This is the fourth article in a 10-part series on mobility as a service (MaaS) use cases. We highlight the many different ways in which it can help to solve travel and transport problems for individuals, organisations and governments.
A major part of MaaS that’s often not talked about is its use as a lifestyle application. Organise events and meetups with friends and families, create itineraries, book restaurants and hotels, plan and make changes in near real time. And communicate with your friends and family. MaaS can make it easy to get everyone together in the right place at the right time.
From synchronising calendars, finding details on attractions and restaurants to reading reviews and making bookings and payments, MaaS not only connects people-to-places but people-to-people too. Whether it’s a day out, a sporting event, or a weekend away, the ability to build on top of a MaaS platform and integrate third-party applications results in more personalised trips and all-round lifestyle experience.
This could include advertising contextual promotions, discounts and vouchers based on where travellers are going, when, with whom and their interests. These geo-targeted offers could be presented by, for example, SMS messages, interactive ads, rich-media ads, push notifications, click-to-call ads, and in-app interstitials. Discounts on events, restaurants or at local shops are just a few examples.
Everyone wins, including transport authorities and operators, mobility tech providers, payment gateways, and of course advertising agencies, eateries and retailers, creating many revenue sharing opportunities. Being able to report on – and analyse – global ‘lifestyle’ and travel data can provide insight into citizen behaviour and buying habits, and ultimately let you understand your customer or passenger better.
Lifestyle MaaS in practice
[Scenario 1] Reyansh is a cyclist and uses MaaS when travelling by train, using his cycle for the first and last mile. He also likes to cycle on the weekend with friends. Via the MaaS app, he receives special offers based on his routes and recent searches such as a discount on cycle helmets or repair kits as he walks near to a cycle shop and points for healthy travel.
[Scenario 1] Gemma and her friends go for a weekend away to the countryside. They book their most suitable journey through the MaaS-app – an Uber to pick them up, followed by a train journey and a regular taxi from the station to the cottage, their final destination. During the trip chain, Gemma receives a discount voucher for a local restaurant which she books straight away within the app after taking a look at reviews. The route is automatically calculated and she can see it’s within three minutes walking distance. No need to book transport. The MaaS app integrates the booking in Emma’s schedule and sends her an alert when it’s time to leave in time for dinner.
Who is lifestyle MaaS for
- Public transit authorities
- Transport operators
- Mobility tech providers
- Marketing and advertising firms
- Hotels, restaurants and other service providers
- Retailers and shopping malls
- Tourism and entertainment industry
- Citizens/tourists
Questions to ask yourself
- What contextual services could you provide at various points in a customer’s journey (and day) to make their life easier?
- Who could you partner with and how would the collaboration benefit each party?
- In what ways could you and your customers benefit from in-app promotions and other value-added services?
- How could your organisation use MaaS to better support your customers’ lifestyle?
Answering questions like these will help you figure out how you can best support your customer’s lifestyle needs. We can help a wide range of organisations from public transit authorities and transport operators to tourism, retail and entertainment providers.
Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss how SkedGo can help you serve your customers better.
Read part 1 about accessibility, part 2 about corporate mobility and part 3 about active travel of this series.
Photo by Adrien Olichon from Pexels