All my life, I have been planning, experiencing, listening to, reading about people creating new start-ups. This background allow me to see patterns, to propose frameworks… using them you can try to predict the future of new start-ups just by watching if they stick to the following three rules or not . As a matter of fact, this is true for any enterprise in any sector!
Rule number 1: The world is OUR office!
Forget about LOCAL tourism. Focus on establishing your business in a global environment. The real one!
Don’t be like some entrepreneurs (sorry, they’re definitely… Copyologists!) that go somewhere, copy an idea and then set up the same in their local country. As they are only good at copying ideas, their great hope is that someday the original enterprise will try to establish in their country and they can sell their enterprise to them (better buy than battle, right?)
Rule number 2: Choose wisely generic or specialized tourism (I repeat, the rules are valid for any sector)
If you do something generic, be sure that you can benefit from economies of scale that allow you to provide the lowest prices. Remember, no low prices, no permanent offers, no discounts… NO customer!
- BUT, Jordi, what if first I seduce low price orientated customers with offers and then they will come even though at a higher price?
Good example of an Oxymoron, my friend!
If you choose to focus on value instead of price (OR If you are unable to provide economies of scale) focus on a segment (a real one, forget about Dr. Frankensteins segmentation) focus on creating and building a community. So, specialized tourism or specialized business. In this scenario, a competitor can appear offering the lowest prices BUT you have something more important and harder to get... The TRUST of YOUR community!
Rule number 3: Define operations and processes and use web 2.0 business model features (you know: syndication, customization and pro-am) to improve them. Then design and implement the technological scheme. Do you really believe that you can do that without a two hands mentality? I doubt it!
Let’s see some interesting case in point…
More than one year ago it was very popular to create mobile apps trying to bring customers to your restaurant. Here, we talked about Resy and Groupon…
The flavor of the month lately it has been on-line start-ups connecting restaurants with people willing to order on-line and getting a menu at home or at the office. Just Eat (the global big gorilla), ClubKviar… just to give some examples
After watching the video… How do you clasifly ”just eat” generic or specialized?
Do you see any opportunities for improving processes using the web 2.0 business model?
At the end of the day, those start-ups dream to become a Super 3 in Touristology terms!
How to seduce restaurants? You can increase your sales 25% selling through me! Or you can get to know your customers better thanks to the tools I give you (a kind of loyalty program, a kind of big data system…)
How to seduce customers? Your menu at your finger tips! Get a customized service and access to special discounts in any restaurant inside my system.
Does it sound interesting? Sure! Is it a possible disruptor? It can be!
BUT…If they don’t follow the previous rules (international approach, specialization and two hands mentality) this is the usual outcome…
A lot of new start-ups will appear and at the end (after many broken dreams and loss of money) a few (or just the one) ones will control the market!
Touristologists! Be sure you are part of the winners (the future leaders OR the ones that sell and get the money) Review Touristology rules and keep working, keep dreaming, keep enjoying Touristology!!!
