Errands:
Simplifying On-Demand Delivery
Errands is reshaping the landscape of on-demand delivery services in Nigeria. The platform, based on a mobile app and an admin panel, connects individuals and businesses with a network of reliable couriers to handle tasks quickly and efficiently.
What is Errands?
Errands is a mobile application designed to cater to the growing need for quick and dependable delivery services in Nigeria. With urban centers becoming more congested and the demand for fast, reliable delivery services increasing, Errands provides users with a platform to book couriers for personal and business deliveries alike. Whether it’s sending documents, delivering a package, or running last-minute errands, the app ensures that customers get their items delivered in the shortest possible time.
The platform also caters to businesses, offering services for e-commerce deliveries, local retail, and more. Through its admin dashboard, businesses can manage multiple deliveries, track couriers in real time, and ensure that their logistics operations run smoothly.
Typography
Aa Gilroy
Font
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Client Requirements
Mobile App for Consumers & Couriers:
The Errands mobile app needed to be user-friendly, allowing individuals to book couriers quickly and track their deliveries in real-time. The app also required a separate interface for couriers, where they could accept jobs, view optimized delivery routes, and communicate with customers.
Admin Dashboard for Businesses:
To serve businesses, Errands needed a robust admin dashboard that would allow them to manage multiple deliveries, track their couriers, & generate delivery performance reports. This would allow e-commerce and retail companies to use Errands as an extension of their logistics operations.
In-App Communication & Notifications:
Errands required a streamlined communication tool that would allow customers, couriers, and administrators to interact directly through the app. The platform also needed to provide real-time notifications and updates on delivery statuses.
Route Optimization & Real-Time Tracking:
Given the traffic conditions in major Nigerian cities, route optimization was a critical feature for ensuring timely deliveries. Customers and businesses needed to be able to track deliveries in real time and receive accurate ETAs.
Payment Integration:
Errands wanted to offer seamless payment options within the app, allowing users to pay for deliveries using various methods, including credit cards, mobile wallets, and bank transfers.
Major Features
Fast Delivery Tracking
Users can track their deliveries swiftly, providing them with transparency and peace of mind. Couriers are also able to update their delivery status at key points in the process, keeping users informed every step of the way.
Optimized Routes for Couriers
Errands’ route optimization feature ensures that couriers can complete deliveries in the shortest possible time, even in congested areas, by providing them with real-time traffic data and alternate routes
Access for Businesses
The admin dashboard offers businesses a full suite of tools for managing deliveries. From assigning tasks to generating reports, businesses can handle large volumes of deliveries efficiently through this platform.
In-App Messaging System
Users, couriers, and businesses can communicate directly through the app, ensuring that all parties are on the same page regarding delivery instructions and timelines.
The Challenge
Traffic Congestion & Unpredictable Delivery Times:
Urban centers in Nigeria, particularly Lagos, experience heavy traffic congestion, which can make timely deliveries difficult. Errands needed a system that could optimize delivery routes and minimize delays.
Fragmented Communication Channels:
A major issue in Nigeria’s delivery market is the lack of consistent communication between customers and couriers, often leading to confusion and missed deliveries. Errands required a clear and integrated communication tool for users, couriers, and administrators.
Lack of Reliable Couriers:
Urban centers in Nigeria, particularly Lagos, experience heavy traffic congestion, which can make timely deliveries difficult. Errands needed a system that could optimize delivery routes and minimize delays.
Scalability for Businesses:
Errands wanted to offer more than just personal deliveries. The platform needed to be scalable to accommodate businesses with larger delivery needs, providing them with tools to manage their delivery fleet efficiently.
How We Tackled It
Flutter-Based Mobile App
To meet the client’s requirements for a scalable and reliable mobile app, we used Flutter to develop the Errands mobile app. This cross-platform development framework allowed us to create a unified experience for both Android and iOS users, ensuring broad market coverage in Nigeria. The app design was focused on ease of use, with simple navigation and intuitive booking steps that allow users to request couriers in just a few taps.The courier interface was designed to provide drivers with all the information they need, including pick-up and drop-off locations, optimized routes, and customer contact information. Couriers can accept or decline jobs based on their availability, ensuring flexibility in the network.
Admin Dashboard with React and Node
We built the admin dashboard using React and Node, allowing businesses to manage deliveries efficiently. The dashboard offers a bird’s-eye view of all ongoing deliveries, providing real-time tracking, delivery reports, and a history of completed tasks. Businesses can assign couriers, set delivery priorities, and track each job’s status, making it easy to manage high volumes of orders during peak times.
Route Optimization for Couriers
To address the issue of traffic congestion in Nigeria’s urban centers, we integrated a route optimization system that takes real-time traffic data into account. This feature provides couriers with the best possible route for each delivery, minimizing delays and ensuring that customers receive accurate ETAs.
Real-Time Tracking & Notifications
Both customers and businesses can track their deliveries in real time through the app, ensuring complete transparency in the process. The app also provides push notifications to keep users informed about their delivery status, from the moment a courier accepts the job to when the package is delivered.
In-App Communication Tools
Errands includes an integrated communication system, allowing users to chat with their assigned couriers directly. This helps ensure that any specific delivery instructions or changes can be communicated clearly, reducing the chances of missed deliveries.
Payment Gateway Integration
We integrated multiple payment options, including credit card payments, mobile wallets, and bank transfers, ensuring that users can pay for deliveries securely and easily through the app.
Technology Stack
Firebase Services
Flutter
React Js
Node Js
My SQL
The Result?
Errands has positioned itself as a key player in Nigeria’s on-demand delivery market. With its user-friendly mobile app, robust admin dashboard, and real-time tracking features, the platform provides a seamless experience for both individual users and businesses. By addressing the common pain points of delivery delays, communication barriers, and unreliable couriers, Errands is helping to streamline Nigeria’s growing delivery market.
The platform has successfully established itself as a go-to solution for both personal errands and business deliveries, with the ability to scale as demand grows. Errands continues to provide a reliable and efficient way to get items delivered across Nigeria’s bustling cities, offering users and businesses alike the transparency and ease they need.
