create an order is the “Where” address. On receiving this point, the backend will calculate the cost immediately for all car categories. The result is a highly intuitive car booking app that reduces user friction and improves order conversion.

The last step of the order is to specify the pickup point on a map with an enlarged scale. This allows the passenger and the driver to find each other more easily.

Active order

The next important section of the application is the current order display. This process seems uninterrupted for the client, however, it’s divided into several stages:

• car search
• displaying a car movement to the pickup point
• The driver’s waiting for the passenger
• passenger travel to destination

At each stage, the user has different needs, consequently, we show the necessary information at the right moment. For instance, a car type, color, and plate number are shown on the pick-up screen. We use color to draw the passenger’s attention to the changed statuses. We also did not forget about the case of an unsuccessful car search - this is potentially a point of customers’ loss, so we suggest increasing the cost of the trip not to leave a client without an order. The real-time responsiveness of this mobile car booking app enhances passenger trust and retention.

To develop an optimal design for additional services selection, we analyzed other applications for ordering a car and formed a comparative table showing their popularity.

Having discussed the value of each option with the client in detail, we chose the "Baby seat", "Transportation of animals" and "Courier" options, and developed several design prototypes.

Logo

The product did not have a corporate identity therefore we developed a logo for it. First of all, we wanted to use it in the app icon.

We also cared that the logo looked noticeable and recognizable on the car side and the "checker" in the future.

Driver app

Sign In

A distinctive feature of the product was a simple and quick way to connect new drivers to the system. To solve this problem, we implemented the possibility of self-registration in the car order app for drivers.

A driver simply sends the application, waits for confirmation of registration on the part of the administrator, and starts to work right after receiving it.

Work with orders

For beginners, the map is extremely important both for taking the order and during the ride. The application can show the route but also allows switching to a third-party, full-fledged navigator at any time.

For experienced drivers who know the city well, the map only steals a useful place on the screen. For such drivers, comprehensive order information is more important. To cater to different categories of users is always a difficult task, so we added switching between the two modes: with and without a map.