The On Demand Generation

Whether its ordering a madras from the couch or getting a lift whenever you want it to ordering groceries for tomorrow, the on demand generation has certain expectations around convenience. Technology companies like UBER, Airbnb and Just Eat (among others) make it all possible at a touch of a button.

End users who consume on demand products may not feel any loyalty to a specific brand especially when the outcome of the service is the same as ordering food from the same restaurant. All consumers really care about is how long will it take to arrive, what is the cost and will it be in the condition I expected (when I eat it in the restuarant).

This increasing trend in demand for such suppliers is having a knock on effect to businesses. As employee spend continues to rise over the coming year, so does the demand choices for car hire, hotels, taxis, stationery, travel etc. in the on demand world.

In 2018, the importance of ecosystems in business are going to be even more important. 2018 will bring with it an importance for more on demand applications and these changes around user behaviour will shape how businesses manage their spend and budgets.

Most people want their technology to work together seamlessly, most people wouldn't purchase an iphone without syncing it to other google apps, similarly so we will see business decisions made around employee spend automation based on ecosystem integration. Whether it's expense claims, booking travel online or processing invoices, with the on demand view in mind, future tech platforms should have a roadmap or flexible technology to integrate with these future app companies.

Not only making it easier for consumers to continue to seek the best value through booking on demand but also seamless integration into other ecosystems allow companies to capture ALL spend related data right from the true source. This provides the highest levels of insight around spend trends and future buyer behaviours.