1. Developing the Idea
Description of Service
The service we will be providing is a ride service for children and parents who have busy schedules. Our service will ensure that children arrive at their destination safely and on time to and from school, day care, after school activities, recreational programs, etc. Our drivers will all be life scanned, background checked, and their DMV record will be scrutinized. We will also be developing an app as a complement to our services so that parents are aware of where their children are at all times. Parents can easily plan out a child’s activities for the day, week, or month to ensure no event or practice goes unmissed. Customers can also sign up for a monthly, or yearly package to save money. Additional nanny services are available as well if needed for an additional fee.
Market Need Description
The prime candidates are middle to upper class, single and dual income families. We have found that families at this level are focused on their careers and their children are heavily involved in extracurricular activities. According to the 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of married couples with children where both parents are working is 60.6% (http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/famee.pdf). This is the section of the population we will be targeting.
Competition Analysis
Factor: Description: Competitors: Us:
Type of Need Limited child transportation ZUM functions in Ca much like Uber, with highly qualified employees
Timing This Market exists, but in a limited fashion so timing is crucial There’s a lot of competition, but it’s not yet National. Almost every state has one form or another
Competing ways of satisfying Some companies limit their services simply to child transportation while others also do pet sitting and senior care. Wide variety of services, all centered around licensed employees with pristine driving records.
Perceived benefit/risk Depending on location, possible market saturation. National and state transportation license issues. The only plus I’m running into is that none of these services has an app yet, like lyft or Uber
Price v Performance It looks like most services are run on a “by trip” basis Not sure what the prices are, as I would have to be making multiple accounts and services I will never use. Somebody may need to make a phone call
Market size/potential Based entirely on how far you’re willing to drive a child. To my knowledge transporting the child across state lines is illegal. So any market stops at state lines. I suspect this is why companies are only citywide, or countywide.
Availability of customer funds Sticking with the concept of “by fare “makes the most sense to me Several of these services charge a membership fee, as well as an actual transportation fee.

Unique Selling Propositions