My name is Marissa Mosher and I am a junior at the University of Florida, majoring in General Business with a Specialization in Travel and Tourism Management. I have worked in the hospitality industry for the majority of my life, and from this experience I have learned how to be personable, relate to others well, and patient with many different types of people. I aspire to work in the hotel industry and travel often. In regards to my business concept, I could certainly see this working well in my life. While it is not directly related to hotels, proper public transportation is an important and essential segment in the tourism industry.
2) What are you offering to customers?
With 2 BUS-y 4 U, through this app people will be able to see not only WHEN the next bus is arriving but also if it is already FULL. This is essential to time management and ensuring that one arrives on time to their destination. Even beyond helping a student see if a bus is full as he is on his way to class, it could help a tourist see whether or not they are able to take the next bus to the airport or if they need to arrange for an alternative plan.
3) Who are you offering it to?
This app would be beneficial to any and all people who use a public bus system to get around. While I was inspired by my fellow students, as well as my own experiences, this app is not only helpful to students. It would greatly aid tourists, anyone without a car, those too young or old to drive, etc. No matter who you are, you want to know how and WHEN you will be getting somewhere. If you believed that you would be able to take a bus in 5 minutes but it arrived full and you had to wait another 30 minutes for the next one, that can be problematic.
4) Why do they care? / 5) What are your core competencies?
Customers will pay for this app because time and time again, it has been proven that people are willing to pay a bit extra for added convenience and accessibility. While there are already some bus apps on the market for free, people will be willing to pay for 2 BUS-y 4 U for the information of knowing which buses are full and the added ease of better planning out their departure/arrival time.
I believe that I have a fairly strong concept that will fill a need in the market, and this was reinforced by my customer interviews. Students agreed that they have run into the problem of a full bus in the past, and have had to since adjust their schedules to allot for additional time in case they miss the bus. This app would eliminate the need for that extra time allotment and provide users with a more accurate way to plan and coordinate their schedule without any unwanted surprises.
I think this idea has a lot of potential. I've seen a lot of public transportation ideas- which says something about the problems or lack of it. I've taken the bus a few times to class and it's definitely a pain when so many kids are getting on/ off the bus- a human traffic jam if you will. I also think you raise a good point about how people are more willing to pay for convenience and accessibility. Nice idea.
ReplyDeleteHey Marissa,
ReplyDeleteI think that it is really cool that you have a background in working in the hospital industry. The skills that you picked up from those experiences will definitely help you if you ever are running a company. I think that you have a very good idea. I would hate to wait 20 minutes just to find that the bus I was waiting for is full. People are forced to be so efficient these days so I think that this service would be a success. I think the fact that you could offer this service to anyone makes its potential much greater. Best of luck if you decide to pursue this idea! Feel free to check my Idea Napkin out here: http://wsentrepreneurship.blogspot.com/2016/02/idea-napkin-no-1.html