SA Florist pioneers on-demand economy

© Nattavut Luechai – 123RF.com

The on-demand economy is defined as the economic activity created by technology companies that fulfil consumer demand via the immediate provisioning of goods and services.

SA Florist founder Nicholas Wallander said that the flower industry is witnessing the dawn of a revolution. "No more 12 o'clock cut-offs, no more wondering when the flowers will arrive. Order between 9am and 4pm and we'll have them there before you can say phalaenopsis. This is made possible through our sophisticated geo-locating software that enables more efficient delivery and shorter delivery distances.

"It's really simple, choose the Zoom Bloom option when selecting your product and our florists in the area will create something exquisite, ready to be delivered right to your door within two hours. As long as the florist is open, you'll be able to get flowers delivered."

Most big flower distributors don't allow customers to order flowers for same-day delivery after 12pm and those that do are often constrained by the delivery capacity of individual florists. Zoom Bloom aims to change that, allowing customers to order flowers for delivery within two hours any time during the day.

Innovative ideas

Entrepreneurs are flooding the market with innovative ideas, disrupting value chains across many established industry verticals. The Internet of Things (IoT) and the on-demand economy are the most active areas for innovation, traditional businesses and start-ups are now competing head-on with larger enterprises to bring products and services to business and consumers.

The IoT is a whole new way of thinking, decisions can be made according to predetermined rules and the resulting actions happen automatically, without the need for human intervention. These new interactions are driving tremendous opportunities for new services, such as Uber for taxis and AirBnB for accommodation.

Wallander said that the on-demand economy is creating new market opportunities and providing a competitive advantage for enterprise users in current as well as new markets.

"The instant gratification model puts a lot of pressure on one's servicing infrastructure because of the unpredictable demand. The choice should be guided by how the consumer wants to consume the services and whether the business model is creating enough value for the service providers to offset headaches of instant delivery," he explained.

The on-demand economy is a result of changes in consumer behaviour, consumer demand and new methods of delivery. It is a transformation in commerce that instantly connects consumers with products and services.

"Uber is one of the torch bearers of the on-demand economy and instant gratification is a lifestyle choice that every consumer with a smartphone has made. Consumers now have the power and they are demanding service delivery," he concluded.

The Zoom Bloom service is currently only available Joburg, Pretoria and Cape Town. For more information contact SA Florist on + 27 (0) 87 231 0319, email az.oc.tsirolfas@sredro or go to www.saflorist.net.