Technology hypothetical

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  • BusterBoy

    OK, so you need to setup a food delivery platform similar to Uber Eats, Foodora, Deliveroo etc.

    From a tech perspective, where TF do you start? Do you go to an Agency...hire staff to do in-house? Contractors? What technology do you go with? If you hire a PM, how can you be certain what they suggest is the way to go?

  • shapesalad-2

    ruby on rails

    • Downvotes?BusterBoy
    • It was just a guess! But you'll need some sort of database at the core of it all - to manage customers / delivery drivers / restaurants etc.shapesalad
    • Everything else, app etc will sit on top of that. I worked as designer for a startup, the founders spent 98% of their time coding their database, refining it.shapesalad
    • It was the core to everything. A new feature, meant coding it into the database. App too slow, coding database to pull data quicker etc.shapesalad
    • of course, but it's no different with any modern application framework of which there are a ton. don't go chasing a specific framework at this point.kingsteven
    • https://github.com/s…kingsteven
    • ^ included to show that there is a ton obviously only a few will be applicable... but it really depends on who you can get and what you want to optimise.kingsteven
  • shapesalad2

    Break down what the whole business is, starting from end result.

    Food at customers house
    ^
    delivery person
    ^
    contract for delivery person
    ^
    app specific for delivery people
    ^
    affiliated restaurants
    ^
    contract with restaurants
    ^
    negotiation with restaurants
    ^
    ... etc .. etc

    ^
    app UI / UX design
    ^
    ...
    ...
    ^
    database driven app: ruby on rails

    • at each stage you can start to see the work requiredshapesalad
    • and figure out the tech required to solve those business needs.shapesalad
    • Like it.BusterBoy
    • presuming a some existing business has approached you for advice on this? all your options at this point are based on budget, infrastructure, roll out.kingsteven
    • is Ruby, especially on Rails, still de rigueur?detritus
    • read this if you want to know the true headfuck of deliveroo's tech https://jungleworks.…kingsteven
    • < i know this is meant to be simple, but the infrastructure involved in running a company like this successfully and competitively is a whole other matter.kingsteven
    • if all you're offering is food taxis no restaurant will give you % cut + delivery charge when they've got a cousin that does that there ruby on rails.kingsteven
    • The link to the uber Eats article at the end of that seems relevant also..
      https://jungleworks.…
      detritus
    • it's clear the huge marketing budgets and co branding is everything in persuading restaurants to choose you over a competitor. deliveroo's exclusivity beingkingsteven
    • a prime example.kingsteven
  • BusterBoy0

    Bump just to thank for the responses. The business model will be the thing that sets this one apart from the others - especially in terms of getting restaurants on board. That's a part where the expertise and advice is pretty significant at this point.

    • excellent, yeah it's difficult to know what advice to give as there's so much that's not the tech. but i guess that idea that deliveroo's technology (like anythkingsteven
    • ing 'digital' i guess) is a big part of it's marketing too. online ordering food is the first example in most web application programming books. so is moot...kingsteven
    • while analytics/ route management is a cost-saving measure that doubles up to market the app to riders and restaurants in terms of efficiency.kingsteven
  • BusterBoy0

    Going through the process of meeting with tech providers. Tossing up whether to hire for in-house or outsource.

    One of the considerations interestingly...some VCs are actually more comfortable with significantly higher dev costs from a reputable blue chip agency than a lean, mean in house team.

    So let's say for arguments sake...and talking tech only (not marketing and other setup costs), what would you expect an Agency to bill if you said you wanted a carbon copy of Deliveroo or Uber Eats?

    My guess is at least $500K just for an MVP.

    • You don't have a business long-term without engineers. I shudder to think how you would hire them after the fact.monNom
    • Nobody but the agency will know how it works, so any hires on your end will be fumbling in the dark.monNom
    • So do all these companies develop in-house from day 1?BusterBoy
    • I imagine they bought up some tech companies/ studios along the way. to recruit and build in house with a new team? way too risky.kingsteven
    • it all depends on capitol / timescale. finding a great studio and plying them with work until your their only client, then buying them out is one method.kingsteven